Coromandel and More

Well a week and a half has come and gone here in the beautiful Coromandel. Here in Waikawau my time has been filled with reading hiking laying on the beach, and looking at Alexandra’s gorgeous garden. Before I tell you of the Coromandel though I suppose I should start by filling you in on the rest of Boxing Day. To those of you who aren’t British I should inform you that Boxing Day is the day after Christmas. Why it is called that I have yet to find a suitable answer too. Either you box up all the things from Christmas or perhaps Boxing matches were a common form of entertainment on the 26th of Dec. (something we might chuckle at, but we devote all of Thanksgiving to watching football) or perhaps it is the anniversary of the Boxer Rebillion (though I doubt it). At any rate, in Auckland on Boxing day every year there are the traditional Boxing Day Races. That would be a large horse race held close to Onehunga in fact, in nearby Remuera. After my last post on Boxing day, a friend of mine called and told me to join him at the races. Now I have never really been to a horse race before unless you include Foxfields (which is a horserace held every year close to UVA and traditionally is attended by many UVA students and ends up as a giant drunken party) So I was excited to see what a NZ horse race was. I imagined it as something seen in James Bond with everyone dressed in their finest and wearing binoculars while making comments such as “Um yes, indeed! A fine piece of horseflesh that is” All the while talking about a horse named something like “Shoe Shiner” or “Pretty Prancer”. Interspersed in the crowd of course are very short men with funny hats, and funnier looking whips. Much to my surprise though where I found myself was far from such a setting. I was quick to learn that one horse race is much like another, and that does include Foxfields. There was, as I was used to after four years of Foxfields, lots of suits and ties; along with girls in beautiful sun dresses. In juxtaposition to this, of course; was the fact that many were well past tipsy and on into the drunken stage. (A fact, little helped by the sun beating down on them at a scorching 85-90 degrees). I found myself again wondering (as I had many times down at Foxfields), if I would even be able to see a horse while I was at this horserace. Apparently they existed somewhere, because some booming voice from the intercom kept talking about them, but I’ll be darned if I could find them. I eventually was able to spy a race or two, but was disappointed at my inability to bet on them (the lines were about 45 minutes long to place a bet) (besides, I’m poor). I do not mean to say I did not have a blast, and that it wasn’t fun. Quite the contrary in fact, I had a lovely day and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I suppose I was only slightly disappointed to see that my minds image of very short men with whips and overly fat men making odd comments about horses; was replaced with young adults drinking large amounts while dressed to impress (which is something I have seen more than my fair share of. I did go to UVA after all).
At any rate, I had a great boxing day, and returned later that night to pack my things since the next morning I was headed off to Coromandel. Many people had told me that Coromandel was the most beautiful place in NZ. They said it was incredible, and an untouched land. So needless to say my expectations were pretty high when I came here. Christoph was afraid he might have built them up to much. However upon arriving, I realized that really; there was no possible way a person could talk the Coromandel up to much. No matter what a person’s expectations are going in, the Coromandel is bound to beat them. Let me try to outline what our place is up here. Alexandra and Victor are a couple that live up here in the Coromandel. Leigh and Christoph have been renting from them for some years now, and they have become good family friends. Each year Leigh and Christoph come up here with Leigh’s mother, Yannik and their Au Pair. We get Alexandra and Victor’s house, and they live in a tent in their yard for the 2 weeks. Alexandra and Victor, I should say are living epitome of the “salt of the land”. They are the most down to earth, live off the land, do it yourself, make it yourself people, that I have ever met. Waikawau is in the far northeast corner of Coromandel where there is nothing but bush and dirt roads. The closest places to pick gas up is about an hour away all on dirt roads. They live in a valley surrounded by hills that are covered in sheep and cows. Alexandra loves to garden, and their yard is covered in the most beautiful flowers from red and pink and white roses to lush blue hydraingeas (I have no clue how you spell that).There is a creek that runs the length of their property that every morning Alexandra gets up and bathes in. I know this because Yannik went and played in it about 6 in the morning one day this week, and found her naked as could be. He goes back to that location quite commonly now. On the other side of the hills that border their valley is Waikawau beach. A beach about a kilometer long, with a beautiful estuary at one end, and a campsite at the other. Surrounding it a huge mountains covered in bush. All around Alexandra’s yard there are white doves that fly around. Why are they there, because she likes them of course. So they bought two years ago, and breeded them, and kept them in a cage for a year or two. Now there are about 15 and they live in the front yard in a stack of bird houses they have built for them. They are not caged or clipped, but they don’t ever fly away. Along with doves they have two horses, and every morning we have fresh eggs from their chicken coup. To be honest they are truly inspiring people. They live here, in complete happiness and beauty, have never had a computer, or the internet or TV; and just couldn’t be happier I think. They had 3 or four daughters I believe. Their youngest one was raised in the house I currently am residing in. She was given her school lessons through radio everyday.
