Thursday, March 2nd and Friday, March 3rd, 2023 - Final Stop, Auckland

 I had not paid much attention to Auckland as I planned our trip. Toni had arranged for us to go to a rock concert on the Thursday night and we had shopping interests and other tasks that took up most of Thursday. As a result, I didn't have a plan for possible outings.

Mt. Eden Road

We stayed in a suburb called Epsom, a few miles south of the Auckland city center. Many of the services we sought, including the concert, were on Mt. Eden Road, a bustling street which was only a few miles from out AirBnB.

Traffic! on Mt. Eden Road

Unfortunately, one of my enduring memories of Auckland will be that the traffic was very heavy. In other parts of New Zealand, the wonderful roundabout had been the traffic management tool of choice, which allows the traffic to continue to flow. Here in Auckland, it was back to traffic lights. Perhaps the volume of traffic demands that, but it sure seemed to slow things down.

Pedestrians Are Free to Cross in Any Direction

I also realized that the other factor was that the entire traffic flow was held up for pedestrians to cross - their own set of red lights that stopped traffic in all directions, with only pedestrians moving. This is nice for the pedestrians, for sure, as they can go across diagonally if they wish. However, it seemed to slow the traffic down even further.

Price of Petrol (Gas)

While on the subject of traffic, it bears noting that the price of petrol (gas) in New Zealand is much higher than in the USA. The sign here says NZD $2.63 for the cheapest unleaded. Doesn't look bad to our eyes, does it? However, that's per liter, and there are 3.79 liters in a gallon. That means New Zealanders pay NZD $9.97 per gallon. Using the exchange rate for March 2nd when the photo was taken, that's USD $6.22, so they are paying nearly twice as much for gas was we do in the USA. Toni and I had hired a hybrid car, so fortunately the bite at the pump was not so bad.

Waiting at the Burger Geek

After running our errands on Thursday, Toni and I ate at The Burger Geek, where they sell smashed beef patties, as opposed to hamburgers. I'm not sure what difference it made. It got busier after we ordered and a few 'crazies' wandered past us as we ate at the tables on the street, each of them mumbling profanities as they passed. (Not sure if it is politically correct to refer to people as 'crazies', but I think it describes the situation clearly. They were definitely not of right mind.) Happily they did not bother us.

Hoodoo Gurus

Then it was on to the rock concert at a venue called The Powerstation. The group was an Australian band and the opening group was a New Zealand group called Bam Bam Bam. Now, in all my 71 years, I have never been to a rock concert, so you can see what a sheltered life I've led! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I understood there were few seats - most of the space is standing room only. I was fearful I was going to end up in some type of mosh pit surrounded by youth who were much more energetic than me in their enthusiasm. Happily, it turned out most of the crowd was within a few decades from me and were appreciative, well behaved and familiar with the music. We also managed to procure a couple of the few seats that were available, so I was happy.

Women's Bathroom, The Powerstation

It turns out the music was as loud and in your face as the colors in the women's bathroom. Being able to feel the beat in my chest was a new experience for me and I wasn't sure how my eardrums were going to survive, but Toni (who is a veteran at this) assured me that it wasn't very loud at all! It was a fun outing, but I probably won't be running off to the next gig in my area!

Galbraith's Alehouse, Mt. Eden Road

We left before the concert was over and it was a lovely night outside, with a full moon. Some of the building were beautifully lit, so here's a few pictures of them.

The Orange Coronation Hall

This was near our car. It was apparently a hub of social life in Auckland. It was a ballroom from the 1920's through to the late 1980's when it became a church. It is now just a façade, slated to become an apartment complex. Sad ending.

Davenport Ferry Terminal

While at The Powerstation, I had talked to a couple of local women and asked for sightseeing recommendations. They live in Devonport which is across the harbor from the city, north of where we were staying. They told me there is a very nice waterfront there to walk around and recommended that I take a ferry from the city. They also told me that parking downtown is not easy, so I drove to Devonport the next morning.

Auckland City

Aucland City Center looked very high and modern off in the distance, but I can't tell you what it is like. No doubt the ferry ride would have been nice, but I decided instead to take a walk out the a place called North Head, where the entrance to Waitemata Harbour starts. 

Devonport

Devonport was very sedate for being a place that occupies prime real estate close to both the ocean and the harbor. It definitely had a Victorian era feel to it.

