So after what feels like a lifetime of wanting to make this plan happen, and then getting really close to it for the last few months, at 0445 on Saturday 23rd December 2017 I was off!
A friend had warned about the potential traffic jams building up early due to the Christmas weekend, well I may have taken that a bit literally, but at least it meant I was on my way, wherever it was I was going. I had a few friends not able to understand the fact that I was just going to get in my car and drive, but that was pretty much the plan….
I did have the potential of Coromandel in my head, but took a junction off to look at the sunrise and it took me round and about to get back on the motorway and only when I was getting closer to Hamilton I realised because of that detour I missed the Coromandel turn off!! Took that as a sign, and then thought of the idea of getting friends on Facebook to be part of my journey by giving me various instructions or things to find or do along the way, has been great fun! See how I am getting on here, and feel free to add any more!
So I was following a particular instruction and in doing so drove straight past Batman on the side of the road. A quick U-turn for a selfie and to see what I was missing out on, turns out Batman’s girlfriend, Yana Meech was showcasing her art in the hall opposite. Now isn’t that a real superhero, standing on the roadside on his weekend off to support Yana! Long story short I had an invite for dinner and a bed for my first night of travels! You know when you meet those people and you just click? The conversation was awesome!
Despite a generous invite to stay for Christmas, I decided to get on the road again. Having asked on Instagramwhether I should go North or South, the answer was North, and so I did just that, and ended up driving as far North as I could go, to an amazing campsite right at the top of Coromandel. Set up my new tent right by the beach, and I really was in my element, the best bit, well one of them – no phone signal. Admittedly I did drive out for half an hour on Christmas Day morning to ring home and assure everyone I was absolutely fine, and then that was it.
For those that know me, will know albeit reluctantly I am kinda glued to my phone, so I was interested how this would go, but I loved it! I read recently that when you are connected to yourself you can be without people, but not alone, and that was how it was. I felt great!
Saying that it wasn’t long before I got talking to the couple next to me, one from Essex, the other from Lancashire, and we traded drinking water for toothpaste, shared Christmas songs in the sunshine and even leant me their gas stove for my Christmas lunch of spicy bean hash. (As it had literally been on a whim, or other people’s whims more like, I had food, but wasn’t overly well prepared otherwise, oh and I had gin!)
Lovely afternoon of swimming, reading and just being. As the afternoon was drawing to a close, a guy walked off the beach and we got chatting, turns out he lived near where I used to live North of Auckland, and again one of those conversations that suddenly goes in allsorts of directions, resulting in sirloin steak being cooked for dinner! I was so grateful, as I had this, maybe misguided, idea that a Kiwi Christmas was spent by the beach with a BBQ, hence why I was making it happen for myself! I had thought the BBQ would have to wait for another time, and then there it was as well to complete the dream!
Having only booked for two nights, Boxing Day morning found me booking in for a third, loving the peace, detachment, time out, oh and the storms at night, tent held out! My BBQ hero from Christmas Day said to me you can’t come all this way and just read, “actually, I can, this is about me as a human BE-ing, not a human DO-ing,” and it is taking some getting used to, but loving what I am finding! There was a walk I could have done, but after cutting my right toe and my left foot I took that as a sign the walk would have to wait!
Driving out on whatever day the 27th was, you know how it is at this time of year, I have to admit all I could think about was my cup of tea! Hadn’t actually thought that without a stove and kettle one would have to go without!
So the tea tasted all the better when I got in to Coromandel at the Driving Creek Cafe. Such an awesome place, and well worth the 3 day wait!
On the road again with the plan to meet up with friend Janice and her husband who had escaped the Auckland life earlier in the year, and set up the most beautiful retreat in Tapu. You can read just what an amazing place I found it to be here.
And after that, thought I really ought to think about a bed for the night somewhere, and messaged my friend who lives in Whangamata, only to find he was back in Stillwater (where I used to live) for work, but kindly set me up for the night with his mum. The most beautiful lady, and a lovely dinner of Christmas leftovers. I have felt so blessed on this trip already, and love how I get to meet such awesome people, including Bev’s neighbours. One of whom is a lawyer and coastguard and who got called out while we were chatting. It really hit home to me how these people really are superheroes. Just going about their business and suddenly they are out saving lives.
Talking of superheroes the next day found me catching up with other friends, and listening to their stories. One had prevented a backpacker’s van going up in flames, another had chased a handbag snatcher and got him arrested, only to bump in to him in the library a week later! Superheroes are often ordinary people just doing what needs to be done at the time.
That evening then saw me pulling up in the middle of nowhere just North of Taupo, to have a long awaited catch up with the most beautiful lady and meet her husband and son. So much to catch up on, a quick jamming session on the ukuleles, and me on my thumb piano (keep an eye on youtube, I will be rocking it – one day!) brings me up to date…..
I actually have to pinch myself to remember that this is actually happening, that this isn’t just a holiday it is a way of life, and I sure am learning to trust and have faith, because that is when the Universe gets involved and the best bits happen…..
Vague next direction, out to the West coast, and then further down South, timescale? No idea!
