A close look at the New Zealand Bush

When we were at the Kauaeranga Visitors Center in Thames, we took some photos of these trees.  We can identify some of them, but some others are a mystery.  If you know your trees, please can you comment  and tell me what they are?  Also, if you know any stories about these trees, please share them here:

It was dusk when we took the photos, so I apologise for the dim lighting.

Cabbage trees look like the trees from Dr Suess books.  It's Maori name is tī rākau, and it was used for food, medicine and cloth. Over the last 20 years, Cabbage trees have been dying from a virus, and the only way people have found of protecting them is to cut off the flowers to prevent them from catching the virus.

  

Kauri grow very straight and tall.  The biggest Kauri tree is in Northland, Tane Mahuta.  Early European settlers over-harvested Kauri trees for wood and gum, so now the tree is protected and is being replanted.

I think this is a Kahikatea.  The burned wood from Kahikatea were used by Maori for making tatoos.

Gully Tree Fern or Puunui 

Whekii with mysterious creeper

Silver Fern, or Ponga

Can anybody tell me what these are?

Hats off to the beautiful Coromandel - by Alice

The Coromandel is a beautiful peninsula, enfuriatingly close to Auckland and consequently overcrowded to the point of insanity in the summer holidays.  As a result, my attitude towards the area is often one of slight resentment (what have they got that we haven't got?) and annoyance (I'd like to go there for a drive, but I'd better wait until after the peak season).
However, Chris and I recently booked a bed and breakfast in Thames and were pleasantly surprised.
The purpose of our journey was to visit the German consulate in Auckland and we figured that Thames was close enough to Auckland to break up the drive, and far enough a way to shift the price/quality balance in our favor.  People say that Thames is a great place to go, but I never really understood why until now.  We found ourselves staying at Huia lodge, about 9km inland from the Thames coast.    Last time, we stayed in a beautiful motel on the Thames coast, but to be honest, the beach didn't impress us much.  Huia Lodge, on the other hand, was deep into the bush, and staying there made a lot of sense.  I was surprised to find that most of Celia and Murrays guests were from the U.K., with Germans being their next biggest group of visitors.  Apparently their cottage is very close to the Pinnacles, a mountain range I hadn't even heard of until that moment, and yet it is a major attraction to trampers all around the world!
We had arrived shortly before dark, but we had a little bit of time to zoom down to the Department of Conservations visitor's center for a look.  We took a short walk to a model dam, a replica of the kinds of dams early woodcutters built for floating logs out of the bush.  Everything was just so beautiful, and even though I would usually put my nose in the air and say that the Ureweras (near Whakatane) are just as good, at that moment I had my doubts.
So, I have to say, at this moment, credit where credit is due, the Coromandel is definitely worth taking a look.  If you want to go there, I would strongly recommend hiring a car, and if you like to camp, take a tent.  Coromandel has a lot of problems and prohibitions on freedom camping, and for the price of hiring a campervan and then paying for a campsite, you may as well stay in a nice B&B like Huia Lodge.

Here are some photos from our trip:

coffee in Katikati, the cafe is called "Robert Harris", a popular franchise here.

Riding the old steam train in Waihi

Walking over the old bridge in the Waihi Gorge.

These are the Pinnacles.  

The visitor centre is beautiful, and gets a lot of sponsorship from the mining company.

The kahikatea track is a shorter exhibition track.  The track to the mountains isn't this good!

We took the photos in the evening and the light was really beautiful, but I guess the camera had other ideas.  This is the model dam, built to give visitors an idea of the technology used by early woodcutters.

It was approaching night and we got a little bit nervous about getting lost in the bush.  Having found our way back to the car, our anxiety was further increased by the slightly confusing system of roads for getting out of the park.  These teeth are built to stop people entering through the exit, but we weren't entirely confident that we hadn't come out the wrong way and had to check that the teeth weren't meant for us!

 

Having ascertained that we weren't trapped in the national park for the night, playing with this new technology was kind of fun!

Back to Huia Lodge for a cup of tea.

Here is Celia with Huia Lodge's record of where each visitor comes from.  

Here is the Autobahn cafe, a popular place to stop on the way out of Auckland.

Autobahn Cafe, Bombay, South of Auckland.

Good food!

