As you all may have noticed I haven't said much this trip and you probably thought that was odd since this was basically my dream vacation.  Well honestly, I am having a hard time describing how I feel in general.  Our last day here (today) is the first day that I have missed home.  I always missed my family, friends and cats but not home.   I am ready to leave now or maybe I should say "for now" instead.

I have never been to a place and felt instantly like I belonged there.  Almost like I was supposed to be there, I feel that here.  It makes me kind of sad.  Strange isn't it?  Then at the exact same time I am so happy and I feel lighter and more alive.  I took to this place right away.  I have no problem driving on the other side of the road on the other side of the car as well; it actually feels easier to me.  I like the pace of life and the people are very friendly.  I don’t like the ketchup though, it’s called tomato sauce here and it's sweet.  If I ever get to move here I will have to import ketchup.  I digress.  The tea is better here and so is the coffee.  The water is incredible!  Bathing in water that is good enough to be sold in a bottle makes your skin feel nice.  I am supposed to be here, just not right now.  I think that is the sad part.  I want to be here now.  Like I always say, it's better to want things, it builds character.  We all know I have a lot of that. 

On to what I enjoyed the most on my travels to the land of sweet ketchup and pickled walnuts!  I absolutely, without a doubt loved, LOVED, the lion encounter.  It brought joy to my heart.  Never in my life did I want to pick up bloody meat so badly.  I could have died a happy woman if I could have fed the lions.  Funny thing, the guide in the truck with us said we would be tempted to reach out and touch a lion through the cage, I scoffed at this because I didn't want to donate my finger to the meal.  Sure enough I WAS tempted!  I had to stop myself on several occasions.  I was like the proverbial kid in the candy store.  I wanted to touch everything or in this case all four of the lions.  It was so cool.  Needless to say all my digits are intact.

I also loved my dessert at Strawberry Fare.  If I lived here I would have to become a cake lover because that piece of cake was ACTUALLY heaven on earth.  It wasn't like it, it was IT!  I am still baffled as to how a huge piece of cake, roughly two regular slices, with chocolate on top, a side of ice cream and raspberry sauce can be consumed after a meal and not make you want to unbutton your pants. 

Now the sappy stuff!  The absolute best part of the vacation was Seth.  He is packing my stuff right now so I can type and he is so handsome and wonderful.  Never have I met a more giving man.  He amazes me and I thank God that I got to see this place with him by my side. 

Well so long New Zealand, we will meet again.

If you actually wanted to hug a tree why not make it one that is 400 years old and only found in the exact spot you happen to be standing?  I figured I would live up to my tree hugging persona and hug a tree and have my photo taken.  I did just that.  I hugged a Kauri tree.  They are the biggest, not the tallest trees in NZ.   They produce the most timber.  They grow very slowly so they thrive on the steep slopes and ridge tops where most trees don’t grow.  That is why they are so thick.  The Kauri tree can be traced back to the dinosaur age!   That is my kind of tree.  The Kauri is what attracted people to this part of the island.  It was used to make a lot of boats and housing since it is so straight and strong.  I even saw a Siamese Kauri. 

Ignoring the risk of being teased for the rest of my life, I love trees!  I really do.  The grove is on the famous 309 road that is unsealed (Kiwi word for dirt road) and windy.  You pass some not so appealing parts (clear cutting and junk) and then you stop at this little opening in the forest and walk on in.  I had to leave Seth in the car because where we parked was a graveyard of broken window glass.  The last thing we needed was to have someone steal our luggage.  It was probably safe because we were there early in the morning but why tempt fate more?  I walked in and it was like stepping into another world.  All I could hear were birds, running water and the crunch of my shoes on the dirt and leaves.  It was a 10 minute walk in to the grove.  I rounded a corner and there they were.  Having never seen a Kauri tree I wasn’t sure I would notice them since there were so many trees around.  Believe me I noticed.  They are magnificient!  Truly breathtaking.  It’s like they are the watchers of the forest.  The tops of all of the other trees are there and then several feet up, STRAIGHT UP, is the top of the Kauri tree.  I walked on and up some stairs and got up close and personal with one and gave it a big hug.  It made my heart happy.  I really wished Seth was with me.  It rained at that moment but the top of the tree was so think I didn’t get wet.   I even giggled when I hugged the thing and you know what, it was SOFT.  The bark was actually soft to the touch.  How cool is that?

I couldn't stay forever so I stopped by the Siamese Kauri, said hello and good bye and went out to see my wonderful husband.  By the way wasn't it sweet of him to offer to stay with the car while I went in because he knows how much I love trees?  He didn’t even say it with a snicker or anything.  What a guy!

 

Everyone knows I am not a beach person but Seth is.  On our first morning in Coromandel Seth got up before sunrise.  Now don't die of shock, it wasn't hard as we seem to be going to bed early and getting up even earlier.  He wanted to get sunrise on the beach pictures.  I decided to join him and when I got there I had an overpowering urge to collect seashells.  They were everywhere and they were whole and big compared to what I found in Hawaii or California.  I couldn't stop picking them up. 

At one point I felt like the sea was giving me presents.  I stood next to some rocks and watched the waves come in and for a bit, yup I said bit, a wave would wash up a seashell.  I am not kidding, the sea gave me seashells.  Now the Seth logical part of my brain told me that judging by the abundance of shells already on the beach that the sea was not giving me presents it was simply doing what it always does and washing things ashore.  At that point my heart brain kicked the logical brain's ass and went with the sea is giving me presents deal.  I am sticking with that one.

Needless to say I now have a shoe box full of shells to bring home.  Oh happy day.