Auckland: Day One Hundred and Eighteen (15 February)

We took a different route down to Auckland from the one we’d followed driving up, although we did pass through Paihia and Whangarei again. The sun was shining on the waterfalls this time.

We drove through some very pretty countryside to Dargaville where we had lunch and stopped for a cup of tea in Wellsford on our way South.

Unfortunately we arrived in Auckland in time for its rush hour: a phenomenon unheard of in most other parts of New Zealand. That meant it took us an hour to get to Howick where we were staying with other friends of Miss Robb’s auntie, who emigrated to New Zealand many years ago. They made us very welcome and helped us to save all our photos to disc so we could clear the camera card ready to take more.

Barnaby

Northland: Day One Hundred and Sixteen - Evening (13 February)

After a late BBQ lunch at the Houhora Fishing Club we headed back to Keri Keri, stopping again in the Kauri forest.

Not only are these trees really tall, they are also wide enough for people to fit inside. Here I am on a staircase carved inside one of these trees!

Barnaby

Northland: Day One Hundred and Sixteen - Morning (13 February)

We went on a tour today to the very top of the North Island, Cape Reinga, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea.

But first we visited the Ancient Kauri Kingdom. Kauri are amazingly old trees (some 45,000 years old!), which are native to New Zealand. Because they are so tall and straight, they were very popular for making ship's masts and became endangered. The remaining forests are now protected.

You cannot visit Northland without driving through the surf at Ninety Mile Beach (which is still called that even though New Zealanders use metric measurements), although you have to be on an authorised tour to do it. I was lucky because I got to sit right at the front of the coach with a fabulous view :-).


Then we went sand-surfing on the dunes at the beach's end. Very exciting!


Barnaby