Went to have a look up north of Auckland. Rented a car and drove out, managing to stay on the other side of the road. Definitely not instinctive. Lovely pastoral countryside, must say reminded me of California, but luckily without the hordes of Americans. And then suddenly there will be stands of those prehistoric tree ferns. Very cool. Was almost an hour out of the city before I actually saw my first sheep here.
After the main freeway became a crazy two lane, and often one lane over bridges, windy roads they call highways. Went to Bay of Islands. Stayed in Paihia and took ferry over to town called Russell now, used to be known as the "Hell Hole of the Pacific." All those naughty sailors, drinking and carrying on. Now it's cute as a bug, with a funky tall ship, the Tucker.
I couldn't find anything fun to do, so instead I lost the keys to my rental car, and walked around the whole town a second time retracing my steps sweating in the heat, an extra ferry ride and three hours later only to find that I left them sticking out of the lock in the car. Not only was the car still there, but I didn't have a parking ticket either! I think I love this country.
Went to Waitanga Treaty grounds to see where the Maori signed some mistranslated document, that the Brits wrote out. Still lots of controversy over it, but they did much better than the First Nations in Canada. Very cool war canoe on site.
Drove on to the northern cape of Reinga to see the famous Maori tree where the souls head off from. Pacific meeting Tasman Sea was calm that day. Sunny and stunning views. Then found the giant sand dunes! Weird to be in some of these places all alone. School is back in session so no one is around. Skidded on my butt down a couple steep spots Would have been better on a sled or skis.
Driving in the dark just isn't done. Hit some cute fuzzy tailed thing and almost smeared some hedgehogs. Worried that I was contributing to the extinction of a species. Luckily it seems most little creatures are imports and the New Zealander I talked to about it said it would be best to swerve and HIT as many as possible: possums, hedgehogs, rabbits, all of them need to be exterminated. Kiwi birds are so rare that probably will never see them on the road. Camped in car near Rangiahua, and Lake Omapere. Creek nearby, and fab stars at night, that I have no idea what they are.
Next day saw the kauri trees. Good grief they are huge. Not in the way that redwoods are huge, but like elephant legs, with no taper to the trunk. Straight up massive, and then the branches way up the top flare out from there. And the museum reminds me of BC, all that logging equipment, and before they knew it, the country was almost completely stripped of these trees. Not even the stumps left, because most of it's farmland now.
Right, for photos, check on facebook.
After the main freeway became a crazy two lane, and often one lane over bridges, windy roads they call highways. Went to Bay of Islands. Stayed in Paihia and took ferry over to town called Russell now, used to be known as the "Hell Hole of the Pacific." All those naughty sailors, drinking and carrying on. Now it's cute as a bug, with a funky tall ship, the Tucker.
I couldn't find anything fun to do, so instead I lost the keys to my rental car, and walked around the whole town a second time retracing my steps sweating in the heat, an extra ferry ride and three hours later only to find that I left them sticking out of the lock in the car. Not only was the car still there, but I didn't have a parking ticket either! I think I love this country.
Went to Waitanga Treaty grounds to see where the Maori signed some mistranslated document, that the Brits wrote out. Still lots of controversy over it, but they did much better than the First Nations in Canada. Very cool war canoe on site.
Drove on to the northern cape of Reinga to see the famous Maori tree where the souls head off from. Pacific meeting Tasman Sea was calm that day. Sunny and stunning views. Then found the giant sand dunes! Weird to be in some of these places all alone. School is back in session so no one is around. Skidded on my butt down a couple steep spots Would have been better on a sled or skis.
Driving in the dark just isn't done. Hit some cute fuzzy tailed thing and almost smeared some hedgehogs. Worried that I was contributing to the extinction of a species. Luckily it seems most little creatures are imports and the New Zealander I talked to about it said it would be best to swerve and HIT as many as possible: possums, hedgehogs, rabbits, all of them need to be exterminated. Kiwi birds are so rare that probably will never see them on the road. Camped in car near Rangiahua, and Lake Omapere. Creek nearby, and fab stars at night, that I have no idea what they are.
Next day saw the kauri trees. Good grief they are huge. Not in the way that redwoods are huge, but like elephant legs, with no taper to the trunk. Straight up massive, and then the branches way up the top flare out from there. And the museum reminds me of BC, all that logging equipment, and before they knew it, the country was almost completely stripped of these trees. Not even the stumps left, because most of it's farmland now.
Right, for photos, check on facebook.
Bay of Islands www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80382&id=593011976&l=5e891
big Kauri trees www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80393&id=593011976&l=62756
Gotta get moving here.
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