14th Jan
Well have not written for a few days so will try to remember but it has been so busy I am sure I have forgotten loads already.
After I sent an email in Fiji on the 15th, I checked the long range weather forcast on the computer which said things were not going to get any better so I phoned air new Zealand who said if I could get to the airport within an hour we could get on a plane. The next flight out with spaces was on the Saturday, so I took the hour challenge. It was quite good fun stuffing everything into the rucksacks and arranging cab etc and we made it to the airport. Soaking wet but we made it. There were people there trying to get flights and not able to so we were really lucky to get out. Bonus was we were not charged for changing our tickets as it was an emergency situation and they were trying to get all tourists out……

Arrived in Auckland, warm and no rain, yeh… Had to wait till the following day so went to motel and washed all the damp smelly stuff in the rucksacks, of course, they had got wet from the airport to the plane I suppose. We chilled by having showers, you do not realize how nice it is to shower until you cannot for a few days. We then had a meal and I felt obligated to begin sampling the new Zealand wines, but one glass was enough.
15th Jan
Picked up car (please do not book through ‘aboutnewzealandcarrentals” as they seem cheap on the net but add their own bits and pieces in (read small print) and there are loads of cheaper alternatives at the airport information place and they pick you up as part of the deal.
Anyway we decided not to explore Auckland as we wanted to be in some wide open spaces after spending days in the hotel in Fiji. So we had breakie and headed down their route one. Turned off towards Gulf Harbour and Shakespere Park. Beautiful open countryside and the weather was great. Swam in shakespere park beach, a beautiful day, empty beaches and sparking sea. Walked along the rocks looking in the tidepools, loads of wildlife. We were worried about sunburn so left the beach and started looking for somewhere to stay. After seeing all the no vacancy signs and asking in various places we decided to go and buy a tent, so we drove 30mins back the way we had come on the advice of the girl at the campsite to get to a shop that had no tents left. However the 3rd motel that we went in after that had a really nice guy on reception who happened to say he had a tent, so I said I would buy it off him. Jim was confused when I came out of reception and told him to come in as I was buying a tent.
Well back to the campsite and we agreed robin and jim would put up the tent and I would sort out the car. They had it up in 20mins, mind you, it is only a small 3 man tent. We were settled so could relax. We took a walk along the long sandy beach that starts where our tent is pitched.. the fish here are abundant and we met a fisherman who said we do not need licence to sea fish but you can only take home 6 per day from this beach but each area has its own quota rules. I would like to get jim a fishing rod and all the campsites have bbqs so we could cook any he might catch…
Had dinner at the ship and anchor.. great . then a walk in the dark back to our tent. Jim was making such a muttering that robin and I could not help but giggle. Jim cannot believe in his 50s he has started camping…. Well we already had the sleeping bags so it seemed like fate when we couldn’t get a motel..
16th Jan
Had interesting night, robin and jim had erected the tent on a slope….Well it’s a learning curve…I was up early so went to the kitchen to make tea. Everything on the campsite is kept really clean and the showers are lovely, cleaner than some of the motel rooms we have stayed in. Robin was having such a good sleep it was hard to wake him up. I like this camping lark,, both boys were up and out early for a walk down the beach to the café for breakfast. It is so beautiful here, I hope the rest of nz is as nice. Robin realized that he had left his game boy and games on the plane but he is putting on a brave face as he realizes it is his own fault but I do feel a bit sorry for him. Will treat him in hong kong if they are cheap there.
Our first stop was goats island which is a marine sanctuary. If you paddle in the sea you can see blue cod and various other fish, if you snorkel you can see loads more species, I even saw a moray eel, it was fantastic, I swam right out along the stony reef to the island and it was awesome but a bit cold. If you dive you can of course swim right around the island and into caves and see loads more. Everyone was happy with the amount they saw. The sea is quite cold though, once you are out there and everyone here wears wet suits. We were tired and hungry after our adventures so we got in the car and drove to Leigh for fish and chips out of newspaper….. did you know you can get fried oysters here? Strange eh.
We then went to the thermal springs at Waiwera where the springwater comes out of the ground at 53degrees and stinking of sulpher, so they have to add cold water to it before you can jump in. Robin and I loved it as it had water sides and different kinds of pools. Thought I would be ok on the slides so down I went, forgetting about my broken arm but whilst protecting the arm I scraped my knee so decided to give the slides a miss….
Quite late when we left so it was back to our campsite in Orewa to park the car, then out for dinner. Will have no trouble sleeping tonight…
Jan 17th
Awake early, slept quite well but jim rolled on to my arm and it is still aching now. Packed up tent, it went down quicker than it went up.. still, I daresay they will get quicker and quicker the more they do it. Took to route 1 and headed north. Went through Warksworth, then stopped in wellsford for breakfast. Then went to manawhai heads where robin enjoyed the surf. It is very hard to get him out of the water and he is pestering us for a surfboard again so we will buy him a bodyboard tomorrow and get him surfing lessons soon. We then went to aungakamea caves but could not get very far inside as the only torch we have left is the crappy one and the caves were very dark so we gave up and headed for Whangarei which is the most northerly city in nz. Went shopping looking for a bodyboard but the only places open had none so will have to try again tomorrow. Found campsite, erected tent, sat in sunshine at 8pm!!!! And drank nice bottle of red wine with our neighbour camper, a very interesting character, the went to local pub for dinner. The pub was also the betting shop and there was night racing on, it was not very busy but all patrons were maori and jim is very good at making friends with characters so a lovely evening ensued. Then home to our tent, it looks so small next to all these flash one that are about. I am sure we will sleep well tonight, I personally was worn out and plyed with red wine, content…..

18th Jan.
It rained last night and the tent held up well. Jim and I awoke early and waited for the rain to come in. it did not and we did not want to go outside so we went back to sleep again.+++ when we did get up we went to the museum and kiwi house in heritage park. We learned loads about kiwis, I did not realize they were endangered and that their worst enemy is the dog. The museum had an exhibition of rugby in the northlands so jim went straight to that whilst robin and I learned about the taonga maori and early settlers of new Zealand. The gum trinkets made from the kaori trees were really beautiful. We also saw glorat which was a kauri villa built for an early settler dr. Clarke complete with terrible wallpaper and nic-knacks of the age. We also saw the oruaiti chapel believed to be the smallest chapel in nz and it was cute cause it was octagional. Jim and robin locked me in the early womans jail but I did not stress and they came and let me out…… jim and robin also went to look in the railway museum and had a ride on a steam train.
Then we went to Whangarei Falls and had a lovely walk to the bottom and then back to the top, took loads of photos as was quite beautiful, (and we nearly did not go cause we thought nothing could compare to Izagu, and nothing could but it was a lovely sight and glad we went) I love the sounds of the waterfalls.
Went into the town basin and jim went into the clock museum (Robin and I went to play in the park then had drinks while waiting for jim) Robin then got his bodyboard and fins that he needs here.
Spent evening at campsite (after McDonalds) chatting to everyone in the tv room while robin watched film on computer screen. Raining outside.

19th Jan
Up and out early as raining. Went to the place to catch our boat to Poor Knights Island from Tutukaka only to find out it had been cancelled due to strong winds. So we decided to make our way up the coast a bit.