i have spent the last weeks hiding away in this little cottage in new zealand. no phone connection. no wifi. just me and the sheep and cows and horses and deer and goats and birds and bees and trees and the mighty whanganui river.

i have written a new song and i really like it. i have also recorded a little demo version and made a little video with random footage from this month of solitude. it’s an incredible (and very nerve-racking) feeling to have done all of this on my own and have no idea if it’s any good or not but to try and keep trusting myself and share it with the world before the end of january.

i’m putting the finishing touches on the song and the video today and i’ll upload it and share it before midnight on the thirty-first (new zealand time).

Hidden Gems: Day Trips from Palmerston North with a Rental Car

Palmerston North, nestled in the heart of the Manawatū region, offers a gateway to a plethora of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Exploring the surrounding landscapes and attractions becomes an enriching experience when equipped with the convenience and flexibility of a rental car. In this article, we unveil the hidden treasures that can be uncovered with a day trip from Palmerston North, highlighting the benefits of Palmerston North Airport Car Hire. Whether you're in search of scenic vistas, cultural experiences, or luxurious getaways, a rental car opens the door to a myriad of possibilities.

Palmerston North Airport Car Hire: Your Gateway to Exploration

Te Apiti Wind Farm and Gorge Walk:

Just a short drive from Palmerston North, the Te Apiti Wind Farm and Gorge Walk promise a scenic adventure. Opting for Palmerston North Airport car hire allows you to traverse the picturesque journey to this hidden gem. The wind farm, with its towering turbines, offers a unique perspective on sustainable energy. The Gorge Walk takes you through native bush, showcasing the beauty of the Manawatū River Gorge. A rental car enables you to experience the captivating blend of nature and renewable energy at your own pace.

Lindale Complex and Kapiti Coast:

For a delightful mix of shopping, entertainment, and coastal charm, consider a day trip to the Lindale Complex on the Kapiti Coast. Renting a car from Palmerston North Airport provides the freedom to explore the boutique stores, galleries, and cafes at Lindale. Additionally, you can venture further along the Kapiti Coast, stopping at pristine beaches and enjoying the coastal scenery. With the convenience of car hire, you can curate your itinerary and make the most of this coastal escapade.

Feilding: A Heritage Town Experience:

Known as "Friendly Feilding," this heritage town is a short drive from Palmerston North and offers a step back in time. With a rental car at your disposal, you can explore Feilding's Victorian-inspired streetscapes, visit the vibrant farmers' market, and discover the town's historical charm. Wedding car hire  Palmerston North ensures a comfortable and convenient journey, allowing you to immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of this heritage gem.

Manawatū Scenic Route to Whanganui:

Embark on a breathtaking scenic drive from Palmerston North to Whanganui via the Manawatū Scenic Route. With the freedom provided by a rental car, you can traverse rolling hills, lush landscapes, and serene riversides. This journey is not just about the destination; it's about the beauty encountered along the way. Palmerston North Airport car hire facilitates a seamless road trip, giving you the flexibility to stop at viewpoints, explore charming towns, and capture the essence of the Manawatū region.

Luxury Car Hire Palmerston North: Elevating Your Day Trip

For those seeking an elevated experience, luxury car hire in Palmerston North adds a touch of sophistication to your day trips. Whether it's a special occasion or simply a desire for refined travel, luxury car rental in Palmerston North enhances your exploration of hidden gems.

Chateau Tongariro and Tongariro National Park:

A day trip to the Chateau Tongariro and Tongariro National Park becomes a luxurious escape with a high-end rental car. Revel in the elegance of luxury car hire in Palmerston North as you journey through the scenic landscapes leading to the iconic Chateau Tongariro. Explore the national park's hiking trails, enjoy fine dining at the Chateau, and experience the allure of this UNESCO World Heritage site in style.

Wharekauhau Country Estate in Wairarapa:

Indulge in the ultimate luxury day trip with a visit to the Wharekauhau Country Estate in the Wairarapa region. A luxury car rental in Palmerston North ensures a comfortable and stylish drive to this exclusive retreat. Set against the backdrop of rugged landscapes and coastal beauty, Wharekauhau offers a premium experience with gourmet dining, outdoor activities, and a serene atmosphere. Luxury car hire elevates this day trip into a refined escapade.

Wedding Car Hire Palmerston North: A Special Touch for Memorable Moments

For those celebrating special occasions or embarking on a romantic getaway, wedding car hire in Palmerston North adds a touch of elegance to your day trips.

Romantic Vineyard Retreat in Martinborough:

Plan a romantic day trip to the Martinborough wine region, renowned for its vineyards and charming atmosphere. Wedding car hire in Palmerston North transforms your journey into a celebration of love and luxury. Explore vineyards, indulge in wine tastings, and savor a romantic lunch against the backdrop of picturesque landscapes. A wedding car rental adds a touch of sophistication to this special day.

Kahuterawa Valley and The Red Barn:

Create lasting memories with a day trip to the enchanting Kahuterawa Valley, culminating in a visit to The Red Barn for a romantic getaway or celebration. Wedding car hire in Palmerston North ensures a stylish entrance to this idyllic location. Whether it's a proposal, anniversary, or intimate celebration, a wedding car rental enhances the experience, making your journey as memorable as the destination.

Conclusion:

Palmerston North, with its central location, serves as a hub for discovering hidden gems in the Manawatū region and beyond. Palmerston North Airport car hire services provide the means to explore these treasures with convenience and flexibility. Whether you opt for a standard rental car, luxury car hire, or wedding car rental, the freedom to craft your day trips amplifies the joy of discovery. From wind farms and heritage towns to luxury estates and romantic getaways, the hidden gems surrounding Luxury Car Rental Palmerston await those who choose the road less traveled with a rental car by their side.

Suzuki’’s new V-Strom 800DE, the most dirt ready V-Strom yet thanks to its 21-inch front, 220 mm of ground clearance and 220 mm of travel through its adjustable Showa suspension, is not expected to hit Australia until July this year. However, we have been braving the elements today in New Zealand on the new bike. An awesome 275 km loop that took us from the seascapes of Whanganui, to the heights of Waiouru and back down again via a different track that offered plenty of those picture book quality scenic vistas that New Zealand is famous for. The V-Strom 800DE debuts Suzuki’s all new 776 cc parallel twin. The new mill has 83 ponies compared to the 71 ponies of the full power V-Strom 650. Peak torque of the new 270/450-degree parallel twin is a healthy 78 Nm at 6800 rpm, that is 25 per cent more torque than the 650. The power tails off after 9000 rpm but the 800DE will still rev well past that if you can’t be bother changing gear. It turns 4500 rpm at 100 km/h, 5000 rpm at 110 km/h. It accelerates well to around 140-150 km/h, and will go close to 200 km/h if you hang on long enough. It comes standard with a new top shelf electronics kit, including switchable ABS, five-stage traction control, two-way quick-shifter standard, spoked rims, radiator guard, plastic bash-plate, twin 310 mm discs up front, new five-inch colour TFT dash… That all adds to some pretty decent value… The new 800DE will hit Aussie streets this July from $16,980 ($18,590) ride away. Suzuki are throwing in an alloy top-box kit valued at over a grand for anyone that pre-orders the machines before their arrival. So what’s the bike like…? So, so much better in the dirt than any of the 650/1000/1050 models past and present, including the latest new 1050DE that arrives late this month. It’s engaging, fun, competent, comfortable and undemanding. A great option for riders that lack confidence in the dirt. In comparison to even the new off-road focussed 1050 DE, the 800DE is so much more playful in the dirt. It is just over 20 kg lighter but it feels almost double that thanks to a lower centre of gravity, and more amenable seat height. #suzuki #suzukivstrom (at Whanganui River) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqCoqckyG7I/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Computer Centre / Wairere House

