This is one of my favourite galleries, demonstrating photos from a trip to the far north of New Zealand during November 2005 when my sister Sharon and friend Donna visited from the UK. The far north has to be one of the most beautiful and probably under-rated regions of New Zealand. We drove up to Kaitaia voa the Bay of Islands (see separate gallery). We then stayed at a lovely cottage, Beach Abode, at Ahipara which is at the base of the amazing 90 Mile Beach. 90 Mile Beach is actually only 60+ miles! It is barren, wild and what's more, it's a state highway! Behind it is the Aupouri Forest with its wild horses. At the far north of the beach is the Te Paki stream and giant sand dunes. Check out the photos from our trip in a 4WD with Far North Adventure Tours run by the wonderful Phil Cross. Onwards from there we visited Cape Reinga, the northernmost accessible tip of NZ and a very spiritual place for Maori. On our drive back to Auckland, we caught the ferry across from Kohukohu to Rawene and then drove via the Hokianga HArbour area. This has giant sand dunes again, white in colour against the most amazingly blue sea. Opo the dolphin was a legend amongst these parts in the 1950s when she came into the bay and stayed for many months, allowing children to ride on her back. From here we again visited the ancient kauri trees of the Waipoua Forest before heading home