Sunday, March 30, 2014

New Zealand Parting Shots

As we sit in the Auckland airport awaiting our (delayed) flight to Fiji...
One of the sorrows of international travel is that, with today's luggage weight limits,
you can't always take it with you; and sometimes it's dear things that are left behind...
here, a bottle of 100% DEET Viet Nam-era Campmor Neverbite, which we have been
carrying and using since, well, we think, 1972; used sparingly it lasts a long time, is
really hell on mosquitoes and sand flies, and, in larger doses, will remove paint from
your ice axe, your car, etc. Probably not so good for your skin...






















Well, I'd read most of it...I'll get another copy and keep it next
time





















The Manukau Top Ten Holiday Park is both an entry and exit point for people
touring New Zealand by RV or tent or otherwise backpacking; people exiting
leave behind all their unused food, camping equipment, clothing, whatever won't
fit; Monday morning's haul at Manukau...


















If you're camping in NZ, stop here first to stock up on staples, herbs and spices,
oils, coffee, tea, some perishables, some canned goods, camping chairs and
chilly bins and other accoutrements; our last day I scored two unopened bottles of
(good) wine and two beers; of course, we left a bunch also...




















And so we checked out of our cabin















Turned in our rental car...I drove nearly 5,000 miles without incident...upside-down
and wrong side of the road, too
















And are here at the airport, pondering what life will be like
not in Middle Earth; but knowing we'll be back soon, a lot
sooner than the previous interval...

Waipu And Mangawhai Heads

Our last touring day in New Zealand, as it turned out, included the town of Waipu and a walk on the beach at Mangawhai Heads. After that--we had other irons, other travels, in the fires--we drove straightaway to Auckland and the Manukau Top Ten Holiday Park and there commenced the usual reorganizing/repacking operation in preparation for our departure on Monday the 31st.
Waipu is a major historical site for Scots in New Zealand;
some 900 Highlanders settled here and then fanned out, in
the mid-19th century; the McKays, Vicki proudly notes,
among the Clans


















A bit of the story...















There are building murals all over NZ, and I probably have not
represented them well; here is one, anyhow, in Waipu
















Another beach--Mangawhai--another school field trip















The head















Mineral-laden boulders along the beach















And nice houses and wind mobiles















Looking south















And north; low-tide of course















Dunes beneath the cliffs















Island and sea stack across the bay














Uretiti Sunrise

After the glow worms, we camped at another DOC beach campsite, Uretiti. Next morning, not very early actually, I watched the Pacific sunrise from there.



































































































Waipu Cave

Next stop on a busy day was inland at Waipu Cave, another chance for a spelio-experience, and...glow worms!
Cave entrance (lower right); this is a DOC site, no admission
fee, no guide, little signage, hardly even a warning about the
hazards of caves, etc; this is New Zealand!

















Interior; yes, there's a creek flowing through















First you sit down by the big stalactite and wait seven minutes
for your eyes to adjust
















Alas, the flash went off!















Anyhow, here are the glow worms















They are impressive, especially in constellations















Thus















And thus















Finally, it was time to head back...















To the Light...

Whangarei Heads

Next morning we drove out to the Whangarei Heads, way north on the Pacific side, and walked around the assorted coves, Bream, Urquhart, ending with Smugglers' Cove.
The usual weird trees and their many parasites; every old
tree is a veritable garden of other plants
















More weird birds and bird calls















An usual site: an oil refinery in NZ















And a big ship















And an extremely rare WWII gun emplacement















Stan the Steer directs us to the gun emplacement information















The rest of the scenery was the usual spectacular NZ...















Thus















And thus















And thus















And thus















A distant lone sea stack
















Whangarei Falls

The falls scenic reserve is right in Whangarei, a port city of some size, and the reserve includes a nice trail along a creek leading to a small Kauri park.
Whangarei Falls















Ditto, from below















Basaltic columns on which the thing rests...Fingal's Cave...















Pretty creek















More bush















More medium-sized Kauris, and a short
canopy walk





















Thus