Rachel In New Zealand

Climb Every Volcano Search High and Low

2010-04-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

Rangitoto looms majestically over Auckland's harbor. With a symmetrical shield cone, Rangitoto looks like one would think that a volcano should look like; almost like something out of a school science fair. Since we see the volcano just about everyday, our curiosity about what the island looks like close-up kept growing stronger. We finally could stand it no longer, so we hopped on a ferry and made our way across the harbor.

Rangitoto is only about 600 years old. This means people were in New Zealand to witness its creation, and it is a part of The Maori oral history. There is also footprints on the neighboring island that date back to creation of Rangitoto.

The shoreline of the island consists of old lava flows. In many areas, it looks like the flows just cooled.

Rangitoto rises to an altitude of 850 feet. The trek up the mountain is about 1.5 miles. Here is Rachel powering up the trail.

In many areas, the elements and plants have not had time to break up the volcanic rock.

The view is fantastic.

We didn't make it to the top because we decided to use our dwindling time to explore caves. The caves were created by the lava flows.

As we said goodbye, we knew more about volcanoes and had climbed one more of Auckland's 50 or so volcanic cones.

Living Small....

2010-03-29T00:14:00.000-07:00

But Well.

One noticeable change since we've moved to New Zealand: The amount of garbage we generate, and the amount of resources we consume have dramatically dropped. Part of this is because we're living in an apartment without a lot of space and no room for clutter. We are also car-less, which changes things dramatically. For instance, anything we buy needs to be carried from the store to our fourth floor apartment, so things like impulse purchases are thought over twice with the daunting task of hauling them. A bigger part is that people in New Zealand are just more careful with their resources. The appliances are smaller and more energy efficient; the bathrooms less wasteful; and the packaging is not as bulky. I don't think it's because New Zealanders are more "green", or have a deeper love for the environment than people back in the States. I think it's because people in New Zealand have to be more ecologically conscious for economic reasons. This is a relatively small island nation and anything that is not produced here has to be shipped in. This makes things such as gas and excess packaging expensive.

This is about how much garbage we produce in a day. It's way less than in St. Paul, it doesn't even require a garbage can.

Our refrigerator is half the size of our refrigerator back home. This is not only because we live in an apartment; people in New Zealand tend to have smaller more efficient appliances.

Believe it or not, this tiny little machine is both a washing machine and dryer. Luckily we didn't bring much clothing, so our laundry loads are small.

Most of the New Zealand toilets have two buttons, a full flush, and a half a flush. Interestedly, someone speculated that this feature has more to do with the toilets being made for Australia, a country that experiences water shortages, than it does with New Zealanders having to save water.

People in New Zealand, like people in the United States, love their cars. Gas here though is twice as expensive as in the United States, and parking downtown Auckland is similar to parking in Manhattan. Despite the expense and hassle, most people in New Zealand find driving a car to be worth the cost. I guess in this way they very much are like Americans.

The Grandparents Come For a Visit

2010-03-09T00:02:00.000-08:00

We had an exciting week when Rachel's grandparents came for a visit. We saw magnificent beaches, learned about kiwis, took ferry rides, and ate lots of good food. The timing of their visit was very good since we're all starting to miss them, and all the people back home.

Piha is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and it was great that we could share it with people we love. In this picture Rachel is writing her name in the sand, which beats writing your name in the snow.

Ice Cream seems to follow Grandpa wherever he goes, and new dresses seem to follow grandma.

We traveled down to the Bay of Plenty, which as its name implies, has plenty: fruit is plentiful, fish is plentiful. Scenic vistas and white sand beaches? They're plentiful as well.

While in The Bay of Plenty, we had the opportunity to visit a kiwi farm. Here is a picture of kiwi on the vine.

Some in our group had trouble following directions

We made a quick stop at Rotorua to take in the sights and smells. There are geothermal hot spots right in the middle of town and because of this , the town smells like sulfur. Rachel has a hard time dealing with the smell; she's not a big fan of Rotorua.