Wairere House, more commonly known as the Whanganui Computer Centre, was purpose-built to house the National Law Enforcement Database, or the “Whanganui Computer”. This system was New Zealand’s first centralised electronic database, allowing various Government agencies, particularly the New Zealand Police and the Transport and Justice Ministries, to record, group, and share information about New Zealanders — from vehicle registrations and drivers’ licences to traffic violations and criminal convictions. It was described by Alan McCready, the Minister of Police of the time, as “probably the most significant crime-fighting weapon ever brought to bear against lawlessness in this country”.

The Centre began operating in 1976. Because of its purpose, the building was designed for security — it is almost windowless, with thick walls to withstand any attempted security breaches. It’s a good example of the “form follows function” principle — its function as a vault for the Whanganui Computer is what really dictated its form. It’s got the extremely monolithic, block-like appearance typical of the Brutalist style — one local architect said to us that “it’s about as Brutalist as you can get''. This fortified appearance combined with its location right by the river apparently led some Whanganui residents to nickname it the Kremlin.

This building, or more importantly its contents, was a subject of concern for a lot of New Zealanders — many felt like it was a new level of government surveillance and a breach of people’s right to privacy. Comparisons were made to the ‘Big Brother’ of George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. This concern was actually translated into action on the 18th of November 1982, in an event that this building is probably best known for, when “punk anarchist” Neil Roberts attempted to destroy the Computer with a homemade bomb. The bomb did work — the explosion was apparently heard and felt for miles — but only Roberts himself was killed, and there was no critical damage caused to the building or the Computer.

Before the explosion, Roberts wrote a suicide note on a piece of cardboard that included the words: "Here’s one anarchist down. Hopefully there’s a lot more waking up. One day we’ll win - one day”. He also spray painted a slogan on the public toilet across the road that said: “we have maintained a silence closely resembling stupidity”. One of Roberts’ friends, Kathy Ramsay, said that Roberts “hated the idea of people becoming a number in a government file” and, like quite a few others, saw the Computer as a “scary development” for New Zealand.

Despite this event and protests against the Computer, the Centre was operational until 1995, by which time most government agencies had ‘in-house’ systems that made the Computer unnecessary. The building is still in use, though — it’s been used by the National Library to store some of its collection, and the top floor, which was added in 1990, houses law firm Treadwell Gordon.

RNZ Pacific 1310 8 Oct 2022

5980Khz 1259 8 OCT 2022 - RNZ PACIFIC (NEW ZEALAND) in ENGLISH from RANGITAIKI. SINPO = 45333. English, s/on w/bellbird int. until pips and news @1300z anchored by Catriona MacLeod. Most of the major cities in New Zealand will have new mayors after local elections. Change is seen across the map - Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, Rotorua, Whanganui, Nelson, and Invercargill have all elected new mayors, among others. In Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin, cities have new mayors who will likely sit politically further to the right on the political spectrum than their predecessors. Wellington was the outlier, electing former Green Party staffer Tory Whanau as mayor. Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins lost to rival Jules Radich, and said he is devastated he won't be at the helm during the next triennium. Hawkins said there is a clear appetite for change in results seen across the country today. "It would appear that we're seeing around the country we're experiencing a push against the establishment, whatever that looks like, and we are not immune to that. " A gay community advocate believes Peter Ellis was made into a scapegoat during more conservative times. The Supreme Court has squashed the convictions for child sex abuse against the late Christchurch worker, finding a significant miscarriage of justice. A key rail and road bridge connecting Russia with occupied Crimea has been severely damaged by a huge explosion. Kremlin officials blamed the blast on Ukrainian vandals. Kyiv hasn't claimed responsibility for the explosion. France faces a petrol supply crisis as trade union members of walked out of refineries and roughly one in five French petrol stations are not being supplied as usual the strike is into its 11th day. New South Wales is bracing for more heavy rain and possible floods as weather warnings increase and Australian authorities, have urged people to avoid travel. Flood warnings have been issued for rivers surrounding Sydney. @1303z trailer for RNZ "Standing Room Only". @1304z Weather Forecast: mainly fine, cloudy periods, fog, occasional showers. @1306z "All Night Programme" anchored by Catriona MacLeod. 250ft unterminated BoG antenna pointed E/W w/MFJ-1020C active antenna (used as a preamplifier/preselector), Etón e1XM. 100kW, beamAz 35°, bearing 240°. Received at Plymouth, United States, 12912KM from transmitter at Rangitaiki. Local time: 0759.

Taranaki Tribulations part 2

Down from the Moki tunnel the road wound through the Tangarakau gorge next to the Whanganui river. This is the only part of the forgotten highway that is not sealed, although work was in progress to seal this part. It was on this “work in progress” area that disaster struck. I pulled over onto the shoulder to let an approaching car and trailer past but the firm looking shoulder turned out to be anything but firm. I suddenly found myself in axel deep mud on the left with my right wheels still on the new seal. 

Fortunately there was a road inspection man checking on the new seal and came to my assistance. He drove back up to the works site trying to find a rope. He returned shortly with no rope but with a small furniture van that hopefully could pull me out of this situation. They didn’t have any rope but with plenty of straps that held their furniture in place. Joining these straps into a tow rope he attempted to tow me out. My van has a traction control button, essentially a diff lock function which I had never used. With this engaged and the furniture van  pulling and with both my drive wheels spinning, albeit the right hand one digging a nice hole in the new seal,  we were soon back on terra firmer. With nothing damaged except ones pride we continued on into Tamaranui. The rain returned with vengeance here and the decision was made to find a camp for the night. I chose the Ngaherenga DOC camp site in the Pureora forest park. It was a tad further than I thought and we arrived there in the dark. Trying to find a nice spot on a water logged grass area in the dark, with thoughts of a recent getting stuck episode on my mind, was a bit nerve racking. However the morning dawned fine and we found we were the only inhabitants in the park except for the prolific bird life, and as a bonus no hint of getting stuck. Not far from the DOC park we stopped at the impressive Pouakani Totara Tree. There was an article about this tree in one of my campervan magazines.

