We headed off from Coromandel soon after breakfast, driving the winding mountain roads across the peninsula towards Whitianga. It started to drizzle as we climbed higher in our little Daihatsu but even through low cloud the scenery was dramatic - with views across Coromandel harbour and lush valleys laden with fern trees. By the time we reached Whangapua the sun was out. The beach there was absolutely gorgeous - a huge white sandy bay which was almost empty apart from a few surfers. We are both incredibly envious of the people who live in the houses that line the back of [View Full Entry]

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Not sure if 'excitement' kicked in until starting the descent into Auckland; it seemed like the flying was all we'd come for, because we were in the air and around airports for so long! The flights themselves were actually pretty painless as there were so many movies to watch. The transfer at LA however was distinclty less fun - LAX is a grim place, not the ideal place to spend 8 hours. We did manage to find a corner of floor and sleep for a few hours, which made it slightly more bearable. The car pick up was very smooth and [View Full Entry]

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