Left Te Kuiti and headed back through Auckland up to Tutukaka for our last 3 nights here. On the way we dropped in to meet another member of David's vast family ( on his Mother's side) a second cousin, Dave, who lives about 100 kms North of Auckland where he and his Kiwi wife have a 10 acre small holding. They used to keep alpacas but now have 2 merino sheep, geese, chickens, 2 horses, 3 dogs, 2 pigs, 1 Dexter calf, 2 cats, 2 guinea pigs and a 6 year old girl called Katy. It was Dave's 35th birthday today and his wife's family were all coming round later for a BBQ. As we still had a 2 hour journey ahead of us we only stayed a couple of hours but they were great company albeit in a chaotic household.
We finally arrived at our destination at 7.30 pm, a motel built out on a headland with beautiful sea and harbour views on 3 sides.
16/2 awoke to beautiful sunny day and walked down the many steps to the private beach for David to explore fishing possibilities. Dave, the cousin, had lent David his fishing rod and various floats and lures to use whilst here. Another bay at the entrance to the private drive to the hotel was chosen by David as likely to offer better possibilities so he spent the afternoon there. I sampled the swimming pool and read. We decided that as we had already done so much driving in the last 10 days the famous Bay of Islands, further north, would have to wait for us to visit it another year. We had a relaxing 2 days, David fishing ( fruitlessly) and I read or swam in the pool (unheated) or the Southern Pacific ( warmer).
18/2 drove back to Auckland airport, stopping on the way to view the Whangarei Falls, a 28 metre high waterfall. We dropped the fishing gear back at Dave's and the rental car at the airport and reluctantly left New Zealand.