October outings.

We finally got some dudes in to create our patio. Concrete and railway sleepers, we love it apart from the smell occasionally from the old sleepers. Hopefully that will fade with time.

And so to our October outing. A trip around the Coromandel peninsula. We have visited many times as it is so close even just to have lunch in Whangamata but thought we could find some bits we had never really seen…. and so we did.

First stop was Miranda, such fun! It is a place where thousands of birds migrate to. We didn’t realise you had to be there at a certain tide time to see them, so had to do some hanging around and then the torrential rain came.. another time we will be more prepared! I did like the signs in the hides some naughty birds are on the wanted posters, must have been up to no good.

On to Thames. We usually pass through but stayed the night and by crickey the fish and chips were worth it.

After morning tea with Belinda and Dirk for the best scrolls ever, the theme for the day was trees and gardens.

A square Kauri, hidden gardens and of course if there’s a bridge you have to play pooh sticks.. I won.

Up to Coromandel town we stayed in a motel that a few nights earlier Winston Peters had stayed in whilst on his pre election campaign trail. They didn’t think much of him and neither did the rest of the country it would seem, as he failed to make it back into parliament, the end of a long journey in politics… Or is it!

Dinner at the pub was magnificent. The owner, Stan Hill a former NZ basketballer, sure knows how to cook up a good snapper.

We decided to help out the local tourist economy by visiting the railway. Driving Creek railway did not disappoint. 30+years ago a science teacher decided he’d had enough of teaching and built a railway up a hill just for fun! Even for those of us who are not train spotters it really was fun and interesting. The clay is also used by local potters a good accidental find.

Onto the East Coast. We stayed in Whitianga for a few days. Great ferry and walk over to Cooks beach. We also went out to the pub to watch the rugby. It was the first time since lockdown that we had really been around lots of people. All went well and the All Blacks won!

Quick stops along the way to Whangamata including Hahei, Tairua – if there’s a hill climb it- but not hot water beach.. roadworks! Another time.! The weather set in so dirty dash home again.