About as North as we're going get in New Zealand

All good things must come to an end and it's with tears stinging in our eyes that we've got to tell you we are now without Gertie, our beloved campervan. But our last few days together has been a campingvanning adventure...

We set off from Rotorua in search of making the most of our time at peaceful, remote camp sites. So bedded down for the night beside a beautiful deserted beach and wetland reserve. Lovely.

The next day we zoomed up north to the Coromandel Penislia via Tauranga (where we stopped to climb a quick hill - Mount Maunganui). Eventually we arrived at Hahei. Another tramp and we found ourselves at stunning cathedral cove a rock formation on a beach that surprise surprise is shaped like a cathedral ceiling.

Next stop was hot water beach. This beach is bizarre you basically bring along a spade, dig yourself a nice hole and get in it. Then when it's low tide, hot thermal water begins to seep in, and voila, you've got your own private spa (well besides being surrounded by many others doing the same). The water is so hot in some places you can't even bear to put your feet in, its very strange.

After a bit of relaxation we drove all the way along and up the peninsula stopping in various towns for coffee and pies. Eventually, we stopped for the night after a long remote gravel drive to the very tip of the peninsula at Port Jackson. We picked up our first hitch hiker along the way (surprise surprise another German!) who seemed very grateful to have been brought to the middle of nowhere.

We stayed another night in a beach location on the West coast, basically making the most of our time with the van before saying our final goodbyes and dumping the heap of junk in Auckland.

So boom crash we are in Auckland sleeping within a building again. First stop, Auckland zoo, as we were keen to see a kiwi as we'd only heard the elusive birds so far. After seeing the cheetahs and hippos amongst other favourites, we stood for ages staring into the nocturnal kiwi house. The stupid kiwi could only be spotted when you looked very hard so even though we eventually saw it, it's shadow digging around wasn't much to shout about.

Auckland is a big city (for NZ) there's lots going on and an exciting vibe to the city. But as its Christmas time the streets seem relatively quiet. We explored the city on foot then once we were tired out we went to see the hobbit in 3D at the Imax. It was great to see the NZ scenery we'd just been exploring up on the big screen.

Tomorrow is Christmas eve, and we are taking a ferry to nearby Waiheke Island where we'll spend our first Christmas as a married couple. Ahhhhhh.