NZ visit extended

[miriam_e]

I've extended my visit to the 15th of January.

I have internet access over here now, but I don't check the net very much while over here though so if you send me a communiqué please be patient with me. It could take me a few days to respond.

Hope you all have a great 2006.

When I return to Australia I expect to be posting lots of pictures of my travels over here. New Zealand is incredibly beautiful.

I must admit I've felt a little depressed sometimes at how much of this place is ruined though. There are vast areas where no trees are standing, steep hillsides with no cover and the land eroding away. No birds. No birds! Birds were the dominant lifeform in this country before the arrival of humans. First the Maori then the whites have extinguished almost all the birdlife. At least the whites acknowledge their shame, but the Maori seem to be attempting to rewrite history and say they were/are not responsible for their part. How depressing. I don't care whether we are white, black, yellow, or red. Wherever we go we are death to all. We need to understand this so that we can change. Denying it just perpetuates the horror.

Went to see a tiny bit of the South Island yesterday. Quite different from the North Island. It gives me warm feelings of familiarity because it reminds me so much of the Hawkesbury area I grew up in. I would give almost anything to live there.

Comments

[miriam-e.livejournal.com]

It truly is gorgeous down there. Though all of NZ is beautiful... even the damaged parts. It is such a contrast to flat, dry, grey, hot Australia. And the idea of walking in the bush without having to keep an eye out for poisonous snakes is a definite plus. :) (Though I do like snakes... just not so keen on some of the more dangerous ones. And Australia has more poisonous creatures than anywhere else in the world.)

A few years ago I spent a bit of time in Auckland and Piha (my ex- owned a house there).

I doubt I will make it up there this visit, though I hope to in future visits.