Coromandel Peninsula - Pauanui

Saturday 11 March 2017 - Moving Day

With only two weeks left and two more areas to visit on this trip we travel for about one and a half hours north today to the seaside town of Pauanui. The showers and rain that has been hampering us while at Katikati reached their peak last night causing widespread flooding, evacuations and road closures in the region, everything we don't want for today's travels.

An example of the the road damage

We had a fair bit of time up our sleeves between check-out and check-in so we chose the long way to our new place going via Thames for lunch. This was a very fortunate choice as the more direct route was badly damaged from the rains.

The Nose is back!

As it was we had to negotiate 100's of landslips either partly over the road or directing floodwaters over it. Numerous trees were down, debris was scattered everywhere and in one place whole trees were piled up either side of the road. All this was further enhanced by steep and constant windy roads and rain sometimes heavy. 

We safely arrived at our new accommodation built high up on the side of a steep hill. At the end of a long and taxing days drive what better way to end it with a driveway so steep it was covered in tyre skid marks from previous visitors trying to get up. On top of that, where we were to park the car is actually on a Lazy-Susan turntable. Neither of us had ever experienced one of these before so getting the car off the super steep driveway onto a spinning turntable (car is front wheel drive) was a bit of an experience.  The turntable was fantastic though as we could lightly push the car to turn it around facing back down the steep hill.

Julie sort of pointing to our place - second from the left with the dormer windows

Car turnaround area

A break in the now receding showers allowed us to open up the new place - a two storey chalet style design with two double bedrooms and bathroom upstairs and a third room downstairs with the living area. Julie volunteered to stay in the house and unpack things as I brought them up from the car. Continuing the super-steep theme of the house block, the car located on the spinning thing is two storeys below the first level of the two storey house and the internal stairs if any steeper would be called a ladder. The first thing I did was put a defibrillator half way up the stairs then I commenced the unloading process. Once that was done Julie suggested we go for a quick walk to get some exercise for the day as we hadn't done much!

The weather breaking

With a week here we, as we always do, planned our intended activities around the weather, and given the recent weather we didn't know whether roads would be open. Anyway late in the afternoon a dove flew past with a willow branch in its beak and we emerged from the house onto the verandah like two of Noah's animals to watch the sun break through never to be hidden by clouds again for the week we were here.

The views from this place are just spectacular with many an hour spent overlooking the sleepy and very wealthy seaside town of Pauanui, its beautiful beach and even better surf break.  Many of the houses seem to be weekenders/holiday houses so it's very quiet.  

View from our  accommodation

Quiet it may be however on our first night, we were woken at 3.00 am by blaring sirens. Thinking it could be a Tsunami alarm we got up, looked out the windows, saw that the surf was normal and no-one below us seemed concerned so thought we were safe.  After a while the alarm stopped so we presume it was the typical small village call-out to volunteer emergency service workers to meet and go sort out an emergency - probably a blocked road as there is only one road into Pauanui so a tree over the road would require urgent attention.

Local beach walk Pauanui

On the Sunday we did the typical lazy Sunday thing by just chilling out, not going out and recharging the batteries while the work crews were busy clearing the roads for us. Monday we did the local beach walk in the morning and were astounded, but not surprised, by  the amount of debris washed up on the beach. Next we headed south to Waihi along the scenic road we would have taken if we were coming a more direct route to our place. It was obvious by sheer chance that our decision to go the long way via Thames was a good one as the road was previously cut by large landslips. Work crews had cleared the road and were still working on getting things back to normal.

Typical road damage

A Wharekawa Harbour walk to a deserted beach through pine forests and bird reserve was really good.

Dreaming of a surf ski

Again unbelievable surf breaks were untouched, oh how I would have liked to have my surf ski with me. Morning tea and lunch filled in the day before returning home to our front yard roundabout.

Next day was a planned big day as we headed west back to Thames then followed the winding road that hugs the coast north through Coromandel Town, for a really nice vegetarian lunch at an out of the way mud brick building, to near, but not quite, the top of Coromandel Peninsula. Crossing back over the range we hit the east coast of the peninsula to do a lovely beach walk at Whangapoua. Volcanic outcrops dotted the picturesque bay as we walked the nice beach - just idyllic.

