Isolated Otarawairere Bay

Christmas in New Zealand

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December 22nd 2005
We rented a car and drove to Whakatane to meet Steve and his family and spent the Christmas with them. We had a really nice time with them and enjoyed our first Christmas outside Finland. In New Zealand the Christmas is the warmest time of the year so we had barbeques, played games, went for beach and ate a lot. So it felt more like the midsummer festival in Finland. We also did some sightseein ... read more

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Bay of Plenty

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The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year... ... read more