Run away with me

Last week I ran away with my lover... I can't remember the last time Traveler and I ran away together. And then we FLEW back together ON THE SAME plane. Traveler and I have piloted planes. We've traveled. We've even been in the same small plane together. But I can't think of the last time we flew on the same jet and sat next to each other - we have this habit of flying separately and going our separate ways until we reunite.

Anyway, the coromandel is an amazing place.
This is at least my 3rd trip and if I lived closer I'd go every month.
I just love walking the beaches and seeing the views and exploring the bits that are forest.


THE DRIVE:
NEARBY BEACH



with a lady walking her dog and using the leash as a way to drag her sandals behind her!

Then we walked up a hill in a town which I think started with a T. Yes, it was that kind of weekend. We just drove around chatting until it was decided that we should stop to explore. I have next to no idea where I was most of the time.



And of course more driving
And the obligatory trip down to cathedral cove

Cormandel 1 - train ride

I've been letting everyday life (and a really nasty cold) keep me from the blog lately. However my mother informs me that she is ready to look at something other than peach cobbler in my last post a month ago. Granted, soon enough it will be peach season in Oregon.. Yum! 

Well back here in New Zealand I went for a mini road trip with some friends last weekend. We were in Auckland for a conference and decided to make a weekend of it.  It's the off season so there are few people or cars. It made for a very lovely weekend.  


I also feel in love with the Impreza we were driving.  Although I considered trying to buy it from the rental car company (its as though any thing is for sale here, you just have to ask), I'm now looking for one around here - too bad its a 'boy racer' car here which makes it frequently stolen and hard to insure... silly because normally I'm more into practical cars, but suddenly I want one of these!

We then decided to go for a tourist trap. A really lovely one that I highly recommend.  Its a train ride on private property that also is a pottery studio / native bush reserve.
 











and below is a photo that reveals the hike we took after the train ride.  If you click on the photo, you should be able to see black dots that mark our path from the car park up a hill and then down to the bay flats.

Corrmandel 3 - driving to Hahei

After Cormandel, we drove over the hill to make our way towards Hahei.  Here is the view looking east:


Earlier in the year, several locals had told me that the Cormandel had changed a lot since I was there in 1999. They spoke of huge mansions, million dollar bachs, and ugliness. I was very worried.

I was relieved to see that my worst fears weren't not realized.  Then we drove to Buffulo Beach, while not my worst fears, I suspect this is what the people were talking about.  It is a very odd place now.  Lots of big fancy houses, at least by kiwi standards, that sort of reminded me of a less tasteful Sunriver.  The point of the Cormandel is a place to get away from it all - its about 3 hours from Auckland and unlike Sunriver, the golf thing here just seems really odd to me.  My car trip mates also made similar comments.  It is like a suburb--- for vacations.  yuck!



That said, the beach was really pretty and I enjoyed walking in the surprisingly warm water!