First to explain the photograph. Owain and Cerys came to this beach on their honeymoon and said we should try it, so we did. Basically, you rent a shovel then the sap who carried it all the way to the beach digs a big hole in the wet sand at low tide and waits for it to fill with hot water from the springs that bubble up under the sand. This is hard work. Then the lady who told him several times that it needed to be bigger and deeper gets into the warm water and ...

Thoroughly enjoyed being a hobbit for the afternoon and will have to revisit the films to bore Pauline with comments such as “we stood just there” etc. Then a short drive to Pauline and Robert’s newly built, fabulous home for a lovely evening chatting the night away. Said goodbyes in the rain but by 11.00am things got better and by the time we reached the Coromandel peninsula it was gorgeous. We stopped en route for two walks, the first through some old gol...

Awoke to heavy rain but thankfully changed to sun and showers by the time we arrived at Hobbiton. A lovely tour but I’ll get Andrew to write more on all things Middle Earth as he is the big Tolkien fan. Then made a side trip to visit an old dyfed powis connection. Pauline and Robert Stuart who once farmed be Alltwalis who immigrated some 24 yrs ago... we know through conversations that several of you may remember them. We had a wonderful welcome and gave up...

Our home for tonight, lots of ducks and black swans, however rain has just started again.

Our resting spot last night ( car park in the back of a pub) wasn’t great even though the reviews talked it up. However it was well located so before nine am we had done a few geothermal side trips, one where we could have a swim in a hot wild waterfall and while it was magical a brown scum in parts put me off plus it wasn’t that warm outside. So we looked and what few other tourists who must have read the same book also did the same. However on reflection w...