Written with New Zeal

Our handsome and friendly guide.

Everybody raves about Australia, and quite rightly so. But the forgotten cousin, 'across the trench', deserves its own Auckolades. 

Sky City Auckland's pride and joy. Could have drilled through the Earth from Toronto and sent them the CN tower through the core.

From infrastructure, to environmental intelligence, to the beauty of the flora and fauna, New Zealand is a must. 

Pied Stilt eats small fish and insects living in the sulphur springs. Has very bad breath.

Local Trout. I believe the species is called Kilgore.

This is actually a flower that has mimicked the look of a reptile.

And with their accents, nobody in the world acknowledges everything as being alright with a simple 'cool', that resonates with  confidence and understanding. 

I am pleased to announce that Lori and I have completed our south to north drive through of the northern island without any type of incident. This factoid will be surprising to those familiar with any (all) of my previous forays into the world of right hand drive on wrong hand side of the road. 

Our Daughter-in-law has set up a restaurant in Dannevirke, a Danish community in rural NZ. A bit of a schlep to get there but the couscous is worth it.

Aside from a slip up ten minutes into day one that could have resulted in a relatively benign head on collision at my first nasty right turn, the thousand or so kilometers (which is pronounced the right way here - kilo mēters) allowed for attention being paid to scenic vistas as opposed to filling out accident reports.

Like Oz, musically NZ is trapped in the 80's, with Eagles, Elton, Queen, and the like emanating from speakers in hotel lobbies, restaurants, stores, etc. 

The pace here is wonderful and, to the outside observer, there is a placidity of life. There are three models regarding how colonizers historically dealt with the local populace. In Australia many were killed, others relegated to reservations. In Tasmania, total genocide, the natives having gone the way of the dodo bird. As mentioned in a previous post, the Maori occupy a position in the country with no special privileges or rights. They just are kiwis. 

I had wondered why the Maori was spared the usual fate of conquest; until Lori and I visited a Maori village and were provided an insight into tribal tradition. There are 75 tribes of Maori in the country. 

The Stallone tribe of the Maori

Family values and tribal values are one and the same. BTW, the proper pronunciation of Maori is Morrie. Female members of their families are referred to as nieces. I was able to tell them that I had Morrie Neiss for a client back home, which ingratiated me to the local chiefs. So, one of the reasons, and likely the most compelling reason, that the Maori were able to avoid extinction was a result of cultural norms. Some of you may be familiar with certain aspects of their customs. For example, they perform a haka, a dance to celebrate good times and events, or to prepare for battle. If anybody has wondered as to why their rituals include widely opened eyes and stuck out tongues, here is the answer:

When facing a member of a different tribe they would protrude their tongues and open their eyes so wide that the pupils were completely surrounded by their whites.  Simply put, the body language delivered the following message -"You look absolutely delicious; I can't wait to eat you after I kill you". And these guys ain't small. As mentioned, a compelling argument for self-determination. 

Wildlife's definition has changed over the decades. The term used to described how I lived. It is now all about the plants and animals as I descend further into the depths of a sedate and passive existence. Coming to terms with the downgrade I am accepting that the new reality pertains to flora, fauna, and general geographic amazements that the Earth has to offer. To that end, Lori and I hike nature trails, visit botanical gardens, and traverse amazing geological displays 

and bars.

I am completely resigned to my new life and accept the process graciously. I lie; shoot me now. 

The geophysical aspects of New Zealand are reminiscent of southern California. The ground resembles a mussed up blanket on a morning after bed. Bends, folds, lumps, and deep creases indicate serious tectonic plate action. The result is a sulphurous, steamy, multi-hued display of the planet in turmoil.

Wai-o-tapu Hot Springs

Mother Earth letting off some steam. Do you blame her?

Notice Caption

My future dwelling. Cheap heating.

So, making the best of a terrible situation, I channel my excitement in new directions. Whether it is lemurs in Madagascar, giant redwoods in California, or chemical infused lakes and rivers in Colombia and New Zealand (as compared with chemically infused evenings of my previous life) I find grace, amusement, and amazement in whatever the planet has to offer up.