Hats off to the beautiful Coromandel - by Alice

The Coromandel is a beautiful peninsula, enfuriatingly close to Auckland and consequently overcrowded to the point of insanity in the summer holidays.  As a result, my attitude towards the area is often one of slight resentment (what have they got that we haven't got?) and annoyance (I'd like to go there for a drive, but I'd better wait until after the peak season).
However, Chris and I recently booked a bed and breakfast in Thames and were pleasantly surprised.
The purpose of our journey was to visit the German consulate in Auckland and we figured that Thames was close enough to Auckland to break up the drive, and far enough a way to shift the price/quality balance in our favor.  People say that Thames is a great place to go, but I never really understood why until now.  We found ourselves staying at Huia lodge, about 9km inland from the Thames coast.    Last time, we stayed in a beautiful motel on the Thames coast, but to be honest, the beach didn't impress us much.  Huia Lodge, on the other hand, was deep into the bush, and staying there made a lot of sense.  I was surprised to find that most of Celia and Murrays guests were from the U.K., with Germans being their next biggest group of visitors.  Apparently their cottage is very close to the Pinnacles, a mountain range I hadn't even heard of until that moment, and yet it is a major attraction to trampers all around the world!
We had arrived shortly before dark, but we had a little bit of time to zoom down to the Department of Conservations visitor's center for a look.  We took a short walk to a model dam, a replica of the kinds of dams early woodcutters built for floating logs out of the bush.  Everything was just so beautiful, and even though I would usually put my nose in the air and say that the Ureweras (near Whakatane) are just as good, at that moment I had my doubts.
So, I have to say, at this moment, credit where credit is due, the Coromandel is definitely worth taking a look.  If you want to go there, I would strongly recommend hiring a car, and if you like to camp, take a tent.  Coromandel has a lot of problems and prohibitions on freedom camping, and for the price of hiring a campervan and then paying for a campsite, you may as well stay in a nice B&B like Huia Lodge.

Here are some photos from our trip:

coffee in Katikati, the cafe is called "Robert Harris", a popular franchise here.

Riding the old steam train in Waihi

Walking over the old bridge in the Waihi Gorge.

These are the Pinnacles.  

The visitor centre is beautiful, and gets a lot of sponsorship from the mining company.

The kahikatea track is a shorter exhibition track.  The track to the mountains isn't this good!

We took the photos in the evening and the light was really beautiful, but I guess the camera had other ideas.  This is the model dam, built to give visitors an idea of the technology used by early woodcutters.

It was approaching night and we got a little bit nervous about getting lost in the bush.  Having found our way back to the car, our anxiety was further increased by the slightly confusing system of roads for getting out of the park.  These teeth are built to stop people entering through the exit, but we weren't entirely confident that we hadn't come out the wrong way and had to check that the teeth weren't meant for us!

 

Having ascertained that we weren't trapped in the national park for the night, playing with this new technology was kind of fun!

Back to Huia Lodge for a cup of tea.

Here is Celia with Huia Lodge's record of where each visitor comes from.  

Here is the Autobahn cafe, a popular place to stop on the way out of Auckland.

Autobahn Cafe, Bombay, South of Auckland.

Good food!

Horse hire at Mack and Steve`s

Deutsche

Yesterday we went to see  Mack and Steve who started a horse hire business at Ohiwa . I read an ad in the local newspaper where they advertised horse riding for a really good price of $20 per hour and horse.






If you are coming from Whakatane, the 25 minutes drive to Ohiwa itself is worth doing as the road has some awesome views to offer of Ohiwa Harbour. The 6 ha property is located on Ohiwa Loop Rd and sits beatifully on a hill.




Größere Kartenansicht


Coming from Whakatane you can find a sign on the right side of the road with the title `Horse Hire´.

On the right, beside that sign, is the gate to a steep path that leads to the paddock. Even if you are not an experienced off road driver you wont have any difficulties with driving that path with a 2 wheel drive, just as long as you avoid the holes!

Arriving at the top you are rewarded with a gorgeous view (unfortunately the beauty of it is not really reflected in the pictures).

