Ok, so we were pretty tired and cranky yesterday. However, we slept 12 hours, a first for us both...well maybe just for Scott...I haven't slept like that since my last hangover let's say. We had hoped to kayak this morning in the Bay of Islands, but it was pretty chilly this morning...I guess it really is winter out here. Instead, we decided to hit the road and head out west to the Waipoua Kauri Forest to hike in the big trees. Because of the extensive logging in the past causing the depletion of much of New Zealand's forestlands, this is one of the largest reserves of the kauri forests.
On our drive to the Kauri Forest, we stopped where the Hokianga Harbor met the coast of the Tasman Sea in the tiny sea village of Opononi. We took a short hike to some spots that overlooked the sand dunes in the distance where people sand tobbaggan in the summar months.
We then made it to the Waipoua Kauri Forest whre we took an hour or so hike amongst the tall trees. New Zealanders are into numbering their trees so, to be specific, we saw the 1st, 2nd, and 7th tallest living Kauri trees. They all looked the same to me, but I'll take their word for it.
Each hike has a time allotment estimate given. We are convinced that it is always the speed given for a short meanderer, as they never account for "Detmer" long-legged speed. We feel pretty good about ourselves let me tell you--cutting considerable time off every estimate given. Go us!
We then looped around east again and stopped in Matakohe at the Kauri Museum. There we found an incredible exhibit on the lives of the Kauri bushmen (dudes that cut down all the forests in NZ), the evolution of the technology in logging and milling trees (how they were able to cut down so many trees in so little time), adn what tree gum looks like and what its purposes are (looks like that amber stuff from Jurasic Park and it's not for chewing).
We finally continued east and settle in Mangawhai Heads on the Pacific side of the island to camp for the night. All I can say about this campsite is that the coin operated showers were not worth the $2 I popped into it. Their and my idea of hot water = very different.
We are starting to realize that New Zealanders are very enthusiastic about road construction. We have not been on a road yet where they were not correcting some minor blemish in the road. I must say that they are way more efficient than Cal-Trans (for all you Californians--you feel me here)...it's amazing what can get done when everyone is not watching one guy work adn all are participating. In NZ, I think if you don't own cows or sheep or an RV park, you work in road construction. I have seen no other types of industry thus far.
We are also starting to realize that a lot more driving will be involved than we initially forecasted. WE are so used to the national parks in the U.S. where you can spend multple days exploring and not have to move around much. Here, when you visit a reserve or point of interst, that's really all that is there, nothing more.
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