Where the world dawns anew

This past Monday was Labor Day, affording a three day weekend, so we took the opportunity to visit yet another uncharted area on our list, the East Cape. With its claim of being the first place in the world to see the sun rise (due to the international date line), it is the most easterly area of New Zealand, located in the Bay of Plenty, situated between the major cities of Whakatane and Gisborne. A total of 330 kilometers long, the road is winding, following the coastline closely on the western side and traversing the Raukumara range and farmland on the eastern side. It was worth making the trip over two days so that we could enjoy the views. It is an area rich in Maori history, dotted with red-roofed Marae (traditional Maori meeting houses) in each bay and township, making carving exploration an easy task. With minimal population and a laid-back attitude to living, little was open or available in the way of cafes or groceries, making us more then thankful we had taken provisions on the trip.

After spending Friday night in Whakatane, we left populous civilization on the way around the western side of the East Cape. The sun came out in pockets throughout the day as we stopped to purchase handmade tiles from an old converted Cheddar Valley Cheese Factory, take pictures of the major landmarks and enjoy some homemade macadamia ice cream from Pacific Coast Macadamias. We made it to our Saturday night accommodation, Hicks Bay Motel Lodge, at the tip of the East Cape in time to decline a dinner reservation at their establishment. We instead made a 40 kilometer round-trip drive out along gravel road to the East Cape lighthouse. The most easterly lighthouse in New Zealand, it was originally built on a small island just off the coast, but due to rough conditions it was moved to its present location in 1922. Realizing the lateness of the hour, we hiked up the 900 steps across private farmland to reach the structure at lightening speed, then drove the 20 kilometers back to Te Aroroa just in time to order our fish and chips before the only takeaway shop for miles closed at 6:30pm. Enjoying our bounty on the deck of our cabin at the motel, we listened to the waves crash against the shore below until the chilly wind drove us inside.

Leaving our curtains open, we attempted to witness the sun crest the horizon for a new day, but the foliage unfortunately obscured our view. Having already arisen, we took the opportunity to get on the road early. After making a quick stop to the East Cape Manuka Visitors Centre to purchase some much coveted honey products, we detoured back in Te Aroroa to take a picture of the largest pohutukawa tree in the world, Te Waha O Rerekohu. Then we were off down the eastern side of the cape. Traversing the lavish farmland, towns were fewer and farther between then on the western side. With much of the old trading company buildings now going to ruin, you could see how this area was once a thriving part of New Zealand. Jason even managed to find and old bank building he thought would make a fine B&B or backpackers, with a boutique knitting store on the ground level for me. As the day progressed, the weather turned sour, although we still managed to brave the wind to walk out the longest wharf in New Zealand (660 meters) in Tolaga Bay and then take a quick 1.5 hour tramp across farmland to see Cook’s Cove, were Captain Cook landed to get supplies. Spurts of torrential rain followed us as we drove the remainder of the way into Gisborne in time to take a warming spa bath at our last night’s accommodation, Torrington B&B. Once an old doctor’s surgery for about 50 years, many in the community still remember coming to the house to receive medical attention. We enjoyed a lovely dinner on the wharf in Gisborne, entertained by all the intoxicated participants of the day’s Gisborne Food and Wine Festival who were being dropped off at the wharf for the after parties and seemed unaffected by the chilly wind as they walked along in their mini skirts and t-shirts.

Sunday we arose to beautiful sunny weather just in time to make the five hour drive back to Hamilton, having succeeded in our discovery of another part of New Zealand.

Into a Cave, Darkly

As our time in New Zealand comes to a close, we recently compiled a list of all the activities we wanted to do, places we wanted to see, and friends and family we wanted to visit before we left. First on the list, Waitomo Caves. A hot tourist spot just an hour south of Hamilton, it was one that both Jason and I had passed multiple times in our trips back and forth between Hamilton and Hawera. So, we finally took the “plunge” this past weekend and went down for a chilly three hour cave tour through the dark. After a short detour to the angora knit shop in which we watched the daily rabbit shearing and I purchased some more wool that will eventually get made into a knitted garment, we found our way to the Black Water Rafting shop. Our 1:30pm tour was a compilation of six teenagers all on school holiday, the supervising mother, a Londoner over on holiday, another tourist who was limited in words, and the two of us. A rather jovial mix, we met up with our tour guide who has been leading tours for the last year through the dark caves. After a fitting of wetsuits (which fashionably hung 8 inches below my crouch), jackets, wool thermals, rubber boots, and helmets, we headed out for the cave. First task was a training jump over the “waterfall”. Gathering our inner tubes, we lined up to jump off backwards from a platform some 4-5 feet above the water. After that initial exposure to the cold and wet (learning quickly that closure of my contact-fitted eyes was a must), we tramped down to the cave entrance and adjusted to the dark. Within minutes we were walking and floating under low level stalactites through chillier water admiring the multitude of glow worms adorning the caves ceiling. Interrupted along the way with a few more waterfall jumps and a “lights off” chain float through the most glow worm laden area, which coincided with the location of the tourist ramp for the walking cave inspectors, it was a fabulous trip. However, by the end of the 1 kilometer, one hour float, both Jason and I were happy to leave the chilly waters and unwrap ourselves from the wet water gear. Unfortunately, while the showers weren’t the warmest, the hot tomato soup and toasted bagel at the end were a welcome find.

Check out our pictures on the left.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

One of the requirements when we rented our place in Hamilton was proximity to a gym. Needing my daily endorphin fix to work out the stresses of the day, I was pleased to find a YMCA just a seven minute walk and one bus stop away from our place. While not the flashest of gyms, it has plenty of bikes, treadmills, cross-trainers, and rowing ergometers, plus more weight machines then I can shake a stick at. While usually avoiding the rowing machines (too many years of utilizing them has turned me off a bit), I was forced to partake in this activity when I found all my usual cardio equipment occupied by the busy Monday night rush. Upon sitting down, I noticed a forty-something year old man/father standing next to his presumed teenage son who was playing around on the ergometer. The teenager had the handle bar and chain stretched to it’s absolute limit over and above his head while he cranked on the handles seemingly attempting to accomplish some low split rate on the monitor. Culminating in his success, his father gave him a congratulatory slap on the back at which point I felt compelled to speak up and inform them that playing around on the ergometer in such a manner could potentially ruin the machine and break the chain and buggy that provides its spring. The father's prompt reply was, “Oh, the bungee? That can be replaced.” I couldn’t believe my ears. It’s not as if the YMCA has endless funds to be replacing equipment that members destroy while horsing around, evidenced by the fact that two current pieces of equipment have been out of commission for the last month awaiting technicians to come repair them. I was really infuriated by the scenario. I’m not sure which bothered me more: his nonchalant manner towards borrowed equipment, or that he was modeling an attitude of disrespect for his teenage son. And we wonder by there’s so much trouble in the world.