Here's the recap of travel, or rather it serve as an index page for easier tracking.

Pre-travel
Breakdown of travel days and links to accommodations.


Auckland
Day 1 - Walkabout in Auckland


Coromandel
Day 2 - Kayaked to Cathedral Cove, dug at Hot Water Beach and finished with dinner at Squids Bar.


Waitomo
Day 3 - Checking out the glow worms and Christmas dinner at Roselands Restaurant.


Rotorua / Matamata
Day 4 and 5
 - Met a very gorgeous Max at Kuirau Park, round Lake Rotorua and Redwoods Treewalk
 - Traditional hāngi feast at Mitai Māori Village
 - Food in Rotorua
 - "Went" home to Hobbiton


Rotorua / Taupo
Day 6 - Awed by geysers in Te Puia, then Huka Falls before arriving at Taupo.
Day 7 - My first long hike at Tongariro Alpine Crossing


Taupo / Wellington
Day 8 - Road trip from Taupo to Wellington


Wellington
Day 9 - Ending our North Island adventures in the capital city.



Side note: Can you see little green person on the traffic light?