Day Sixty One

Day Sixty One

We've left Wellington behind but  Auckland is still 624 km away up State Highway 1 = SH1 (or what the GPS calls “Shush One”) so we’ll take a detour to Napier first.

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Napier’s Maori name is Ahuriri and in 1931 it suffered a devastating earthquake but as with many disasters, time waved a magic wand and the city was rebuilt in Art Deco style.

There’s a beautiful but sad Maori legend of Pania,  a ‘sea nymph’ who fell in love with Karitoki a handsome Maori human.  They lived happily together but it troubled him that his lovely wife went back to the ocean each dawn.

Pania of the Reef

 He was advised to give her cooked food as this would hold her on land.  Karitoki tried this secretly as she slept but a Ruru (Morepork owl) screeched a warning, Pania awoke and ran off back to  sea, never to return.

To the west, Mt Taranaki rises magestically, snow covered and a favourite of Japanese tourists, reminded of Mt. Fuji.

  New Zealanders get their milk from Bulls.

Incredi -bull signs

 It’s an old joke and one the people of Bulls, near Palmerston North,  have milked to their advantage.

Giant bull in Bulls

If it rains, you might need your gumboots. Taihape has an annual Gumboot Day. Fred Dagg even sings a gumboot song and of course, Taihape has its muddy gumboot icon.

http://folksong.org.nz/gumboot  

Gumboot in Taihape

Long ago, seven volcanic mountains: Tongariro, Taranaki, Ruapehu, Ngaruahoe, Tarawera, Tauhara,  Patauaki and Pihanga played and promised always to be together. 

In time they grew and each fell in love with Pihanga, whose mossy form, covered by a cloak of green fern was enchanting.  Pihanga could not choose one for her husband as she loved them all, so as warriors do and despite her protests, they fought.

Tongariro was the eventual victor and Taranaki, grief-stricken, moved away

Emerald Lake at the top of  Mt.Tongariro

From the sublime to the ridiculous....but amusing.

  Ohakune is the Carrot Capital of New Zealand and here’s the Daucus carota sativus gigantica to prove it. Carrots also come in fetching shades of purple, black, red, yellow and white.

At Te Kuiti, in the heart of rural North Island, you can find the biggest shearer in the world.

Otorahanga has a Kiwi House where, behind protective glass, you can watch Kiwi fossicking in their temperature-controlled habitat.

This one, made of corrugated iron, is slightly larger.

 Otorohanga is not too far away from the fabulous Waitomo Caves where visitors can go underground and see glow-worms, stalactites and stalacmites.  

Lake Taupo is in the caldera (hollow) of a volcano. At 186 metres deep it’s home to many freshwater fish, including trout, which attract anglers from all over the world.

 The sale of trout (except for wild trout) is allowed in New Zealand. However, wild trout is unavailable and there is no way to obtain any other trout to sell. Importing trout is prevented by legislation. Catch 22.  But you’ll have to eat them all yourself.

Fancy a few prawns with that?

Huka Prawn Farm

South of Rotorua is Whakarewarewa. If you find that hard to say, it’s lucky you’re not required to pronounce the full version: Te Whakarewarewatanga o Te Ope Taua a Wahiao. Roughly translated this means ‘The place where the war party of Wahiao chanted, just before battle.’  

Mud pools Whakarewarewa

The Blue stream

Here you’ll not only see all the geothermal activity you could ever wish for but watch Maori artists and crafts people at work in the NZ Schoo of Maori Art and Craft.  

Whaka is a working village with residents who use the hot springs for cooking and heating their homes, as do many in Rotorua.

There’s a distinctive sulphur smell as mud pools bubble up from the earth, geysers shoot high in the air and steam hangs over all like a veil

Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe  to give its full, Maori name commemorates Kahu, a great explorer. The name means, “The second great lake of Kahu-mata-momoe".

The Champage Pool

If you’re weary from the long trek up the North Island, or trying to get your tongue round Maori place names, relax  in one of the many thermal pools. Have a calming massage and apply Rotorua mud to your face. I can personally testify that it’s the best thing ever for giving your skin a glowing bloom.

Take a final lungful of hydrogen sulphide and we’ll continue on our way north.

We shall miss The Coromandel Peninsula because that's a tour in itself and a spectacular place to live or take a holiday.

Majestic kauri

One of the enterprises I support is Kauri 2000 based there. They are pledged to plant thousands of kauri saplings and for a mere $20 NZ you can buy one and get a certificate. 
Great gifts for grandchildren, wedding, birthdays or anniversaries - and a bastion against the deadly disease 'kauri die back'. 
https://www.kauri2000.co.nz

Tirau was once a place people simply drove through until Steve Clothier opened an antique shop and began erecting corrugated iron building in the 90’s. 

Tirau now has corrugated toilets and Information Centre….

 and a whole farm full of iron birds, animals and flowers.

High on the hill is Castle Pamela, built by Kevin Baker as a gift for his wife.

 Once New Zealand’s largest doll, toy and train collection, it is now, as far as I know, closed and for sale.

Castle Pamela

At Morrinsville we’ll have a quick look at a mad cow which represents dairy farming in that area:

A detour to Paeroa will show us a local icon, ruined as so much is these days by corporate greed.

Lemon and Paeroa was, for generations manufactured in the town from the mineral spring water at Paeroa and was one of New Zealand's favourite drinks.
Coca-colonisation put paid to that.

