Exploring New Zealand
Trip Start
Jan 03, 2008
1
12
47
Trip End
Apr 27, 2008
Auckland, New Zealand
Saturday, February 2, 2008
We were in Auckland, today, the "City of Sails" and the largest Polynesian city-and took a trip across the isthmus on the north side of the island to Murawai, on the coast. We drove through farmland and wine country to the west coast to see one of the largest Gannet colonies in the world. I had never seen a Gannet before-and now I've seen thousands! These beautiful white birds with heads crowned with yellow are born blind and featherless. By 12 weeks of age, they are cute little chicks with speckled, downy feathers. By 15 weeks of age, their body and wing feathers are a beautiful white, the tops of their heads are yellow, and they are ready for their first flight. Their first flight is a long one-a 200 km trip to Australia across the Tasman Sea!
The landscape in this part of New Zealand--the northern part of the North Island-- reminded us a lot of Marin, Petaluma, Napa, and Mendocino with rolling hills, small farms ("hobby farms" as they are called here), and a long, beautiful coastline beneath the cliffs on the west side
At the Preserve
.Our driver was a fourth-generation New Zealander. His great, great uncle came to the island from Scotland and, as our driver told the story, he built his wife Helen a large home, which everyone referred to as a villa-Helen's villa is now Helensville and we drove through the little town on our way to the coast. He has been working to preserve the history of the area. As many New Zealanders, he has a great love of the land and its preservation.
He recommended Matua wines for their award-winning Chardonnays (a tip for all you wine lovers out there) and said that New Zealand Pinot Noirs are also good.
The "Sail Away" at 6 pm was a festive occasion as it was Friday evening and there were sail boats all over the harbor. What a beautiful sight! We had docked alongside a Hilton on the Princess Wharf and decided we should stay there at least one night on our return trip to take in the beauty of the harbor again. There is a lot to see in Auckland-it's New Zealand's largest city and an exciting place to be.
It is summer here and we are pretty far south, so sunset is late-nearly 8:30 pm. We enjoyed several hours in the late afternoon and evening on the deck, watching the beautiful north island as we sailed east and then south on our way to Wellington.
Comments
To the traveling duo
What do you mean you'll be too busy to write! There's always the evening. You two sound like you're having too much fun! And like you're getting used to this traveling lifestyle. Almost sounds like you've already planned your next trip.
The blog is wonderful--keep us posted when you have a moment to spare for those shivering in California right now (and we are shivering--it's been cold--at least for California)!
travelers supreme
Sounds as if you are preparing for your next career as a travel book writer as you so wonderfully paint the pictures of where you are and what you see and do. Your image of the ship as it left the Auckland harbor had me dreaming of doing the same when I looked out at the gloomy sky and feel the 35F outside air through my office window - quite a differnece from the warm/hot,lucious landscape islands you are describing. Sigh...
And of course if you did write travel books you would be paid to travel back to each of those places you seemed to have bookmarked for your return trip. Actually you make it sound as if the return trip is immenent and you will be returning just as soon as you get off the ship - wonderful to dream isn't it :) The stories have been great as have the pictures. I look daily at the blog to check out any new updates - little did you know you had us all chomping for news of the wordly travelers! Enjoy the world - its at your feet.