After a short walk across the property, Steve, who manages the horses, and Mack, who manages the property and the bookings etc., told us about all the offers which are included in their programme. There is a diverse range of horse rides in different lengths either through the bush or at the beach. Also horse rides during the night time are offered.  This might be especially attractive for people who are interested in the nocturnal wildlife. Steve loves to prepare a hangi meal (meal which is cooked in a Maori earth oven).  In New Zealand a very common sport is pig hunting. Steve offers this activity as well as cattle mustering. Steve, who will accompany you along the horse tracks if you want, is open-minded to all ideas of his customers. For example, if there is interest in learning about Maori medicinal herbs you can ask him about it during a horse ride. He told us a bit about his experience in this area e.g. how to recognise leaves with antibiotic properties and how he treats his wounded horses with it or which herb is the best if you want to loose weight as this herb reduces your appetite and many other things.

After a cup of tea, Steve and I went on a horse ride to Ohiwa Harbour. Steve is a very experienced rider who broke in all of his horses and trained them himself. And I can say that  I felt very safe during the whole ride (Btw. helmets are of course provided). The horses are very well trained and of such a good temper that beginners are able to ride them without a doubt. The more spirited ones are either ridden by Steve himself or reserved for those riders who are really advanced.

It should be mentioned that the operator doesnt have insurance for accidents. As the business is running on the basis of hire the operator is not obliged to have insurance. But it is obvious that this is mirrored in the very good price.
Here are some more photos:

Besides the many riding opportunities,  up to 4 persons also can sleep  for $60per night (plus $10 per extra person) in a basic but fully equipped rustic cabin with a fantastic view.

Currently there is only an outdoor toilet which really lives up to its name: `The loo with the view´.

While taking a bath you also can enjoy the amazing view.

(Hot water is available)

As I said Steve and Mack just started their project and they mentioned quite a range of ideas how to improve this gorgreous place. Hopes and best wishes to them that they may realise with all their enthusiasm the great ideas they have. A website does not exist yet so please contact Mack on:

0274991693

or after 6 pm

07 3158655

or, if you need help with contacting Mack and Steve, email me at fairychris@web.de

The Pacific Coast Highway - How to say the place names

Klicken Sie hier für die deutsche Version

New Zealand place names are usually in either English or Maori. Maori pronounciation is probably more logical in relation to the spelling than English. Despite this, many Pakeha (New Zealanders of European descent) still manage to speak Maori badly, so there are common mispronounciations of Maori place names.
In this (very boring but useful)set of videos, Alice traces the route from Auckland to Whakatane, and around Whakatane, saying the names as best she can.
We're both sorry that it's rather dull, but at least you can hear the place names.


1. Arriving in Auckland


2. From Bombay to Tauranga........

Campsites II

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I’ve been on the lookout for more campsites.  Most of these campsites I found most recently are either out towards Opotiki, or towards the Urewera National Park.

Opotiki is a beautiful little town just along the coast from Whakatane.


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Its beaches include Waiotahi Beach, Hukuwai Beach, Tirohanga Beach and Kutarere.  

We drove out there .....

The Pacific Coast Highway

View the German Language version here

The Pacific Coast Highway
When you are heading out of Auckland, on state highway 1, towards Hamilton, it will be nice for you to stop at the Autobahn café near a town called “Bombay”, near Pukehohe.
There, you can enjoy a nice morning tea or lunch and say goodbye to Auckland.
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Continue south along the highway a little bit further ....

Arriving in New Zealand

View German Language version here.

When you arrive in Auckland, I suggest you have a nice rest in an Auckland hotel or motel before you set out on your New Zealand journey. Too many people try to start their holiday immediately after getting off the plane and consequently have car accidents. For a nice restful walk in Auckland, you could have an ice-cream or a cup of coffee in Cornwall Park. There you can look at a lot of beautiful semi-tropical trees and listen to some native birds (such as the tui) singing you a welcome song! The good thing about Cornwall Park is that it is close to the motorway and you don’t have to go too far into the city to find it.

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To get to the park, .....