Keith Gerrand’s wish was to take his family on a road trip, enjoy some down time at the beautiful Bay of Islands, and visit Cape Reinga. Keith is only 49 and has a diagnosis of colon cancer.
First stop Paihia, where the owners of Admirals View Lodge, Penny and Craig ensured the family were comfortable and so very well taken care of.
With a love of the outdoors, the family of four took the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of Paihia and Russell and were treated to a fantastic, plate overflowing with deliciousness, dinner at Bad Habits thanks to Todd and his team. The family were also thrilled to be able to experience a tour of Paihia via Thunder Trikes. Keith could not keep the smile off his face!! Thank you to Mark and Denise who made this experience so special. A tonne of fun was had by all!
Waving goodbye to Paihia, the car was packed and pointed in a northerly direction. A hearty breakfast at Redwoods Café in Kerikeri refuelled the travellers, where they got to experience the “best ever” eggs benedict. Thanks to Anthea and her amazing team again for their support!
Pukenui was the next stop, where the family enjoyed two nights at Pukenui Lodge. Wonderful owners Toni and Mark took the family under their wing. From here, the main event, destination Cape Reinga!
To realise his wish, Keith needed “to dangle his feet at the top of New Zealand”. For this, a long walk was required. With typical Keith determination, off he set and the reward, an incredibly spiritual experience and a feeling of peace. We are so happy that Keith took on this challenge!
No visit to Pukenui is complete without a hoon amongst the dunes. And before leaving this fantastic town, this is exactly what Keith’s precious daughters did!
There was one last adventure on Keith’s wish list, a fishing charter! Mark from Houhora Fishing Charters took the family out for half a day where they caught loads of fish and Hayley reeled in a 12lbder (with of course the associated bragging rights)! Just check out the photo! The fabulous Mark took the time to fillet the fish and reports are that he excelled as a very entertaining host, with many laughs being had by all. This trip will forever be a treasured memory for the entire family.
Keith wanted to share that “The people went the extra mile for us and were absolutely wonderful. Thank you to all the sponsors for making this possible for Keith to have such a wonderful time with his girls“.
We really loved this wish and the special connection shared by this family and would also like to thank all of the truly AMAZING PEOPLE who made Keith’s wish become a reality.
THANK YOU TO THE AMAZING PEOPLE IN NORTHLAND!!
Admiral’s View Lodge & Motel
Bad Habits
Thunder Trike Tours – Bay of Islands
Cafe at Redwoods
Pukenui Lodge Motel
Houhora Fishing Charters
