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Hey Hey, Tis the season.  Yet it’s summer season here.  Warm, wet, and no snow. 

  So where did I leave off.  Ahh.  Kaitaia.  Well Kaitaia and I had our fill.  R and I began our trek Southward this time following the west coast highway.  Passing through farmland filled with happy cows and sheep, and wild Roosters every once in a while.  Stopped for some Kiwi Ice Cream mmm.  Took a ferry across the Hokianga Harbor and landed in the small town of Rawene.  We were put up for the night by a man name Richard, very nice and hospitable.  He took us for a couple walks around the town, shared tea and stories through the night.  Very good times.

  At some point in Rawene Roland and I began to talk about our adventure thus far.  We came to the conclusion that we have differing things to accomplish while we are here and differing timetables to meet those goals.  In the end it was decided we will travel solo for a while.  So Wednesday I set off on my own, Roland on his own.  We plan to meet up in Wellington for the New Year.

 On my way south towards Waipoua Forest I was greeted by a Maori group in the town of Waimamaku.  Another friendly group of Kiwis.  Shared stories, a couple of beers and was invited to stay the night.  So I did.  Gave some youngsters somepiggy back rides and took a bunch of photos.  They are great. 

 Thursday I headed into the forest where the mighty Kauri trees are.  These are massive trees and have very much the spritual energy the Western Red Cedar has to the Northwest Native Americans.  Tane Mahuta is the god of the forest standing tall with a huge thick trunk.  I would be guessing at numbers right now.  The branches house other flora in them, I could see palm trees growing way up there.  I spent the night in the forest and shared some time with these big old trees.  Very lush forest, one could easily get lost in the bush here.

  Friday my plan was to get to Auckland to use it as a launch for heading south.  It really is hard to skirt around it so I took a train from Henderson,where I was dropped from my last hitch, right into the heart of it.  So here I am back in Downtown Auckland.  I am off to Rotorua on Sunday.  Rotorua has lots of thermal activity and I hear it smells like sulfur.  I have plans to float a river and soak in a Polynesian Spa.  Oh the good times.  Christmas I hope to rent a kayak and float Lake Taupo maybe find a secluded little spot on the beach for the night.  But let me not get a head of myself.

 So some things I have noticed about New Zealand.  The Flora is very similar in ways to the states.  I might assume that it is because alot of things have been imported to the island.  Oak trees, Sweet Gums, Ash, Poplars, Birch, Palm trees.  Sure their are Native palm trees here but some of these have been imported as well.  Wildflowers and bushes seem very familiar too.  Some people have been pointing out the native plants like the Tea Tree, Nicow? (native palm) Kauri.  It reminds me alot of Hawaii.  Very lush and tropical.  The wildlife is limited as again things have been imported.  There are no big predator animals on the islands, no wild dogs unless they’ve gone ferrell, same with cats.  No squirrels.  Wild pig is the only thing one might be cautious of, and the goat that has your buttocks pegged.  No snakes or spiders, just skeeters and sand flies. 

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Somehow I can’t seem to streamline the picture size. If you click on the large pix they should resize for you in another window. Cheers
Downtown Auckland

Sky Tower

Sandspit, 2nd nights Camp, Beach side property

Whangarei Lookout

Waitangi Shorebirds

Urupukapuka Island

R & I on Te Paki Stream Hiking barefoot to the west coast and 90 Mile Beach

Me hiking 90 Mile Beach

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Well Howdy,  This is a recap of the first week in NZ.  After a long and sketchy connection in Fiji we arrived in Auckland, actually earlier than our original flight.  Our flight wasn’t actually direct to NZ, we had to switch planes to carry on to Auckland.  First off in LAX we weren’t even flying our original carrier Air Pacific, we had been switched to Air New Zealand.  Once in Fiji though our connecting flight with Air Pacific had been grounded indefinitely.  “What does that mean” we said.  “How long are we here?”  She had no idea.  But she recommended trying stand-by with Air NZ to see if they would honor our tickets.  So that’s what we did, actually that’s what alot of people did.  The Air NZ flight was held up a little as probably a 1-2 dozen of us boarded filling that plane completely.  And like I said this flight actually put us into Auckland earlier than our original. 

 Our first 2 nights we stayed right in Downtown Auckland @ the Central Backpackers Hostel.  Had 4 roomies, UK (2), Chile and France.  Downtown Auckland reminded me of Dwntn San Francisco, lots of coffee shops, yes Starbucks, souvenir, quickie marts, banks, etc.  It took a little while getting use to traffic on the opposite side of the street.  Nightlife was louder than most, lots of cars and young people, I think that has a lot to do with the 18 year old drinking age.  Explored dwntn Auckland for 2 days then we boarded a bus north to Orewa to get ourselves just outside the city. 

  Hitch-hiking has been quite easy.  I think the longest we have waited is a half an hour.  People are very friendly and most are eager to hear our story. 

Our path has taken us all the way to the top of the North Island (Cape Reinga).  From Orewa we stayed just outside Warkworth in Sandspit.  Camped on some grass in a park right on the beach.  Pushed on to Whangarei, where we found a highly recommended pizza place called “Hell.”  Tasty eats.  Check out the menu with a google.  (*notice the Corn Nuggets ) From Whangarei we pushed north to Pahia in the Bay of Islands.  Small town, like most, and catered to backpackers. 

 We have been trying to spend the least amount of money on accommodations and traveling so that is why we have been hitching and stealth camping.  “Stealth camping” is wandering around town until you find a nice tucked away camp sight.  One where you won’t be bothered and you won’t be intruding. 

In Pahia I chose to take a ferry out and camp a night on Urupukapuka Island.  Might as well see why they call it the Bay of Islands.  I think I was the only one camping on the island (yes camping is permitted)  It is still a little early in the season so that might explain the current lull.  The island is beautiful. I went swimming in Paradise Bay (which I had to myself), watched sheep everywhere (baa baa), soaked up some sun.  It was a great time. 

After Pahia, Roland and I got the biggest lift all the way to Pukenui just about 100km shy of the tip of the North Island.  We camped a night in Pukenui at a Forest Harvesting (clear cut) area.  The next morning we got up to Te Paki where we hiked down a stream (Te Paki Stream) to the West Coast and to Ninety Mile Beach.  From here we began our first big hike.  Walked the first day barefoot along the sand, enjoyed the birds, the sun (not to much) it’s actually been wet lately, the shoreline wildlife: shells, mussels, starfish, jellyfish.  Roland has continued his trek along the beach While I have found myself in Kaitaia.  We will meet up tomorrow and  start our trek south.  Which way we do not know yet.  I hope to flow down the west coast.

(I have pictures, the computer I’m on won’t read from a DVD.  Next chance I get.)

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