Bilbo / Frodo's House

Rotorua and the Shire in Matamata

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July 12th 2015
I caught a ride pretty quickly in Hamilton from an Indian student in an old van. I gathered from other people who have picked me up that there's a fair amount of xenophobia in NZ - with the usual complaints of foreigners coming there to benefit from their safety net without contributing anything, and then sometimes driving on the wrong side of the road and killing people. They should meet this guy ... read more

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Rotorua

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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