By winterless North I mean Paihia in the Bay of Islands, and Cape Reinga, the northernmost tip of New Zealand and where the Tasman sea meets the Pacific Ocean. I had added this onto my ticket when I'd booked it as it seemed like a nice place to end my trip in, and it's a good job I did as otherwise I would have had over a week in Auckland, which seems a bit much, particularly after the one slow afternoon I spent there before the minibus up to Paihia!

It was a four hour drive up to Paihia from the city, and surprisingly since we left at 7.15am, the first bus journey I've had where we talked all the way and I didn't get chance to read any of my book. Not that I'm complaining, I had feared it was going to be a super quiet and empty bus after the story I heard about the bus that goes down to the Southern tip of the South island which only had 2 people on it. Anyway, we drove through cattle country so it was a little like home with a lot of farms and fields but nothing to expand any further on. We arrived in Paihia at dinnertime and myself, another Rebecca, MT, Scott and Henrik decided to go for a nice wet walk in the rain up to a nearby viewpoint over the bay. Sadly the weather meant the views left something to be desired but nonetheless it was a fun walk, involving yodeling, twig arrows pointing the way for Scott and MT who walked as fast as old ladies, Carly Rae Jepson, off roading and Becki nearly falling down an extremely steep hillside. The rest of the day was spent chilling out, and I was very impressed with Scott, Becki and Henrik who all managed to eat an entire packet of timtams. Each.

Since I am evidently a glutton for punishment I had booked to go up to Cape Reinga the following day so it was another early start leaving everyone asleep in the room at 6.45, but luckily it appeared to be a much brighter day than previously so I didn't have to worry about being cold and wet for most of the day! I have come to the conclusion at the end of this trip that coach drivers are a peculiar breed of people, each with their own little quirks, but one main thing in common: they are morning people. Now this isn't bad as it's coming from another morning person, but as soon as you're on a bus they are off, rattling through various bits of information, facts and 'interesting' anecdotes that you only ever catch half of since the microphones never seem to work properly. It's quite impressive to witness. My driver for the Cape Reinga trip was very chatty, probably excessively so. He was also obsessed with mentioning his deceased brothers every ten minutes, but his main thing was something I found really weird and a bit disturbing. Basically he didn't turn his microphone off when he wasn't speaking, like most drivers do, and he was a really really heavy breather, almost like snoring when you're awake. It was like creepy heavy breathing down a late night phone line - very offputting when you're trying to read Game of Thrones!

Our first stop was a Kauri tree forest which was largely the same as most other forests I've been to in Australia and New Zealand with the exception of one thing; the absolutely humongous trees which stretch up toward the sky with impeccably straight trunks which are apparently excellent to make ship masts with. Little narrative from the driver - when the Queen visited in 2001 they built a brand new boardwalk through the forest so she could admire it in comfort, and when she arrived in her limo she got out, took one look, said 'very nice' and left. So the boardwalk was never used for its intended purpose, how galling.

Cape Reinga lighthouse was our second stop of the day, and after sitting on a bus for three hours it was nice to stretch my legs strolling down to see this Kiwi landmark. This cute little white nobble precariously perched on the end of a little promontory is at the most northerly part of NZ and overlooks a point where the Tasman sea meets the Pacific ocean. Although I wouldn't think to be able to see anything there actually was a kind of line of foamy wave crests right down the middle of the lookout point. I guess maybe the wave patterns are different where the seas converge, but don't quote me on that. Pretty cool anyway. Feeling energetic I legged it up a steep little hill to get a better view, and after having a mild heart attack at the top due to the exertion I was well rewarded with some spectacular views over the beachy peninsula jutting out into the ocean.

Once my heart rate had slowed to a slightly more normal resting rate we were back on the bus and driving over to do some sandboarding. Now I'd tried sandboarding before on the west coast of Australia but this was something else, something a lot more terrifying. Basically you were given a body board with a solid plastic backing, marched up to the top of a damn high dune, and were pushed, face first and at extremely high speeds (up to 70kph apparently) back down it. Believe me when I say it's scarier than it sounds, and this coming from a girl who has leapt out of a plane and jumped off a suspended platform attached only to a piece of thick elastic. It must be something about being face first, with sand flying in your eyes, attempting to steer with your feet and trying not to overshoot the end and go flying into water. Once was enough for me anyway (nothing to do with not wanting to climb back up the dune).

The most squeamish part of the day, for me at least, was when we dug our own shellfish on a nearby beach. If you've never had the pleasure, when you pull the shells out the shellfish itself is still sticking out like a disgusting white slug, and squirts water at you. Just generally a bit creepy. I was amazed at how many there were, and only centimetres from the surface of the sand, I'm now even more wary of what is under my feet on the beach, as if I didn't dislike it enough! The day ended with a fish and chip (or fush and chups if you're talking Kiwi) tea which was delicious since the fish was freshly caught that day off the bay. Yum yum yum. I also think I discovered my favourite clouds. Silvery grey ones with the sun turning the edges golden if you're interested.

My remaining day and a half in Paihia was rained off due to an incoming typhoon or something out at sea, so I was pretty lazy in all honesty. I went and got my first ever tattoo (sorry Mum), New Zealand themed obviously, and the highlight was probably meeting a random Olympian in the tiny hostel bar. I can't remember his name but he won silver in the 49er sailing. Impressive eh! (Doing some research I think it was Blair Tuke, but I could be wrong).

Driving back down to Auckland was a very depressing journey - my last trip on the Kiwi Experience bus, exacerbated by the fact the every single person on the bus apart from me were all just beginning their NZ adventure. Jealousy does not convey my feelings strongly enough. Driving past some pink sheep did help some though.

Becca