West Coromandel Peninsula road

Whangapoua Beach

Arriving back home after a long drive and a great day, our afternoon on the verandah was enhanced even further by our own private airshow. In the middle of Pauanui is a grass airstrip. Houses are built either side of it and some houses even have a garage for their planes. For whatever reason two WWII planes took off side by side and proceeded to put on a full blown airshow lasting well over half an hour. They were absolutely perfectly in sync in executing their complex maneuvers as they flew around us overhead with frequent co-ordinated smoke trails. Great day.

Part of our private air show

Cathedral Cove

Wednesday 15 March:  Just to the north of us is Cathedral Cove located in a white limestone region of the Coromandel Peninsula and just to the south of that is Hot Water Beach. This was our entertainment for today. We arrived relatively early after 1.5 hours drive to the carpark at the start of the walk to Cathedral Cove. Every camper-van that ever there was is here because today's the day the overseas tourists go to Cathedral Cove. The carpark is pretty small and the demand is very big, so-much-so a parking/arguer/fighter/arm-waving attendant is employed full time to control the parking. When full the nearest carpark is over a kilometre back down the hill in someone's front yard who enterprisingly charges $10 for the privilege. We got the third last available free carpark!

Start of walk

The 40 minute walk each way was probably worth it provided you don't have to pay $10 for parking. The rock formation is fairly impressive but we don't think the hype about the place, nor the crowds, is justified. We were entertained by a couple of young German tourists that wanted to go the deserted beach out the back of the cave. The beach was deserted because the tide was in. So the girl stripped down to her bikini and sun top with all her clothes, mobile phone etc rolled up in her arms. The boyfriend did the same. The waves were hitting the sidewall of the back of the cave so when there was a short lull the plan was to dash through the thigh deep water. The girl took off in a sprint for some reason and in front of everyone quickly face planted into the ocean drowning all her previously dry clothes etc. The boyfriend observing this took a more sedate walk but up against the wall. A wave came and hit the wall and drenched him completely and all his belongings. All very funny and entertaining - for us at least. We hoped the deserted beach was big enough to hang out all their wet clothing.

Silhouette of us in Cathedral Cove - deserted beach on left

The Cathedral Cove beach is about 100 metres long. Now if you are not up to walking the very good sometimes a bit steep bitumen track and climbing the 100's of stairs down (and then of course back up) to the beach, you can kayak here - about 40+ double kayaks arrived while we were there. If walking or kayaking is not your style a water taxi will regularly drop you and a boat load of other people off. All this on a little tiny beach to see a cave.   

We drove to Hot Water Beach, tide was in so not worth stopping and the campervanning tourists were already starting to amass, lunch was calling and we headed off to lunch at a local brewery.  

Next day Otama Beach was calling. Even further north than Cathedral Cove this pretty seaside village, with about six houses nestled into the side of a headland, has a beautiful deserted beach. So with no guilt whatsoever we tracked our footprints near the full length of it. The day was just beautiful.

We tracked down the start of a couple of possible walks but looking at them they didn't appeal so after visiting Whangerai for seafood lunch we headed home once again.

Our last day in Pauanui was always planned to be a local one. At the far end of the beach from where we are staying is Paaku Peak, or as we call it Cat's Head Peak because that is what it looks like. We took a drive up this extinct volcano as high as we could go. The rest of the journey to the top is on foot up a very steep formed track then boulder climb. The 360 degree views from the top were worth all the huffing and puffing. There at the end of the beach was our place - what a surprise. We poked around another beach a little further north at Tairua and easily filled in our day. Returning home for the last time we made ready for moving day tomorrow.

View from Paaku Peak, Tairua out to the ocean and hinterland, Tairua Harbour and Pauanui

Our accommodation and this lovely part of New Zealand were just fantastic. The weather had a lot to do with it but we both agree it is definitely worth coming to and spending at least a week on the Coromandel Peninsula.

So that ends another seven days in New Zealand.

Amusing sign in restaurant toilet

I will end it here as drinks on the verandah are calling.

JeffnJulie - the Grey Gonads in New Zealand.

