What a superb day we had. We got picked up by coach at our hotel at 7:30 am...still dark outside! We are on our way to the top of New Zealand...the very farthest north you can go! We drove to 90 mile beach where the bus drove 40 miles down the beach! Along the way we stopped and dug for pipis which some ate then and there and others took home to sit overnight in cold water and then steam them and put them in a pasta or salad....I just had fun digging them and giving them to others to eat! Next stop, after the bus drives right down a river is to the sand dunes at Te Paki Stream, highest of which is 120 metres. I climbed up smaller one twice and sand boarded down...so much fun but a hard climb up! Next stop was the iconic Cape Reinga...the top of New Zealand where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. We are really getting our exercise on this trip...quite a long trip down to lighthouse and a very hilly climb back up....as Fred stops often I was afraid we would miss the bus! But all good. Such fabulous views from up there....apparently parallel to Perth and Sydney! Such a spiritual place the Northland...when maori's die they lay for 3-4 days and on the 7th day their spirit leaves them and passes through 90 mile beach before coming to rest at Cape Reinga. We went up the west coast passing Doubtful Bay named by Cook in 1769 because he was doubtful it was a bay! It's actually beautiful and now a famous tourist spot for auckland ears in the summer. We also passed cable bay named because in 1902 they laid the first and longest international cable between NZ, Canada and Australia, removed in 1912... Cable Bay also hosts the NZ world wide croquet champions! We went back the east coast. Views of rolling hills and breathtaking coastline kept us entertained the whole way....as did our driver, Chris, who is a Maori and told us about his history and family....he sang songs to us and had us singing our national anthem! On the way back we went to Puketi forest to see the ancient giant kauri/Cody trees...ancient Cody are the oldest wood in the world and were destroyed 45,000 years ago but the locals are still excavating for them. We saw a tree 2,000 years old that was 53 metres high and 14 metres girth. We saw another one that was 3000 years old and was 29 metres high but 16 metre girth...huge trees! Logging is a huge industry here...farmers needed to diversify...now it is pine logs...each one worth $450 NZ...and about 120 logs per truck! Lots of sheep and cattle too...strange cow with white band down middle is Belted Gallaway from Scotland....or as Chris said a summa cow...some of brown and some of white! Bit of trivia...5000 residents of Northlands, their land cannot be sold...passed down thru families...only own the house they build on it...Maori could not buy beer until 1941! New Zealand was the first country to allow women to vote! A perfect day....back at 6 and quick spa and out to ribs for dinner! Very tired!