Northlands - Day 2

So today was meant to be better for weather, we were meant to be having at least four days of sunshine. We chilled by the lakes for a bit while we waited for the weather to improve before deciding I was too soft to get in the water while it was windy and we started the drive to the top of New Zealand.

Next stop was at Tane Mahuta, NZ's biggest living Kauri tree. These things are monsters, seriously, never have I seen a bigger tree, its HUGE! It's hard to try and put it in perspective with photography but this is me sat in front of it.

Tane Mahuta

And this is where this country differs from Australia. If this was Oz there wouldn't just be the one tree. There would be millions of them and this one would be called The Great Kauri Tree and there would be postcards and embroidered patches to buy and a tree top walk. Over here you meander round, take as many photos as you can warrant of just the one tree and wander off, contemplating buying a hot dog from the single, lone food van parked over the road. You leave feeling distinctly un-treed out.

And then we drove. And drove and drove and drove right up to the top of the country where we set up camp for the night at a DoC (Department of Conservation) run site near Cape Reinga called Tapotupotu, set right next to this stunning beach.

I tried to drag Kama in for the obligatory Dunking Of The Missus but she was having none of it so I gave up and we settled in armed with a can of mozzie repellant because as beautiful as Tapotupotu is, its full of mosquitos. Its impossible to keep them out of the car and mozzies seem to like the way I taste, they were all over the toilet as well, every time I went for a piss I felt like an all you can eat buffet. Its what it must feel like to be a bit lower down the food chain.

I doused myself in dubious chemicals labeled "Tropical Strength," tucked my pajama bottoms into a pair of thick socks, pulled on a large jumper and snuggled under the covers hoping I'd have at least some of my blood left in the morning.

written by

Koala Bear on January 4, 2009 from Cape Reinga, New Zealand

from the travel blog: Tiny Little NZ Road Trip

tagged RoadTrip and Northlands

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