Day 10 Whirlwind to Thames via Whitianga

Day 10 Whirlwind to Thames via Whitianga

Today the weather is still beautiful in Coromandel Town and I will be off to Thames where I do hope it will be just as interesting as Coromandel. I hope the wifi sheep are nice to me as well. They should be helpful while in Thames for two nights. I am wondering what Thames is actually like and it does look bigger than Coromandel Town actually is. I just found they have a station over here called igloo. Dont ask its something like sky.

I had a lamb mint pie with my coffee since the cafe I found the night before didn’t open until 9am and I didn’t want to wait that long even though it was half hour. I think the ladies would think I am stalking them. Only because I like their food. I had some American tourists asking me where I got my coffee and I somehow got them lost and they really didn’t follow my directions. Not my fault and they might not have done the same during Normandy or where ever they got lost. I made some youtube videos just to see if I could do them and they do seem to work, but I will have to do them from my netbook . I was happy to be gone and I was worried about the bus as it might not stop for me. I was hoping i would and when it did finally arrive it did stop exactly where I wanted it too.

The ride to Whitianga was windy nearly all the way to the town. I did like the scenery as we went up and down the hills. I was enjoying the look out the window and I was nearly at the front of the bus, so could take photos from the seat out the windscreen. The driver did stop right out front of the hostels and the YHA was a little out of town, so I might have to stay somewhere closer in town unless I look at the map. I did snort when the driver asked if anyone was going to Cats in pyjamas hostel. I could stay there just to see if its any good. I did once stay in a hostel called Oops so that would be interesting. Once the bus dropped me off to the information centre I went to find the bank and I had food on me that was my lunch. I found some places of interest on my short wander while waiting for the bus though what I did find out was that it was the same bus and the same driver. I never knew the mistake and the driver had missed it in his log. I think it does happen to many people and he did say that it shouldn’t come as two separate trips. Thats life though and another hour or so I was dropped at the front of the hostel as the only person. I don’t know why we started talking about trains I didn’t mean to do that though it was because I was going to see the exhibition in Tauranga if I don’t miss it.

Sunkist hostel is very interesting and large building. The beds are huge and the top bunk is well over my head. I have never seen beds that high up and pretty different. The rooms are really roomy and country as it also has a fake fireplace. I get free coffee and that is something, though food and drinks are not allowed in the rooms at all. I was armed with a mud map that the hostel drew up and they showed me the different walks I could go on in town. I wanted to see the war memorial as it did have some good sights from the top o the town. I got confused by the map, but I was actually on the right track and right where I wanted to be. I couldn’t find the track I was supposed to take up the hill, so followed the road up as it didn’t have the footpath at all. The way down wasn’t any better as I found a track, but it ended up not really going anywhere and I actually think it as a drain of some sort behind some houses. I had to go back up as I wouldn’t have walked down, but fallen down the hill. Once down the bottom I headed to the mine museum as I wanted to see the time it opened, but apparently its closed until December. I did wander on private property. *whistles* I hoped a big dog didn’t run out at me, but no such luck and the gate was open. I did see some mine shafts and even walked up some vacant track with nothing that could hurt me. I found a hole in the hill.

After finding holes in the hills and wandering to a local park, I decided to do the seaside walk to get that out of the way and to see what was around. I had heard about a fish ad chip shop on the other end of the town on the town wharf. I found a small kiddie railway that was open on weekends and the sun was going down, which had me hurrying with my dinner as I had walked around 3 and half kms according to the area map that was on the walkway. I even seen doggie bags for dogs to be placed in the bin. I was getting worried about it getting dark and really didn’t want to be stuck in town once the sun went down as I didn’t actually know where exactly the hostel was. I did find several museums that I will visit during the day tomorrow, but in that twilight period with the sun just about gone and there was plenty of light to take good pictures of old buildings like a motel that was built of kauri. I found the hostel again and I do have a query about the gutters some of them are really steep and deep. You do have to be careful and I am not sure if it was old mining town style or more of modern Thames type gutters, but if they are full of water you could be wet to the knee.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I do know it will be another beautiful day and one full day in Thames that I will want to spend my time in. Hopefully I will get everything done. Tv show of the night is an interesting one that I have never seen before, but only heard of and that is Californicaton. I should look up some stuff towards the museums like School of mines and museum of technology too. Think it was a 200 photo type of day.

