Leaving New Zealand

    It's pouring with rain today, and we spent the day in the Maritime Museum, which among other things had a nice selection of Maori and other South Sea islands craft. Good timing, while the Volvo Ocean Race is taking place. 

    Auckland is the City of Sailors, and there are lots of craft in the museum enjoyed by sailing-mad Kiwis over the decades, including the famous NZL32 called Black Magic, a revolutionary America's Cup challenger yacht - and a very successful challenge it was. 

    Go there on a sunny day, and you'll get a ride on the SS Puke, a tiny hundred year old steam tug. That would have been a nice adjunct adventure to our trip on the SS Uchuck up the west coast of Vancouver Island...the Uchuck being affectionately known as the "Up-chuck", especially when it does the open water section and really starts to roll. 

    If you go to the Maritime Museum in Auckland, let them tell you where to park - not at Wilson's, which is an expensive national chain of car parks - and get your parking stub validated. That reduced our parking charges (for under three hours) from $15 to $4.50. Parking is expensive in the downtown core in Kiwi cities, we've learned. On the other hand, public transit in Auckland isn't cheap or easy to use, either; I feel spoiled coming from a city where you can travel anywhere, any distance, for $2.50, and that includes a bus right to the airport terminal. The cheapest option from here is a train to the place where you can catch a $16 shuttle bus. 

    Rush hour is intense in Auckland, and traffic barely moves for a while in the downtown core - why do they call it "rush hour"? Driving home through the hard rain we jammed on the brakes for an unprecedented number of pedestrians in dark clothing who dashed between the cars and stepped in front of speeding motorcycles in downtown rush hour traffic. 

    When I got home, just a little rattled, Tony explained that there is no jaywalking law in New Zealand. Then he taught Deborah to fly his helicopter.  Photos are in the album which I linked in yesterday's blog.

    I got a sweet email this afternoon from our Wellsford friends, the couple that caused us to come here this winter by inviting us to house-sit for them: 

Gidday Steve and Deb 

There is a Maori saying that when it is raining it is because the gods are crying (espec. applies to funerals). Well perhaps all this rain is because you are about to leave NZ! Have enjoyed following your travels. All the very best and safe travels 

ka kite ano 

Kathy and Lesley 

    We'll miss New Zealand. It is about as close to perfection as any country comes, including Canada.  The people are the most like Canadians that we've met anywhere. Kiwi's are pretty hard to beat, and NZ beats out Canada for us because of its general lack of ice and snow and the ability to garden year-round.  It has mountain scenery like British Columbia on the south island, but semi-tropical conditions in the north.  

    I'll miss some bird songs, in particular the Tui, or Parson Bird (has a white parson's collar), the Australian magpie, and a few others. And I'll miss the gardens, until my own garden grows at home and the Rosetta McLain Garden near our house comes into bloom. 

Next stop: touchdown in Fiji