After an overnight stop in Orewa (just north of Auckland) we arrived in Paihia early Tuesday afternoon. Sunny and warm we secured a studio apartment with complete glass frontage and balcony overlooking the Bay of Islands which contains about 150 - not all within our sight though! Alas, only able to enjoy 1 night on the balcony, wine in hand, admiring the view and then came the rain.

Fortunately, there were a few spells where 'rain didn't stop play' and we managed to go exploring.

Wednesday morning was overcast, but the sea was calm so we took a boat trip out to the 'hole in the rock' at Cape Brett. The journey is known as the 'cream run' from the days when a boat was used to collect the cream from the dairy farms on the islands in the bay. Once again it is one of those things that is not required anymore and the islands now have holiday homes for the rich of NZ. To our advantage, three times a week they have the same journey but now delivering mail to these homes, which incidentally have full time caretakers - how the other half live. It was fun as some homes didn't have jetties and they had to use either a small motor or rowing vessel to come and collect their mail from our boat. Every boat came out with the caretaker and a really excited dog on board and even more exciting for us as we are really missing Bumble and Olive - bless.

Once all that was done it was down to the serious business of going through the 'hole in the rock.' How the skipper manoevred the vessel through that hole is unbelievable - very skilled and a woman driver at that.

After a stop at Urupukapuka Island for lunch and some filming of ducks grooming themselves it was back to Paihia, we thought to sit on our balcony with yet more wine, but down came the rain so it was hot chocolate and bikkies on the bed!!!

On Wednesday we must have felt the need for a bit of a history lesson as we visited 'The Waitangi Treaty Grounds.' In these grounds on 6 February 1840 a Treaty was signed by 43 Maori chiefs and the British. It is still as relevant today as it was in 1840 and guarantees the rights of both Maori and non-Maori citizens in Aotearoa New Zealand. The area also houses a 35 metre long Maori Waka (canoe) which was built for the centenary celebrations in 1940. Carved out from 3 massive kauri trees it is launched in the water every year on the anniversary of the signing and takes a minimum of 76 people to paddle it. It was quite magnificent and would love to see it in the water but don't think there is any chance of that happening.

We have driven out and around the neighbouring bays and villages of Paihia and most have a bit of history to tell. What with whalers, fisherman, missionaries, traders and women of the night it must have been quite a colourful place in days gone by. In fact one of the towns, Russell, was named the 'Hell Hole of the Pacific' in the early 1800s. Sitting in Opito Bay listening to silence and surrounded by designer homes there is not an echo of stories of old.

Back to Auckland now for an overnight stop before continuing our journey.

Jen and Ray