Whitianga, Coromandel, Rotorua, Taupo, Wellington, NZ, 11 - 17 April 2012‏

We were picked up on the big Magic coach early Weds morning, and taken to Thames where we changed onto a little old local service looking bus to take us through Coromandel town and to Whitianga. It was a nice day, and the road from Thames (so called because the river running through it is murky and brown like in the UK, so Cook called it that) to Whitianga went around lots of very pretty mountain peaks, so was a gorgeous ride despite the dilapidatious state of the bus.

We got into our hostel called On The Beach (which was, surprisingly, on the beach), and as the weather was a bit crappy, and Jo was still a little iffy, we sat down to a movie (on DVD!!!). I then ventured to the corner shop to get some milk... An hour and a half and about 4 miles later I got back. I decided to try walk back from the town a different way to see a bit more of the town, but this quickly went awry and I wandered through residential streets, an industrial block, and a building site before finding my way back with the now tepid milk.
The following day we wandered to and from town loads whilst sorting out some bits to post home and other bits, then we went to the beach for a bit while the weather held, then when we returned to the hostel, Maike (met and travelled with in NZ and met up in Perth) had arrived! The evening was then lost to conversation and catching up.  

Cathedral Cove

The next morning was our last full day, and the three of us went on a little road-trip in Maikes rented car. We went North, going to little beaches and lookouts over the mountains, then ended up in Coromandel town for a drink. We headed back to the hostel, had a late lunch, and then headed off to hot water beach with an Austrian girl called Alex in tow. Hot water beach is a beach on some cracks in the ground which heat up, so as you dig holes in the sand, they fill back up with hot water, almost like a bath. It doesn't happen in many areas on the beach, and only at lowest tide, so it's always a bit crowded, but really weird. It was dusk when we arrived, and was quickly pitch-black. Very strange to be in boardies digging holes in the beach, but hopping around as if you stand in some places too long, you burn your feet! Great fun, and NZ tourism hasn't found any way to charge you to do it (yet), so always a bonus!

Foot spas in Rotorua parks

Next morning Jo and I were due to get the bus down to Rotorua, but turned out Maike was going there too, so we hopped back in her car, headed to Cathedral Cove which was great as the weather was lovely, and then carried on South. We thought we'd stop in Hobbiton on the way, but turns out you can't actually see anything unless you want the full tour, so all we saw was a statue of Gollum in front of a sign for Hobbiton in the town of Matimati. Had a quick drink, and carried onto the strange and bit smelly Rotorua. 
As it is a big volcanic lake with lots of bubbling mud puddles with sulphur coming out, rotorua smells of sulphur, which is the same smell as eggs. Not a nice thing to get a lung-full of, and we only had the evening and following morning before we moved on, so the three of us plus Emily who Maike shared a room with in Whitianga, went wandering around the parks which have lots of barriered off vents and bubbling mud puddles. They also have some public outdoor footbaths which are permanently naturally heated, which we lovely and pretty hot (bath temperature).
Next morning Jo and I got up early and headed around the lake and around the museum and government gardens before the Magic bus picked us up. Maike offered us a lift, but there was a walk to Huka falls we were eager to get to and do. In the end, no walking was required as the bus stopped at the bloody falls on the way to Taupo! We got into Taupo at about 3, and had an hour to sort ourselves out before a sailing trip on the lake.
We wandered down to the marina and got on the lovely little boat with about 8 others, and sailed out onto the huge lake, which is bigger than Singapore! We only sailed on 6% of it, and we were out for 2 1/2 hours! Was really great weather, and we saw some carvings in the rock some Mauri stoners did 30 years ago, saw the sunset over the mountains, and sailed about a bit. Was really cool, though we underestimated how cold it would get with windchill, and bloody froze when the sun went down!

Sunset on Lake Taupo

We headed back after a drink to warm us up in town, and whilst Jo emailed and blogged, Back to the Future 2 started just as I wandered into the lounge! Well happy!
Following morning we missed saying goodbye to Maike as she got up early to do the Tongariro crossing. I'm quite gutted we haven't got the chance to do it, but we just don't have enough time. We headed off to National Park via Waitomo for a few hours. We took a tour into some caves to see all the glow-worms and the fissures in the limestone. Was again bloody freezing, but a great little walk, and as the guide owned the land (well, leased, as no-one actually owns any farmland in NZ, they are employees), he had loads of knowledge on the place.
From there we headed off to National Park, stopping at some falls (Tawhai falls according to Jo!), then heading up a little way of Mt Rupahu(?) to look over the other mountains (including Mt Doom from Lord of the Rings next door). We didn't get into our hostel until fairly late after all of this, so we did some washing (rock and roll), and put on Avatar whilst we ate a salad dinner (hadn't had that in a long while!).

Purty photie I took

Following morning we were up early again to go off to Wellington. En route we stopped at a jandal fence randomly, and at another place with a giant carrot (I took photos of a tree instead as its leaves were bright red). It seems all towns in NZ feel they have to have something about them to be special. They can't just be, so they invent stupid stuff like the town called Bull, where every shop has a little tagline with the word "bull" in it somewhere on there signs or windows (like the tyre shop had "inflata-bull").
Anyway, we got into Wellington, went up Mt Vic in a gale, then to the houses of parliament (called the beehive) then dumped our stuff in the YHA before heading to Te Papa, the city museum. Te Papa is completely free and really good fun. Blooming big place, with lots on Maori history, and an interesting bit on the Greenpeace ship which was bombed by the French special forces when NZ opposed any nuclear testing in the Pacific and said they would not support any of their allies who wished to do it.
We wandered around the city for a bit, then headed back to freshen up and eat.
Following morning (18/4) we got picked up at 7 by the ferry shuttle, and were onboard by 8. As we walked up the gangplank, I could see the name of the ship in blue, but underneath, indented into the side but painted white were clearly the words "Pride of Cherbourg", an old cross channel ferry my dad had told me he used to get years ago when he was working in Holland! Felt weird that the old man would have sat in the same places as I did on the same boat, but 20 years previously and on the other side of the world!
Had a nice enough crossing, got picked up by Magic bus, and headed to Nelson where we stayed at Tasman Bay Backpackers which gave out homemade chocolate pudding and ice cream for free every night! When we arrived, we headed around the town, and did a little hike to the geographical centre of NZ just in time for sunset on a nice clear evening. Unfortunately, we were only staying for 1 night again due to time, so I didn't get the chance to see Abel Tasman which I'm really gutted about, but looks like I'll have a good list of stuff to do next time I come! Headed back for our free choc pudding, and to bed before the bus to Greymouth early next morning!