Day 4 Cape Reinga

Sun is out so we decide to drive north to Cape Reinga the very top of the North Island, It is a long journey but man is it worth the drive. On the way we pass Gumdiggers Park where over 7000 workers dug the gums from buried trees to be used in processing. We stop to walk on the 90 mile beach which is actually a highway. Our rental company told us we would not be covered if buried in sand so we decide to stick to paved roads. We stop at the giant sand dunes on the way and I mean giant ! People are on sleds sliding down. We decide it is still better on snow so we venture onto the dunes only to walk. Cape Reinga finally appears. What views where the Pacific and Tasman Sea meet. We hike down the 2 km to the ocean  , play in the surf and eat our lunch. Then of course it is the 2 km climb back up ! On the drive home we come across a herd of cows moving toward us on both sides of the road. We have no option but to stop and wait until they pass on both sides of the car.

Day 3 West Coast

Today it is raining and I mean raining so we decide to drive west to the coast and see the native forests along the way. The drive is very scenic, even in the rain , We stop to take a short walk to see the largest tree in NZ. Probably about 2000 years old this Kauri tree is 67 meters high with a breath of close to 14 meters. We make the loop further down the coast to Dargaville and then cross back inland to Paihia. Rained all day but still a good time had by all !!

Day 2 Paihia- Opua- Russell

Today is beautiful so we decide to take a coastal hike from Paihia to Opua. This trail was partly on the beach and the rest through forests paths along the hills overlooking the Bay of Islands. We stopped in Opua a beautiful small village with a large marina..  we had a couple of Flat Whites then boarded a ferry for a 5 minute ride to Okiato. Here we begin the second segment of our walk to Russell once known as "the hell hole of the Pacific", The Hike was through thick forests and across Mangrove swamps with many steep climbs and declines. We stop in Russell at the Duke of Marlborough, the first licensed pub in NZ, for a well deserved refreshment.We then board another ferry for the 20 minute ride back to Paihia to complete the circuit..  a total of 18 km walking. A great Day !!

Day 1 Auckland

Landed early this morning, around 5:30 AM New Zealand time but we slept a bit on the plane so after making it through customs and getting our bearings it was off to pick up our rental car. Driving on the left during traffic hour in Auckland may not have been a great plan in hindsight but only 2 people blew their horns so I consider that a bit of proof we did not do that badly. We headed north towards Paihia where we would spend our first week touring the Northland. The distances do not seem far but the roads are slow compared to home so it takes time to get places. On our way north we stop at Waipu which has strong Cape Breton connections. We visited the museum to see the story of Rev. Norman Macleod and his follower's journey from St. Anns Bay to New Zealand. We signed the Cape Breton Guest book and then made a tour of the town to find Nova Scotia Road and Cape Breton Park and of course to stop for Flat Whites our new favorite coffee, After leaving Waipu and stopping for groceries in Whangarei we headed straight to Paihia, It is awesome here...  located in Bay of Islands . After a quick tour around and a dip in the pool it is an early night !