Rotorua to Katikati in Bay of Plenty

Saturday 4 March 2017 - Moving Day to Rotorua

The area around Rotorua is a land of volcanoes, lakes, geysers, boiling mud, sulphur filled air and some of the thinnest crust on earth at just 5 kilometers - a great place to spend four nights.  Anything that spits boiling water, steam, hot mud or smells of sulphur was snapped up ages ago and turned into a tourist attraction. Our dilemma is what to do. The weather is perfect with clear blue skies and cool days.

All of the above is swirling through our heads as we arrived at yet another AirBnB this time on the shores of Lake Tarawera about 15 minutes out of Rotorua.  Our answers were questioned as soon as we set eyes on the views over the lake - do nothing, at least for the first day.

Views over Lake Tarawera to Mt Tarawera (volcano) from inside

Great balcony

The property is an old, somewhat shabby, family holiday retreat home with eight beds, two bathrooms, BBQ, outdoor spa and sauna (not available for us), jetty, all on two levels with large decks all facing Mt Tarawera over the other side of the lake. In 1886 this mountain blew its top burying many Maori villages around it. Of course one of the buried villages is now a tourist attraction called "The Buried Village".  The beaches around the base of the mountain are hot and there is a popular campsite located there.

Our jetty

Sunset from balcony

So day one we did nothing but recharge the batteries and enjoy the view. It was a Sunday so there probably were a lot of people about but we will never know because we stayed at home. We did try the lake walk out front of our place but that was overgrown and really just a waste of time. The jetty was good but the house was even better.

Monday - after much deliberation we settled on which boiling mud, geysers and sulphur smelling steam we would go and look at - Whakarewarewa Living Maori Village. Around 70 people still live in the village in the middle of suburban Rotorua some of whom are descendants of tribes that were dislocated following the eruption of Mt Tarawera.

Maori microwave (Hungi)

The residents still use steam vents to cook with, bathe in thermal open air baths and generally live a traditional Maori way of life in the middle of a popular tourist attraction. From 8:30 am to 5 pm each day tourists are allowed in provided $35 per person is allowed out of your wallet. I have to say I was skeptical about the whole venture but was very much surprised at how good it was.

We arrived early and were first over the bridge into the village. We had 45 minutes before the first guided tour started so we had the place to ourselves. Sure enough they do still bathe in open air thermal pools as a couple were on their way back to their home after taking a bath. We were shown around the village by one of the village residents and had everything explained to us.  Quite fascinating. 

Output from the steam ovens - not too bad. One is enough though.

The big geyser to see in Rotorua is Te Puia which was in the grounds of this village but is now cut off and turned into a very big government run tourist attraction next door. We could see the geyser from the village from two well positioned viewing platforms. After a bit of free time we were treated to traditional Maori song and dances which were very well done.

Two old geysers

It was now midday and we realised the rumbles were not an earthquake but our stomachs telling us it was lunch time. The 3rd Place Cafe on the shores of Lake Rotorua settled the stomachs. Below us was rising thermal steam so after lunch we went exploring. Along the lake shore sulphur steam vents bubble away as do big pools of boiling mud. The lake waters in the area are milky from all the suspended sulphur in the water.

Boiling mud

Lake Rotorua - where the geothermal activity is.

More Redwoods at Hamurana Springs

Next a quick walk to Okere Falls on the northern side of the lake then an unexpectedly beautiful quite short loop walk at Hamurana Springs. The walk starts near the lake's edge through Redwood trees then follows the springs outflow stream to its source. These are the deepest natural fresh water springs in New Zealand. The water is crystal clear (described as "gin" clear) and flows from the Mamaku Plateau to the west. It takes 70 years for the water to reach the surface and it flows out at 4.5 million litres per hour at a constant temperature of 10 degrees. This was one of those unexpectedly beautiful walks and there were only two other people there.

Underwater shot of the gin/crystal clear waters of the springs

Above water shot

Springs outflow

Next Day: Time for: a big walk. The place: The Redwoods. Where: Back of Rotorua. Why: cause its there.

5600 hectares of mountain bike tracks and bush walks of all grades wind their way through 120 old Californian Redwoods. A successful experiment to transform a once barren economically useless hills now offers a beautiful place to visit. Our Lonely Planet Guidebook recommends the Purple Track so that's what we did, a whole 13 kilometres of it. It starts off very well in the 55 metre high Redwoods and soon enters pine plantations and goes uphill for far too long eventually trekking downhill following gullies, bike trails and formed gravel roads back to the starting point. If we were to do it again we would spend our time down the bottom of the hills in the Redwoods. However it was a great place to visit and something worth doing if you come to Rotorua - probably pick one of the shorter tracks though as the last 1/3 of the purple track became a bit tedious as we walked home continuing up and down on large gravel, small gravel then bitumen.

