Kiyomi and Ren's Excellent Adventures: Still raining...

December 18 - Waihi, Coromandel Peninsula

We're holed up in the little town of Waihi Beach, which actually has a lovely 9 km stretch of beach. Kohji has actually taken the kids up to beach despite the constant, drumming rain (this is the type of rain that has not let up at all for the past 24 hours, not even brief respites). The ground is soggy and saturated, ground squelching under foot, small ponds forming in fields. Generally, the kind of unremintent rain that starts to get to you, espcially when you're existing in a 10 X 12 room.

In fact, this is the type of weather we expected to encounter on the South Island, especially along the West Coast and down in Milford Sound. The North Island was purported to be all sunny skies and sandy beaches. Guess our weather luck ran out.

The last few days have been predominanly rainy. So we started out yesterday by checking out the Rototura Museum. We were a little skeptical as to whether it would keep the kids entertained - focus is on Maori culture and the sanitarium history of the hot springs. Turned out to be actually quite interesting, even for the kids. We learned about some Maori legends, including the one about the bird woman who fell in love with a Maori hunter and died chasing him through the hot springs, and a lot about the history of the area. It was used by the Maori in the fall and spring as a sacred area, with the hot pools deemed to have healing powers (as well as some of them being able to cook food). When Europeans arrived, they seized upon the health properties of the "baths" and from early on in European settlement, the area was seen as a tourist destination with hotels, sanitariums, taverns, popping up to care, feed and house the curious travellers. Interstingly, even in the late 1800s and early 1900s, showcased Maori culture was packaged as part of the tourist experience. The building which currently houses the Museum was originally built as a luxury bath house. Now it showcases Maori history and culture. The highlight was a short interactive movie which elaborates on Maori culture and how it intermingled with the early "bathhouse" market (there is a small surprise which I won't give away, but it's worth seeing the movie).

Emerging from the Musuem, it was still raining (and in fact while inside there had been some pretty powerful downpours). The forecast, in fact, for most of the Island was rainy for at least a couple of days. So, after a quick lunch, we hopped in the car and headed for points further north in the hopes of waiting out the weather closer up along the Coromandel Peninsula, which is where we sit now listening to the steady pitter-patter on the roof. About 45 minutes into the drive, we actually encountered sun and blue skies, but right about the time we parked the car here in Waihi, the clouds descended and the first rain drops started falling just as we were walking down to check out the beach. Sigh... it hasn't stopped since.

We decided to stay a couple days on Waihi as it's sort of the southern entry point to the Coromandel, to wait out the weather (it is supposed to turn fine this afternoon, but it's currently 5:30, so I'm thinking not). It's a small little mining down, with a great big, full scale mining operation. Like many towns, Waihi was initally settled as a gold prospecting down, but lay fairly stagnant once the prospect dried up. In the mid-80s though, a mining company re-opened the operation and there is a massive mine pit, pretty much in the middle of town. As the rain won't let up, we checked out the visitor center and went to take a look at the pit (not operating today as it's a Sunday).

Some of the fun rainy day activities over the last couple days - shaving daddy's beard (mom had decided it had to go), making rice Deathstars and talking like Yoda, standing in the rain staring at a massive gold mine pit, eating way too many kumara (kind of a cross between a potato and sweet potato) fries hoping the rain will let up, jumping on a soaking wet trampoline to see whether it can indeed soak through your underwear and just generally trying not to drive each other crazy.

In desperation, more than anything else, Kohji suited the kids up and headed to the beach. I stubbornly declined. For added fun, they were joined by the rather rambuctious 6 year old boy who lives here at the vacation park. His family runs the place and he has taken a shine to Ren and Kiyomi. He's probably the most outgowing 6 year old I've ever met, and full of energy too boot. Of course, we had a slight pause when (as he, Kiyomi and Ren were huddled on the bed looking at Ren's toys) he announced he had nits! All the way to NZ and we couldn't get away from the lice plague that haunts Ottawa.

The gang came back sopping wet with just a faint ere of drenched cats about them - a little wet and snarly. Ah well, at least some energy was burned. It did stop raining though, right around the time they got all dried. There's Murphy at work for ya...