Waitangi Treaty Grounds

Waitangi is ground zero for New Zealand history. It's been called the "Birthplace of New Zealand." It's where the British signed a treaty with the Maori chiefs.

The Treaty of Waitangi is still enforced today.

It gave the British the right to govern. But still preserved a host of rights for the Maori people and culture. It remains one of the most important documents in New Zealand history and current law.

Glow Worm Caves

By chance, on our way to Paihia, we noticed signs for the Kawiti Glow Worm Caves. It turned out to be a great, spur-of-the-moment side trip.

Driving up to the Kawiti Marae, you first notice the huge, rocky outcroppings. They're sandstone and limestone. Tens of stories high. And randomly carved into bizarre natural shapes.

The Kawiti tribe has occupied the land since the 17th century. Our tour guide is part of the 16th generation of guides descended from Roku, the runaway wife of a Maori chieftain.

The caves twist and turn through the inside of an outcropping. A small stream runs through it. The tribe has built a wooden boardwalk through it. Inside, there are thouands of tiny worms hanging from the cavern walls, the stagtites and the stalagmites. Their tails emit a small, blue-green light to attract insects to their sticky tendrils.

In the dark, it looks like the Milky Way; thousands of points of light, shimmering in the inky blackness.

After the cave tour, there's a 15-minute trek through the bush, back to the car park.

We may have skipped Waitomo Caves... but we still got to see glow worms! Yea!

Paihia

The rain came down in buckets overnight. Downpours so loud we could hear it beating on the motel roof. In the morning, Northland was shrouded in a drenching mist. It wasn't an actual rain, but a few seconds outside and you were soaked. It all cleared up by midday. We had mostly cloudy sides with some fine periods.

The drive to Paihia was very pleasant. It's beautiful countryside. (And we'll be backtracking it all in a few days.)

Paihia is a small town on the Bay of Islands. It's the home of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. It's become fairly touristy now with cafes and shops and souvenir stands. We saw ads for homes and condos going for well over a million dollars.

From the wharf you can catch a boat to see the Hole in the Rock, the dolphin tours, a helicopter ride or our accommodation for the night, The Rock.

Weather Update

The weather has treated us pretty well most of the trip. It's been warm and humid the past few days.

Christchurch: mostly sunny.
Kaikoura: partly cloudy
Wellington: partly to mostly cloudy
Tongariro: mostly cloudy to overcast
Taupo: mostly cloudy with occasional showers and fair bits
Rotorua: mostly cloudy
White Island: mostly sunny and hot
Auckland: mostly cloudy with occasional light showers
Auckland: a quick morning shower then partly cloudy
Auckland: mostly cloudy with a few passing showers
Whangarei: cloudy with showers and a few downpours

Whangarei

The drive to Whangarei (fahn-gar-RAY) wasn't too bad... but we had to deal with rain much of the way. Some of it very heavy rain. This is the first time in a week and a half we've seen much precip.

Whangarei is just a rest stop and laundry opportunity for us tonight. There's really not much here to see other than the Whangarei Falls. They're pretty... but not quite as spectacular as some of the other falls we've seen on the trip. Still, worth driving out to see.

Remembering Warkworth

It's incredible what a difference 20 years makes. Parts of Warkworth are just about as I remember them... but other parts are totally unrecognizable. The whole town is growing and growing and growing!

The city centre has blossomed into a thriving little shopping area. Some of the same stores are there... others have change completely. The banks are in the same place... and we're going to have to stop at the K&J Shop to get fish and chips on the way back south.

We went up to Kaspar Street to see the Rose's old house. It's been added onto... and it's for sale just now! (Hmmmmmmmm.) We took a drive out to Mahurangi Heads to see the Abbott's old place. What used to be a gravel and dirt sheep track is now a sealed/paved road with a name! The house is just as we left it... but with much bigger trees. We weren't able to get out to Casnell Island because it wasn't low tide yet. But we snapped some pictures from the shore.

We went out to Point Wells and Matakana but, unfortunately, I wasn't able to find the Waddington's house. It's out there somewhere... I'm sure we passed by it at least once. Omaha has turned into a little yuppieville with brand new, modern houses being built by the dozens... right up to the beach. Most of them inhabited by well-to-do Jaffas.

It was a great walk down memory lane. Really glad we took the time to do it. Jeff deserves a huge thank you... he's been very patient today, putting up with all of this.

Walk Down Memory Lane

Today was the day. We got to spend time with Anne Waddington and Rose Rose... two of the best host mums a kid could ever ask for. It's been 20 years (nearly 21 years) since we've seen each other... and it was great to do a little catching up.

Neither of them has changed a bit.


