North Island, New Zealand

We left Christchurch and headed for the North Island, passing through Kaikoura and Picton along the way. Though the capitol, Wellington, and the largest city, Auckland, are located on the North Island, we did not spend any time in these cities. We drove an amazingly narrow and curvy road through the Whanganui River valley. The scenery was beautiful and some of it was in the Lord of the Rings movies.

Approximately 90-95% of the Maori population lives on the North Island, so it was there that we got to re-experience Polynesian culture. Below are some pictures from the Koriniti Marae. After traipsing through geo-thermal fields, we met up with our cruising friends, Andy and Rhian, on the east coast town of Napier, famous for its Art Deco buildings.

Catching up with fellow cruisers Andy and Rhian

Koriniti Meeting House

Carving Above the Door

Gravesite Outside the Marae.
Leaving food is common; this is the first time we saw beer.

The Whanganui River

Hydro-power is an important source of energy.
Waterfalls like this are why.

Landscapes change quickly in NZ.
We went from mountain to lumps in minutes.

A Geo-thermal Field

It's Serious Business

Black Swans