Day 9 Whirlwind tour in Coromandel Town

Day 9 Whirlwind tour in Coromandel Town

    I did get some decent sleep the night before and was up bright and early to make the only full day of Coromandel Town.  The day was spectacular as there was very little in the way of cloud cover and I was up around 730 in the morning ready to walk into town and see the sights. I was off and one before my roommates were even awake. My first port of call was to have breakfast and I found that to be very satisfying, bacon and eggs with a coffee that would set me up for some of the day. By the time I ate I was rearing to go and hit the road with enthusiasm. The fuel cells had been filled and I was wanting to make my way to the Driving Creek Railway, which was hand built. More on that later..

I was still taking photos of the landscape that was Coromandel Town. It wasn’t much to see, but she is a pretty little town and I think I was up and moving before many of the tourists thought to unlock their car doors and take sleepy driving tours missing the unusual tourist attraction to their destinations. I was following some of the history to Coromandel as I was taking pictures of the older buildings in town on my way to the trainline. I did find some sheep that I was calling wifi sheep for the internet as a joke, because I was having so much trouble in Auckland with the internet as it kept cutting me off. That is my reason and I’m sticking to it. I like saying I found internet sheep that give us all internet signals. I was following my guide that I had picked up once I had eventually found the information centre. I had to pass most of the historic buildings on my way to the railway.

Some of the buildings I had walked past the day before including the Masonic lodge. I don’t care what people think about them as they were big deal in New Zealands past and you can find headstones all over the country with their symbol somewhere. People can give you conspiracy theories and all that, but I digress. I did find out that I was thinking the wrong thing when I seen a rusty sign for Fir Lawn House. I thought it meant the house had burnt and no entry. You couldn’t tell it was a historic house as the lawn was over grown, but today I did see the house, but it looked like it was falling apart and according to the guide fire damaged. The house was owned by a wealthy man called Frederick Wooliams in 1874. The Masonic house was built in 1898, which is Lodge 17 of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand. I am only going to list some of the locations not all as my fingers would be tired. St Andrews Presbyterian Church was built in 1873 and the first one in the area of that denomination. I was fascinated by the former Coromandel Hospital as t was such a large building. It had been built in 1898 and closed in 1994, also for several years from the beginning staffed by the Sisters of Mercy. Outside of James Homestead I was nearly hit by a kid on a pushbike while I was looking in the guide and about to take a photo. All I was doing was standing in the one spot and I think I taught the kid a new word when he missed me my millimeters. I was angry at the kid for a couple of minutes before I let that go while wandering. The James Homestead had been built in the 1890s. Another thing I found was a drinking trough, which marked the site of the Tramways Hotel during the 1870s.

I found the pottery and trainline after I wandered up the Driving Creek Road. By this time I had walked pretty far and there would be plenty more walking in my day, but this wouldn’t be walking. I would be taking the train up the hill that was privately owned and had been worked on since the 1970s. The train would take you to a lookout that was called the Eyefull tower, which I later found I couldn’t walk to anymore from the bottom. The main function was to get the clay for the pottery stuff and was still being made today from the hills. I think its the only narrow gauge line in New Zealand and the lines were bought off the government, but now have to come from South Korea. The train takes you on a magical tour and is wonderful as you can see tunnels and sculptures made by potters who have visited. The Eyefull Tower does command really good views of Coromandel Town and the water. We did find out the owner had to open the line to the public through the bank orders as he had a little money issue he needed to sort out. The Coromandel ranges had been plentiful with Kauri and other trees in the 1800s, but logging and farming had wiped it all out including the native animals. Now it had been replanted with native plants, well the area owned by the pottery place.  The only problem now is its got a pest problem with possums and stoats, which is why there are no birdlife sounds. There are down the bottom in an enclosed area, but that is it. It was a great train ride especially when you find they make the trains as well and there were two trains running at the same time. The driver had to change the tracks himself, which shows the trans were not that big at all. Afterwards I decided to call into a cafe that was just down the road from the Driving Creek Railway for lunch and another coffee. I got free wifi too, which I took advantage of to see what was happening online.

