Shooting Stars

We left Auckland for the second and possible last time and headed to the Coromandel peninsula.
The drive was rainy but still very beautiful. We took the shorter route that cuts across the peninsula
instead of the longer coastal route, we figured we’d leave that drive for tomorrow. Clouds sat in
valleys, cattle and horses grazed in fields (and fornicated!), tropical vegetation mixed with pines and
hardwoods in the “bush”.

We picked up our first hitchhiker, Andy. A Brazilian-German that lives just outside Munich. He’s
travelling solo for a few months between high school and university. He rode with us until we
reached out destination, Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove. Low-tide is needed to enjoy hot
water beach – low-tide wasn’t until after 6 pm so we head to Cathedral Cove first. It’s a 45 minute
trek with beautiful views of the coast and lush forests full of ferns. We see a lot of silver leaf ferns –
the national fern of New Zealand. We arrive at the cove, accessible only through a massive natural
rock archway. Stunning. Peaceful. Well, peaceful after the medical helicopter transporting the hiker
that slipped... We took a moment to give thanks for our health and the opportunity to experience
such natural beauty. Back to Hot Water Beach. Now there is a crowd of people. You have to dig your
pool in the exact right spot else you risk being burned or being cold. Amazing to sit on a beach and
lay in a scalding pool of hot water.

The sun begins to set so we head to Matarangi to our host Scott’s house, another couchsurfing host.
It’s dark by the time we get close and we end up on a cliff-side single lane road, Bluff road. Signs
alert us to a wash out! We’re not sure we’re going to make it but then we finally arrive. When we
get there Scott isn’t home yet (he’s out at “fire practice”) so we just let ourselves in, make ourselves
at home, start cooking. Suddenly an older couple walks in and looks at us in surprise – they look
frightened. “What are you doing in our house!?” No, that didn’t really happen, but we joked about
how it would be funny if it did. Scott eventually arrived and we had a nice hot dinner, dessert and
some great wine.

Scott and I take a walk to the beach to do some star gazing. There is a heavy mist all around. We
see only shadows of trees yet the sky directly above us is completely clear. The last time I saw so
many stars I was on a boat in the middle of Lake Jacosse with my friends last summer. The sky is like
a blanket of stars overtop of you. We find Orion, Leo, the King’s Cross and others. A shooting star!
Another. Another! And again. Make a wish – I don’t have anything to wish for. I’m happy, what more
could I ask for?