Author: sailawaysarantium

…”imported” in 1902 from California. After the WW2 they made the Whakarewarewa Redwood Forest Park a WW1/2 memorial site. These trees are spectacular today and are surrounded by giant ferns that look like palm trees.

The mountain biking is also spectacular! I sooo wish I had a bike! Speaking to riders in this area, I learnt that there are trails for everyone, from beginner to experts! I thought our trails on the west coast of Canada were amazing… as with most things, New Zealand has taken it one step further.

Ōtamarākau

It’s time to bathe!

… the Kiwi!

A learned day, at the Kiwi National Hatchery. I’ve been looking for the Kiwi for two weeks now and today I realized the reasons why I haven’t seen them. They are nocturnal and sleep for 16 hours. Without the hatchery these birds may be extinct today. In the wild only 50 % of eggs survive and only 5% of chicks reach adulthood because of introduced (predators) species in the past couple of hundreds years.

Scientists go out into the woods and collect eggs and bring them to the hatchery where 97% of all eggs hatch and survive. When the chicks weigh 1 kg they are released into the forests and then live for 20 years on average. A few live up to 50 years of age.

I had the pleasure of seeing three kiwis in their artificial habitats today (no cameras allowed). During my visit two eggs arrived to the hatchery.

Scientifically, the beak starts at the nostrils. A Kiwis’ nostrils are located very close to the tip of the beak. Therefore it’s the shortest beaks in the world!!!

… of how important it is to share land. Throughout my time in Canada I always struggled to understand the notion of ownership of land and the inability to walk and visit beaches above tide lines. In North America people can own land that stretches all the way to the tide/waterline. As a visitor here, in NZ, I notice that private homes and land begin and ends far above the tide line. This coincide with laws in Scandinavia and many countries throughout the world. It surprises me how in North America, land being stolen from indigenous peoples, and yet land is not shared. On many occasions in Canada, not just the west coast but also lake country in Ontario, I was chased off beaches, rocks and sea grass area, because it was “Private properties”. So when water has reached high tide lines, these waterfronts are difficult to use and land owners a struggle with sharing. As a paddler, diver, swimmer and lover of nature, I think these laws of “no trespassing”, needs to change somehow. I’m not a politician so I am not entirely sure how… the bottom line here is that we are all visitors and private ownership of land is a strange concept, especially in colonized countries, such as in North America and Oceania. I particularly remember, coming up to the surface after a dive outside Nanaimo, and swimming towards land and being yelled at “this is private property”. They even sent a dog out, and yelled “he is aggressive”. I understand this is not the norm, however I wonder if the sense of ownership results in inability to share and be a decent human.

As a side note, in Sweden we have a law called “Allemansrätten”, which ensures that all persons have the right to spend 24 hours on any land. People have some common sense and do not pitch a tent in someone’s garden, however, if needed they can pitch a tent in someone’s field or on the beach in front of a house. I believe that humans are for the majority kind and respectful and will honor privacy of others.

During my short visit here, I find people friendly, community oriented and open to tourism. They seem authentically willing to share their land, and therefore have free camping and the ease to use public land. Again, we have so much to learn.

Tuapiro Point, North Island, NZ

I decided to pull in to a private campsite this evening, as I was getting tired of driving.

25nz dollars for a night includes showers, bathrooms, full kitchen and living room and bbq under the roof! The surroundings are spectacular with rolling hills, sheep and cattle.

And of course, they sort and recycle everything!

Some photos of my drive from the most northern tip of NZ…

Van, groceries and full tank of gas… Corby and I will set the steering North! You got to love New Zealand… in addition to previous posts about how wonderful New Zealand is, I’m now adding their commitment to sharing the land with everyone. Camplify is an organization that allows people to list their recreation vehicle and rent them out to tourists. It’s just like Airbnb but for vans! I did not pick up a dog or a man named Corby. The owners of the van named their van Corby! So it’s Corby and I! Once on the road I search for campsites and “Freedom Camping” pops up! These camp spots are all over the place and free of charge for one night! After one night you got to move on to the next one! And of course, they provide clean bathrooms, beautiful park benches and picnic tables! These are often water front. Many of them are only open low season which is all year except for December 18 to February 6, as they are protecting their eco system, during warm weather.

The world has so much to offer and often places I visit, are more beautiful than the last one visited.

I know many folks believe they live in “the most beautiful place on earth”…I disagree, because the further I travel and the longer I stay in places I realize that there are so many beautiful places, that has so much more to offer. And the bottom line is, we have so much to learn from other countries that are more progressive. We can always do better… we just need to climb out of the box we live in and set the bar high for ourselves and the community we live in.

Infrastructure seems to be catering to community building. Office buildings have coffee shops on ground floor and buzzing with business people who are attending meetings. When looking up, office spaces are open and inviting.

Very few streets allow cars. People are cycling, walking and on scooters! Rain or shine!

Community Gardens and Restaurants are plentiful and diverse!

When talking to people, seems for the most part, satisfied with how the government distribute tax money. The minimum hourly wage is 23.50 NZ$ and cost of living seems to be lower than what it is in Canada for example. Restaurants are pricey since it’s not a basic need. While walking around one notices public meeting places and tasteful urban parks everywhere. The streets are clean and public toilets are plentiful.

I looked into post secondary education and their fees, and here is what i found out: Up until 2025 first year of studies were free of tuition and fees.

• First-Year Fees Free (ended in 2024):The government previously covered the cost of one year’s worth of study or training for eligible first-time tertiary students. 
• Final-Year Fees Free (starting 2025):The scheme now applies to the final year of study or training for eligible students. 

In addition, similarly to the European model, “In New Zealand, healthcare is largely publicly funded and available free or at a reduced cost to citizens and permanent residents. This means that New Zealanders and those with resident visas who live in the country can access many health services without direct charges. While there may be small costs associated with some primary care like GP visits, these are generally subsidized”.

What a nice surprise Auckland is… a stunning harbourfront, amazing diverse restaurants, boutique shops, warm people, playgrounds galore, an interesting maritime museums, free and clean toilets on every street… sunny and crisp! The urban planning is outstanding! And… it’s not just in certain areas, the whole city is like this😀

Benches and playgrounds are plentiful!