Frid 11th March – Last day (on holiday that is) !

Still here despite Tsunami warning still being in place. Today all the talk here is, when they will experience their “big one”. Apparently Vancouver is situated smack bang on the San Andreas fault line; a fact of which we were unaware! (Really MUST do more research next time)

Today here, it’s been rainy - very rainy. It’s said that if it isn’t raining here, it soon will be, and we believe them!

Despite the chilly rain, we made for the foody highlight of Vancouver’s attractions: Granville Island, as we felt we should at least look at all the gourmet delights on offer there in this buzzing epicurean market centre (thankfully is a covered in market!)

What a delight - even if we couldn’t take full advantage of it as a) we’re not self-catering, and b) we’re off to the airport first thing tomorrow.

Take a look at the wonderful produce on offer here….

Then had a nice lunch at Bridges - one of the on-site restaurants

Pan fried Artic Char & veg (no chips)



Sockeye Salmon, roasted veg (and a few chips)

Topped off our visit with a visit to the Microbrewery on the Island

And after a warming sauna, tonight we’re packing and having a picnic with our market finds

                        Tiger Blue Cheese, walnut bread, fig relish, stuffed olives. Nice

So….. it’s goodnight from me; and it’s goodnight from him.

See you in the UK, if we’re spared!

 

Friday 11th March - am

 Cairns was hit by Cyclone Yasi 2 days after we flew out;

The same storm followed us to North Island NZ and caused quite a lot of water damage in NZ shortly after we arrived – roads washed away; railway lines disrupted; homes flooded;

We left Christchurch a week before their terrible earthquake;

Passed through Wellington just before they experienced several large tremors;

Now, we awake this morning to news that Vancouver is on Tsunami watch following the huge Japanese earthquake!!!

 Mr & Mrs Jonah are returning to a district near you soon!  You have been warned.

Thurs 10th March – Vancouver explorer day

Are now totally used to having more than one small space to shuffle around in, and are taking to this apartment-style living like ducks to water!

And having got bored with opening and shutting doors, and striding around a lot – managed to go out into the chill and spend the day exploring, with the help of the tourist bus – a hop on, hop off affair that gets you around the city

We even managed to hire bicycles and cycle round Stanley Park – mostly in the rain, but hey – that’s what it does here!

And then of course, we had to have some fast food to replace expended calories

Huge plate of Nachos - to share

OK, not entirely healthy - but very nice!

Spent the afternoon walking around China Town, then in the sauna & jaccuzi back at the hotel  (only to warm up you understand!)

Then rounded off the day with a lovely Thai meal

Green curry Jumbo prawns & Scallops - Yum!

Delicious - and much healthier!

Wed 9th March - The Longest Day Ever!

Check this out because it feels very weird.

We left Auckland at 8pm on the evening of Wed March 9^th, flew for 13 hours across the Pacific and arrived in Vancouver at midday on Wed March 9^th.

Yes that’s right we arrived an unbelievable………..……… 8 hours BEFORE we took off!

Sunrise, crossing the International Dateline

 And we can certainly recommend Air New Zealand – it’s a pretty good airline to fly with. In Premium Economy we had loads of space; very comfortable seats, and good service. (Better than Virgin, which was pretty good anyway).

We’ve now spent a few hours getting used to living in a hotel suite rather that the limitations of a campervan, & then been out to have a bit of an explore.

We’ve left behind the sunny skies and mid 20’s of NZ for dense clouds and a rather chilly 9 degrees in Vancouver. (Probably good training for getting back to the UK).

Wandered down to the Waterfront to watch seaplanes coming and going.

Seaplane landing in Vancouver harbour

Generally got the feel for the city (which feels agreeably empty of people after the crowds in Aukland) and had a couple of beers. Ate on the way back to the hotel before an early night on the longest day we’ve ever had.

Aukland

So, what do we think of  Aukland, having spent  a day and a half here?

 To be honest, not a lot!

 OK, the Sky Tower is impressive and gives the city it’s one unique landmark. After that, we’ve been scratching around to find a big wow factor here.

 (Maybe we’re just not big city people - although we loved Hong Kong, Sydney, Wellington......)

We did a self-guided walking tour of the city yesterday, and then escaped over the water by ferry to the North Shore, where we discovered the lovely “village” of Devonport - a quiet escape with views to the city across the water

Today Rick enjoyed a visit to the Maritime Museum, and we had a lovely lunch here overlooking the harbour - but we’re ready to leave now & looking forward to exploring Vancouver

Sunday 6th March – Kauri trees NZ’s great natural resource – oops!



Te Matua Ngahere - Father of the forest, and 2000 yrs old



The Kauri tree is a relative of the pine, differing in the fact that it produces high quality, knot-free timber but takes a long while to do it. NZ was knee deep in these arboreal monsters until the settlers arrived.

