Our first destination was Thames (pronounced "Teams"). We arrived in Thames in about 30-45 minutes after leaving Auckland. It was roughly 8AM and the town was still asleep. None of the shops on the main drag were opened save for one bakery. We stopped in to get a bite to eat. Matt got a steak and cheese meat pie along with the most sugary pastry I've ever had. I took one bit and my head got a little swirly. I got a date scone and we shared a 'long white' which is coffee and steamed milk. The foamy milked was poured on the top and made into a leaf-shaped design.
After second-breakfast, we made a stop at the i-Site Information Center to get a map of the area and asked what there was to do on a rainy day on the Coromandel Peninsula. The were two attractions close by. A bird hut park and a butterfly garden. The bird hut was a wooden gazebo, accessible only from a wooden walkway. The only birds we could see were some ducks and seagulls. The rain was coming down sideways in sheets, on top of that, a light mist. We didn't stay long, but long enough to get wet.
Our next stop was at a WWI monument on top a hill, which gave us a great view of the city and the bay. Visibility was reduced to maybe a mile due to the rain.
After that we drove to the butterfly garden. For $9NZ, we walked through an indoor greenhouse stocked full of beautiful butterflies, tropical plants, and orchids. Matt was like a little girl, chasing the blue butterflies around the room with hopes of getting a good photo.
After that we continued north along the Coromandel coast. The roads were narrow, barely wide enough to fit two cars, let alone the big trucks pulling motor boats. Since we drive on the left side of the road, Mattie was literally inches from the edge. Beyond that was either a sharp drop off into the water or a tall cliff into the coast line with large pointy rocks. He was nervous to say the least. The other drivers must be locals, for they were whipping around the corners at lightning speed while I was just trying to keep our tires on the road. As we drove further up the coast, the terrain became much more dramatic. Towering hills to our right and a rugged, curvy coast to our left. We made a few stops along the way, mainly on large bluffs to take pictures of the scenery and be courteous to the other, speedier drivers.
We arrived in Coromandel Town around 1pm. The town was small and quaint with a single main street, which was lined with people window shopping and dining at small cafes and restaurants. We parked the car and walked up the town's main street to the Information Center. We got directions to Long Bay where there was a 40 minute hiking trail. Once inside Long Bay Park, there were lines of small campers and tents. Along the tramp (hiking trail), we saw kauri and fern trees. At the other end, there was another campsite. We got some neat photos of the coast line and NZ "Christmas trees" (below).
We also stopped to look at the mussels making their home on the rocks. (Below: That's me showing off my mussels)
Our next adventure was Highway 309. It was a rustic, scenic drive that would take us to Whitianga in about an hour. We stopped at a few parks along the way to do some hiking. Our first stop was to see the Kauri trees. They are similar to redwood trees in size. Holy crap, they were huge!
We passed a touristy attraction called Waterworks where they had "over 4-5 things to play with". We decided to forgo the $15/person to play with over 4 or 5 water thingys.
We then stopped at the Waiau Falls and hiking to both the top and bottom. Th last leg of the drive to Whitianga was pretty and quiet. Narrow roads took us through a nature preserve. The landscape to our right was so massive. Huge hills, valleys - all green, lush and so massive!
Finally, we arrived at Whitianga. The town was bustling as we drove through. Hoards of people walked the streets, most in beach and summer attire. We made our way to the hotel, a small and quiet establishment just on the outskirts of town. The rooms were like small dorm rooms and had paper thin walls. We unpacked and promptly headed out for a walk on the beach and dinner by the marina. By the time we arrived back on the main street all the shops had closed and it appeared as a ghost town, with the exception of the sport bar where we heard cheering for the local cricket team.
Finally, we arrived at Whitianga. The town was bustling as we drove through. Hoards of people walked the streets, most in beach and summer attire. We made our way to the hotel, a small and quiet establishment just on the outskirts of town. The rooms were like small dorm rooms and had paper thin walls. We unpacked and promptly headed out for a walk on the beach and dinner by the marina. By the time we arrived back on the main street all the shops had closed and it appeared as a ghost town, with the exception of the sport bar where we heard cheering for the local cricket team.
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