Nasty Little Hobbitsies

Posted by MrFogg
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This is Woodlyn Park in Waitomo and this is the Hobbit House we are staying in for the next two nights and it’s so cool.

Also onsite is a 31m Waikeke Island Ferry with 5 separate sets of accommodation (1 amazing 3 storey luxury pad) a WWII plane converted into 2 sets of accommodation and a train. And guess what we are the only people here.

The views are amazing and by the time you get up and start reading this, we will be sat outside our Hobbit House sipping wine and watching meteor showers.

Ah peace and quiet tonight.

Frildo Hairy Foot and Badsack Nutmeister drank wine from here.

[Posted from my super cool iPhone]

Home of L and P

Posted by MrsFogg
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On the way to Waitomo we stopped off at the famous Paeroa, original home of a famous drink invented and brewed here. We just had to try it.

Paeroa itself looks to have died some time ago (ok so it is Sunday and nothing is open) but any fresh paint and polish seems to have long since faded. However there does seem to be plenty of motability scooters zipping up the high street (complete with flags swinging from the back of them)

So, just in case you were wondering. L&P consists of water, fizz and lemon. Oh and it is now brewed by Coco Cola probably miles away too. Tastes ok though.

Moving on….

[Posted from Mrs Foggs super cool iphone]

Bowl of Coffee for Breakfast

Posted by MrFogg
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After checking out from Stallag Pauanui (not a fun night (least of all when cars come in at gone midnight and your bedroom window is carpark level so you have blazing headlights and then they pap their horns for good measure), we headed out to Waitomo today stopping at the Matatoki Farm Cheese shop on the Paeroa Highway, where everything is cheese or milk derivatives.

My breakfast consisted of a 6inch bowl of coffee (jumping all day long) and a triple chic brownie, the Mrs had a more sedate tea and muffin.

So we have two nights in the Woodlyn Park stopping in a hobbit house whilst we visit the Waitomo Caves and then on to Hobbiton (the actual Lord of the Rings film set).

Cheese from here.

[Posted from my super cool iPhone]

Welcome to Hell

Posted by MrsFogg
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Oh my!!! What should have been a quiet relaxing evening at the Pauanui Pines Motel is in fact hell on earth.

This is the delightful view from our goldfish bowl room, strategically located next to all mod cons- the guest laundry (listen to the gurgle of water flushing out) and the tennis courts (joy).

Did I mention I hate children??? Loud little shits that swing off tennis court gates, trample flower beds and spend endless hours shouting for mummy or daddy and then screaming in some high pitched language that pierces ear drums and vibrates across tennis courts. Oh yes, sorry but I hate kids.

Apparently one of the little darlings has just pooped on the tennis court (says dad) but apparently that’s better than it pooping in the corner of the motel room (also according to dad who yelled this across the tennis courts that we are fortunate to be stuck behind).

So what do you do when stranded in hell? Snarl, pour the wine, growl at brats (it actually makes them run away, believe me).

How the hell did I manage to book this place?? Mr Fogg is not going to let me forget this one. Oh dear.

This delightful shed of a motel cost us $217 for the night – the most expensive yet. So, happy me wandered up to pay this morning and (politely) advised the friendly owner that this was my idea of hell. He was very apologetic (can’t get the right type guests you know) and then (unasked) rang the bill up at only $160 (NZD) instead of full price. Nice man, all nearly forgiven….but no plans to come back anytime soon.

Hobbit hotel here we come..

[Posted from my super cool iPhone]

The Forrest of Galadriel

Posted by MrFogg
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On our hike down to Cathederal Cove you go through Galadriel’s Forrest, we looked out for Elves but saw nothing apart from Dwarves, sorry people of small stature (sorry).

Beautiful scenery, shame about Pauanui though, it resembles more of an industrial estate than a luxury getaway. Thank goodness it’s only one night.

Tomorrow it’s Waitomo and the Hobbit Hotel (have a look for Woodlyn Park on the netty thing and we is in of the hobbit homes). Maybe no Internet for a few days (thank goodness say you), but we’ll be back Mr Baggins.

[Posted from my super cool iPhone]

It Is The Greenest Green I Have Ever Seen

Posted by MrFogg
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When we toured the US, Mrs Fogg bought a pendant made of Jade and loved it, until one day she dropped it and it broke. Wandering around Coromandel before we set of this morning, she saw an almost exact replica of her necklace so decided to purchase it.

One question before I buy this said Mrs Fogg to the shop owner, what type of stone is this, “Green Stone” came the reply, alrighty then!

And Now we have arrived at what I can only describe as Stallag Pauanui! Oh boy.

Stallag Pauanui is here.

[Posted from my super cool iPhone]

Anorak, Camera, Notebook

Posted by MrFogg
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If you were a train spotting geek then this would be the start of your geeky checklist (items not on the list include a girlfriend, coordinated clothing and a life). Any train spotters I am sorry but you are right I am missing something, the Thermos and open toe sandals, whoops.

So we decided to join the throngs on a train journey from Driving Creek, on this hand built narrow gauge railway some several miles up the hillside to the owners “eye full tower”. It really was a feat of engineering by the old boy who maintains the trains and tracks adding tunnels, switchbacks and mountainsides made of wine bottles (ideas with what to do with your empty bottles).

The journey is very impressive and the views from the top simply spectacular, am I a convert, hell no, I’ll stick with a life thank you. Duanne Dibbley out.

[Posted from my super cool iPhone]

Sunset Over the Oysters

Posted by MrFogg
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Ahhh what a view and what a drive from Thames down to Coromandel. Tonight we wombled into the ah hem, town (well one street with about 20 shops) and had a glorious meal at the Success Cafe (fantastic service and food). And tonight we are watching this beautiful sunset over the oyster and mussel beds whilst sipping a local Pinot Noir called Mercury Bay (lovely).

Tomorrow we head South East to Pauanui (pronounced POW an OO EE) where we will stop at the Pauanui Pines Lodge. Unfortunately due to late tides and the fact it’s Bank Holiday weekend (personally I’d have thought my Tour Geek would have researched this however given she took us to Venice on the main Bank Holiday for Italians sat in a traffic queue for 5 hours, why am I surprised, you get the service you pay for) we won’t get to use the hot water beach (booo).

Hats orf to ya Mrs Fogg, blinding job as always.

Wonderful Sunset After a Day of Rain from here.

[Posted from my super cool iPhone]

The Road to Coromandel

Posted by MrFogg
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A nice breakfast at the Cotswold Cottages before driving to Coromandel over some interesting terrain as can be seen from this scenic highway with a speed rating of 100Km/h but a reality rating of 10km/h given the fact that it’s wide enough for 1 and a half cars only and hair pin bends and no barrier into the sea beneath. So a slowish drive before stopping for oysters and mussels gumbo in the pouring rain.

Up to the Driving Creek railway which is a narrow gauge built by some old boy in the 70s that zigzags back and forth over 30 mins to the top of the mountain with spectacular views.

And now we are sat having a coffee in a hippee cafe before heading to the hotel for this evening.

Dangerous driving from here.

[Posted from my super cool iPhone]