Aotearoa New Zealand Part 1

Aotearoa 

(Maori name for New Zealand, meaning long white cloud)

Part 1

This New Zealand Experience consists of two parts.  Part 1 is the 10 days before we joined our guided tour.  Part 2 is the Overseas Adventure Travel Portion.  

Our trip began in Los Angelos, breaking up the long journey to New Zealand by staying in Marina Del Rey.  We met Cousin Jack at C & O Trattoria, Venice Beach, one of the LA highlights.  Jack and Peter had some fun posing with the muscle men in Muscle Park.

My Aquarium of the Pacific specials were moon jellies, sea dragons & horses. 

There are no shortage of restaurants: one of our favourites was 26 Beach, next to our hotel. We joined Janet (one of our cycling friends) & husband Steve at Cassablanca for Italian Seafood.

We had prepared for New Zealand trip through a superb presentation from our Velo Cape Breton friends, Jacques and Michelline who visited on their tandem bike.  We planned an itinerary for Part 1 to include many hikes and cycling.  

We left Los Angelos on our 14 hour flight in the evening and arrived in Auckland early, crossing the international date line and climate change.  It was Fall in New Zealand, Spring north of the Equator.

Immediately, we are impressed with the "green" and sheep everywhere.  

We were told there are two seasons: rainy and more rainy, although we had exceptional weather.

Efforts to leave a "small footprint" on the environment were obvious.  There were no long queues: self-operated machines took orders, accepted payment and ready for pick up.  

Tap water is safe to drink and everyone was encouraged to use reusable bottles.  Recycling is taken seriously.  Shopping bags were required at the grocery, no plastic was offered.  

We enjoyed a leisurely Scenic drive through Huka Falls, geothermally raised prawns which we enjoyed as a curry.  

We checked into Ohokane Top 10 Holiday Park which we used as our base for the next 9 days complete with BBQ, dishwasher and hot tub, walking distance to town, and famous for carrots and potatoes, among other things.

The wine selections were amazing.  New Zealand Wine Country is divided into more than 15 districts with Pinot Noirs in Otago, Cabernet Malbec in Hawkes Bay were our favourite.

We were entertained by the self-dispensing of green tipped mussels, huge and delicious. 

View  which surrounded us.

Tongariro National Park was the first of many parks in New Zealand (1887) and the fourth in the world. It was declared the only dual World Heritage site for it's natural and cultural status in 1993. Tongariro (80,000 hectares) was set aside for the people of New Zealand by Maori Chief Horonuku, Ngati Tuwharetoa, who passed the guardianship of three sacred mountains of his people (Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and part of Ruapehu) keeping the central North Island  mountains pristine and protected with joint ownership between the Mona wenua and the crown in 1887.  The objective thus preserved the “mana” (status, prestige integrity) of the mountains and the Nagati Tuwharetoa people.

The problem arose with the interpretation of Maori and English language.  There are ongoing efforts to revert to the original intent of the treaty today but this is beyond the scope of this blog.

We explored Tongariro National Park, an area of 800 sq km in the centre of the North Island.  The landscape here is diverse natural beauty dominated by 3 active volcanoes, Mt Tongariro, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Ruapehu (highest peak in the North Island at 2797 meters) which all have deep spiritual meaning to the Maori, who arrived on huge waka (canoes) in the 13th Century from Polynesia (descendants from Taiwan).  

We learned a lot at the Whakapapa Visitor Center.  The staff at the Center provided information on the native flora, fauna, rainforest, giant trees, delicate plants, waters falls and “lahars” (lava mud flows travelling 50-100km/hr with devastating results, geothermal and volcano activities and provided trail information and issued hut passes.

We enjoyed the senior free rate on the Mt. Ruapehu ski lifts which had a new coat of snow overnight. Whakapapa Ski Area (1913) is a favourite in winter.  We lunched at the Knoll Cafe: had one of the best Seafood Chowders ever.

The Pacific Ring of Fire volcanoes have occurred many times in the last 100 years, due to major collisions between plates in earth's crust and the rim of the Pacific Ocean.  Year 2012 was the most recent volcano and they are overdue for another in some areas.

The movie industry is alive and well in New Zealand, filming Lord of the Rings (Frodo, Sam, Gollum, Black Gate of Maldor) in the Tongariro which combined every imaginable terrain from the movie industry, based in NZ.

We hiked every mountain and enjoyed alpine herbs, low growing shrubs, tussocks and dense beech forests, passed through tussock, Kaunakakai (mountain cedar), mountain five finger, broadleaf, umbrella ferns, toatoa.  The birds in the giant podocarps were incredible.  

Our favourite birds were the kera, tia, the fantail, robin and the wood parrot.  

We learned all about the efforts to eradicate introduced species which are endangering most of the indigenous birds and plants.  The Department of Conservation (DOC) has placed traps for stouts, ferrets, possum, and rats (some with eggs inside), with pressurized arrow attached to trees, poison pellets, and authorized licensed hunters to hunt anywhere (with permission) in any season.  These efforts are having some effect.  

