Up North (part one)

Thanks for the comments posted, I think. Not sure about the Holmes and Watson thing though. Is it masquerading as some sort of joke?

Back in Auckland after a weekend in the Northland. Sarah, Andy and myself set off on saturday morning, with camping gear and no particular plan except to head north. On the way we discovered delights such as a place called the "art of cheese". It turned out not to be a commune of the southern hemisphere's premier cheese sculptors, but just a cheese making facility and shop. I am sure you will understand my great dissapointment.
However, we continued northward, via the surf beach at Mangawhai heads, to Paihia on the Bay of Islands. The bay is a popular tourist spot in the height of summer, but wasn't too busy this early in the spring - after all, it's the equivalent of April in the UK.
Saturday night was the NZ rugby version of the FA cup, so the pubs were packed with slightly drunk but entertaining and friendly kiwi's, who suddenly became even more friendly when they found out I was a Scotland rugby supporter!
Sunday kicked off with a visit to the Treaty House and grounds at Waitangi, the place where the treaty between the UK and the Maori was signed and modern New Zealand began. An interesting place with a small one bedrooom house which belonged to the official British representative to NZ. Hardly impressively palacial.
So from there, a walk through the bush, across the mangrove swamps and past the waterfalls led us, rather conveniently, to another pub!
The Bay is a lovely spot, with clear water and sandy beaches. A ferry took us across to the quiet and colonial town of Russell, where relaxation is very much the order of the day. But if you want, you can sail up the coast to dive on the wreck of the Rainbow Warrior (the Greenpeace ship sunk by the French secret service) or head off down the coast in enormously powerful 50 person speedboats. For us, it was kicking back and enjoying the sunshine though.