Blogs from Hahei, Coromandel, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 3

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Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Coromandel » Hahei April 24th 2009

MON - up early for the bus, saw Bruce, said a final goodbye until i get back up to Auckland! met others who are with the bus, Lies (like lisa but without the a) and PJ from holland seem pretty nice :) went up Mt Eden first - strange bing back up there, that was my 2nd ever day of work with CVNZ up there! stopped in various places on the way for groceries and other stuff to see, got to Hahei mid-afternoon, dumped our stuff and went off to Hot Water Beach. Was so surreal, got onto the ebach and there were loads of people digging holes in the sand and sitting in them! it's because the area is geothermal and a hot spring runs down the beach into the sea so when you dig ... read more

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Coromandel » Hahei April 14th 2009

April 14 - 19 - North Island Part II Another beautiful week made even better by the visit of grandparents. Tuesday morning we woke up early hoping to have heard from Howard and Jean who were to have arrived in NZ at 4am. We originally had invited them to join us in Miranda for breakfast before heading to Hahei on the Coromandel Peninsula, but when we realized that their flight had been delayed by 2 hours, when we finally heard from them we decided to meet them in Hahei. We arrived at Purangi Gardens Home Stay around 11:30am to greet Howard and Jean. We were allowed to park our camper van on the property which was really nice for visiting. We sat our on their deck eating fresh fruit from the gardens - kiwis, feijoas, cumquats, ... read more
Hot Water Beach
The Family at Hot Water Beach
Purangi Gardens

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Coromandel » Hahei April 8th 2009

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 the beach. It was a really difficult decision to walk around the headland to New Chums Bay and leave the beautiful expanse of white sand (but we trusted the rough guide and Rosemary + Brian!) ... read more
Elly's Cartwheel of Joy on New Chums
Daydreaming on New Chums
Phil Eating Fish + Chips on Hahei Beach

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Coromandel » Hahei March 22nd 2009

Set off North again for the true part of the peninsula and found a lovely beach with quite strong surf at Tairua on he east coast. Spent the afernoon there and waited for low tide so that we could go to hot Water Beach. This is where 2 hot springs emerge on the beach at low tide. Everyone was there, with hired spades, digging away in the sand and then lying in the water in the pools they created. Some were tepid, others just cold, but a few were really hot, too hot to stand or sit in , because the water was bubbling up just below your feet. Some of the water comes out at 60C. We spent the night at a site at Hahei and manged anothe beach walk, just as it got dark. ... read more
Cathedral Cove
Whitianga Harbour
Coromandel Town from a viewpoint

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Coromandel » Hahei March 15th 2009

Days 43-44 12-14 March Coromandel Peninsula Frost on the car as we left Taupo reminded us that summer is running out of time in New Zealand. One more stop before Auckland. Another p******e. Captain Cook had beaten us to it again. Is there anywhere that man has not been? His suitcase must be sticky as hell with all the bag tags from his travels. The Coromandel Peninsular, east of Auckland is spectacularly beautiful. We headed for most people’s must-go destination area: Mercury Bay. So named because Cook stopped off in the bay to observe the transit of Mercury for some reason. Round here, the NZ tourist board must love him. There’s Cook’s Beach and there’s the lookout point at Shakespeare’s Cliff with a well forged plaque to JC, complete with a description of QE2’s visit (that’s ... read more
Cathedral Cove
Hot Water Beach, Filey

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Coromandel » Hahei February 18th 2009

Leaving the far north (via the most photographed toliets in NZ and the longest footbridge in the Southern hemisphere) we wound our way around the rainy coasts just north of Auckland. Struggling to find a car camp for the night we headed out to Shakespear Park in hopes of a free stay. All we found there were lovely views and probably Auckland's biggest houses. We finally were recommended to stay at the ferry port where we met a couple who had been sleeping in the parking lot for 6 weeks. Now that is what i call commitment to saving money! Into Auckland city we struggled with direction thanks to the lack of decent street signs and enjoyed the views from the harbour bridge 3 times before leaving the twisting city behind escaping to the Coromandel. Still ... read more
Through Cathedral Cove
Beachscape
Wild Turkey

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Coromandel » Hahei February 12th 2009

14th - 18th December 2008 Hahei Hahei is a cracking little seaside village. The beach is great and there is lots to do and visit nearby. We swam and relaxed on the beach. Rob thought he was David Beckham and put my sarong on - why does he always look better in my stuff than I do? Still, it's a worrying habit - my bikini top in Thailand, a girls' thong (brand new!) in Turkey and my sarong in NZ, not to mention a dress in the UK! Who knows what Oz will bring! We also visited Hotwater Beach which was amazing. We had never seen or felt anything like it. Part of the beach is thermal so that if you did a hole in the sand it fills with hot water. Some places are so ... read more
Hahei Beach
Hotwater Beach
Hotwater Beach

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Coromandel » Hahei January 6th 2009

On Saturday, we left Taupo and drove up to Hahei on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. We stopped at 'The Talisman' cafe in the Karangahake Gorge and noted that it was getting a lot warmer and more humid the further north we travelled. We arrived at the camp-site late afternoon, set up camp in the intense heat and then, typically, when everything (chairs, tables et c.) was out and all the tent doors were open, the sky opened and deposited a lot of rain on us. We are rapidly coming to the conclusion that it only rains: a) when we pitch a tent, unpack the car and leave all our gear out on the grass or b) when we have to take down and put away a tent. We jumped back in the car ... read more
Hahei Beach
Our beach shelter
Lone Pohutukawa

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Coromandel » Hahei December 17th 2008

Day 3 saw us moving out of Auckand heading for Coromandel. The driving seemed pretty easy (at least from the passenger seat) with empty roads and fantastic scenery. Just before Thames there was an interesting feature of a single track bridge with traffic lights on the main highway! From Thames up the Coromandel Peninsular the guidebook said to be careful - we soon worked out why as the road wound it's way merely inches at times away from the sea (and it was on our side as we were going up!) and at times had been washed away! Following the suggestion from the guidebook we turned off just before Coromandel Town up State Highway 309 - from the name you would think that this would be quite a nice road, but little did we know (and ... read more
Bush Walk
Kauri tree
Waiu Falls

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Coromandel » Hahei December 15th 2008

Sunday, 14th I'm staying at the Hahei Holiday Resort in Hahei/Cathedral Cove. Its a rather huge campsite & from the look of things kiwi's & other travelers love campervans, the place is stacked with them! I, on the other hand definitely have the biggest & best tent around, but more about that later. Unlike my day, the first night here was uneventful, just had a relaxing time on the beach. These beaches are really beautiful & the bays you look out on is spectacular, with little islands strewn all over the place. The only thing I'm not used to is the weather. It changes a very quickly & the wind never stops blowing! Monday, 15th Woke up today, tired & stiff from my long hike the previous day & a bit drained emotionally. I thought a ... read more
Pretty town
Yarp, cute
Me campsite




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