As the car swayed around the cliff-bound corners, I was as sanguine as I could manage. A dash of blue sea below the passenger window looked alarmingly close. A bead of sweat trickled down the back of my neck. It was the heat, not fear. 
Truly!
How far I’ve travelled. How far I’ve come.
That drive down to the beach on The Coromandel used to loom large in my nightmares. I wanted so desperately to get to the sea and the beach and the peace that sits over the Peninsula like an unseen veil, but I would have to endure that drive first. On those stressed long days when I lived and worked in Auckland city, I would long for the freedom of the beach. I had been travelling to the real beach ever since I was a teen – my father had a place at Hahei – and then later as a young family we’d traipse over to ‘Sally’s house’, the little two bedroom fibro bach right by the beach at Whangapoua. We had a couple of happy summers there, so it was only natural when it came time for my ex and I to split that I should run away to the beach with the children. The week before that momentous trip I had nightmares every night. My tortured subconscious would feature the ‘drive’ – the terrifying drive around the narrow one lane roads that cling on to the edges of the cliffs around the Firth of Thames and then the climb over the Coromandel Ranges with it’s 15 km an hour corners, and 900 ft drops.
Of course the dream was symbolic and more an example of the fear I felt about leaving my husband and getting over the abrupt panic of single parenthood. I managed that drive to Whangapoua easily in my little Landy that cold weekend in October 2005, and many other holidays to boot. It became far easier, with time. We had so many special times there with friends on the beach at Whangapoua, digging for pipis (shellfish), and dodging the sharks in the surf at New Chums beach! The last time I had driven over this road to the Coromandel, was … when? January 2008, I think!
This time driving over the demanding road, My Englishman at the wheel of the rental car, I felt no fear at all. I guess I’ve grown up? Or maybe it was My Englishman’s driving? I sat quietly in the car mulling over our trip so far, and I didn’t just mean the past three weeks in Australia and New Zealand, I meant our trip together – the whole last 4 years or so of it since we met that day in Paris. The day I felt like a Girl Guide, with my anorak worn like a shield.
As we drove up the side of the Manaia hill, Auckland city and the Bombay Hills were but a blue tinge in the distance. Down below there was only the sea and the paddocks, and the oyster farms with their rows of iodine pearls. I had dreaded this moment, our last weekend at ‘home’ before we jumped back on the plane and headed to the land of snow and ice. We stopped and took some photos, and then slipped back down the winding road to Matarangi where we were headed, in the distance.
We drove past the turn off to Whangapoua – my special place – and headed on towards Matarangi beach. We’d go to Whangapoua tommorrow, when we had time.
Matarangi is a beach settlement about 15km from Whitianga to the south and Coromandel town to the north. Situated on a sweep of sandy Paradise Lost (or found?), it is a relaxed place where Kiwis go for their holidays. I can’t think of any guest houses or backpackers, as there are in Whitianga or in Hahei, so if you want to enjoy the gorgeousness that is Matarangi, you’ll have to be invited. But when there’s this view on offer, as your first view of the day, and you go to sleep at night with the sound of surf loud in your ears, believe me it’s worth the grovelling!
The view from the deck
The next day I woke early and was one of the first in the surf. In fact I was the only one in the surf! Quite possibly that was because of this news story a week before in the NZ Herald spotting the sharks who are also partial to the Matarangi surf! But I’m not afraid of no shark!
After a Kiwi breakfast of fresh fish and bacon and salmon (yum!) we headed over to a hidden magical spot in Whitianga, where our lovely friends had treated us a day’s luxury! Bliss! (Thank you J and C!)
The Lost Spring day spa was lovingly built by camping ground owner Alan Hopping who started on his quest to find the lost geothermal hot springs in Whitianga, in the early 1980s. What followed was 17 years of development until the Lost Spring day spa was completed in 2007.
A luxurious day spa The Lost Spring is set in a carefully landscaped geothermal paradise. Taking design cues from the islands of the Pacific the beautiful hot water pools are bordered by palms and waterfalls and private caverns that glitter with hidden gemstones. Our friends enjoyed an incredible body massage whilst my Englishman and I floated around through magical caverns, arms lazily entwined.We may have even lingered in a dark private cave in the gentle thermal waters, in a loving embrace for a bit…
Later that night we enjoyed a fabulous meal of local fish and scallops, venison and duck at the restaurant. This was our back drop.
We drove back to Auckland the following day to meet the kids at the airport and join our flight back to Heathrow. As we drove back over the Coromandels, I cried a little. But surprisingly, not for long. I’ve reconciled myself with how far I’ve come to find peace. I’d spent so long dreading that moment of leaving NZ and coming back here, to England – just as I dreaded driving up the Coromandel hill all those years ago – and now those fears have dissipated. Gone. I knew I was coming back to friends, to work I enjoy, to a life my Englishman and our kids are making together. We didn’t get to visit ‘my beach’ at Whangapoua, there wasn’t time, and strangely I was ok with that. Some things are best left in the past, it’s time for new experiences.
I guess I can truly say that once upon a time, I went to the Coromandel because I was lost, but this time I came back from the Coromandel, and I was found.
*NB/ No one sponsored me to say anything about the fantastic places we visited in NZ But I do reccommend if you’re down that way that you check out:
The Lost Spring in Whitianga – they have a range of accommodation packages, fantastic meals and is truly one of the most wonderful places I’ve ever been to.
The Coromandel – fantastic place! You really must go here. Have a look here for maps, tourist itineries and places to stay!
Also check out: Gateway 2 New Zealand rental cars - for fantastic personal service! This lovely couple will meet you off your flight at the airport, hand you the keys of the vehicle and you’re off! Friendly, affordable and just all round brilliant service! Cannot recommend them highly enough! Tell them crazy Vix sent you!
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