After lunch, I headed to the one place I was wanting o visit and that was the Gold Stamper Battery. I knew you could get tours of the place and I turned up within the time frame for them to begin. Sadly I was the only one who was there and they were not going to do the tour with one person, but if there were several more they would. I got a talk about the mine and the mines in the area. I was surprised that the walk I had taken yesterday had man mines located throughout the area and was riddled with tunnels. One of the mines was where they dumped the waste into the sea, but half the gold went there too, so the group is going to be looking there soon. Gold mining between Australia and New Zealand began within a year or so of each other and the locations for gold being found that are marked happen to be in the wrong locations including at the Gold Stamper in Buffalo Road. I was told the storm the week before had flushed the rivers and you could still find little bits of gold and it was sill being found as there was something like 3 billion worth of gold in the area to be dug up. I did try my hand at panning for gold and only tried for near an hour before thinking I had seen too many rocks, though i could have seen gold and I think I seen specks, I don’t know what to do with it. I went down the hill wandering the cemetery though many others I have had more enjoyment out of it though I think the day was slowly getting to me. I didn’t find too much in the cemetery, but I didn’t mind it.

Off I went with the plan to head back into town and to the caravan park to get my clothes washed as I thought I would need them done before I left the next day. I wasn’t sure of what time I was getting the bus, but thought I better get breakfast from the supermarket just in case I would starve. I was following my map and seen a trail nearby called the Success Track. I thought this was pretty cool to walk up the track that I could make names out of Success and that was exactly what it was. I was going to join up with another track instead of ending up in the Coromandel Ranges. That never happened as I had some planning issues. I had missed the off shoot of the other train and ended up unwittingly following the Kaipawa track that would take me to Driving Creek Road near the railway. A 2 hour walk one way that I was taking and had my ipod for company too. The track wasn’t all smooth sailing as I did find several parts slippery especially with it going green and one part was partly washed out. I did get spectacular views of the coast and also ducking under fallen trees too. I found a strange sight, a tractor had been left up the hill and plants had grown around it though not far away where I was huffing and puffing I found a huge landslip that had taken the path away. This meant I had to turn around and go down the hill. Something I didn’t want to do, but had no choice. I kept on having small slips on the smooth clay, but as generally alright. I knew I had only a limited amount of time before I would have very little light left as it was late afternoon. I didn’t want to get stuck at night on the hill with no idea of whats in front of me other than trees. I did make it down though I was texting a friend back home telling them I was on the path to success. Its a slippery slope when you are on the path to success and your way may have obstacles and dead ends. I do like that one myself. I can be quite random in my aimless wanderings and can sometimes be out of my depth and dont even know it. I I had someone with me then I might not have made it as far as I had and they would have told me to go back

 I was happy once I got to the bottom, but I had no water left either so I might not have gone near the Ranges with its lack of birdcalls for a wander. I think it was well worth the trek though and by this time it was nearly 6pm at night and I was getting hungry. I stopped off for a sirloin steak for dinner as I wanted steak and had a beer with my dinner. I was chatting to the server lady about my walk and the landfall. She told me I should see the info centre, but she will anyway the next day as she is a regular to that track. She said I could have been the first one to walk it since the storms of last week. I did see some footprints in the mud that looked fresh, but might not have been. It was pointed out that there was another path and you would miss it if you were not looking. I had missed it and found it on my way down the hill. Its alright as I have been getting plenty of trekking done and I am not that healthy either.

The washing is done, I have been showered and wont be leaving for Thames until 11am tomorrow. I will be stopping at Whitianga for a little while for the next bus. I wonder if that will drop me off at the hostel? I think I am very lucky I never booked the hostel for the usual full two days as I think I would be hanging for one day and there are no ATMs for me to get cash. Not everyone here takes a credit card. I want o stay in Whitianga next time for several days just to do the touristy stuff like Cathedral Rock tour by boat. I thought it was funny to be talking to a bloke who liked my marine rescue hat, while waiting for the train. He was impressed I am a marine rescue person in their 10^th year of service. I am also alone in my room for the night, woohoo no one else other than a cold bed that will be heated up anyway.

