New Zealand Roadtrip

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Day 36 - Friday 25th May 2007

Up 8.30ish. Said goodbye to the couple. Packed up car and eventually left after 10! Sar got talking to the owners and as polite as she is couldn't break away! So Gem just came along and said.... "right lets go". So off we went.

Our plan was to walk the forests and end up in Kaitaia in the evening ready to get a bus trip the next day up to Cape Reinga. Gem drove us to Trounson Kauri Park where we dressed ourselves in suitable clothing and footwear and prepared to brave the torrential ...and i mean hammering...rain! We walked round the path through the forest. It was really cool, nice and pretty, green and calming. The trees were absolutely huge!!! There were loads of little information plaques about the various flora aswell which were good to read. It was a lush forest. We got back to the car just in time as the rain got even harder!!!

On the road heading towards Waipoua Kauri Forest we managed to take a little detour along a gravel road! The road (route 12) north wound through (and we mean wound!) a hilly forested landscape, much like many we have driven through previously. By the time we got to the car park for the Waipoura walks the weather had changed and it was not such a bad day! The sun broke through! Walked through the forest on several paths of varying lengths to different Kauri trees. Took just one or two photos! One of the trees was the second largest Kauri in New Zealand....FAT!

When we eventually got back to the car park nice and relaxed, happy and full of energy we found our lonely car sitting on her own. The carpark attendant we paid $2 to look after the cars had also left.

We drove up the coast to a headland near Hokianga Harbour where we got out to stretch our legs and take some pictures. It was lush there! The view looked on various sides;towards the harbour, the sand dunes opposite and out to the sea!

We continued on our quest and caught the ferry at Rawene. Weren't exactly sure what we had to do to catch the ferry, but apparently you just queue up in the lane at the harbour edge and its just a drive on and pay on the ferry. Just as we got on the ferry the sun was setting and the sky was lush! Didn't take long for nightfall though as by the time we reached the other side..(10 mins) it was dark. Bit of a quest driving from here to the main road to get to Kaitaia though. The roads were the usual hilly and very windy! We were also a bit short for time as we had to find accomodation once we got there!! We had been told that there was this big hostel there which would be no problem to get rooms at!!

Anyway, we arrived in Kaitaia around 7pm and found out that the hostel was closed! Nobody home! So we managed to find a 'hotel'...well we say 'hotel'! Had a sign outside advertising to backpackers. It was rather rundown and well outdated! At least we had a room to ourselves, it was a good price and we had somewhere to lay our heads for the night and a place out the back to park! We booked a room and also managed to book a couple of places on a bus tour up the cape for the morning!

Were absolutely knackered by this point but needed some tea. The kitchen was well skanky, a sort of converted boiler room with a camping double hob and sink. Decided that we couldn't be bothered so ....we got MacDonalds!!! Oh my god!! Anyway, it was a bit ming but at least we filled a gap...was cheap though!

Read in bed and fell asleep!


Day 37 - Saturday 26th May 2007

Up at 7.45, shower and packed the car. Got picked up at the front of the 'hotel' around 8.50. Our tour was with Harrisons. The first stop on the agenda was 'Ancient Kauri Kingdom', a shop with most items made from Kauri wood. Stopped there for about 20mins while the drivers had their breakfast ha ha! Our driver was Robbin Collins. He was really nice, very funny and informative. A local maori. When we got back on the bus we had front row seats...the best in the house apparently!!

We drove along '90 mile beach' up to Cape Reinga. It's actually about 64 miles long! They can only drive along there when the tide is out and only locals who have great knowledge of the beach are allowed to be bus drivers. It was really cool driving on the beach in a BUS!!! We were speeding along. It is actually classed as a highway and all highway rules apply, so the bus can go up to 90kph. It was such a lovely sunny day whilst we were on the beach!! The bus can also only stop in one or two places whilst on the beach, it has to keep driving or else it will sink! There were actually some remains of cars on the beach! It was really funny seeing a sterring wheel etc sticking out!

We saw a baby fur seal on the beach in one place and circled it in the bus. It wasn't in the least concerned by us! It was just sitting there itching itself. It was so cute!

We stopped at one point near rocks to get out and take some photos. To get off the beach...can you believe it..we drove up a stream!! It was so funny! We stopped along the stream next to some huge sand dunes to go sand tobogganning!!! Out we got and the driver pulled out some toboggans from the underlocker! We hiked up the dune and went speeding down!! It was so fun!!

From there we drove off the beach then mostly along a gravel road to Cape Reinga. We walked down to the lighthouse. Cape Reinga is of great maori significance. It is a spiritual place where their spirits are said to go through a log/tree on the rocks and make the journey from New Zealand to Hawaiki....(more to it but can't remember exactly).

From here we drove down a bit to have our lunch at a little bay. Lunch was provided within the day. Not a bad layout, several things to nibble on and quite tasty! Muffins, scones, and several snacky things, as well as tea and coffee. Unfortunately just as Robbin got the lunch stuff out down came the rain! Only a shower at that point so it was ok! When we left after lunch though it poured down for quite a while! On the 'main' road back to Kaitaia we stopped at a silicon sand beach (lush, white, soft sand that made a funny noise when you walked on it, which sarah filmed on her phone, typical!....But it was funny!). We also stopped for one of the famous $1.50 ice creams :p!!!Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm! YYYYYYYuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmyyyyyy!!!

Stopped at a harbour/cove ..can't remember what it was called. Robbin pointed out along the way places that people had drained the swamps and dug up Kauri trees from. Then back to the Ancient Kauri Kingdom. Just got one or two little bits and bobs, not much. Was a very touristy thing to do, but the trip was really fun and enjoyable!

Back out the back of the 'hotel' about 5pm. We rang ahead and booked accomodation at 'The mousetrap backpackers' in Pahia for the night. Sar drove down along the coast road and we arrived around 6pm. We checked in, dumped our bags and had a wander around 'town'.

Made a curry when we got back to the hostel. Well Gem did... by the time Sarah spent an hour or so talking to Phil then a bit to Gina and got back it still wasn't ready...... Someone else turned the hob down by accident and didn't realise!!! Gem was not in the best of moods!! Eventually ate tea!!!! Wrote some postcards, read in bed a bit and went to sleep!

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