Before leaving Whangarei we decided to head to the Falls that they have there. All in all it was a pleasant stroll around a loop that encompassed the falls and took roughly twenty minutes to complete - not a bad way to digest your toast and coffee.

When we got a Paihia, cwtched into the East, central coast of the Northland, we were greeted by spectacular views of the sea that had a vast network of over 144 islands lying on its surface like sleeping giants.

Our campsite for the next two nights (setting up shop for New Year's Eve) is perfect. We were lucky enough to get the last plot and paid for it through the nose, so now we can enjoy the spacious kitchens and BBQs as well as the (wait for it) unlimited wifi!

When we had settled in, we somehow revisited our previously hideous productive streak! This was obviously against my will as I was already getting a bottle of beer out of the fridge that had that magical bead of perspiration running down the side of it.

The productive streak started in the usual way: 'Matt, we need to make a decision...' a loose translation of this is: 'Go and research everything and then tell me what to book.' That's how we work, I research the country and where to go and Chelsea completes the arduous task of booking the connecting flights. If we are all honest, it's painfully obvious that Chelsea isn't pulling her weight in the planning front but she does pack a good picnic so we will let her off (I jest, obviously, she's a good egg).

Having planned the points of interest in the next three countries we will be travelling; found how to link them all up with transport; looked at where to stay in every stop; found how much travel, food and accommodation will cost for that country and looked at the basic language necessities of each place, I finally got to have my cold beer! ...can you all tell how much I enjoyed researching all of that in the blistering heat? I'm assuming that you're wilding impressed.

All researched out, we cooked a meal of pasta and cheese (mmm...) and headed to Paihia Wharf for a sherbet and a gander. It is a pretty place if you're looking out at the water but the beaches around here are all shale and mud so we have booked a boat out to the islands tomorrow to get some more snorkelling under our belts! Can't wait!