The tree is over a thousand years old and is the largest Totara tree in the world. Sounds American claiming largest in the world, as they do with almost everything, but this is one impressive tree. Was a nice forty minute walk through the bush but a nice break. Onwards and home bound now, cross the Whakamaru dam, lunch near Atiamuri, Rotorua and home. A good trip, a bit wet and one little oops but really enjoyable. Next trip is ...........

24/25th June Whanganui River Road to Whanganui The Whanganui river is one of the nine great journeys of NZ! Typically started off the forgotten world highway and travelled via canoe, the bottom 64km can also be done as a road trip if you like narrow roads and tight bends (but it is a sealed road!). I figured it would be more exciting than the highway, and it certainly proved me right. A beautiful winding drive along the wall of a gorge stretching the length of the river. A mix of native bush and pine trees, very little cleared areas and farmland (although a lot of farms, not sure what they're doing with them!). It's largely a DOC national park, but also ancestral land for the local Maori tribes so again there's a number of maraes on the route. The first adventure came only a few km onto the road where there was a big mud slips. Slips are a pretty common fact of life driving in NZ, particularly with the weather being on and off so much lately. I've been stuck at stop signs waiting for diggers to clear them, more often forced into single lane passages to get around them. This is the first time I've had to help clear one! Luckily my timing was pretty good, I arrived after most of the heavy digging had been done and there was a track through. Unluckily the campervan right in front of me veered a little too far to the side and got stuck. With one local, one camper and two other tourists going the opposite way, we had a bit of a mission to get it out. I had a nice conversation with the van driver, who is from Wanaka in the South Island and came up here for the kiwi picking season, while we waited for the local man to drive home and pick up tow ropes, and then as soon as he'd come back and got everything tied up to his (small, old, not-4x4) car, a massive ute came barreling down from the other side, barely even pausing before the owner jumped out and grabbed his own tow cable. This must be a fairly common occurrence, I saw plenty of other cleared slips on the drive around. I decided not to chance my driving to get Piri through the mud, but the local guy had her through no hesitation. At least it was a beautiful spot to be stuck for an hour! Highlights of the drive were an old flour mill, all still left standing as it was and free to access, and the marae at Koriniti which has two meeting houses, both elaborately carved. There's a sign up the top of the road saying visitors are welcome to enter (this is rare for maraes, generally you have to be invited and go through a ceremony) but since it was late and winter there was no one around to let me in! :) it was nice to look at anyway! Further on, I did half of a walk up to a viewpoint before being stopped by the mud and then finding a perfectly good viewpoint on the road :) Back on the highway, I headed directly for Whanganui which appears to be NZ's big art-focused town, lots of galleries and public sculptures. Although it was Sunday so not everything was open, I explored a few galleries and watched a man working in a glass blowing workshop with lots of heating and rolling and stretching of coloured glass.

Uwhango to Pipiriki

Wednesday, February 19th, 2020

I knew I had a hard ride ahead of me so I had set an alarm for 6am. I woke, dressed for the ride, packed the bike, ate a little something and rode out at 7:08am. I had to be at Mangapurua Landing at 4pm. I was told it would take from 8 to 10 hours of riding to get there.

The first stop was the Blue Duck Cafe just outside the Whanganui National Park. It was a 45 km ride mostly on gravel and for the most part down. The scenery became better the closer I got to the Blue Duck. I arrived at 10am and ordered scrambled eggs with bacon with toast and a latte. Breakfast was delicious. I asked the chef how long to the landing and she said 6 hours.

I left the Blue Duck at 10:15am which left me a little less than 6 hours. I now was in a hurry. If I missed the boat I would be in the middle of nowhere without much water or food. I did have my filter so I was not in dire straits.

The road leading up to the trail was a mess with mud. By the time I started the single track my bike was a muddy wreck. The single track was very difficult. To my left was a drop-off and the trail was muddy or slippery or both, did I mention that it was drizzling, there were rocks everywhere and wet giant fern leaves would slap you in the face. After about an hour and a half, I made it out of the single track.

After this trail was over and you made it through a field of cow shit you were back on a 4wheel drive road that went up for what seemed like forever, 600 ft to 2000 ft. Along the way were multiple covey's of quail. They would run like mad down the trail until they remembered, Oh shit I can fly. I finally arrived at a gate with a large red Mauri totem pole. I thought I had made it to the top but still had a long way to go up. At the very top is a New Zealand flag.

I thought great I'm done I just need to go downhill for 25km. Turns out this was another difficult ride. It was mud and sand and rock all at different times. At one point I slipped and fell on some mud and covered my bike and myself head to toe in clay mud. I came to a stream and had to use one of my water bottles to clean off my bike. I eventually made it to a campsite where they had rainwater I could use to make my bike work properly.

Based on the distance and time remaining I was pretty confident that I was going to make it to the landing before 4pm. Along the way, a young Irishman, Niall, caught up to me and we rode together until the landing.

About 15 minutes from the landing it started to rain very hard. Directly above the landing is a small hut open on 3 sides where I could get out of the rain. I eventually walked down to the landing and spoke to the jet boat driver. He said he would leave at 4pm. I climbed back to the hut and waited for 30 minutes changing into dry clothes.

About 10 minutes before the boat came back to pick us up the rain stopped. The driver put all the bikes in the back of the boat and everyone loaded on and we took off down the beautiful river going about 50kph. We jetted over rapids at crazy speeds. It was a blast.

Once at the drop-off point, I climbed back on my creaking bike and headed up to the campsite. After paying for the boat ride, $90 NZ, and the campsite I cleaned my bike, set up my tent, and had a shower. The food was ready immediately after my shower. I had a fish sandwich and fries with an orange Fanta for dinner.

What an exhausting but wonderful day.

CLOTHES LINE COVER These Days - Jackson Browne

This is far from perfect, but I have decided to share it anyway. I have known for more than a week that I wanted to share a little cover today and I knew how and where I wanted to film it. But during the week I got so lost in recording the new song I wrote this month (I can’t wait for you to hear/see the demo version at the end of January) and I finally got around to attempting to film/record this cover yesterday. 

Sunday afternoon, everything was set. I had spent so long checking camera things and doing a few little audio and video tests to make sure I was doing everything correctly and then I finally did this first full take. I came back inside to import and check if it looked and sounded okay before going out to do another take or two. But in these minutes, the rain arrived. And so suddenly! I saved the guitar and camera and microphones and it rained and rained. And rained. The thunderstorms rolled in and washed away the afternoon. This forced me to make a decision.. to not share anything from this week of Solitude like I had planned.. or to share this imperfect first take of a cover of one of my favourite songs.. I chose to share. 

