New Zealand Day 3

We have now picked up the van.. and very roomy compared to the Bongo it is. We have a sink, electric lighting, cooker, with 2 rings and a grill, electric fridge, with ice compartment, storage space for all our crap and plenty of room for more. There's full bedding in there too, and we have been provided with towels. We took the option to hire 2 outdoor chairs... but now wish we had just bought them for $8 each instead of hiring for $12 each! Tight wad!

After picking up the van and shopping we headed out through Auckland's nearest neighbour Mangatau, then out towards Hamilton. After a few km we headed east to towards the Coromandel Peninsula. Our journey took us north along the west side of the Peninula, through Thames and up to Coromandel Town. Then we headed further north and east crossing to the east side of the peninsula. Our first overnight stop was in a quiet sleepy motot park in a place I cannot remember the name of now... but am sure it began with a K! Nettie can't remember either!

After a breif walk along the beach in the early evening... brief as Nettie has huge blisters on her feet from wearing some sparkly pump things round Auckland... looked great but rubbed her feet.... we headed back to the van and dined on a feast of green lipped muscles in a white wine, garlic and cream sauce. Great big fat muscles fresh from the sea... or to be precise fresh from the sea water spray cabinet in the supermarket. We washed down with a glass or two of white wine. Then to bed.

Day 2 was a lovelly cloudless sunny day, so we headed down the east side of the peninsula to Cathederal Cove and Haihi Bay. Very lovelly beach with golden warm sand and some nice big Pacific waves. We walked along a short track to the next bay... but rather than treck all the way down in the heat we took photos at the headland, looked out over the rock formations and marvelled at the clear blue water with its turcquoise tints. All very nice... but the best was jet to come.

After lunch we headed out to Hot Water Beach. Sadly due to some strange geothermal pressures the hot water only gets out at 2 hours either side of low tide... we were early. Any way... what do you do when there are coach loads of US tourists arround.. dig a big hole and look interested... its only a matter of time before one asks if you have found hot water! Anyway, after a few minutes playing in the sea... being kicked round by the waves and the surf, and getting sand in some very unprintable places (I now have a porn star name based on this...) we opted to lay in the sun. About an hour later after icecream we saw frantic digging to the left of where we sat... so off we trot, with our shovel.. and jopined in the fun. Sadly I caouldn't work out what all the fuss was about... then after a few minutes knee deep in water we found it... hot water bubbling up through the sand. And when I say hot it was about 70 degrees C....hot! The bubbles were due to CO2 being released from this underground hot spring. Something to do with the volcanic nature of the place. We ended up sprawled out in pools of hot water, being scalded by the hot vents. Its the only time I have spent on a beach in very close proximity to lots of other bodies... all intent on laying in sandy pools of warm water. Nationality boundarys broak down, ages didn't matter... the germans dug with the brits, the kiwis helped the americans... it was a uniting experience... and all for some hot water from the sand!

After that we headed back to the van, grabbed some homemade cakes from the cafe that loaded the shovel at $4 a time, had tea and removed the sand from the places that we cannot say online! Our bongo captain lead us on through more lush steeply winding roads, through tropical looking forest to Waihi Beach. Another very pleasant camp site, with fantastic facilities. After a shower and food it was bed time. Both of us fell asleep within seconds of turning out the light, the ruff and tumble of the surf having knocked the living daylights out of me!

Day 3... well we will have to wait to find out what happens next...

Keep watching.

Andrew.