We met Anne for breakfast at the hotel in Auckland. Her son, Gareth, came along, too. (He's grown up, to be sure! Looks a lot like his dad!) Anne is just back from Scotland where she's been taking care of an elderly couple... and traveling the world. She's been all over Europe and to lots of places in Africa. The caregiver job allows her some freedom to take time and travel.

Anne told us the tragic story of how Barry and Jeanette Jones' daughter was murdered in Auckland. Awful situation. She was on her way home, walking past a park, only a block or so from the police station, when she was attacked. She was raped and murdered by a man out on parole. He's been put away for life now. Anne and Rose said the news hit the Warkworth area pretty hard... and people are still a bit unsettled by it.


We met up with Rose in Warkworth. The boys are grown and she and Barry have bought a nice piece of land near Wellsford. Barry is planning to retire from the police force "in about two years." Rose is doing sales at the local electronics store -- she's such a people person she could sell just about anything. They're doing great and seem wonderfully happy. Rose always has a great smile and witty comment.

In Warkworth also ran into Wendy Milne who says Don is at home these days.

Petrol Still Really Expensive

Thankfully, our rented Toyota Camry (we landed a free upgrade) is good with fuel. We've been more than 1200km on the North Island and we've only had to fill up twice so far. Today, we picked up another 57.59 litres at NZ$1.719/litre... total of NZ$99.00.

Driving an SUV in New Zealand has to cost a fortune. Yikes!

Whangarei Food

In New Zealand, never try to get dinner after 9pm. It ain't gonna happen. Especially in a place like Whangarei. In Auckland, you might get away with it... but not in Whangarei.

We tried four different restaurants... and ended up at a pizza shop called Hell. Turns out, Hell is an NZ-wide chain with great pizza! They even sell demonic souvenirs, taking the theme to the nth-degree. They've even managed to snag a demonic phone number... 0800.666.111.

http://www.hell.co.nz

Time For Some Sunscreen

We really should have worn some sunscreen today. We both ended up with a bit of sunburn after being in the sun during our trip to Waiheke Island.

New Zealand has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. This is the home of the hole in the ozone layer. The UV Index today was 13+. (In Ohio, it rarely makes it to 10.)

Now, kiwi men are being busted out for not wearing sunscreen. So are we.

Here's a link to an article in today's New Zealand Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10482649

Don't Like the Weather, Wait 5 Minutes

The weather was foul this morning. The rain came down in buckets.

But in the short time it took for us to drive to Orewa, only about 20-30km away... the sun came out and the skies were clear.

In Auckland a couple hours the later the sun was brilliant.

At Waiheke Island, the skies were fair and the sun was baking... but as we putted back toward Auckland late in the afternoon, we could see the showers in the distance.

The clouds come and go... the showers are here and there. It's a forecaster's nightmare.

Waiheke Island

Waiheke Island is known for its beaches and "eclectic lifestyles" (read: "bunch of artists and homos"). There are galleries and public sculptures scattered all over the place. The island is big enough for three small villages, full bus services and regular ferry service.

The ferry leaves from the Queen Street Wharf and takes about half an hour. It runs through the Hauraki Gulf past the dormant shield volcano, Rangitoto, among a dozen or so other islands.

We jumped on a bus and took it to Palm Beach. We were expecting to have lunch there... but didn't find much. So we caught another bus... but ended up going the wrong way and ended up headed back toward the ferry terminal.

This time we jumped off in Oneroa, searching for some lunch. Every restaurant we tried was closed or closing in a few minutes. Aaaargh. So, we waited for the Island Queen restaurant to open at 4pm. Our server was a nice kid from California who claims to be losing his American accent (ummm, not so much). The food was good and the gin-and-tonics were probably the best we've had so far!

It's a beautiful place to visit! Probably a great place to have a vacation bach or getaway from the city...

Hmmmmmmmm....

Orewa

Wow. Things have changed in 20 years. We're in my neck of the woods now. These are the areas where I used to live... two decades ago. So, seeing the changes is really amazing.

Highway 1 is a major thoroughfare now. Twenty years ago, it was just a two-lane road running by the beach at Orewa and the town was just a wide spot in the road.

Now, there are huge neighborhoods and subdivisions. The town centre has dozens of shops... even a supermarket!

Can't wait to see how Warkworth has changed!



We stopped for a little breakfast, a quick look through the shops and a stroll on the beach. The jellyfish were washing ashore (the little bastards) and we picked up a few shells as souvenirs. And, of course, we had to stop for a little time with the puhutukawa trees in full bloom.

Swain Tours & Grandview Travel

We have to give a shout out to the folks at Swain Tours and Grandview Travel.

