Waterways Parade B &B Pauanui

... chestnut trees, they seemed to be much bigger. They were deciduous and bare branched or dead and an almost bleached white colour. Not like trees at all but like the ghosts of trees. There was no where to stop to take a picture, so I pressed on.

As I was entering Whitianga I saw a sign advertising a scallop festival at the end of August. Scallops! Of course, that was what the evening needed, local scallops! I couldn’t find a fish shop but the ...

... After going to the post shop to buy a carton to put some surplus to requirement belongings in to be sent on ahead I went to the bank.

I was served buy Sue who said it was the coldest winter they had ever had. So bitter that she had thought it might snow – which was unheard of here! "December was always the warmest month but now January/February are". We discussed global warming and the summers she remembered from her childhood. I think she grew up in Taranaki, which she ...

... myself because someone had to take the photos!! Sure I could have done it if I'd wanted to tho..... Haha! Pete enjoyed it though and now we're almost ready to move on from NZ and head to Australia where a trip to Tasmania with Phil and Jenny is planned but there's still time to enjoy the last few days and eat up the remains of the food before we begin the task of packing all our bits and pieces back into the rucksacks and becoming backpackers again!

... on the terrace amidst all the jungle sounds was followed by a trip to Cooks Bay - a lovely village with a white sand beach - obviously some link to Captain Cook, as is the case for a lot of places around here. From there, it is a short drive to Ferry Landing, where there is a passenger ferry over to the beach resort of Whitianga. We decided against taking the ferry and after a ...

... 45pm and most people preferred the idea of a BBQ with beer, so we actually didn't visit the hot water beach at all. Shame. On arriving at Hahei beach, we took a walk along the beach to Cathedral Cove, 1 hour away. There we sat and chatted and inspected the huge cave that is there, and walked back. We arrived in plenty of time for the barbeque and chatted the night away. In the morning I was going to get ...

Corromandel Penninsular Friday 29th August We left Miranda for Corromandel, but only after a good soak in a 37c hot bath and a good shower. Clean and full we head off to see Carol and Peter in Mirangai. The best sunny weather yet since we have been here. On the way round the windy coastal road we see people carrying bags off the beach. Stopping to find out what it ...

... kayaking, walking, snorkeling, swimming with Dolphins, exploring the vast and beautiful countryside, sun bathing, playing with dogs on the beach, chatting with interesting locals, surfing and body boarding (whatever that is). Hey and guess what I even found out they do Salsa dancing classes here!! There's no doubt that the people who live here know they have it good. You can leave your door unlocked and even open, because everyone knows each other ...

... the turkeys are relatively safe from hunters. Rick's employer owns a bach in Pauanui that they rent out to employees for a reasonable fee. It was badly in need of update, but it was in a prime location, and easy to see why it was so popular. We were only 5 minutes from the beach, and it was a lovely, quiet, out-of-the-way town. Rick & I went for beach walks every morning. Heavenly places, beaches!

... night which was loads of fun. I closed the place down with a "Doors" song. The next morning I was glad I didn't get on the bus with everyone as I was pretty hung-over. I spent the afternoon carving a bone "fish-hook" neck-thing. Last night I spent talking with an American girl, and later, a random Kiwi about sex, politics and religion. I've missed good conversation. Tomorrow I'm off to Rotorua, then back to Tauranga to work.

... tijdje aan het strandje gezeten en daarna een korte lift terug gekregen naar Coromandel Town. Vervolgens bleek ik net in het hostel te zitten, waar alle medewerkers van het festival zaten... :S

De volgende ochtend was het tijd om weer verder te gaan en gelukkig was mijn buschauffeur zo aardig geweest om mijn handdoek mee te nemen vanuit het hostel in Thames, waar ik hem gisteren vergeten was (das dus typisch Kiwi!).