Northland!

Posted by Brandon |

April 7, 2011
So I just went for my very last run in New Zealand...I can't believe it. I really cannot believe that am getting on a plane tomorrow night to fly back to the US. But I have so many wonderful things ahead of me in my life, so it's exciting to be moving on now, as much as I hate to leave this amazing country. But for now, here are some pictures from our last group trip to the Northland! I absolutely LOVED the North.

This is a huge Kauri tree! On the way, James had us stop here, and also to his favorite place to get meat pies...I'm not a huge fan of them, but they're pretty good! But when we got out of the vans, James gave us all Lava lavas! I am going to miss James so much. All throughout the trip he buys us fruit, lollies, and all kinds of food for us to try. And he has a story for everything!

I am so grateful I came to New Zealand the year the Jacobs came as the directors one last time. I cannot imagine this experience without Jim and Linda.

Jim, James and Linda

After dropping off our stuff at our awesome yellow Waitangi Motel in Paihia, we headed to the grounds where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. Before walking to the grounds where it was actually signed outside of James Busby's home, we walked over to the Maori war canoe made from Kauri wood. This thing is huge!! You can't even tell in the picture where the boat ends...and what is incredible is that it is completely seamless- it was made from one huge Kauri tree trunk!

Where the Treaty was signed!

The home where James Busby and his family lived while they were in New Zealand.

The view was absolutely beautiful! I love Bay of Islands!

On Friday morning, around 7:30 we left and began the drive to Cape Reinga. The view from the tip of New Zealand is definitely my favorite view I have seen while being here. But first, we all sent postcards from the northernmost mailbox in New Zealand! Pretty cool, huh?

Sending my postcard to my family...which we'll probably get after I get home haha.

These grounds are very sacred...you are not even allowed to eat or drink after walking past a certain point. Cape Reinga is very sacred to the Maori, and I know that we all felt the sacredness of this beautiful place. It is the Maori belief that spirits jump off into the waters here to enter the afterlife. It was so breathtaking though. You can see in this picture the waves crashing into each other from either side...this is also the place where the Tasman Sea on the left and the Pacific Ocean on the right clash together. It is so cool to sit and watch the waters collide.

So after taking all our pictures, James, who of course had made new friends while waiting for us, told us about how he had just planted a tree...you pay $20 and get to plant a tree on Cape Reigna! So Dr. J decided we would donate $100 and plant five trees.

That same day, before driving down 90-mile beach, we stopped and got to surf (boogie board) down the sand dunes! Definitely an experience I will never forget! So we were all eating lunch and rotating surfing the sand dunes. James had shown us the record of how far the BYU girls in the past had gone. Ok so if you look in the picture below, you can see how there is a dip once the sand ends, and it turns into this little river of water and sand that leads to 90-mile beach. Now for the story: I had gone down one time, and Katie was last to go before we left. No one else wanted to boogie board, so I thought I would try again to break the record...my competitive self kicking in...so Katie and I both hiked up the sand dune, and after Katie got over her fear she finally surfed down! Then it was my turn...I decided to get a running start, jumped and surfed straight down. I remember approaching the dip, bracing myself, and next thing I know I am flung from my board! haha. Apparently the second I hit the dip, my board completely stopped instead of gliding along the water like I thought it would. But obviously I had some momentum...so the board stopped, but I definitely did not! haha. My body was totally flung and I did a complete roll, and apparently everyone thought I was really hurt, but I was just laughing my head off. As you can see, I was COVERED head to toe in water and wet sand. It was so funny. Definitely not the most comfortable van ride along 90-mile beach dealing with sand in my hair/down my pants, but hey, it was totally worth it :)

After the beautiful drive along 90-mile beach (which is actually considered part of the highway!) James took us to his all-time favorite fish and chips shop. And it was SO good!

Katie, Diana and I split an order of fish and chips, and then James also bought a bunch of oysters for us to try. I immediately thought of Kyle! I knew I had to try one...and I have to say that it was not half bad! Granted it was fried, so that probably helped the slimy texture a little bit, but I still tried an oyster! :)

Monday morning Allie and I got to end our run with this sunrise in Paihia!

Down below is the Waitangi Motel where we stayed- right across from the beach!

After touring the town of Russell, which we had to get to by a car ferry, we drove to Ian Milne's beach house on Long Beach Road. It was a beautiful house! He is the professor who taught our science class. He was so great, and so nice to invite us to his house for lunch. We brought a bunch of subway, drinks, chips and cookies, and enjoyed the afternoon laying out on the beach! It was so fun!

Sunday we went to church in Maramaku where a lot of James' family is from. Then we all had Hawaiian Haystacks for lunch, watched some Gilmore Girls that Whitney had brought, and watched the sunset on the beach. It was a little too cloudy to really see the sunset, but it was just so fun sitting and relaxing and talking with all the girls. I am going to miss our group so much.

Monday we had the day to do whatever we wanted, so we hiked Haruru Falls. The trail was just a mile or so away from our motel, and then the hike was a 5k. The actual falls wasn't all that impressive, especially compared to the beautiful waterfalls I have seen all throughout New Zealand, but the hike was SO gorgeous. I love feeling like I am bushwalking through the jungle! haha.

I decided to run back instead of hiking...and I'm so glad I did! I just love running. And it was nice to run by myself, without my ipod, and just think about everything...I just cannot get over what an amazing opportunity is has been to be here. And the sad thing is that I do not even know how to express to my family and friends how incredible is has been. I was wishing so bad Mekelle, Kyle and Abby were by my side running through the jungle with me! haha.

The Northland was definitely one of the many highlights of my time in New Zealand. I am so lucky. I can't say it enough!