Tramped the Kaikoura Peninsula and were gifted with stunning vistas of snow capped mountains, azure ocean, fur seals, birds, flowers and shining white limestone cliffs.
Month / November 2015
Referendum
New Zealanders are voting on which of the five flags below they prefer.
There will be a second referendum in March 2016 to decide whether the winning flag will replace the current NZ flag.
North to South
We travelled the Cook Strait from the North Island to the South Island. A beautiful crossing.
Stopped at Cloudy Bay for a Sauvignon Blanc; then one who did not taste the wine drove us down to Kaikoura where we will hold up for four days, hopefully meeting dolphins and whales.
Tui
A Tui landed on a nearby branch in the botanical gardens. After weeks of hoping it was great to see one so close.
Climate Change
Wellington sightseeing and we are surprised and hugely impressed by a march of thousands protesting against governmental indifference to climate change. All ages – from tiny tots to very old. We join them for a while.
Guest writer – Jen
1930’s
Napier is a wonderful town to wander the streets and look up at the tops of buildings and enjoy the Art Deco style of those built after the devastating earthquake in 1931.
Sacred Landscape
Walked the labyrinth at Trelinnoe Park, a beautiful garden on the old coach road between Taupo and the port of Napier.
A time of peace.
Opepe
Took a walk with our friend Jen through native forest to the east of Lake Taupo.
Another afternoon of relaxed reading followed by a walk through jaggy sand and still icy water.
Waikato
We cruised the Waikato River to the bottom of Huka Falls where we headed into the wash for a close up view.
After lunch, and a relaxed read on the sun drenched deck, we strolled the southern shoreline of Lake Taupo where one brave soul had a short, sharp swim in the freezing water.
Maori Meanings
We took a boat out onto Lake Taupo and got close to the glorious Maori Rock Carvings at Mine Bay. They are over 10 metres high and accessible only by water – in our case very choppy water.
The face on the largest carving above depicts Ngatoroirangi a visionary High Priest and navigator of the Te Arawa canoe, which sailed to New Zealand from Hawaiki during the great migration in the 13th Century.
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