I have decided that Solitude is not only about being in these locations alone, it also means doing everything completely on my own, including recording and filming. These are two things I am still trying to learn as I go and this means that the things I share online this year will not be perfect. I have come to accept this. I guess this is the reason I want to post this first cover just as it is in this first take. Microphone wires not yet tied up and away. Speeding up and slowing down as I play some wrong chords. My thinking face, wondering if this first take will look and sound okay and also hoping the sheep in the field to my right don’t make too much noise in this moment (you can hear them a few times). Fumbling over some notes, most ironically as I sing the word ‘failures’ in the last line - ‘don’t confront me with my failures, cos I have not forgotten them’. It is far from perfect (sorry Jackson Browne), but I am okay with that. 

It has also been extra interesting this month because I have had no phone connection or wifi apart from when I head into town each Monday. I haven’t been able to quickly search for answers to camera or microphone issues and there’s no Jarrad or Nic to get some video help from, and no Tim or Luke or Rich or Chris to get some quick audio tips from. But this is how I want it. To be in it. Completely. On my own. And to find my way through. To sometimes fail. To sometimes succeed. But to get better at doing these things as the weeks and months roll along. 

Thank you if you’ve read this far. Thank you for following along and going on this journey with me. It’s the biggest most craziestly gigantic idea I ever had and it has already become the best thing I ever dreamed up. I can not wait to see what comes out of the rest of January and also the eleven months ahead! 

The perfect mountain mount Taranaki for beginners

>But the "shy giant" in the west of the North Island simply has something very special. It took three road trips within three years until I was finally able to admire Mount Taranaki in its impressive wholeness.

Mount Taranaki has already claimed several lives. In the course of the day, the summit is often covered in clouds, which often come up in the early morning. Mount Taranaki can be seen in many places from New Plymouth. Travel blogger, photographer and author of the books "Fernweh" and "Wie uns Reisen glücklich macht". On globusliebe you will find valuable travel tips that are not in every travel guide - be it for Germany or for far away places. So let's go to the Info Center of the mountain and get informed about the tracks. Something light from 2 hours plus please. Veronica Loop Track including a little detour to the Holly Hut Lookout would be suitable. The deep ditch he left behind on his way became the bed of the Whanganui - river.

Share this article:}Mount John at Lake Tekapo - amazement by day and night|Maunga Taranaki or Mount Egmont?}

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On its surface of a good 33,500 hectares, the Mount Egmont National Park includes, besides the Taranaki, two older volcanoes, the Kaitake and the Pouaki, both of which are extinct.you feel like city life, New Plymouth is the place to be. We recommend a drive around the entire coast, followed by a one or more day trip to the volcano. Nevertheless the Taranaki is dangerous, the volcano which dominates the New Zealand landscape like no other mountain. I should take my break at the lake, Rob says, before we go quite relaxed for the last part of the hike. At 4.30 pm he would collect me at a point from which, to be honest, I still don't know where it should be. Also the Goblin Forest in the middle of the mountainsides is worth seeing with its gnarled and mossy trees. Depending on your time and mood, you can choose from more than 300km of marked paths between one-hour walks to fern-covered waterfalls and five-day mountain tours. Do you want to dive your feet or even more into the coldest spring on New Zealand? Or escape the tourists at the Pupu Springs and still see pure water?

Discern what animals are hiding behind those eyes?

Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here.

Day 31 & 32: National Park to Whakahoro. As a group of seven, we left early abs marched down Fisher Track towards the Whanganui River. There were amazing views of Taranaki In the distance. The sun was hot and shade was minimal. 27km in, We reached Sharon and Rogers Shed In Kaitieke where we overnighted. They kindly provided mattresses and water. The next day we collected water in Retaruke River before talking the gravel roads full of logging trucks to Whakahoro for toasted sammies at the Blue Duck Cafe. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWc1RcShV9-/?utm_medium=tumblr

D’une île à l’autre ..

À Karamea, le 16/03/2018.

🎶🏝.. on dirait le sud, le temps dure longtemps, et la vie sûrement plus d’un million d’année .. et toujours en été ...🎶🌴

Récit de nos différentes aventures et petites anecdotes depuis notre dernière article sur le Tongariro. Le voyage suit son cours, on espère que tout va bien pour vous de l’autre côté du globe.

Whanganui River Journey :

Nous avons passé 5 jours à bord d’un canoë canadien sur la rivière Whanganui à enchaîner les rapides et les coups de pagaie. Chaque soir nous avions la chance d’installer notre bivouac au bord de la rivière. Grande expérience dans un décor somptueux avec comme seuls participants nous et la nature !

Le scoop : nous nous sommes renversés qu’une seule fois mais 🤫, c’est un secret !

Mont Taranaki et région de New Plymouth :

Le Mont Taranaki est l’un des volcans les plus célèbres de Nouvelle Zélande et sûrement l’un des plus beaux. On prend donc la direction de New Plymouth à l’Est de l’île du Nord pour voir ce fameux Mont Taranaki. On y va directement après la Great Walk en canoë avec comme objectif d’être déjà sur place le lendemain matin. Surtout profiter d’être dans une « grande » ville pour faire les course, lessives, douches, recharger les batteries de nos appareils électriques, etc avant de faire une petite randonnée au abord du Volcan. GPS branché, on range les affaires et on y va. Ce que le Gps ne nous avait pas dit, c’est qu’il s’agissait de la pire route empruntée en Nouvelle Zélande, si on peut appeler ça une route (on dirait plus un chemin de pierre. A t’elle point qu’il l’appelle ici la route du « Monde Interdit ». On vous laisse imaginer les détails. 3h plus tard (le gps nous annonçait 1h30), nous arrivons avec en prime le couché de soleil sur le Mont Taranaki : Somptueux (la seul fois où nous le verrons en 3 jours).

New Plymouth, Dimanche 25 Février, pas pris de douche depuis plus d’une semaine, on apprend qu’il y a une bactérie dans l’eau suite à une grosse tempête passée par là les jours précédents. Bon, ben la douche attendra ! On continuer de zieuter le temps pour voir si une fenêtre de soleil s’ouvre pour se balader et prendre quelques clichés du Mont Taranaki. En vain, notre route continue .. (pour info, nous avons réussi à prendre notre douche le lendemain, haha. Nous avons quand même adoré ce coin et l’ambiance qui y règne.

L’info crado : Ça restera encore aujourd’hui comme notre record de jours sans prendre de douche : 8 jours).

Wellington, la capital :

La route nous emmène vers la capital de la Nouvelle Zélande. Passage obligatoire pour passer sur l’île du Sud. Nous avions prévu de passer 3 jours pour découvrir l’ambiance de la ville, le front de mer, la craft Beer et la folie des habitants pour le café. Le moindre qu’on puisse dire c’est que nous n’avons pas été déçus. Entre des marchés de nuit, une formation de Barista pour Morgane, une virée nocturne à Welly et une découverte de la ville à pieds, nous avons littéralement adoré cette capital.

