Tuesday 12 March

Ahipara
It rained in the night. It was hot and I had the side unzipped and a little rain came in through the mesh. There wasn't a lot but it was still overcast and almost drizzling when we left Whangarei this morning. We have booked a cabin back on that sir for Sunday, which is the day the heavy rain is expected. It might not happen, but getting back there by Sunday minimises our options and gives us something to aim for. Having a cabin will also mean that even if it is raining we can start to rationalise what we have, think about what and how we intend to take home and start to sort the car out.
We kept to the plan we put together last night and came across country to the west coast and to the north. The objective is to take a bus trip up to Cape Reinga and back along 90-mile beach tomorrow. We looked at a Camp Site at Whaipapakauri first but it all looked a bit sad and grubby so we came back to Ahipara, to the Kiwi Site, which looked much nicer, with some trees and shade.
Looking for shade is a really odd thing here, because it's not hot. I don't think the temperature has gone over 30C since we left Auckland on the 26 the of January, and most of the time it's been much lower than that. It is hot in the sun, but once out of the sun, particularly if there is a breeze it has been cool. Even here in the far north, which I thought had a 'sub-tropcal' climate it is not so very warm, even in the sun. It is humid, which makes it sticky and close.
Earlier on this evening I had a terrible shock, which fortunately has not materialised, so far. We bought an ice-cream on the way here today and I was amazed to see a photograph of Jeremy Clarkson on the front page. I just thought 'OMG'. Then somebody here told me that an Episode of Top Gear was being filmed here, that JC would be driving some atrocious car on 90-mile beach and all the film crew would be staying at this campsite. Low tide has been and gone and the sea in on the way in again, and nothing has happened. I just hope it isn't being planned for tomorrow. Evidently there had been some problems because the BBC hadn't asked permission from the local Maori elders  to use the beach. A special meeting had to be called with the elders of the 3 Maori tribes who live in this area and have rights over the beach and it's use. Maybe it hasn't been settled yet. I can only hope.
We walked a short way along the beach in the late afternoon, and it does appear to go on for ever. An enormous sweep of golden sand backed by dunes. The tide was still going out, leaving lots of shells in the ebbing water. Too late tonight I realised that the sun sets over the sea here on the west coast, and there will be nothing in it's way, it will disappear into the sea. I hope it is a clear evening tomorrow when we get back from the bus trip.