Back in Auckland we visited the Skytower, the highest structure in town. Rachel, in an attempt to get higher, climbed and mauled her way to the top of grandpa.

Of course Skytower is not the only place in Auckland with an amazing view. There's also One Tree Hill.

Rachel did not want her grandparents to leave. She started crying as soon as we dropped them off at the airport.

A quick trip to Parnell Baths was in order after Grandma and Grandpa left. Nothing turns a frown upside down as quick as Parnell Baths.

The Lantern Festival

2010-03-07T00:51:00.000-08:00

The growing influence that Southeast Asia and China have on New Zealand can clearly be seen at Auckland’s Lantern Festival. The festival occurs at the end of Chinese New Year (yes, Chinese New Year Festivities ended a while ago, we’ve just been too busy to update the blog). It showcases food from southeast Asia and China, entertainment from China, and, as its name implies, lanterns: beautiful and amazing lanterns created in and imported from China.

When you speak to native Aucklanders about the festival they’ll mention how much more crowded it has become. This should not be surprising since New Zealand is increasingly looking towards its neighbors in Asia. More of New Zealand’s exports go to China as the Chinese have become more wealthy, and are able to afford New Zealand beef. At the same time the British, since joining the European Union, have been importing less from New Zealand. The number of immigrants from China and Southeast Asia has also increased dramatically. Many of the recent immigrants are on the younger side, so they tend to live in the Central Business District close to where the festival is held, and are looking for a party.

Has there ever been a mass of people awaiting a dragon that has collectively looked more nonplussed than this group? Not to my knowledge.

We were lucky enough to be joined by our good friend Aldo. Aldo never looks nonplussed.

The lanterns were amazing. They were made by Chinese artisans skilled in the ways of lantern making, passed down from generations. It's cliched but true.

Rachel and our friend Josh pass through the lantern gate

With great happiness comes great sorrow. Rachel's balloon popped, but she was able to get over it. Eventually.

Food Post II

2010-02-20T12:08:00.000-08:00

We have really enjoyed the food in New Zealand. All types of fruits and vegetables grow well here, so whatever is in season is reasonably priced and of high quality. With all of the sheep and cows, there is no lack of meat, which is also good and reasonably priced. Fish is a big part of the diet, and we've tried many kinds that are not available in the United States. Food that is shipped in, such as processed food, is really expensive, but the local stuff is priced right.

The Kiwi

Originally known as the Chinese Gooseberry, the Kiwi was rebranded by New Zealand farmers for marketing reasons. We've been eating a lot Kiwis. Here is a Golden Kiwi.

Does Rachel enjoy Kiwis? Of course she does.

Lamb

Lamb is ubiquitous in New Zealand. For instance, Subway Sandwiches offers a lamb sub, and, as mentioned in the eariler food post, there's even lamb flavored potato chips.

Rachel is a good name in New Zealand because it means lamb (well, technically "ewe"). Rachel, how does the animal you were named after taste in New Zealand?

Fish and Chips

After hanging at the beach, and working up a huge hunger, what could be better than a big greasy serving of fish and chips? Nothing, that's what. The fish in this picture is gurnard which is a white fish similar to cod and common in New Zealand.

Rachel was so hungry when this picture was taken that even spicy food, the only food that Rachel does not like, would have gotten a thumbs up

Canned Goods

Any similarities between Wattie's Baked Beans, and Heinz English Baked Beans are merely a coincidence. Wattie's is the big name in processed food in New Zealand. From what I can tell, they take popular canned food from abroad, adjust it to New Zealand taste-- which means making it sweeter-- and market it as made in New Zealand. Interestingly Wattie's is owned by Heinz. This means that Wattie's Baked Beans is a knock-off of a popular English food, which is owned by an American company. Globalism is alive and well here in New Zealand.

