Another coachful day out!

Today was a fun coach excursion. We went to the far north most point of the island, Cape Reinga, but there were several stops on the way there and back. First was a forest walk amongst 1000 year old Kauri trees, putting our major oak to shame! They were very tall and wide, as you might expect! The next stop by a lovely beach for refreshments, and next was possibly the most exciting thing that can happen in a coach...we drove along the beach and in the sea!:-) it's a special 4 wheel drive coach for the occasion, and as long as it doesn't stop in the wet stuff it's able to keep going! It was such fun. It was obvious the driver enjoyed that bit the most! We did circles and swerving and spraying water. And it wasn't a slow tootle along, it was faaaast. That beach, the 90 mile beach, (actually about 60 miles, incorrectly measured as 90 by cattle drovers who had failed to account for the extra time taken walking on sand to other terrain), is listed as a public highway, with a speed limit and everything! Though there wasn't exactly the traffic you'd expect on a highway...we passed one vehicle, and a seal. We circled the seal for a closer look, and moved on to a spot where there was firm enough sand to park up and have a paddle :-) unfortunately a girl dropped her phone, and the tide whisked it away before anything could be done. Maybe one day it shall be found again, but it's pretty unlikely, on a beach that length! She seemed to cope relatively well though. 

Next we stopped at a massive sand dune. We didn't drive the full length of the beach as the tide was too high. The sand dune is a popular spot for sand boarding, a bit like sledging and body boarding combined. We trudged up it with our boards in hand (hanging on to them for dear life, it was rather windy!) if you don't know what a body board is, it's fairly self explanatory, a slice of foam big enough for your upper body to lie on. Then the fun part, sliding down the dune! Yaaaay! It was pretty fast, but you could steer with your feet, and there weren't any obstacles except other people. I think I shall still be finding sand for some time to come... The wind and the sliding had it flying into our hair, ears, nails, clothes, everything!!

Onwards to the official tip of the country, there was a similar vibe to a visit to sands end. People all getting their pictures taken to prove the box has been ticked! There was a signpost denoting a horrifying number of km to London, a nice big lighthouse on the cliff, and crashing waves down either side of the outcrop of land. There was a request not to eat or drink on the site, as is the Maori custom in that place. It is believed to be the place that the deceased travel through on their way to wherever it is they are going next.

After this it was time to begin the journey back to Paihia. We had a most welcome stop at a fish and chip shop by another of the many lovely beaches, and rather marvellously the fish and chips were included in our coach tickets, woohoo! One more refreshment stop, and we were back, 11 hours after setting off. Quite a lot of sitting on a coach, but it was very fun, and I made friends with a girl who I'm planning to see tomorrow. If there's space we shall go on the dolphin cruise again (she hasn't been yet, and I get a free repeat journey owing to the lack of Dolphins previously), but if there isn't space we shall hire kayaks. Either shall be fun!

This evening I had another walk along the beach as the light slowly disappeared, and now sitting in the hostel overlooking the lights on the water :-)