This was a much more successful day for us! Instead of using local public transit we instead took the car and thanks to the GPS got to every place we wanted to in decent time.
Our first stop was to the Museum. On the first floor (they have 3) they have an excellent exhibit of Maori carvings, including a large war canoe. On the second floor there is a geology display as well as displays on the New Zealand wildlife, both past (i.e. the Moa) and present. The third is dedicated to military things such as a memorial to those who died in past conflicts as well as information on the conflicts New Zealanders have taken part in.
After the museum we drove to the harbour front to see the Kelly Tarlton Antarctic and underwater displays. There we took a ride through an area where they house two types of penguins. As we were too busy taking pictures we took the ride a second time just so we could focus on looking at them! Then we walked by a pool where they have numerous ocean fish including 3 large stingrays. After that it was through a tunnel under another aquarium where they keep a number of sharks and other ocean fish.
To close out our site seeing we then went to “One Tree Hill”, the highest of the local extinct volcanoes that at one time was home to a Maori settlement and a sacred tree which was cut down by white settlers, replaced with an imported pine and that in turn was cut down by local Maori’s not too long ago. The view from here is fantastic!
As we were running out of time before rush hour was to begin we left and returned to Andrew and Valmai’s place. That evening, while reminiscing about Sorowako, he mentioned that another friend I had met there had not had his contract renewed. So I tried to look him up using the New Zealand Yellow Pages web site. I was able to find one name that appeared to be the right one and who lived on the south-east part of the Coromandel Peninsula. I noted the address and telephone number and decided that once closer I would call and see if it was the right person.
Day 6
We departed Auckland in the morning and left to tour the Coromandel Peninsula. This is an old gold mining district and site of areas of present day logging. The trip to Thames was uneventful, primarily because we were driving on some of the best highways we’ve seen so far. Once we headed north along the peninsula coast things changed quickly to a narrow 2-Lane road that hugged the shore and followed, it seemed, every little bend in the coast. As a result I spent most of my time watching the road and very little absorbing the scenery. Once we reached the town of Coromandel we took the highway over the high ridge that makes up the peninsula to Whitianga. Up at the height of land we were able to take in some great vista’s!
Once in Whitianga I took out our new cell phone and called the number I had written done the day before hoping it would be my friend Jan. As it turned out it indeed was him! He then invited us to stay the nigh. But he recommended that we first take in Hot Water Beach, which had been on our itinerary anyway.
So we drove into Hot Water Beach, where a geothermal hot spring up wells right at the shore, under beach sands. There people typically rent shovels, dig holes in the sand and then let the spring water fill them in prior to using them just like a hot tub! The only problem is that you can only do that two hours either side of lowtide. Fortunately for us we arrived about an hour after low tide. While I didn’t wade into the pools Janice took off her sandals and tried out the water which indeed was quite warm!
After we finished exploring the beach we continued the drive and headed to Whangamata where my friend Jan and his wife Jen live. They are in the process of converting their small summer house (“Bach” being the local vernacular for such a building) into their new full-time home. In doing so they have pretty much tripled the square footage. They have emphasised access to the local view by having plenty of very large windows. A virtual palace with exceptional site lines!
While Jen had to work we spent the afternoon with Jan who took us for a walk to Wharekawa beach. This one is rather unique in that there is no direct road access and thus is pretty much unspoiled by any development. It is commonly used by local surfers who walk to the beach and then paddle out into the surf.
We stayed long enough to see and chat with Jen for a while.
Then we bid farewell and drove off to see the hydrothermal features (primarily hot springs) in the Rotarua and Taupo area. Our first stop was to Kuirau Park right in the community of Rotarua. Here there are a series of hot springs and pools, some with boiling water, others with just hot and steaming water and a few with bubbling mud. The whole town, as a result of this hot spring activity has a distinct sulphur smell.
After that we had problems finding any of the other significant geothermal areas with the result that one of the two areas I wanted to see (Champagne Pool) was missed. But at least we were able to find the Wairakei geothermal area. This one of the main areas where they produce electricity using steam generated by first pumping water underground where it is then heated by the rocks and then comes back up to the surface as steam. It is rather unique too in that dissolved minerals, including quartz and gold, precipitate out where the steam escapes.
We ended the day by checking into a motel in Tuapo.
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