The last of New Zealand

At this point my dad and I have parted ways. He has flown home to Pennsylvania and I've continued onto Australia. The trip through New Zealand, biking and fishing, yielded one fish. Catching a fish in New Zealand was part of the reason, maybe a big part, of why my dad chose to join me here. Off of a steep bank over the mighty Tukituki River a rainbow trout as big as my forearm was dragged ashore. In grabbing my camera I got the lens wet so that the only photo I have of my dad holding a New Zealand trout looks like the trout might have actually pulled him underwater. At least he got the one.

On the east coast of New Zealand’s north island we arrived in Napier, the Art Deco capital of the world. Art Deco is the style popular when the city was rebuilt after an earthquake destroyed much of downtown in 1931. All the downtown buildings have this style of architecture with pastel colors and swooping lines. It isn't a style I would have been able to recognize or put a name to prior to visiting but after a day of walking around the city I quite like it.

The rugby world cup gripped the nation while we were there. The All Blacks are the New Zealand national team. If they made it to the finals it would be equivalent to the Superbowl in as much as it captures the national audience. The world Cup was happening in England so the live matches took place at 4 AM in New Zealand. This culminated in The All Blacks playing the championship match the night of, or call it morning after, Halloween. I don't think many people went to sleep. It was a party to remember. The All Blacks took the championship against Australia.

The highest mountain in New Zealand is Mount Cook. From valley to peak it rises almost 10,000 feet. Glaciers fill every crevice, dripping turquoise water into cold deep lakes. A hike took us a short ways up the same valley Sir Edmund Hillary might have used to approach Mount Cook when training for Everest. The mountain loomed huge and cold. It was spectacular.

Much of the rest of the riding was along beautiful coastlines of clear blue water or among steeply rolling pastures full of sheep and cows. Seals made an appearance by the thousand. They smelled awful. Christchurch, the last city we stopped in, was still under construction after a terrible earthquake 5 years ago. I think in 5 more years it will be an incredibly beautiful city. Hopefully they go with the Art Deco style.

 After a long morning of fishing and biking. 

 Flowers for you. 

 Wellington farmers market. 

 He was not amused. Expensive though. 

Snowy mountains could be seen from the beach! 

 New friends, we watched the rugby semi-finals together. 

 Robin makes the best pies in New Zealand. Thanks Robin! 

 Typical New Zealand decorating. 

 The road to Mount Cook. 

 Mount Cook in the back. 

 In Christchurch. 

 Christchurch under construction. 

I had the woman at the information center pronounce this for me. It sounds just like it is spelled.