Day Forty Nine Waihi to Coromandel

Breakfasted at a cafe looking over this beach! 

Headed north up the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula making for Hot Water Beach. (You need to be there 2 hours either side of low tide,which was 11am, to get the hot water.) About a 100km drive with me driving. Didn't realise it would be hairpin bends up and down again. Slow driving with Howard telling me to 'easy in, tight out' or vice versa. WTF? No idea, but needless to say we arrived at Hot Water Beach late!  Incredible though! An enormous beach that was completely empty apart from the centre bit where hundreds of people had dug themselves into little pools. (You can hire spades at the local cafe to make your own little patch.). 

The water was absolutely scalding in some places and some folk had obviously been in their own little lobster boil for a long time judging by the colour of their skin. Never seen anything like it before!

We continued up the Peninsula for another 50km to Cathedral Cove. More tight ins and easy outs!  We had a 45 minute walk each way up and down hills to a spectacular beachy rocky area. 

Very hot walk back to the car but our fitness levels have definitely improved. As we needed to be at our accommodation at approx 4pm and time was pressing on, we decided Howie would drive. We were going to the west coast, so cutting across the peninsula, off the main highway. The signs at the start of the road should have been a warning! Beware narrow, gravel, bends, mining roads. 

For 30km we drove with stomachs in our mouths. The road was unbelievable! My hairpins were nothing. Luckily there was very little traffic on the road, just enough to totally scare us ****less! 

Anyway we arrived at our destination on the top of a hill. A B&B this time. Lovely welcoming lady who is an artist so the house is full of cool artwork. Lovely views all round. This is the view from our room 

Went into Coromandel town for dinner and back up before dark because her road is crazy too!  Sat on the balcony for 5 minutes before the mozzies descended on us! Little suckers! 

Off to find the bite cream! Night night!