11/09/2018 - Sometimes things turn out differently than expected

After a restless night in Te Kauwhata, the day started early. We woke up before sunrise and prepared breakfast. The first rays of sun shone on our faces. How wonderful! A local farmer also took advantage of the good weather to take a walk with his three lambs. The adorable gang followed him everywhere without any leash. :)
Well, where should we go now? Originally, the plan was to travel to the West Coast to pass Auckland the next day. But a family member from Germany made us think about whether there was still enough to discover north of Auckland until our journey ends in mid-October. As a result, the plans changed spontaneously and we headed (once again) to the Coromandel Peninsula, located on the east coast. After quickly putting $5 into the donation box, we left the inland and delved deep into the Coromandel Forest. We stopped at various lookouts before reaching the small town of Tairua at lunchtime. We passed by this town in December last year and this time we climbed the slightly outlying Pumpkin Hill. From its peak, we had a great view of the community, its beach, and the vast blue sea. A small wooden bench invited us to linger. :)
From here, we continued our drive to what seemed to be a secluded beach. But it was Sunday, which means "go to the beach" for New Zealanders! However, we instantly fell in love with Te Karo Bay. So we took off our shoes and walked barefoot through the warm sand. While watching the few surfers and the incoming waves, we actually spotted a family of dolphins. Or not? Or yes! Indeed, a group of five dolphins enjoyed the calm sea and swam around. They resurfaced one after another to take a breath. We were overwhelmed and incredibly happy to have come here. :) After our walk on the beach, we sat down on a wooden bench and had a small snack for lunch. With a view of the sea, where the dolphins continued to swim, of course. ;)
In the late afternoon, we reluctantly left the wonderful Te Karo Bay and drove the remaining kilometers to Hot Water Beach. Unfortunately, due to bad tide times, we weren't able to dig a private pool on the beach, heated by underground volcanic activities, this time. (We had the pleasure of doing that on our last visit.) So we checked into a nearby campground and instead enjoyed our dinner on the beach with a view of the sunset. (Okay, we didn't actually see the sun because it set behind our backs and the mountains. But the clouds in the sky that changed color because of it looked beautiful.)

The next morning, we were woken up by agitated seagulls. They made such a noise that we could hardly sleep. At least the cat of the campground owners greeted us friendly and without any fuss.
After showering and having breakfast, we went back to Hot Water Beach. The high tide had come again, and Tobi discovered the child inside him. He took on the challenge of the rushing waves and planted a wooden plank in the sand. At first, the sea was stronger... But with the help of another wooden pole, he hammered the thinner piece into the sand so deeply that the waves couldn't reach it anymore. - And if the wood hasn't been pulled out yet, it's still stuck in Hot Water Beach today. ;)
After this success, we made our way to Whitianga. The small town has the only library around. That's where we went. After everything was done, we discussed our further travel route. It quickly became clear that we were exhausted for today. So we quickly took care of the car wash, checked the tire pressure, and returned to the campground.

The next day started with uploading the sale advertisement for our car. Even though we still have a month before leaving the country, we hope to attract some new arrivals to our Sam.
Now, there was only a five-minute ferry ride or a half-hour car ride separating us from today's destination for the night.

Because there is a narrow sea arm between Whitianga and Cooks Beach.

We chose the second option, and when we reached the new campground, we went for a hike in the afternoon. The nearby Shakespeare Cliff Scenic and Historic Reserve offers various hiking trails. First, we climbed the small mountain, which provided a viewpoint of the surrounding green forests, small islands, and hidden beaches. James Cook also appreciated the coastline of the Coromandel Peninsula and made a longer stopover in 1769.
From the highest point, we walked down the many flights of stairs to Lonely Bay. The name already hints at it - a secluded bay with many shells and beautiful photo opportunities. On the rest of the walk back to the campground, we passed more rock formations and deserted beaches. - Spring is becoming more and more evident. Many flowers, trees, and bushes are starting to bloom, and the sun, when it decides to show up, gives us increasingly warmer temperatures. :)