Day 1, Auckland to Whitianga via thames and Coromandel Town

Mon Jan 1 by Karen
We'd booked car hire with Aero Parks through Wise cars, and a few minutes after our call to say we were through customs they were outside to pick us up. To our surprise we actually got the car we had booked. Not one in the same category, not a similar size one. The car we had booked.

First stop a trip to Warehouse for a chilly bin and ice pack and a Countdown supermarket for water, bananas and Tasti Snak logs then we hit the road heading for Thames on the Coromandel.

We could have spent all day at Thames, mining museums, wide streets, nose into kerb parking, pavements designed for 5 or 6 people to stroll along side by side all covered over supported by poles. We walked the length of the main street ,to number 720b Pollen street and had lunch at Sola, a quaint vegetarian cafe before walking all the way back to the car past the 1873 shop fronts.

Next stop the butterfly forest a little way north. Not a big place but filled with gorgeous butterflies that found my skirt an interesting place to land on. They like bright colours.

they also had a parrot

in the butterfly garden

this one was massive, we thought it was fake until it suddenly moved

From here we wound our way around the coast of the Coromandel just looking at the wonderful scenery which is not done justice to by our cameras. Loads of Agapanthus flowering abundantly, flame trees just coming into flower and ferns everywhere.

We stopped again at Coromandel town for a caffeine kick, coffee and chocolate cake, the jet lag was beginning to kick in and we had an hour of driving to go. The coast from Coromandel town onwards lead past hills covered with tree ferns, a glorious sight as the road twisted and turned. It was with relief we approached Whitianga about 5pm. We turned towards our accommodation and hit a police check. They were stopping everyone for a breath test. Jono was told to count to 5 into the machine. He reached one and then stopped confused. The officer had to repeat the instructions. No alcohol flashed up. It's a good job they don't test for jet lag. We would have failed that one.

Finally we reached Sailers Rest on the Whitianga Waterways. We were asleep by 6pm!!!