*Warning: Long Post
I awoke unwillingly. Not because I was so comfy and nestled in my bed but because I was cold. I came to NZ hoping for warm temps, let me tell you that late at night and early in the morning, it is chilly. And all I have to snuggle with is myself. Anyways, I made breakfast and coffee. Coffee, by the way, is the instant stuff. That's what a lot of people drink around here and there are many different kinds in the stores. And it's also quite easy when you're on the go like I am. I left the car park and drove right down the road to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
I arrived right in time for one of their guided tours. The guide led us through part of the rich forest and described to us the plant life. Don't ask me to recite anything of what he said because all the names are strange, just like the names of things anywhere in New Zealand. No offense of course to the people, but they are certainly quite different. The only tree I can remember the name of is the kauri, you know, the REALLY big ones. We first came to the shelter where the ceremonial war canoe stood. Next to it was the stump of a kauri tree. This stump was ginormous (see pictures). I can't wait to see the worlds biggest kauri once I get over to the west side of the north island in hopefully a few days.
The ceremonial war canoe is actually the biggest one in the world and its native name is Ngātokimatawhaorua. (What'd I tell about the names of things around here). It's 35 meters long and is painted black, red, and white -New Zealand's colors. The carvings on it were so detailed and the eyes of the creatures on them were pieces of abalone. The tour guide said that some 120 men could fit in the ship but it needs a minimum of 76 paddlers. They were used to transport armies to the battle grounds and were also used to patrol the Bay of Islands. Next, we walked up near the Treaty House. There was a line of trees on either side of the house which had been planted by various people of importance that visited the bay around the time the treaty was signed. A plaque was near each one, stating who had.
The Treaty House built in the 1830's and was the official 'British Residency'. It was occupied by James Busby, who was appointed by the British government to be their first representative in New Zealand. The house was actually first built in Britain and then disassembled, labeled how it was to be put together, then shipped to Waitangi (just like IKEA furniture). Busby lived here with his wife and six children and the treaty was drawn up in the house in 1840. Beyond the house near he bluff is the flagstaff, which marks the spot where the treaty was signed on February 6th, 1840.
Next, we walked over to the ceremonial meeting house, or the Te Whare Rūnanga. Again, it was colored red, black, and white and was decorated with detailed wood carvings. The carving of the man on the peak of the roof is Polynesian, since Polynesians first found New Zealand. The woman chief came out of the building and picked a man from our tour group to be our chief. Next, the native's male chief came out and performed, asking our chief if we come in peace. Of course we did. So we were asked to come inside the house but first we removed our shoes. The tribe performed a number of cultural dances in the house.
That was the end of the tour so then we were able to closely look around the grounds on our own. I walked through the Treaty House then back towards the main building to the gift shop. I quickly went through the newly opened museum and was on my way. Throughout the tour I realized how similar the Alaska native culture is to the Maori culture. The carvings, art, dances, tools, and other things were very much parallel. I remember as a kid playing with an Eskimo yo-yo I think it is, that's a string with a ball on each end of it and that same thing was used in the cultural performance that I saw today.
I drove highway 10 and came to Kerikeri. I saw a sign for a winery so I had to stop. It was called Cottle Hill Winery. It had a small orchard that was just at the start of its season. The owners wife let me sample a few wines, all white wines of course. We talked for about twenty minutes about the winery, New Zealand, and where we were from. Her and her husband were from California and actually sailed all the way here. I found the Sauvignon Blanc to be my favorite so I bought a bottle. Thing to buy: wine opener.
I've been on the road for a few days now and I think I can confidentially say I'm getting the hang of the New Zealand driving. Driving on the left, turn signals on the right side of the steering wheel, sitting on the right, and yielding to traffic on the right in roundabouts. It's almost becoming a habit driving this way that I think once I'm back in the US, I'll have to re-readjust there. I was really worried about getting a rental car and I thought the adjustments were going to be a real challenge. And I suppose they were but I didn't really think I'd catch on this quick.
Back on the highway, I kept going until I took a break in Mangonui. Another beach and harbor town. I'm beginning to realize that they all are. I needed more clarification about the cape and about its trek up north so I went into the information center there. The lady didn't have much info on it but she did let me know about other things to do in the area and we talked for awhile. After, I got a coffee and kept going.
I took a right at Awanui to head north on highway 1. I knew I was a good ways from the cape and knew I should gas up one last time before I couldn't. But for some reason I just kept driving. I wasn't too far from Te Kao but didn't want to bet on that small town to have a gas pump. So I flipped around and went all the way back towards Pukenui in search of one. I found a single pump there, not even at a gas station but near the little marina on a random road that I'm glad I went down. Back at a full tank, I sped off north, again.
I came to Te Paki after awhile and what do ya know, they had a gas station. Ugh, well at least I didn't take any chances. I lost cell service before I turned down the road to the sand dunes that's part of ninety mile beach. Disclaimer: it's actually only about 90 kilometers long, aka 55 miles. A gravel road brought me to the dunes and to the Te Paki stream. It's pretty cool how the dunes are all the sudden right there next to a sheep pasture. A total change in terrain. In this new territory, I really wasn't sure what I was looking for at this point, I knew I didn't have time to hike or enjoy the scenery and it was getting late so I needed to find a place to camp. So I turned back around to get on the main road in hopes of finding either a campsite or a secluded pullout.
I finally pulled off the road towards Tapatapo Bay, and again, down a gravel road. I normally love driving dirt or gravel roads because usually I'm in a truck but here I'm trying to keep my dinky little minivan rental in decent shape. Another winding road brought me down to a pretty bay. Many campers were already there. I parked and made conversation with a nice couple from Canada. Yay, the closest I've met to Alaska. The man is actually a tour guide in Canada and about twice a year he has tours in Valdez, Seward, and Whitehorse. I used my little cooking stove for the first time and it worked awesome. I made camp and went to sleep. Around 4:30am I woke up to use the bathroom and when I got out of my tent, I saw the most gorgeous starry sky I have ever seen. Galaxies and galaxies worth.
