I was determined to watch the sun rise in the paradise which we had found and at 645 I headed out onto the pristine white sand, only to be greeted by the wall of cloud. This squashed all hope of a postcard sunrise but did make for a much less sweaty run along the shore.

On my return a local fisherman pointed out the sacred burial caves of his forefathers high above him on the volcanic peak, a clear reminder of just how sacred this region is to the Maoris.

The offer of tea and Nesquick was enough to awaken Bob and soon we were wandering along the deserted foreshore amongst the oyster catchers clutching a warm brew as shafts of sunlight started to break through.

We could happily have spent days here taking in the breathtaking surroundings, fishing the plentiful waters and absorbing the historic tales associated with this most northern and remote tip of the North Island, but there was lots more to see! Bob piloted us back along the logging track, narrowly avoiding the trucks laden with tons of timber which intermittently careered past us. Safely back on Tarmac we turned north heading for the end of civilisation.

Cape Reigna was truly stunning, emerging on the cliff tops after winding through kilometres of dense bush to find a beautiful landscape where oceans, cliffs and waves collided on every plane. The plucky white pepper pot of a lighthouse overlooking the cataclysmic embrace between the Tasman sea in the west and the Pacific Ocean in the east. Whirlpools, spouts of water and lines of surf erupted seemingly spontaneously below us as we walked the cliff top path, narrowly avoiding the quail which scuttled ahead of us.

A day of driving lay ahead as we planned to return to Paihia to meet up with Mr and Mrs Marsh who had planned to arrive the night before but we stopped off at the Te Paki sand dunes to marvel at yet another wonderful change of scenery. It was entertaining for a while to watch the bus loads of Japanese tourists throwing themselves down the steep inclines with no regard for their safety, or any common sense as regards closing their mouths as they filled up with sand...

90 mile beach was only 3km to the west following a sandy riverbed which the buses all used as a slip road for the sandy highway. Sadly the enemas off road capabilities were too much of an unknown so we continued our trip to the sea on foot whilst I had a grump and tried to think up reasons why I HAD to go back and drive our clapped out 2 wheel drive mummy-mobile containing all our worldly possessions through the riverbed of quicksand to the pounding surf dodging huge all wheel drive dune busses and kamikaze sand boarders. I failed, but I did succeed in getting stubbornly sunburned. #winning...

It was a long and increasingly painful drive south as my shoulders started to glow. In an attempt to get wifi to firm up our evening plans with The Marshkins we stopped for 'lunch' at MacDonalds in Kaitaia where we were suddenly reconnected to the world before filling up with fuel and whizzing along the final leg back to Paihia.
A serene drink on the waterfront proceeded our heading back to the friendly campsite to do the previous nights washing up, smarten up and drop in the drinks to start chilling.

A splendid evening unfolded involving maps, itineries, huge steaks, gin and tonics, avocado salad, beer, iced tea and the realisation that it had required us being half way round the world to catch up after 18months of being 'too busy'... After a final tour of the enema and the agreement that 'we really should do this more often' we retired to our campsite very full and ready for an uncomfortable nights sleep, filled with jealousy of the spacious apartment and king size bed where the adults were staying.