Currently we are exploring the tropical north! It is still weird to think about the north being warm and the south being colder. It is one of the many backwards things when transitioning to New Zealand from Minnesota. Another completely backwards thing for us is the opposite seasons. The little time I get on social media these days I see post after post of Christmas trees, Christmas cookies and all of the other wonderful things that make up the holiday season. However, in New Zealand the weather is warming up, the humidity is increasing (especially up here in Northland) and essentially everything feels completely opposite to the normal Decembers we are used to.
We are not complaining though because we have been able to soak up more sun, play in more sandy beaches, and immerse ourselves in more coastline than ever before! We are trying to get into the holiday spirit as well! We found a cute Christmas tree for Waka and also have been singing to Christmas tunes when we are on the road! We are also looking forward to experiencing a Christmas parade and trying the various NZ Christmas goodies that are popping up in stores too! We have been thoroughly enjoying our time up here in the great North. Our first stop after getting through Auckland was the city of Whangarei. We explored the various waterfalls and climbed the local mountain to get views of the harbor and surrounding area. From here we headed up to the Bay of Islands which closely resembles it's name :)
We splurged a bit and spent one day on a sailing adventure! We were out on the water for six hours and got to explore one of the many islands. We sailed right through a school of dolphins which was surreal!
There were even babies still swimming with their mommy! We also went snorkeling in the bay even though the water was still very cold. The captain explained what he was doing so we got a little feel of how it works! Dan even helped take down the sail when we were nearing shore.
The following day we did a in-depth Maori culture experience and it was incredible! It took place in the area of Waitangi which is where the first and only treaty was signed between Britain and the Maori people. Many chiefs came to Waitangi to discuss the treaty and eventually many of them signed it. We learned a lot about what led up to the creation of the treaty, what the treaty entailed, and how it was interpreted by the Britain's vs the Maori. It is incredible to think that one piece of paper which continues to have so many meanings created such widespread change throughout New Zealand. It was a crucial part of their history and essentially the start of Britain colonizing it. The treaty continues to be controversial today and it will be interesting to see what changes come in the future.
A part of this experience also involved a traditional welcoming ceremony and dance. The best way I can describe Maori dance is that it is very intense, engages many different emotions, and almost puts you into a trance when you watch it. The individuals doing the dancing, singing, and chanting very much are in a trance and it was so neat to witness them so closely connected to their culture and ancestors. They explained many things to us about the movements, props, dress, etc.
The other big component was that we were able to enjoy a traditional Hangi meal with them. Hangi reminds me of a cream can supper back home. They cook the food underground by heating up rocks then placing the food on them and bury it. They mix together different kinds of meat such as chicken, pork, beef and vegetables such as cabbage and potatoes. Then they all cook together for many hours. It is meant to feed a large group of people so often would be done for community celebrations and still is often done today.
It was delicious! Everything had a very unique smokey flavor to it and I loved all of the food! Dan loved the stuffing so much they even gave him some to take home. We also got to enjoy a traditional kiwi pavlova for dessert which was So yummy! Overall we loved the experience and feel like we came away with a much deeper understanding and respect for the Maori culture and fully enjoyed learning about it in such a fun and interactive way!
After the Bay of Islands we made our way up to Cape Reinga which is the northern most tip of New Zealand. The top of New Zealand is very narrow and on the West coast there is 90 mile beach which is an actual highway on the beach! 4 wheel drive is recommended so we did not take Waka on it, but is was still cool to see it!
At the end of 90 Mile Beach there are massive sand dunes. It honestly felt like all of a sudden stepped into Egypt! The New Zealand version of sledding involves cruising down the dunes on a boogie board! Of course we had to try it (even though it was raining). The wet sand made us go that much faster but we had a lot of fun!
At the tip which is Cape Reinga we were able to see where the Tasman sea meets the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately it was rainy and overcast so we did not have the best views but we were still able to see the vast ocean on all three sides of us and feel the immense power of the waves beneath us. The place is very sacred to the Maori and they regard it as the place where the spirit of their loved ones pass on from earth and return back to their original homeland with their ancestors. To me the place felt very special and unique, and I am so glad we were able to experience it!
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