Scary drive to the Coromandel Peninsula

Though we have driven all over NZ during our many trips here, it has been 16 years since we last drove the Coromandel Peninsula. Ted warned me as we left Hamilton that the ride was about to get tricky, but not as bad as Ireland (which we recentled dubbed the worst road driving place we have been). Less than 2 hours later Ted declared ‘I stand corrected, these are the worst roads we have ever driven on’. The hairpin turns, the road not wide enough for 2 cars, let along a camper van coming around a blind corner and the continue street signs indicating the speed limit should be 25 mph (WTF) - now I know why - it was a nail bitting ride to get to the town of Coromandel and at least the last 20 minutes was on a ‘normal’ road to the town of Whangapoua, where our VRBO was.

OMG, our VRBO is stunning; 2 bedroom, 2 bath, immense back yard and all decorated in a beach theme reminiscent of Florida … It trust is the best VRBO we have ever stayed in and I wish we were here longer - but that’s another trip lol

The point of this side trip from the Bay of Islands was to visit ‘New Chums Beach’ again, which we first visited in 2008 - 3 years into our life long adventure together! And just like it was 16 year earlier, the weather has been exceptional, the beach stunning white/black (icing sugar like) sand, and water that is warm enough for Ted to declare on his swim ‘oh, this is a slice of heaven’.

For the uninitiated, to get to New Chums Beach one needs to hike in - hence part of its charm, and the fact is is an unspoiled beach. We walked 30 minutes on another beach, then 15 minutes along stone boulders that curved the coast line, and then 15 minutes in rainforest, where there were ginormous ferns and palm trees - it is literally out of fairtail. We emerge from the forest onto this pristine beach, which might have had 20 people on it all day and its length is about a 30 minute walk … pure bliss!

Back to Hamilton tomorrow to celebrate Christmas, but so thrilled we made it here .. Hopefully, it is not our last time …

Cheers from Robert and Ted