Day 49 - A Long Day North

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Fiona's place has been a convenient base to see the active volcanic area of this Island. We were keen to avoid Rotarua (AKA New Zealand Vegas) on this trip since we've both been there before. The map below shows Taupo as well as Wai-o-Tapu and Matamata circled. Our trip today takes us first from Taupo to Waitomo glow worm caves.

There are other glow worm caves in New Zealand (and some on the east coast of Australia), but the Waitomo Caves are quite extensive.  I have visited here a couple of times before but Tina has never been and I am happy to see them once again. It was a good two and a half hour drive to Waitomo before our 45 minute walk and boat ride through the caves. No photography is allowed, so this is all we got!

We had a late lunch at the cave restaurant before heading north to the Coromandel Peninsula. We were aware that it'd be a long day, so planned the trip accordingly, trading driving responsibilities, taking time to enjoy the varying and beautiful scenery and stopping for afternoon tea (and a lamination) en route. What surprised us was the road we encountered over the last 2 hours of the journey! We took the easier and safer east coast road, avoiding Thames, on Fiona's advice. From Whangamata on it is narrow, with no shoulder, and is almost continuous S-curves and hairpin turns up and down mountains. Road work is being done right now and some of it is loose, oiled gravel with no road markings. We were exhausted because we were both driving - one actual and one emotional - hoping we'd actually make it to the end.

How happy we were to arrive at John and Adele's place on the beach near Kuaotunu - directly north of Whitianga before the road turns west to Coromandel city. They had a stiff drink and late dinner awaiting our appearance. Hooray!!

Here is John and Adele's home with our little Mazda 3 parked in front.