It didn’t help that when we got home to Wellington on Saturday it was just 12 degrees! We actually lit the fire.
We did about 2200km on our holiday and had a really cool time. We stayed at Paekakariki for the first week, then trailed our way through: Taupo, Whitianga, Omokoroa, Maketu, Ohiwa Beach, Waikite Valley then back to Paekakariki. So, for a quick summary:
Best coffee:
Two Fish Café in Opotiki
Best find:
Waikite Valley Thermal Pools – if you camp there you get free use of the pools, even when the staff aren’t there. They empty the pools each night, but they’re full again by 5.30am. They don’t open to the public till 10am so it’s like having your own private thermal wonderland. There are only about 16 sites so we're not talking a horde of people!
Best camping ground:
Ohiwa Beach – surf on one side and the harbour for kayaking on the other.
Best place we stayed:
Mercury Bay Holiday Park with Helena and Craig. It was just so wonderful to see them and to see what a great life they’ve made for themselves (and apologies to the other bloggers up there who I didn’t get around to contacting).
Best tourist spot:
Without doubt, the Driving Creek Railway. Met up with some friends (and a niece) who were staying nearby and went on this very cool train ride. If you do nothing else on the Coromandel, do this.
Best treat:
The Lost Spring in Whitianga. We had a very luxurious soak in the hot pools (love being served cocktails in the pool!), then Craig had a massage and I had a Sea Kelp and Coffee Body Wrap. Heaven!
Best first experience for Sue:
I’ve never been to the speedway before, but we went in Tauranga. I wouldn’t bother with speedway again – but the caravan demolition derby at the end was one of the most hilarious things I’ve ever seen.
8 comments:
I'm so glad you loved our little piece of heaven that is the Coromandel. We also went on the Driving Creek Railway for the first time over the break but it was on a cloudy day - still it was terrific and highly recommended.
Don't worry about not catching up! It was hectic all around over the break and we could just as easily contacted you (via Helena). I'm just glad you had a wonderful time.
I just have to say that I am most jealous of you guys catching up wtih Helena & craig!!! I NEED to get up there!
Sounds like a wonderful holiday:-)
Loved the Lost Spring - magical, we felt we were somewhere very exotic. We also enjoyed the Driving Creek Railway. Helena and Craig do have a great lifestyle.
Lovely to hear from you and glad you had such a wonderful time. Zxx
Glad you had a great holiday and happy you are back blogging.
xxx
lol @ memories of the caravan derby. That was hilarious, we were sitting at the starting point of that race and I started laughing straight off as one caravan fell to bits before it had been towed 100metres. Wish I had seen what happened to the boat and portaloo as one lap they were intact, then suddenly they were gone. (must have fallen apart down the other end).
That all looks so wonderful! But the caravan derby is my favorite.
I can't find your email address either!
Ours is powercheck@xtra.co.nz
Would be very interested in the info you have on Otago - thanks:-)
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