North Island

We are in Tasmania now after spending only a week on the North Island of New Zealand. My blogging has fallen behind, taking a back seat to adventures and homeschool use of the one family computer.

Our month in New Zealand was not nearly enough! There are many more places we would like to explore and places we would like to return to. Here are some brief highlights of our North Island week.

We took the ferry out of Marlborough sound and across Cook Straight on a calm sunny day and enjoyed the views coming into Wellington from the rooftop of the ferry. (Hopefully you read Quillian’s post about the interislander). 

In Wellington, we celebrated Quillian’s ninth birthday. We had a blast exploring the city and celebrating our girl. From the moment she came into this world she has had been a content, positive, optimistic, team player. She is so expressive and often a clown. She is affectionate and social, making friends everywhere she goes. She is always up for an adventure. She loves to swim, explore new playgrounds, and read books about dragons. We love having this kid in our family! 

Her birthday was blustery and rainy day in Wellington. We checked out the National Museum, ate delicious food, walked the botanical gardens, took a cable car, and swam in the hotel pool. 

At Te Papa, the national museum, there were many thought  provoking exhibits on the ecosystem of New Zealand, past and present, and the human relationship with this ecosystem. The first humans to settle in New Zealand arrived only 1000 years ago. 

The museum has had recent defacement of a display of an English translation of the treaty of Waitangi. The protestors object to the English translation, claiming it is an inaccurate representation of the agreement between the Māori and English government. Compared to the tone of discussion on virtually any topic with differing opinions in the United States, the attitude of public discourse surrounding this incident is refreshingly empathetic and hopeful. Look it up if you are interested. 

A North Island highlight for us was Ōhope in the Bay of Plenty. The beach goes for miles with mellow waves. We visited some friends who have relocated here from Alaska. They fed us the traditional New Zealand sausage rolls and showed us their new home. We so appreciate the hospitality!