Friday, March 22 - More on the East Coast

Much of the agricultural areas of NZ have these tall, manicured hedges that
dwarf anything we've ever seen.  Some are 30 feet high and can be made up
of any kind of plant, including pine and oak trees that are trimmed as nearly
impenetrable fences. 

They are kept quite narrow, and with the 12 month
growing season of most of New Zealand stay green
and healthy.

These hedges protected kiwifruit.  But all kinds of crops can found
behind these living walls.

A view from the road of some fields enclosed by the tall hedges.

We walked through a small woods where this giant tree once hid the bones
of important tribal leaders.  

This is a fantail, one of the cutest little native birds in NZ.  They will fly
right up to your feet.  I think they're looking for bugs scared up by your
shoes, but they sure aren't afraid of people.  However, they're extremely twitchy.

We saw this little guy catch a moth on the wing

Cute, eh?

About 20 miles off shore is White Island, an
active volcano that is part of the whole line of
volcanoes that stretch across the North Island.

Slightly tacky carving celebrating the union
of European and Maori culture in NZ

For $360 we could have taken a boat out to take
a closer look at the island.  This seemed near
enough.

Just one more incredible New Zealand beach

We had lunch at this little joint

Oyster and mussel fritters.  Dan would have loved it.

This waka, or war canoe, sits near the harbor at Whatanake.

Whale rider

Sacred cave near the harbor

Another marae along the road