Coromandel and the East Cape area to Rotorua

We found a place that we think we could actually live if we wanted to leave Canada.  New Zealand is a beautiful mix of beaches, mountians and beautiful farmland.  Not too populated, great fishing, the tramping(hiking)is bar none and the weather is moderate most of the year.  We could definately do 6 months here.  We have been enjoying both the beaches and hiking, not to mention the camping.  Kiwis have a great mix of campgrounds, private camps with everything including kitchens, laundry and t.v. rooms for the nasty days to Department of Conservation, DOC sites with just the essentials, pit toilets and maybe a table-but in really nice locations.   

The Coromandel Peninsula was stunning with the road travelling along the shore.  We stayed at a couple of DOC sites, one at Stoney Bay(Ken's favourite so far) and one at Waikawau Bay.  Off the Peninsula we made our way thru Karangahake Gorge, where we did a hike thru the old mining tracks, to the town of Rotorua which is best known for its geothermal activity.  Next, we turned east and headed for the coast again and found a great DOC site in Matata, just off the beach, before we headed across the East Cape to Grisborne and on to Te Urewera National Park.  Lake Taupo was the next stop after the park and a really nice city...large town really, with more than a few Canadians living at it enjoying the golf and weather.  Lake Taupo is actually a big volcanic crater lake with crystal blue water.

This is where we are today as we do our chores and get ready to head south a bit to Tongariro National Park where we have plans to do a 20 km alpine hike tomorrow, this hike is rated the best one day hikes in N.Z. ...we shall see.

Driving along the Coromandel Peninsula the road winds closely to the Pacific past bay after beautiful bay.

N.Z. has more birds than we have ever seen.  Waking in the morning to the sound of them is a great alarm clock.  Ken caught this photo of a N.Z. pigeon sitting and watching us walk by.  This pigeon is the largest native N.Z. bird.

 

This Tui bird is all dressed up in a black tux and white tie!

At the lookout on our hike from Stoney Bay to Fletcher Bay, located at the very tip of the Coromandel Peninsula and only accessible on foot.  

A beautiful view down the coast from this same hike.

Tramping is a favourite pastime here in N.Z. and people have been known to go through a pair of boots or two.

 

We hiked from Waikawau Bay, where we camped at a very nice DOC campsite, in the background to a viewpoint above Little Bay, which is pictured in front.  Who knew N.Z. had so many beaches?

 

The little towns located along the bays are a little isolated but they want for nothing.  This energetic lady plans to travel between Waikawau Bay DOC site and the community of Little Bay selling expresso, farmer style...on her Massey Ferguson.

Ken takes a look through the "Cathedral" at Cathedral Cove.  It was a nice 2 hour hike out and back from our camp in Hahei.

 

Small rocks dot Cathedral Cove, it reminded us of The Flowerpot Rocks in Nova Scotia.

Help!!!What is the name of these flowers?  They are abundant here and out in full bloom.

The Karangahake Gorge was once the home to several large mines, now you can hike along the old tracks, through tunnels where the ore cars once ran.

On a hike that we took at Karangahake Gorge we stayed on the trail but were still able to see many deserted mine shafts.

Also on this hike, Ken found a freshwater eel laying in the ditch beside the road.  The weather had been very wet and we figure it must have tried to swim up the ditch when the water was flowing(and I mean really flowing)down during the rain, the day before.  Yes, it was still alive and Ken saved its life by throwing it back into the stream about 50 metres down the road.  Note: no CPR was needed!

Check out the size of the fiddle head beside Kens foot...big, big, big.  Nice pink anklet, Ken...oh by the way it is for repelling flys and the jury is still out as to if it realy works!

We were not too impressed with Rotorua.  The city itself was nothing special, it's claim to fame is the thermal areas all over the place.  There are lots of spas but Ken I and didn't partake.

The carving at the head of a Mauri canoe.  

A local meat shop at Makaraka near Gisborne, at the bottom of the East Cape.

Now that is one fluffy sheep!

Around 75 km of gravel road took us through the Te Urewera National Park, a rainforest with a beautiful lake in it's centre.  Deep Purple handled like a dream on the dirt, and airtight too, not much dust got inside.

Looking down Huka Falls near Taupo where the Waikato River flows from Lake Taupo on it's 425 km journey to Auckland and the Ocean.