We decided to let someone else do the driving and did a long day trip (dawn-dusk) to Cape Reinga from Paihia so that we could set a base for 3 nights. It started a little overcast in the morning but turned into a sunny afternoon by the time we reach the cape, and headed back to the sand dunes and down 90 mile beach. On the way back we had our first exposure to ancient Kauri wood and the stunning furniture and artifacts that can be made out of it.