MacKenzie Country

Moeraki Boulders

Lupines grow wild here, everywhere, and I love it!

We were lucky to get to spend three days at our friends' bach (holiday home for the Kiwis) by Lake Ohau, in the middle of the south Island.

On the way to the lake, we stopped one night in Oamaru where we got to see little Blue penguins in the wild... That was a pretty amazing experience, and it was not in some crazy wild place. It was a in parking lot by the Oamaru penguin colony, at 11pm, for free. Sorry no pictures. They are very shy and cameras are prohibited. We felt like we had completed a mission, however. A memory that will last a long time for all of us.

We also got to see the Moeraki boulders - huge round rocks washed up on the beach. Of course we were joined by numerous Japanese tourists taking photos after photos of themselves by the rocks.

The first two days at Ohau, the clouds hung low. We knew we were in an amazing natural scene, but it was not until the day before we left when the clouds lifted, and before us was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.

We are still on the road, exploring more of this country. Stay tuned!

Tunnel Beach

Sunny day.

Thank you sun goddess!

We had a few errands left to do, but we also wanted to explore Tunnel Beach, supposedly just outside of town.

One nice thing about Dunedin is that it really is accessible to nature/ wildlife/ beaches. Within a few minutes out of town, we came to a road with a clearly marked sign for Tunnel Beach. The grassy path went down a steep hill for about 15 minutes before we were met with a long tunnel that took us even further down. The beach greeted us at the end. It was a little dramatic, actually.

The beach was not big, but the sandstone cliffs surrounding it was most impressive. The ocean was roaring, too, like a creature in itself. It was not too dissimilar from a beach in Santa Cruz. Just a bit more rugged. More wild. More New Zealand.

How wonderful to have had the warm sun shining on us most of the day today.

We head up north and inland tomorrow. More exciting stories to come...

Sandfly Beach

Second attempt at looking for penguins.

Another unsuccessful one. But we kind of expected not to see them because we went in the morning when they are often out fishing at sea. On the beach, there are blinds where you can quietly wait for them to come back 'home' in the evening. We will have to do that another day.

Sandfly Beach is just north of Paradise Track where we went a few days ago. The access to the beach was much easier, and the beach is rather impressive. We found a lone seal sleeping on the beach, and the boys spotted some sea lions on the rocks. Claire and I saw the black birds that we had never seen before. Apparently, they are called the 'oyster catchers'.

From our time at Sandfly Beach, we went over to the other side of the peninsula. University of Otago has their marine research lab/ aquarium there, on the harbor. We were familiar with many of the creatures there, having lived on the coast for a while ourselves, but there were some different looking things that perked our interest as well.

The sun came out on the way home, so we headed over to Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world, apparently. Jim and Momo walked up the street, reporting back that it really is steep, impressively so. I would have gone, too, but my little daughter had just woken up from a nap, and a power walk up that hill was not in her card at that moment. No worries, we have a lot more time to do it again.

We ended our (long) day at the Botanical Garden. I will post more about that later, but it may perhaps be my favorite spot in Dunedin so far...

The Weather

pile of hail

I have been postponing writing this post.

I wanted to see if things may change. If we were in some strange weather pattern. If the locals have been joking with us.

I am pretty certain that what we have experienced here, weather - wise, is the norm.

Our Kiwi friend, Rob, warned us that we are not in 'Cali-Kansas' anymore. We are not going to get the several days of sun, several months of dry weather, or even two days of either in a row.

Dunedin is notorious for its changeable weather. It is mostly cool, windy, and rainy. On top of that, though, things can change at any time. And we mean, any time!

When we arrived on New Year's day, a mere week ago, the skies were clear, the air was sweet and warm. The driver told us that he had been cold the week prior, and even hailed. No way, we thought. This is beautiful.

Well, when the weather is fine here (that how they describe a sunny day), it is an amazingly beautiful place, no question. But we have seen a lot of the not so fine days. In fact, as I write this, it is HAILING, with strong winds, temperature hovering 45 F.

And it's supposed to be summer!

Adventure. That's what we are doing here, right? And the kids seem to have a good attitude toward it since they ran out to collect the hail, and are now are eating it with syrup!

Paradise track

Sunny morning. We cancelled plans to get cellphones. Who needs phones, really? And who knew when the weather would turn! Weather...a whole post about that later!

We jumped in the car, drove 20 minutes out to the peninsula, and started our first attempt at finding penguins.

A Kiwi friend told us that we could hike down to Boulder Beach, off of Paradise Track, and see some Yellow-eyed penguins. Not too far, he said. Maybe 800 meters?

The peninsula, as you can see in these pictures, is stunningly beautiful on a fine day. It reminded us of Big Sur back home in California. With sheep, of course.