Rachel loves beans in all of their forms, English, New Zealand, or otherwise.

L&P Soda

If New Zealand had a national soft drink (or, as it is sometimes called here, "fizzy drink"), it would be Lemon and Paeroa Soda, otherwise known as L&P. Their slogan is, "World Famous in New Zealand." As the name implies, it is a lemon flavored soda, made with effervescent mineral waters in Paeroa, a small town on the North Island, not too far from Auckland. It's not as sweet as most soft drinks, and the lemon flavor tastes real.

Does Rachel like it? What four year old doesn't like soda?

Kumara potato

The kumara is incredibly important in New Zealand not only as a food, but also as a cultural artifact. The kumara arrived here with the first Maori canoes, and was an essential staple from the day they landed. The modern kumara is a close relative of the original kumara. One of the great mysteries is how the Maori, and the Polynesians before them, acquired the kumara. Being a member of sweet potato family means they are a New World vegetable. Polynesians and Maori trace their ancestors back to Asia and the Old World. Did early Polynesians sail to South America, or was there some ocean based trade route that people of today do not know about? it's doubtful that we'll ever know for sure.

They are delicious, like a meaty firmer sweet potato, with a skin that cooks up nicely.

As is evident from this post, much of New Zealand cuisine is derived from Britain. Its saving grace is, that unlike Britain, the climate here is hospitable to growing just about anything. A fresh avocado, a plum, or a macadamia nut doesn't require a great deal of kitchen technique to be made scrumptious. A piece of fish, or meat, if it's good enough, just needs to be tended to and not overcooked. Nothing fussy, keep it simple, and let the ingredients shine. That's when New Zealand food is at its best.

If I Could Walk With The Animals

2010-02-13T01:20:00.000-08:00

The last couple of days have been all about animals. On Thursday, we finally made our way to the Auckland Zoo, and on Saturday we had an incredible trip to the wildlife island sanctuary of Tiritiri Matangi.

The Auckland Zoo is much more relaxed about human/animal encounters than zoos in America. Here's Rachel feeding a giraffe.

The Emu, native to Australia, are basically free to roam around and mingle with visitors. Rachel looks nervous, like the emu might attack her.

Tiritiri Matangi is a wildlife sanctuary and scientific resource center that has been reforested with native plants, scrubbed of all invasive mammals (except humans of course), and repopulated with many species of New Zealand native birds that are on the verge of extinction.

With the exception of a few small bats, New Zealand had no mammals until the arrival of the Maori. Birds, with no predators to eat them or their eggs, ruled the roost; they were at the top of the food chain.

When the Maori arrived they were not alone. They brought with them the Polynesian Rat, which was a Maori dietary staple. The Maori feasted on the larger birds too, particularly the Moa, which they hunted to extinction. The Moa, having never encountered a predator, made for easy prey. Meanwhile the rats ate the easily accessible bird eggs (many species of birds nested on the ground since there were no threats such as rats or snakes) and competed with the birds for food. Although this was bad news for the birds of New Zealand things would get worse. Much worse. Soon (in evolutionary time) Europeans would arrive and bring cats, Norwegian rats, possums, pigs, and their own song birds. This spelled doom for many native species, and pushed many more to the edge.

Luckily places like Tiritiri Matangi have been set aside to help the birds that survived. Many of these species unfortunately, are still close to extinction.

One of the worlds greatest song birds is the Tui. Its range of notes and ability to communicate is simply amazing. Ornithologists have speculated that because New Zealand bush cover was so dense, bright plumage did not enhance a bird's ability to communicate or to be amorous. Birds made up for this with their song. No bird better exemplifies this than the Tui.

Here is a short sample of the Tui song.

The Kereru is New Zealand's only native pigeon. Although they can fly, they prefer to hop from branch to branch. The density of the native New Zealand bush made hopping much easier than flying.

The Takahe was once thought to be extinct, but in 1948 a small number were found in the Murchison Mountains. Through breeding programs, there are about 300 Takahe today.

