The Coromandel Peninsula

The Coromandel Peninsula

is on the west side of the North Island (as you can see if you click the map link above), and its lush forests, surf beaches and relaxed atmosphere makes it a popular holiday destination for Aucklanders. For a place that is just a few hours from a huge city, it is surprisingly rugged, and parts of it feel very remote.

We just couldn't get our heads around the vegetation, which varies from dense, Jurassic-Park style sub-tropical crazy JUNGLE, to pretty ordinary pine plantations, with strange, tall silver-barked trees, gnarled pohutukawas and loads of funky tree-ferns thrown in.

Colville

is halfway up the west coast of the peninsula, and Colville Farm is one of fairly few places to stay in that area. Set between the hills and the sea, and equipped with every traveller's delight, including a log fire, a mandarin tree, a whole field of horses and a swimming hole, it is the perfect place to while away a few days in perfect peace. (Sheesh. I should be paid for this.)

Jetlag was still waking me up at 5 am at this point, which is not necessarily a bad thing: I will never forget sitting on the fence at Colville and watching the stars fade over the mountains as dawn broke. I took this picture a few hours later, when the sun came out for a moment and shone on the dew in the paddocks. Isn't it lovely?

Whitianga

The next day we drove over the mountains straight across the peninsula (which is actually where the top picture on this page is from) to Whitianga. Coming down from the mountains, we found our first proper beach, and we both tore off our socks and shoes and went for a paddle. It had been raining for days, but the sun shone on this beach, and it was a wonderful twenty minutes... before it started to rain again.

Cathedral Cove

We spent the next night at the Cat's Pyjamas Backpackers in Whitianga, and spent the next day exploring the beaches around the area. One complete highlight was Cathedral Cove, a weird and wonderful rock formation on the beach near Hahei. It is set in a large marine reserve, and although there is a well-maintained walkway leading there, it retains a sense of seclusion and peace. Beautiful.

Whangamata

is the centre of the huge surf scene in the Coromandel, and like the cool dudes we absolutely are not, we promptly rented suits and boards and headed for the beach. We had a great time, took a few tumbles and caught a few waves - perfect. Unfortunately, the fun came to a bloody end when Simon had an argument with the beach, which the beach won, and Simon paid for his impudence with the skin off half his face.

A steak and a beer at Pinky's Bar did much to help Simon forget the pain - not to mention heal his dented ego. We were fortunate enough to be served by Mr Pinky himself, who clearly had earned that moniker on account of his rather remarkable cheeks. (Oh, get out of here. Get your mind out of the privy. That's not what I meant and you know it.) A few large men in shorts offered boxing lessons and Trivial Pursuit games. Simon declined both.

Time to go back to Auckland and pick up friends, who by now had arrived from Britain.

Northland - allegedly a land without a winter - awaited. Onwards and upwards.