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To the Poor Knights Island Marine Reserve and Back

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Monday was our last full day in New Zealand. And we were ready for it! Tim had booked us with Fish Tutukaka -- and we'd be taking a boat out to the Poor Knights Island marine reserve for the day. The Poor Knights Islands are a group of islands off the east coast of the Northland Region, most accessible from Tutukaka. Jacques Cousteau rated these islands as one of the top 10 dive spots in the world. And the islands have a rich history. They were earlier inhabited by Māori of the Ngāti Wai tribe who grew crops and fished the surrounding sea. The tribe traded with other Māori. A chief of the tribe named Tatua led his warriors on a fighting expedition to the Hauraki Gulf with Ngā Puhi chief Hongi Hika in the early 1820s. While they were away, a slave named Paha escaped the islands and traveled to Hokianga where he told Waikato, a chief of the Hikutu tribe, that the islands had been left undefended. As Waikato had been offended by Tatua some years prior when he was refused pigs he had...
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An Apartment (and More) in Tutukaka

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We loved our Sunday morning in Ahipara. We had a fantastic view of Ninety Mile Beach from our motel patio, and Tim could kind of see (and keep tabs on) the surf spot. I went out for a morning run and saw a wild horse in town -- you know, as one does. The wild horse in town. We drove three minutes up the road to the North Drift Cafe, where we had tried to go for lunch the day before. Breakfast on the Cafe patio was delicious and sunny. It was also quiet; everywhere we've traveled in New Zealand has been quiet. Tim and I were remarking that, at least on our travels, there's been a lot of nothingness -- in a good way. The towns are small, they're not built up, there aren't that many people, nature rules; it's the exact opposite of where we live in Orange County. Life in these New Zealand towns feels peaceful, calm, and safe.  Yummy! You can never have too many waffles. After fueling up, we hit the Superette again. We wanted some drinks for our next drive. And what do y...
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Horses and a Throwback Motel in Ahipara

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We woke up to sunshine in Paihia and it was beautiful! I got out for a run and saw a little more of the town. I'm feeling much better; not quite 100%, but getting there. (Yassss, amoxicillin!) Morning sunrise in Paihia. We grabbed breakfast at a local coffee shop, went back to our "sketchy" motel to pack up, and then headed for the  Waitangi Treaty Grounds , New Zealand's most significant historic landmark. Often called the "Birthplace of the Nation," the Treaty Grounds are where New Zealand's founding document was signed by representatives of the British Crown and Māori chiefs who acted on behalf of their hapū (sub-tribes) in 1840.  Wyatt looks for bones on all of our trips. He found one at the coffee shop. (Don't worry, it also stayed at the coffee shop.) This thing was just begging for a kid to climb inside it. Where there's a slide, there are Taylor and Wyatt. In more recent years, this treaty has been hotly debated -- and at times, ignored o...
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From Raglan to Paihia

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Oh. My. Goodness. There were no stars for us at the farm on Thursday night. Instead, there was a massive amount of rain. The rain and the wind howled the entire night -- and we heard it all given the farmstay's tin roof. The rain was literally pounding from 3am to 7am.  Everything's a bit soggy out there.  We waited for the weather to clear up a bit and then we hit the road. We had a six-hour drive ahead of us; we were moving from the middle of the North Island to the upper part. And -- we had a birthday to celebrate! Taylor turned 13 on April 12. I have no idea how we have a teenager already, but we do. In honor of a special birthday, we had dessert for breakfast at Raglan Roast -- Brown Lightning Bros in Hamilton, about an hour or so from Raglan. The line to get into this place was long. But I'm glad we made it in when we did, because about 10 minutes after we ordered, the shop's three coffee machines broke down (don't know the full story, but bummer).  The line ...
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Down Day in Raglan

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We're moving to Raglan. We're going to buy a farm here, work remotely, drink Raglan Roast coffee every day, send the kids to the Raglan Area School, enjoy all the animals, and live the Kiwi life. Kidding...not kidding.  ***** We were in heaven today. It was a perfect down day during this trip. Tim was up to see the sunrise and he said it was incredible. The kids and I were up just after. I went out for a run, but it was suuuuuper hilly and humiliating. I'm going to blame the germs, which are still hanging around a bit. Back at the farmstay, Taylor and Wyatt enjoyed some hot chocolate. Tim and I drank coffee -- yes, Raglan Roast (so good). We cooked up the breakfast that Sue had left us the day before: homemade bread, fresh eggs, fresh butter. Mmmm. Delicious, all of it.  Breakfast already looks good. Unfortunately, the wind started early this morning and continued all day. And I'm talking some crazy wind. It rained some here and there, too, so we had a lazy morning on ...
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