Tree huggers are not with me
Symbol of New Zealand
Internal staircase made from the largest preserved log found
Kauri Walk
Walk through the Kauri Forest
Kauri tree (take 400 years to mature)
View of the rolling hills in Northland
Lighthouse at Cape Reigna
Lighthouse
Couldnt be any further away
Very tip of Caper Reigna (this Kauri tree is where Maori's believe the spirits when people die go through on their way under the ocean to come up at the afterlife)
90 mile beach
Sand dunes we later sand boarded down
Sand dunes (the black line at the top is the trail of people walking up)
View from Cape Reigna
Where the Pacific and the Tasman sea meet
View of the rocks at the tip of 90 mile beach
View of the Pacific Ocean from 90 mile beach
The coach on the beach
View of 90 mile beachPart of the Kiwi pass i bought includes a trip up to the very tip of North Island (Cape Reinga).
We left early and the first stop was 90 mile beach. We were driving across the beach trying to make the tip before the tide came in and meant we where forced onto the softer sand which would have been disastrous. We bolted down the beach in record time and just made the crossing past the rocks. Serious scenery here.
We then stopped at the massive sand dunes for some sand boarding. It's sort of like body boarding but on sand. The trek up the dune was up near vertical quick sand. Everyone was puffing and panting. Many had a rest up the dune. It was eventually my turn and i didn't actually go that fast. Bit disappointed in the end. Must be cos i'm big boned.... I didn't go up again as it was sooooo not worth the trek up there.
Our next stop was to the tip of Cape Reigna. The views of the Tasman Sea meeting the Pacific ocean was amazing and you could see the waves (which were going in different directions) meeting and causing white water. Very Beautiful. We then headed to a nearby beach for some sunbathing. The tour buses all seem to do the same things and we would see the same faces along the way.
Coming back down we passed a farm. Now this was not just a farm, it was a huge expanse of fields and cows. It was the first farm on New Zealand soil. It was started by a Englishman who married a local Maori. Their wedding gift was 50 thousand acres. After she died (in mysterious circumstances) he then married her sister and was given a further 20 thousand acres!!! We were driving past this farm for at least 20 minutes!!! Absolutely crazy. It's still owned by the same family by the way.
Our last couple of stops related to the Kauri Tree. It's an indigenous tree to the North Island and is the second tallest tree species in the world. We first stopped in a shop that sold artifacts made from preserved trees that they reckoned were knocked down by a massive tsunami 40 thousand years ago. They were all found laying in a bog in the same direction. Some were so huge that they broke the heavy duty lifting equipment. Some were also so well preserved they still had leaves attached to the branches!!!! The shop had an internal staircase made from a huge log from one of the biggest trees!!! The second stop was to see some of the last Kauri Forests in North Island. These trees are absolutely huge and Maori used them to make their giant canoes.
In the end it turned out to be a really good day. The driver was telling us local legends allt the way along. It was really interesting.
The weather was perfect and we got back to Paihia early evening!
We left early and the first stop was 90 mile beach. We were driving across the beach trying to make the tip before the tide came in and meant we where forced onto the softer sand which would have been disastrous. We bolted down the beach in record time and just made the crossing past the rocks. Serious scenery here.
We then stopped at the massive sand dunes for some sand boarding. It's sort of like body boarding but on sand. The trek up the dune was up near vertical quick sand. Everyone was puffing and panting. Many had a rest up the dune. It was eventually my turn and i didn't actually go that fast. Bit disappointed in the end. Must be cos i'm big boned.... I didn't go up again as it was sooooo not worth the trek up there.
Our next stop was to the tip of Cape Reigna. The views of the Tasman Sea meeting the Pacific ocean was amazing and you could see the waves (which were going in different directions) meeting and causing white water. Very Beautiful. We then headed to a nearby beach for some sunbathing. The tour buses all seem to do the same things and we would see the same faces along the way.
Coming back down we passed a farm. Now this was not just a farm, it was a huge expanse of fields and cows. It was the first farm on New Zealand soil. It was started by a Englishman who married a local Maori. Their wedding gift was 50 thousand acres. After she died (in mysterious circumstances) he then married her sister and was given a further 20 thousand acres!!! We were driving past this farm for at least 20 minutes!!! Absolutely crazy. It's still owned by the same family by the way.
Our last couple of stops related to the Kauri Tree. It's an indigenous tree to the North Island and is the second tallest tree species in the world. We first stopped in a shop that sold artifacts made from preserved trees that they reckoned were knocked down by a massive tsunami 40 thousand years ago. They were all found laying in a bog in the same direction. Some were so huge that they broke the heavy duty lifting equipment. Some were also so well preserved they still had leaves attached to the branches!!!! The shop had an internal staircase made from a huge log from one of the biggest trees!!! The second stop was to see some of the last Kauri Forests in North Island. These trees are absolutely huge and Maori used them to make their giant canoes.
In the end it turned out to be a really good day. The driver was telling us local legends allt the way along. It was really interesting.
The weather was perfect and we got back to Paihia early evening!
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