Duder's Beach Reserve

There is a very nice walkway along the beach with playgrounds and places for people to sit. In this photo, you can see my destination, North Head, or Maungauika.

A Victorian Style House

Some of the houses could have come from Fernandina Beach.

Devonport from North Head - Mt. Victoria on the Right

It might not surprise you by now to learn that North Head is a volcanic cone, as is Mt. Victoria which you can see in the photo above. Happily, they are no longer active ........

Rangitoto Island

....... but if you just turn around 180 degrees and look out into the ocean there is an active volcano facing you, Rangitoto Island. Its last eruptions were about 600 years ago, and it has a total of about a 1,000 years of eruption history.  It is considered dormant now and is the only one of 50 plus volcanoes in this area that could possibly erupt in the future according to volcanologists. The rest of the volcanoes near Auckland started being active about 250,000 years ago and have been nicely behaved, only extruding freely flowing basaltic  lava - not explosive types like Mt. St. Helens. Because it doesn't show current signs of activity, Rangitoto Island is a tourist destination and has holiday homes on it.

Fort Cautley on North Head

The entrance to harbors are places of military strategic importance and North Head is no exception. The installation here was called Fort Cautly and is now more or less a military museum. It was built in response to fears of military danger from Russia in the 1880's, and utilized in the first and Second World Wars. It was also used as a internment camp for Germans living in New Zealand during the Second World War. I thought it looked quite ugly.

Steps Down to Cheltenham Beach

As I continued north to Cheltenham Beach on the ocean side, the signs of military readiness continued. This bunker reminded me of similar structures along Sandy Bay Road in Hobart, close to my grandmother's house. They were creepy places to hang out in. At least in New Zealand they are not going to house snakes and spiders!

Looking South Toward North Head from Cheltenham Beach

I admired the fact that although there were houses fronting on to the beach, they were not ostentatious or multi-storied. It really was a lovely, uncrowded place - surprising so close to a major city.

Another Victorian Beauty

I continued to enjoy my stroll - it really was a delightful area.

A House for Fairies

The house with the red door (above) had some trees in their nature strip which had a variety of little ceramic abodes and mushrooms, with little wooden ladders made of twigs going up the trees. They were very cute. The sign said they were there for the fairies, so I hope they are well used.

Victoria Road, Devonport

My amblings in the quiet neighborhood came to an end and it was back to the busy-ness of Devonport's main street. 

Victoria Arcade

Some of the old storefronts had been enclosed into an arcade that was rather nice.

Thumbs up From the Waiter.

The waiter gave me a thumbs up when he saw me taking photos. I figure he must be called 'Red'!

Mt. Eden

My final destination for the day was Mt. Eden, not far from 'home'. As you might guess, it was another volcanic cone! This one, however had a very obvious crater in it, which you should be able to see in the photo.

Looking North to Devonport

It offered lovely views. In the photo above, you can see the downtown, Mt. Victoria, North Head and Rangitoto Island where I had spent the morning.

Sky Tower Looms Over Mt. Eden Lookout

The Sky Tower downtown is 1,076 feet high, but Mt. Eden is only 643 feet. I was impressed to see it towering above the platform on Mt. Eden, especially as it is three miles away.

You can see my last day here was very beautiful. It was a stark contrast to the weather the city was experiencing when I first set out from the USA. It has been a marvelous time of exploration, learning and visiting with my two sisters and long-time school friend. Yet there had been two desires in my heart that were not yet fulfilled.

Hills Rotary Hoist Clothesline

This is very random (or as the guide at Hobbiton called it 'quirky'), but I have wanted to get a photo of a Hill's Rotary Hoist for a long time. I have photos of people drying laundry from all over the world, but none showing the way we dried laundry when I was a kid. I thought finding a hoist on this trip would be easy, but it wasn't until our second to last day in Auckland that I finally found one loaded with beautiful white sheets! Cross that one off the list now!

Kia's Moko

The other heart's desire I carried with me was the hope of seeing someone with a facial tattoo (called a moko) who I could photograph. As I had not taken advantage of any of the touristy opportunities to visit Maori performances, I figured that hope was past. On my last afternoon, as I approached Mt. Eden for my last activity, I saw a young man sitting in the grass by the side of the parking lot on the mountain, reading a book with the very tattoo I had hoped to see. I hesitated - 'Dare I ask?' Finally, I approached him, told him I'd been here five weeks and that he was the first person I'd seen with the facial tattoo that I'd hoped to photograph. Before he would answer my request, he said 'Tell me about yourself. Who are you?' And so began a lovely conversation with the young man, whose name was Kia.

