• Kia Ora is a Maori language greeting. Literally translated it means 'be well/healthy' and is often used as an informal 'hi'. The people of New Zealand welcomed us warmly wherever we went.

• A Pohutukawa tree on the shore of the Firth of Thames. The location is a park in Waiomu on the Coromandel Peninsula.

• Pohutukawa is commonly referred to as the 'Christmas Tree' because of the beautiful red blossoms that combine with the green foliage.

• An ancient Pohutukawa tree in the park in Waiomu

• Pohutukawa tree leaves and buds. We were too early to see the white buds turned to red blossoms.

• Pohutukawa (Christmas Tree) flowers. Image copied from Wikipedia Commons: Copyright Bojan Jankuloski

• On our drive from Waiomu to the town of Coromandel

• Looking northwest toward the Hauraki Gulf

• The Assay House, now a bait and tackle shop, was one of the earliest buildings in Coromandel.

• The town laundromat. We assume the equipment inside is more up to date.

• An artistic metal gate. Close inspection shows that the two halves swing open with a nicely curved interface.

• Hauraki House, Coromandel, is an art gallery that showcases local artists' work.

• Detail of the top of a Maori gate. We learned that Maori is pronounced 'Mao' (as in Chairman Mao) 'ree'.

• Driving Creek Railway & Potteries was founded by Barry Brickell, New Zealand's first Kiwi-born fulltime handcraft potter. He purchased this land in 1973.

• The main buildings at Driving Creek Railway

• Kathryn with the train

• Doug with the train

• A section of the narrow-gauge track

• One of the tunnels along the way

• Because of the steep terrain, some of the switchbacks, where the train reverses direction, are built on piers extending over the slope.

• On the switchback pier

• The 'Eyefull Tower' is the humorously named lookout at the top of the train ride.

• Conservation is a key part of Driving Creek Railway's mission, thus the National Trust Protected Open Space designation.

• Heading up the Eyefull Tower

• At the Eyefull Tower

• The Eyefull Tower viewing deck

• A view toward the town of Coromandel from the Eyefull Tower

• A view of the vegetation from the Eyefull Tower. The palm-like trees are actually tree ferns.

• Our train driver was Paul Swanwick.

• Manuka, a flower native to New Zealand, near the Eyefull Tower. Manuka honey is a highly valued New Zealand product.

• Kakabeak, a native flower of New Zealand, near the Eyefull Tower

• A kiln

• Pottery created at Driving Creek Railway & Potteries

• Leaving the Driving Creek Railway, we crossed the Coromandel Peninsula east to Tairua Harbour and Pauanui.

• We spent the night at the Mercure Grand Puka Park Resort in Pauanui.

• Teko Teko, the hotel greeter

• The pool area of the resort

• Our room at the Puka Park Resort

• The rooms are in duplex out-buildings, referred to as 'chalets', that are nestled into the forest.

• We took a walk through residential and park lands to the beach.

• Looking toward Tairua Harbour

• A 'foot shot' on the beach

• A Norfolk Island Pine, introduced from Norfolk Island and common in New Zealand, is not a true pine.

• Leucospermum, a Protea: Identification courtesy of Tony Foster, www.bushmansfriend.co.nz

• The Whangamata Surf Lifesaving Club. When the unwritten Maori language was phoneticized by Europeans, the 'f' became written 'wh'. Thus 'Whangamata' is pronounced 'fangamata'.

• Our nice-sized (16 seat) tour bus at Whangamata Beach

• A 'foot shot' at Whangamata Beach

• A mural in Waihi, a gold mining town.

• What began as an underground gold mine has become a large open-pit mine. Millions of dollars in gold are extracted each week.

• Mining vehicles in the pit

• Miner statue

• The Rangatira

• A 'foot shot' with rubus in Waihi. This is one of the ground covers we have at our home in Corvallis.

• Commemorating the pioneer woman

• The Kids Statues

• The Kids Statues

• Kids!

• Mt Maunganui is an extinct volcano and part of the city of Tauranga. It is located in the Bay of Plenty region.

• Mt Maunganui is a resort town with many apartments and condos for vacationers.

• There are many walking tracks around Mt Maunganui.

• A track in Mt Maunganui park

• Mt Maunganui seashore

• The stakes and ribbons are a reminder of a recent oil spill with ongoing cleanup.

• More signs of the ongoing cleanup at the Mt Maunganui seashore

• Mt Maunganui seashore

• Mt Maunganui seashore

• Mt Maunganui seashore

• Mt Maunganui seashore

• Shells on the beach

• Oyster Catcher on the Mt Maunganui beach

• Oyster Catchers on the Mt Maunganui beach