As we made our way up New Zealand's North Island, we couldn't help taking a detour to explore the Coromandel Peninsula, an idyllic strip of lush land extending out toward the South Pacific, parallel to Auckland.

We were lucky to catch a day with perfect weather, which meant beautiful blue skies and an occasional breeze offering relief from the intense sunshine.

One of the most popular things to do while in Coromandel is to see the picturesque Cathedral Cove, either by foot or boat.

We weren't organized enough to book a boat tour, so Mike did the hike while I got some work done and caught up with my family from the comfort of a nearby cafe. (Stupid stress fracture...) 

PS: After leaving the Coromandel, we spent time in the Bay of Islands, where we were not lucky with the weather. It rained the whole time. We then moved on to Auckland, which was a mostly relaxing stop for us. Although we had fun in both places, we didn't take photos, so the next gallery will be coming to you from... drumroll... the land down undah!