The very northern part of New Zealand is called Cape Reinga, the very last tip of New Zealand is not accessible to tourists by Maori law. It’s a sacred place where, according to legends the spirits of the dead travel on their journey to the afterlife in the spiritual homeland of Hawaiki. I took a full day tour with one of the local tour operators. The coach drove along the 90 mile beach (its actually 88 kilometers long) and we stopped a couple of times, to watch wild horses, eat shells and go sand-dune surfing. Riding down the dunes is a very funny thing, climbing up is somewhat exhausting when you’ve been drinking the previous. Its also a free opportunity to get your teeth sandblasted – however, not very tasty at all!
Since the very last tip is sacred land, we only got to visit the most northern mailbox and the most northern lighthouse.. On our way back to Pahia we visited New Zealands very first citrus plantation. Extremely delicious citrus and orange planted by one of Captain James Cooks sailors in order to prevent future expedition from scurvy. At least that’s the story the bus driver told us….
