Local is Lekker

Most of the tourist guides only mention the "big" companies when they talk about trips "up North" and most of the trips set off from Pahia on the Bay of Islands to Cape Reinga.  But a little bit of Googling, and I discovered a local company that operates out of Kaitaia - right at the end of the penisula.  And I am so glad I did!

Firstly, we only had to leave at 9.00am - and were picked up right from outside our motel.  Secondly, we were on a fairly small bus, it was 1/3 of the price of the "big" tours, but best of all, we had a local guide. 

Selwyn Subritsky is a local teacher who drives for the Harrison's Cape Runners on a part time basis.   he is also a volunteer fire fighter.  His roots in the community go very deep - his great-great grandmother came out from Germany, having married a Polish man - where the name Subritsky was derived from, and settled on the penisula.  His mother and father both belong to different Maori Iwis, or tribes, and as we travelled through the area, he could tell us which of his tribal lands we were driving through.  And all along the way, he told us snippets of local information - how the schools work, why and how the state forests of radiata pines were planted, what he and his 14 brithers and sisters did as youngsters.  He took us to the Subritsky homestead and explained the local Maraes.  And through it all, he was cheerdul, amusing and so proud of his family - despite the snide comments about his "relatives.'

My dream of driving along 90 Mile Beach was everything I had wished for - driving along a firm flat beach, skimming the edge of the waves, seeing other cars coming towards us and seeing the signs reminding us that State Highway rules apply.  The buses and cars don't have to be 4x4  - the beach is so firm.  The beach is actually only about 65 miles long, not 90, and we drove about 70kms to the Te Paki stream.  There we stopped, avoiding the sinking sands, and some of the passengers - including Pete - climbed up to the top of the dune and tobogganed down.  Then on through the Te Paki station and to Cape Reinga - a picnic on the beach and then on to the lighthouse at the Cape.  It was awesome to see the meeting of the Tasman and Pacific oceans - whether the two colours of water had anything to do with it, I don't know, but it was beautiful, nevertheless.  A drive back along the right side of the peninsula and back to our Motel before 5.

It was worth every penny and every minute - local is definitely lekker.