New Zealand 2014

To avoid the cold Nebraska winter and to reconnect with friends, Elaine & I returned to the shores of New Zealand from February 6th through April 15^th.  Oh what a wonderful time we had.  For those of you who have been to New Zealand or are fortunate enough to live there, you are familiar with its natural beauty.  Before I get into the details of our time there, I’d like to share some of the splendor of this island nation.  

Since our last visit in 2010, my brother James has lived in Auckland.  He is quite an accomplished photographer and explorer of the wilds of NZ.  Here are some of his photos:

 Rangitoto Island is a dormant volcano located in the Hauraki Gulf, visible to most Aucklanders.  Seems like wherever you are, there is Rangitoto.

Inland in North Island, one discovers the rugged nature of the terrain; which makes it easy see why sheep were most suitable here rather than cattle.

Here is the above credited photographer himself in his element.

New Zealand was the setting where the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and now the “Hobbit” movies are being made.

Mt. Doom is a real place.  Known in our time as Mt. Ngauruhoe, an active volcano.

If you wish, you may visit the home of Bilbo Baggins and his hobbit neighbors in Matamata, NZ

Flowers bloom year round in this paradise.

My favorite is the New Zealand Christmas tree, known as the pohutukawa tree, which blooms around Christmas.

Well-tended parks are found even in the heart the city.  Albert Park borders my alma mater, Auckland University and downtown Auckland.

Even in the dark of night, there is beauty.

Thanks James for sharing these photos.

 Our last visit to NZ was in 2010 and it was time that we reunited with our many friends in the Auckland area.  After checking for good airfares for a few months, one morning, a reasonable fare was found and quickly booked.  Hooray, we were going back to the place that I consider home.  Those of my readers of a more jingoistic nature, I will gladly explain why on a one-to-one basis.

 Our very generous friends, Liz and Dennis O’Callaghan opened their home to us for our stay.  We have known them and their lovely daughters (pictured) for 27 years.  On the left is Catherine, who became a mother just this month (May, 2014); next to her is our god-daughter, Emily; then Megan and Jennifer.  Their lovely home is very near to local bus and commuter trains, making it unnecessary to have a car while in Auckland.  Liz lent us her car when we needed one.  Thank you, much appreciated.

Dennis is quite the fisherman.  We went out on the sea in his boat on several occasions, and brought home a delicious catch each time.  You can see that we are all very happy with our day on the sea.  Just because I am not holding a fish does not mean that I did not catch any.  I caught quite a few keepers.

Many friendships were renewed and nurtured during our stay.  Before children are old enough for school, mothers will get together and form what is known as a “playgroup”, for the young children to get together and play.  These ladies were the mothers in Anne’s playgroup 27 years ago.  Whenever we return to Auckland, these wonderful ladies have a social day together.

Our arrival in NZ coincided with Waitangi Day (Feb 6).  This holiday commemorates the1840 treaty between the Maori people and the English settlers.  It is something like 4^th of July in USA, minus the fireworks.  Dennis and Emily greeted us at the airport.  The warmth of the welcome was wonderful. 

The very next day, we left for their bach (beach cabin) for the weekend.  Fortunately, neither Elaine nor I were jet-lagged from our long flight.  As they had been tent campers for years, Emily christened the bach “past tents.”  Clever one that Emily.  Past tents is located in a developed campground, so we had all the amenities.  Hot showers, fully equipped kitchen and flush loos.  It has an ocean beach and a boat launch is nearby.  We played games on Friday.

Saturday and Sunday was spent fishing on the water.  We launched Dennis’ boat “Strategic Play” nearby and motored out to what turned out to be quite a fishing spot near to Rabbit Island.  One would bait your hooks (2), drop it in the water, and almost immediately get a bite.  That's my favorite kind of fishing.

You may notice on Liz’s cap, the words “Strategic Pay.”  That is the name of the very successful consultancy business he established 20 years ago.  The boat name is a play on words, obviously.