This Takahe's name is Greg, pictured below with his baby. The Takahe have low reproduction rates, on average one clutch a year with two eggs. The male and female split parenting duties, and juveniles will stay with parents for up to two years

Like the Moa, the Takahe is a fearless and curious bird and easy to hunt. Its inquisitiveness was too much for Rachel. And no, Rachel did not feed the bird potato chips.

A bird similar to the Takahe in stature and build is the Pukeko. Both the Takahe and Pukeko are members of the Rail family. Unlike other native species though the Pukeko had done well since mammals have come to the island. Unlike the Takahe the Pukeko can fly.

Tiritiri Matangi also has Blue Penguins. Blue Penguins are the smallest members of the penguin family.

They also come ashore and leave under the cover of night. This makes them hard to see. Stone nesting structures have been built on Tritiri Matangi for the penguins to nest. There are lids on top of the nest and open them and look down on the birds nesting.

How could there be a blog about New zealand birds without mentioning the national symbol, the Kiwi. Kiwis are incredibly hard to spot in the wild; they are shy animals that only come out under the cover of darkness. This elusiveness may be one of the reasons they were not wiped out. Rachel and I saw kiwis on display at the zoo, but did not see any on Tiritiri Matangi since we didn't stay over night.

Another Holiday...

2010-02-07T01:48:00.000-08:00

But surprise! This one is not observed with a separate day off, much to our chagrin.

This Saturday was Treaty of Waitangi Day. It marks the day that 500 prominent Maori chieftains signed the treaty of Waitangi, a treaty that would govern the orderly transfer of land from Maori possession to English possession, and in the process make New Zealand an English colony. In modern times Treaty of Waitangi Day has been treated in much the same way as Columbus Day; with store sales, and a sense of colonial guilt.

The Treaty of Waitangi was named after the river by which it was signed. Interestingly, Waitangi means lamentation in Maori, and is exactly how both Kiwis of European ancestry and Maori feel about the Treaty. As historian Michael King wrote, "...the document would turn out to be the most contentious and problematic ingredient in New Zealand's national life."

It is clear that that the Maori chieftains had a minimal understanding of what the treaty entailed. It was hastily put together, and since the Maori had no written language until about twenty years before the treaty, they had to rely on trusted Anglican missionaries to decipher what it meant. That the Treaty was written in different languages, one of which was newly minted, also proved to be quite nettlesome. For instance in The Maori version, The Chieftains were to give up governance, but in the English version they ceded all of their Sovereignty to The Crown.

Since most of the Missionaries, The Maori's most trusted advisers, were Anglican they felt the best safest path for the Maori would be under the protection of the Crown. They most likely were right. Before the treaty, there was no orderly transfer of land from Maori to settlers. This left a tremendous amount of room for swindlers and hucksters to operate. There was also a private firm in London, the New Zealand Company, that was formed to colonize and annex New Zealand. In addition, the French were starting to be more prominent in the South Pacific and it was rumored they had their sights set on New Zealand . In other words, the vast resources of the islands were becoming clear, and more people were interested in exploiting them.

In the eyes of the Missionaries, who were genuinely interested in what was best for the Maori, it was a matter of choosing which option was the least worst. The swindlers cared little for the natives; it became clear the New Zealand Company only cared about exploiting New Zealand's natural wealth; and considering the tumultuous history of the former French colonies the Missionaries probably made the right choice.

After the treaty, New Zealand went from a Maori island where European settlers needed to be accommodated, to a place of European settlement that would carve out a place for the Maori. Like most native populations, the Maori population was stressed as more Europeans arrive. The number of Maori decreased, and their culture became in danger of extinction.

In fairness to Kiwi Europeans, they recognized the peril the Maori faced, and helped them save their culture. Today, Maori phrases such as "kia ora" (hello) are prominently displayed, and children learn Maori language in schools.

