Auckland Adventures

 "It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." ~ Edmund Hillary, Kiwi mountaineer who was the first to reach the summit of Mt. Everest

Last time we were in Auckland back in 2018, it was a very drippy day. Today, the sky is brilliant blue, and the temps are in the low 70's. Really kinda perfect! But we still venture out with my O2 concentrator on my back and the rest of our gear in DH's backpack, which holds an extra battery for me, my yellow umbrella for rain or shine, water, and, in an abundance of caution, a rain poncho. One thing we can't bring is anything to eat. NZ has strict bio-protective laws designed to keep unwanted pests from this beautiful country.

We're off on the included excursions from Viking. It's pretty much a bus tour with a couple of photo stops and a visit to the War Memorial Museum. Our friends Kristy and Dave saw this museum back in 2018 and raved about it, so we're looking forward to the exhibits.

The human eye really responds to symmetry, doesn't it? This lovely garden commemorated the first Labour Prime Minister, Michael Joseph Savage. From what I can gather, he led the country in establishing a social security system and our driver told us he thanked Savage for the 40 hour work week. 

The museum is very well curated, all the artefacts displayed to tell the story of the seafaring Maori people. This outrigger canoe speaks to me of a clever engineering solution to the bounding waves. I wonder how long it took for someone to figure out that short of a double hull, this extra running keel off to the side would provide stability. The Maori's were resourceful and creative. This sort of thing proves to me that people are people. We don't really change. Only our technology does.

This beautifully ornamented war canoe was carved from a single tree trunk. It's 82 feet long. That's longer than my house. I cannot imagine how long it took for them to fell the tree, cut it in two lengthwise and hollow out the trunk without the benefit of metal tools. Be sure to check the DH's photo montage for more detailed pics of this vessel.

One of the places we were not allowed to photograph was the marae that had been re-assembled inside the museum. A marae is a sacred space and is specifically designed to honor the ancestors of the village. The intricate carving is reminiscent of totem poles with one figure atop another. The eyes, like those on the canoe above, are made from abalone shells and certainly give those in the marae a sense of being watched. I couldn't help but think of the beginning of Hebrews chapter 12--"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses..."

The SkyTower behind this handsome fellow is the tallest building in southern hemisphere. There is an option of being able to bungee jump from the tower, but "tis an honor I dream not of."  

We really love New Zealand and consensus from so many on board the Sky is if we didn't live in the US, this is a place where we could feel at home. There certainly seems to be plenty of space. 90% of the world's population lives north of the equator. 

So this is how the other 10% lives...