one of my rare blog posts......
Well, our supposed family camping trip up to Northland got off to a great start, Louisa had to work, and Kieran had to do a group assignment for uni, so taking the bull by the horns, both Jan and I decided we would head to Coromandel and try something different, we would do a little camping tiki tour....
As Kieran had used the small tent in the week prior returning with it completely wet, I had dried it and loaded it in to the trailer ready for the off- only problem was that the tent bag was minus the tent poles, not the best of starts! ( Luckily the big tent was in the trailer so we had a chance of at least getting the tent erected. We managed to do this after a fashion but it wasn't the best of fits as the tent resembled table mountain more than a dome ... :[ )
We headed for the Coromandel peninsula and decided to visit Hot Water Beach. We hadn't been there for over 5 years so decided to have another look.
http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=18&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CMYBEJoTKAAwEQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FHot_Water_Beach&ei=wZdZU_6GE8aIkAWW5ICwDQ&usg=AFQjCNHIRho58IMjOfiUDZaR1lf35VqXXA&sig2=2m81ogJHcpMwBur59S5UqA&bvm=bv.65397613,d.dGI
After sorting the tent, we headed down to the beach to marvel at the natural volcanic action that heats the sea water on the beach - and the tourists! Coach loads of Japanese arrived and they were sitting in water so hot that it scalded your feet, but they were oblivious and just happy to enjoy the unique experience. We laughed at them!
We met lots of nice people and chatted away until it was dark and we returned to the camp site for a hearty fish and chip supper whilst giving some German tourists well earned tourist and location information.... and a chat about football of course!
Next morning and it was off for a drive to Whitianga and Mercury Bay, where Capt. Cook charted Mercury and plotted New Zealands position on the world maps being drawn up.
A completely different place to the previous day, we headed for Simpsons beach, had a walk in the surf and just soaked up the sun and the surroundings. That evening saw me go fishing, with Jan wrapped up like an eskimo while I fruitlessly fed the fishes and was only successful in catching pipis (little clams) that took a liking to the anchor wires on my sinker! I enjoyed it though, just being out in the fresh air next to the sea is always special...
Returning to the camp site after a good (albeit expensive!) pizza supper, we found our inflatable mattress had deflated a little, I re-inflated it but that was a waste of time, cue Jan sleeping in the car and me on the deflated mattress! We also had the small matter of Louisa having had to go to the clinic in the middle of the night due to a painful infection she had picked up.
Next morning was damp and cool, the weather was turning with storms forecast. Decision time - should we carry on and take a chance or head for home?
We visited a few beaches on the way, Cooks Beach, Hahei and back to Hot Water Beach with the view that we would take a cabin that evening instead of hoping the tent would hold up... as it was there were none available so we headed for home via Tairua and Thames where we stopped for a coffee and some of Deb & Charlies cafe excellent custard slice.
So, a good break with pitfalls but many memories. And some great ideas for places to take our visitors when they arrive in the future....
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