After leaving Paihia, the Magic connection took us down the West Coast of the Northland, stopping off to visit and marvel and the gigantic kauri tree, Tane Mahuta. It's the kind of the sight to marvel at in silence... a majestic tree towering over all others in the forest.

Then I was back in Auckland for a few days, back at Verandahs, doing boring pre-travel chores and shopping before catching the train to meet my aunt and go back to her property in Manukau. There I got to help out more than I did on my previous stay, planting native trees (wielding a pick-axe, learning out to plant trees in properly on sloping ground and battling with an unco-operative hosepipe), feeding the sheep silage (it's very pungent and the smell is almost impossible to remove from your hands/clothes once you touch it), and even getting to drive the quad-bike, which was ace, once I got the hang of the gear changes. Reversing it with a trailer, however, was not so easy. More practice needed there, i think. I also went to stay with my other aunt in the Auckland suburbs, and caught a Frank Turner gig at the Kings Arms Tavern in the city. It was a great, small gig (half the crowd or more were English), with lots of singalongs and general raucousness. Generally it was just great to be back with family again, although a little sad because I didn't know when I'd see them, particularly my cousins, again.

Then, far too soon and yet eagerly anticipated, since I'd finally get to see N. again, I was leaving New Zealand. It's been an amazing trip, with moments of feeling almost drunk on the beauty of the country - every time I thought I was getting 'over' the beautiful landscapes, I'd turn a corner or catch sight of a new mountain or lake or forest and be bowled over again. And the blur of the faces of people I met, the odd, fun experiences (the East Cape 'family' roadtrip), my sudden worrying inability to finish sentences (Cool as... Sweet as... Hot as....). It's hard to pick out the best bits... So I won't, and maybe I'll get to come back one day... there's a still a whole load more to explore in the two islands.

And now... on to Fiji...

written by  LizIsHere on May 7, 2010 from Auckland, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010
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I'd like to point out that we are holding one blue (turquoise?) sock and a bag of 'source-unknown' tea bags awaiting your return some day... Maybe not having the tea bags on entry to Australia was a good idea..

written by  Aunty C on June 4, 2010

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