Thames to Whitianga via Coromandel

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Once the costumes are all put away, & some downsizing has been reluctantly completed, the tiny house on wheels put back to right, it’s time to go on another adventure. I found myself exhausted & stressed after this festival, not sure why, but May have over peopled 😂 It’s great to be driving again, although the roads of the Coromandel Peninsula leave something to be desired.
I find myself staggered at the appalling state of them, this being a major tourist destination in Summer.
Deciding if travel with some lovely people I met at a rally I went on, we headed off towards Whangamata, stopping along the way for a look & some pics.


Some weather coming in, & a rough road ahead

A pig farm

Waterworks on The 309 Road

The 309 Road was a wake up  call for what might lie ahead of I travelled to the the top of the Coromandel, so I decided against it, until it’s dry again & I buy new front tyres. Let’s just say it’s safer to drive down the middle of the road, to avoid the pot holes you could drown a cow in 😂 

I didn’t go through, but this place is a must see if you have kids! There’s a nice family friendly cafe & units being built for overnight stays. Lovely hosts too, with two very friendly gentle border collie dogs

A lot of fun recycling here, all using water to power them

The overnight carpark. A pretty good deal for $5


A bit up the road we came across a waterfall in some bush. Gorgeous spot for a rest stop. We didn’t stop for long the rest of the way, but I did see my uncles previous lifestyle block in Whenuakite as I drove past. That was cool for me, as I have fond memories of our family reunion that he hosted there, when he had a moderate win on lotto, in the early days of it.

Cooks Beach, Whitianga


Lunchtime gave us a gorgeous beach to stop at. We had a bit of a look around here, after giving Hot Water Beach a miss, as it was high tide. It’s disappointing when you arrive at a popular place to find a parking pay & display machine, with extra charges for using a card, in this day & age of a cashless society. On the plus side, there were excellent parking bays provided. That was at shot Water Beach.

The tide was out, but still a gorgeous spot to stop at & enjoy

Next stop was the museum across the road, with a lot of memorabilia from Captain Cooks time here. A paving stone.

Soup anyone?

A nod to the gold mining in the area

The man himself

I just loved this practical application for the milk cans


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