Ok, so another early start, 7.15am pickup from my hostel 'Pipi Patch'. We were headed for a full on day up to Cape Reinga, which is a very sacred area for the Maori people of New Zealand.

The first stop was at the Puketi Kauri Forest, where we stopped for a short break to check out some of the majestic trees (some date up to 2000 years old!). For those of you who dont know about the whole Kauri tree thing, they were used to make the best boats in the world before some clever guy invented aluminium - he must have liked forests!

We then cruised up past Kaitaia before heading onto ninety mile beach, which unlike its name is actually only 64.5 miles long (sorry to dissapoint Spen!). However it is still long enough even when driving on the sand and in the surf at 90kmph!

We excited the beach at Te Paki stream, which is notorious for eating cars but luckily today was a good day and we survived. We drove up the streama and once at the end we were graced with some of the biggest sand dunes in the country. From the bottom, they look big but its not until you start to climb them that you realise how steep and how tall they are - remember what its like to walk on a very soft, sandy beach where your feet constantly sink into the sand, double that and do it on a 45degree gradiant! It was exhausting, but did the walk twice as knew would prob never do it again so my lungs were forced to struggle. Once at the top, you get on your body-board and away you go (lying on your front and gripping the top of the board). Luckily i didnt fall of, unlike some people, and managed to go quite far. Was good fun, although covered in sand by the end and no showers in site!

After the crazy fun of the dunes it was up to Cape Reinga which is where the two Oceans (Tasman sea and Pacific Ocean) meet, to check out the awesome views from the lighthouse right at the top of New Zealand (Picture on postcard). This is a very special area for the Maori's whos legends tell the story of Maori spirits passing into the next world via this tapu (ssacred) place.

When then drove down to Tapotupotu for lunch and a quick dip in the Pacific Ocean and a bit of chilling in the sun.After lunch, we headed south via the east coast stopping at Mangonui for fish 'n chips for dinner. After stuffing our faces it was back on the bus and back to Paihia, returning around 7pm - enough time for a quick soak in the jacuzzi and a few beers!