We departed Auckland on the Flexibus for the 3 hour drive to the Coromandel peninsula located on the  east shore North Island. From Coromandel, we hiked east 20 miles up and over a small mountain range to the town of Whitianga. The last 5 miles were dark, driving rain and basically miserable. We found a motel with just one room left. Whew! The owner was a sweet 73 year old woman who fed us dinner and insisted we stay a second night for free.