Northland

This last week has been spent discovering the edge of Auckland and up to the tip of the North Island. Our first stop was the Waitakere Forest, 45 mins outside of Auckland. There's beautiful unspoiled rainforest, and black volcanic beaches, like Piha beach:



Piha Beach

We then headed north, using Rosemary and Stan's home at Whangaroa as a base to explore the Bay of Islands. Although we had mixed weather (lots of rain followed by patches of sunshine!), we managed to see lots of rainbows:



Rainbow over Russell (Bay of Islands)

The weather was appropriate for our next stop, Matauri Bay to see the memorial to the Rainbow Warrior (the Greenpeace ship that was sunk by the French in Auckland harbour in the 1980's).



Rainbow Warrior Memorial

The boat now lies 5km offshore, and can be explored by divers. We had a lovely scenic drive around the area, stopping every hundred metres to dip our toes in the water and walk on the deserted beaches.

We also took a tour up to Cape Reinga, at the tip of the North Island, that contains much significance to the Maori people. They believe that on their death, their spirits pass up through the North Island and out of Cape Reinga through a solitary tree on the cliffs below.



Cape Reinga Lighthouse

The tour also went along 90 mile beach (our car wasn't covered to drive up this treacherous highway), and we got the chance to sandboard down the dunes. Our sandboarding skills have improved since Peru, so we were able to show off the "Peruvian technique", i.e. sitting down and grimacing! Our way back to Auckland went via the west coast, taking us through an amazing forest of huge kauri trees.

H at the base of huge Kauri Tree (try to spot her - she's quite small!)

Now in Rotorua, exploring the thermal valleys and celebrating the British and Irish Lion's victory over the local team (Bay of Plenty) yesterday.