L’inspiration : un projet est en train de naître mais il va falloir être patient pour en savoir plus !

La traversée en ferry :

Samedi 3 Mars, le moment tant attendu de passer sur l’île du Sud. On a entendu tellement de belles choses à son sujet que nous sommes impatients de la découvrir. Ça marque aussi une nouvelle étape de notre voyage et nous voyons que le temps avance vite, très vite. La plus belle croisière que nous avons fait jusqu’à présent (on en a pas fait beaucoup 😜). Elle ne dure seulement que 3h mais les paysages sont grandioses du début à la fin. Ça annonce la couleur.

Le + : sandwich avec pâte Hénaff sur le ponton, juste whaouuu !

Les Marlborough Sounds :

Premier pas sur l’île du Sud. On s’engouffre dans les routes sinueuses. On en profite pour faire une randonnée sur la Queen Charlotte Track et on trouve un camping super charmant avec vue sur mer.

Point culinaire : les moules cueillies sur les rochers en direct et cuisinées aux petits oignons. Un régal !! Des fruits de mers ! hummm ! Ça faisait tellement longtemps. Manquait juste le vin blanc’ et le pain beurre

La belle rencontre : bel instant de partage avec un américain et un franco anglais sur ce mini camping / parking. Apéro, partage des bons plans et de notre pêche du jour, un beau moment de convivialité !

Abel Tasman Great Walk :

Le plus beau trek que l’on ai fait jusqu’à présent dans notre road trip. Des paysages époustouflants, des magnifiques plages au sable de couleur orangée, des lagunes baignées par les eaux turquoises, et des formations rocheuses nous laissent des images impérissables. Endroit inaccessible par la route, quelle chance nous avons d’avoir randonnée dans cette endroit.

Le moment inoubliable : installer son bivouac sur la plage, manger des noodles face à la mer en regardant un magnifique couché de soleil.

La Golden Bay :

Entre nature et ambiance hippie, on « chill » comme ils disent ici. On vadrouille au gré de nos envies à la découverte de la « Baie Dorée » : Petite escapade au Firewell Split point le plus au Nord de l’île du Sud et ses dunes de sables à perte de vue, soirée electro avec Arnaud & Élise, les copains belges rencontrés au début de notre périple. Le mot d’ordre : D.É.T.E.N.T.E

L’info shopping : Morgane à acheteé de belles boucles d’oreilles. 🎉

Nelson Lake :

Direction Saint Arnaud, ville au nom très français située plus au Sud au cœur d’une grande chaîne de montagne. Bizarrement on recent une fraîcheur que l’on avait pas connu jusque là. Au programme, ascension du Mont Robert le lendemain qui culmine a 1421 mètres. Bonne grimpette et des mollets qui chauffent pour avoir une belle vue sur le lac Rotoiti. Pique nique sur le col pour apprécier le panorama.

L’instant piquant : invasion de Sandfly, une sorte de moustique local, qui nous oblige à déguerpir de notre camping le plus vite possible.

Karamea :

Notre position aujourd’hui. A quelques pas de la Golden Bay ou nous étions il y a quelques jours mais a pas moins de 400km par la route. Nous profitons d’explorer le coin pauvre en habitation mais d’une nature si sauvage. A notre gauche la Mer et ses vagues fracassentes et à notre droite les montagnes et sa végétation très denses.

Dès dimanche, nous attaquons un HelpX chez une famille Kiwi sur la côte Ouest (Hokitika) pendant une semaine. On ne connaît pas trop encore nos missions mais on sait déjà que ça va nous faire bizarre de retrouver un vrai lit et des vrais repas après 5 mois de nomadisme dans notre Moumouss’Mobile.

Ici la Nouvelle Zélande, à vous la France ... ☎️

Les Moumouss’ qui trottent ! 💁🏻‍♂️🙋🏻‍♀️

Needs for Laws of Trees

This article is written by Monika Saini, from MNLU, Mumbai.

Introduction

We have a very narrow understanding of what constitutes urban forestry for example, what comes to your mind when you think of Urban Forestry? Trees on sidewalks of roads and highways, forests in the ravine, trees on lot lines? The term urban forestry is much wider and a very important concept. Urban Forestry is the sustained planning, planting, protection, maintenance, and care of trees, forests, green space and related resources in and around cities and communities for economic, environmental, social, and public health benefits for people. 

It is high time we realised the importance of each and every tree when 14 out of 15 of the world’s most populated cities are located in India, with Kanpur on top of the list. The draft National Clean Air Programme in Para 7.1.8 tells us about the need for trees for air purification to control the daily worsening air pollution, which is one of the major concerns of every country globally. 

Legal rights of nature are being recognised by many countries all across the globe. New Zealand became the 1st country to recognise a river as a legal entity when it recognised the rights of Whanganui River and said that it can sue and can be sued as a separate legal being. This status was given when the parliament of New Zealand passed the Te Awa Tupua [Whanganui River Claims Settlement] Bill 2017. Following the precedent, Uttarakhand High Court in Mohd Salim v State of Uttarakhand in 2017 declared Ganga and Yamuna as Juristic persons. (Later an SLP was filed in the Supreme Court of India. An interim stay was ordered by the SC and the judgement does not overrule the decision.) Not only rivers, in 2014 SC in the landmark judgement of Animal Welfare Board v A Nagaraja said that “animals have dignity, honour and their rights to privacy must be protected from unlawful assault” 

Ecuador was the 1st country to constitutionally recognise the rights of nature. Its constitution says that “nature has the right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital life cycles, structures and its processes in evolution.” Recognition of rights of nature is very necessary as the threat to nature is increasing day by day. It is important to protect them as a human being in his obsession with better technology, physical infrastructure and development is threatening even the existence of these natural beings and as a result survival of living beings. Even legally protected areas like natural parks, sanctuaries are becoming victims of this development process.

            Click Above

Trees in Legal Domain

“Forests” forms a part of Concurrent list under Schedule 7 of the Constitution of India and hence both State and Central government has the power to make laws for it. The word “tree” per se is not even mentioned in the constitution. Article 51-A(g) of the Fundamental rights states that “it is the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and preserve forests, lakes and rivers and to have compassion for every living being.” The phrase “living being” can be interpreted to include trees as well. But unfortunately, this line of interpretation is not followed. 

Existing Laws For The Protection Of Trees 

One of the most surprising fact here is that there is not even single central legislation for protection trees although we have central legislations for forests (Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980), air (The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981), water (The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974), environment (The Environment Protection Act, 1986 (the “Environment Act”), wildlife (The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972). Protection of trees is through state legislation. Every state has its own legislation to protect trees, almost similar to each. 