One of the greatest displays of Maori culture is the Haka, a traditional Maori war dance. The All Blacks, the New Zealand national rugby team which this nation is crazy for, performs one before their matches. It is a good example of how New Zealand has embraced Maori traditions.

Maybe if the Minnesota Vikings incorporated a Haka into their pregame rituals, they might be able to finally get back to the Super Bowl. More posts with Rachel pictures soon, I promise.

Anniversary Day....

2010-02-01T01:11:00.000-08:00

Or yet another holiday.

We've been told that New Zealanders bunch their holidays to take advantage of the summer weather, and so far we have no reason to dispute that. To us over-worked Americans it seems like there's a holiday every other week. This weekend was Auckland Anniversary Day. It is observed throughout the Auckland Province, even though Provinces don't exist in New Zealand anymore. As with most holidays, the more the merrier I guess. Plus, those that observe the holiday get Monday off.

Anniversary Day commemorates William Hobson's arrival in New Zealand. He was dispatched by the crown to be the first Governor of New Zealand, and negotiate a land swap with the Maori. Six days after his arrival the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, and at least as far as Great Britain was concerned, New Zealand became a colony. Even though William Hobson was a distinguished member of one the greatest Navys ever, his true skills were in negotiation; if there was dispute or minor quarrel he was the man to call upon.

These days Anniversary Day is a chance for Auckland to show what makes it special, a chance for the city to strut like a peacock with full plumage. Of course when you strut with your feathers out there's a chance you can get wet, as happened to Auckland this weekend. Even though it rained most of the weekend, we were able to dodge the raindrops just enough to see some really cool stuff and have a ton-o-fun.

Aucklanders claim that it's the City of sails, and judging from the magnificent boats, there's no reason to dispute them.

Bungee jumping is everywhere in New Zealand, people even bungee jump from the Harbor Bridge in Auckland. It's safe to assume that is is the closet any of our party will come to bungee jumping.

New Zealand has great seafood, and Aucklanders love their fish. Kiwis are also highly skilled at the art of face painting.

Auckland City Council flies in street performers from around the world to ply their trade during the festival. Rachel was able to get into the act.

Here Rachel learns the important lesson of not accepting money from strange men. Too bad she had she had to learn it on the street.

Rachel Had to carry the bowling ball that was to be dropped upon the performer's stomach while he laid on a bed of nails. Obviously Rachel's not a golfer.

A Swing With A View

2010-01-24T11:33:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we visited the Coromandel Peninsula, which boasts some of the the most scenic swinging in the world. Besides the stunning views from its swing-sets, the Coromandel is also known as a Kiwi vacation Mecca, an area of logging activity, and a highly productive agricultural center. It’s also the setting of Edward Lear’s poem, The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.

The Coromandel was once covered with the mighty Kauri tree; they can grow to over 150 feet high, and 16 yards round. The Maori found it ideal for boat building, the Europeans found it ideal for ship masts, and home construction. Its wood is so extraordinary that most of trees have been cut down, and only a few stands remain. Here’s Rachel at the entrance of one of these stands.

Coromandel’s beaches are some of the finest in the world. The first beach we visited was the aptly named Hot Water Beach. Maybe this has happened to you: You're at a beautiful beach, the waves are rolling in, the sun is setting, and you think to yourself, “this would be perfect, if only I had a hot tub.” Well your wish has been granted, it’s called Hot Water Beach. Dig down into the sand at low tide, and you’ll strike hot water that’s rising up from a geothermal fissure. Instant beach hot tub.

Rachel proclaimed that this was her second favorite place in the world. Her favorite place is her friend Peyton’s house. Peyton, of course, has a hamster named Pinkis. Maybe if Hot Water Beach got a hamster named Pinkis and Peyton dropped by to visit it would take top honors.

Cathedral Cove is on the short list of most New Zealander’s must see places. It is extraordinary.

