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We came across a guy that carves large-scale pieces of wood into chairs , elephants , kiwis ... Although she has n't been on exciting overseas trips like some people in the family , Nikki has been out of Hamilton once or twice . " Ian and Tony motored across the treacherous passage to the Coromandel Peninsula in a glassy calm , past the Watchman and his Dog , two tiny rocky islets in the middle of the ocean with a lighthouse and immense crashing waves that seem to arise out of nowhere , through the ferocious tide rips at the end of the Peninsula , past Elephant Cove on Happy Jack 's Island , a little enclosed rocky bay in the centre of an island that is not much bigger , holding just one or two boats ( it was already occupied ) , and down to Te Kouma harbour on the Coromandel for the night , before heading home . Buffaloes , like cows , grow long horns - - they are evidently not cut as they are in the west - - which are often decorated with bright paint , or bells . Last but not least , one day in November we set the alarm for 4AM and sat outside for an hour to watch the meteor shower , an exciting display of shooting stars - - did you see it ? Always on private land , we hiked up steep hills , along beaches , through forest , across farmland , down gullies , along cliff tops , and through a native bush reserve . Anna did n't even clap eyes on the boat for the first ten months ; however she has recently enjoyed a couple of day trips and is ready for more . Sit in them and you feel like a small child - - your feet do n't touch the ground - - or , alternatively , something in the Lord of the Rings . Our long-standing tradition is to go to Elbow Falls for a snowy picnic on New Years Day , whatever the weather ( almost ) . Perhaps we should have mowed the grass - - ducklings have such a hard time , it 's like a jungle with no machetes - - but we eventually moved these two weaklings to the sick bay , a grass-filled shoebox in the laundry , and gave them water and soaked oats . Not many takers for bacon and eggs next morning , but plenty for black coffee . We flew to Melbourne and drove , with friends Alistair and Thau Mee and their two young daughters , westwards along the Great Ocean Road for a weekend near the Twelve Apostles , a celebrated group of rocks flung out into the sea . Off early the next morning , and the wind contined to increase as we beat across the Firth of Thames to the Coromandel peninsula . He was delightful , like a wildly appreciative and voluble sponge . It was scored for recorder quartet ( the Loeki group ) , Maori instruments , and a recorder orchestra formed from everyone who attended the workshop - - including young children , part of the youth programme . The organiser informed us that the only vacancy was in the " two-day option , " laconically remarking that this was only 15 to 18 km per day and therefore perfectly straightforward for anyone of moderate fitness .