Three days in and we’re slowly getting into the swing of things; this morning we left the house with a picnic, a plan and a spring in our step.
As we left Kerikeri behind and headed north the most ridiculously beautiful landscape imaginable opened up before us; green rolling hills on one side, the Pacific Ocean on the other. I don’t wish to sound blasé – this really was something else. Within an hour we had arrived at Kaitaia – an unremarkable town with a remarkable iSite. A quick chat to the helpful staff later and we were back on the road.
We stopped briefly for coffee and a toasted sandwich at the less than impressive Ancient Kauri Kingdom in Awanui before heading further north for the Top of New Zealand (as it was sign posted).
Our goal was Cape Reinga, the northern most point of New Zealand (which near as damn it, it is). We ignored the signs trying to distract us with white silica sandy beaches or huge sand dunes and pushed onward.
The Cape is sacred land; it’s the point where (some Maori believe) souls come to leave the Earth and … well, I could believe it. Sitting on a hill, looking down and the point where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean the ocean boils and churns like nothing I’ve ever seen. We explored for a bit before heading back down the road to eat our picnic (you’re not allowed to eat or drink at the cape).
We then meandered home, through more just beautiful countryside. As we came across country back to Kerikeri for the night, a quick shower (the first rain of the trip) bought with it a rainbow. Awww.
The Obligatory Blog 