Northland Road Trip October 3 - October 6

Sue and John sent the 3 of us away for the long weekend to enjoy some travel in Séb's car.

We zipped up along the West coast, stopping briefly along the way to check out a few sights, like the biggest/oldest Kauri tree, some beautiful lakes and had a peek at 90 mile beach (which is only really about 55 miles long. LIARS!). Our goal the first day was to get as far North as we could (all the pretty stuff was along the North and Eastern coasts, we'd been assured by several people before we set out). As it was still spring, we did get a fair share of showers as we made our way down the highway, but thankfully it was never enough to completely ruin our trip. The first day, we made it from Swanson to Ahipara Holiday Park.

Giant Kauri, several hundred years
old in the Waipoua Forest

Kai Iwi lakes under drizzly grey

It was a little windy up there.

We stopped for a wee bit at the Waimamaku coast track trailhead to stretch our legs and snap some pics while the sun was out.

I know it's not very nice to walk it, but the grey skies sure do make the green in the grass pop.
 Eventually we had to take a ferry to get farther north. The rains decided to really come down at that point. Thankfully we were nice and dry in the observation deck chatting with some locals.

Lookin' a little Shirey here.

...and here, too.

 After a very full day of travel, we kicked back on our porch and drank a case of beer. Not the best beer this country has to offer, but I'm definitely had worse. The price was right, mostly, and it did the trick.

 A while later, we made it up to Cape Reingia (which I can't ever remember, and end up calling it Regina. Ah well.) The weather was quite changeable, and there was one point while we were walking along a trail, we thought we could see a big downpour coming across the Tasman and made a run for it... sort of. The wind was crazy strong, and I can only imagine the force of the currents where 3 seas meet.

Just a wee bit blustry up there...

Mandatory lighthouse photo 

Hello, dunes... we'll be back for you in a minute.

WEATHER!

 On our way back down the pinninsula, we decided to stop by the large dunes we had seen from the coast. Walking up giant dunes is quite the workout. Had I brought my lens of truth along, I've no doubt I would have been able to find my way to the Spirit Temple.

 The next day, we set out of the bay of islands, and took a wee break by this bay, where Séb made fast friends with this mutt.

 Once at the Bay of islands, the car was giving us some trouble, so Catherine and I went for a walk along the coast while Séb tried to find a garage mechanic who could read the Japanese of his imported car and explain it to him in French in Piahia. What a complicated crew we are. Sadly, Catherine was eaten by a whale during out walk.

Concerned with further car troubles, we opted to only go as far as Whangarei for our last night on the road. It took a couple tries, but we found lodging at The Bunkhouse B&B. Nice place, and we spent the night chatting with a group of Germans. We did one last walk around waterfall close to town. Otherwise it was just quick roadside stops without turning off the car for fear it wouldn't want to start again.

Once we got back into Auckland, the dropped me off at the Britomart Transport Centre so I could make my way to my next destination.

Bye bye, Auckland. See you, soon!