New Zealand – The Snail Journey

I arrived in Auckland on a very muggy airless night. It had none of the fragrance of Tasmania and I walked to my equally airless Hotel for an uncomfortable night.
The next day I collected my hire car. Cheap and cheerful a Mazda Demio. Its an automatic which surprised me but, actually I know Lee prefers this and he’s arriving in three weeks. By then I hope to have mastered the indicators and windscreen wipers which are the opposite way to what I’m used to.
Anyway I’ve nicknamed the car, “The Snail”, not because its slow although most of my friends know me for “Driving Miss Daisy”. Its more because its my home for the next six weeks.
I think its fair to say that although my cold is pretty much gone, I have lingering cough and feel as if I’m slightly detached from the world. I’m guessing my ears are still affected by the way I feel as though I’m on a boat.
I set off with the sun behind me and headed South. The plan was to make my way to Wellington then the South Island for the first bit of my journey. The satnav and I had words about half way when it took me away from route 1, but, I think it decided there was something better to see.
Overall first impression, quiet and probably more like the UK. The houses like Tasmania mostly bungalows with low pitched corrugated rooves, many are very modern but some have a colonial feel. I think the bungalow mentality here adds to the 1970’s vibe.
I traveled through a very flat area but this changed constantly. There are a great deal of European plants and trees mixed with other introductions and natives. I’m OK at the plants but for the birds I’m sorely in need of a Willow!
The geology is odd, there are areas of giant erratic hills like overgrown dunes of a limestone type material. There is nothing gentle about the landscape.
So by the point I disagree with the satnav I’m on route 32, I stop at a scenic spot for a sandwich and get a fabulous surprise. Lake Taupo spread out before me, how come I hadn’t seen it before? Lee and I will be staying here in a few weeks and it looks wonderful.

All around me Cortaderia Splendens a native pampas, known locally as Toe Toe and gigantic Phormiums (NZ flax). They are everywhere.
I carry on my journey eventually getting back onto route 1 and cross a wilderness and army training ground at Waiouru. The landscape is now very like the Scottish highland including heather which is an unwelcome introduction! The landscape is bleak and then I look right and OMG! Mount Doom! Its huge! How did I not see it before? The great cone of Mount Ngauruhoe to use its proper name, is colossal. The volcanoes in Lanzarote are just pimples by comparison.
The roads twist and turn and I meander towards Wellington.
I arrived in Porirua where I’m staying Airbnb, which is a lovely and quiet room with access to the garden, I’m here for a few days. So far Airbnb has been good and I’m getting accomodation for under £30 a night which is just about on budget. I’ve already got several weeks of my stay booked and paid for, so far so good.
So the birds I can identify now I’ve downloaded an app Australian Magpie, European Blackbird, Swamp Harrier, starling, common mynah, The Little brown birds (LBB’s) are a bit problematic. I did call them Little Brown Jobs (LBJ’s) but Willow thought I was looking at scats and poo’s, which of course I was too but don’t tell anyone!
I’m really trying to brush up my bird watching for when I meet up with my Dad as I don’t want to be a complete none starter!