Writing about my time in New Zealand never fails to bring back the many memories I had. Reminiscence brings me some form of pleasure, along with some bittersweet feelings.
If you have not read my previous posts about my working holiday in New Zealand, please do go read Part 1 and Part 2!
Today I will be sharing my journey in Opotiki with you. After about ten days in Auckland, I headed to a small town in the Bay of Plenty region in search of some job opportunities. Throughout my days in NZ, I relied on the bus services (Intercity, Naked Bus) which ran across the North Island. It was definitely inconvenient to have to match our schedules to the bus schedules but traveling without a car is really a different experience that I am proud to say I survived and I had fun doing it. Opotiki is about a 4 hours odd drive from Auckland. I am pretty sure that most of you have not heard of Opotiki but fear not, because after reading my post, I am sure you will be pretty motivated to visit this little town. You will pass by Rotorua and Tauranga on the way, so plan your journey wisely to cut down on the distance travelled.
I love the skies in Opotiki. The abundance of wide green fields, along with the clear blue sky, totally won me over.
Opotiki is a small town, and not many people have crossed paths with it. But I am glad I chanced upon this small little town that I have grown to love.
If you are looking for accommodation at Opotiki, you can consider having a home-stay experience. Accomodation in Opotiki was slightly cheaper than in places like Auckland or Wellington. We arrived in the town not knowing what were our options and in the end, we chose to stay at Ranui Motel. The owner, Glenis, offered us the weekly rates for the room. It was affordable but definitely not the best place to stay in. The kitchen facilities were really bad but I guess it beats staying in a dormitory. The location is also quite convenient for us as we were around a 15 minutes walk from the town centre and right opposite New World (supermarket). I didn't have a car so staying opposite the supermarket definitely saved me a lot of trouble and energy.
Ranui Motel
36 Bridge Street
Opotiki Bay Of Plenty
New Zealand 3122
 |
| Having breakfast out in the sun |
Basically, Opotiki is a town in the Eastern Bay of Plenty in the North Island of New Zealand. It has a population of around 5000 people and approximately 60% are Māori people. In case you don't know, The Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand.
I believe most tourists will pass by without stopping or even noticing this town. But if you have the time, why not take a few days and relax in this small town? You can stay at a home stay near the lake and wake up to watch the sunrise and watch the sunset before you have your dinner. Life will be almost perfect.
If you are in New Zealand for working holiday, you can also consider going to Opotiki for seasonal work. There are 2 big packhouses (eastpack &opac) there and many kiwi orchards.
I love this town for its simplicity and peacefulness. Of course, there were times when I was really bored as there are really limited things you can do in this town but overall, I had an enjoyable time.
One thing for sure, I miss rolling around the meadows and watching the sunsets along the lake.
If you have any questions, please feel free to drop us a comment or email us at thumbsforfood@gmail.com.
Love,
Z
No comments:
Post a Comment