After grabbing some groceries and a new cooler grocery bag we stood on the side of the road with the other 45 people who would be our travel companions for at least the next few days. The bus basically drives to a different location each night and the passengers can choose to stay the one night or stay 2 months. Each day the bus stopped at various points along the way for interesting walks or sites and for lunch and supplies. Gina B, our fabulous bus driver also provided interesting tidbits and commentary about the towns we passed through.
Our first walk to Cathedral Cove.
Our first night was at Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula where you can actually dig your own hot tub in the sand during low tide. Jon and I went during the day and could barely squeeze our big toes into one of the pools due to the number of people. So we set our alarms and headed down at midnight and basically had the beach to ourselves. We picked such a perfect spot that our hot tub was so hot we could not even sit in it. We ended up having to dig a second one by the light of our headlamps letting only a small stream of the boiling hot water in. I have to admit that I had a hard time relaxing for fear that the tide would come in and suck me out to sea.
Warning signs for hot water beach and me trying to squeeze my way into one of the hot pools during the day.
Where we stayed night 1, Hot Water Beach Top 10 Holiday Park, a campground with brand new dorm cabins for the Kiwi Buses. We shared an 6-bed dorm for about $25 a night each ($50 total).
Our dorm cabin and backpacker special $10 fish and chips with local Hot Water Beer.
Our next night in Waitomo we visited the famous glow worm caves. A glowworm is actually not a worm at all but a match-stick-sized larval stage of the fungus gnat (relative to the mosquito). Pretty nasty but they create the most magical scene when you are floating under them through a dark cave. We also did a really cool walk through an old gold mining area, Karangahake.
The Karangahake walk and internet picture of the glowworm cave, sorry no personal glowworm pictures due to no photography allowed.
Where we stayed night 2, Kiwi Paca, a little outdated lodge with dorms, rooms and cabins with gorgeous views. We had a private room with a bathroom for $50 a night. For dinner we had the Large pizza backpacker special for $20.
View of the hotel in Waitomo.
The next morning, we did the Ruakuri Bushwalk where we walked on boardwalks past caves and streams made all the more impressive by the light rain. The scenery looked like something out of Jurassic park. I keep thinking a dinosaur was going to pop out.
Ruakuri Bushwalk.
Journey with Christina 
Hi Cristina & Jon
This truly seems amazing already !!!!!!! The scenery !!!! the running river under the bridge lush greenery ocean views. the glow worm cave. Awesome !!!!
the dorms look like the beds are not too bad for sleeping ? How were they ? Were people friendlly conversational In your dorms on buses places you ate rested ? For the most part were they Reasonably normal, other than the body lotion guy ? LOL. I have a young friend your ages who went to zealand and said it was the most beautiful place she s visited. She traveled to various. Places to. Are you getting that sense so far in your journey ?
I imagine this experience has made you al0t more comfortable with strangers ? 😄 More than you realized it would ?
How much of the world do you plan to see before you return ?
Is your bouts with sickness pretty much over now you are out of tropics ?
Are you both stronger now than you were when you started out ? Physically socially emotionally ? How do you feel it changed your outlook perspective on living life ; about people.; Cultures? . thus far in your trip ?
Do you feel more bonded together yourselves ? Did you ever feel in any danger Or start to have regrets about doing this if so. What kept you going ? Your commitment to finish your trip ? The money infested ?
Thus far would you consider living in another country ? Or hosting foreigners visiting here in u s a ?
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The dorm beds were ok but a little short for Jon. Everyone in the dorms and buses were very friendly and we were lucky enough to meet some amazing new friends from all over the world. The first night I dreaded the dorms but now I am used to it and it does not bother me.
New Zealand is stunning in every corner.
We are hoping to see as much as we can before we return.
I had a cold a few times but Jon seems to have drawn the short end of the stick for ailments on this trip. His continue just different things now. We can however, drink the tap water which has been great.
I would say Jon is healthier despite his ailments. His blood pressure has dropped a lot so we are excited about that. Goal is to get him off of his meds. I also think Jons perspective and outlook has changed a lot. I have always had a love of other cultures and meeting new people so for me this is heaven. It has also been good for Jon and I as a couple to work through our differences and meet in the middle. This is our first time living together and mingling money so a big change for us!
I’ve never once felt in any real danger, even in the middle of the amazon in south america. Everyone we have encountered have been wonderful and helpful. The only regret I have is that I did not do this sooner. In many countries young adults take a gap year, it is a shame that this is not more common in the US. We are basically trained to work to live.
What keeps me going is my love for adventure and experiencing as much of the world as I can. For Jon I think it is more seeing what else is out there.
It has been a long time dream of mine to experience living in another country, but that will have to be saved for the future while I enjoy my current journey.
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