Tag 103-106 Northland Part 2

The first morning on the east coast of Northland started with an idyllic breakfast on the beach. Actually firmly convinced that nothing could surprise us here, we drove to the largest sand dunes of Ninety Mile Beach. But suddenly we found ourselves in the Sahara (with a touch of Tatooine). Fearlessly, we climbed the 150m high sand giants and flew down the steep slopes on a small surfboard.. Sand everywhere.. After our attempt to catch a glimpse of the wild horses living here unfortunately failed, we set off for Rarawa Beach with its incredibly fine white sand and turquoise water, where Basti tried to wash away the dune sand. We ended the day with a walk along Ninety Mile Beach and finally left the northern part of Northland behind. The next day, there were two hikes on the agenda. First, we climbed St. Pauls Rock with a great view, then we walked around the Mahinepua Peninsula to the outermost point. Despite the wonderful nature, Pauline became a little grumpy after being constantly attacked by large chirping insects, sitting in ants, and to top it all off, getting a headache (hiking at 30°C - yay).. The next day started with excitement. Basti was supposed to skydive from a plane that morning. However, since the sky was too cloudy, the jump was postponed to the next day. Instead, we visited the Rainbow Falls and the small village of Kerikeri with the oldest house in New Zealand (Palingen is still 2 years older) and the remains of a pa, an ancient Maori fortress. We spent the evening in the paradise fishing village of Paihia, right on the shores of the Bay of Islands. Feeling much more relaxed, we drove back to the airfield the next morning in perfect weather. After an adventurous flight in a very rickety plane with an open side door, Basti and his skydive tandem buddy threw themselves from 12,000 feet (~3600m) into the depths. After 40 seconds of free fall over about 7,000 feet (~2100m) with an incredible view of all 144 islands of the Bay of Islands and a short parachute flight, Basti safely landed back on solid ground, where a sweaty but relieved Pauline welcomed him. On the drive, we stopped at a famous Hundertwasser toilet, visited the Whangarei Falls, and finally arrived at Urquharts Bay. Between black cows and blue Pukekos, we walked across green meadows to a gun emplacement from World War II and finally to a secluded beach with crystal clear water. For the night, we parked at a car park right by the water and walked along the beach until the sun set. What a day!