Kia explained that his grandfather had been imprisoned for having tattoos such as the ones he wears. He said that there are a number of young people today who are re-claiming the traditional tattoo and that he is one of them. He is the only one in his family who has chosen to have the moko and he says it has not been without some downside. He told me he is a chef and comes from the Bay of Islands north of Auckland. His mother is Scottish and father is Maori, so he said he has seen the best and worst of both worlds. 

The lines that flare from the sides of his nostrils to his ears represent his 'water' or his place. The ones that come up from his chin across his lips to his nose represent the in-breath and the curlicues underneath his nostrils are the out-breath. I suspect his explanation to me was quite simplistic, so I hope I have represented it correctly. He did not explain the barbed wire across his eyebrow - perhaps that is a reference to his grandfather's punishment in the days when these traditions were being suppressed. I really appreciated my conversation with him and treasure the photos he allowed me to take. He liked this one in particular - I think the slightly askance, downward look appealed to him, yet he is looking directly at us.

I can't think of a better way to end my blog relaying my travels in New Zealand. The following day I was to fly home. 

I thank you for joining me and hope you, too have enjoyed this journey and learned new things alongside me. 

Mural, Devonport

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• Mā te wā - See you next time
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Monday, February 27th Through Wednesday March 1st, 2023 - Hobbiton, Tauranga and Mount Maunganui

 After all the fun we had in Rotorua, it was time to move on. We were headed to Tauranga, on the Bay of Plenty, but the drive allowed us to take a detour through Hobbiton where we had a reservation to tour the movie set where The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movies were filmed.

Typical Landscape Outside Rotorua

I had mentioned in the last blog that the landscape here was quite different from the South Island and this photo gives you an idea of the type of country we were driving through. It was just as green as it looks in the photo, with sheep and cattle often seen grazing. It was still very beautiful in spite of its being less dramatic than the south.

The Road to the Hobbiton Movie Set from The Shire's Rest

When we arrived at the Hobbiton guest services (Shire's Rest), we found a relatively small and simple building with a ticket office, café and gift store. The buses run from here with tour guides over to the movie set every ten minutes - it is a well oiled operation and very popular. We were lucky to get tickets at short notice.

Our Tour Guide, Hobbiton

It had been raining, so paths were muddy, but the weather was kind to us and the drizzle had stopped. With their tight schedule we were asked to stay with the group and stay on the paths. The site had been found through an aerial search and still operates as a farm. She explained that Russell Alexander, the owner of this 1,250 acre farm, negotiated with Peter Jackson (Director) to keep the set open after filming - the only place in New Zealand where they did so. It had been destroyed after the filming of The Lord of the Rings had been completed, but was rebuilt for the subsequent filming of The Hobbit movies and then kept open to create this tourist attraction. 

Up Close and Personal With a Hobbit Hole

It was quite delightful to walk into The Shire and feel so very at home, knowing what dear souls had inhabited this space of fiction. The gardens surrounding the Hobbit holes were colorful and free spirited and those little round doorways, all brightly painted, just brought a smile to one's face.

Little Faces Smiling Out of the Hillside

The hobbit holes were different sizes - some had windows, some did not. I thought the ones with round  windows looked like little faces smiling out of the hillside.

Tolkein's Drawing of Hobbiton

Tolkein did not describe The Shire, or The Hill in detail in his books, but had created a drawing of it.

The Hill Movie Set

This is how it ended up on the set, with The Green Dragon and The Mill to the left outside this view. It covers a total of twelve acres and like Tolkein's drawing, has a tree atop the hill with hedgerows, paths and Hobbit holes throughout. This Hill did not seem to be quite as high as Tolkein's and did not have fields that look quite as orderly. You can see smoke coming out of some chimneys. When you consider that there must have been at least four busloads on the set at the time I took this photo, you can appreciate how carefully they co-ordinated the groups to reduce 'visual pollution'.

The Apothecary?

The set makers made up for the lack of detail that was given in the books. Each Hobbit hole conveyed an occupation or interest that was revealed by the small-scale details in and around it. From the fungi, fruit, herbs and recipe book under the awning, along with the jars inside the open door, it seemed this owner probably was an herbalist or apothecary.

