Hot Water Springs in the Coromandel

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Had fruit salad for breakfast, then drove to the nearby port to board the 60-second ferry to the bay. It was so close, we could have swam if we'd have wanted to get wet, but since we were spending a few hours wandering the shops we thought it best to take the ferry. Currently Lian is at the age where every second word is poo or butt hole which is quite entertaining, especially how he manages to wean it in to pretty much every sentence. Either that or it's a conversation centered around destruction, fire and blowing things up.We collected a picnic from the supermarket and sat at the park overlooking the waterfront while the boys played on climbing frames.
Back at the Tent that afternoon, I lay on the lawn basking in the sunshine and listening with amusement to the drunken ramblings while Ellie tried to teach Dot the rules of Rummy. Settled and feeling happy - I'd not got a care in the world... OK, maybe one: Flies!! Every sodding 6 seconds a fly would land on me. Not one of the beautiful white butterflies floating around; No - the dirty, black, disease ridden, parasite infested, house fly variety. No amount of flapping and smacking could keep them away. I tried everything: wafting my book; kicking my legs; chucking water etc but nothing was quick enough. Beside myself, I was nearly dousing myself with a can of Rapid Fly and Insect Killer, which is intended to treat wood, glass and metal.
How could somewhere as serene and peaceful as New Zealand have so many flies?! It didn't make sense. Then it dawned on me: there was only one! It was the same bloody fly that kept landing on me over and over again, enjoying my torment and frustration. The Little Bastard!
Joined Ellie, Dot and Neil for a game of poker. Lian kept sneakily stealing our matches and burning them. At 3pm Neil drove us to Hot Water Beach, where hot springs filter up through the sand in the afternoon. Fpr two hours either side of low tide, you can dig into the sand and hot water escapes to the surface forming a hot water pool. When we arrived, Lian was tiptoeing around near the bank of a small river. I bounded over "You not dipped your toe in yet Lian, is the water hot?!". Whoomph! The sand bank caved in and I landed straight on my bum in my white shorts. Ah so that was why he was being so careful.
The first crowd we came accross were watching a childrens surf competition. Toddlers dressed in sunhats and mini sunglasses clambered around kayaks and rowing boats as their older siblings ran to the sea with their surf boards to catch each wave.
I watched a bronzed God-like creature glide to the beach stood up on his surf board. I had to tear my eyes away and remind myself I'm "off men" at the moment. In fact the pledge says I can't even look at a male. I allowed myself one last glance but spotted El glaring at me, and I felt like a fat person caught red handed elbow-deep in a family sized bag of Walkers Sensations.
There were more crowds of people on the other side of the beach, all busy digging their holes in the sand. Neil got stuck in and was like a Dog with a bone - he just wouldn't give up! Unfortunately for Neil, he'd found a hot spot, but as people surrounded him to dig their holes, he got a bit pushed off course. Everyone else had stripped off to bikini's and were bathing in their steaming pools, and poor Neil was left digging for nothing but cold water.
Ellie and I shimmied our feet in to a few hot areas, sometimes it was so hot it actually burned our toes. We had oranges and avocado on the beach then headed home to have dinner. We stopped at a Macadamia farm on the way home where they collect nuts and make specialised produce including bread, brownies, peanut butter and macadamia oil. They showed us how they collect walnuts (that have fallen from a tree) with a rolling machine and taught the kids how to crack open Macadamia's with a metal machine.
I attempted to climb the tree in our garden to pick some Avocado's to add to the salad, but wimped out half way up and Neil had to do it instead. We had our final meal together and enjoyed a few drinks to celebrate what a lovely weekend we'd had.

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Comments

[Eric]

Hey Zoe, I dug your New Zealand post. I am moving there this summer. My blog is looking for some travel photos. If you have the time, check us out at dirty-hippies.blogspot.com Continued fun on your travels, Eric