After a reasonably short drive we arrive in the shire…this region is not far from, and very similar in topography to, the area used by Peter Jackson in the Rings trilogy for Hobbiton. (Which was filmed exclusively in New Zealand. In a country of just over 4 million people the Rings trilogy has become a badge of honor. If someone did not directly work in the production, they are close mates with someone who did.) It is an area of small hobby farms, a few cattle, a few sheep, some maize, a
few goats, or even bees. The properties cover decent lot sizes. They are referred to as “Lifestyle” properties: Not big enough for commercial operations, but just big enough to only lose a little money on agricultural enterprises.Tina and Chris live outside the city of Hamilton and have 70 acres (about 23 hectares…). Part is leased for cattle and sheep, and Chris regularly experiments with different farm ideas. Currently he is playing with breeding Koi carp. The things we do to keep out of trouble… These are friends of Kimberly’s cousin Marjie. They have spent some time in the states, living and working in PA. They were kind enough to let us use their space (and eat their food and drink their drink). Kiwis are really conscientious about their drink. If they are conscious, they will usually have a drink… We also joined them for a nice dinner out with some of
their friends. About 10:00 someone noticed the comet outside. The restaurant practically cleared, everyone out to the parking lot to stare at the comet McNaught. Pretty neat actually.Saturday is a climbing day. First we joined Tina and her sister Robin at a local Saturday Market for a little local flavor (including lamb kebobs form a food stall- yum!). Then off to Wharapapa South (Farrah-pah-pah). We stopped in Boyce’s, the local Rock Shop, to get the skinny. We could pay for entry onto the developed private land crags, or
drive around the corner and across a pasture to the free (currently) access crags. Both are the same stone (and, interestingly enough, the same owners…). We chose free… buying the guide pamphlet for $7 NZ rather than an actual guide for $150 NZ.The rock is a type of volcanic pumice called ignimbrite. Not as light as pumice, with bigger air pockets. Very grippy with some sharper edges. It was formed when a pyroclastic flow, moving at a few hundred kilometers per hour, inundated this region in the not too distant past (geologically speaking that is…) The trapped gasses expanded, but never escaped. Kind of like the air pockets in a muffin. There were a few other climbers on the rock, including a Tennessee-Kiwi. He was
originally from Nashville and has lived here for 7 years. Needless to say he had a very unique 
accent… unintelligible in two dialects… It got pretty hot by mid-afternoon. Not wanting to continue flirting with the hole in the ozone (NZ has the highest per capita skin cancer rate in the world…) we headed back to Hamilton for cocktails and BBQ.Sunday we bid farewell to our hosts. We realized with all we still want to see and do on the South Island it was time to move a bit more quickly through the southern half of the North Island. A mad dash to the geothermal playground of Rotorua, the Kiwi answer to Yellowstone. We find a hostel called “Funky Green Voyager”. Very funny owner, a long term traveler himself. He and his
wife will take off for a year at a time, leasing the hostel while they are gone. Great kitchen. Rotorua is known for its prevailing sulfur atmosphere. Makes it
much easier to fart in public. The next morning we stop off at one of the many thermal feature parks. Geysers, mudpots, sulfur caves, champagne lakes, sinter terraces (silica mineral formations from the water runoff), etc. A good way to stretch the legs before the drive to Lake Taupo.Taupo was formed when a volcano exploded about 26,500 years
ago. This little bang resulted in a release of 800 cubic kilometers of ash (Krakatoa released 8 cubic k, Mt St Helens released about 3…). There is a section of beach that still has 150º F spring. You dig a little hole that fills with really hot water, then trench to the lake to allow some waves to add cooler water. At some point you suck it up and lie down. Hot stuff…We stayed at a hostel geared towards the younger backpacker… It came with its own bar, and
