Author Archives: Lizhk

The Bay of Plenty is spectacular. Amazingly still mostly undeveloped. No highrises, low one-storey unpretentious houses, Caribbean-blue water, golden sand beaches and graceful sailboats crossing the harbours. We head out in a boat to see the Bay and hopefully see dolphins. Rules around dolphin watching are strict: limit your time, only watch a pod once,Continue reading “Day 7 & 8 – The outdoors”

Today was tourist day. We drove out to Hobbiton, the film site where The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings were filmed. A tourist trap but I have to admit, it was worth it. The natural scenery was beautiful in a I-want-to-live-in-this-fairy-tale place and the film set was tastefully done. You are driven into theContinue reading “Day 5 & 6 – Of Hobbits, Maori and totem poles”

We are near Rotorua (two lakes), four hrs south of Auckland. It is geyser, hot springs country with pockets of steam shooting up through a garden fence, between houses, behind a gas station, and pockets of air smelling of sulphur. The landscape has changed from rolling hills, tall trees with abundant evergreen foliage interspersed withContinue reading “Day 3 & 4–Marae”

Day two was filled with culture. Janine, a Maori, is cooking for us and we discovered she us a fashion designer. Back in the 1980’s she went to fashion design school but realized she would never get to design unless she started her own business. So she did. The Onera Art Gallery just opened aContinue reading “Day 2 – Marae Piritahi”

Māori are the tangata whenua (people of the land) of Aotearoa New Zealand. They have meeting places called marae. It consists of a field in front of a sacred building and another building next to it. The field is where visitors are greeted. The sacred house performs a similar functions as a big house orContinue reading “Day one – Kia Piritahi”

A good journey takes you back to where you started from but now with new eyesight. 22people. 11 youth, 11 adults. Off to New Zealand for a Maori cultural tour. 2hrs at Nanaimo airport, 13 minute flight. 2 hours in YVR, 14 hour flight. Watched Whale Rider on the plane. Great movie based on MaoriContinue reading “The Journey Begins”