Horse hire at Mack and Steve`s

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Yesterday we went to see  Mack and Steve who started a horse hire business at Ohiwa . I read an ad in the local newspaper where they advertised horse riding for a really good price of $20 per hour and horse.






If you are coming from Whakatane, the 25 minutes drive to Ohiwa itself is worth doing as the road has some awesome views to offer of Ohiwa Harbour. The 6 ha property is located on Ohiwa Loop Rd and sits beatifully on a hill.




Größere Kartenansicht


Coming from Whakatane you can find a sign on the right side of the road with the title `Horse Hire´.

On the right, beside that sign, is the gate to a steep path that leads to the paddock. Even if you are not an experienced off road driver you wont have any difficulties with driving that path with a 2 wheel drive, just as long as you avoid the holes!

Arriving at the top you are rewarded with a gorgeous view (unfortunately the beauty of it is not really reflected in the pictures).

After a short walk across the property, Steve, who manages the horses, and Mack, who manages the property and the bookings etc., told us about all the offers which are included in their programme. There is a diverse range of horse rides in different lengths either through the bush or at the beach. Also horse rides during the night time are offered.  This might be especially attractive for people who are interested in the nocturnal wildlife. Steve loves to prepare a hangi meal (meal which is cooked in a Maori earth oven).  In New Zealand a very common sport is pig hunting. Steve offers this activity as well as cattle mustering. Steve, who will accompany you along the horse tracks if you want, is open-minded to all ideas of his customers. For example, if there is interest in learning about Maori medicinal herbs you can ask him about it during a horse ride. He told us a bit about his experience in this area e.g. how to recognise leaves with antibiotic properties and how he treats his wounded horses with it or which herb is the best if you want to loose weight as this herb reduces your appetite and many other things.

After a cup of tea, Steve and I went on a horse ride to Ohiwa Harbour. Steve is a very experienced rider who broke in all of his horses and trained them himself. And I can say that  I felt very safe during the whole ride (Btw. helmets are of course provided). The horses are very well trained and of such a good temper that beginners are able to ride them without a doubt. The more spirited ones are either ridden by Steve himself or reserved for those riders who are really advanced.

It should be mentioned that the operator doesnt have insurance for accidents. As the business is running on the basis of hire the operator is not obliged to have insurance. But it is obvious that this is mirrored in the very good price.
Here are some more photos:

Besides the many riding opportunities,  up to 4 persons also can sleep  for $60per night (plus $10 per extra person) in a basic but fully equipped rustic cabin with a fantastic view.

Currently there is only an outdoor toilet which really lives up to its name: `The loo with the view´.

While taking a bath you also can enjoy the amazing view.

(Hot water is available)

As I said Steve and Mack just started their project and they mentioned quite a range of ideas how to improve this gorgreous place. Hopes and best wishes to them that they may realise with all their enthusiasm the great ideas they have. A website does not exist yet so please contact Mack on:

0274991693

or after 6 pm

07 3158655

or, if you need help with contacting Mack and Steve, email me at fairychris@web.de

Why have "women's travel" organisations? - Alice ponders

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Women's travel is a fairly big industry, and there's a number of reasons why a traveler may choose a service that specialises in women's travel.
One reason might be political:  we all know women typically earn less in their lifetimes, so maybe supporting a female-run business is helping to rectify that.  Maybe supporting a female-run business will also help to ensure that women get more higher-ranking jobs in management.  (no comment here about female bosses who favor male employees!)
Another is about confidence.  If an outdoor activity is advertised as being especially for women, female travelers will feel more confident that the tasks laid out for them will be physically possible for them to do, and less worried about finding things too heavy/too high for them to manage.  They also don't have to worry about not getting a chance to participate because the guys are so much keener/ more knowledgeable.  An example of this might be a group sailing activity where men are simply more likely to position themselves centerstage.  If the group were all female, there might be a better chance to participate.
A same-sex group has a different feeling too.  I'm sure most men will agree that a night out with "the boys" (and I don't mean Keas) is a completely different experience from a mixed-gender party.  It's the same with women.  While guys are lovely and great fun, a trip out with 'the girls' can be nice.
There are some activities many men would just rather not do.  This is most apparent in mixed-gender tour groups, especially from more traditional cultures, where the husband may be really keen to go hunting or fishing, and the wife would rather look at the museum, learn a craft, go on a boat tour.  In western society, the differences are less pronounced, but I challenge you to advertise a "justice tour" where the group goes and visits older people to hear about their stories of colonial oppression, and see how many men sign up.
Speaking of hearing the stories of old people, some women want to learn about how other women live in different places, and see how women's rights stand and have stood in a place.  That's a pretty specialized field of interest that may be better enjoyed in a female-only tour group.
Lastly, women can feel more confident on an all-female tour of avoiding sexual attention and getting the kind of respect that includes not having to listen to unkind remarks about feminists or lesbians or lesbian feminists.  It's not that these things happen much, possibly they don't happen at all, but it's really bad when you do run into it and it's nice to feel sure that it won't happen.