Provisions Of State Laws 

Some of the state laws for their protection is the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976, the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, The Uttar Pradesh Protection of Trees in Rural and Hill Areas Act, 1976 and the Goa, Daman and Diu Preservation of Trees Act, 1984. It is interesting to note that even though they are framed by different states their provisions are almost the same as provision for tree authority, tree officer, etc. Every legislation gives exemplary powers to the tree officer in deciding whether the felling of trees should be allowed or not, he has the power to arrest even without a warrant. These powers rest with the tree officer completely. The tree preservation laws follow the general structure of the criminal law. Even after the provision for tree authority, it is the tree officer who decides whether the felling of trees should be allowed or not. So, the real authority lies with the tree officer. 

International Treaties For The Protection & Rights Of Trees

It is again a surprising fact that there is not even a single international treaty dealing with the rights of trees. There are so many international treaties which deal with the rights of Forests. Some of them are:

Climate Change Convention (1992)

Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)

Desertification Convention (1994)

World Heritage Convention (1972) 

Drawbacks Of Provisions Of Current Laws 

At a time when we need to do something about the worsening climate conditions, trees can play a very important role. We need very strict laws to protect each and every tree and even more important is the stricter implementation of these laws. Currently, every state in India have their own laws to protect trees but still every day we see so many trees are removed for construction or some other reasons. Major concerns arise when we see incidents like New Delhi where the Union Cabinet approved the redevelopment of seven residential colonies to expand the existing government housing facilities. To complete this project over 13000 trees has to be shifted and planted at a different location. Problems in Mangrove and Aravalli are some more examples. But the question is even when we have laws for the protection of trees why these incidents happen in the 1st place. There are certain loopholes in the laws working today and some of them are discussed below to understand why these problems still exist and how can we save them. 

Need For A Logical Reason Behind Giving Permission For Felling Of Trees 

The current laws give exemplary powers to tree officer as he has the absolute power in deciding whether a feeling of trees should be allowed or not. If there are no restrictions on these powers of the tree officer it can become arbitrary as well. Restrictions on these powers are imposed by the courts in India. The Bombay High Court in Federation of Rainbow Warriors v State of Goa considered the role of tree officer according to the power given to him under the Goa, Daman and Diu Tree Preservation Act, 1984. The court observed that “During the colonial era, trees were considered primarily as a source of timber. As the concern regarding the environmental degradation grew, the pivotal role trees play in maintaining a healthy ecosystem was recognised and various measures were adopted to protect and safeguard the tree cover by regulating the cutting of the tree.” This observation by the court tells us the importance of concrete laws to protect trees from becoming the victims of our continuous greed for progress & development. The court said that it is the duty of the tree officer to pass a reasoned order why he is allowing or disallowing the felling of trees as this brings transparency in his actions because when the decision involves such a large number of trees it is necessary that he gives reasons as to what is the rationale behind allowing or not allowing these actions. 

While making these decisions he should have a look at the number, kinds of trees and the justification why felling of such a large number of trees should be allowed. A similar decision was taken by Karnataka High Court in Paul D’Silva and Others v State of Karnataka and others in which the court again reiterated that it is the duty of tree officers to make a reasoned decision. The court observed that “The Tree Officer is required to apply his mind and consider the question whether the permission sought to fell the trees must be granted is with reference to the nature of the trees, location of the trees and other relevant factors with reference to the trees, and it is not with reference to the status of the person who makes an application. The tree officer has to keep in mind the public interest and the consequences that are likely to flow on the environment or the preservation of the trees in an area while granting such permission.” Even after a plethora of judgements which says that it is the duty of the authorities to give reasons for that decisions but the authorities fail to give reasons why they think felling of such a large number of trees should be allowed. They don’t give a reason as to why the cost of cutting these trees is less than the advantage of the development process. In this case, it becomes arbitrary on the side of the tree officer whether such felling of trees should be allowed or not. 

Influence Of The Senior Officer On Tree Officer

The actions of the tree officer can be put as “act under dictation.” This is to indicate that although the law gives tree officer the exclusive power to decide whether the felling of trees should be allowed or not but the reality is that he acts according to the will of higher authorities. The higher authority may be the principal chief conservator, or the secretary, or the minister. It is a fact that most of the development projects like the making of roads, widening of roads, airports, and railway stations are mostly decided by the government and later the contract is given to other government or private parties. It is very difficult in this situation to think that a tree officer most often a junior officer of the level of deputy conservator or conservator of forest can question the policy prepared by the government. In this case, the tree officer usually doesn’t have much power to say no to such proposals. 

Doctrine Of Fait Accompli

Fait Accompli means “accomplished fact”; something that has already happened and is thus unlikely to be reversed; a done deal. Environmental laws in India require prior permission of competent authorities before work on a project starts. (For examples, The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 require “consent to operate” as well as “consent to establish.” Similarly, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 requires prior environmental clearance.) This law is also applicable on laws governing trees. 

However, the Delhi High Court in Bindu Kapurea v Government of NCT of Delhi observed that “What came to light, was that, more often than not, the difficulties which arose in the present matter, could have been avoided had the relevant authorities been brought on board at the appropriate stage. Experience has shown that governmental authorities, which are tasked with executing infrastructural projects, approach the forest department under the Trees Act only after tenders have been issued and plans have been approved.” This tells us that the tree officer doesn’t actually has the power to say no to a proposals. Such projects reach for approval after project investments and contracts materialise and third-party rights get created. The option before the tree officer then remains to only negotiate the details of compensatory measures, rather than decide whether the trees should be felled or not. 

Current issues

There are so many issues prevailing in India for lack of proper protection to trees. The researcher will have a look at 3 major issues briefly like the New Delhi incident where a large number of tree will be cut for the redevelopment of government housing, problems about Mangrove and Aravalli in India. 

Delhi Tree Felling 

In July 2016, the union cabinet approved a redevelopment program to expand government housing facilities and create commercial infrastructure in the national Capital. For completion of this project around 14000 trees have to be shifted to a new land or cut down. 3 colonies were to be developed by NBCC (National Buildings Construction Corporation) those 3 colonies are Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar and Nauroji Nagar. Rest 4 colonies by Central Public Works Department. The estimated cost of the project (for 5 years) is 32,835 crores. An MoU was signed by the Ministry of Urban Development and the National Buildings Construction Corporation. For progress in this project, several permissions are required including permission from Delhi’s Forest Department. There are 19,978 trees at 7 different location, maximum being in Sarojini Nagar i.e. 13,128 trees. Of these, 16,573 trees were proposed to be cut down, with the rest to stay on-site or to be “relocated”. For felling of such a large number of trees the permission by Delhi forest department. In 2017, the state environment and forests secretary, on the direction of the lieutenant governor of Delhi granted permission for felling of trees in Nauroji Nagar. Similarly, the permission for felling of trees in Netaji Nagar was approved. The lieutenant governor got this power from Business of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Rules, 1993. 

