Coopers Beachfront Suites

Departed Whangarei around 10:30Am; traveling along Highway 1, then Highway 10. The further we travelled the more rural the wilderness became and again the scenery was outstanding. We have stopped in a camp site called Hi Hi, which is very quiet and situated right on the beach – some 30 meters from van to waters edge! Drove into Mangonui and just kept ...

... over 20 feet tall and 50 feet long. The tin was nailed to huge beams that arched from one side to the other. So, along with a 3 member crew of moari demolition guys, we set about taking this thing apart. It would take the entire week and I woudn't leave the site until 7 pm on Friday, surely more work than I signed up for. But I was able to enjoy myself a little bit during my stay in Auckland. We stayed in the Mt. Eden neighborhood, where there is a ...

... austrecken um die Tuer zuzuhalten. Das ging so nicht weiter und wir wollten dann am 2. Tag der Vermietung anrufen und reklamieren. Zum Glueck haben wir das nicht gemacht!!! Wir stellten fest, und das nach 2 Tagen, dass man den Knopf an der Tuer reindruecken muss um die Tuer zu blockieren...na toll! Abends haben wir uns dann was in der Kueche vom Campingplatz gekocht und gegessen und waren etwas spaeter im Bett, voll kaputt aber haben ueber diesen Knopf gelacht....

After breakfast we phone the UK and open presents before getting the kayaks out for another paddle in the bay. For lunch we cook bacon and French toast on the barbecue and then relax for the rest of the afternoon. Christmas dinner is another barbecue special: sausages and chicken breasts but with bread sauce and cranberry jelly, all eaten in the evening sun on the deck Happy Christmas.

We meet up with the tour coach at the Giant Kauri Museum for a trip up the northern peninsula of north island. We are going by coach as part of the tour involves driving on the Ninety Mile Beach, classified as a public road but forbidden to hire cars. The peninsula was originally several islands, mainly consisting of sand dunes. Huge Kauri trees grew undisturbed for thousands of years until they ...

Sunny weather and blue skies this morning so we head to Manganoui, a little town just round the coast of Doubtless Bay. It has is a small fishing port and a few shops. Several buildings date from the early settler days and have interesting plaques giving their history. The girls check the internet at the information centre and we book a tour to the North Cape for tomorrow. In the afternoon we relax at the house and Claire goes back to Mangonui for a haircut.

... we were hoping for. It is tastefully kitted out with a huge deck overlooking the sea. There are two double bedrooms and a converted garage with two sets of bunks. The garden slopes steeply down to the shore and the beach is reached by wooden steps. We are lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves on the shore....cliché, cliché, cliché.

Journey Kaitia - Kahoe Farm, Distance 55.70km Average 17.68km/hr Short: * Left earlyish (would have left earlier but loud girl kept up half the night) to get ahead of showers and high winds. * Journey was fine except I was almost run over by a boat, it was on tractor being pulled by a 4*4 but still it would have been a comedy accident 'cyclist run over by boat' - I might have made the news. * Hostel is wonderful, I have my own room * Went for walk * Talked ...

July 8th Today we packed up again. We are going farther north before heading down the Rotorua. The scenery here is marvelous, the grass is green as far as the eye can see and there are mountains and forests along the sides of the roads we travel. The roads themselves are well kept, I think it's mostly due to their calm climate. They don't get snow and the temperature doesn't change much over the year. The roads are very windy, twisting and turning as if we're in a ...

... Awanui', to visit the 'Ancient Kauri Kingdom'. This was really a commercial concern that dug up enormous Kauri logs and sculpted them into furniture, statues and tourist items. In their showroom was a Kauri tree that had a circular staircase cut inside it - very impressive! Late afternoon and we were back in Kaitaia, feeling a little sad that we had covered New Zealand from bottom to top and were now heading back towards Auckland and exit.