Day 4....The Coromandel

Well Trev and I had a lovely sleep and as always I was up bright and early to avoid the pre get-the-showers-filthy-as-we-don't-care-about-leaving-our-hair- all-over-the-place rush.  As i was wondering what to wear, mother nature answered by making it rain.  Jeans it was then.  Still not cold, muggy warm rain and the clouds made the scenery even more dramatic.

Now, onto the scenery.  I touched yesterday on the amazing-ness of it all so far and I was sure that today was to be no exception.  First stop, Cathedral Cove.

This entailed a short drive followed by a long, steep, up and down walk, but boy was it worth it.  I was there early and there were only 3 cars and campers in the car park, and the fact that I had this beautiful natural wonder to myself was a bonus.  It has its name as the sea has carved out an archway akin to a Cathedral.....

On the way back up the 'moderate' walk (according to the literature) I encountered a lot of people on the way down and was glad I made the decision to go early.  The car park was full when I got back and people where driving round waiting for people to leave.  Needless to say I gave some poor sap hope by walking back to Trevor and then shattered their illusions by setting up to eat my breakfast, soaking up the view.

By this time it was raining on and off, I was hot and clammy, regretting wearing jeans to go on a hike and in need of a sit down and a coffee to go with my breakfast.  So flat white purchased from the little kiosk, yogurt eaten and OJ drunk I headed off to travel the scenic 25 around the Coromandel Peninsula.  One turn in and the $5 flat white I purchased and unfortunately left on the side in the back, fell and deposited its milkiness all over Trevor's interior.  Bollocks.  Or words to that effect.  So, a kitchen roll and half a pack of baby wipes later we were on our way.

Now this journey made the one yesterday look like the M25.......

I genuinely cannot explain to you the magnificence of the scenery and the intricate nature of the roads.  Australia is so close to my heart as it is stunning in its vastness and diversity.  New Zealand (not even a week in) can only be described as majestically immensely magnificent.  Even the word immense is not big enough.  The country itself doesn't come close to the size of Oz, but the landscape, the sense of nature, the immenseness of the views makes it big.  I know that may not make sense but for those of you who have been here will know, and those who haven't will just have to come or take my word for it.  Majestic. It is all so big.  The scale is so difficult to judge and whilst travelling the even more ridiculously difficult 25, my ears popped in and out at every turn, I had to put Trevor in first to get round some of the hair pin bends, I was in danger of falling off the ends of the earth if I tried to take in the view and it just made my heart leap.

Wow.  Totally different to anything I have ever seen, but so familiar.  It truly is middle earth and I imagined being jumped on by a hobbit!  There are ranches, and homesteads and whiteboard single story towns that wouldn't look out of place in the wild west.

And one such town was Coromandel where I wandered until I came across a little cafe and sampled the most scrumptious mussel chowder.  Thick, creamy and lush!

Then more stupidly mad driving and whoops later, I arrived back at the campsite, set up my table at the top of the ridge overlooking the bay and sat back to enjoy the sounds of the ocean with my fresh bread, local cheese and my very own humous!

I have just realised that I have not even mentioned that it has been cloudy, hot, rainy, sunny, windy and hot all rolled into one today.  And I have one big problem with this trip so far and this may stay with me all the way through.  There are no bloody places to stop on these roads to take pictures to share it with you all!!!!

Anyhoo, I'm plying cash into this internet machine and there is a queue waiting but I have to see if I can upload some pics before I head back to Trev and some more local vino.

Hope you are all well and blog on again soon.........xxxxxx