Well, I woke up on Saturday morning and decided to drive North and see where I ended up. So I packed the car with kites, a sleeping bag and an esky full of diet cokes and away I went. The North Island is easy to navigate really, there's one main road leading the way north and although I took a few diversions, there was never any danger of getting lost.

Just as well, as asking for directions could have been a nightmare!

I stopped to buy probably the biggest sandwich I have ever seen, check out the size of the bread on this thing. I was glad I only bought one.

I was determined to check out a place called "Shipwrecks" as I'd been advised it was a world class surfing spot. Unfortunately the surf was tiny when I got there, put the place definitely had potential and was very picturesque. Check it out

I quickly stopped on the way to check out "the whitest sand in the world" Unfortunately it's only accessible by boat so I had to view it from afar, but it was insanely white, the photo doesn't do it justice really.

I knew I was nearing my goal when I saw this sign.

90 mile beach is the last beach before Cape Reinga and it's just long and straight. Luckily the speed limit is quite high so it doesn't take all day to get anyway and it's actually faster to take the beach than the main road!

Proof that we're in the back country:

I got hungry, so went back on the road for a sandwich. Drove along a bit, booked in to a backpackers for later and proceeded down the North entrance to 90 mile. Boy, that was a bit different. You have to drive down a stream to get to the beach and although it's only ankle deep, it's great fun and long enough for you to have a great splash around in.

it's all worth it though, 90 mile beach is beautiful (and empty)

I had a quick attempt at a kite, but the wind proved fickle so I didn't have too much luck getting out the back. Good fun though. I then carried on up to the top.

There at last!