An amazing view from the village of Omapere where we stayed……
You can see on the right hand side of the photo the amazing sand dunes. They do trips across there to body board down them. We were a little heartbroken to discover that due to the weather, the trip would not be running for a few days!
We went back to the kauri forest to check out the largest kauri tree in the world.
You can just see Mark at the bottom to give you an idea of scale. It is thought to be about 2000 years old. The total height is 51.5m and the girth 13.8m!
After two weeks we have finally done the vineyard thing. Marsden Estate near Kerikeri in the Bay Of Islands. Wow! Amazing wines and food! Snapper and Chamborcin – a red that we had never heard of!
The people at the vineyard said that the temperature had dropped from 24° to 9° which is colder than their winter!
On to the beautiful town of Kerikeri, with a very impressive waterfall…..
Kemp house in Kerikeri – the oldest house and the location of the first vineyard in New Zealand.
Finally arrived in Paihia, abandoned the car at the hotel and jumped on the ferry to Russell, once known as a place of ill repute.
Stopped at the renowned The Duke Of Marlborough Hotel for a quick snack and….. oh look they know about Marsden Estate too! Cheers!
Got chatting to an Australian couple. She reminded us very much of Cali. They seemed hooked on the Rose. We told them to check out the vineyard!
On the ferry back we ran into the American couple we were chatting to on the way across… and then a quick drink with them in the only place open…… the Charlotte….. named after a rather “popular” lady from the local history. The place seems to shut very early….. the ferry only got in at 9.30!
Heather and Mark's travel blog 