NZ Rerun
19 December 2009 | North Island, NZ
Sancho
Reruns:
Yes, we're doing New Zealand again this year. Having the boat down here with us was too much of a distraction. We'll be able to really see it this time around.
Flying as opposed to sailing from Fiji saved us, oh, ten days? South Pacific Airline actually serves real food! If you're tempted to come this way and don't want to sail across the Pacific, fly anything to LA then SPA to NZ.
We arrived in Auckland a day after the Wind Dancer crew and discovered that they were right across the hall in our downtown hotel. What's the first thing Americans say to each other when they meet somewhere in the world? "Have you seen a Mexican restaurant?" Seriously.
As New Zealand has a serious shortage of Mexicans, there is a serious shortage of Mexican restaurants... don't even think of ordering a Margarita. The Barbarians can't make one and they charge extra for salsa that would have Tia Maria hiding her face in shame. Otherwise, there is one in downtown Auckland and it rates two and three quarter stars. That's high praise on this end of the planet.
Day two dawned to rain so this was museum day. All day. It's a big one with an extensive Maori collection that deserves most of your attention. The Te Papa in Wellington also has first rate exhibits. A lot of the rest of the exhibits deal with New Zealand's very short and recent Colonial history, which doesn't grab my interest. The Zeke (Mitsubishi built Japanese Zero) and British Spitfire do, however. Partly because the Spitfire's Rolls-Merlin engines also found their way into Unlimited Hydroplane racing's fastest boats - back before they started using hair dryer motors. (helicopter turbines).
We bought a van the next day and set off for Whangarei where I quickly converted it into a mini-touring camper. The road out of town for the so far unexplored West Coast of North Island took us to Dargaville - nothing to recommend- and on up into the Kauri forest reserve; home of the largest surviving Kauris'. Of course the largest, some thirty six meters around was logged off years ago. The two big one left are 15 and 16.4 meters around at chest height. That's 53.3 feet.
Next on the agenda was a bus tour to Cape Reinga; the second most northerly point in NZ. The most northerly doesn't have a road. Cape Reinga is supposed to be where the Maori souls set sail for the afterworld. All I found off that way was Tonga and Fiji, but what do I know? Part of the trip was stops at the Kauri Kingdom to look in on the life of the old time gum diggers (used in fine violin varnishes, etc.) and a stop at the giant sand dunes for a little boogie boarding.
We're working our way around the top and down the East Coast to be back in Whangarei for a Cruiser's Christmas. Yesterday we stopped to climb St Paul's Peak, an extinct volcano plug and camped in the shadow of the Rainbow Warrior Memorial overlooking Matauri Bay. Once it was raised from Auckland Harbor where the French Ops sank it, it was moved up here and scuttled offshore; the propeller being the only souvenir Enjoy the photo gallery. It may take a day or two to get them up. After all, I'm on permanent vacation!