Coming down along the water was intense! Stopped first at a little park where we climbed to the top of some rocks (big rooted trees rising up out of it) and sat in the sun and relaxed. Driving on down thru Orere, Matingarahi, then Kaiaua was fine! Intense flowers along the road. Stopped at the little store in Kaiau where the family who runs the place ended up telling us of where we might want to go, talking travel with the "mom", whod been to the states (in Washington too - "Boeing Boeing"!) -
Then we drove a bit further down to Miranda Hot Springs, where for $4.00 each we had nearly privat access to the biggest pool I've ever been in (largest hot spring pool in Southern Hemisphere) - we also pitched our tent in the camping area.
We drove on south to Thames for more groceries and to have a beer at a pub ("one or two bottles?" "two..." - the bottles were like quart -size of Lion Red!) It was another beautiful drive.
Went into the pool & hot sauna this a.m. already - had a few cuppas and visited with a man from England who stopped by our site to offer us his remaining store of sugar packets, rice, and a military-type "stove" which uses little flammable wafers which you just light up - burns about 10 minutes! He & his wife have reached the end of their 3 wk vacation (he's in the navy - probably late 30's), so he told us of more good places to see and places worth skipping!
Today we head up and across the Coromandel Peninsula...!
