Piha(pea-ha); Lion Rock

Arrived savely in the new car!!! Didn't get lost too much either. Such extremely windy roads drives you crazy after little while around all of the huge hills. Though there are many gorgeous look outs over the coast, you wanna stop and pull over all the time. Camped for the night on site with plenty of room and flat ground!!!(so no slipping to bottom of tent). Piha is only a small place but has a rugged and impressive coastline.

On the first day we just took a wander along the beach. The sand there is black with an almost blue shimmer to it and strange creatures on the shore. The sea was crashing in, it looked trecherous yet there were still some nutters in there with body boards. On the beach there is also the steep impressive Lion Rock, with a walk way up we didn't attempt it with our flip flops though a challenge for tommorrow. Tea was next on the agenda, the attempt was Lamb steaks with mints sauce, sauted potaoes and brocco flower(cross of cauli and broccolli we think though was basically green cauliflower). The end result wasn't quite as great though as we didn't have a grill and had minimal utensils, it was more like slighlty over cooked Lamb with oily potatoes(white kumara) and cold brocco flower, nevertheless delicious.

Next day we packed up and donned our walking boots to walk up Lion Rock. It wasn't to strenous but a little slippy underfoot. Historically Maori tribes lived upon the island when fishing the area, earthworks on the rock can still be seen and prove there residents on the Island. At the top; well as far as you can walk for safety reasons there is a wooden sculpture/carving of a woman; a pou (spiritual guide) a guardian of the rock. From here there is a fantastic view of the beach, the dunes, stream and Piha itself with the lush green hills in the background. We then headed down the coast to the next bay.

Karekare

This was a similar looking bay with black sands again and a pretty stream leading to the shore. There was an abandoned shack on the beach which definetely needed a little attention to the roof (a job for u dad!!!). We also took a look at the waterfall here. It is set in such lush green subtropical rainforest with a turquiosey pool and sheer rock face. A very peacefull and beautiful place. Next we headed to the Coromandel region south of Auckland.