Whether it was worth the hike to get there, which consisted of about 3km of undulating terrain, was of much dissent among our party. Some felt the journey alone was worth the visit. Others felt that the beach, while amazing, was not quite worth the effort.

The swimming and exploring at Cathedral Cove was outstanding.

Whatever you find enjoyable, Coromandel is the type of place where you can bury yourself in fun.

Skol Vikings

2010-01-23T22:50:00.001-08:00

Rachel, how many touchdowns will Brett Favre toss tomorrow?

My daughter, the optimist.

Albert In A Park

2010-01-16T23:11:00.000-08:00

New Zealand is very British. England provided New Zealand with strong security and a powerful trading partner, which is part of why New Zealand has never made any moves toward breaking from the Empire. This is not to say that Kiwis have held onto all of the British customs: in particular the strict social stratification of England has been cast aside in New Zealand. Someone explained that it was because the British immigrants came to New Zealand to escape the class structure. Someone else said that New Zealand was an egalitarian agricultural society in which everyone had to work hard, and didn’t have time for frivolous things such as class structure.

Albert Park demonstrates New Zealand’s Britishness, but it also showcases what makes New Zealand unique. Built on top of volcanic rock, Albert Park features ornate flower gardens, a fountain, and, of course the most British thing ever, a statue of Queen Victoria. At the same time, it is uniquely New Zealand: On top of an extinct volcano, that used to be a Maori fortification, with really cool looking trees. Since it’s in Auckland, you don’t get dirty looks for playing in the grass, and climbing the trees like you do in London. Oh, and one other thing you can do in New Zealand that is probably frowned upon in Great Britain: go barefoot! Kiwis go everywhere without shoes, even in malls and restaurants.

What could be more British than a statue of of Queen Victoria in the park. This statue, located thirteen hours ahead of GMT, is a reminder that in a bygone era the sun did not set on the British Empire.

Perfect English flower beds, with palm trees in the background.

A flower clock.

Kiwis are very proud of their military sacrifices. Particularly their brave service at Gallipoli during World War One, and in Crete during World War II.

The Ombu tree is from the New World, but does quite well in New Zealand. Rachel is giving her "quick Frodo we must go" look while standing on the root of a tree that could be cast in Lord Of The Rings.

The Tale of Two Beaches

2010-01-10T10:31:00.000-08:00

This weekend we had the pleasure of visiting two beaches, Piha on the west side of the island, and Goat Island on the east side of the island. Both were about the same distance from Auckland, but were very different.

The waves of the Tasman Sea crash upon the black sands of Piha with extreme power. The undertow is very dangerous, and we were warned more than once about perils of swimming at Piha. The beach is framed by huge rock outcroppings, one of which, Lion Rock, was an important Maori fortification. With the surfers, and the danger, and the enormity of the place, the crowd tended to be on the younger side: college-aged kids looking for adrenaline rushes and surfers looking to push their limits. It is also one of the most visually stunning places on earth. The beach is wide and black, the rock formations gigantic, and the waves devastatingly powerful.

The ocean at Piha is so powerful that mist rises up from the crashing surf.

The aptly named Lions Rock. The Maori called the the rock formation Te Piha, after the pattern the waves make around it.

The sand at Piha is black, and can get very hot.

We're a happy family: Me, Mom, and Dad.

Goat Island is a marine reserve that’s on the Pacific, and is protected from the open ocean. The water is much gentler, and the swimming much easier. With abundant fish and clear, somewhat calm water, snorkling and scuba diving are the popular activities at Goat Island. Also, families with little kids seemed to be the norm. Children can frolic in the surf without the danger of being swept away. Goat Island is beautiful, but in a much more intimate way than Piha.

The beach at Goat Island is fairly narrow and as the tide came in during the day it all but disappeared.

It's somewhat of a mystery as t0 how Goat Island acquired its European name, but it's safe to assume it's not because it looks like a goat.

