Leaving Napier we headed further up the east coast of North Island to spend a week in Gisborne - the first place in New Zealand to see the sun each day! (Had a very wet week though so didn't get to see too much of the sun!) So with about 3 w
eeks left in New Zealand we decided to take a trip right up to the top of North Island to Cape Reinga. Stopping off at motels along the way, we arrived in Kaitaia and signed up for a trip with Cape Runner
which was the best way to see the sights and the only way to be able to drive along 90 Mile Beach (actually only 64 miles long! Maybe it should be called 90 Kilometer Beach instead?! Just an idea!) The d
ay started out well with blue sky and sunshine - and then after lunch the storm clouds began to gather! As you can see though we were well prepared with our trusty waterproof jackets! (how attractive eh?!) Cape Reinga is where the Tasman Sea crashes up against the Pacific Ocean, and also known in Maori culture as the "Place of Leaping", where the spirits of the dead bid a final farewell before d
eparting to their ancestors in Hawaiiki. Didn't mind the stormy weather at all as it added to the dramatic atmosphere of the headland! Fortunately the rains eased as we left the tip of the Cape and headed off to the huge sand dunes to try
our hand at sand toboganning! The trick is (apparently!) to trail your hands in the sand as you descend as a kind of a brake. Otherwise you rocket down the dunes at what feels like 90 miles an hour! All good fun! Could have done with a bit more time there to perfect our technique but, with the storm c
louds gathering again, we had to leave and return to the coach. Our trip finished with a hazardous drive down a section of 90 Mile Beach on our way home and, with the approach of dusk and the tide coming in, our guide was anxious to
get going! Back in Auckland now we are planning ahead for our trip to Asia in June and then the US from July onwards. Accommodation is extremely expensive in the States which is why we have cut our trip short and will only be spending 4 months there. However we did come across an alternative accommodation option here in New Zealand which will be more in line with our budget! How do you like our new home from home?!!!
Leaving Napier we headed further up the east coast of North Island to spend a week in Gisborne - the first place in New Zealand to see the sun each day! (Had a very wet week though so didn't get to see too much of the sun!) So with about 3 w
eeks left in New Zealand we decided to take a trip right up to the top of North Island to Cape Reinga. Stopping off at motels along the way, we arrived in Kaitaia and signed up for a trip with Cape Runner 
which was the best way to see the sights and the only way to be able to drive along 90 Mile Beach (actually only 64 miles long! Maybe it should be called 90 Kilometer Beach instead?! Just an idea!) The d
ay started out well with blue sky and sunshine - and then after lunch the storm clouds began to gather! As you can see though we were well prepared with our trusty waterproof jackets! (how attractive eh?!) Cape Reinga is where the Tasman Sea crashes up against the Pacific Ocean, and also known in Maori culture as the "Place of Leaping", where the spirits of the dead bid a final farewell before d
eparting to their ancestors in Hawaiiki. Didn't mind the stormy weather at all as it added to the dramatic atmosphere of the headland! Fortunately the rains eased as we left the tip of the Cape and headed off to the huge sand dunes to try 
our hand at sand toboganning! The trick is (apparently!) to trail your hands in the sand as you descend as a kind of a brake. Otherwise you rocket down the dunes at what feels like 90 miles an hour! All good fun! Could have done with a bit more time there to perfect our technique but, with the storm c
louds gathering again, we had to leave and return to the coach. Our trip finished with a hazardous drive down a section of 90 Mile Beach on our way home and, with the approach of dusk and the tide coming in, our guide was anxious to 
get going! Back in Auckland now we are planning ahead for our trip to Asia in June and then the US from July onwards. Accommodation is extremely expensive in the States which is why we have cut our trip short and will only be spending 4 months there. However we did come across an alternative accommodation option here in New Zealand which will be more in line with our budget! How do you like our new home from home?!!!
2 comments:
Cool! a tent. That looks like a great place to stay. Scruffy loved camping, so he would feel right at home. The sand toboganning looks great fun!! Have a fab week. Luv Sarah (and Scruffy!) x x
Thought we might nick the tent and take it to the States with us! (will be much cheaper!) Am enjoying reading Ian's blog too - we especially look forward to reading what he has cooked for his dinner every day after his arduous exertions!! Very impressed that he has the energy to cook after all that!! Will speak to you sometime in the next 2 weeks anyway before you go to Uganda! Bye for now, Julie K XX
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