If you are interested in going on an all-female tour, I recommend you check out these websites:

http://www.journeywoman.com/:  This website is international and has been running for a long time.
http://womentravel.co.nz/:  this is a New Zealand women's travel website, and this is their blog:  http://www.womentravelnz.com/

Both of these websites will direct you to tour operators that offer oestrogen-rich experiences.  Do you have any other reasons for going on an all-female tour?  Can you recommend another website?  Would an all-male tour be just as much fun for guys?  I welcome you to comment!

Legends about White Island - Whakaari

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White Island is the only still active volcanic island of New Zealand. It is 48 km offshore from Whakatane in the South Pacific Ocean and its name in Maori is `Te Puia o Whakaari´. The short form, Whakaari, means `The dramatic volcano´. There are different legends about how White Island became a fire-spitting island.

Here is one of the legends:

Ngatoroirangi, a great Tohunga (spiritual leader), decided to to travel  inland to explore the area.  While he and his travel companions had a rest on the eastern side of Lake Taupo, he spotted a very beautiful mountain to the south. Ngatoroirangi decided he wanted to climb that mountain for a better view of the region. When they reached the foot of the mountain, Ngatoroirangi told his companions to stay put and wait for his return. They were asked to fast until he came back because this would give Ngatoroirangi the strength to succeed in this adventure.  Ngatoroirangi promised them a big feast on his return and that he would teach them everything that he was going to learn during his travel. So it happened that he and his slave Aruhoe started their dangerous journey. The higher they climbed, the colder it got, and the cold froze their breath and made their fingers and feet stiff.  Aruhoe stumbled very often but  Ngatoroirangi urged him to move on.

Meanwhile his companions who were waiting for his return became very hungry and grew tired of waiting. So they suggested that Ngatoroirangi might have died and they were waiting and suffering for nothing. Somebody mentioned how impatient hunger can be. So they decided to light a fire for cooking and they started to eat again.

Their deeds caused Ngatoroirangi to feel icy cold fingers stabing into his heart which made him double over in agony, and he prayed to his sisters in Hawaiki to send him fire to warm him:  `Oh Kuiwai, Ih Haungaroa, come quickly. Ka riro au I te tonga. (I am carried away by the cold south wind). Do not delay or I will surely perish."

His sisters heard him praying and instantly sent the fire demons Te Pupu and Te Hoata to their brother who was fighting with death. The two demons swam as fast as possible through the pacific to Whakaari (White Island). When they lifted their heads, the earth around them became a fiery pit. And this is what you can still find today on White Island.

But here the fire demons realised that they were still far away from Ngatoroirangi. So they dived back into the sea and moved on. When they reached the land they went on underground. Each time the demons broke through the soil for orientation they left a steaming, bubbling track of thermal activity.
The tunnel which they were `digging´ on their way built a connection between White Island and Mount Ngaruahoe which lasted forever.

With all their might, the fire demons broke through the crust of the massive cone of Tongariro where Ngatoroirangi was dying.

Aruhoe had already succumbed to death. But Ngatoroirangi was rescued by the heat which was produced by this volcano. He called it Tongariro to remind us of the icy south wind which nearly had killed him.

By this adventure the Arawa tribe became the guardians of the thermal activities in the area of Rotorua.
(Source: 'Te Whakarewarewa' von Don Stafford )





There are some variations in the legend e.g. Ngatoroirangi sacrified Aruhoe  (obviously still alive) to the volcano.

Somewhere else you can read that it was not Aruhoe who accompanied Ngatoroirangi but the chief Tama Te Kapua.

