Memom and Stuart’s Visit

We were so lucky to have a great visit with Memom and Stuart (back in February!)

We met them at the Auckland airport where we picked up our Hertz people mover and headed over to the Coromandel peninsula.

We started off with a train ride up to the Eye Full Tower, where a local potter created a train track up the mountain to dig his clay.  The views from the top were beautiful.

Next stop was Hot water beach, hot springs at the beach! We dug in the sand and had our very own surfside spa.

Jeremy hiked over to Cathedral Cove and took pictures of this natural cathedral for the rest of us to enjoy (we were busy eating ice cream).

Next was Waterworks, a water park for kids and adults alike where Jeremy got to try an adult sized flying fox!

We visited an old Kauri grove, where these old trees show what New Zealand looked like before any humans came and turned it all into timber.

Then we flew to Nelson on the South Island and drove over to Golden Bay where we took a sunset tour to Farewell Spit, a remote sandbar so named by explorer James Cook as it was the last sighting of New Zealand as he departed for Australia in 1770.

We had a great kayak trip complete with oysters harvested off the rocks by our guide.

Mom and Stuart took the girls fishing for salmon which we all enjoyed hot smoked.

Cicadas where everywhere on our walks and Jeremy was like a cicada magnet!

Our highlight was Wharariki Beach where we happened upon a tidal pool of baby seals frolicking.

We stayed in a great victorian B and B and enjoyed many meals including this one handcrafted for Valentine’s Day by Hazel.

We just had to watch out for the wild hen!

Click here and here for more photos of our trip with Memom and Stuart.