After our night of luxury we hit the beach (Waihi) and have a relaxing day. It was really sunny and hot so we all run into the sea which was not - but very refreshing. Nick has his first kick around in three months while me and Kate top up our tans (or our streaky sunburn). We have lunch on the beach and then head on to Whargamata where we walk for 30mins to find a disserted beach with soft white sand and chill for a bit reading, chatting and drinking a few beers - all good. We then moved on to Tarua and stop at a disserted campsite and watch Billy Connelly's tour of NZ to get ideas for the next leg. With a struggle we are up early to get to the hot water beach while the tide is out which is before 8.45am. Surprisingly we make it and walk around the beach trying to find hot places to dig. It is a thermal beach where you dig your own baths and the sea water swashes in. When we arrive people are already in their baths (they have camped on the beach) and are cooking mussles in the water! We borrow a spade and start digging and digging and diggin and either a wave comes in and washes over it or the water we find is cold - so in typical Nick Dill style he finds a spot where some children are digging and takes over but with out much success. We have a bit of a paddle around in some baths that have already been dug then give up and get some breakfast. After Nick has entertained us by impersonating a German without realising there are a group of them behind him, we move on North. We stop at a place called Cathedral Cove which is amazing. On our walk there we stop at a small bay called stingray cove which is like our own little private beach - the sand was really white and soft and the sea is crystal clear and very still. I sit back and chill out thinking about how I think this is one of my favorite places, when Nick hooks a dead fish on a stick and it comes hurtling though the air towards me. Lucky for him it did not hit me. We enjoy a car park lunch at Whitanga then drive around to Coromondel Peninsular. We find a really nice and small hostel that let us camp, as well as a complete nutter who has changed his name to 'Hollywood' because it means partying, good time and him being good looking. Turns out Hollywood is a total tool and decline his offer to stay on his couch in the US after we see him serve up peanut butter and pasta. We check out the trampoline and have steak for tea which is great. We have a big driving day and head along the hilly ocean side road - very windy but really great views. We stop at Walwera for lunch and meet a very random Romanian girl playing a guitar that ends up wanting to join us on our travelles - we feel bad (I feel bad) and make a quick exit. Stay in a nice camp site which again has a beautiful disserted beach. Head on though Northland towards Bay of Islands. Take small (scenic) road that has been recommended by a crazy Swiss girl that is riding her bike around NZ. The roads are really steep and winding and we realize that she must be v fit and v mad. We arrive in Russell at the Bay of Island and have great fish and chips and ice cream which is really nice apart from Kate that tastes like Calpole. We get the ferry over to Phiha and then go food shopping which seems to be the most traumatic thing we do. We finally get pizza but when we get to the campsite they don't have an oven but the chef in the restaurant cooks them up for us - result. Nick does some fishing but surprisingly doesn't catch anything - I think you have to wait longer than 5 mins! Wake up early and leave to go swimming with dolphins. Although no sighting are garrented we are really lucky and see a pod of young dolphins. After watching them for a while and trying to get their attention the woman on the boat works out that they are suitable to swim with (there are loads of reason why you cant - if they have babys, blah blah) It is freezing cold but when you are in the water you are working so hard trying to swim with them and making noises to get their attention that you don't notice. It really is an amazing experience, Ross nearly collides with a couple in his 'Thorpedo' style swimming and I nearly swallow half the sea. We get in with the dolphins 3 different time - the second time a another boat comes over and all the dolphin swim around, by the time we get over there are about 9 swimming around. It is really strange to put your face in the water and see dolphins swimming around you. By the end we have all been really close to them so we head back to the boat, we just get out and they come back towards us. Nick is the only one with flippers still on so in a truly James Bond style belly flops into the water. Needless to say the dolphins start to swim away but he still gets really close and its only him and two dolphins which is pretty amazing. We all get back on the boat and can't really believe we have been swimming with wild dolphins in their own world. Defiantly a highlight so far. We head across to the West cost and head south but stop at the Kauri forest to see the biggest tree in NZ which was surprisingly impressive. Head though lonely roads though huge valleys around the coast and end up at rainy Daraville we cant find anywhere to stay because the World rally Championships are on so end up staying a tiny caravan which is much better than the tent! We stop of and check out the rally and then hit the road where Nick insists on beeping at all the rally cars as they go by. We stop off at a black sand beach and then we get the best fish and chip at Piha beach. Nick and Ross play a bit of football after I have persuaded everyone to climb the big rock in the middle of the beach which was defiantly worth it. We hit Auckland and stay in the ACB backpackers. We are taking Kate and Ross to the airport on Sunday which is going to be really sad, its been really nice to see some home people but its going to make the Town ace seem much bigger! Till next time. Goodbye.