There is also (at least one) other completely different legend about White Island which I am going to tell next time.
And of course there are tour operators who can bring you via boat or helicopter to White Island which  I will report about as well.


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Indian restaurants in Whakatane

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Sometimes it can be tricky to find a restaurant with a convincing menu if you are travelling in New Zealand as a vegetarian.  Even salads contain meat is in most established cafes and restaurants. But those who are keen on Indian cuisine or are looking for a change from sandwiches and pies might like to take a chance on this alternative (even if they are not vegetarians).


In Whakatane you can find two Indian restaurants; one is called `Indian Aroma´ and the name of the other one is `Kopeo Indian Restaurant´.


The Indian Aroma is very nicely located at the mouth of the Whakatane river. Its ambience and view are more appealing than the Indian Cuisine Kopeo.  Until now we only had lunch at the Indian Aroma.   The menu is hugely varied, and the Chefs seem to be pretty serious about what they are doing.  They cater to special dietary needs such as gluten intolerance or non-dairy diets, which is nice.

The Indian Cuisine Kopeo (alas, no website, but here is their menu:  http://www.dineout.co.nz/assets/7907_table_menu.pdf) doesnt look too appealing but is located centrally. Soon we also will visit this restaurant. But if anybody went there and could give a comment we would be happy to publish it.

A visit to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland

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Last week we went to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. It is a protected thermal area of about 18 km² which you can find at the edge of the caldera around Lake Taupo , 25km south of Rotorua. Waiotapu consists of  diverse collapsed craters, lakes, mud holes, crevices, geysers and a pervasive covering smell of rotten eggs.

Größere Kartenansicht

This protected area is praised as the attraction of New Zealand and accordingly a lot of money and energy is put into marketing it. So I was excited to finally visit this legendary place.

Before you get to the craters you have to pass through a souvenir shop in order to buy a ticket (Currently $30 per adult, $10 per child and $75 for families). The souvenir shop is really well arranged, and the staff are very friendly. Attached to the shop you can find a cafe.

After we had braced ourselves with a cup of cappuccino we went straight into the aromatic garden.

First we crossed a creek which contains so many chemicals that no fish can live there. Then we were standing in front of the so-called Devil`s home. Here I stood and asked myself what was so dreadful about this crater that it deserves such a scary name? We headed further to the so-called rainbow crater. But where was the rainbow?  And so it went on and on until we come to the famous Champagne Pool; it got its name because of the carbon dioxide-produced bubbles which rise to the surface. So here it is, the so often photographed pool, shrouded in mist and offering really magnificent colours.

The Champagne Pool certainly is worth a visit if you want to take some cool photos. But these few bubbles which are rising to the surface remind more me of stale bubbly wine than an exciting, sparkly treat.

The next area called the Artist`s Palette really looks impressive, but I fear that if was ordering a picture by the artist who uses this range of colors, I would become slightly depressed    (see last photo) .

At 10.15am daily, they throw a piece of soap into the maw of the Lady Knox Geyser to break the surface tension so that the geyser keeps to the tourists´ schedule to and spits its fountain towards the sky. (And I can´t help myself in asking how this is compatible with the official New Zealand advertising slogan `100% pure´)

In the pamphlet each site is had very flowery and promising names like Devils Home, Rainbow Crater, Thunder Crater, Artists Palette etc. Unfortunately these names are more distracting than anything else.

I am afraid to say that the information which isgiven in the pamphlet is pretty sparse and provide neither information about the history of this area nor the cultural and spiritual meaning to Maori (after all Wai-O-Tapu means holy water in Maori. I would assume that this has to be a very special place for them. Also the geological information is pretty skimpy. An exhibition of different rocks etc. would be certainly helpful for mediating a better understanding.

All in all I can say that it was a really nice trip, we got to see some amazing stuff (and Alice an I added two t-shirts and one cap to our wardrobe).  To me it was certainly not The attraction of New Zealand, though. A reason for this is that the natural wonder is lost in the marketing hype. I make no secrect that I got the impression that it was not the most important point to increase people´s knowledge, understandung and respect for Wai-O-Tapu but much more to guide as many tourists as possible through i.e. to make as much money as possible.  A bit more background information and a bit less hype would have been far preferable and fair to this special place.