Hello,

We're nearing the end of our trip in New Zealand, and then on to Fiji and Hawaii. We've been traveling in a campervan throughout the north island and have been in awe at every turn in the road. Climbing roses trim the fence lines and giant ferns from prehistoric times fill the valleys and crevices between the steep green hills. Sheep litter the hills like specks of white paper blown off the highway. We're headed north now to the Kauri forest where the trees are huge, like redwoods, what there is of them left. After the trees we went to the Bay of Isles and I went fishing. A charter boat is $65 NZ for half a day. We spent most of our time trying to find the fish but when we did it was a blast. This one was the last catch of the day and the biggest one. And that ain't no fishing story. We'll have to make the south island trip for another time. But it's something that's well worth looking forward to, just from what we've seen and heard from the locals.

This rainbow had been off to our side for a while as the day was nearing it's end. Our thoughts were on trying to find a good camping spot with out having to pay. After a while it started to look like any spot would do. So we turned to follow the end of this rainbow and found the perfect camping spot. We slept under some pine trees in a forgotten part of a forest park, next to a stream and field of wild flowers. The rainbow hovered over us til we were settled in and night began to close in on the little valley.

Your back really enjoys the reward. The hole continually refills itself with sand. The trick is to build a wall from the sea with the sand from the hole. We spent the night at Hot Water Beach, where you dig a hole in the sand at low tide at the edge of the ocean. The spring water seeping through the sand is very hot and the ocean is very cold. It was really quite wonderful until the tide decided to turn around and come crashing over our make-shift sand pool wall.

The best spots are limited this day so finding a good hot seep was the trick. Not everyone is in a well tempered pool. And sharing seemed to be awkward to negotiate. We found a seep off from the crowd and invited guests to join because we wished that someone would have done the same for us. But everything is perfect if you allow it to be when you travel. And I guess at home but it seems harder to remember there.

Be sure to dig one big enough to share. It is a great way to meet nice people. If they're not nice, kick them out. We like meeting this Swiss couple, both veterinarian's as I remember.

We're going to get us some of these when we get home. They are every where but you never tire of them.

You wouldn't want to hop in any of these pools. They bubble up straight from hell.

If you can see the tiny blue speck at the bottom, that's my hat. This tree and Jesus started their stories at about the same time.