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Published: January 17th 2008
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17th January 2008
Last night we stopped in L0redo Motel, Kataia. This morning Sand Safaris a tour company picked us up from the motel and took us on a tour up 90 mile beach to the very North of Northland, Cape Reinga. On the way we stopped at Aupouri where we saw the different products that are made from the ancient Kauri trees. These trees are quite incredible as some of them can be up to 4,000 years old and up to 32 metres in girth. Also many of them have been dug up from the peat or swamps and are still in good condition and the wood has a lovely golden colour when sawn and polished. The most impressive feature of the workshop was a flight of stairs hewn out of the centre of one trunk of this single tree.
The coach we were on swung off the road and drove us 30 to 40 miles up the 90 mile beach. It is quite incredible as a beach with not a shop or flag or anything along the length. We were told that they hold marathons along the beach (please note Amy). As we turned off the beach and drove
up a river valley there were some very large sand dunes. The coach stopped and they provided us with sledges to carry to the top of the dunes and sledge back down to the bottom. Vernon and Bob both sledged down but at the bottom Vernon had to do an emergency manouvre to avoid a child in front of him which resulted in him stepping into the path of Bob coming down behind him. The result was that Bob and Vernon ended up in a heap and rolling down the last few metres in a heap and without their sledges.
We then moved on to Cape Reinga itself where we could see the collision of the Pacific Ocean with the Tasman Sea.This is the place where the Moari people believe their dead depart this earth and fly on to the next world and it certainly felt a special place.
From the Cape we moved onto Tapotupotu Bay where we stopped for drinks and a break form the coach. We had another short break at Rarawa Beach which had brilliant white silica sands.
We then visited a Gumdiggers heritage site at Waiharara. This is where the Kauri trees were dug from
the swamps and the gum collected from the living trees. To start with this gum could be found on the surface of the forest but eventually they had to dig holes in the ground to find the gum on the buried trees.
All this took about 8 hours. the Moari coach drivers was superb and during breaks in his commentary sang us Moari songs. Eventually the coach dropped us off back at the motel where we had left the car in the morning.
We then drove back to Vernon and Annette's house via a pub where we had some excellent pizzas and a glass or two of beer an excellent finish to another good day with temperatures getting up to 30 degrees again. Tomorrow we start our journey south. Can it get any better!!
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Marta Jayes
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even Will and Hannah are jealous!
Hello you lucky pair, I think I'd better stop looking at this blog, it's making me suffer from the very deadly sin of jealousy! Looks like you're having a wonderful time, enjoying the heat!!! Just a shame I don't seem to be able to upload all of the pics. Big kiss from the 4 of us