According to the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, (1994 Act), the tree officer has the power to decide whether permission for felling of trees should be granted or not. However, felling of trees in Nauroji Nagar and Netaji Nagar were allowed citing Section 29 of 1994 act which allows the “Government” of the National Capital Territory of Delhi to exempt “any area or any species of trees from all or any of the provisions of this Act… in the public interest”. This means there was no enquiry by the tree officer before granting the permission. In 2016, NGT in a landmark decision laid down 3 conditions to be fulfilled: 

The consent can be given only with that condition that 10 times number the trees cut will be planted again. 

The plantation should be in the same area where trees were removed.

The plantation should be done as a “condition precedent” i.e. the plantation process should happen before felling of trees. 

But the problem is are these conditions fulfilled before felling of trees. The answer is no. Tree felling is completed in Nauroji Nagar and is underway in Netaji Nagar yet not even a single plantation is done in the area. In the case of Sarojini Nagar felling has begun, no permission has been granted so far. 

Environment clearance from central environment ministry was also required by 4 of the 7 colonies as they were spread over 3,00,000 sq. metres. Every colony got the Environment clearance with the condition that the orders passed by the NGT in which the necessary conditions were laid down, should be complied. This makes tree felling without compensatory plantations a violation of the conditions of the environment clearance. 

Mangroves Forests 

Mangrove, also called halophytes, are trees which can tolerate salt and they are adapted to harsh coastal conditions. India has 4921 km2 of mangrove cover which is about 3.3% of world’s mangrove cover. Mangrove are one of the most threatened tropical ecosystems of the world. Data reveals that 35% of them are already destroyed. According to United Nations Environment Programme, a quarter of mangrove forests are destructed by shrimp farming. Mangrove helps to stop the effect of tsunami and floods. Naluvedapathy, a village in Tamil Nadu planted 80,244 saplings to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. There are threats to mangrove forests by clearing (they are cleared to make space for agricultural land), overharvesting, change in salinity level of water (dams are constructed at different places because of this less water reaches the mangrove), overfishing, destruction of coral reefs and climate change (they are extremely sensitive to rising sea level caused by global warming). Two of Mumbai region’s mangroves (Airoli and Vikhroli wetlands) are included in 12 unique mangrove forests in India by The Mangrove Society of India. Maharashtra is the only state in India which dedicate a special cell to protect its mangrove cover. These are under threat from development projects. 

Aravalli Hills 

These are a range of mountains running from Delhi through Haryana, Rajasthan and ending in Gujarat. It is the oldest mountain range in India. The Aravalli hills have a large number of resources like they are rich in minerals. Mining of copper and other metals are very common in these hills. They faced a large number of problems like illegal mining, construction, depleting groundwater levels, leopards lynching, resource overexploitation and land grabbing. To protect these hills the Supreme Court of India in 2002 banned mining in Haryana Aravallis and a complete ban on mining in Aravalli was put in 2009. It can be one of the reasons for leopard survival. A question which can arise in anyone’s mind can be does the ban actually help in protecting the Aravalli or the flora or fauna in the Aravalli? Sadly, the answer is no. The SC gave a warning to the Rajasthan & Haryana Government if they fail to see that people are compiling with the ban and there is no mining in these hills. It is high time that the government realised that if they don’t compile with the ban now it will be very difficult for us to save our natural gifts. 

Conclusion

It is a very recent thing that judiciary, legislators, activists and people are realising that even natural beings are entitled to rights. NGT which is made specifically to deal with issues relating to nature held that it can adjudicate matters related to trees outside forests as well. We have laws to protect trees but we need to make them more practical and realistic. We have to realise that a junior level officer can’t in a country like India deny permission to a proposal proposed by the government. He doesn’t have much choice in deciding whether the feeling of trees should be allowed or not or in some cases the government escapes the process by using some exceptions. Our judiciary is also working to save these natural gifts which we got whether it is a ban on mining making the government realise that it can’t run away from its responsibilities. This is high time we realised that we can’t survive without these resources whether it is a river, air, forests or trees.

References

i. 14 of world’s 15 most polluted cities in India, Times of India. ii. Ganga and Yamuna are juristic/legal persons/living entities, SCC Online. iii. New Zealand River granted same legal rights as human being, the guardian. iv. Bhadra Sinha, SC puts on hold Uttarakhand HC order declaring river Ganga a living entity, Hindustan Times. v. Bittu Sahgal, India’s dismembered network of Sanctuaries and National Park. vi. Sweta Goswami and Joydeep Thakur, Blame game begins over cutting of trees in Delhi, Hindustan Times. vii. Aabid Shafi, Why felling of thousands of trees for South Delhi redevelopment project must be reviewed, Scroll.in. viii. https://ift.tt/3eaorFj. ix. Mangrove forests are one of the world’s most threatened tropical ecosystems, WWF. x. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005), Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis (p.2) Island Press, Washington, DC. World Resources Institute. xi. Hamilton, Stuart (2013). “Assessing the Role of Commercial Aquaculture in Displacing Mangrove Forest”. Bulletin of Marine Science. xii. Reasons to protect the Mangroves, DRH LINDERSVOLD. xiii. Badri Chatterjee, Two of Mumbai’s mangrove forests on list of 12 unique wetlands in India, Hindustan times. xiv. Jahnvi Pananchikal, Why the Aravalli Forest Range is the Most Degraded Zone in India, The Outdoor Journal. xv. Ashok Kumar, Save Aravalli to save wildlife, the Hindu. xvi. Dips Barua, SAVE ARAVALLI HILLS FROM DESTRUCTION, Greenpeace.

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Thematic Heritage study of wellington / january 2013

“ Thematic heritage in the context of this study means the “themes” in the history of the city that has shaped it physically, culturally, socially and politically such that it has become the place that it is. The themes are overlapping and change over time.” (4) 

Themes within people and the environment: 

- Migration / Immigration

- Settlement patterns

- People and the natural environment 

- Resource use 

Settlement Patterns: 

The early 19th century saw the occupation of Wellington Harbour/Te Whanganui a Tara with the pa of Ngauranga, Kaiwharawhara, Pipitea, Kumutoto and Te Aro. These were not the fortified Pa of the past but were fenced villages to keep animals in or out, and to contain the village.

Numerous waka gave access to the marine resources around the coast as well as up the rivers of the Hutt Valley/Te Awakairangi.

Māori attempted pastoral farming but, increasingly, they found themselves becoming urban dwellers in the Hutt Valley. Some Māori had market gardens, some retreated to their remaining rural lands, while others simply left the district. By 1857, the Māori population had declined from over 1000 in 1839 to less than 100.

