Breakers Motel Whangamata

... sehr abwechslungsreich und aufregend. Die Haengebruecke war der Hammer, bloss eine Person durfte jeweils druebermarschieren. Der ganze Marsch dauerte schlussendlich 4 Stunden und wir waren kaputt und hungrig. Schnell gings dann ins Hostel um zu duschen und fuhren ins Restaurant, the Old Thames. Dort goennten wir uns ein Steak mit Fritten. Ich kann euch sagen, das tat so gut! Spaeter planten wir noch unseren Trip fuer den naechten Tag und gegen 23.30 gings auch schon wieder ins Bettchen.

... yet and a bit rubbish! * Went to beach - it rained (it had been like 30 degree's) weird! * Lots of Surfers - some very good * Watched highlights of Wales vs. New Zealand rugby game - poor Wales. * Slept badly - who puts a poster of insects on a unclean hostel wall! - NASTY!

... I do though think on some sunny days the level of pessimism in some fields is quite high. Today though it was raining but not all the cows were sitting, is this a indicator that it will stop raining soon or that some cows are really bad at excepting they were wrong or that this method of weather prediction is slightly flawed? Answers on a postcard or just leave a comment?

... As I sit here now, writing this entry on the 15th October it is diffcult to know quite what happened during our first month in Auckland. Unlike being on holiday and the itinerary is quite action packed, when you set up camp somewhere you suddenly slow down. You begin to start living a relatively normal life except the odd sightseeing excursion at the weekend. Our first weekend away and respite from the city was a day trip to one of the Gulf Islands ...

... but this place had everything I love, the ocean, white beaches, rainforest, mountains and sun! Driving around the west coast of the peninsula, the road twisted and turned and pass every corner there was a view to die for. A journey that should have taken a couple of hours took over three and a half, due to having to stop for yet another photo opportunity and jaw dropping moment. I think all I said that afternoon was "Oh my god, that's amazing". Finally ...

... Ivan figures it maybe stands for beach and country/coastal house) in Opito Bay in the Coromandel. I figured it was maybe an hour or so away, but in fact it was the best part of four hours drive!! We saw some spectacular scenery on the way though, as much of the roads are coastal. Some of the countryside (weather excepted) is very reminiscent of Scotland - it's just absolutely beautiful. It was ...

Not much time to write, but wanted to udate with some pictures from the amazing week we spent on Mayor Island off the coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. Absolutly gorgeous wildlife preserve. We were the only ones there, other than the 70-something caretaker who drank alot of beer ...

Okay folks... ...off to the Coromandel Peninsula. A wee bit of travel writing coming up here: I drove down the Highway number one to Pokeno, turned left, drove across the Hauraki Plain, arrived in Thames, turned left, drove to Coromandel Town, turned right and kept going til I reached Whitianga... ...how was that for the serious travel writing? Not exactly fun, eh? That's the route I took. To those of you following me on google earth (you know who you are, and you are just K&G ...

(Originally published at http://www.troysgonewalkabout.com)
< br>The nostalgia theme continued this morning as I climbed Mount Maunganui, alarming sheep grazing on its slopes in the process, and once at the top looked down on The Mount’s inviting surf beaches and across to Tauranga’s large port and harbour.

Then I followed more slow and winding roads to the Coromandel Peninsula, taking in the rich green of the pasture and deep blue of the ...