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Published: February 28th 2007
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On a sunny January 25th, we crossed the Cook Strait that separates the two islands of New Zealand. Less than two weeks before the strait had 3 meter swells but on the day of our crossing was peaceful and calm. After a short picnic in downtown Wellington, we spent the afternoon and early evening in the Te Papa museum. The museum is home to an extensive collection of Maori art and artifacts, including a full scale meeting hall that museum patrons can enter in stocking feet, a war canoe and a scale model of a boat design believed to be used by the Maori tribes to cross from Tahiti to New Zealand. There are also exhibits on the natural forces shaping New Zealand, from earthquakes and volcanoes to introduced species. All of the mammals in New Zealand except for a few species of bats have been introduced by human immigrants!
During our stay in Wellington we were generously hosted by the Goodalls (Tim, Maree and their kids Grace and Hamish), part of a large NZ family that we met while hiking the Milford Track earlier in January. We enjoyed recalling our hike and sharing photos while sharing an NZ style
barbeque. Our second day included a visit to the City and Sea Museum, where we found an extensive collection ranging from early city photos all the way to props made in the Wellington area for the Lord of the Rings movies. After our best Indian lunch since Calcutta, we climbed a hill named Mt. Victoria for panoramic views of Wellington and it's surrounds.
From Wellington we drove north to Tongariro National Park, home to several of NZ's most active volcanoes. A trail known as the Tongariro Crossing passes between Mount Tongariro and Mount Ruapehu, used by Peter Jackson for the filming of Mount Doom. Cloudy drizzle kept both peaks out of sight for most of the day, but we caught isolated glimpses of unearthly craters and bright turqoise lakes. We got also got a look at some sacred Maori hotsprings, with clouds of boiling steam hovering above them. Only after we had finished our hike and were on the bus back to our hostel did we finally catch a glimpse of Sauron's infamous mountain!
The next day we continued our geological explorations in a thermal area called Craters of the Moon. Bubbling mud pools and steaming vents looked
fairly benign from a distance, but signs warned that those leaving the marked path risked severe burns from hot steam. In Rotarua, the center of thermal activity on the North Island, even the city park has its own steaming pools . In the center of the city is another thermal park, with clouds of steam . We also walked to a Maori Christian church and admired the fusion of Christian symbols with Maori style. This included an etched in glass Jesus figure dressed as a Maori chief, looking as though he is walking on the water of Lake Taupo.
Rotorua is also a center for the preservation of Maori culture, and we enjoyed an evening performance by some of the members of the Mitai tribe. This included a war canoe rowed by men dressed as warriors, as well as examples of traditional dance. Many of the dances were designed to intimidate enemies, with bulging eyes, protruding tongues and displays of physical prowess. We also got to sample a hangi, a traditional feast of meat and potatoes slow cooked underground for several hours.
We finished our New Zealand adventures in Auckland, which is spread along the water over an
area that includes several extinct volcanoes. After walking through one of the city's largest parks into the compact downtown area, we took a ferry across the harbor to the historic superb of Devonport. Here we were able to climb two of the old volcanic cones, admiring different views of the city skyline and the many sailboats in the harbor. We even managed to catch a glimpse of some boats practicing for the America's Cup.
It was hard to leave New Zealand, but we were also looking forward to our visit with friends and relatives in LA. First we had a brief stopover in Fiji, not long enough to make it to the beach, but long enough to sample some lamb, breadfruit and plantain curries in an open air restaurant. The Indian influence was clear in the spices and the accompanying roti, as well as the brightly painted Hindu temple next door.
In Los Angeles, we were hosted by Barbara and Michael Berg (and their children: Joseph, Charles, Samuel, David and Francesca). We enjoyed the chance to relax, replenish our supplies and taste a few American foods that we'd been missing (pizza and brownies). We explored Venice Beach with
Inside the Te Papa Museum
A cow made entirely from cornbeef cans. our good friend Jordi Schuster and climbed the only sand dune in LA that is right in the middle of a city park.
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