 In order to preserve healthy fishing grounds, NZ regulates the number and size of fish species that you may keep.  With 5 people on the boat, the number of fish was not an issue.  Several times when we threw back an undersized snapper, a shag waited nearby for an easy catch.  You could watch as the bump (fish) slowly descended down the bird’s throat.

Catch of the day:

They were yummy.

On Sunday, we also visited the nearby village of Matakana, a once sleepy country town.  However, that all changed when their local farmers market became one of the must see places for Aucklanders and visitors.  There are all sorts of locally grown produce, olive oils, breads, herbs, meats, flowers, wood carvings etc.  We spent the better part of the morning savoring the fare.  Farmers markets are quite common in NZ, but Matakana is special.  By gosh, I was so taken by this place, that I didn’t take a photo.  Oh well, you’ll just have to visit to experience it.  About 1.5 hours north of Auckland.

The weather was fabulous the whole time we were in NZ.  March was the 2^nd warmest March on their record books.  Many days were spent lounging in the sunshine and relaxing with a cool drink and a good book.  We met up with several friends for coffee, lunch or dinner. 

Early in our stay, my brother James invited me to go along with him to Wellington, where he was delivering a sea kayak.  James’ landlord is a distributor and lent him his auto and paid the fuel costs.  We camped in Turangi (see slutigram from 2010 in NZ) and very early the next morning, we broke camp and made it into Wellington by 9 AM.  James was going hiking.  I chose to visit “Te Papa”, the national museum.

The museum traces various aspects of NZ – geology, ancient life, Maori history, European settlement and all the way up to modern cultural aspects of the society.

This is a Maori cloak made of thousands of bird feathers.

I took the train from Wellington to Wainae about 1 hour away where James had arranged to meet me.  Wellington trains are modern, but the station is a bit quirky.

That night we camped along the Whanganui River in Wanganui.  There is some disagreement about the spelling of the town and river, so either is okay.  James & I enjoyed dinner in an Irish pub.  A beer there cost NZ$7.50 (about US$6.15).  Needless to say, we did not order more than one.

 The following day, we drove through the highland area of central North Island and were treated to some very scenic views and even saw a few of the millions of sheep that call NZ home...

The road took us past the active volcanoes of the North Island:  Tongariro (you can see the steam coming out in this photo), Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu.  James did the mountain goat thing, while I appreciated the views from the ski lodge at Ruapehu.

We saw quite a bit of James during our stay.  It was a good opportunity for us to get to know one another, as he is several years younger than I and I had left for university when he was 9 years old and our paths had not crossed but infrequently since then.   

There are over 80 dormant volcanic cones in the city limits of Auckland.  Probably more now, as the city keeps annexing smaller towns and cities bordering it.  James has climbed every one of these cones.  I have climbed maybe 6 of them over the years.  The views can be quite stunning of the city from some of these places.  Here are a couple of views from Mt. Eden, which is right near downtown Auckland.

Sue, a friend and former co-worker of Elaine’s from Greenlane Hospital was a frequent visitor during our stay.  Early in our stay, we went for lunch at the Settler’s Country Manor, a lovely rural restaurant.  By coincidence, Liz and Dennis’ daughter Jennifer will get married here next March (2015).

After lunch, we hit the waves at Muruwai.  I must be getting old, as all we tired quite soon from these waves.   Muruwai is on the west coast and is about a 45 minute drive from Auckland.  It has easy access to the beach, which makes it a great boogie boarding locale.  The beaches on the east coast of Auckland are protected by several islands of the Hauraki Gulf.  Those beaches are good for swimming rather than boarding.

Since our last visit in 2010, the public transport system has been amalgamated.  Now, you can buy a “HOP” card and use it to travel on the bus, commuter train or ferry system in the Auckland area.  The card gives you a 10% discount on all fares and can be easy reloaded with fare-funds.  If you are a NZ resident and are 65 +, you can get a Golden Card.  Then all public transport in Auckland is free after 9 AM on weekdays and all weekend.  Too bad we are no longer residents.  We frequently used our cards to go downtown to stroll about and enjoy some good foods at the many restaurants.  The public transport system is clean, safe and reliable.  Of course, it is highly subsidized.  

