Rand set up chairs near the water's edge. It was glorious.
Today was a destination day, and the destination was the northern tip of New Zealand where there is a picturesque lighthouse. We also wanted to check out the famous “90 Mile Beach” that runs the length of the western top of North Island. On the drive North, we went along the Whangarei Town Basin with its yachts, cafes, galleries, the Tutukaka Coast with its beautiful islands and aquamarine water 
We saw Matapouri Bay, Whale Bay and Matauri Bay and stopped for lunch at the old Stone House.
We made a detour to KawaKawa and noticed that the landscape flattened out considerably as we made our way from South to North. There also were fewer forests or large trees.
Kerikeri turned out to be an unexpectedly nice town with lots of holistic health practitioners and many artists and craftspeople – my kind of community! We found an arts co-op that had crafts made by six local artists. I bought a number of presents and was most happy to find my mom a new pair of New Zealand lambswool slippers I think she will really like. I also bought a pair for Magnus that are adorable and that should get him through the coldest winter days in DC with his tootsies feeling very comfortable.
Some of the most beautiful scenery we’ve seen was north of Russell along the coast near Doubtless Bay and Cooper Beach. How would you like to have this view from your house?
The wind at Cape Reinga was blowing fiercely and when I walked the long path to the lighthouse, at times when the path was exposed to the western wind, I wondered if I’d be blown off the path.
Then, when the hills to my left blocked the wind, it immediately became eerily still and quiet. Quite a walk!
After reaching the tip of New Zealand, we cruised the left (west) side of the North Island, down 90 Mile Beach to Waipapakauri Beach. 90 Mile Beach looked like the Sahara Desert with enormous, vast expanse of sand dunes.
Here we are celebrating at twilight on the beach.
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