New Zealand - A Foreword by J

               Hello Everyone!  Many people reading this know already that Alyssa and I spent 2 weeks in New Zealand, visiting some of my many relatives there.  Some of you also know that I've been there several times - it is a beautiful country, in which I have made many fond memories.  In previous trips, I have been much farther afield than in this last trip, partially because it's a little more difficult for some of my relatives to do the kind of bush-walking that you need to do in order to see some of the most spectacular sights.  Also, New Zealand doesn't have the same level of road infrastructure, and has at least 200 more north to south miles of distance in order to go north to south via the roadways.  It takes a lot of planning and preparation to do New Zealand properly in a short amount of time. 

View from the summit of Mount Maunganui

                Most times that I have visited, we have mainly focused on the most important thing, visiting my relatives.  This time was no exception, as we spent most of our time in and around Tauranga with my grandparents.  Tauranga and nearby areas have a lot of fantastic things to offer - adjacent to Tauranga is the city of Mount Maunganui, which has Mount Maunganui (Mauao to the Maori), which I have run and hiked up countless times, a downtown that is alternatively quaint for shopping, or great for nightlife, hot salt water pools, Ocean Beach and Pilot Bay Beach.  The one has great surf, and the other is a great place for fairly smooth sailing.  In Tauranga proper, downtown Tauranga has a nice downtown area, a number of beautiful parks and athletics locations, more than a few nice trails, and other places that are good for shopping and dining.  Some of my favorites include the Tauranga Domain, the Waikareo Walkway, Kulim Park, and Ferguson Park.  

                We went a number of other places near Tauranga on this trip, including Rotorua.  Rotorua is known for more than a few things including volcanic activity, cultural history, and a number of other tourist concessions.  Rotorua has a large geothermal reservoir underneath it, which results in having hot springs, mud pools, and  geysers, with an unfortunate side effect of a bad egg smell.  Rotorua had a history of having a Pa (Maori fort) and being a place of cultural significance.  The Maori have a number of cultural exhibitions in Rotorua.  Other tourist attractions in Rotorua include Rainbow Springs, which has a great daytime kiwi encounter exhibit (which is difficult, since Kiwi are nocturnal), a number of extreme sports concessions (including items on Lake Rotorua), and a number of agricultural displays (sheep shearing, cow milking, etc.). 

                Matamata, which most people now know as Hobbiton, is located in the Waikato, a region south of Auckland between the Kaimai range and the west coast on the North Island.    It also has the city of Hamilton and the University of the Waikato, my mother's alma mater. 

                Now for a few places in the south island, where we didn't go on this trip.  Christchurch was a beautiful city when I last saw it.  My aunt, my uncle, and my cousins still live there.  It is the city from which most aerial missions to Antarctica are based, and has a fun Antarctic Centre.  The city center of Christchurch was iconic and beautiful, and I have fond memories of going to see the Wind in the Willows there with my relatives.  Unfortunately, in the last few years, it has been rocked by multiple magnitude 6 and above earthquakes, as well as more than a few magnitude 4 and 5 aftershocks.  As a result, the city center has been almost entirely destroyed, and most of it still remains closed to the public.  One of these high magnitude earthquakes hit the ridge below my aunt and uncle's house, causing significant damage, but leaving my family unscathed.

                On one trip, we traveled from Christchurch to Queenstown by way of Arthur's Pass and Westland National Park.  I have been hiking in the foothills below Mount Cook and Franz Josef glacier, both of which afford spectacular views.  After that, we went to Queenstown, which is known for its extreme sports offerings, and is centrally located at the bottom half of the South Island.  They offer everything from bungee jumping to skiing to water sports. When I visited, we went on a jet-boat (the Shotover Jet).  That (again, a fairly long time ago) was a rather fun trip.

                Last and certainly not least is Auckland.  We always fly through Auckland, as do most people from most parts of the world.  Auckland is a beautiful city which was built atop numerous small volcanoes, some of which are still active. Situated between two harbors, you are never more than a few miles from the ocean.  Many events have been hosted here, including several America's Cup sailing races (owing to the fact that it seems like every year, the kiwi sailors win, even when they're sailing for an owner in another country like Larry Ellison), and the most recent rugby world cup, in which New Zealand dominated in every game except for their close win in the cup final over France.  In the past I have also gone up the Auckland Sky Tower, gone to a nearby island wildlife refuge (Tiritiri Maitangi, home of many rare birds including kiwis, kokakos, kererus, and some cheeky takahes), and explored the city center. Alyssa particularly  enjoyed Kelly Tarlton's, which is an aquarium that houses a small population of Antarctic penguins, as well as huge stingrays and other native sea life. I have many fond memories of meeting with my granny's side of the family in Auckland.  All of the gatherings, whether in the airport, at the home of one of my many relatives, or at aquariums, are always filled with happiness and boisterous laughter.   

                It was a marvelous 2 weeks, but as always, it was too short.  Over the next week or so, Alyssa is going to tell the story of our trip in her usual excellent prose, with her excellent photography (I promise, I took all the bad photos), and other photos taken from my mother's camera.  Suffice it to say - we had a Merry (if hectic) Christmas, and a Happy New Year, and I hope that everyone reading this enjoyed their holidays, and has a great 2013!