A Hobbit Laundry Line

I was very pleased to see that the Hobbits used a line for their laundry, rather than a tumble dryer. It was such a cheery sight! I took pains to photograph everyone's laundry - though I have to admit I didn't see bras or underwear on them. Perhaps Hobbits are shy about these things and prefer to dry them inside! LOL! We were told that the clothing gets changed out every six months or so, as they deteriorate in the constant exposure to the weather.

The Beekeeper's Hole

Here you can see the scale of the dwellings with people on the path. There were little round windows sticking out of the hillside as well as chimneys. This hole had beehives nearby on the hill.

The Beekeepers Sign

The beekeeper had a little sign in front of his place........

Self Help Shopping

......and had a table of honey pots for sale, with a little leather bag for his honest customers.

Not Much Inside

Each hole is only 6 feet deep, at best. There was a masonry wall inside and some essentials for the workers might be stored there - we saw a first aid kit and some fire extinguishers in this one. (We found out later this was not the one we were supposed to go in to!) However, they have plans to create several Hobbit holes that will open this December so that tourists can walk through to see inside.

Apples Became Plums

There was a little orchard. Tolkein had referenced the children playing under plum trees, but Peter Jackson felt plum trees would loom too large and the scale would be wrong. So instead they planted apples and pears and when the fruit began to ripen, replaced them with fake plums for filming!

Bag End

Because the Baggins's were a prosperous family and had high prestige in the village, Bilbo's hole was at the top of The Hill. This gave him a lovely view and privacy, without the noise of the pony-and-cart traffic below. Our guide said there were many windows - something like 17! (I couldn't find them all - so perhaps I heard wrong.) The Alexander Farm had an oak tree that sat atop its hill and it was perfect for the filming of The Lord of the Rings. When The Hobbit trilogy was filmed 11 years later, the tree had grown, but The Hobbit was a prequel that was set 60 years before The Lord of the Rings. So, they chopped down the tree and made a younger fake one with fiberglass and silk leaves! Each leaf had to be attached by hand! There are many quirky and fun facts about this set, and if you really are interested, here's a link to more.

https://www.internationaltraveller.com/oceania/new-zealand/freaky-facts-hobbiton/

The Stairs and Bench With Bilbo's Pipe

You might be sad to know, that Ian Holm who played the old Bilbo Baggins in several of the movies never came to Hobbiton. The interior filming with him was done in London Pinewood Studios due to health concerns which led him to be uncomfortable at the prospect of the long flight to New Zealand. All the interior scenes at Bag End were filmed on set in Wellington or elsewhere. 

The View From Bag End

This was the view that Gandalf and Frodo saw when sitting on the bench in front of Bag End during the smoking scene at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring, except that it wasn't, because the actors were filmed at two different sets elsewhere with a green screen. The images were then merged to enable Gandalf to appear so much larger than Bilbo. Because Bag End faces east, the film crew had to film a sunrise and then play it backwards to make it look like a sunset! Oh the tricks they play, these film-makers!

Bilbo's Laundry

Before we leave Bag End, I do want you to rest assured that Bilbo also dried his laundry on a line. I was surprised to see the lace doily, though - his treasured doily might really be too delicate to be 'left out to dry' like this! LOL!

Samwise Gamgee's Hole

Sam's hole was where the last scene from The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed. The child who ran out to greet him was the actor's real daughter who had not seen him in quite some time. I thought that was a sweet fact.

The Mill, Hobbiton

I finally tore myself away from the Hobbit holes and laundry and we headed to the lake at the bottom of the hill where the mill and the Green Dragon were located.

Refreshments at The Green Dragon

We were treated to a drink at the Green Dragon - I had a cider that had a punch to it. They had shared a story about freely giving alcohol to the actors who were in Bilbo's 111th birthday party. It seems the gaiety was not acting at all. After some of them fell ill, they changed that policy and created a 1% alcohol drink to use. Our guide told us they didn't tell the actors it was only 1%, so they ended up thinking they were drunk anyway!  In that same scene, Bilbo's birthday cake caught fire, too! 

Some Just Have to Stick Their Neck Out!

