Cape Reinga and the Lands

The first time I went to Cape Reinga, the weather was so misty you couldn't even see the water standing at the light house... But after retreating down the road and sleeping next to a Catholic church on the sideof the road, I made a second summit attempt to the Cape. And it was incredible. Cape Reinga (which is actually NOT the northern-most point in NZ) is a sacred place to the Maori people here. Apparently many spiritual leaders and chiefs have come to the Cape to seek enlightenment. As one truck driver I hitch-hiked with said, "I'm not into all that spiritual stuff, but at the Cape you can really feel it..." I spent several hours exploring the trails around the point and beaches. As I hiked up the parking lot, I met a group of cousins that were going for a family camping trip that night. They invited me along and I ended up hitch-hiking with them back to their farm on the West Coast. Currently I am living and working on their farm with is completely sustainable and open to anyone who wants join the community. I feel so fortunate to have met this family and glad I can participate in their farming. When I'm not working in the garden or helping make meals, there are endless trails that go into the forest behind their land. Yesterday I found a waterfall and went swimming at the base. I'm loving this simple lifestyle and learing more about where food comes from!