Back in New Zealand and the Far North

Arrived in Auckland after our 10hr flight from Bangkok. Uneventful but I will say, Thai Airways is a very nice airline. The staff is attentive, pleasant and took pretty good care of us.

We cleared customs, got our rental car, fired up Carmin the Gamin and started off for Ahipara. This is always the hardest part of our travels. Carmin goes stupid after being off for a while and either can’t find a satellite to sync with or has us at our last location, which in this case was Christchurch South Island.

After circling Auckland for about an hour, we decided to try my phone which sent us directly on our way. Now Carmin woke up (I think she was a little jealous) and sent us back towards Auckland to circle around to Hwy 1 one more time. OK, NOW we’re on our way, and only lost an hour.

Short drive to Ahipara, about 4hrs, and through very different countryside than the South Island. The Far North as it’s called here, is mostly farmland, pastures, a few mountains but they have wrinkles! The land seems to be sliding off the hills in this area so they all have “wrinkles”. That’s different.

Wrinkle hills

More wrinkles

Found our house in Ahipara, very nice with a view of the ocean (more correctly the Tasman Sea), unpacked and time for wine……. You were expecting something else??????

Dining area

That second toilet was useless, no lid or a seat, flushed kinda funny too!

Amazing sunsets

Tomorrow we’ll drive to the farthest northern point (for us), Cape Reinga lighthouse.