Kia Ora!

Its been an eventful 5 days since we picked up the car in Auckland. We headed north to one of the most beautiful little campsites, right on the beach yet again clear blue seas and pink sand, cooked our first camp meal of pasta and had the worlds coldest shower. Spent the evening reading on the beach as the sun went down.

On to Paihia in the Bay of Islands, a backpackers haven with lots of elderly Brits. We camped out again and went into town for a few drinks at night. Good times!

The next day started like any other, we planned to drive to the northern tip of NZ, Cape Reinga adn check out 90 mile beach on the way. We did it but...... after seeing that we were allowed to drive on 90 mile beach, Eddie got over excited dived onto the beach making it a full 10 yards before coming completely stuck in deep sand! We tried in vain to dig the car out, made a track of stones but it would just not be moved. Luckily the Kiwis are a ridiculously helpful and friendly bunch, and 3 blokes took it upon themsleves to get us out. First they tried pushing, then digging but to no avail as quote "you've bellied it mate". So one of the guys, who was Police superintendent no less, went to get a rope as the other two carried on digging out the car, and she was well in there. After towing us out, in front of an excited crowd, we took their picture and got on our way in our now mobile sand box. Before we reached Cape Reinga the sand box then had to deal with 20km of unsealed gravel road as we had chosen the most remote campsite in the country. We set up camp in Spirits Bay, where the Maori believe that the souls jump off the mortal world into the next, it was a nice spot for it.

Next day onto Hamilton, long drive, treated our selves to a flea pit motel, even the owner thought it was too grotty fo us, "its very budget" she quipped. Had a relaxing eve popped into town for a quick drink.

Today we have driven to Rotorua, the most famous geo-thermal city in the world. Getting past the sulphur smell that fills the air, we've had a great day. We strolled through Khia Park, which has steaming ponds and bubbling hot springs everywhere. Then onto whakarewarewa, a thermal village that is still lived in by a Maori tribe. We explored the village, saw a Maori cultural performance and ate hangi, which was corn on the cob cooked by the hot springs underground. For dinner we had a BBQ at our campsite, which also has a hot water beach and hot mineral pools that we are about to go and use.

In the morning we are heading to the Capital, Wellington, but for now our hot tub awaits.