Today I’ve planned to reach Whitianga by the 309 road. Last night was cold. It confirmed itself when I discover this morning that all the grass was frozen! We are in the end of winter and it’s the first time I see that, I’m really astonished!
Now I know now why I felt cold last night!
Let’s pack everything and leave. I will have to dry my tent later.
Packing and getting ready
As yesterday, the view is still breath taking :-).
One more bay, maybe it’s Kennedy bay but I’m not sure.
Coming back to the bush with option gravels.
I can see the seal road 🙂
I’m aware that some pictures look the same sometimes… But it’s New Zealand :-)!
Something exceptional! A bridge…
Few! I’m tired… I’m was in bay earlier and then in that valley over there where I took the bridge’s picture.
Colorful setup 🙂
Hey, hey! I just realized I’ve lost my flag yesterday along the track! Rah! Now I have to buy two things in Tauranga.
Finally the summit! That was a looong slope but the reward is good. The view is fantastic!!
Few minutes ago, I heard a car coming. Ok, super, and…? As soon as he overtook me, he accelerated to make a really annoying sound with his tires just to show off or something. Pff, silly driver!
Arriving in Coromandel Town
The previous way down to Coromandel was amazing! I liked it :-).
Wait a minute, It seems to have something interesting over there. Hey I remember! My book mentioned about a Pot maker who built a train from scratch to extract the ground and make pottery. I’ll have a look.
Having a look to the place
Railway Potteries says the sign. That’s the place for sure.
But is it interesting? That’s my question. It’s not something truly New Zealand but certainly a tourist place. I will see it in a minute.
At least, this place looks cute.
Ahah, yes I remember this as well. This man calls the top of his mount Eyefull Tower. That’s why one of the panels indicate “Eiffel Tower”. Maybe he built something to the top? But I can’t see it.
This must be the original logo made by the creator of this place.
That must be one of the pottery oven.
Whouahou! This train is really cute. It’s better than Disneyland here! I hope I will have enough battery in my camera… And enough time to go to Whitianga as well because the campsite is quite expensive here.
How to resist, it’s expensive (25$) but I want to see that.
Buying my ticket!
I’m ready 🙂
I’m seating at the last seat but something tells me that I will be the first soon :-).
This is the map of the site. Pretty impressive.
Here we go!
This man did a genius work! It’s fantastic!! I’m impressed and I’m not the only one that’s sure. Pete is the driver. Once a year he travels by bike like me with a friend. During the visit, when he came on my side of the train, he told me that Whitianga is too far away to reach today. But I know the camp in Coromandel is expensive. Then, he offered me to plant my tent in his garden for the night :-). Cool!
We might be going at 8-10 km/h I guess. Just enough to enjoy what is going on.
Wow, he even made the switches!
Uh?
Sometimes the train has to change of directions to continue his way toward the top. This checkpoint is gorgeous. The train stop on a half bridge front of a wonderful landscape!
That’s the final station : the Eyefull Tower :-).
Excellent station I must say 🙂
There is a little room underneath the big terrace. A house?
Let’s go up stairs and admire the view.
Going up stairs
From here we have a wonderful view! We can also see where we stopped earlier. There is a “bridge” a little bit below the center, on the right hand side of the photo.
I’m not sure this part is original. They certainly built it later before opening the site for tourism. Apparently they also organize mariage or bbq for groups who reserved the place.
The small Eiffel tower on top of the Eyefull tower 🙂
I’m here! and happy:-).
Few! It’s wonderful!.
Pete explained that we’ve paid 25$, it’s not nothing but there is part:
- for him, haha sure!
- a part for maintenance
- another to conserve the site.
- And a last one, like a donation, to continue protecting the forest, planting new kauri trees and reintroducing slowly the Kiwi bird.
I have a great visit and I give my help, I like it :-). Pete also told us that the creator is still alive and he will turn 77 years old soon. He is living around and continue to work for the site. Wow! This guy is really dedicated!
It is time to leave.
Every one goes back in the mini train.
The blurry Eyefull tower from a distance.
Ahah :-). It’s really like Disneyland here. There is details everywhere even on the tunnels 🙂
Fantastic view again.
The walls are covered with glass bottles. How Cool!
Some potteries are exposed along the way.
During our way back, Pete explain us the purpose of these “bottles walls”. The recycling bottles make walls stronger but the creator had to organise lots of parties to empty all these bottles 🙂 lol.
That bridge is fantastic!
That’s it, we are coming back. I don’t regret this excellent visit! When I think I’ve almost missed that place…
Later on, I reached Pete's place
Pete hasn’t finished to work yet but he explained to me where he lives. So, I went there and told the story to his wife and now I’m ready to camp :-). Matt, their son, is sound engineer in a band and Caitlin, his girlfriend is an artist. She creates tiles in different shapes, decorate them and sell them thought shops in New Zealand. I’m staying with an artistic family in fact :-).
This night should be as cold as the last one so they give me a second mattress, a second sleeping bag, a cushion and a blanket :-). I’m gonna be ok tonight, better than in a hotel ahah.
Caitlin offered me one of her creation 🙂 Thank you! (It’s ok it’s not so heavy ;-), always my problem I know ahah). What a perfect day!
Hey Damdam,
It was a long time that I have not post to your blog. Your travel is so amazing and your pictures marvelous ! I’m currently reading your posts but I cannot reach the end ! It’s the reason why I post to this news.
The railway system is so great ! How much it’s takes to go through it ?
And the frozen pictures are so beautiful, with all blankets and every things you easily could get warmer :). I’ll post on your last news when I’ll reach it !. Till this time, have a good new zeland trip and more and more to tell us (My daily pleasure is to read you while I’m going to work by public transports in the morning, people around me should be curious to know from where are those pictures :), and I can read from my new galaxy nexus !)
See you soon on this blog !
Max