New Zealand: #11 Coromandel

I took a trip to the northern central area of the north island, know as the Coromandel Peninsula. The first day I got there it was pouring all day, but the rain cleared by sunset.

Near the town of Coromandel there is a pottery workshop that operates a train ride through the hillside. The tracks follow a narrow path, and the engineer would often hop off the train and switch us into reverse. We would back up onto another track and zig zag up the hill.

No one wants to sit by me. I'm smiling to hold back tears.

All that rain keeps the place pretty lush.

The tracks were surrounded by clay pottery and sculptures.

The train took us to this building, called the Eyefull Tower.

Great Barrier Island from the tower.

I drove from the town of Coromandel, which is on the west coast, across the peninsula to the eastern side.

Hot Water Beach

Looking left and right.

Obviously the beach was overcrowded so I left for Hahei.

The second I arrived there was a sudden downpour. Perfect timing. I got back in the car for 5 minutes and it started to let up. I began the 45 minuted trek down the cliff to get to the beach. By the time I stepped onto the beach it was sunny. I got down to my bathing suit and it started raining again...but then the sun came out again. Typical NZ weather.

If I were a stump, this is the spot I would pick too. Good choice, stump.

I have been taking a lot of fern photographs. They just never get old.

It's not every day you see pine trees and ferns growing together. Unless you're in New Zealand.

Cathedral Cove.

Tree growing out the top of the archway. So cool!

Super close-up of the sand.

Gemstone Bay, around the corner from Cathedral Cove. I want to come back and go snorkeling here. Anyone want to join me?

At low tide I went back to Hot Water Beach. There is a hot spring right on the shoreline. You can hire a spade (rent a shovel) and dig a hole to make your own hot pool.

There was this old man who kept waiting for me to dig, then he would come over and touch the water and tell me it wasn't hot. So I would move over and start another hole and he would do the same thing. I started throwing the scooped mud in his direction.