Top of the North

Well we've now been to the very southern part of NZ, Slope Point and the very northern at Cape Reinga.
We chose today as it look like the best chance of a fine day, given what we could see of the forecasts for this week.
We set off just after 10:00 and stopped in Kaitaia for a lunch pack - 2 x sandwiches and 2 x peanut biscuits came to $14 and would be the cheapest lunch anywhere.
Then off north - and we soon ran into showers, then heavy rain and we were thinking we had made a big mistake - but we kept going and for the 100 odd minutes it took us to drive north there were on and off showers.
I was thinking well if its raining we'll just put on our rain jackets and suck it up.
We followed for a good 50 minutes two Fullers buses and there are very few places to pass on that windy road and there was no way they wanted to pull over or use the "slow vehicle lanes". So thinking about buses and the rain was not good.
But the gods smiled on us and within a mere 5ks from the Cape the sky cleared up and we could see a deep blue sky and then equally deep blue sea.
We joined the bus passengers in our track down to the lighthouse and snapping photos on the way down.
It certainly is a beautiful place - the water and the sky - the rip where the oceans meet - the contrasting green landscape and the yellow/brown sands.
I asked a camera carrying person (who spoke little English) to take our photo, so we have both records now.
Went up onto the hill west of the lighthouse - what a view - and then back to our car. The bus people fill the car park area eating their lunch so we decided to go back down the road a little and found a pull off area where we sat and ate our $14 lunch.
Oops - just pushed the post button - better load some photos.

Put the photos up - after lunch we headed back because the news said there would be storms with thunder and lightning - but it soon became apparent that wasn't going to happen.
Stopped off at Rarawa Beach where there was white silica sand - when we got there it was hard to access due to a red stream between the carpark and the beach.
Also stopped for a fresh fruit icecream that was sooooooo good.
And then home.Read more