Final post

FINAL POST

AUCKLAND TO AUCKLAND

TOTAL KM - 3041

Final gaps filled in!

Bay of Islands to Orewa

A rare sight....a trail marker!

Darrell's nemesis.....electric fences

Back to the east side shores

And it's many estuary crossings

Wonderful long beaches

Mostly....

Down to Devonport ......Auckland in the distance!

Downtown Auckland 

Just passing through - leaving Auckland behind

Tower on University of Auckland Fine Arts

Five month later .....final few steps to the start point ......

Done!...... Auckland, April 26, 2018

Champagne all around! 

Finishers medal!......Well earned!

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COACHES CORNER

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The North Island is beautiful

Except for Darrell's hiking trails........

Here we join him on one of his 'POS' trails

(piece of s**t trail)

This is more our style

 Preying mantis on the trail

Sea shell collectors paradise 

Coromandel peninsula......Cathedral Cove

'Hot water beach'.......hot water percolates up through the sand

Grab a shovel and dig your own pool!

Ferry to Devonport for the 'Anzac' ceremonies

(Veterans day)

New Zealand Naval Base

Naval band providing the music

The navy recruits both the very young.......

And the very old.....

Rugby!

Had to do it!.......a proper rugby game in Eden Park Stadium

The 'Jaguares'  won against the 'Blues' -  20-13     (Argentina)

(too bad we had to root for the 'Blues' - worst team ever according to locals)

Total KM driven - 14,500

Roads South Island

Roads North Island

Heading for home!

Waiting for our 'red eye' express - should be home soon

POST NUMBER SEVEN

WINDWHISTLE   TO   BAY OF ISLANDS

498 km

Back north to the skipped sections - (in red)

Windwhistle to lake Tepako

Murphy's law I suppose....left this area because of storms....

came back to a new series of storms!   - just not getting any respect!! 

No wiggle room now.......got to go in regardless

Gamble paid off....things are looking up!

-

Huts help...

High point of the whole TeAraroa trail - 1925 meters

Nice that it wasn't shitty weather!

Final 100 meters of the South Island! ....transport just ahead

Crossing Cook Straight to the North Island

Up to bluff - the 'real' start of the trail

Cape Reinga - KM ' 0 ' - now on the home stretch

Steps down to the infamous ' 90 mile beach'

- a misnomer as it's only 60 miles long!  (seems like 90 miles)

Tour buses - just can't get away from them!

Out with the old - in with new!......again!

Heading across the island to the Pacific side

The iconic ' Kauri' tree - currently at risk due to a fungal attack

New Zealand weather strikes again........another major storm

a couple of nights in an abandoned store waiting for improvement

( belonged to a really nice Maori lady - 'Eliza' - even provided a meal or two!) 

Back on the trail again

A Maori fortress - also known as a 'Pa'

Finally the Pacific coast beaches .....easy walking for awhile!

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COACHES' CORNER

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Moeraki boulders just north of Dunedin 

These boulders formed in the mud of ancient times - 

 - erosion by the sea exposes them and they tumble onto the shore

(Darrell taking one home as a souvenir - highly illegal!)

Actual formation is a little complex but can be googled -

suffice to say they are approx. 50 m years old 

Christ Church Cathedral destroyed by the 2011 earthquake .....very humbling!

'Interislander'  to Wellington - North Island

'Hobbiton' - About as close as we got - all tours sold out!

The waters south of Cape Reinga - currents of the Tasman sea meet the currents of the Pacific

The boat in the foreground is approx. 50' and is dwarfed by the seas a kilometer further out!

Sandy getting Darrell headed in the right direction.....

Silica sand dunes - Pacific Ocean side

Regular sand dunes - Tasman Sea side

Gumdigger's  'gold' - fossilized sap from buried Kauri trees

almost as precious as gold to the diggers

Some of the gum produced 'amber' - complete with insects.

Most was mined and sent to Britain - to make top grade varnish!

shades of Nepal - terracing - (done by cows - not people)

Bananas - definitely not B.C.!

Gecko with a 'Cheshire' smile 

A ferocious 'wild pig' - didn't even bother to open his eyes and check us out!

approaching 'Bay of Islands'

Gulf island style - 'roll-on - roll-off' ferry

My kind of motorsailer - ( if I was to get one!)

NZ fishing can be good -

this 'trevally' is supposed to be good eating

Of course if you really want to go fishing you go for Marlin!!

And this is what you bring home to mama!

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