In a way, it was understandable that they started clearing the trees – they had been “sold” land unseen, and arrived to find no townships; not even any roads – just deep forests. Once they started clearing the lands, they discovered the kauri trees produced remarkable timber; light, strong, pliable and virtually indestructible. What started as a necessity, soon turned into a lucrative business venture for many.

 Unfortunately, no-one realised at the time that the trees were slow growing ( 150 years to mature to anything of any size) most were felled by the turn of the century; and those they missed with the axe they burnt accidently.

The cleared land produced only poor grazing land in Northland,  which still looks poor and uneconomic even today.  The surviving small pockets of forest are now belatedly protected, with a just few  monster-size trees remaining to remind us of their magnificence – together with  photographs and memories.

 Another NZ biological cock-up .




We spent the morning looking at the surviving trees in the Waipoura Forest, Northland;  and the afternoon in the Kauri Museum which brilliantly records the history, machinery and people of the great logging era. It’s the sheer size of these trees that impresses;  together with the very high quality of the timber.

The area north of Auckland isn’t the most attractive bit of NZ, but you have to travel it just to experience this amazing/tragic part of the development/deforestation of the country.

5th March - Opo, the dolphin

Discovered this little memorial statue today whilst travelling from the Waitangi treaty grounds over to the West coast - all rather touching.

In the summer of 1955, a dolphin appeared in the bay here in Opononi – a tiny little hamlet on the West coast of Northland. The children were captivated as it was so friendly and sought out their company to play. In fact it became a national celebrity as it spent the whole summer in the bay, playing with children, giving them rides, and performing tricks with beach balls.

Sadly, it was killed by unknown dynamite fishers the following year, the locals being so upset that they commissioned the statue in Opo’s memory.

Saturday 5th March – Waitangi Treaty Grounds – the Cradle of NZ

The first British resident, James Busby, came to live here in 1833; sent by the British Government to stabilise the bay area which had reputations for lawlessness by Europeans, and tribal fighting by Mauri’s.

By the time he left in 1840, he’d largely sorted out the locals; re-established order with the drunken sailors, whalers & convicts, and brokered several peace agreements with warring Mauri tribes – also raising a family in his spare time! And all without any soldiers to bring any authority, a great example of a true diplomat. His reward, predictably, was being replaced by a sailor for the big occasion and a battle to secure his land rights which lasted the rest of his life. How horribly familiar!

This area is now protected by the nation and recognised as the birthplace of NZ as we know it.

It poured with rain for most of our visit, but nevertheless, is still an impressive and beautifully restored reserve which means an awful lot to the Maori people.

The massive waka (war canoe) holds  120 warriors, and needs a minimum of 76 to keep it under control. Is made out of 3 huge kauri trees, and comes out once a year on Waitangi day – 6^th feb. Believe it or not it was clocked at doing 30 knots by a naval vessel as it strained to keep up with Princess Di on her official visit with big ears.

One of our number having a go juggling poi at the Maori cultural show! Oh dear, I thought co-ordination and multi-tasking were female talents!

Thurs 3rd & Frid 4th March – Relaxing in the beautiful Bay of Islands

Have been based in Russell for a couple of days in the beautiful Bay of Islands, on the East coast of North Island. This is a laid back sailing / fishing coast, full of lovely old colonial-style houses. Picture perfect and not a bit like it’s disreputable past. It was once known as the “hell-hole of the Pacific”, and described by Charles Darwin as “full of the refuse of society”

Drunken sailors, whalers and convicts on the run have since departed, taking with them the orgies on the beach, leaving this tranquil little town to sleep by the sea. The little wooden church is the oldest in New Zealand, still going strong with only the odd musket-ball hole to remind you of its past.

Spent Friday on the bermuda-rigged 40” yacht – “She’s a Lady” – sailing round the Bay of Islands in the sunshine.

And ate Catch of the Day -  Mahi Mahi fish - on Kumara rosti (sweet potato)  at the local eatery at the end of the harbour as the sun went down. Perfect

forgot to take a pic of supper until demolished- but the view was almost as good!

Wed 2nd March –We’ve been in Hot Water today!

We’re now on the Coromandel Peninsula, East of Aukland, and spent the morning at the beach.

Hot Water beach!

Yep – for 2 hours either side of low tide, you can just dig a hole and it fills with hot water! Neat!  

The downside is, it gets quite busy here, but you have lots of new friends, all industriously digging away

Eventually, you just need a break – for a read

And a bite of something delicious  to keep body and soul together

best latte yet!

and a full english for the workers

Our cultural bit of the day was a little tramp to a grove of huge indigenous Kauri trees – now endangered in NZ , as the early settlers did their best to cut them all down. They protect are left the few that are left. Better late than never!