Tip of the isle...

Wednesday was my big trip up north in New Zealand to the Bay of Islands. This is a pretty touristy area that boasts good weather year round. Unfortunately my pickup was 6:30 in the morning! Because it is off season there were few other people in my tour. Unfortunately there was an American couple who were so obnoxious I cringed every time they opened their mouths. Do I really sound like that?

It took about four hours to reach our first stop, which was a treaty house between the early English settlers and the native New Zealanders (the Maori). We had arrived late (a timber truck had burst in flames on the narrow pass just ahead if us, putting us 45 minutes behind schedule) and thus we were rushed through. I'm not sad we went, just wished we had more time so I could have learned a bit more. So here is what I DID learn:

1) it took quite a while before England had someone "officially" posted I. new Zealand, but even then he was not given much respect and was dubbed "a man of war without a gun".
2) the Maori were pacific islanders, which is completely different from the Australian aboriginals. They came over by boat and, though stories differ as to where exactly they came from (my guide believes that they came from an island that has since sunk) their language is extremely similar to the native language of those from Hawaii so the relation is pretty undoubtable. Westerners didn't believe that they really knew how to sail from NZ to Hawaii without any modern tools (like a compass), so in recent history (the last 50 years) theyve started an annual pilgrimage to prove it. The trip takes between 11 and 20 days and can only be done at certain times during the year.



The native Maori boats.
3) the Maori people were much less easily taken over than the Australian aboriginals or the American Indians. They clearly were able to be seen as such a force that the earliest settlers depended on treaties and compromises for survival. I am sure there is more to the sorry though.

We then boarded a ferry around the islands. I think I was TOTALLY spoiled by Halong Bay, because this was a small version of it so it was hard to be totally impressed. I think had I been able to stay the night and visit this one small quaint town, Russell, I might have been more wowed. We DID end up getting to see a whole group of dolphins that frequent the area, and that was fun!



I wasn't able to get any fabulous shots of them out of the water, but can you believe the color of the water?! It was an extremely beautiful aqua shade, all around!

We then went to the famous "hole in the rock," which is a rock cave that goes all the way through a tiny island. It is formed by water crashing against the rock. The myth goes that if a drop of water from the top of the hole falls on your head, the rest of your life will be prosperous. However, if a rock or pebble falls on your head, you are doomed. Because neither happened to me, I'm thinking it's kind I'd a wash.



Looking back at the entrance from inside.



We successfully made it through!

Unfortunately the end of the ferry ride meant a other long bus ride back, ugh. There was a spectacular sunset though!



We were moving too quickly to get a sharper image but in was WOWED by the color.

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