Rachel loved playing in the surf at Goat Island

When Rachel was asked which beach she preferred, she answered, "both of them." Good answer.

*The first person to point out the Ramones reference gets a New Zealand souvenir.

Friends Part One

2010-01-04T11:24:00.001-08:00

Because people are the most important part of her life, Rachel is really missing her friends, family, and classmates. Making new friends is not a problem for her, it comes naturally, but the country has been on holiday and out of town, and potential new friends have not been easily available. Hopefully, now that people are coming back into the city, this will change.

Which is not to say that we have haven’t met amazing people. Life changing kind of people.

I can safely say that Rachel’s favorite person in New Zealand is Elise, the daughter of one of Alice’s colleagues. What is it about people named Elise? With an aunt and a cousin of the same name, Elises have always been an important part of Rachel’s life.

Aldo, a student of Rachel’s grandpa Albert, is also someone she made an immediate attachment with. He went to Italy for the holidays, and we look forward to his return.

Rachel loved Hanging with Nathan Kuhlman from Northfield. When we get back to Minnesota, we look forward to seeing him in a Northfield Arts guild production.

We do get to the park often, where Rachel easily blends into the playground antics. One of our favorite parks is over by the hotels. The kids over there tend to be visitors from other countries. It was really cute watching Rachel play with a girl her age who was from France and spoke no English. Of course, Rachel’s French is not very good. Both children though spoke the international language of Swings and Merry-Go-Rounds.

Rachel Versus The Volcano or....

2009-12-29T00:05:00.000-08:00

How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Magma

The Taupo region of New Zealand is essentially a giant volcano that has exploded 28 times in the last 27,000 years. The last eruption, about 2,000 years ago, was so large that observers in Rome and in China reported that the sky turned red. Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand, was formed out of a caldera from an eruption 26,500 years ago.

Geothermal activity is still easily found in the area.

The air in many places is heavy with sulfur, which gives off a strong odor of rotten eggs. Rachel, how do you feel about the smell of sulfur?

The beaches of Lake Taupo are composed of pumice from past explosions. Pumice is a rock that is filled with air holes, making it so light that it floats.

Black Swans, or “Cygnus Atratus”, which are originally native to Australia and the Tasman Sea area, now swim along the shores of Lake Taupo.

Lake Taupo empties into the Waitahaui River. Not far from the river’s mouth are the dramatic Huka falls, which are so powerful they provide much of the electricity to the town.

The geothermal areas have many plant species that have adapted to survive the hostile mix of heat and acid. Because of these adaptations they can grow only in this environment.

Rotorua is the other well known tourist destination in the area. It reminded us of the Wisconsin Dells: It has some unique geographical features with rides and tourist traps. It also has duck boats.

Of course Rachel’s favorite part of the trip was the McDonalds with an airplane.

For some reason food tastes better when it’s eaten on a plane.

Mele Kalikimak is the island way of saying Seasons Greetings

2009-12-24T22:39:00.000-08:00

There’s something strange about celebrating a Festival of Lights in a land of brightness. We’ve been lame about lighting the candles, partially due to the fact that it doesn’t get dark until after Rachel goes to bed. Like all new people in a new land, we’ve taken some of our old traditions, such as presents, and melded them with new holiday traditions like feeding the ducks in the park.

Our holiday festivities started with a gigantic music festival called Coca-Cola Presents Christmas In the Park. We knew we were in a strange land when the MC said, “…because when you think of Christmas, you think of drinking Coca Cola on the beach with friends”

New Zealanders have their own holiday idiosyncracies. For instance, the pohutukawa tree is considered their Christmas tree, since its red blossoms come out in December.

On Christmas morning we drove to Lake Taupo, which is about 3 hours south of Auckland. We got into the rental car, hit the highway, and turned on the radio. The DJ, I’m not making this up, starting talking about all of the canceled flights at the Minneapolis Airport. I would be lying if I didn’t admit to schadenfreude filling the car.

