21st August - The 90 Mile beach
A fun packed, scenery packed, culture packed day! We felt like easing Liz into the sight seeing extravaganza.
An early start for us, 6:30 in the am, meant we had to hightail it to the Ancient Kauri Kingdom near Kaitaia a mere 120 km away from Paihia where we were staying.
The Ancient Kauri kingdom was a bit of a museum and a bit of a dead tree graveyard. The people there use the NZ Kauri tree to make big works of art and furniture. The Kauri trees are big like the redwoods. One of them they cut a section of and carved a spiral staircase that went up one floor. Pretty amazing. Another section they carved out a jacuzzi, but most of them were made into tables and chairs or souvenirs.
Then we picked up the bus to take us to the 90 mile beach. The driver was a weird old Maori guy that sung a lot of songs to us. First we stopped off at the Gumdiggers museum. The gumdiggers were the guys who harvested the tree sap from the Kauri tree that could be used as gum for all sorts of things like amber or wax. The Kauri trees we saw were really amazing. Some that were huge and were 30 to 40 thousand years old were still alive and standing, but because the land was swamp land and there had been ice ages there, there were some trees that had been found buried under the ground for 150 thousand years. These things were incredible, about 20 metres in diameter and 40 odd long. These were the ones the museum used to make stuff from and apparently there are loads buried around the farmlands.
Enough about the trees.
Next we went to Cape Reinga, the northern most tip of Nz, where there was a lighthouse and a spot of lunch.
After we hit the 90 mile beach. Admittedly I fell asleep on the way and was mocked. Once there we got to the sand dunes and did a spot of tobogganing. Pictures to follow, some were more graceful than others.
Then we took the bus onto 90 mile beach. Again the scenery was incredible and the beach was one big highway of sand and ocean that went on for nearly 90 miles.
We got back after a long day and like small children we were knackered and went to bed early.
More of the same tomorrow.
Laters
The travellers
P.S. It has come to the attention of the blog writer that there has been a rival blog that has just been started by Chris Scott, an acquaintance of Liz. After being 'disgusted' by the travelling Liz he has started a 'not a travel blog' website. Fun for all the family I hope. This should link it hopefully. www.notatravelblog.blogspot.com
P.P.S. Liz says 'Hello Chris'
An early start for us, 6:30 in the am, meant we had to hightail it to the Ancient Kauri Kingdom near Kaitaia a mere 120 km away from Paihia where we were staying.
The Ancient Kauri kingdom was a bit of a museum and a bit of a dead tree graveyard. The people there use the NZ Kauri tree to make big works of art and furniture. The Kauri trees are big like the redwoods. One of them they cut a section of and carved a spiral staircase that went up one floor. Pretty amazing. Another section they carved out a jacuzzi, but most of them were made into tables and chairs or souvenirs.
Then we picked up the bus to take us to the 90 mile beach. The driver was a weird old Maori guy that sung a lot of songs to us. First we stopped off at the Gumdiggers museum. The gumdiggers were the guys who harvested the tree sap from the Kauri tree that could be used as gum for all sorts of things like amber or wax. The Kauri trees we saw were really amazing. Some that were huge and were 30 to 40 thousand years old were still alive and standing, but because the land was swamp land and there had been ice ages there, there were some trees that had been found buried under the ground for 150 thousand years. These things were incredible, about 20 metres in diameter and 40 odd long. These were the ones the museum used to make stuff from and apparently there are loads buried around the farmlands.
Enough about the trees.
Next we went to Cape Reinga, the northern most tip of Nz, where there was a lighthouse and a spot of lunch.
After we hit the 90 mile beach. Admittedly I fell asleep on the way and was mocked. Once there we got to the sand dunes and did a spot of tobogganing. Pictures to follow, some were more graceful than others.
Then we took the bus onto 90 mile beach. Again the scenery was incredible and the beach was one big highway of sand and ocean that went on for nearly 90 miles.
We got back after a long day and like small children we were knackered and went to bed early.
More of the same tomorrow.
Laters
The travellers
P.S. It has come to the attention of the blog writer that there has been a rival blog that has just been started by Chris Scott, an acquaintance of Liz. After being 'disgusted' by the travelling Liz he has started a 'not a travel blog' website. Fun for all the family I hope. This should link it hopefully. www.notatravelblog.blogspot.com
P.P.S. Liz says 'Hello Chris'
posted by Bog at 4:52 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home