Jantar
4th December 2005, 11:54
Saturday 5th November: Blackbird's holiday home in Coromandel has already been mentioned in many threads on this forum, but none of the comments really do justice to it. It has a fantastic view out over the harbour, and is modern and very comfortable. Blackbird and his wife made us both very welcome, and we had a wonderful evening sitting on his balcony, drinking wine, and watching the guyfawks fireworks displays. There are some photos taken by Zed in this thread http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=18682.
Sunday 6th - Monday 7th November: We decided to spend a couple of days in Coromandel and do the tourist thing. We visited the bush railway which took us up to the Eyeful Tower, visited the water park, walked to some of the local beaches, and just generally took things quietly. It started raining on monday afternoon, and the forecast for the coromandel Peninsula wasn't looking too promising, but it looked like it would be fine further south.
Tuesday 8th November: We left Coromandel in light drizzle that gradually turned to heavy drizzle as we climbed the windy hill out to the west. I couldn't help but notice the amount of diesel on the wet road and now realise that this is another side effect of our government's change to low sulphur diesel. The road was quite greasy in places, but we were generally travelling at quite moderate speeds anyway. It continued raining all the way to Whitianga, with just an occassional shower from there on.
Just short of Tairua there was a convoy of about three trucks. Two of them pulled over and gave room for the vehicles behind to pass, but the front one was more than happy to have vehicles accumulate behind him. While sitting about 4th back in the line of traffic I noticed a car coming up quite fast behind, and as we weren't in any hurry I just moved left and waved him through. I got a cherry toot and acknowledgement as he went past, and that was when I discovered he was a mufti. Last I saw of him he was stopping behind the truck in Tairua. :2thumbsup
We carried on to Whangamata for lunch and fuel, and back to an almost cloudless sky. Three german guys on BMWs were also stopped there for lunch, but they were heading back the way we had come.
From Whangamata it was down to Waihi, through the Karangahake Gorge for the 2nd time on the trip, and through to Paeroa. I guess the cops up in this part of the north Island must work in pairs as a HP car had stopped a motorist just out of Paeroa, and only 5 minutes down the road there was another HP car coming towards us.
We stopped in Te Aroha for an ice cream and got chatting to a guy who also had a GS1200SS but had been told that it wasn't possible to fit hard luggage to one. He had a good look at how I'd achieved it and though that he should be able to do the same. From Te Aroha we continued along the back road to Opal Springs where we booked the private pool for 1/2 hour. This pool is an outdoor private hot pool that is completely surrounded by bush, trees and bamboo. It is a delightful spot and well worth the few $ per head. Of course, being private, swimming gear is optional. :yes:
After a nice relaxing dip we headed through Matamata and on down to Tokoroa and another pleasant evening with Blackbird and Jenny.
More to come.....
Sunday 6th - Monday 7th November: We decided to spend a couple of days in Coromandel and do the tourist thing. We visited the bush railway which took us up to the Eyeful Tower, visited the water park, walked to some of the local beaches, and just generally took things quietly. It started raining on monday afternoon, and the forecast for the coromandel Peninsula wasn't looking too promising, but it looked like it would be fine further south.
Tuesday 8th November: We left Coromandel in light drizzle that gradually turned to heavy drizzle as we climbed the windy hill out to the west. I couldn't help but notice the amount of diesel on the wet road and now realise that this is another side effect of our government's change to low sulphur diesel. The road was quite greasy in places, but we were generally travelling at quite moderate speeds anyway. It continued raining all the way to Whitianga, with just an occassional shower from there on.
Just short of Tairua there was a convoy of about three trucks. Two of them pulled over and gave room for the vehicles behind to pass, but the front one was more than happy to have vehicles accumulate behind him. While sitting about 4th back in the line of traffic I noticed a car coming up quite fast behind, and as we weren't in any hurry I just moved left and waved him through. I got a cherry toot and acknowledgement as he went past, and that was when I discovered he was a mufti. Last I saw of him he was stopping behind the truck in Tairua. :2thumbsup
We carried on to Whangamata for lunch and fuel, and back to an almost cloudless sky. Three german guys on BMWs were also stopped there for lunch, but they were heading back the way we had come.
From Whangamata it was down to Waihi, through the Karangahake Gorge for the 2nd time on the trip, and through to Paeroa. I guess the cops up in this part of the north Island must work in pairs as a HP car had stopped a motorist just out of Paeroa, and only 5 minutes down the road there was another HP car coming towards us.
We stopped in Te Aroha for an ice cream and got chatting to a guy who also had a GS1200SS but had been told that it wasn't possible to fit hard luggage to one. He had a good look at how I'd achieved it and though that he should be able to do the same. From Te Aroha we continued along the back road to Opal Springs where we booked the private pool for 1/2 hour. This pool is an outdoor private hot pool that is completely surrounded by bush, trees and bamboo. It is a delightful spot and well worth the few $ per head. Of course, being private, swimming gear is optional. :yes:
After a nice relaxing dip we headed through Matamata and on down to Tokoroa and another pleasant evening with Blackbird and Jenny.
More to come.....