Cape Reinga...the most Northern (the one that the Marois adopted anyway) point in New Zealand. This is where they come to let the spirits of thier loved ones pass off into another life. It's a b***** to get there as not all the road is paved-making a bumpy ride in the hrie car-but I made it. A very pretty but lonely view out to nowhere...except Australia, but thats a long way away and off to the left somewhere. After walking aroudn the lighthouse there isn't muc...

So after my very nice stay with Sheilaugh I set off for the Kaurie Museum in Matahua (or something like that-I cannot get the hang of all these funny names). The kauri tree was the source of gum-rather like amber-which was used for lots of industries in teh 18 and 19 hudreds. Many gum diggers lived around this area and spent thier days climbing up these massive trees (they grow out and up, the biggest being 1940m around)...I was told it was a very hard life and n...

Warkworth, Matakana and Goat Island-all palces I went to visit on my tours with my godmothers husbands sister, Sheilaugh-a very lovely lady and host to me for one night.,,,she was even in Peru doing the trail at the same time as me, how strange? Did a glass bottom boat trip around Goat Island, managed to see some snapper, maomao and seals, one with a baby which was cool!

I made to NZ again! Flight was a bit of a nightmare as I went to the wrong terminal...as it turned out Sydney to Auckland via Melbourne is classed as a Domestic flight-bloody stupid Ozzies! So after paying another $20 to get to the domestic terminal and thinking that I would miss my flight I finally rock up to check in. Everything ok, except that my Oz visa runs out before I fly back into the country-not a problem I tell the check in lady, as I'm going to renew ...

Finally made it to Nigel and Kellys... The ferry sailed on time and after a rough crossing docked at Picton. On the way down to Kiakoura we stopped at a nice winery to do some 'tasting', apparently they do lots of that here! The scenery on the way down was stunning, very green and hilly, I could just imagine hobbits and the like running about in front of us. Kiakoura is a small township but spread out quite a bit along the coast and ending at a peninsula where ...