We are now in the Bay of Islands, after a very long bus journey yesterday. We were picked up from our hostel and had a stop off in Matamata, aka Hobbiton! We weren't able to go to the set adn see 'the shire' but we did take our photo with the sign like keen tourists! We had an hour to kill in Auckland before our bus, and didn't do much really! We cooked dinner when we arrived here and then went to bed as early start today (as usual). Unfortunately the weather was predicted to be, and was foul. It started off grey and finished grey, so I didn't really enjoy today as much as I could and should have, as the rain just ruined all our views. It cleared up a tiny bit when we reached Cape Reinga, the most Northerly point on NZ, and the place where the Maori beleive your spirits go when you die, and they then jump off the branches of the lone tree there and either go to the heavens, or are devouered in the sea by the sea monster! So we took a couple of pictures there but they aren't great, we made our way along the 90 mile beach (which is only 60 miles) named as such because a farmer once got his bullocks to walk the whole beach (a long time ago) and he knew they could walk 30 miles in a day, it took 3 days - 90 miles. We also stopped off at the sand dunes, to do some sand boarding, at the time I opted out of doing it as it was wet and I didn't really want to get wet! We just walked to the top of the dunes instead, and I kinda wished I had brought a board up, but it's ok I have already done so many fun things, and walking up the dune was pretty cool anyway! We walked through a forest where the Kaiha tree grows, and the Queen has walked through that particular part too! haha. We stopped off for fish and chips on the way home and got back to the hostel about 5. It's a shame because I know I would have enjoyed the day a lot more if it had been sunny, and we have been so lucky with our weather in NZ for the majority of our trip! But oh well! Leaving back for Auckland tomorrow, our final destination before we leave for Thailand, am quite sad as have absolutely loved NZ, it is such a beautiful country, and I hope I will be back again one day.