The original L&P had a distinctive and unique fizziness which lay slightly cold on the tongue giving it such a wonderful tang that it won the British Bottlers Institute Diploma of Excellence award in 1969, the only entry from overseas ever to do so.

Coca-Cola stopped using the mineral water (it’s now unavailable even to local people) and L&P became the soulless chemical drink we associate with soulless, giant corporations.

Re-branded as 'Zespri' everyone still calls it Kiwifruit.

Just before we hit the Auckland outer suburbs, a mention of Te Puke,  where grows the succulent Kiwifruit and it’s giant representative.

Oystercatcher - we're fond of our big birds

And  Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre, dedicated to preserving and enhancing the habitat for the many billions of birds which visit and prepare for breeding there.  In 2007 a female Bar-tailed Godwit made a remarkable 30,000 km journey to Alaska then returned in one, non-stop flight on 11,680km.  

Auckland, population just under 2 million, has a rich ethnic mix of cultures who have brought their celebrations and traditions. 

Divali, Holi, Chinese, Korean and Thai New Year,  Lantern Festival;  Waitangi Day, Pride Festival, Folk Music, Pasifika, Maori,  Comedy  and Film Festivals; Writers, Fashion and Arts Festivals, Food, Wine and Seafood festivals and an annual Multi-cultural Day where everyone comes together to show their pride in their traditions and cuisine.

Surrounded by the Manukau and Waitemata Harbours, with the Tasman Sea to the west and the Hauraki Gulf to the East, it’s no surprised it’s nicknamed The City of Sails.

Tourism is the major industry here so every taste is catered for, whether it be  bush walks or extreme sports; history at the Museum and Art Gallery or enjoying one of the many beautiful beaches.

But we can also indulge in a bit of silliness:

Bus to Kelly Tarleton's Sealife Aquariums

Advertising Uber Eats.                         

We could stay here for years - and I have - but tomorrow I’m dragging you away from the bright lights to one of the most beautiful places on earth.    

But rest first, I've booked you into a bach (holiday home) at Whatipu so you can watch the sunset.

  

Day Sixty

Day Sixty

One of the many things I love about New Zealand is our willingness and ability to be crazily eccentric.

So, as we are between islands, so to speak, let’s look back on some of the things you might find in the South Island and which I hope will amuse you.

Colac Bay surfer

West of Invercargill, is Colac Bay where a surfer statue stands outside the tavern.  There was some concern that children climbing on it might hurt themselves so Southland Council put up a ‘Do Not Climb’ sign.

That’ll work for sure.

Should you be motoring through Tuatapere, 36km away, don’t drive off the road when you see this:

Tuatapere is the ‘Sausage Capital of the World’ and won a sizzling competition run by ZM Radio who subsequently erected this delicious banger.  

Now all they need is a pile of mash to go with it.

Te Anau in Fijordland National Park has spectacular scenery.

Te Anau

But also boasts a giant Takahe standing, unsurprisingly, outside the Bird Sanctuary.

This flightless Rail was thought to be extinct until located in 1948. 

It has special cultural significance to Ngai Tahu, the local Maori tribe who are its kaitiaki (guardians).

In Central Otago gold country, all you need to do if you want to know the time is look to the hills - and there's a working and accurate clock.

Cromwell is where New Zealand gets its succulent soft fruits and in Springtime, the blossom trees attract tourists, especially from Asia. 

All year round though, you can see these tasty fruits displayed as you enter town.   Mmmm, mouth-wateringly fruity!

Feeling peckish as you hit Springfield? Homer Simpson would be in his element here.

The Springfield Doughut

Rakaia on the Canterbury Plains boasts the braided Rakaia River and the longest road and rail bridges in Aotearoa at 1,750 metres (1.084 miles) long. The river is popular with anglers for its Salmon, hence this leaping fish.

That salmon doesn't look to sure about the welcome

New Zealand loves its odd erections and there are more to come as we move up the North Island. 

It's a fundamental part of the Kiwi characte, that we are proud of our local industries and enterprises but don't get too precious about them. 

We're always up for a laugh, especially at ourselves.

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Parliament Building nicknamed The Beehive

We've arrived in well-named Windy Wellington and although this city, like Nelson, is also a centre for the arts, it has a more avant-garde feel.

Here in the capital, you’ll  find Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand, filled with precious things which speak about our history, our present and our future.

Collections include items as diverse as a Tanoa fai`ava  (kava bowl) from Samoa to the paintings of Sir Cedric Morris.  

Springtime 1923

Bohemian and fascinating, Cuba Street’s a stage for performers of all kinds, sculpture included. The Bucket Fountain has been used for protests; is enhanced with foaming dishwashing liquid on Friday nights and on hot summer days,  part of the whole Cuba Street experienced is to be splashed by the buckets.

Wellington  is also home to theatre, on and off street and that generates many wonderful characters, my favourite being the outrageous Constance Craving. 

Constance Craving aka the beautiful
Maryanne Cathro

You’ll find her performing in various venues here and overseas. “Fabulous darling!”

One last look at the city from the  historic Cable Car which will haul us from bustling  Lambton Quay,  612m to Kelburn, where a splendid view of the city, harbour and surrounding ocean can be marvelled at.  

Historic Wellington Cable Car

After reachign the top, you can walk back down through the beautiful Botanic Gardens but don’t forget to visit Space Place the Planetarium first.

You could spend weeks in Wellington and still not see everything. It's a constantly changing city full of creative people, all living life to the full and never wasting a moment.

And we'll follow their example and set off North - we've still a long way to go before we hit Cape Reinga, just over 1,000km away.