Coromandel trip 2016 - or - checking out paradise to chill out in

Monday 14 March


Usual up – although given last nights (11pm-ish) nocturnal noises coming from one of lovebirds in one of the other units next door to us - a sleep-in might have been nice.  ^.^
On second thoughts - these noises sounded urm = pathetic.  The wicked in me suggested we download some decent 10 min porno-track and then play that back as loud as possible  ^.^   Reminds me of a similar experience we had in San Francisco with paper-thin walls . . . . .

Anyhow - sleep eventually came late and we woke early . . . . .
No sign of the nocturnal love birds from next door . . . .

Cathedral cave from the sea

Thus - brekkie & clean etc as usual then on to the road and meet our skipper of the Sea-cave adventure – a 2.something hour boat ride along the Coromandel coast – heading past Cooks Beach and almost all the way to Hot Water beach – plenty to see and enjoy!! The sea was  VERY clear – you can see down to 15 meters below! wohoooo





Also saw plenty of the locals (Snapper)!! And - no - you cannot fish those - they are inside and part of the local marine reserve.

The beauty of the cruise was that
A - you got there directly - the whole round journey took just over two hours - while by car it takes  more like 3 hours total and
B -  you got to see some things you would never see if you just walked along the coast line - to many caves and cliffs you can see / access only by boat! Indeed some you can enter only in high tide - and yes we were lucky that day!
Saw an amazing blow-hole.  As we were on a inflatable Zodiac - I didn't want to take all my camera gear - so Cell-phone it was and also - I am sure - he would have refused me spending 20 minutes setting up and snapping away from the little inside beach that was . . . . .

Enterprising chap I am - I filched some pictures from the Internet as pictorial reminders.
One of these days - I may have to go back and book a boat exclusively . . . .  Hmnmmm




To soon we were back home so strolled to bakery and had late lunch then past some shops in a semi exploring rate / need to get some stuff for dinner mode!!

Had a 2km stroll along the beach again to cool down the legs and freshen up!  Love these reflections!!!










A picture from NZ Tourism??  and yes - it does look this stunning.  Hmmmm wonder what kind of lens they took to get to this image??? 
Fish eye?















Same hole - different photographer . . . .



















:P  yes of course - I SWAM away from the boat along with my camera and took this!  Honest!







Mamabears image- looking back out to sea.

















Technically I understand how they got to this image!! A part of me wanted to try and do this as well - alas we didn't make time for a extended visit.  There is always a next time and I KNOW my Sister wants to go there next year  ^.0  yusssss







Local birds of the feathered variety on the look out for a free snack















Thats not half of it!! Thought of Martina and her efforts in Akaroa! :)
Anyhow - every time we stroll along in the surf I find a whole (unbroken) shell and since they are so colorful - I pick one up and take it back to the motel.  Mamabear says I can take ONLY one per day back to Christchurch.  We shall see :)











We eventually made it back to our Motel late afternoon for some more chill time and then cooked dinner and had afters - urm - dessert!!   Wino fino is still great!


Have fun!




PS - Meant to add - Mamabear had already noticed but could not explain why so many houses had a tractor (sometimes old and rusty) parked either in their lean too or front lawn or some place.  Chap on the boat explained that many locals have posh cars - but not much towing grunt - so rather then risking salt water on their precious cars - they buy an old tractor and use that to drive the boat trailer into the sea and let loose their yacht or speed boat or rowing dinghy . . .  

Makes sense


Then once a year they "dress" up their old brumm brumm and have some fun - the tractor bash!!!






http://allaboutwhitianga.co.nz/mercury-bay-events-guide/festivals-lifestyle/hahei-tractor-bash

Coromandel trip 2016 - or - checking out paradise to chill out in

Sunday 13 March


Awoke to the news that Christchurch had a 4.4 “DAMAGING” earthquake overnight – yet no damage has been reported.  Go figure. Seems everyone at home is fine too!!

