To late. . where can I sleep now?!

I got up early to finish my travel journey. . and finally did! That was a good feeling. I got picked up and off I went. It was not the same as the SUV. . now I had an Nissan Tiida, smaller and not as beautiful as the other one. This is just a normal car. And I don’t like the ass of it. It doesn’t have a nice ass that car. But it has wheels, a steer and seats so what do I need more. I was confused when I turn on the blinker and got a bit confuses. I really thought that the blinker was on the left side on that other car. . I couldn’t remember on what side it was in Europe. . Strange. .

It was a three hours drive to the Waterworks but it was an awesome drive! Really beautiful, on your left you had the ocean and on your right you had the mountains / rocks. I had a few picture stops before I got to the Waterworks. Awesome and funny place that is! To be with two or more people was better because you could do some water battles but I had really good fun by myself as well. I even had a few loud laughs. It was a walk with different waterworks, like a big watch that was walking on waterpower, flushing down the toilet by the use of gravity and water.

It had jokes, historical facts written down and interactives points. So that kept you busy. Hard to explain, the pictures will tell a better story, but really good fun.

That took me about an hour and because it still was early I decided not to drive back but finishing my round through Coromandel and heading for Rotorua. How closer I would get to there how bigger the chance is that I could be on time for the cycling tour. I will see where I sleep when I’m getting tired! I had a place in my mind so that would be fine. Always good to have a plan B. I wanted to call them but I didn’t had reception. They would be open till 8.30pm, I should make it on time. Driving down I felt like being in a go-kart! Those sharp curves the only thing that was different then be in a go-kart was the part that while doing a curve you couldn’t hear the wheels as good as on a go-kart lane. But all the rest. . felt the same. Put the music out loud and drive!

I passed the sign: Hot water beach. I have heard a few good stories of that, I’m flexible so why not drive by. I parked the car, got my bikini top on and off to the beach!

Funny to see because its really a hot water beach. People bring their shovel, dig their own pool, hot water is coming up and you have your own private pool in front of the ocean! Doesn’t sound bad does it?! Because it was already in the afternoon I didn’t had to dig one. . I just went in one that was free. That was so relax! After 15minutes I went into the ocean to cool down and get rid of all the sand that was everywhere and went back to my car. I still had to drive a few hours so better get to the campsite that I had in mind. Then I saw the sign: Catherine Cove, heard good stories about that one. I still had some time so why don’t drive to that when I was here anyway. When I got there it was another one and a half hour walk (return) but the people said that it was well worth it so. . better should do that then. After that it was getting pretty late and I wasn’t sure if I would make it on time. But the driving was going pretty good.

It was already dark and I arrived the camping site at 9:15pm. There was no light and it said: no vacany. . it was full. Oohw no. . I was getting tired now, after those 450-500km that I already drove. I looked on campermate and found another spot. But by all it said that the reception was open till 8.30pm. What now?

I drove a bit further and saw a sign: Backpackers lodge & campsites. Try that then. It was dark there too, I thought. . should look for the camping site anyway so walked around the building. I saw a lodge and someone was there. It was a backpacker and I was glad that I could sit on the couch. I was thinking of just sleeping on the couch so I asked him what he paid for a night, $45,-. I was definitely not gonna pay that for one night! I could just have a sleep on the couch and leave really early in the morning just like nothing happened! That sounds like a plan. But not paying. . was not a decent thing to do.

It wasn’t the best plan so I got my tent out and set it up on the grass. Will see what I do in the morning. Now I was happy to be at a place and get some sleep. I was really tired!

I woke up and had a shower. That was really good! Put the tent back in my car and was making some breakfast. I wanted to go to the reception after that to tell them that I slept in my tent and wanted to asked how much that cost me. Then a girl was looking through the window, saw me and walked towards me. She asked in what room I was and I was saying cheerful that I wasn’t in a room at all but slept in a tent. She looked outside but didn’t saw a tent so I told her that I already put it back in my car. And she was looking unsecure and nervous. I asked with a smile if she was from the lodge and she said yes. Well that was good because I was just finishing breakfast and then wanted to see you guys. She asked me polite if I wanted to come with her to the reception straight away. Of course I will, I didn’t had the plan to run of. When I had wanted to do that, I would have been gone around six a seven o’clock. When we had a little chat she was not nervous anymore. I thanked here, got back to my breakfast and then was heading for Rotorua!

I probably could make it on the cycle tour!