Coromandel to Rotorua

T
oday we drove, walked, swam and found a new dumpling place.

We said goodbye to Barry and Heather and drove South down the west coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. There was a lot of winding road but eventually we got to Karangahake Gorge which had old gold mining remains, two gorges, two rivers (which met) and lots of tourists. It was beautiful. Imagine such a place in Australia and then add the usual NZ ingredients: altitude, greenery, gradient and water. The highlight was exploring a tunnel which had "windows" opening in a cliff face above the gorge.

Then it was on to Mount Maunganui. This is an improbable mountain (nearly an island) sticking up between a modern port and a seaside resort. The summit trail looked too demanding so we walked the trail around its base while fun runners ran in the opposite direction. It is a spectacular place.

Then Lyn found a place to "swim" with absolutely no surf and where the water barely reached our thighs. Perfect apparently.

There is a nice surf beach but we didn't get to swim here.

We finally found our headquarters for the next two days in the swanky Regent of Rotorua. We just had enough energy to reject all the outrageously priced tourist restaurants and find the aforementioned dumpling place.

We are exhausted and replete.