January 19, 2008 was a very special day as it was the day I saw my first New Zealand sheep. They looked so content. I now have crossed it off my top 10 list of things to do here in NZ. After fifteen kilometres of driving and in that space 4768 sheep viewed, I thought if New Zealand has a rugby farm team they are surely called the 'Lamb Kings'. My impression is that New Zealanders would be just as embarrassed by this identity as Victorians seem to be with the 'Salmon Kings'. I viewed these striking, graceful, and intelligent creatures from the bus which was heading to Northland - the subtropical land of plenty.
Aside from my now ritualistic guitar playing sessions on the beach, nothing of great significance occurred in the town of Paihia. The weather was grey and rainy for the three days I spent there. On the second day I took a bus tour up to view the Kauri Forest, Cape Reinga, and 90 Mile Beach (90 Mile Beach is actually 64 miles. There are conflicting stories as to how the beach got its name, so I won't bother with one of the stories for now). First stop was the Kauri Forest. Kauri are the largest NZ tree and second only to the Sequoia for timber yield. However, rainfall and poor light made it difficult to take a worthwhile picture, but they were impressive. The Kauri trunks are branchless up to the canopy of the forest about 30 meters in the air. Next, the bus rolled to the extremely windy Cape Reinga at the northernmost point of New Zealand where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea in a fury. The collision is visible from the point and makes for a good show of two powerful forces coming together. Results of the two forces were our final destinations, the 90 mile beach and the sand dunes at the beach's north end. On these sand dunes, the tour company had everyone barrel down the 100 meter high dunes on a bodyboard at high speeds (people have been clocked at 80 km/h and I felt like I was near that). Two runs down the dune were enough for me. Sand covered and exhausted from the climb, I declined an offer for another run down the dune, and so did everybody else on the tour. We then began our drive down 90 Mile Beach which is also a state highway with a speed limit of 100 km/h. Even with the tour bus travelling at 100, I had enough time to nap and wake up before the beach ended. Normally I would refuse to nap when I'm driving in new territory, but the beach was the same the whole drive, aside from one bluff somewhere on it. It sounds like I may have been bored driving on the beach, having had a nap and all, but the experience was unique and well worth it.
Not much else happened in Paihia due to the poor weather. Of note, however, was the beer I shared with some good ol' British mates while we swam in the warm ocean during the rain. It was a fine way to spend an evening learning about the intricate culture of Britain's youth.
The lighthouse at Cape Reinga.
Where the Pacific Ocean (right side) meets the Tasman Sea (left).
Sand dunes at 90 Mile Beach.
90 Mile Beach.
1 comment:
Your trip sounds amazing so far Derek, I'm endlessly amused by your tales of the far away land in which your travel.
You must tell me though, what are the other 9 things on the to do list in NZ?
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