After four nights in Rotorua it was time to move on further up the Bay of Plenty to another AirBnB up in the hills behind Katikati known for its Ulster inspired murals. Last night the forecast rain arrived - a whole 148 mm overnight. The New Zealand news was transformed into stories about flooded homes and campsites and further heavy rain and storms to come. We drove to Katikati in constant rain, arrived in the rain and settled in while the rain came down. 

Our accommodation is beautiful, fairly small, very new, cleverly designed and stylishly decorated.  A huge covered balcony overlooks farms to the Bay of Plenty and Tauranga in the distance. We even have two plumbed outdoor bathtubs with hot and cold running water facing the view - not that they, and the bubble bath provided, will get any use while we're here.  

Our accommodation near Katikati

A future Sunday breakfast at our place

The property is run by a lovely couple who have sheep, pigs, chickens and a veggie garden. We were provided with a welcome pack of a bottle of wine (red - Julie doesn't drink red), chocolates (Julie doesn't like chocolates), coffee, tea, milk, 6 eggs (Julie doesn't eat eggs), and 6 home grown avocados.  The pigs (Julie doesn't eat pigs) have just had litters of 15 piglets that bounce around the paddocks.

Rain and showers are forecast for the next 4-5 days so our adventures in the area will be guided by breaks in the weather. 

Day one here, Wednesday 8 March, is expected to have the best weather so we headed off to the busiest port in New Zealand, Tauranga, 30 minutes away and on to Mt Manganui now quite a popular tourist area and surfers paradise. A great walk around this volcanic plug provided 360 degree views of the region.

The walk to the top did not attract us so we continued to explore the coastline. A visit to Moturiki Island, once a Maori chief's accommodation, gave a great views of surfers riding near perfect 6 foot waves below us.

Moturki Island looking at Mt Manganui

After a drive to Minden Lookout, a visit to Anzac Bay and Bowentown on the other side of Katikati finished off our day.

Anzac Bay

We have been to this area in the past so we are only staying three nights. The weather was overcast and either showering or raining most of the time so our accommodation was a great refuge when being out and about was not worthy of our presence.  On Airbnb, the accommodation is called "Magical Panoramic Sea Views" but on other sites it's Kaimai Range Country Getaway.   Just lovely.

Our last day here was cool/cold and overcast. Overnight showers had left their mark. A late sleep in and a relaxing morning allowed Julie to watch me catch up on all the chores. Lunch was held in Katikati. I paid the bill and it seemed too cheap, then the owner advised it was half-price Friday!  

Some Haiku poetry - makes a rock interesting

Katikati has a great riverside walk and is known for its murals on walls throughout the town. The weather was clear though threatening so we did the riverside walk and learnt all about the Japanese form of poetry called Haiku. It's the only Haiku walk trail in the world, or at least outside of Japan, and we lost count of the number of Haiku inscribed rocks we passed.  A typical Haiku is a three-line observation about a fleeting moment involving nature. It doesn't rhyme and like all poetry is boring. There is a whole lot more to it than that but I don't want to bore you too. 

Public art on the bird trail

Katikati town walk

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Katikati murals

Along the walk are numerous boulders especially selected and placed then using a team of experts just the right Haiku is selected and engraved in the stone. Additionally, there was some great public art in Katikati with murals depicting its Ulster heritage.  It also has a trail of local bird sculptures.  So with poetry, murals and sculptures we spent a very artistic hour or two.

Rain appeared in the skies above and washed out all further enthusiasm for being outside. Retreating home we sat by the heater admiring our clouded view through the rain.

Once again it is moving day tomorrow so I'll publish this post. We hope you enjoy it.

I'll leave you with my favourite haiku poem - 
   morning walk ....
   the old dog and I
   both limping
         by Devan Stull (USA)

By for now

JeffnJulie  - the Grey Gonads on the road in New Zealand

Catching up on Haiku poems with a local