Day 7 Whirlwind from Whangarei to Auckland

Day 7 Whirlwind from Whangarei to Auckland

Today was the day that I would travel to Auckland by bus and a pitstop on my way to the Coromandal peninsula tomorrow. Well Coromandel Town that is where I will find some rich history in New Zealand. I am excited to be there in the morning after lunch as I can then sort out what I want to see.

Today was wet and windy again with heavy showers before I left for Auckland. Claude had put washing out and each time it was nearly dry then it would pour again. I was happy to be off again, but sad I was leaving my grandparents to embark on this new part to my tour of New Zealand. We did get a visitor in the form of an old family friend as Betty called in and we all chatted though it was good to catch up. We did have a roast lunch with the leftovers from the day before and we all did remark about time getting away from us.  I Know I was getting a little anxious as the time was nearing us to be leaving and I did catch myself doing a little bit of a pace and triple checking to see if I had left anything. I didn’t have long to wait for the bus either as it soon rocked up. I was happy to be on my way and it did rain part of the way down the coast to Auckland, it wasn’t too hot either as it was just nice. I did get a giggle as some people took down the sign for passengers not to go further than the sign as I think people wanted seats to themselves. The driver sent them up the front to other seats.

I did get another view of the super yacht once I came into Auckland and I was in the right seat, which made me happy. As I didn’t want to walk up hills again like the last few times I had to from Queen street as the hostel is up a steep street that kills you going up. I went the long way around via Pitt street and K’ Road. That was fun and loads easier for me with big bags on my back. I can go the other way to the bus as I am mostly going down hill though I could see what the other way is like. Once I checked in I went for a wander before dark. I did find the the old fire station built in 1902, which was later the St John ambo service building though now I think it was converted to something else. I found a computer repair shop that had heaps of Hello Kitty things and I had to take pictures. K’ road must be the entertainment district for adult entertainment as there seems to be a bit of that stuff there. I had a quick wander through the cemetery before having to get something to eat before heading back to the hostel.

I seem to be having internet issues at the hostel, but I don’t think it is my computer as I havnt had problems anywhere else and I did have come connectivity issues when I first came here. The computer connected with the wifi in Whangarei with no problems, so could be an Auckland issue, but I don’t like having problems like that. Its life though and you cant have everything at once.

Day 6, whirlwind through Whangarei

Day 6, whirlwind through Whangarei 

Today not much happened other than I wanted to go for a wander and sort out other stuff like my washing as I had ran out of clothes. I wasn’t sure of the weather and I wanted to head out quickly before lunch. The walk I did end up going was to the Tikipunga football club as I never been that way before and I had been warned of roving youth. I just seen locals floating around mowing their lawns and that was it. I did look at what was supposed to be a reserve and it was just a scrubby open space. Never mind and I doubt anyone would disturb me since I had my polkadot brolly.

Once home I was surprised by uncle Don who was at Granny and Claudes for Sunday lunch. We were all listening to the All Blacks play Argentina. All Blacks won of course and next week they seem to be heading to South Africa. It was really nice to have a roast lunch before heading out after an hour to take Don back to the home. It was sad in the nursing home and I can see why they locked the door for the dementia patients as one of the men tried to escape, but couldn’t. He came and spoke to us in Dons room and I told him I don’t have the code and he wandered off only to come back several more times. I am guessing this is to be expected.

The washing did get sorted and was nearly dry when I took it indoors to dry properly before the fire as it had started to rain outside, surprise, surprise. I didn’t do much else other than help put some pictures onto computers and to read a book. Today was really sedate and I think needed to relax. I did find that this year is the 150^th for the trains in New Zealand and I will arrive in Tauranga as they will have a display on that day. I am happy to catch up though with it and never knew about it until it came across the news. Every other place I miss it.

Tomorrow I am heading to Auckland as I am on the true part of my trip. Then from there I am going to the Coromandals.

Day 5 Whirlwind walkathon in Whangarei

Day 5 Whirlwind walkathon in Whangarei

The day started off pretty early for me as I decided to wake up at 7.30 in the morning. The weather out the window looked like it was going to rain and I wasn’t sure what sort of day it would be like when I had my feet on the ground, but I thought having plenty of water with me hoping I wouldn’t be too cold, but I had my brolly and rain coat with me in my bag and no map as I didn’t think it would be needed at all.

