Good afternoon and welcome to the mrlukeniktravels blog, this week from the city of Whangarei, New Zealand- its pronounced Wan-gar-ray (!). First of all an apology for the tardiness of this post. Sometimes, unfortunately, an internet connection is lacking so I have to post later in the week, such are the hazards of running an office that is constantly on the move. As I write this the rain is hammering at the windows and the wind buffeting the building. So much for spring-time! I am getting used the four seasons in one day here, ranging from fog, bright sunshine and thunderous rain. Overall, it is a great improvement to having to wind the clock back an hour back in the UK!
A view of Whangarei city from the summit of Mt. Parihaka.
Since leaving the beautiful Bay of Islands and Paihia last week, I have been exploring the area around Whangarei. The hostel I am staying at is just next to Whangarei Falls, a lovely spot. The falls are included in system of paths and trails that run south to the estuary and Whangarei Bay. I have found that, although being near to the city, these trails are not too crowded even at the weekends. One of the great things about New Zealand is that you do not need to travel far from city areas to find nature. Some parks and reserves are not much larger than the average back garden but contain all kinds of microclimates, flora and, occasionally, fauna. Not all areas set aside for nature need to be expansive!
The 26m high Whangarei Falls and native forest.
One of the trips I have made this week has been to meet some of the local wildlife. Nowadays meeting the emblematic New Zealand species the Tuatara and the Kiwi require a visit to a conservation centre. The Tuatara is a native lizard that looks a lot like an Iguana. At some estimates they are though to live for over a century. Perhaps pre-European settlement when there were about 30 million Kiwis rather than today’s approximately 70,000, you might have seen one. However, as an extremely rare, nocturnal, burrowing animal with keen senses, it seems unlikely today. The conservation project I visited as a viewing section where it is possible to see them. For this to happen the kiwis, and the plants in their enclosure, have a body clock opposite to the outside world. This makes seeing them much more convenient for the rest of us. A small part of their adjustment for release is to re-set their body clocks- just like humans getting jet lag flying between the UK and New Zealand!
A somewhat stiff Kiwi as photographing the real thing wasn’t allowed!
One of the perks of travelling longer term is that I have been getting to read those books which I have been meaning to read for ages. At the moment I am reading the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Attwood, sorry no review here. It is good to be able to swap books as I travel too, broadening my scope. This has meant that I have read books which, if in a bookshop, I wouldn’t normally consider. I will be honest and say that some were more interesting than others! Reading is also a good way to pass the hours spent on (and waiting for) planes, trains and buses which comes from a constantly mobile lifestyle. I feel the word nomadic is somewhat overused. Plus it is nice to be able to have something that is not reliant on battery power for entertainment. I am hopeful to be able to read the Chronicles of Narnia as an adult during this trip, although I have yet to start. I had better get on with it soon…
The perfect accompaniment and brain food for a session with a good book.
So that almost brings this week’s blog post to a close. Next week I shall be south of Auckland, but still on North Island, in Hamilton. By then I shall be getting much closer to volcanoes, hot springs and other geothermic phenomena. I shall be swapping beaches and forests for lakes and volcanic steam. Until the next blog post there is, as always, my Twitter feed which can be found at @mrlukeniktravel. For pictorial updates my Instagram feed can be found at @mrlukeniktravels. From now until the next time, stay safe and travel on!
