I have been in New Zealand for 3 weeks now and although we "speak" the same language I feel, at times, that I need a translator! Yesterday I got a fringe cut .. bang trim. Every morning we load the boot .. trunk. Ocassionally we go to a spa or hot springs pool where we wear our togs .. swim suits. And the best thing yet is that they say "as cool as" .. it's a simile but they don't finish it. Like this candy bar below- "As kiwi as .." Everytime I hear someone end the sentence with "as" all it takes everything within my power not to laugh.
The people we have met so far are great. Kiwis are known for their hospitality. We are currently in the South Island but I will update you all about our travels of the North Island in the past few weeks.
Tauranga is our home base and it is where my mom's working kidney's pair lives. The reason I brought my mom to New Zealand was to visit our family friend Fridolin Kathan who donated one of his kidneys to my mom last September. The Kathans are a great family and they have been taking great care of us.
Tauranga has a populations of 111,000 and it continues to grow. The area, like the country of New Zealand, is on old volcanic rock. In the harbor is Mount Maunganui which you can see from most of the city center and the white beaches. The Kaimai mountain range is on the western side of the city.
The people we have met so far are great. Kiwis are known for their hospitality. We are currently in the South Island but I will update you all about our travels of the North Island in the past few weeks.
Tauranga is our home base and it is where my mom's working kidney's pair lives. The reason I brought my mom to New Zealand was to visit our family friend Fridolin Kathan who donated one of his kidneys to my mom last September. The Kathans are a great family and they have been taking great care of us.
Tauranga has a populations of 111,000 and it continues to grow. The area, like the country of New Zealand, is on old volcanic rock. In the harbor is Mount Maunganui which you can see from most of the city center and the white beaches. The Kaimai mountain range is on the western side of the city.
Tauranga City
Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui Beach
Old Town - buildings relocated from around the area.
Wonderful walking path around swamp near the Kathan's house where we take our daily walks.
Many of the streets of the coast towns are lined by cherry trees but because it does not freeze in winter there are no fruits.
An interesting house in Otorohanga.
A taste of tree tomatoes for the Americans.
Driving Creek Railway
Kuotouna Beach
We got a Tip Top Icecream and walked along the beach.
A few days after we arrived we went to Otorohanga where Maureen, Fridolin's wife, grew up, for her high school reunion. While there we went to a Kiwi house and saw a real live Kiwi bird, they are nocturnal birds so the houses keep their rooms dark so visitors can see them during the day. Many kiwi bird species are endangered species. Their existence is being threatened by the introduction of small mammals such as possum, ferrets, and mice by the early European settlers of New Zealand. More kiwi info
The Kiwis are proud of their kiwi birds.
We celebrated Fridolin's birthday at his daughter Olivia's flat in Whitianga at the end of September. Whitianga is a popular beach town on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Whitianga
Symmond's beach
We took a train ride on the Driving Creek Railway. It is New Zealand's only narrow-gauge mountain railway. The railway was built by a local artist in Coromandel in order to bring the clay in from the mountain side to his art studio. He enjoyed building the railway so much that he continued until he reached the end of his property. The bank encouraged him in the '90s to start taking passengers because they wanted him to start paying them back!
Coromandel is incredibly beautiful area. We enjoyed everyday of our stay, the weather was beautiful and the people were fantastic!
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