Lake Taupo is the largest lake in New Zealand. It was created from a number of volcanic eruptions. The last one was about 2,000 years ago and was so powerful it turned the skies over Rome and China red. Currently, the volcano is considered dormant and the area features numerous geothermal features.

We did see snow this Christmas

Instead of the radiant glow of a Yule log, we had the thermal steam-heat of a hot spring.

In the end it all worked out the same though. Rachel is in bed, exhausted from a long day.

First Day At a New School

2009-12-18T10:16:00.000-08:00

(I’m sorry I’ve been so lame about posting. We haven’t got the internet set up, we’re hoping to have it next week, so getting on-line has been a little tricky.)

Things are coming together, and Thursday was the first day at a new school.

The first stop is the elevator. Down two floors.

Hello kitty. Notice how Rachel and the cat match.

It’s through the ducky park.

Press the button to hear when the next bus comes.

Of the bus and a long walk through the park.

Down the hill.

And we’re at school.

The school is more of a daycare than and an actual learning institution like JJ Hill Montessori. Rachel though has met some really nice kids, and children are allowed to run free like Lord of The Flies.

The Food Post Part I

2009-12-12T22:33:00.001-08:00

( A quick note. Some people mentioned they had trouble posting comments. It was my fault. I changed the settings, making it easier. Please comment at will.)

In the short time we’ve been here, we’ve done our best to sample as much of the local cuisine as possible. Rachel, the toughest food critic in our family, gives her opinions.

First up, mince pie. Filled with dried fruit, mince pie is either a big hit, or big miss with kids. Rachel, what is your opinion?

Two enthusiastic thumbs up! Yummers!

Our next food is Vegemite. It is said that if you haven’t been exposed to Vegemite by the age of two, it may be quite difficult to develop a taste for it. Rachel, what do you think?

If you look closely, you can actually see the piece of toast being spit out. To say it gently, Rachel does not like it.

New Zealand is the land of sheep: there’s 10 sheep for every person. In this context, Lamb & Mint Potato Chips make sense. Lamb is to New Zealand what cheese is to Wisconsin. It’s ubiquitous. What would Rachel think of the uniquely New Zealand snack food?

She likes it!

New Zealand is also known for its Green Mussels. Our first chance to savor them in their native land, came at a Japanese restaurant. They were served Robata style. Robata is Japanese for Minnesota State Fair food: it’s breaded, deep fried, and on a stick. Rachel, how are those mussels?

A surprising two thumbs up!

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Even though we’ve been staying two blocks from the harbor, and you can see the water from our balcony, Rachel didn’t realize we were on the ocean until this afternoon. We’ve been so busy setting up bank accounts, means of communications, and finding a place to live that we haven’t had much time to take in the sights. We have however learned, for the most part, how to navigate the pristine streets of Auckland.

Every crosswalk has a button, and when it’s time to cross the crossing lights make a chirping noise. Rachel loves to cross the street. Button pushing plus chirping noise, what could be better.

Disaster was narrowly averted thanks to the amenities that the city of Auckland has so graciously provided.

“Daddy do you see what I see, it’s the ocean.”. That’s what Rachel said when we came around the corner and saw the marina.

Lastly, some good advice from a nearby Chinese Restaurant. If loving a duck is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Like a flightless bird, we land

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From this:

To this:

Rachel says the plane ride was not that long, which is good, because for me and Alice it was that long. Not because of Rachel, but because it was just that long. Air New Zealand is awesome, and no complaints about them, but a 13 hour plane ride is still a 13 hour plane ride.

Yesterday, our first day, went quickly. We still haven’t found a playground, but we did find breakfast cereal, how to get around on the bus and that Sky TV does not offer the vast choices of DIRECTV. We also learned that cookies are called biscuits, and the trees in New Zealand are funny looking.

We’re still looking for a place to live, but have some showings set up. It’s nice and warm here, and we’re looking forward to our adventures.