We got to the beginning of the track, and sadly, the sign said that the beach was closed due to Penguin breeding season... Never mind. We pushed on. Who knew what was ahead when we had not been there before!

The trail went down steeply. Beautiful New Zealand birds sang. We met a few sheep along the way. But mostly, it was the view of the hills, the meadows, the ocean in front.

It was longer than 800 meters...and it was really all downhill (which means back uphill). But sooner than later, we did get closer to the beach. There was another 'beach closed' sign. So, we turned around, hiked back up hill, determined to have our second attempt be more successful.

Penguins or not, we had a wonderful hike this morning. That's success in itself, if you asked me. We were also proud of our children who managed a relatively difficult hike for kids with minimal whining!

A glimpse of the Otago Peninsula

Dunedin Harbor seen from Otago Peninsula

Sheep with the beautiful views!

More sheep. There are a lot of them here, you know.

The good news is that our Clairey is doing better today! We had a window of opportunity this morning to go out to the Otago Peninsula for the first time. We had heard so much about this place since we first researched the area.

Though the sun was not out, the harbor with the hills surrounding it, was pretty marvelous. We could have taken two roads, the lower or the upper. We chose the former, which winds next to the water, going past small villages along the way.

We made it to the town of Portabello, had morning tea (what the Kiwis call snack / coffee breal), and came back to town.

There is a lot to do on the peninsula: penguins and albatross watching for sure, an aquarium which also serves as a marine institute for the University, Larnarch Castle (NZ's only castle), gardens, beaches, and several bays. We will be returning soon, and perhaps the sun will be with us next time, to enlighten the already beautiful landscape that we saw today.

Laying low

When illness strikes in the family, we are forced to lay low.

Claire woke up with stomach flu symptoms, which lasted all day. The morning was cold and rainy, with the Southerly wind that we have been warned about (there is nothing in between New Zealand and Antarctica, if you look at the globe. Hence, the southerly is not so friendly!). We hunkered down and nursed the little one.

The storm did pass, and the rest of the day was actually marvelously beautiful: blue skies, warm breeze. We ate dinner outside!

Today is still a holiday here, and the tummy bug has not quite left us. Let's hope for the best!

Day Two

The view we get from our rental house of the Otago peninsula.

The playhouse in the backyard.

One of the steep streets we walked on.

Rugby Boy

The Railway Station

After a full night's sleep (so nice not to sleep in a small plane seat!), I awoke to see the sun rising over the Otago Peninsula. Ah... that is why we are here, I thought.

We had a day of house-hunting. The children were forewarned about this weeks ago that they would have to be patient with us, and that they will have to help us choose a good house, a good car, etc etc.

"That sounds like fun!" declared Claire-Bear.

Not so sure how fun it was for her to walk up and down some rather steep hills around here. We all had important things that the perfect house requires in our minds. Ideally, it needs to be close to their new school, and biking-distance to the university where Jim will work. I also would like some gardening space, a yard for the kids to play in, and a nice kitchen to cook in. After three houses, I think we actually found it! More on that when we are 100% sure that we will get to live there.

In between houses, we managed to get to the farmer's market at the railway station. By this time, the weather had turned from a warm sunny morning, to a windy, cold, overcast day. Very typical of Dunedin, we are told.

We also checked out Moana Pool, which turned out to be much more than a pool! Imagine a huge indoor water heaven: kids' pools, slides, lap-swim, spa pool, cafe, a work-out gym...all under one (large) roof! We are planning to spend our morning there tomorrow!

There was of course play time. There is an endless number of playgrounds and parks and green spaces here. Momo was treated to a new rugby ball today, and the boy is already a natural Rugby player. Should I be scared?

(As an aside, I have to say that I have been very thankful and proud of my husband's ability to maneuver the little car that came with our rental house. It's a manual, and of course, the wheel is on the other side. And he has to drive on the other side of the street. I sit next to him as the navigator who has never been here either. So far, we have made some mistakes, but we have managed pretty well).

We have been here less than 24 hours, and slowly, it is feeling like home... We are already bumping into people we met yesterday (yesterday!!! Did we really just get here yesterday?). And they actually remembered our names!

First Day!

St. Clair Beach

Here we are.

First of all, happy new year!

Secondly, we really are in New Zealand, even if these photos may make you think otherwise. We did fly 12+ hours from San Francisco, went through customs (with some delay -- visa issues -- go figure!), boarded a domestic flight to our new home town that we had never set foot on.

Magically, everything went smoothly. We were picked up by a lovely gentleman with a taxi-caravan to hold all of our belongings. Then, we were warmly greeted by the homeowners of the place we are renting for the first two weeks. It's a beautiful 'villa', spacious, comfortable, with a wonderful view of the harbor. The kids even also have their own playhouse in the backyard. How lucky are they?!