So after the usual brekkie and clean up, we hit the road and aimed at the famous Road 309! Scary for MB and fun for PB – mostly shingle and very narrow (single lane in places) and windy - thank goodness for power steering.  Occasionally things get really hairy when a large truck comes round the corner.  Yikes!
Still - the 40 horses got flogged going round the corner.
Sighs - if only

Stopped at the Kauri Grove – with the trees being 600 years old (late teenagers really) – and then on to at Waiau Falls! While I played around with settings on the camera mamabear made it to the water and got her feet wet - ice cold!!
A German nymph came along and stripped down and took a dive - yelped -  and was out in less then 2 seconds - it was to cold!! Last time we were there, the water was a lot warmer and we urm surprised a couple doing the naturist thing.  Never seen someone so quick get a pair of togs on.  *grins*  I am sure the current lass would have stripped down completely too, if we had not been there.  It is a bit risky as the road is less then 5min away and there are always people stopping and walking in for a quick look - so literally no privacy guaranteed!

This time I decided I would see if there is a track to the top of the waterfall - there is - and by the time I go there a new group of young tourists lounged around the falls - with one enterprising young (or I should say STUPID) lad deciding to try and jump from the top - WITHOUT first checking out the water / depth/ flows / hidden obstacles etc.  I talked that idiot out of his sure to be doomed excitement.

While taking pictures up there I also came across an "Alpentaler" (Austrians will know what that is) - urm - ok - someones left behind brown waste. 
New Zealand does have a problem with people freedom camping (and sadly most of them but not all of them being tourists) and as some Kiwis know, that when you gotta go you gotta go, and that when you do go YOU BURY your brown waste -preferably a foot and a half - 30 cm for the metric people - deep!!!!
It is not that hard!  I reckon every freedom camper coming into NZ ought to be given a spade which gets inspected at return and if there are no clear use-sage marks (eg it has never been used ) they get charged a nz $1000  OR - we introduce a Visa $$ for helping fund toilets at certain places.  A long drop in the car-park would go a long way of avoiding stepping into the shit!

Anyway - stepping down from my soap box - we drove on to a place we been before --  the Waterworks – a Salzburg Hellbrun equivalent for NZ – lots of fun!
It has various water based activities and lots of clever humor sprinkled through out.
You certainly know what this room is meant to be for!!!
Had lunch there and took lots of pics again (which will need sorting when we get back to Christchurch) and also had a 'one' scoop Ice cream - which actually was a calorie buster - but tasted yummy!

Then back home on 27 km of shingle road! Fun!!  Mamabear still having kittens. I offered for her to drive - something she refused!! Can't think why!?


Once home we chilled out in the afternoon sun at motel – then had the local specialty for tea – Fish and chips – very nice!! ( that incl. garlic-buttered chips)
After that we had a therapeutic stroll on the beach at sunset! Water warm once you got in for 2 minutes! 
We saw some local rare birds (dottrels??) dive-bombing for their own food! So cool! (wish I had a decent Camera with me)!
Eventually back to base and a post sunset stroll / pre-sleep drink!

NOTED that so far MB has managed to dip her toes in every beach and on every day!!!!

 A tiny creek you cross when going to the Kauri Groove!

















Two Kauris growing up originally side by side as saplings - then they run out of room - so now they share the base.  They are called the Siamse twins - go figure

 Playing round with long term exposure . . . . .

 Trying to give an impression on the *girth* - urm - *cough* of the tree - of course!!!  I must admit - the early settlers chopped them down and used them for masts and other places where you needed long straight timber and I look at a tree like this too and think - hmmm - I COULD build our house out of that . . .     the realization it took that tree to grow for 600 plus years . . . . . .   holds you in check nowadays
Still . . .
(secretly wonders If we can import a Californian redwood pine log. . . . . . . )

 Typical NZ Bush scene -

 Took Mamabear a while (she failed to see / read the sign for some time)  to get this one! Love the humor

 The obligatory night stroll on the beach! Looking west

 same time - same place - looking east

 The river that feeds the Waiau falls.

Stashed away and resting amongst the branches - one very protected bird (NZ wood pigeon) .  I had difficulty focusing on it, as the branches would throw of the meter reading gadget on the camera - eventually did it manually.  It came out ok?!

Mamabear contemplating doing the naturist dip thing too - while cooling her feet - then deciding it was too cold after all . . . . .

















