I went to school in Christchurch, raised my children there, and taught at an inner city school. I had not been back since the earthquakes, but the time had come. From the plane window I searched the landscape for broken bits of land, but could see nothing. On the drive from the airport I saw the occasional empty chimney space, the odd fenced off house, a few strips of … [Read more...]
Windy Day on the Muddy River
The first omen was the fresh wind blowing headlong up the river. The second was the shabby looking boats, and the third was Alan breaking the rudder on the double kayak. ‘No worries’, said Alan, I’ve done that before. The boat’s a bit tippy but you’ll be fine.’ We are on the winding historic Waihou River near Te Aroha at the foot of the Coromandel Rangers in the … [Read more...]
Te Aroha – kayaks, hot pools, tapas and the mountain of love
Te Aroha is a rural town in the Waikato region of New Zealand with a population of 3,768 (2006 census).[1] It is 53 km northeast of Hamilton and 50 km south of Thames. It sits at the foot of 952-metre Mount Te Aroha, the highest point in the Kaimai Range. (from Wikipedia) GOOGLE MAPS Te Aroha is a pretty interesting place these days, and about to get more interesting. The … [Read more...]
Fossil finding – another way to travel in New Zealand
I slithered down the grassy path and crunched onto the stones at the edge of the beach. The incoming tide lapped and bubbled, while across the water the huge white sand hill gleamed in the fitful sun. No one else on the beach- just the way I like it- as I explored a very different way to visit the Hokianga in Northland, at the top of the North Island in New Zealand. … [Read more...]
Turangi – Autumn leaves, sparkling rivers, hot pools…
We met under the glowing autumn oak - my friend from Wellington and me from Cambridge. The oak tree was in Turangi, beside Lake Taupo, halfway between us, and what great place to spend a night and a day. … [Read more...]
The Forgotten World Highway
Four saddles, four volcanoes and about four people, in the middle of the North Island... This highway is so forgotten that I had heard of it only recently- and I thought I knew my own country!. You start from the plains of Stratford, in Taranaki, rise gently through gorgeous green dairy farms, then head through steep mountains and dramatic saddles. On a clear day you can … [Read more...]