Gutted that I wasn't around when one of the shafts of the mine was in operation - in 3 yrs the Caledonian shaft drew 300 million NZ dollars worth of gold! Not that you would catch me anywhere near any gold other than in the form of jewellery now I've seen what goes in to getting it - a bit of romantic swirling of a frying pan this was not. If the quartz dust and cave ins didn't get you the mercury, cyanide, lead and heat probably would have done to say nothing for the tiny little lift they squeezed 7-12 people in.
Lots of Cornish names in this town - we thought they bought their tin mining expertise over with them but apparently the mine owners shipped them in as they were short and stocky enough to fit in the tunnels - Martyn had crick in his neck!
Back to campsite for lunch and something better than gold for Isabel and barrie - their bags arrived - hurrah.
Drove to Coromandel Town with stops at pretty little beaches. Avoided land slips that were still being cleared including one LARGE one with a very precariously perched digger on top that was still slipping! Got up close and personal with a logging truck coming the other way down a very wiggly road. Martyn and Barrie were behind in car and couldn't see why brakes had gone on - when we stopped I was told I had instigated excellent avoidance measures - very proud (once stopped shaking! Stomping on brakes with your lovely mother in law in the passenger seat is not to be repeated too often!)
Paused for ice cream (we instructed parents they were to wean us off cake and ice cream - our powers must b greater than theirs as this is not going well so far!)
And on to Whitianga and camp for the night at Mercury Bay.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave us a comment, they may take some time to appear as they are checked first before they are published 8-)