It has been so great in fact, that I have struggled to tell you about what I have been up to, so I've decided just to list it, and I will happily talk your ear off about it if you ask me about it in person.
On Thursday I got up and headed straight to the great sights office, I had booked an excursion but there were only two of us, we took a small bus across the country stopping at the Wairere boulders, a place of incredible natural beauty where a small waterfall trickles down over a mountain of boulders, each the size of a room. Next we continued west through Northland, the poorest region on New Zealand, it was amazing to see places so off the beaten track, where tourists rarely venture.
Eventually we arrived at our destination, the Hokianga, an area made up of little west coast towns, we picked up our Māori guide and she took us to visit the Waipoua forest and Tane Mahuta, the god of the forest and the biggest Kauri tree in the world. He was incredible and my photos down do him justice, his magnificence made me cry. Our guide chanted and sang in Māori, told us about the life cycle of the kauri, the Māori creation story and the conservation work the the Māori people and New Zealand as a whole are doing to help preserve these very endangered trees.
We drove back and had an amazing view of the sand hill across the bay from Opononi. On the way back to Paihia we stopped at Kawakawa to visit an incredible public bathroom by an architect who's name escapes me, it was worth seeing despite not being on the official tour itinerary!
It was St Patricks day and whilst I did push myself to go out to the waterfront after dark, I only stayed a few minutes to see the sea.
On friday it was hard to leave my room but I did get out and walked to the Waitangi treaty grounds. For anyone who doesn't know, this is the spot where over 170 years ago, the Māori cheifs signed a treaty with the Pākehā (european settlers) which promised them protection by the british monarchy and all the rights of british citizens while retaining the rights to their own lands and possessions. While both sides (mostly british) have at times failed to honour the treaty, it was the founding document on which modern New Zealand was built and it's people united. I am so very glad I got to see it. It also houses the biggest Waka taua (warrior canoe) ever built, James Busby's house, now known as the treaty house and a beautiful Marae (Māori carved meeting house) representing tribes across the country. I attended a Māori cultural performance which was a very respectful display of welcome and challenge, dance, song and skill with weaponry. I had been avoiding these performaces as while I longed to see a display of traditional Māori arts, I was very fearful of falling into the tourist trap and attending a performance that would make a mockery of modern Māori life, but this was beautiful, highly respectful and informative, much like an exhibition in a museum.
After I had spent a good few hours on the grounds, in the marae, the museum and visior centre, I decided to take a little walk to Haruru falls, a walk I didn't realise was 5km one way. I walked it both ways and with the walk from Paihia to Waitangi on top, I walked well over 15km yesterday. I came back positively exhaused. My walk took me through forest, along the Waitangi river and, most best of al, through the mangroves on a wooden boardwalk. I'm not posting photos since I want to show my mum those when I return home, in person.
I was exhaused last night. Today I have packed my bags, ready to travel back to Auckland and then go to the airport at 4am and fly to Sydney, so the next time you hear from me I will be in Australia and the last stop of my journey. I am sitting in Russell writing this as I decided I had a few hours to spare and should take the ferry over and make the most of my time here before I leave.
I am frightfully excited about being reunited with my kindle this evening, it's the silver lining of passing back through Auckland.
Tane Mahuta, truly magnificent but impossible to tell how huge he is in the photo.