 One morning, we took the train and met up with friends Rick & Anne at the winter gardens (but it was summer) and its cafe.  In spite of the name, flowers are beautiful in summer too.  I shared an office at University with Rick back in 1987 and we have been friends ever since.

Many years ago, we visited these gardens to watch the blooming of the Victoria lily.  Thousands came out then to thoughtfully view this massive lily-pad.  I guess the thrill is gone, as there were few there this time.

After returning home, I went to the Wellesley Stamp Club meeting with a former co-worker of Elaine’s, Bruce, who had taken up the hobby in a big way these past years.  While in NZ, I also attended my old stamp club with my great friend Neil.  I added many stamps to my collection from these meetings.  Elaine and I went to the horse races with Neil on 2 occasions.  More about this later.

Downtown Auckland has many things to see and do.  One of them is the Auckland Art Gallery, established 126 years ago and home to some very nice works.  We have visited it many times over the years.  However, it was totally remodeled in 2011 and our visit proved rewarding.  The gallery is free as is the one-hour guided tour, which we took advantage of on this day.  The tour focused on the architectural changes of the refurbished gallery and brief looks at various galleries.  The entry- way has a very tall ceiling made of kauri wood (NZ tree) and is very impressive, as it looks like a group of palm trees or tree ferns, take your pick.

My favorite galleries are the 18^th century English oil.  This one depicts a child’s funeral procession; life was harsh and often short in days before vaccinations and antibiotics.

The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles Palace,

a medieval theme,

works from the Egyptian craze period,

 and works that depict the Maoris and their culture.  The gallery asks that you do not photograph many of the cultural items and portraits at the request of the descendants of the people who are in the portraits or owned some of the other items.  I did defer to their wishes.

There are some classical style sculpture.

Some modern art that I liked,

and some that I did not.

This item (the letter “I” in his alphabet series) is representative of that of NZ’s renowned 20^thcentury artist, Colin McCahon.  You can decide where you like other items of his work or not by doing a Google search.  Art is in the eye of the beholder.  McCahon also has a series of black and white numbers. 

 Throughout Auckland, there are many parks and nature trails.  In west Auckland, the Oakley Creek Trail is one such place where we spent an afternoon.  Once on the trail, the forest closes in and you would never guess that you are in a city of over 1,000,000 people.  As the name would indicate, you follow the path of a secluded creek.

You may have heard of the Ascot Race Day in England, where the in-the-know people get all dressed up and the women wear fancy hats.  The USA equivalent is the Kentucky Derby.  In NZ, it is the Ellerslie Derby Day, which we went to with my good stamp collecting friend Neil.  Little did we know that Neil would not let us pay for anything (other than my losing and Elaine’s winning bets) the whole day.  Thanks Neil.  The races are run on a grass track.  We did see some beautiful horses.  The big race winning pot was $750,000.  Not a bad paycheck for a 2 minute race.  I do have the race program book for this day, should you visit and want to learn more.

Also saw some of the beautiful people, starting with us.

The best dress competition was awarded $30,000.  The winner said she bought it off the rack in a clothing store.  Some people wear their clothes better than others.  No, we did not win.

On Elaine’s birthday, we visited our favorite winery.  I have a picture of our vintner in one of my other slutigrams of NZ.  As will happen, Ivan passed away a year ago.  The winemaking equipment has been sold off, the grapevines torn out and the land was being graded for housing.  Sad to see.  However, we then visited another small winery and found some product to our liking.  We even brought a bottle home for a special occasion.  Had a family party that night, with my brother James in attendance.

One day, we were conversing with Megan, oldest daughter of Liz and Dennis.  She was telling us about this bird sanctuary on an island about 50 km away.  It sounded like a great place to see, but doubted that I would get to it.  Life is funny. Three days later we made bookings for a day trip to Tiri Tiri Matangi (the self-same island).  It is a 1.25 hr. ferry ride from the Auckland port.  The seas were glass-calm all the way out.  Liz and Dennis also came with us.

