We managed to get some of Tom’s tons of gadgetry working and we spoke to Amy via the Internet phone for the first time. It worked really well although we did lose reception a couple of times. It was lovely to speak rather than just e-mail. We also tried to phone Andy but neither he nor Ninx was there so we’ll have to try again later. If you’re reading this Andy, please e-mail us so we have your address.
After breakfast, we drove to the Haruru falls just outside Paihia
– very pretty but not spectacular, then on to Kaikohe – rather a deprived area but we found a nice café for coffee and cake (NZ$12.40 = £5 total for both. We went shopping for shorts for both of us, having not packed sufficient and (thanks for the tip Jane) we found The Warehouse, a very cheap and cheerful sells everything store (a bit like Matalan and Wilkinsons combined)) and for the magnificent total of NZ$45, Tom had 1 pr, I had 2prs and a skirt and a couple of other domestic bits!!Then it was on to Hokianga harbour for a picnic lunch with superb views
and onwards south to Waipoua Forest to admire the largest (by volume) kauri tree in NZ. It’s believed to be over 2000 years old and it’s enormous. You can get some idea of the size by looking at the people in the background at the base of the tree.
The forests here have been logged to within an inch of extinction, as have many other forests in other parts of the world. There are records of even older and larger kauri being felled by the timber industry but, thankfully, the important ones are all now protected and a programme of regeneration is currently being attempted. Several generations will be required to follow this through as even 500yr old trees are referred to as “young”.Having seen Tane Mahuta (Lord of the Forest) in the flesh, so to speak, we then wended a very windy way through the forest (Amy, you’d have died) and ended up at the Kauri Musem in Matakohe. It has to be one of the most impressive collections of virtually anything to do with the logging and timber industry. Old photographs beautifully presented with comments, sometimes quite humorous; immense slabs (the biggest 22.5m long)
of kauri tree – raw and polished – and all manner of furniture and artefacts made from the wood. Hugh would be in his element!Only a couple of hundred metres from the Museum, we found accommodation for the night, would you believe it, in a cabin on a CARAVAN PARK! Tom’s suffering déjà vu! It’s got better views than Roydon……. It also has a laundrette so as I write this the machine’s full of Davison smalls (and larges).
Now for the bad news. We sat down to watch the last 2 days film that Tom has painstakingly took……..and ALL the footage he shot at Waitangi has disappeared! He has no idea what has happened but since the visit there was one of the high spots, if not the most important, of our trip, we have to change our plans and go back tomorrow. So much for the leisurely stop and linger when we find somewhere nice – tomorrow will be foot down and head back north. Fortunately, because we’ve come round in a big loop today, it’s only about 2.5hrs drive but then the same south to start where we are now. Still, we do have a couple of flexi days built in to the system so it shouldn’t put too much of a hole in our plans.
This evening we went out to find somewhere to eat and the village of Matahoke where we are is almost non-existent. We ended up on an unmade road leading nowhere so had to turn around and make our way back. We did find one café only to be told at 7.45 they’d stopped cooking! She was a very nice lady and told us where to go!?! And that was to the next village, Paparoa, where we found the Sahara restaurant
which won the best restaurant in the whole N Island last year. Despite that accolade, the food was not expensive but was lovely and had the most interesting decor we have seen in a restaurant for a long time. 
Now we’re off to bed ready to face backtracking tomorrow.
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oops!
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