Righteous

Going to the Bay of Islands was a very good idea. I haven't been up that way for at least 10 to 15 years (not since the epic trip with the wife and her then boyfriend). Scott and I spent each day hooning about the place, mostly viewing and visiting pa sites (funnily enough I had a view of archaeologically significant volcanos from the rooms I slept in at both places I stayed: Mt Eden when in Auckland and Pouerua when in Pakaraka). I got too much sun, drank too much, smoked too much, and chilled out resting my weary bones of an evening in one of NZ's oldest buildings. It was all good. Everyone we stopped to visit had set themselves up in primo spots (by way of an example, when I went back to the van to grab my bag on one such occasion I was told to check out the waterfall - 'once you go over the swing bridge over the river, go through the orchard and up the track on the left' I was nonchalantly informed). I believe I said something along the lines of chucking it all in and moving to paradise more than once.

I deliberately didn't take many photos as part of a memory rebuilding exercise (remember the urupa), but did take a couple during the excursion up Tara tara.

Looking up:

Smidgeon of the view from the top:

Scott gave me a lift down to Auckland (we'll pass over the horrific plane experience without comment), and we went via the Hokianga. Took twice as long, but it was worth it. It's crazy to think that this morning I was saying hi to Tane Mahuta:

And now I'm back here.