New Zealand --Auckland- Coromandel- Rotorua- Waitomo

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Auckland New Zealand , city of sails also city of hang overs, that’s in sidewalk overhangs everywhere. Either it rains a lot or Aucklanders like the clutter ambiance it gives there city. After a bus tour and not a sail to be found we left with the impression of a pleasant but unremarkable city—of course we did’nt dig too deep but headed out for the real reason we came to New Zealand.

The drive up the Coromandel peninsula is spectacular 2 hours of little towns along an extended switchback road with one lane bridges and pounding surf.

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The drive up the Coromandel peninsula is spectacular 2 hours of little towns along an extended switchback road with one lane bridges and pounding surf. Deep green foliage and volcanic rock ourcroppings amidst fields of cattle and of course, sheep.

After overnighting in Cormandle, another 3 hours of white knuckle curves facing tamdem trucks until we arrived at Hihei beach. We wer’nt sure we were prepared for a three hour Sea Kayak adventure in Cathedral Coves brisk autumn air and threatening rain laiden clouds.

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Our guide Carlos arrived and we set out in the surf with a couple from Sydney and another from Oregon in tandem sea kayaks. Carlos took us along the shoreline and out amongst the sea caves, where we ventured in and out. We explored blow holes and were given a fishing show by the local cormorants. He told us the story of Maui and how New Zealand was really created while eating biscuits inside of NBH (New blow hole. The area is pristine and as the sun broke through, we were treated to one of the best days in nature we have experienced. Many thanks to Cathedral Cove Kayaking for delivering what their brochure promises – very rare.

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We set out down the winding road through Toranga reaching Rotorua, land of hot springs where we visited Sulfur point, the Polynesian Spa and settled into our own spring fed hot spa in our Hotel. After ovenighting, we were stressed by the number of attractions featuring the Mori culture and the thermal activities the area is famous for. We decided to see the Waiotapu Thermal Park featuring the Martha Knox geyser along the south thermal highway which included several kilometers of trails featuring boiling mud, sulfur pools and hot water springs and airy woods.

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After lunch we took a chance on crossing the South Island to the Waitomo cave area. Every stereotype of New Zealand was represented on this drive. The intense green forests and hills, sheep, sheep and more sheep, and then cattle and sun then rain then sun as we passed through unpronounceable towns and drove for many kilometers undisturbed by traffic or people.

We arrived in Waitomo just 30 minutes before the last tour of Ruakiri Cave. Our guide, Dunny, took us through a surreal world of glow worms, water and natural sculpture in a new dimension of time quite unaffected by man. You can’t prepare for the size and variety of features in just this one of 300+ caves that live here.