Have fun!

Coromandel trip 2016 - or - checking out paradise to chill out in

Saturday 12 March

Mamabears version: – we slept in – did nothing – saw some stars – went back to bed!!

That about sums it up – we decided we needed a “rest” day so went and got some small supplies needed for dinner and came back home and basically just chilled out at home – catching up on some reading (MB) and cross stitch (PB). Made contact for the stargazing – yes they can take us – so eventually had dinner and dressed warm and headed out of Whitianga (10 min drive) to the (private) observatory.  Just 6 adults and 2 pre schoolers (who flagged by 9pm) so had lots of telescope time.  Chap there very keen and enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Mamabear thrilled to see Jupiter and 4 of its moons! !  Back home just after 11pm and bed.

Have fun!

Coromandel trip 2016 - or - checking out paradise to chill out in

Friday 11 March


Usual up and food/clean, then hit the road (not literally) at 9.30-ish for petrol first and some supplies (NW) – then headed towards Pauanui.  Got there ok – and found a typical Coro-town – consisting mostly of holiday homes with some being several Millions worth.  It has a tiny shopping center – and virtually no life – same as Matarangi.
Although there are a lot of houses that have boats parked in the front of their - urm - drive (canal) and these boats can be MORE worth the the house they sit in front of!!
In fact – the housing crisis in New Zealand can be solved instantly – just get those looking for a home to live there instead!! There is a lot of $$$ sitting empty for 90% of their time – tied up in property . . . . .
Definitely not our town to retire!!!!

Hey - I cant get into the water here - not Fair!!

Walked the Flat rock path/walk (10Min) then lunch! First beach with found that had rocks - no sand!! From there more or less to the other side of the harbour – a 30 min round trip!! Long harbors and no bridges - so you have to drive around! on the other side is the settlement of Tairua! This is more alive – still no badges!! Eventually we figured this out. Tairua and Whitinaga are working towns (fishing / tourism / farming) while Matarangi / Pauanui etc are purely holiday destinations for rich Aucklanders.  

Made it back home and short relax then of to the Lost Springs – for a "dip and dine" package – just divine!  The waters come from 600 meters below and are around 35-41 degrees Celsius and, so the story goes, hasn't seen daylight for    16 000 years - so are clear of any bacteria! They are also rich in minerals - so is good for your skin!
Might go back there again! Our waitress was young and very good at her job – and had a very lovely smile!! They also had some lovely meals and an almost perfect garlic bread! 
Now back at motel and relaxing with more wino fino – had rain most of morning – sun again in afternoon,  – now windy and threating with thunder!! This could be exciting for Mamabear!

NB – At Pauanui we had urm afternoon tea- no wait supplementary Lunch (Cup of tea and a chocolate slice) and this very cheeky ant decided to help herself and ate my slice on the table.   Well, it 'lifted' a crumb from right under my slice that was just resting on the table on top of  a paper bag.
It must have helped itself to a snack before deciding to take the rest back to its nest - and - we think it suffered from a  sugar high, as it was going round in small circles carrying a bit of my slice and going round and round and round.  It never made it of the table . . . . .  funny to watch

When people get bored some get creative . . . .

Local Inhabitant - he delightfully posed for a good 10 minutes

There is rain in them hills . . . .

Instead of paddling - Mamabear decided to just soak up the atmosphere and let her feet dangle . . . .

On the way back we stopped briefly at the twin kauri - trees.  Impressive sight

Window seat - garlic bread - lovely Riesling and mamabear as companion - perfic

not 100% sure what the brown stuff was (soya sauce??) but it tasted great!

Pavloava for afters - and note the plate arrangement (the pav being broken into bits!! perfect for hiding a disaster - note Reinhold if you ever make one again) .

Close up


















I found some images on the web- a hot bath is not a place you take your $2000 camera . . . .

The old School house from the air

One of the pool side areas

The volcano wasn't flowing when we were there . . . . .

Our window seat from the outside

The grotto you can swim out from

Our dining table view - outside

Our window seat for the meal!!!















https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEVXdZh44Dk







Have fun!