DOC also looks after a range of unique outdoor experiences, accommodations and recreation facilities on public conservation land, a network of 950 huts and 200 campsites, staffed with wardens providing peace, weather and trail conditions.  They also offer an excellent website with information related to animals, botany and invasive species and efforts to eradicate these invaders/pests.

Geological formation, plate tectonics, ring of fire and volcanoes continue up to the present which explains why New Zealand is the newest continent.  There continue to be volcanic eruptions, lahars, and destruction of cities.  Efforts are being made in construction to withstand seismic activities, tsunamis, flooding and fires.

The mountains were sacred to Maori and were forbidden ground to the early Europeans but in 1887, Te Heuheu Tukino IV, chief of the National Tuwharetoa, gifted the mountain tops to the nation so they would be protected for all time, forming the first National Park in New Zealand (and fourth in the world) and a World Heritage Area for its natural & cultural features.

The population of New Zealand in 2016 was 4.5 million and close to 90% urban (worldometers.info). We noticed visitors of many nationalities.  NZ Transport issues Driving handbooks in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Arabic.

New Zealand has been designated a nuclear free zone today but historically, they have been involved in multiple military conflicts as part of their relationship with Great Britain.  Military museums are popular and we were present for the ANZAC Celebration Day.

We experienced a little mountain biking on Old Coach Road Cycle Trail 15 km, 3-4 hrs. We rented Meridia mountain bikes with Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. We took a shuttle to Horopito and down the first hill, my chain broke.  It was repaired promptly & journey continued.  This was reported to be a track suitable for beginners but we found it a grade 3-4...narrow, steep climbs, wet mud, loose cobblestone rubble of the Stage Coach era.   

 

We enjoyed the scenic overlooks, forests and historical placards about the rail line construction.  We crossed the active railway line, saw parts of the Taonui Viaduct Trail and continued through virgin native forest linking a number of fascinating NZ rail heritage in a journey through a spectacular part of Tongariro National Park including the restored 45 m historic Hapuawhenua Viaduct.

There are many Maori legends and for each mountain there is a special one.  One famous is about the 3 Warrior Mountains being at war for the beautiful Pihanga.  We hiked Rotokura, where we found more birdlife and sacred waters.  

We hiked Lake Rotopounama overlooking Mt Pihanga and learned about many birds and trees and the site Maori Pa Oplaka overlooking the Lake Rotoaira.  

Visited the Ohakune Train Museum and learned about the Tangiwai Train Disaster which entered on a luhar (volcanic mud flow), occurring Christmas Eve 1953.  We later visited the Memorial site.

Hiked 4 km Ohinetonga Scenic Reserve Loop Track along the Whakapapa River, near the town of Owhango.  Met several New Zealanders active in Owhango Alive, a voluntary group working with the Department of Conservation to control predators by trapping and doing bird counts.

We learned that the Main Trunk Railway was completed in 1908 and a large scale timber industry developed with eleven mills in the Owhango area alone and milling continued until 1972.  Little virgin forest remains because of the increased lumbering and farming. 

Two species of bats are NZ's only native mammals.  The loss of forest has been detrimental to the kiwi and other birds.  Introduction of animals such as wild pigs, dogs, cats, deer, rabbits, possum, etc have all made an impact on the native birds and flora.

The Tongariro Forest Park across from the Whakapapa River is adjacent to the 148 hectare Ohinetonga Scenic Reserve which was formally created in 1921.  This is now a kiwi sanctuary.  We were pleased to meet residents willing to explain details of their flora and fauna.  We enjoyed the giant tree walk.

We explored the 1869 earthworks Te Poirere Redoubt built by Maori warrior Te Kooning and his followers who fought European settlers and soldiers at the last land war.

We hiked the Silica Rapids Walking Track and crossed the Whakapapanui Stream, and the "golden rapids" where iron oxide clays from upstream bogs take on a red colouration.   

  We followed the sound of the Punaruku Falls in the majestic gorge where the Tawhainui Stream tumbled over ancient lava flows.  The  white coloured Silica Rapids are formed by water rich in aluminum and silicate minerals, more apparent as the stream gathered speed because aerated water formed more alumina-silicate deposits.

We tramped (NZ term for hiking) Jubilee Park along Mangateilel Stream which joined the Mangawhero River Walkway.  There were signs posted to to encourage hikers to pull up invasive species, i.e. Scottish broom & hang upside down along fence lines.  

We enjoyed watching young cyclists in the "Pump & Jump BMX Track" and carried on to the Rimu Track and the Managawhero Forest Walk.  We met many interesting people along our walks.   New Zealanders are generally fit and slim.

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending".
Maria Robinson, writer 

We hope you enjoy!

Catherine & Peter
(presently enjoying life on the hard in Cape Breton, NS)