Jan 15, 2012 - Top of North Island

We’re now almost at the top end of the north island, and will make it up to Cape Reinga later on today. The weather has certainly taken a turn for the better, and there are pink shoulders to show for it! We walked through the kauri forest a couple of days ago and admired the majestic trees, up to 2,000 years old. There is a lot of emphasis on biosecurity here, and we had to disinfect our boots before and after the walk to avoid spreading diseases. There were lots of signs telling us about the kiwi living in the forest, but they weren’t...

Nov 30, 2011 - to the top

Hi everyone Well we got to the top of the North Island. Got a coach trip as rental cars not allowed to be driven on 90 mile beach. Was great trip and learnt lots that we would not otherwise have known. The day started really warm and sunny, but it got cloudy and was very windy, especially at the top. Walked to the lighthouse and took lots of photos. Will send one of the Tasmin sea meeting the Pacific next time. Then we picked up the car and drove down to Kerikeri. We are now in a lovely motel with a swimming pool and hot tub, wish the...

Nov 12, 2011 - Up North (New Zealand Style)

November 10, 2011 The shuttle picked us up right on time (6:40AM) from George’s Hotel 59 in Sydney & we got to the airport 45 minutes later. The check-in line was long, and the check-in & security process was much more rigorous than our internal Oz flights. There’d been a tube of sunscreen in the bottom of my backpack for 4 weeks and, well, it isn’t there any more. The flight was ½ hour late leaving (no reason given), and was quite bumpy. However, Air New Zealand made up for it with an excellent meal, and their entertainment system made the...

Nov 4, 2011 - wow!

joined kiwi experience and travelled up to the bay of islands. Today we went to cape reinga, a maori spiritual and the most northerly point of the north island, Tasman and pacific ocean meeting. We drove along ninety mile beach ( highway on the beach!) sand boarded on the dunes and ate fish and chips : ) scenery is simply stunning, so rich and lush, bit tropical too, mountainous. Will try and upload pics soon. Tomorrow back to auckland and then heading south, for the whole kit and caboodle !

Apr 12, 2011 - Ninety Mile Beach & Cape Reinga

This was a great trip, the hotel staff tried to discourage us from doing it ourselves. They strongly advised going on the bus tour instead. Rental cars are not allowed on the beach but we had our trusty Land Cruiser thanks to Denise and Murray. We are way to independent to take the bus and are really glad we didn't! We arrived just after low tide. Followed a bus onto the beach and stopped alongside for pictures. We visited with the driver for a bit and he took our picture for us. "Just follow my tracks!", he said. The beach was the best...

Nov 21, 2010 - Cape Reinga and 90 Mile Beach

Today was an awesome, fun day!! Adrienne and I signed up with a day tour to the northern most tip of the north island of New Zealand, Cape Reinga. On the way up, we stopped in a cafe with a great view for tea...they are English, you know..And then to a BBQ with a grass feed beef steak, etc...yummy..that's the only kind of beef...imagine that!! Then to the lighthouse with all its myth and stories at the point where the Sea of Tasman and the Pacific Ocean converge..the waters are 2 different colors, green and blue...beautiful and turbulent!!...

Aug 3, 2010 - Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga

I travelled up to Paihia yesterday and spent the afternoon watching videos as the weather was awful. Today however we went on a coach trip up to Cape Reinga and 90 mile beach (which is actually only 50 miles long!) The coach drove along the beach and up a stream where we could all go sandboarding on body boards down the dunes. We also go to see the point where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet as well as a sign post to London! Most of the day, however, was spent sitting on the coach and looking at the rain! Last day in NZ tomorrow.....

Mar 27, 2010 - Northland

In Auckland de auto opgepikt en begonnen aan de trip naar Cape Reinga, het meest noordelijke punt van het noord eiland. Eerst de Harbour bridge overgestoken en bij de eerste Pack & Save wat proviand ingeslagen en na een uurtje rijden een eerste stop gemaakt om de Dome te beklimmen en een zicht op de omgeving te hebben. Ik was juist op tijd beneden want er kwam een buitje over. Daarna verder gereden richting Wangarei en in Wangarei de harbour, een Kauri forrest en de watervallen bezocht. Er was er echter maar 1 waar er nog echt wat water...

Sep 29, 2009 - South, Cuz We Can't Go Any Where Else

We started out today with a sunshine walk along the beautiful north shore beach. It was so nice that we took our time packing up before we headed south. South because it was the only direction the roads went. It looked like it would be a beautiful day to explore 90 Mile Beach, or so we had hoped. As we headed south, hit a traffic jam before the skies opened up again and dowsed us with rain. 90 Mile Beach is where the desert scenes from the movie Lawrence of Arabia was filmed. That should give you an idea of what the sand dunes are like....

Sep 28, 2009 - Top Of The World

Well the rains stopped long enough for us to make coffee, get breakfast and transform the van from sleeping mode to transportation mode. Off we go still heading north. We drove though the bay of islands…stunningly beautiful… but decided since we were in the middle of a torrential down pour that kayaking would have to wait for a different day and location. The sun came out to greet us as we approached our final turn north to head for Cape Reinga. This is also the beginning of 90 mile beach. I must add a little side note here with regard to...

Apr 20, 2009 - Cape Reinga

Ce matin, direction Bay of Islands. Il ne me reste qu'a explorer le nord de l'ile du Nord, c'est don mon dernier voyage. On est arrives a Paihia en debut de soiree, mais on n'a pas fait grand chose puisqu'il pleuvait. Le lendemain, on a eu une grosse journee. On se dirigeait vers Cape Reinga, le top du top de la Nouvelle-Zelande, mais on a d'abord fait un arret aux dunes de sables pres de 90 miles beach, pour faire du "sand boarding". Quand j'ai vu la hauteur des dunes, j'ai eu peur, je n'etais pas sure que je voulais les descendre a toute...

Feb 18, 2009 - Cape Reinga & Bay of Spirits

The main reason to stay in Paihia is to get a boat out and see all of the beautiful islands (around the Bay of Islands). However as it was about $100 each and seeing as we had already been out around the WhitSunday's in Australia we figured we'd give it a miss and save some cash!!! So from here we continued our drive up the North Island, right up to the top in fact to a place called Cape Reinga. It was meant to have a really cool "edge of the world" kind of view and is where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Oceans collide! They didn't tell us...