Northland and Hokianga

Tui on the flax plant outside the kitchen window

Me and the dogs!

Kohukohu General Store - it had everything in there!

Me and Louisa with the dogs on the Hokianga ferry

Cape Reinga pohutakawa tree where the souls depart for Hawaiiki

That white sand beach again

The meeting of the Tasman Sea and south Pacific

Looking south

The signpost Cape Reinga

Cape Reinga lighthouse

Our earlier trip up north to a bach near Hokianga harbour was going great, until the car decided to blow an ignition coil near Cape Reinga, frightening me as I had visions of huge repair bills as we were so remote. This cut short some of our planned schedule, but it was still a brilliant break. The bach was quirky - made from mud bricks and used a lot of bamboo in it's construction - hardly surprising as there were large amounts growing on the land nearby. Hokianga and it's environs were nice, but going north from there let us find some stunning, white sand beaches, almost like talcum powder or cornflour, squeaking under your feet as you walked on it.

Cape Reinga was nice, where the Pacific meets the Tasman sea, plus the lighthouse and sign post. It is a significant place in Maori culture as well, as it is believed to be the place the souls of the departed leave on their final journey to Hawaiiki. It was also stinking hot, with the sun melting the tar on the roads.

Although the journey back was a nightmare, it was an enjoyable trip, even though our son couldn't be with us due to work commitments.