In late September 2010 John and Liz went on a quick tour around the Coromandel Penninsula and the east Cape following a business trip to Auckland. The weather was windy and sometimes wet. This was the reverse of a trip we'd done together in 1982 shortly after we were married.
We started in Auckland and went out via Clevedon and Kawakawa Bay to Miranda, then on across the Hauraki Plains to Thames. Had a lat morning coffee in Clevedon and lunch in Thames. Then on to Coromandel Township and late afternoon coffee there. Arrived at base camp 5.00pm in Kuatuna on the eastern side of the penninsula. We stayed at Kaepallis Band B. Beautiful views over the sea from a ridge top location.
We had dinner at the golf club at Matarangi. Surprisingly good food and wine!
Day 2 was a leisurley start and then bay hopping down the eastern side of the Coromandel to Tauranga.
Otama and Opito Bay, Whitianga, Cooks Beach, Hahei, Tairua, Opoutere (Liz bought an original Giuty painting from the artists gallery), Whangamata and then straight through to Mt Maunganui for our second night.
Stayed at the pavillion Hotel at the Mount and dined at a seafood restaurant downstairs.
Saturday was a drive through to Whakatane for breakfast at about 11am and then on via Opotiki toward the Cape. A slow meander via Te Kaha, Hicks Bay, Te Araroa, Tikitiki, Tokomaru Bay and Tolaga Bay - finishing at Gisborne. A 9 hour drive through some nice and not so nice country. The road is much more windy than we recall. The norther coats was lovely, but there were numerous slips on the road. From Whangaroa Bay on it's basically a drive through farmland.
Stayed in a waterfront apartment in Gisborne and dined atanother seafood restaurant.
Sunday was a head for home day, stopping for 20 minutes in Wairoa for coffee and an hour in Napier to see Hamish Jamieson and Arti, friens of ours. There was a major road diversion just north of Napier, where we were diverted out into the countryside....The weather was very windy coming down through the Wairarapa.
All in all a great wee jaunt.