About six months ago, I went to Rob Elking in Grandview and told him we wanted a trip to New Zealand. I gave him an itinerary and told him what we wanted. He contacted Swain Tours and they made it happen.

Swain picked the hotels. They landed good prices. They scored great locations. And very good rooms with wonderful views.

They did a super job of making our itinerary a reality. It has been, quite literally, a dream vacation... 20 years in the making.

(N)One Tree Hill

In Cornwell Park, atop one of the tallest summits in the city, a monument honors the great Maori nation. Until a few years ago, a single tree stood next to the hundred-foot obelisk. One obelisk. One tree. One mountain. One Tree Hill.

The tree is gone.

There's nothing left but some dirt, a few old, leftover roots and a small piece of stump. It is most disconcerting.

We're told the tree was destroyed in some kind of protest. The vandal has been "dealt with by the government." And, reportedly, another sapling is being cultivated and will be planted on top of the hill as soon as it is strong enough to survive.

With or without the tree, One Tree Hill (the name still stands) has one of the best views in the city. From the summit you can see both harbours (from the Tasman Sea to the Pacific Ocean), the CBD, up and down the coastline (as far out as Great Barrier Island) and the entire city. It's a panorama not to be missed!

Bethell's Beach

A few kilometers out of the city, the west coast beaches are beautiful black sand. We went to one of the popular surfer locations, Bethell's Beach. It was low tide and the sand went on and on and on. The waves weren't too rough but the surfers were having a great time.

Puhutukawa trees (the NZ Christmas Tree) are blooming now. There were lots of them near the beach. They blossom with beautiful red flowers all over the tree.

Auckland SkyJump

I threw myself off a 192m (630ft) tower this morning.


The SkyTower is the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere. It's Auckland's major landmark and tourist attraction. And you can jump off it. So I did.

The view from the top of the platform is incredible. You can see the entire city... from One Tree Hill to the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The buildings look sooooo small from up there.

They get you shoehorned into a flight suit then strapped to a couple of guide-wires. You hyperventilate a little bit as you're staring down at the ground. Then you just step off a platform and plummet toward the city sidewalks.

The pictures and video are great! (They're not in the right format to put on the web... but we'll show them to you after the trip!)

Auckland's Gay Scene

Exploring Auckland's gay scene was a bit of an adventure. And, sadly, underwhelming and disappointing.

Before we left the U.S., we did some internet research and made a list of gay bars, restaurants, etc., in cities that we'd be visiting. The only bar we could find in Wellington was closed the day we were there. So Auckland was the place to explore.

We went searching for a place relatively close to the hotel on Anzac Street. We got bad directions from two different people but finally found a hole-in-the-wall adult book shop and went inside to ask where to find the bar. "Oh, it's in the sauna upstairs," said the man behind the counter. We asked for directions to other places.


Most of Auckland's gay places are in Karangahappe Road ("K' Road"). The man at the book shop said that's where we should go. Jeff asked whether we should take a cab and the man, literally, gasped and said, "Oh, no! Walk! It's only 20 minutes walk." He gave us some quick directions and off we went.

Ummm, yeah. Not 20 minutes. More like 45 minutes. Uphill. To the top of Queen Street then to K' Road.



Our first stop was a place called the Family Bar. They were very nice folks. Treated us really well and gave us some suggestions for other places to visit. The bartenders, Francis and Mark, found copies of the local gay paper for us and told us a little about the community.

We were surprised how subdued the nightlife was. There were very few people out and about.

Urge Bar was not too far up the street. It's the local leather bar. It was a single, small room with a bar. My backyard patio is a larger space. Again, everyone was very friendly. And, it turns out, they were ready for us. They had a heads up from the folks at Family Bar that a couple of Americans were headed there... and they were told to treat us well. It was nice.

We called it a night by 10:30pm.

To be honest, for a country that is so progressive... light years ahead of the U.S. in terms of gay inclusion... it really seemed like the community was in hiding. Jeff is right when he calls it "heartbreaking."

TVNZ

The Auckland headquarters for Television New Zealand is only a few blocks away. So, of course, I had to stop for a look. It's smallish... but still kind of cool. We rang security to see if they had a gift shop. Nope. No TVNZ souvenirs.

Rydges Hotel Auckland

The drive up to Auckland takes about 2.5 hours. It's an okay drive through rolling countryside. It's pretty. Getting into the "big city" is a little bit of culture shock after being in small towns most of the week.

The Rydges Hotel is great! It's in the middle of the Central Business District, two blocks from the SkyTower. We're on the 9th floor... with a view looking directly at the SkyTower!