AOTEA TRACK

Aotea: An island I never knew I needed. Prehistoric mountains honeycombed with black petrel burrows stabilised by kauri trees, embodying everything I love about Aotearoa…

This track has been on my list for a long time, but its not easy to get to Great Barrier Island, especially when money is tight. When Ella announced that she was moving to the UK, we quickly began plotting a farewell adventure knowing full well that it would be hard to top Tasmania’s South Coast Track. We bit the bullet and bought flights and when I saw the size of the plane I quickly started back-peddling, luckily Ella’s constant hype and experience dealing with my fear of flying got me across the tarmac.

Despite the landing being terrifyingly bumpy, the descent along a rugged beach was as picturesque as it comes. Without question this is the Rakiura of the North. It may be close to Auckland but somehow it has retained its authenticity. From a local radio station playing reggae to every single local waving to you as they drive by and a culture where locking your doors doesn’t exist, I’d sign up in a heartbeat to a life out here.