Coromandel 24th April

Here we are up in holiday central for Auckland and northern New Zealand and very nice it is too. We have made our way up the country, through Rotorua having fun and hot tubs as we went ….. oh and we went through Hobbiton. We saved ourselves a stack of cash (a ridiculus $198), by showing the children the i-site, which was done up as a hobbit hole and saying it was part of the Hobbit film. Job done photos taken we headed north.

Fish Caught for supper

Hmmm I wonder how long we will be cat free.

Louise found this on the beach – some how I ahd to carry it back to show mum. It stank!

Castings from the richest hill in the world. We found gold in the sand, and some semi – precious gems.

Fish 1

Fish 2 – both were eaten.

Louise prepares a salad

Hobbiton – or I site.

On way to the luge

Jelly Belly pictures – Yum yum.

An out fit for less than $5 – they must have found the charity shops then.

Great views on a fine day.

Trying to dry a lapper

Clarting on – grrrr.

The Children swam out to this rock – a good 100m away and then had great fun jumping in.

Strange rocks reminded us of Ha Long Bay.

This bird just sat and watched as Jacob scrambled right up to it.

Trying to be romantical, the kids had different thought.

Hot water beach without the crowds

Digging a hole to china – look at the crowds

We have not camped since the south isalnd and I doubt that we will ’till the US. What softies we are becoming. Mind the luxury of our own bedrooms, kitchen and shower are just too much to resist.

26th. What a strange day we had yesturday. We went to Hot Water beach, a place were thermal waters bubble up onto the beach at low tide. In my head I imagined a beach with lots of people all strung out along a fine sand bay, it wasn’t. There was a large beach, but everyone was concentrated in a very narrow strip at most 100m long. Everyone was digging holes in search of a hot spring. Again I had imagined (what a dangerous thing to do) that the water would fill the hole and be lovely and warm. No, instead there were one or two points were the water bubbled up at a foot burning 64 c (so it said on the info board). It was quite fun, prospecting for hot water, there was a slightly fevered way that people dug for another spring. I had a good chat on as my hole got deeper and wider. I have to admit though, the children had the right idea, go and join someone else and then expand their hole. Of course by that time I had had to go up the beach to rest my eyes from the bright sun (ehem) and when I opened them again the tide had come up, washing away everyones endevours. I would go back to try and see if I could strick it hot.

29th Oh isn’t the coast great when the weather is shinning and bright. The Coromandel is made up of lots of coves and ‘secret’ bays, great for discovering. We had a fab day doing just that, except I managed to forget my trunks. Mind I have turned 100% wuse when it gets to going in the sea. Jacob found a cave, Louise found some friends and Angela got to take a million and one photos of interesting rocks. I managed to rest my eyes for a couple of moments, to reflect upon the lovely walk we had just done.

We had thought that we were off to Auckland today but worked out that we have an extra day Yeh, the weather looks fine, so it is off to find more beaches – to the north this time.

Using the Panoramic setting