Prickly Pear downunder

Drive north east of Hamilton on Highway 26. You cross over Waikato's fertile plains until you reach the Kaimai range. Particularly impressive is the village of Te Aroha right below a mountain of the same name. The road turns north and runs along range. We went as far as Paeroa. In New Zealand Paeroa is best known for a soft drink called Lemon and Paeroa (L&P). Originally it was made by combining sweetened lemon juice with the local mineral water. Back in the day (when child mortality was somewhere between 30-50%, and leaches were used for bloodletting), the mineral water was widely held to have medicinal benefits. L & P labels itself as "world famous in New Zealand"... We immediately bought not one, but two bottles of this tonic. Turns out that L & P is now owned by the coca cola company and brewed in Auckland - and so the fairy tale ends. IF I'm honest it tasted pretty good.

taken just before one of our 137 toilet stops

From Paeroa we drove into the mountains, along the Ohinamuri River, to a place called Karangahake. This was one of the earliest gold rush sites in NZ - you would do well to imagine an area that looks more like a gold rush site. Clean fast flowing rivers, steep gorges and valleys, thick bush and mountains. Apparently the gold was of high standard, but difficult to extract until a cyanide method was developed. Thereafter, fuelled by L&P and cyanide, production escalated. Now you can follow the old railway tracks that wind around and into the mountain side. It was brilliant. You have to take a torch for the tunnels, but every now and again there is a 'window' that allows you to look out across the gorge and river. We were so impressed that I have uploaded lots of pictures.



After all the exploring we refreshed ourselves at the Talisman cafe - a quirckily decorated place, which felt familiar somehow... We realised that if Marnie had a cafe somewhere it would probably be exactly like this place.

2 days later...

We went in search of a Kauri tree. Kauri trees are a species of conifer (but unlike any conifer I've seen) It is New Zealands biggest (but not tallest) species of tree. We went a little north of Hamilton to the Hakarimata ranges - a place known for its endemic Rimu and Kauri trees. Kauri are only found in the north island, and not many of them are left thanks to logging by white settlers. Luckily they are monoecious so they have been able to regenerate areas from single specimens.

Nobody knows why this kauri was left, whilst the others in the area were felled

Kauri grove

We did a circular walk that took us to the top of one of the mountains, dont know what it was called but I lost a lot of sweat there. It was worth it, the view north was excellent, particularly of the Huntly coal station. Luckily Agnes took some pictures; I had cornered 3 poor locals and was giving them a history of brown trout in new zealand and forgot to look properly.

Hamilton Basin with Waikato River

1 day later...

A 20 minute drive west from Hamilton to do a walk in the Karakariki. This place was a bit back of the beyond. It was a muddy (Agnes went ankle deep in thick mud with her new Nike shoes, sorry Linnea, sorry Francis) but fun walk over farm land to a 'waterfall' (not picture worthy). The pamphlet we had, said that it was steep climb up a bush covered ridge finishing at a fenceline with views over farmland and bush. They were right on the first 2 counts, but the view was anything but extensive and it smelled like something had died nearby. It was a good trip out all the same.

Agnes says this picture represents how she imagined New Zealand to be. Actually, Agnes is having more and more opinions and 'things to say' on this blog, so from now on I'm giving her free reign. so if you see anything written in blue then you know its her and not me.

Nearly forgot to say, we saw a pair of Kingfishers (Kotare).