Racing in Raglan

Hit the road to the tunes of our road trip song:  Don't Worry About It, and had a good trip down to Raglan.
Campsite was on the edge of the waterway near a runway for a (not frequently used) airfield.
To the delight of PB, they had a jumping pillow!  Winning.  He managed to face plant a couple of times into the black sand around the edge of it, but didn't seem too concerned!
We let DH have his afternoon nap and headed out for a bike ride round the camp.  Found the track to the beach AND a cool BMX track! (Had to race back and tell Dad, of course!  Then race Dad, while shouting, "Come on, Mum!")
Rode across the bridge into town and watched the local kids playing in the water and diving off the bridge and jetty.
Played on the surfboard in the playground, to make the trip a bit more authentic.  (Raglan having on of the best left hand break around, after all...)

Home is Where the Heart (& washing machine) is

So, we made it home again following the first leg of our epic journey.  Didn't really need to pick up a lot.  I dropped off clothes and an enormous handbag that I never used and was forced to drop off books as DH was concerned I was starting to hoard and they would weigh us down.  (What was an ex - librarian to do when faced with the chance to buy $1 or $2 books from an Op Shop in Hikurangi? Come ooooon ! !)
We washed and washed and WASHED clothes and sheets and towels to our heart's content.
We celebrated a very special 80th birthday with a lovely high tea and we got to spend time with my darling Mum.
A great (short) trip home before heading back on the road, amped up for Leg Two, and destined for Raglan.

Real Humans of Parua Bay

Not strictly true, as the real humans we met weren't from Parua Bay (rather, somewhere awesome near Raetihi or National Park...) but you have GOT to admire a family who rocks up on an old converted horse float with kids aged 9, 6, 3 and 10 months.
PB fell in love with them immediately and it was pointless even attempting to get him to settle for bed.
The next day they headed to the jetty to fish and we headed to Ocean Beach for some boogie boarding.   (Stunning beach near Whangarei Heads).
Then we started on the journey homebound for our check in.  (We planned to do the north over two weeks then return to celebrate a special 80th, and pick up any needed equipment and to drop off any unwanted gear, too, before our southbound adventure continues. )
The horse truck family made Parua Bay  an entertaining event.  Very cool family.
Parua Bay was also a freedom camping spot.  Not easy access beach front (rocks) but very picturesque.

Krazy Kool Kids in Kerikeri

When you arrive on the doorstep of a dear friend, and prompt your PB to say hello, to which he promptly let's rip with an audible trouser cough, and everyone (especially the two junior boys of the party) giggles in response, you know it's going to be a cracker couple of days.
Our lovely Kerikeri friends could quite simply not have been any more hospitable.  They were legends.
In addition to amazing food, wonderful company and hilarious stories, we also visited Rainbow Falls and did a neat little bushwalk from there.  We visited the Stone Store and the old pa site nearby. And we even got a tour by water on our hosts boat!
Kerikeri is a beautiful and bustling place and we were treated so kindly , I can't wait to come back.

Ultra Far North

Given our epic road trip will see us journeying from the very top to the very bottom of this fair country, it was best that we found our way to the very top.
Cape Reinga has changed a lot since we last ventured this far north.  Good paths, great informative signage and a poignant entrance way complete with traditional sounds, loved it!  After the obligatory trek to the lighthouse,  we headed back to the Giant Te Paki sand dunes and clamored about with our boogie board!  Some backpacker buses arrived and those kids were HOONING it down the dunes!
We took the car down a stream and across some super soft sand to reach 90 Mile beach from the other end!
After the 4WD adventure, I really wanted to visit Spirits Bay, so at my insistence, we ventured the 15 km of gravel road (felt a LOT longer!) out there.
Wow! What a stunning bay.  The sand was made of tiny fragments of shell, about the size of your little fingernail.  It had almost an apricot hue to it. Campsite there was  DOC one & pretty basic, but the location, road and fairly simple amenities made it quite quiet.  A delight to behold and I was pleased we made the effort.
PB got nailed by sandflies,  but that's because he's just too delicious.

Heavenly Houhora

We arrived at Houhora on a sunny day and it was a magical spot indeed.  We kayaked and played on the beach and relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful setting.
A wee boy was learning to ride 'no hands' styles on his bike and bumped into the back of the caravan.  Made, as it is, of plastic and polystyrene (according to DH) it gave DH a bit of a fright.
The Dad of the family arrived the next morning with fresh snapper as 'victim impact contribution'.  Funny.  They turned out to be from Cockle Bay. 😊
Houhora served as a great base from exploring further north.

Next stop: Ahipara - 90 Mile Beach

Actually, TECHNICALLY  the next stop was Ngawha Springs.  Someone had described the springs as 'rustic'.  Not wrong.  But we like rustic.  We also like hot pools and smelling insanely sulphuric in a small space like a caravan for days.  Ok, parts of that might be made up, but we like rustic AND we like cheap! Tick. And tick.
Next stop was a random 'slam on the brakes because DH has seen a lake and wants to have a kayak on it' affair. Lake Omapere.  Really cool spot and locals drive down in vans and kids pile out and straight in for swims.
Next stop - Ahipara.  Was windy and wild so when we set foot on 90 Mile Beach it was a slight microdermabrasion experiment with the sand blasting.