Friday - Night walk with Kiwis and giant eels

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Friday morning we Rob told us to see the Kauri Museum on our way to the Kauri Forest and off we went. The Kauri are the giant and probably oldest trees on earth. The museum was great and the examples of trees of yesteryear truly awesome. Besides their size, the Kauri are a gummy tree and the sap that is found in the ground is polished and it look likes clear amber. It was a good break in the drive north but we had to get going. We made it to Dargaville, the last large town where you will find a supermarket and gas, and of course life is not exciting enough so Joshua locks the car keys in the car. Luckily we got roadside assistance when we bought the car. Anyhow, this delays us somewhat so we can't make it to the actual forest that night. We end up in a Top 10 Holiday Camp ground and it is the beginning of our new home. But I'll explain that later. We get our “cabin” , have just enough time for dinner before the night walk in the Trounson Kauri Park. We are hoping to see real kiwi and other native inhabitants. The guide talks us through a dark 2 hour walk. It was freezing but well worth it.
We saw this gigantic eel—think eels in the movie The Princess Bride—that we feed Colby cheese to and a non stop calling morepark owl, disgusting bugs called wetas that just seem to stick to trees at night (thank goodness) and crayfish and regular fish and glow worms. We hear kiwis calling to each other. They don't have the most attractive call—either gender—but we don't get to actually see one. Our guide is also our park manager and she gave a great talk on the kauri trees as well as the kiwis. Once back at the campground she took us down to the river to show us more eels and we saw a possum scamper away. They are the raccoon of New Zealand, only a bit worse as they are endangering the kiwi bird. Well the sight of many eels swimming the river changed my mind about swimming any waters without a few questions first!

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