Travels with Visitors

At the end of August, my two good friends from UC Davis – Sarah and Elisa – came to visit me. I played tour guide in this country which is not my own but which has become my home these last few months. We enjoyed local attractions – like Mount Maunganui and Papamoa Hills, and we ventured beyond so that they could understand the physical diversity of this island country. In Rotorua, we visited a wildlife park which showcased a variety of introduced species. New Zealand has myriad native birds but no native mammals, so visiting a wildlife park was a bit ironic but fun nonetheless. And since Rotorua is the center of geothermal activity, a trip was not complete without views of hot springs, geysers, and bubbling mud.

We also took a day and went up to the Coromandel Peninsula. I had not yet been to the Coromandel, touted for its beautiful beaches and off-the-beaten-path location. We tagged along with Garry from work, who needed to download temperature data from a kiwifruit orchard there. After about 30 minutes of “work,” we went to his family’s “batch.” Many Kiwis have vacation homes near the coast, and Garry and his family have one along Whangapoa Beach. It is a nice little community, made even nicer because it was desolate at this time of year. We ate our lunches and then went for a beach walk. Along the way, we came upon a stream. I rolled up my pants and forged my way across, but Sarah and Elisa – fearing the water would go waist high on them – got piggy back rides from Garry. I got pictures of this, but I will spare them the humiliation and not post them. We hopped across boulders and then scaled a cliff to a look out point. From there, turquoise waters met an immaculate beach. Back at ground level, native palms emerged from red soils, and sea shells littered the sand, assembling a collage.

After a few days, we packed up my car and left the Bay of Plenty. Our first destination was the West Coast – more specifically the Taranaki region – home of rugged surf, black sand beaches, and Mount Egmont National Park. We stayed in New Plymouth, a pleasant beach town with a pleasant climate. We walked through the town’s Pukekur
a Gardens and the Pukeiti Gardens just outside of town. Given the temperate climate, there is something in bloom in New Plymouth during all months of the year. With the onset of spring, we were fortunate to catch vibrant rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias. Unfortunately, the weather was not quite as vibrant, so our only glimpse of Mount Egmont was leaving town, peering behind us to see the peak edge its way above the clouds. Despite the lack-luster mountain view, the countryside was pastorally breathtaking. To our right were the ebony beaches, and to our left were verdant pastures where dairy cattle grazed the lush vegetation. Egmont erupts from these level grounds, and in fact, it is famous for being the closest volcano to the sea. I found the region of Taranaki especially beautiful, perhaps one of the most beautiful of all that I had seen in New Zealand. It exuded such a sense of peace.

From there, we traveled down to Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city. I had heard many nice things about Wellington – its museums, its sites, its cultural scene – and I discovered all the praise to be true. Wellington is an exciting city without being daunting. Contained by hills and harbor, the city is limited in expanse. The downtown area is compact and pedestrian friendly. We visited Te Papa museum, the national museum whose name means “Our Place” in the Maori tongue. Modern and interactive, the multi-level museum displays the natural features of New Zealand – from sea to volcano to mountain – and describes the forces of Mother Nature that brought these features to be. Earthquake, fire, tsunami – all have influenced the physical features of New Zealand. But, another force that has shaped this isolated country is the force of man. Once covered almost entirely with native bush, only a fraction of this forest now exists. Displays outline how Maori and European settlement, introduction of foreign flora and fauna, and adaptation of the land to agricultural use has transformed the islands into essentially grasslands. It was interesting to observe these displays with an “outsider’s” perspective, as we generally perceived New Zealand’s vast greenery as idyllic, not alarming.

And while in Wellington, one must do a couple of touristy things. We took the cable car up to the botanic garden, where spring wasn’t quite as advanced as it was in Taranaki, but where we still enjoyed fragrant gardens, evergreens, and newly emerged tulips. We also took a tour of the Parliament and “Beehive” executive buildings. The Parliament building is made completely of New Zealand granite. We sat within a committee meeting room adorned in Maori design. The juxtaposition of European and Maori styles made the structure unique. Artwork illustrated moments in New Zealand history, and a glass case humbly displayed a New Zealand flag that was recovered from the World Trade Center. Our tour guide was very informative, but with his first sentence, I turned to Sarah and said, “I think he’s American.” Sure enough, after the tour, I learned that, indeed, he was, and a native Californian, too. After the tour, we had the opportunity to sit in on a Parliamentary session, and a boisterous session it was. There are eight political parties in New Zealand, and the topics of discussion for the day were chiefly poignant for the dominating National and Labour parties. Not particularly concerned with the agenda, I found the whole experience quite humorous with loud chiding and interruption. When we had heard enough arguing, we visited the Parliamentary library – a neo-Gothic building resembling a cathedral. Its pious appearance was not by mistake, as Queen Victoria once described libraries as ‘cathedrals of knowledge,’ and hence, the design was made. We also went to the National Cathedral itself, which aside from the frontal crucifix, looked less like a church than the neighboring library. And of course, for me, a trip to a new place would not be complete without running to the top of a mountain, so the lookout point atop Mount Victoria was also one of my destinations.

On the drive back to the Bay of Plenty, along the Desert Road of Tongoriro National Park, clear, blue skies made the snow-laden mountains glisten. This snow melts and drains into Lake Taupo – New Zealand’s largest lake – which feeds the Waikato River – the country’s longest. I stopped at Huka Falls to see the rushing waters, which were as blue as the sky.

To see pictures, go to my Shutterfly website.