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The first settlers are believed to have arrived from Polynesia and some things I've read from as far as Taiwan (I think this was based on DNA testing) between 1200 and 1300 AD. They were quite wide ranging explorers. Some traditions credit the explorer Kupe with discovering New Zealand. It is believed they brought the … Continue reading New Zealand – Potted Maori History

Today I did my landlady's washing up in penance for leaving a pair of nickers on her porch! She never said a word, what I can say, it was an accident! Oops! They fell out of my bag honest! Anyway I still felt slightly off colour (nothing to do with my underwear). I've been drinking … Continue reading New Zealand – Blue Duck Falls

Slowly making my way inland toward Taupo where I'll be staying with Lee. I left New Plymouth still dehydrated I think. I was drinking and carrying a lot of water but it takes at least a day for your body to absorb it so I've been told. I think the satnav on my phone took … Continue reading New Zealand – A Good Meeting

Its huge it dominates the skyline and then it can completely disappear in a puff of cloud! Mount Taranaki, a sleeping volcano surrounded by deep fertile loam. Its last a eruption was in the 1700s. It has its own climate which affects the surround area. The weather cleared and today I walked in the volcano … Continue reading New Zealand – Found Missing Volcano

I have not had a huge amount to write about so your going to get a couple of days lumped onto one. I travelled on the ferry to the North Island leaving the Snail on the rail deck, something I never considered before train carriages on a ferry but clearly it happens! The views where … Continue reading New Zealand – Missing One Volcano

The Snail was packed, I had a breakfast of half a tin of sweetcorn and an apple. Well I didn't want to waste it, it was all I had left! I had a plan for a proper breakfast in Oxford on my way North. I am cooking for myself where I can and making sandwiches … Continue reading New Zealand – North to the Sun

Yesterday I picked up a couple of Hitchhikers.............! Ok I can hear you shouting from here! So when you all stop telling me how dangerous that is, I'll explain what happened. I decided to visit the Moeraki Boulders and its a three hour drive from Mount Hutt. I got up fairly early, it felt like … Continue reading New Zealand – Hitchhikers Guide to Boulders

A really quick post for the benefit of Maria, Sue and Julie. The singing has been really lacking on this trip unlike Lanzarote. All that changed today! Almost on a par with the singing chefs at Playa Blanca! I had a meal with other timeshare owners tonight in the Restaurant at Mount Hutt. It was … Continue reading New Zealand – Singing at last

Stop press! My dad has identified the gulls in the North to South blog as Black Billed Gulls and the fantail as a grey fantail in Australia (and it's called pied Fantail in New Zealand!) The weather has been a little mixed and yesterday I had a day where where I visited the small tourist … Continue reading New Zealand – Rakaia Gorge Walk

Lee if you are reading this, stop! My secret mission involves you. I wanted to see if I could get near to Mount Sunday via a road. Why? Because that's where Edoras was filmed in Lord of the Rings. Well I was not prepared, I should have filled up the car and set off earlier. … Continue reading New Zealand – Not So Secret Mission