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Paihia is a lovely coastal tourist spot, and checked into Saltwater Lodge hostel and upgraded to a dorm with single beds, tv and a towel. The luxury!!! Could do with a good nights sleep as throat was still painful and v tired. 2 other sensible "oldies" also shared my room. Walked to the info place and booked a trip for the day after to the northern most point - Cape Reinga. Had a look through the town (didn't take long) and went back to my room to find i didn't have my camera. Oh my god, where the hell is it? Realised i must have left it in the visitors centre (as i had lots of brochures, paid for stuff, not feeling well and quite gorm). Luckily they had it there. Phew. Nearly cried at the thought of losing all my photos of the last 3 weeks . So made it my priority to upload my photos, and luckily NZ has the technology. That night had a toasted sarnie and a beer overlooking the sea. The highlight was being asked for ID. I laughed in the youth's face. Yes, i am nearly 29.
Next day throat was no better and felt like barbed wire so walked to the local doc's at 12ish. Sorry, we haven't got an appointment until... (i was expecting the UK answer of next week/2 weeks time) 3.30pm. Today?? Now that's service for you. Went back to my room in the meantime and put the TV on. Now how could my day turn from misery to joy? Yes, Jeremy Kyle was on. The throat pain was instantly offset by JK. Went to the docs "gosh, that looks very red" said the doc, and i got some penicillin. I was going to get a ferry to Russell that day but the day was a bit manky and didn't feel up to it, so chilled out instead. One of the trips from Paihia was to swim with the dolphins - yet another "errr, no thanks, would rather not swim with fish-breath flipper ta". Wonder if i'll take part in any activities whilst i'm away?? Ha ha.
Next day was a day trip to the most northerly point of NZ, Cape Reinga. When i booked the tour i had a leaflet i was going to book with, but was advised by the info bird to get another tour tailored "more to the younger crowd" it was cheaper so agreed. 2 other girls from the same hostel got on the bus at 7.15am pick up (i'm loving the early starts..) but the 2 tours must have been combined because there was no way the other passengers could be vaguely categorised as young. There were a few 60-70yr old Oz couples, a 40ish couple and 2 different chinese families - with old people. And the bus man had grandkids. But with a throat infection a slower pace suited me fine.
The first stop was to see a Kauri tree forest (ancient tree things) around a walkway which was built for the Queen at a cost of $1m which she didn't even walk on, but the kiwi's don't sound bitter about it at all. Much. Up at the Cape Reinga at the most northern point it was a bit like Lands End with a lighthouse and signs with the mileage to cities. It was very pretty and where 2 oceans meet (can't remember which ones). That far north there was no water supply, no electricity, the few houses there had to collect rain water from their roofs as their water supply, the nearest doc/hospital was 2 hr drive away. Why would you live there?? On the way back we drove along the 90 mile beach (which is only 60-something miles in reality) stopping first at some sand dunes to boogie board down. I wasn't feeling overly up for it on my diet of penicillin, pain killers and throat sweets but as i was one of the few who's hip wouldn't break doing it, i thought i couldn't let the youngster's side down. Tramped up this HUGE sand hill, then it was a cool surf down on your stomach, but the screaming didn't help my throat. We drove along the beach (the coach was specially designed to handle the beach) and Murray the driver was saying how many cars get stuck in the sand.... and what do we see? Two french men in speedos with their Nissan Sunny stuck in the sand. What a photo opportunity. Ha ha. The coach successfully pulls them out, apparently the coaches pull out an average of a car a day. Think i saw some penguins but they may have been seagulls... Also Murray was picking out shell fish things from the sea and eating them raw. Yet another "no thanks, not for me, not with my innards!"
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