Looking for the best place for an unforgettable picnic? A day out that you will remember for the rest of your life? Search no more! We found it! It's called Wenderholm, and it's one of the most beautiful and actually the very first Auckland regional parks that was opened to the public in 1965! And only half an hour's drive North of Auckland. A real hidden treasure, definitely not overcrowded by tourists.

Breathtaking pohutukawas, a wide variety of beautiful trees, lush coastal forests, the smell of the sea, the sound of the waves, a colourful variety of chirping birds, tranquility and happy giggles, a fascinating estuary, a lot of green space to relax and unwind, barbecues, walking tracks, a campground and even a historic house awaits. ​So so worth, an absolute must see and a "must feel" if you have some time to discover the region. :) Here are my favourite moments, and who knows, they might inspire you to pay a visit one day... 

Change. What a beautiful word. It is a verb and a noun at once. It is full of motion. Full of action. Full of tension. Full of potential. 

Change is powerful. Scary. Forward looking. Motivating. 
Change. You are not used to it. Change. You get used to it.

I'm an absolute flower person. And a plant person. And a tree person. No wonder I have been so looking forward to our visit to the Auckland Botanic Gardens. A beautifully and well designed huge space that welcomes every visitor right from the start!  And where culture meets nature. For free!

Sempervivum - the rose of the rock garden. Its name comes from two Latin words, semper and vivus - "always and forever alive". Beautiful, meaningful, inspiring. Just like the plant, defined by its qualities and character. Determined to survive in harsh conditions. Resistant. Seems tough from the outside but really juicy inside. The less is more type. With a little pink twist on the sides. Simple. Pure. Nothing fancy, just natural. Yet stunningly decorative when in full bloom.

You step into the woods. The trees ask you to dance. You are in a completely different world. You smell the fresh air, the leaves, the earth. Your lungs fill up with Oxygen. 

You step out of the car. The engine goes to rest, and your ears begin to tune on to a different rhythm. The   sway of the branches right above your head. The mysterious wood knocking of the birds. The gentle cracking sounds under your toes. You walk on the soft ground, on a pillow-like cover of fallen leaves. A little dim light finds its way through the green layers.  

I love long weekends. The first long weekend that came up since our arrival was Labour Day weekend. New Zealand celebrates it on the 4th Monday of October. It is very similar to the May 1 celebrations in Europe. It marks the beginning of the official BBQ season. Gardening stores fill up their spring flower stocks and go on huge sales with a myriad of colours in blossom. They also start heating the pools, slowly paving the way for summer days. :) ​A perfect time to enjoy the outdoors and escape into pure nature.

Labour Day couldn't have happened in a better moment. This year. For us. This long weekend was a special one. We celebrated. A first birthday. Parenthood. Ourselves. :)

So we picked a special place to visit. We went to discover the most Northern part of the North Island, the Far North, the tip of New Zealand, aka the Northland region. Where the road ends. Where the seas meet.