Once I was dropped off I started at the Hatea River Walk where it was around an hour from the other end into the city centre. That wasn’t my plan to hit an easy walk as I wanted to head towards the top of Parihaka, where there is a war memorial at the lookout. I don’t know what it is like as I have never been there before. I could have been driven up, but that would have been too easy. There were several tracks that do up the hill too. I did go up the Hokianga track, where it joined up with the Dobbie track near the summit. What I was interested in was the pa site that was located there. I did wander the track signposted for the pa site, but unsure what I was actually meant to look at. I did get stuck in several spider webs. On my way up I had seen Elvis going down while I was huffing and puffing though I didn’t get a picture. That is just my word to go on. Once I had wandered the pa site I went back down the path towards Muir Park bridge as I was wondering what that was all about. I should have read the map before going as that would have told me about the paths. Down I went being over taken by several ladies on their way down the hill. It did seem different to see a few women and only several men in the whole area. I was happy that they all said hi to me as it seemed to be something about New Zealand.

Once I was at the bottom I headed towards the bridge taking pictures as I went. I didn’t see any sign posts telling me if I had to go up the hill or keep walking as I did think that I had to go further on for Parihaka. Once I had gotten to the Muir bridge, I did see another track going up called the Drummand track. At the time I was needing the call of nature and had to find a tree and as there were plenty of trees I had no problems answering that call. I was wondering where the signs for The Basin, which is a part of down town Whangarei. I decided to go up the hill and some random lady who had passed me once before made the comment about running up the track, while I was going turtle speed. While going turtle speed a father and son did pass me while I was exploring what I had thought was another track, but it wasn’t.  Near the top I did find something interesting. I found the Dobbie track had joined up with mine, so I could have wandered up an easier track instead of going back down and then going up on another difficult track. I found the war memorial and took pictures from the lookout. I decided to walk down to the car park that did go most of the way up to see if there was a map.

After wandering a little bit I found the only map around was actually a BMX map and that was not of any use to me at all and I had to jump a fence to even get to this location. The only other explanation I could explain was to go down a track called the Ross track that said slippery when wet. I was umming and Ahhing over going down that was and decided why not try it. Dont know where I will end up, but we will see what happens. After around an hour of slogging down the hill, I was happy to find the entrance, but I had the impression that I would join up with the other tracks at the bottom. Any whoo I followed the street I was on and popped out directly across the river from the town basin, which includes Rayburn House and Chapmans clocks. I went for a little wander and ended up at some BMX park, so turned around as I was looking for food. Into town I walked and found... you guessed it a pie shop called Jaspers and had a pie called Stockmans. I would have had one called Billy T, but that included cheese and I didn’t want cheese. I did go for a quick wander, but had no idea what I wanted to do, so sent a text to be picked up at Rayburn house. On the way back I went into a bookshop and found a book I will grab later as I have two in the series of Twisting Throttle by a guy called Mike Hyde and this one is motorcycling through New Zealand. I want it and will get it before leaving the country. Gangs of New Zealand might be interesting too and I did check the book stocks in Rayburn house as they had a book I couldn’t get anywhere else last year I was there.

Once Claude picked me up, he took me down towards the Port of Whangarei, but there wasn’t much there to see as there were boats, but nothing happening as it could have been the weekend. Before we went to the port we did see the new bridge going up an stayed to watch a yacht go under the bridge. The car then pointed towards Auckland where we then took a loop road that would take us to the town of Maungatapere. The turn off was missed, but we were able to turn around and take the right road. Claudes idea was to visit Poroti, where we could have a drink. I shouted the drinks, but at $6.50 they were not cheap. The tide was out in one brand and I did see a sign that was talking about gang stuff including sunnies being warn in the pub. I was served, but no one said anything about my sunnies at all. Claude and I did watch the Rugby game of Southland vs Otago. Southland won, but I don’t understand the all in brawl that is Rugby and it looks like something chaotic. I did mention to Claude there was one place for me to visit and that was Dagaville museum, but that might have to be left for another trip as there are other plans afoot, but that doesn’t worry me either as there are other walking tracks I want to try.