All text from page 18-19 from the document 

Colonization:

As the city developed, Te Aro and Thorndon remained popular for workers’ housing and, with the vast majority of residents choosing to live within walking distance of their employment, Te Aro and Thorndon became packed. Small-scale farmers and those happy to walk or ride distances lived in outlying areas along the few public roads, such as the Porirua Road, begun in the early 1840s. An influx of people in the 1870s, following the government’s massive immigration and public works scheme added to the congestion (20). 

Return to city living

In more recent years, the movement of people back into the central city and inner suburbs has seen intense subdivision, multi-unit developments and the proliferation of apartment buildings.

Response to topography

Māori cleared forest and scrub in order to establish their settlements, pa, and gardens. Earthworks were minimal, largely being terraces to establish gardens or flat places to live on sloping ground. Trees were removed in some areas to stimulate the growth of fern root/aruhe and in other areas for the growth of kumara, and later potatoes, melons, corn and then wheat. In later times, ridge tops cleared for gardens may well have been free of the forest, with grasslands also being cleared and planted. (24) 

Māori intervention in the landscape and its forms were minor compared with what occurred when Pākeha arrived. Vegetation was removed in a systematic fashion to make way for settlement and farming and, in the case of the abundant trees, for use as firewood and as a construction material. By the 1860s, Wellington and its hinterland were all but denuded, although substantial pockets of forest remained. Gradually, through private and public work, particularly from the late 19th century onwards, a general greening began to take place. Some remnant forest was protected (such as at Wilton’s Bush) and plantings of (mainly) exotic trees began to take place, particularly in rural areas or on public reserves. By the end of the 20th century, Wellington’s established suburbs were covered in mature plantings. (24-25) 

The response to earthquakes

Early settlers had to deal with two of the biggest earthquakes in living memory – in 1848 and 1855 – both of which led to the loss of life and much destruction. Brick and stone construction was temporarily abandoned in favor of timber, the first of many responses to the constant threat of earthquakes in this place. When confidence returned the use of brick was revived. However, the threat was never far from people’s minds and an architect such as Thomas Turnbull could tout his experience in San Francisco in designing earthquake-resistant buildings to good effect.  Successively stricter provisions (1965, 1978, 1984, 1992, 2004 and 2006) have continued to demand an ever-stronger requirement to perform well during an earthquake a 2nd revision is expected since the Canterbury quakes of 2011/12. Many older buildings were demolished or changed to a considerable extent. New buildings have to meet more exacting requirements (25)

Response to wind

The frequency and strength of the winds and the early denudation of the city’s vegetation made Wellington a sometimes unpleasant place to live. To mitigate this, and to improve their property’s appearance, homeowners planted trees against the prevailing winds. In outlying areas, farmers planted shelter belts to protect their houses and animals (26)

07.03.

Tag 61 Tongariro - Pipiriki - Rotorua

Bei der Fahrt nach Tongariro haben wir über etwas Skurriles gelesen. Und es lässt sich in ausgesprochen gutes Tagesprogramm einbauen.

Nachdem es noch zwei Plätze gab, fahren wir zurück zum Ende der Whanganui River-road nach Pipiriki - für eine 35 Kilometer Jetboat-Fahrt flussaufwärts in den Nationalpark und einer kurzen Wanderung zur Bridge to Nowhere.

Die Flusslandschaft ist wunderschön; neben der einen oder anderen 360° Drehung mit dem Boot erzählt uns Thomas bei kleinen Stopps auch über das Leben am und mit dem Fluss, über die Tierwelt und eben besagte Brücke.

Anfang der 30er Jahre des 20. Jahrhunderts wollte die Regierung die großen Vulkane Mount Ruapeha/Raetihi und Mount Taranaki/Stratford mit einer Highway verbinden. Die Geschichten ist lang - am Ende wurde diese Straße, auf deren Überresten man heute wandert, nie fertiggestellt, die Bogenbrücke aus Beton ist, viele Kilometer von der nächsten Straße entfernt, stehengeblieben.

Am späteren Nachmittag geht es dann nach Rotorua. Noch einmal vorbei am Schicksalsberg, der heute ein Häubchen trägt.

Whanganui to Feilding

Friday, February 21st, 2020

I woke a little before 7am and started getting ready by deflating my air mattress and air pillow. I stuffed my sleeping comforter into the waterproof bag and rolled up the air mattress. I was camping close to a large river so my tent was pretty damp. I put everything in its appropriate location did all my morning business and then packed up my tent.

I rolled out of the campground at 8:25am. I planned on stopping at The Mud Duck Cafe to have breakfast. After a 15 minute ride next to the river I found the cafe. I had a great latte and scrambled eggs with bacon and toast. I started on my planned route at about 9:15am.

I rode across the river and a bridge and went down a long tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, I pushed a large green button to summon the elevator to pick me and my bike up. The elevator took me to the top of the hill where there is an observation tower you can climb to get great views of the city and the Tasman Sea. This is actually part of the route of the Tour Aotearoa.

After leaving the tower I headed toward Huntersville, 60km away. The ride was mostly up. The first part went fast because it was a gradual incline and I had a tailwind. After a nice descent, I started a long tough climb to Huntersville. The Kiwi and Brit caught up to me right before Huntersville.

I had lunch at this Cafe run by Indians that were very nice and made great food. I had 2 very stuffed pita pockets of veggies and lamb meatballs, a large bottle of Gatorade, and a delicious dessert. While I was there I reviewed the route I had planned to take and decided on a different route. This new route would save me an extra day of riding before getting to Wellington. My legs need a rest so this change made sense. I also noticed that I was not missing anything exciting going the standard route. I let the Kiwi and Brit know so that they would not be expecting me at the campsite.

I made a quick stop at a 4 square for 2 oranges and some more bars. I rolled across Highway `1 and headed down it for about 3km before turning off on Mt. Curl road. What an ominous name for a road when cycling. Turns out it was a well-disserved name after about 2km the road turned sharply up to a continuous climb for 2km at a 13% gradient. Once at the top the road went along the ridge with amazing views of the surrounding countryside.

I eventually dropped back down into the town of Marton. This town was named after the town Captain Cook was born in Britan. After zipping through Marton I then headed for Feilding, my final destination.

I arrived at about 6pm to Feilding Holiday Park. I rang the bell multiple time and waited a good 15 minutes before deciding to go look for someone in the camp and find a good spot. Turns out this place was a dump and full of locals living there in broken-down caravans. There were kids running all over the place and music blaring. I quickly called a B & B I saw a few blocks away and got a room.

The Horsepower B & B is excellent and super clean with a ton of food included with the night stay. It was great to have a warm shower and a large clean towel. This is the first full-size towel I've used in a couple of weeks.

After showering and eating cereal, toast with jam and other stuff I relaxed. I think I'm going to ride to Eketahuna about 90km away.