Well, I have filled my days here with reading, hiking, and swimming. I watch Yannik for 4 hours everyday so that Leigh and Christoph can have a proper vacation as well. That however is not hard considering everything there is to do up here. I take Yannik for bike rides, or watch him play on the flying fox. The land here is beautiful, and even though I am working in a sense it is very much a vacation for me. The very best part came during New Years. On New Years Eve, I worked early in the morning. After I got off I immediately left Waikawau and drove over to Whitianga where I met up with 2 of my friends. They had an extra ticket to a concert known as Coral Gold, that was taking place there and they had offered it to me. So I joined them there, and brought in the New Year at a concert with 10,000 people. It overlooked the ocean, and consisted of all NZ bands. It was really sweet as. That night we camped at the concert. The next morning I woke up at 7 and packed the tent and said my goodbyes to many a new made friend. I then hit the road and drove to the Hot Water Beaches. The Hot Water Beaches are not just any normal beach, nor is it just that the water is slightly warmer than normal. No the Hot Water Beach is aptly named because, at low tide a person is able to dig in the sand of the beach for about 2 feet deep. At which point water fills the hole he has dug. This water is coming from a geothermal pool underground, thus making it about 100 degrees. Thus essentially a person may dig their own hot tub on the beach while they look out over a gorgeous view of the ocean. I spent the morning there, and then hopped back in the car and drove 10 minutes away to Cathedral Cove. Now some in NZ would say that Cathedral Cove (or really all of the Coromandel) is the most beautiful place in NZ. Well, in my opinion it is certainly majestic and probably the prettiest place I”ve seen yet. (However I haven’t been to the south island yet) To get to Cathedral Cove you have to walk about 45 minutes through a reserve. The walk alone is awesome as it makes you feel like you are walking through a prehistoric jungle (all NZ flora makes you feel that way) When I did get to the cove it was actually pretty busy. That was understandable though considering it was New Years day, and not a cloud in the sky. (Not to mention it was also probably 80 degrees out), Cathedral Cove I should say is also aptly name. It a beach with a large rock juts out into the ocean. However along the beach where the beach hits this rock, water has worn the rock away. Thus there is a massive arch that connects the two beaches on each side of this outcrop. The arch is probably 30 feet high, 40 feet wide and probably 60 feet long. It is pretty cool to walk through. More than this though you are surrounded by the bluest water imaginable, with white rock cliffs all around, and when you look out into the ocean, the horizon is speckled with islands (each of which is a nature reserve). It is truly breath taking.
After reading there for a bit I hopped back in the car, and upon driving by a Macadamia orchard (and figuring I’d never been to a Macadamia orchard) I pulled in and did quite a sampling of nuts. Then asked for directions to a winery close by, and proceeded to go wine tasting. After visiting on two wineries (one of which had horrendous wines, but one of the most interesting servers I have ever met (talk about a quick witted man) (I thought that I was somewhat intelligent, but he thought atleast 3 times as fast as I did) (I had to struggle so hard to keep up with him but he was extremely funny)) I decided that after being up till 4 in the morning the night before, and with a glass of wine in me I needed some rest. So I pulled off the road and passed out. When I woke it was almost five. I started the car again and made my way to New Chums (voted one of the top 20 beaches in the world) When I arrived it was roughly 5:30 or so, and high tide. Well to get to New Chums its about a 30 minute hike. One must cross an stream that runs to the ocean, and then walk along a beach till you find a cut-off trail which takes you over a mountain, and then you arrive at New Chums. Well since I was there at high tide the stream I had to cross was more like a river. Thus I found myself crossing it in chest high water with my book and beach towel held high above my head. When I got to the beach I was once again flabbergasted. The place was out of a postcard, and completely deserted since it was so late. New Chums is surrounded by pink rocked cliffs, and due to this all the sand picks up a pink color to it as well. (Very Cool in the sun) Well, since there was a couple of streaks of sunlight left I sat down and read for a bit. When the sun was gone I jumped in the water, and realized just how incredibly strong the currents are everywhere in NZ (as I struggled to leave the water even when I was only waist high). On my way back to my car I had to cross the stream/river. Only now the water had continued to raise, and I was forced to swim my way back in the deepest part. However I made it safe and sound to my car, changed, and made the long late night drive back home to Waikawua.
The next day everyone headed into Coromandel Township because it was the yearly Celtic Festival there. It was such a cool experience to wander around a small town Celtic festival. The men playing bagpipes were definitely a highlight, but so were the booths selling pictures, because they all had such incredible shots of Coromandel and elsewhere. (It was so cool to be able to look at these things and say “Ohh, I’ve been there!”.) After a bit we headed home, and then I took the car back out and got a fantastic massage at the kiwi retreat. It has been years since I have paid for a professional massage, and it was sooooo nicccce. When I returned home, we had Alexandra and Victor over to the house for a pizza dinner.

