KIWI LAND

KIWI Land
1.  Here we Are
We arrived in Auckland, New Zealand late Thursday night (Jan. 13th). It is a week until we can pick up our rental camper so we have rented a car (a tiny Toyota) and will tour the north.  This area was not part of our original plan as we felt we did not have the time.

2.  Sleep Tight
Our impression of New Zealand is that it seems to be a relatively safe country.  The news seems to have less crime to report.  There are tragedies of course.  The decision to stop the effort to retrieve the 29 miner's bodies from the mine explosion is still headline news.  The family members are fighting to prevent the mine from being sealed - they want more of an effort to retrieve the bodies of their family members.  The authorities are pressing for closure as it is felt that the men's bodies have been reduced to ashes by the explosions and resulting fires.
 New Zealand has almost no animals that are venomous or really dangerous, especially when looking at its closest neighbour, Australia, which has the top 10 most venomous and dangerous snakes in the world, venomous spiders, sharks, crocodiles, dingos, killer jellyfishes, and the list goes on and on. And when you think of the long list of North American animals that you have to be wary of it is a breath of fresh air.
On land the only New Zealand creature that might kill you is the bee and then only if you are allergic to their sting. This means that you can walk through the forest or bush and feel at ease that no animal is looking to bite you, except of course mosquitos.
However, I want to remind you of the miles and miles of beaches that encircle New Zealand.   In the sea there is one animal with long sharp teeth that most people try to avoid – Sharks.   In the sea you will also find the stone fish, which is venomous.  However, they prefer warmer waters and for that reason there are very few around. There is also the giant squid.  It is not known to have preyed upon man but if you have seen Pirates of the Carribean II you know why I wouldn't want to encounter one.

3.  No Bad Habits
One morning Don and I stopped into a McDonalds for 'coffee'.  We mainly go there to use their free WiFi.  Don was working on the blog pictures and I was reading our New Zealand travel guide.  Actually I was trying to read but I found myself more interested in the conversation of the three octogenarian ladies sitting to my right.  As they enjoyed the pancake breakfast they commented on the state of the world.  Clothing styles and hair were discussed.  I was surprised that they were quite accepting of both.   Not so the state of parent-child relationhships.  The one that was obviously the youngest said, "The children rule the parents."  `The three shook their heads in disapproval and one of the others added, "Imagine us telling our father that we would not do something."
`Ah hah,` I thought , `sisters.` and sneaked a glance.
They must have sensed my interest because they turned to me and asked what I was doing.  After explaining, I then questioned them about the area.  They told us that they had grown up on a dairy farm near Orewa Beach and had lived there all their lives.  They confirmed that they were sisters (3 of 13 children.  8 still alive).  Their names, Hazel - 96; Eva - 95; Meryl - 85.  The two oldest still live in their own homes and do for themselves; Meryl is in a supported living  facility.  I asked their key to longevity.  Their reply,  "hard work and clean living".  As we were leaving Hazel said to me, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."  I replied, "I think I already have."  They thought that incredibly funny.

4. License Plates
In North America, Europe and Asia it is  a passtime to check out the license plates to see where people have traveled from.  In the Okanogan Valley (British Columbia, Canada) if you check the license plates in the summer months, over half will have traveled from,  Alberta.  Albertans favorite play ground.  
If you spy a car from Florida in Calgary in the middle of the winter you are absolutely perplexed.  "What are they doing here, this time of year?"
No such game can be played in New Zealand.  The cars all have plain black and white plates with no other adornment.  Cars do not come nor go from New Zealand.

5. Beaches
There are beaches and more beaches.  And they are busy.  New Zealanders are water people.  We have seen kids jumping off cliffs, docks, and trees into the water.  Everywhere you look there is water and in almost all the water there is someone swimming.  

6. Boat Docks
On Sunday afternoon we stopped in the Whangari dock area to visit the Chapman Clock Museum.  There are over 2,000 clocks.  In the same area there are shops, restaurants, and boat docking facilities.  We walked along the board walk looking at the boats.  It was a busy area with a number of boats that looked lived-on.  A couple had USA flags and one flew a Canadian flag.  Don was quite interested.  Sailing across the ocean!   How long would it take?  Which route would be the best?  Hmm. . .  

7. Other
Observations about the country north of Auckland:
The area is hilly with windy roads.  It takes a long time to go the shortest distances.  We wonder is there much call for cruise control?
Gas is expensive.  At home we whine if the price reaches 1.00.  How would you feel about paying $2.00/litre?

We have seen domestic animals that have gone wild- a wild horse, roosters, chickens with their young, and turkeys.

The forests are unparalleled.  So lush and beautiful.  The kauri (cow ree) tree is New Zealand's largest and most native tree.  It is a type of pine and is paradoxically a hard softwood.  The oldest tree, Te Matua Ngahere (Father of the Forest) is found in the Waipoua Forest.  It is estimated to be 2,000 years old.  The largest tree recorded reached a diameter of 43 feet.  Mind boggling.

The bridges are mostly one lane.  The signs indicate which side gives way.

Lastly, you do not go for a walk along a trail but a track.  And for the walkers, there are many tracks.