Some Of The Many Marvelous Moods Of Matai Bay...

I recently spent time at Matai Bay on The Karikari Peninsula in New Zealand's Far North.
Most mornings were worth waking early for.
There were some magical moments...

Swiss Banker Andreas Pletscher Quits Counting Money To Pedal Around New Zealand...

There's more to life than money laughs the Swiss ex-banker Andreas Pletscher as he packs up his tent and minimum belongings to climb on his Cannondale to continue his ride to the Far North and New Zealand's Cape Reinga.
I caught up with him at the Department of Conservation's Uretiti campground recently.
Here was a man who knew the value of money but wasn't prepared to give his life for it.
Less is more he delighted in telling me.
The less I have to work to earn money to buy things I don't need, the more time I have to live a life I can imagine...

Wildboy Brando Yelavich Arrives At Tokerau Beach In The Far North Having Nearly Completed Walking The Entire New Zealand Coastline...

My young friend Wildboy Brando arrived at one of the most beautiful places on the planet yesterday afternoon.
I'd been waiting for him there.
It wasn't any hardship, it's a place where The Flying Tortoise chooses to spend a lot of time. And why not.
Brando arrived with his dad Todd who'd taken a few days off from work to continue the wonderful bonding that this father and son enjoy.
Brando has now walked over 8,300 kilometers on his epic journey to become the first person to walk the entire New Zealand coastline.
He hasn't got far to go now and will be spending a lot of time in the coming days pondering on just what he's going to do next.
He's due to complete his historic journey where he started in February 2013 at Cape Reinga, on August twenty three.
The Flying Tortoise will delight in being there to congratulate him...

Prince Anders Of Sweden Wins The Medieval Jousting Tournament At Ahipara Beach...

It was thirty degrees celsius in the shade and far too hot yesterday to be jousting on the beach in full body armour.
But that's just what these medieval jousters from England, Canada, Sweden and New Zealand did, and the winner was the handsome blond haired Prince Anders of Sweden.
Naturally he won the hand of the beautiful Princess Annalea and they will of course live happily ever after.
Prince Anders, he's not really a prince, I was just jesting, and his gorgeous damsel travel the world and take part in perhaps fifteen jousts a year.
No wonder he's so good.
And a couple of hundred beachgoers couldn't believe their luck enjoying a couple of hours of unexpected and very unusual entertainment.
Medieval jousting is not something one sees every day, even in New Zealand's surprising and beautiful Far North...

The Flying Tortoise. Freedom Camping At Rangiputa In New Zealand's Beautiful Far North...

The little beach of Rangiputa is situated in Rangaunu Harbour on the Karikari Peninsula in New Zealand's Far North.
The Maori meaning of the name Rangiputa is pull out a shoal of fish. There's much truth in that meaning.
The Flying Tortoise has been freedom camping here for a few days and will return.
Leaving the Far North isn't really a consideration.
I don't need much to have a beautiful and simple life and there's all I need to have a simply beautiful life right here...

The Flying Tortoise. Freedom Camping At Ahipara on New Zealand's Ninety Mile Beach...

The Flying Tortoise landed here yesterday.
Time isn't the only thing that flies when you're having fun.
The current easterly wind means an offshore wind on this western side of the top of New Zealand and so I've come to the beautiful little settlement of Ahipara for a couple of days.
Tomorrow it's further up the famous Ninety Mile Beach to Utea for some serious long line fishing.
But more about Ahipara.
The land was renowned as an area for the collection of Kauri Gum from the once numerous Kauri forests that covered the area.
And the name Ahipara means Sacred Fire or Ancient Fire.
Ahi means fire and parapara, a place where certain rites were performed.
And they were. You can brush up on some local history here...