As we were riding back to the bus, we came to a halt and discovered it was because the farm was moving sheep along the road. The flock moved in unison, heads bobbing, all intent on the direction they were going, except for this guy who was looking at the bus - a curious character!

Kaimai Mamaku Lookout

Next was our drive north to Tauranga, which was only an hour from Hobbiton, taking us over the Kamai Range. This view looks south-west in the direction we have come from. Always the long white cloud!

Sunset at Mount Maunganui

Originally we had planned to go on to the Coromandel Peninsula further north, but the flooding that happened in late January had led to road closures that compromised access. Tauranga was added to our itinerary as a 'second choice'. It is the fifth biggest city in New Zealand, but we were drawn here by the advice of a friend of Toni's, that the area around Mt. Maunganui, (which is like a 'suburb' of Tauranga) was very nice and it did not disappoint.

Summit Trail Up Mt. Maunganui

There up many trails up the mountain, some with steps, some without. It is only 761 feet high - an old lava dome. Originally isolated as an island, the dome is now joined to the mainland with a sand bar that gives views of Pilot's Bay on one side and the Bay of Plenty (ocean) on the other. I was intrigued to see sheep grazing on its slopes, very close to an urban, medium-rise area.

Bay of Plenty

I decided to take the 576 steps up the mountain, because it was the shortest route. It offered stunning views. Using my walking pole, I was the slowest on the route which was very busy. Lots of people of all ages headed up and down - mostly younger and many running!

White Island

I was very pleased that I was able to see White Island off in the distance. It was a volcano that erupted violently in 2019, killing 22 tourists and injuring 25 others. I don't know why it pleased me to see it, because it was such a horrific event, but having watched the documentary about it on Netflix (The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari) I was intrigued. It's the little dark dot on the horizon in the middle of the photo.

It was a Beautiful Hike

Coming down is more difficult for me now than going uphill, so I was very pleased to complete the walk in good time. It truly was beautiful.

A Sweet Branch for Toni and I to Pose On

The following day Toni and I took a 2 mile walk around the base of Mt. Maunganui, as recommended by her friend.

A Truck Ferry in The Bay of Plenty

It too, was very scenic.

Tangaroa, Maori God of the Ocean and Progenitor of Fish, Pilot's Bay

It afforded us views of Pilot's Bay, which as you see is dominated by commercial shipping infrastructure. This statue represents Tangaroa, Maori God of the ocean and progenitor of fish - I hated to see him being stuck in suck a non-natural setting.

Pilot's Bay Marina, Mt. Maumganui

Further around the path from Tangaroa, the view became a bit more attractive with yachts moored in the bay. 

Mount Hot Salt Water Pool, Mt. Maunganui

Following our walk, Toni and I decided to try a dip in the geothermal salt water pool nearby. The salt water is drawn in cold from the ocean, then passes through a heat exchange with pipes that draw hot water from the ground. This way the water is heated without using fossil fuels. It was rather more like a regular swimming pool and they asked us not to take photos, so all you get is this rather dull sign.

We did not do a lot of touristy things in Tauranga, as we had decided to try some thrift shopping. I had hoped I might find some nice cast off woolen clothing or accessories, but discovered that the women of this area are very parsimonious with their cast offs! We drove around to a number of different stores and only had very minimal success. At least I scored a pair of cheap sunglasses to make up for the pair I had lost along the way.

The Historic Village, Tauranga

So when we went through Tauranga, the only non-shopping thing we had on our list was this historic village. It was a very empty when we visited toward the end of the day. I thought it looked a bit like a Wild West ghost town.

Mural Behind the Bathroom, Historic Village, Tauranga

This mural really tells the story. It is not really a historic village, but was a shopping mall built in the 1970's to attract tourists from the cruise ships that stop in the port. If you were in a mood for spending money, it might be fun, but it was rather more like Disney than real life.

Inclusive Mural, Historic Village, Tauranga

It did seem to be an active cultural center and I heard a group of teens rehearing a play in a hall there, so no doubt it offers value to the community by supporting the arts. I liked this mural that seemed to be encouraging multiculturalism and inclusion, in a somewhat 1960's style of artwork.

We had made the most of our Coromandel back-up and thanked Maunganui for offering a lovely alternate setting. I was astonished to find that our time together on the North Island was coming to a rapid close, as all we have ahead of us now is a drive to Auckland where we spend a couple of days before heading back to our respective homes.