Now the past couple of days have been filled with more relaxing, biking, hiking, and laying on a beautiful beach. I hiked back to a waterfall by myself one day. I did it on a trail that definitely wasn’t supposed to be taken. Somehow though I had gotten turned around and just found this trapping trail in the bush and followed it. Eventually it took me to the waterfall I was trying to get to in the first place which was awesome. I hiked up the river till I got to the base of the waterfall. And then I decided why not, and took off my socks and shoes and climbed halfway up the waterfall. There was a pool there in the middle of the cliff. The Falls had like two separate halves to them, and I had climbed up the bottom half. Where the first fell, there was this pool about the 10 by 10. Only it was sitting there in the middle of an otherwise sheer cliff in a mountain side. So I again I figured couldn’t miss the opportunity, and in I went. Its somewhat hard to describe the feeling of being in a 10 by 10 foot pool with a waterfall ending at one side, and an waterfall beginning at the other end, and with everywhere around you being a sharp drop, and looking out over a beautiful valley from up high; all from the same spot. It was pretty sweet as.

When it came to time to leave, Leigh and I decided to stay another 2 days with Yannik. I’m really glad we did too, because the next two days ended up being the best 2 days for weather we had. The water suddenly got surprisingly warm, and the sun was always out. On one of the days we did the drive up to Fletcher Bay, which is the northern most tip of Coromandel. However the coolest part of it is the drive up. It runs up along the west coast of Coromandel, and reminded me of Interstate 1 in the States with its stunning views from cliffs of the ocean. Not to mention it had the coolest Pohutakawa’s I’ve seen in NZ. They lined the road the whole way up. (The Pohutakawa is the national tree of NZ and is so awesome it is declared a National Treasure and is even placed on their currency.)

Well, finally my wonderful 2 weeks of vacation came to an end and I had to return home. It’s now been a week and a half since we got back home, and I seem to have trouble remembering anything major happening that weekend. Well I will say the week after we got back was the one week that Yannik had nothing. So that meant I worked… a lot. On both Tuesday and Thursday I did 11 hour days, and every other day I was pulling 6 hour days. (Doesn’t sound to bad, but just trust me on this 11 straight hours with Yannik is definitely a marathon.) Regardless of my hours though, I got slightly more than I bargained for. On Tuesday, Yannik stayed in bed till around 10 which was very unusual for him. Finally I came in and kind of made him get up and move. But when I did, he was covered in goosebumps even though he had been under the covers all morning. And he seemed to have the shakes a little when he moved. At first I thought it was my imagination but luckily Christoph was working out back and he agreed with me. So I took him to the doctor that day around noon. Turns out he had a temperature of 39.1 which is something like 103 F. Well needless to say I drove him home to tuck him straight in bed. But before I could get him far he vomited all over the car. (My first parenting experience of driving a kid home and turning around to look in the back seat in time to see vomit coming out of a kid (who frankly doesn’t really care that he is covered in vomit nor that you are going to have to clean it all up)) Well, I did get him home where he proceed to do similar events about 5 or 6 times. (We quickly ran out of bedsheets) So that was my Tuesday. On Wed. I let him take it easy even though he seemed to be so much better than he had been. On Thurs. though he seemed to get really lethargic again. So while I didn’t get busy doing a bunch of bike rides or walks or stuff with Yannik I did end up with about twice the stress level I had expected. It sucks too cause Yannik can’t tell you that he is sick, or where or if he is hurting. So really you just have to guess and be super cautious and careful. Anyways.

So when I wasn’t caring for Yannik last week I was helping Christoph in the yard. Once we got back from the Coromandel we started building a pool, only we live on a hill, so it is a massive project. I spent last weekend re-enforcing concrete, which I am now an expert in in case anyone needs a retaining wall built.

On Sunday however I went on a train ride through the Waitekere’s. (They are the mountain range just west of Auckland) There is a serious of dams built back there and an old train that was used to move supplies to build the dam. Well me and a bunch of CSer’s rented the train out and took it for the day. At the end we wound up at the dam and climbed to the top. Then we pigged out on a massive bbq. (Since I was free to ravage some meat, I believe I destroyed 4 sausages and a cheeseburger) After the train ride we went to the Aratangi visitor center which has beautiful views of the Manakau harbor from it. From there we went to Piha, but just before getting there we turned off and hiked to Kitekite waterfall. A very long and beautiful waterfall. Several of us decided to brave the cold and go for a dip. It was rather numbing, but an absolute blast. And if you walked under the waterfall there was a hole behind it you could stand up in and look out through the waterfall at everyone else. Very Cool. Then we roled to Piha beach (where they are currently preparing for the Junior World Surf Championships). And then off to Titirangi for some Fish and Chips (pronounced Fush-n- Chupps). A great day out and met some really awesome couch surfers.
Then Monday, for Yannik started Holiday Program!!! YAAAA!!!! So it is almost like he is back in school again. Not much has happened on Mon.—Thurs. I watched Yannik some, and I bent some Rebar before the concrete pour. On Wed. night I went out for drinks. It was Minnie’s last night there. Hopefully I’ll see him in Amsterdam though on my way home.

And now I am caught up on this blog. I sincerely apologize for the delay. I also thoroughly apologize for how choppy this entry probably is. I wrote it in several sittings, and now I don’t think I am going to proofread it. Sorry. I’m lazy tonight after cooking and showering yannik and watching him all evening. Well, till next time. Hopefully that will be less than 3 weeks. I love you all, and hope you are well.

Wes