I must say, it has felt like the longest day. We have been around a bit already: first to St. Clair beach, then to check out three possible schools for the kids. To treat ourselves (and realize that we really are indeed in New Zealand), we are going to get some take-out Fish 'n Chips tonight. And I am sure we will all crash on the comfortable beds, thankful for the safe journey.

We have a long list of things to do here in the next few weeks. I promise not to bore you (too much) about the details!

May 2010 be a wonderful year to all!

Here we go!

The Otago Peninsula

In a few hours, we will be taking off from the Bay Area, heading to another Bay-like area of New Zealand. Follow us, as we venture into the new year, the new land, and our new home! Happy New Year my dear friends, family, and readers. Feel free to post questions and comments here because I know you will have as many questions as I will!

Au Revoir In 'n Out Burger

We're less than 48 hrs. from taking off from the States, and, more specifically, California.

And it is time to say good bye to some of the wonderful things we've shared in our home, the Golden State.

Among those experiences: In 'n Out Burger, the greatest burger shack in the world.

We met "Uncle" Steve Pinney in San Francisco four our final feed. Daddy got a Double Double, "animal style," of course. Kit got (hmmm.....) a grilled cheese. And the kids got burgers, with the requisite fries.

At least we'll have fries (aka "chips") in NZ!!!! Clairey will be happy.

It was a very, very memorable gathering.

Until the next time we share an In 'n Out.......

New Zealand 101: The People

Traditional Maori Greeting

New Zealand is a considered a rather 'new' country. But not really. Its history traces back many thousands of years. Just not with the Pakeha (Maori term for Caucasian - New Zealanders) in the picture.

Polynesian settlers, known as the Maoris, inhabited the islands that became New Zealand long before Europeans discovered the land. They called their country Aotearoa: Land of the Long White Cloud.

Though discovered at least a hundred years prior by some dutchmen, the country became an official British colony in 1840. The treaty of Waitangi was signed at that time, making New Zealand an official country (under British rule) and giving rights to the native Maoris.

Today, the Maoris play a big part in the country's well being, politically, socially, as well as culturally. Compared to other native cultures (Aborigines of Australia, Native Americans in the US), the Maoris are, arguably, somewhat of a success story. Or at least, the country is trying to achieve some equilibrium in that department.

To date, New Zealand has a population of about 4.5 million people, the majority being Caucasians, about 15% Maori, lots of Pacific Islanders, and a good number of Asian immigrants as well. It's a small melting-pot compared to the United States, but the pot is also getting bigger as immigration increases.

The Kiwis, a nickname for New Zealanders, are known to be a humble bunch. Boasting, and prestige are looked down upon (the Tall Poppy-syndrome). They are also known to be very friendly, helpful, and sincere people. With our limited experience with the Kiwis, we can say that all of that is true. We will get to learn more soon, and get deeper into the culture and the people, and will report back to you!

Christmas Eve

Brilliant sunshine. Golden Gate bridge. Sand. Sea. Quiet streets of San Francisco.

Can we ask for anymore?

Merry Christmas eve from the city by the bay!

New Zealand 101: The Landscape

I don't need to tell you that New Zealand is known for its beautiful, pristine landscape. It's also known for having four times more sheep inhabitants than humans (so much so that methane, the gas emitted by these animals, can cause environmental problems!). And it is the place to go to for adrenaline-inducing activities like bungy jumping (this is not why we are moving there!) Those things are all true, I have been there to prove.

New Zealand has a varied topography. In many ways, the North Island is less dramatic than the south, but it boasts active volcanic activities and some of the best surfs in the world. The city of Rotorua, for instance, can have a very strong sulfurous scent tourists may be put off at first. This is the island we went to four and a half years ago. We have fond memories of it.

The South Island, the largest landmass of New Zealand, is divided along its length by the Southern Alps, with Mt. Cook being the highest point at 12,320 feet. There are also glaciers, and fiords, wine regions, and numerous lakes. Not to mention, we will be living near some beaches where penguins and albatross can be seen frolicking about!

I have a strong feeling that we will never run out of new places to explore!

In the meantime...

We still need to live amidst this big move. Plus it's Christmas time, so there is a lot to do, on top of a whole lot to do.

We have done some fun Christmas-y activities lately. Besides all the cookie-baking at home, and elsewhere, we went to Wilder Ranch State Park where they had all kinds of fun, old-fashioned activities for the holidays. We also treated ourselves to the Nutcracker Ballet, right here in Santa Cruz. And I must say, I was proud of our little Ballet company here. It was very well done, and almost as good as the Boston Ballet we got to see two years ago (except we didn't get to go back stage and get hugs from the little mice and bears this time)!

Back to packing. More on New Zealand soon!