entertaining bar sculptures, as well as the biggest, fattest living cat we have ever seen. It was a large furry pillow. Our original plan was to rent a small catamaran or a couple of kayaks, however a solid breeze was forming whitecaps and breakers on the lake. We decided to head to wine country in Hawks Bay.We hit some wineries that had been set up on an old gravel riverbed. Tectonic activity in the late sixties diverted a river, leaving these silted gravels exposed. Add vines, and poof! Instant vineyards. Almost a dozen along this one little stretch. The North Island was good on whites, thin on reds. Here, the long sunny dry day, cool nights seems to let the reds really pop. Our absolute favorite was a pinotage from a winery called TeAwa, which excitingly enough is actually available in the states. Of course we spent the equivalent of a nights lodging for a few bottles, but we can sleep in the car for something this amazing…
Our little caravan “room” had no heat, and we had no duvet. It was bloody cold. This icing on the cake was the less than lukewarm shower in the morning. It had been our first “second choice”
lodging, and we paid the penalty. There are risks to no-itinerary, no planning travel. (We also didn’t know Eric Clapton was playing nearby, which helped occupy normally available beds…)We did however manage to have a great pub meal…
We continue to be amazed at the total lack of bodies. Nothing is crowded, roads are really not busy, and the only heavy traffic has been in the immediate area around Auckland. Even in the resort towns, the ones solely devoted to travelers, are not full, even during the last few weeks and weekends of summer. Inconceivable to someone raised in the Catskills. One does have to remember the entire country has fewer people than the southern half of the island of Manhattan…
Wellington: The country’s capitol, on the southernmost tip of the North Island. The Maori consider it the mouth of the fish that forms the North Island (Remember Maui caught the big one? Cape 
Reinga is the tail…) Home to culture, arts, gardens, and pubs. We stayed in Mana, a suburb 15 minutes north of the city itself. The Stillwater Lodge was just taken over by new owners, Veronica and Rex. We have diamond lanes… Part time, and they are called T2 (Transit lanes, 2 occupants) Rush hour actually is about an hour. We opted to 
take the train into the city, as it was the weekend of the Sevens. 34,000 people descend upon Wellington for a short-manned team rugby event. It’s called sevens: Seven-man teams, vs. fourteen in a normal turn out, from all over the world. Even the US is represented. The entire city shuts down during lunchtime for a parade of the teams. All teams
are on small flatbed lorries, preceded by local representations of national icons. Argentina was led by a Samba troupe (Al la Fremont Freak fest…), England had an Austin Powers look alike, New Zealand had a group of Maori in traditional garb, as did the Fijians, Samoans, and Kenyans. The Wellington Pipe Band preceded the Scotland team. We, meaning the US of A, had the King and the Colonel. Elvis and Sanders… Apparently Kiwis have an iconic connection between fried chicken, sequins, sunglasses, peanut butter and banana 
sandwiches, and the States… At least it wasn’t Ronald MacDonald and the drug-addled stripper from Texas… or Paris Hilton… 
The Kiwi equivalent of the Smithsonian is Te Papa. This is by far the most incredible, encompassing, dynamic museum facility we have ever encountered. Opened in 1998, it is free to all visitors, Kiwi or otherwise. It is six stories of a geologic, indigenous, European, political, and cultural mélange. It brings together all aspects of the spiritual, tangible, and cultural identity of the nation both ancient and modern. It was interactive, absorbing, and inspired. Indoor exhibits, outdoor presentations, dynamic touch screen historical participations, overall a sparkling jewel for a capitol city to present. (Can you tell we were really impressed with this place?) We spent only four hours, it could easily allow for two days or more.
Between the time we entered and the time we left the weather turned to absolute shit. Windy Welly is the common name… Pissing Down Rain was today’s proper noun. We were hoping to find an Asian restaurant called “Poon”, whose tagline is “We Luv U long Time”, however we opted for a pub called “The Dog & Bone”. The local paper had a tag line referring to Seattle:
After a couple of brews we hopped the express train back to Mana, and made it an early evening. We would be leaving around 6:30am (11:00am July 31, 2009 PST) to queue up for the ferry to the South Island. More Photos: North Island Pt 1, North Island Pt 2 (Parents- still click the underlined words...)