 Once on the island, guided tours at a small price (NZ $5) can be taken, but must be booked in advance.  The guides are all non-paid volunteers and the ferry company does not charge them for the trip to the island.

There are many scenic views of the Waitemata Harbor and Hauraki Gulf (Auckland Harbor area) worth a photo or two.

and other photo ops.

However, the main reason that I went was to see the rare birds of NZ.  They are not caged, they live as nature intended.  There are several feeding stations that do attract the birds, so that you can see them close up, and we did see heaps of them.  If you are a birder, just Google the bird name for more information.  

Bell birds – which make a hollow ringing type sound.

Black robins – I do not think they are in the same family as our red-breasted robin, but the body shape is quite similar.  They were native to the Chatham Islands (part of NZ) and have been relocated to a few sanctuaries, Tiri Tiri Matangi being one of them.

The kokako, a slate-grey pigeon-like bird with bright blue wattles and a black facial mask.  Like many of NZ’s native birds, this bird has been decimated by introduced predators (cats, rats, stoats, Australian possums, Australians,  etc.) and reserves like this island help assure that they avoid the extinction that has been visited on many other NZ birds.

The saddleback, so named for the brown saddle-like feathers on its back (where else would they be with a name like that?), is a relative of the kokako (sure don’t look like they are related).  These birds were previously endangered, but with an active recovery program, there are now several thousand breeding pairs on at least 9 off-shore islands.

Stitchbirds are another relative of the saddleback and kokako, but not a real close relative.  Something like a third cousin twice removed.  It is a rare honey-eater (I didn’t know this was a rarity in NZ, as there is honey all through the forests).  However, it is the sole member of its Linnaean family (Linnaeus is the person who invented the classification system most used today).  Okay, you had to ask, what family is that, why the Notiomystidae – satisfied now?  Pictured is a very young bird.

A not very rare bird seen is the tui, one of my favorites in NZ for both its beautify and melodious song.  It is alternatively known as the parson bird (from its white clerical collar feathers).  Hey, wait a minute; it is also a honey-eater.  Oh well, this conflicting information will have to go unexplained unless Wikipedia meant to say that the rare stitchbird is a honey-eater.

However, the bird that I most wanted to see was the Takahe.  Its story is fascinating.  In 1898, the last 4 specimens were taken (not alive I trust) and it was thought to be extinct.  In 1948, the bird was spotted near Lake Te Anau far in the mountains of the South Island.  It weighs from 5 to 6 pounds and is about the size of a large chicken (but not for roasting, please).  It is still present in the wilds of the South Island where it was discovered, but separate populations now exist on at least 5 off-shore islands. Today there are 263 of these magnificent birds, according to Wikipedia.   The Takahe is depicted on several of NZ postage stamps, and I really wanted to see this bird.  In fact, it was the deal maker for me to spend the day on the island.  I had seen all of these rare birds (plus the tuis) and hoped that I would get to see the Takahe on this day.  Our lucky day.

What a day!

Liz and Dennis treated us to dinner on my birthday.  James came also.  Had cake and ice cream afterword at home.

 During our visit, I was able to catch up with the two main members of my PhD committee (at different times) and enjoyed getting reacquainted.   I am presently working on a research paper with one of them.  Didn’t think I would be doing any more research after retirement, but Martin has such an active mind that I didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

On St. Patrick’s Day, we left on a camping trip to Urenui, where Dennis and Emily were entered in a kayak fishing tournament. Elaine and I drove one car and Dennis another, as he had business meetings during the week.  Emily and Liz were to fly down for the tournament later in the week.  The first 2 nights were spent at Angela and Garry Harrison’s home in Oakura, near to New Plymouth.  A wonderful couple, who have extended their hospitality to us on several occasions in the past (see old NZ slutigrams).  Garry is one of the founders of the largest kayak fishing tournament in NZ.  So, talk was of fishing strategies and prizes amongst other topics. 

