Coramandel Capers

---

.....in Predator! Quite what that has to do with Spaceships Jen and I can't figure out...but that was the name of our newly acquired spaceship! And it was ACE! New (and fully functioning) DVD player, no knocking in the wheels, tinted windows......I mean whatmore can a couple of girls ask for!

First though we had to get out of Auckland........pick up of the new spaceship was 3pm, and by the time we had sorted everything out it was....yep you guessed it.....rush hour! Oh the joy! Some slick navigating from Jen and we had cleared Auckland only to get well and truly lost in one of the suburbs! Chucking a few 'u'ies were soon out of there! With a really upmarket campsite with loos and everything! The Morning brought beautiful blue skies and a destination on the Coramandel Peninsula to bask in the sunshine!

Oh no....we weren't to be that lucky! The drive there was hot and somewhat uncomfortable in the sunshine but we were so happy to see it it really didn't matter........before long though the grey clouds rolled in and our first walk of 5 planned walks was a rather damp affair! This was to see a Kauri Dam, on the road up to the Pinnacles (a 3 day walk - so no chance!) After a rather damp yomp around some woods to see such an exciting dam we decided to head for the sun and the coast! Some inland gravel tracks took us up to see some of the other Kauri found round and about...like a Square Kauri, Twin Kauri and Siamese Kauri. As well as the occasional 360 panoramic view of the peninsula and its surrounding islands and the odd gatepost!

Deciding to head on through the Peninsula and get out of the rain we opted for an overnight stopover in a proper campsite....with showers and a TV (well, House was on!!!) Whitianga was the destination of choice and Fish and Chips the meal of the day! After a very lengthy shower we settled down to watch tv while the rain poured - just how it should be - only thing missing was the hot chocolate!

The next day was to be a day of meeting friends of friends.......

---