April 8 - Brook - I think this morning must have been the latest I've slept-in in the last 4 years. I think I've figured out this "rest" thing. After a lovely breakfast I had a nice slow morning. We were planning the afternoon around low-tide and Tuatua gathering. A Tuatua is a New Zealand shell fish that lives just below the sand at the low tide water line. So at low tide 2:30pm today we were all prepared in our "togs" (bathing suits) and buckets in hand we walk...

Vivian: April 7, 2012 -- A little bit of rain today with some clouds. We have taken a drive around the Coromandel Peninsula starting at the ferry at Whitiangi, and ending at Driving Creek small guage railway to the "Eyefull" tower views, near Coromandel town. It has been a pleasure to spend R & R time with DG Alan, Claire, Letitia, and Jay during the day. We had a Kiwi picnic on Otama beach under a pohutukawa Kiwi Christmas) tree with carrot cake for dess...

April 7 - Brook - Today was our sightseeing day with the DG Allen Eyes and his family. We first went to Whitianga on a small ferry over an estuary. Once in the booming vacation town we quickly found the market and had a chance to roam around. From there we toured the town a bit then headed up to Otama and Opito Beaches on the coromandel. It was a rather overcast day but as we drove it started to rain a bit… then a bit more. The roads over the coromandel mount...

April 6 - Brook - Today we were able to sleep in, but I couldn't. So I went for an early morning walk down to the beach to check things out. The swell from the night before was still moderate in size. Once I returned home everyone was up for the morning. After breakfast was done my host family Graeme & Linda, Brenda & I decided to go for a walk down the east side of the beach. This morning the beach was littered with all sorts of seaweed that had been r...

April 5 - Brook - Today we said good-bye to our second home stay hosts. Then we started to make our way to Cook's beach with a variety of people. Brenda, Vivian, Becca & Myself all arrived around 1:00pm. The beach was too enticing for us to ignore so off we went exploring. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we just kept walking. The sand beneath our feet and the warmish water was all too inviting. Soon we found ourselves at the end of the beach. We decided to ...