 It is about a 5-hour drive to Oakura from Auckland.  The time was extended due to a few stops for scenic beauty and some delicious ice cream at a roadside business near Piopio.  In case you may have missed it, Maori place names often repeat themselves.  In case you may have missed it, Maori place names often repeat themselves.  About an hour outside of New Plymouth, we noticed that Dennis had been passed by another car which was also hauling a kayak, as was Dennis (actually 2, one for him and one for Emily).  Surprise – it was Garry Harrison and a friend.  Had to stop and have a talk.  Spent a wonderful 2 days with the Harrisons at thier home.

Then off to Urenui for several nights tent camping.  My brother James was out hiking nearby and spent one night camping with us.  While Dennis and Emily were out on their kayaks fishing, Elaine and enjoyed the campground and did some nearby touring.

Here’s what our campsite looked like and Urenui's beach on which it was located.

We got Emily launched;

then Dennis,

and who showed up with an inflatable kayak but brother James.  The locals were intrigued with an inflatable kayak.

A creative barber shop sign in the town of Urenui.  You;ll have to click photo to enlarge to read it

While they were out fishing, Elaine and I visited the Mike’s White Cliffs Brewery, a local brewery, which had some very nice (but somewhat overpriced) product.

The fishing was not very good, so no great trophy was earned for our crew.  Emily did earn the "hard Luck" story for her lack of fish and being dumped in the surf on both days when coming back to shore.  However, we all enjoyed fresh caught snapper and mussels cooked by Dennis.  Elaine and I usually do the clean-up.  Incidentally, some of the people in this tournament go out several miles to do their fishing in a kayak.  I asked Garry what happens if you hook a shark.  Garry says, cut the line.

After a week camping, we return relaxed and refreshed to Auckland.  Many of our days and evenings are spent catching up with friends.  We go out to coffee, restaurants, etc.  Needless-to-say, we put on some unwanted pounds during our stay – but the friends were well-worth the extra tonnage.  Now, we have to struggle to lose that weight.

Attended another session of horse races with Neil, but this time at Avondale Raceway, only a mile or so from Liz and Dennis’.  He really knows a lot about the horses, jockeys and history of the sport.  Doesn’t seem to result in a winning strategy.  I win a few dollars, but the rest of us lose a bit.  The day at the races was marred by an injury to one of the trainers.  She was walking a horse before the race when the horse in front of her unexpectedly kicked her in the face.  Probably a fly was biting the horse and it made the move to shake off the insect.   It took 15 very long minutes for the EMTs to arrive to treat her and take her to the hospital.  That put a bit of a damper on the rest of the races.

On the last weekend in March we went to Tairua, where a lady from Kearney spends December to April.  We stayed a couple of nights and had a very social time with Andrea.  There are photos in our 2010 slutigram of this scenic harbor town.

We spent much of one very sunny and hot day boogie boarding at Ocean Beach in Tairua.  Best waves and rides for this trip.  Met a lady from Auckland who is an RN and works nights at the Auckland children’s hospital.  She too is a boogie boarder.  Afterwards, we went to  her beach house (rental) and met her husband and a friend.  In April, we arranged to meet for coffee.  Hope to see her in future visits.

After returning to Auckland, we Skype Anne and got the news that she had been promoted to Senior Engineer.  With the raise involved, Anne decided it was time to buy a condo.  Which she has and closed on the condo today (July 10^th).  Our Christmas plans are to stay with Anne in her new home.

During our final 2 weeks in NZ, we spent five days preparing, taping, priming and painting Liz and Dennis’ living room, dining room and kitchen as a small token of our thanks for inviting us to stay with them.  When I spoke with my lead PhD adviser, he asked: “You like to paint?  Well, next trip you can stay with us.”  May take him up on that offer.

I think we had at least 1 social even every day of the last 2 weeks in Auckland.  It was so good to see many of our friends.  Liz organized a farewell party the last weekend of our stay.  About 20 people came to this event.  Such warm and close friends.

It was time to say Haere Ra (farewell) as we took the long flight back to the USA.  I look forward to our next visit.