Camp Champions Blog

After the Tongariro Trek, we decided to move on.

Flexi-bull Travel

When we were here 3 years ago, we learned late in our trip the wonderful flexibility of campervans.  Last time we visited here, we read that December and January (summer here in the Southern hemisphere) were extremely busy and that camping families should make reservations at camper parks.  Also, it frankly never occurred to us that we could simply park almost anywhere and make that place home.  Kiwis are fantastically supportive of nature lovers and provide access to almost all public property (about 1/3rd of the country).

There are some limitations with camping in the wild (or at least, not in a camper park).  You cannot add water to the tanks or dispose of waste.  You also do not have electricity except what is in a large battery, so the microwave and TV are not available.  Also, the parks have good showers and large kitchens.  You CAN cook inside this thing, but it is hard, especially if you get a lot of “help” from loving children that roam all around.

For comfort the parks are nice, but they do not take advantage of the freedom provided by the campervan.

After spending our first 3 nights in camper van parks, we decided to wing it after our hike.  We would divide our drive to Wellington (5+ hours) over two days and also provide a little fun. We had no plan.  No location or time limit.

Irrisista-Bull Beauty

We ended up driving for over 4 hours with several stops along the way.  We saw lovely landscapes

So tough to look at

flowers

This is on a driveway to a small house

sheep

10 for every New Zealander!

and a majestic waterfall.

Off the side of the road

In short, another day in New Zealand. We did not even have a target city in mind.  We learned that the beautiful spots near cities are either for-fee camper parks or restricted from camping.  Here is one scenic park that was not available to us, but still was fun to see.

This felt like a scene from a movie ("Pastoral scene? check. Flowers in foreground - check. OK - cue the rowers")

We would need to find a place in the country.  Susie saw a river on the map with a road on either side.  That was all the clues we had, so we drove.

We drove to Bulls.  That is the name of the village.  A sign on the way in declared “Bulls, a Town Like No Udder”.  This sign foreshadowed a swarm of puns.

• The sheriff is the Consta-Bull
• The Civic Center is Social-Bull
• The school promises it is Knowledge-a-Bull
• The gravel company promises the rocks are Crush-a-Bull

I am surprised that we did not see a sign saying “To Err is Human. To Graze, Bovine”

We drove about for a while looking for a good spot.  Our first foray into the side-roads was unsuccessful.  We found many corn fields.  We also came upon a military airfield.  We thought this quaint.  New Zealand is not known for its military prowess.  The fact that an airfield sat in the middle of 8 corn fields struck us as amusing.

Our derision would soon be answered [note – foreshadowing].

Wonderfully Habit-a-Bull

Coming back into town, we found a sign that promised “River Access”.  We found it and drove for about a mile over a sandy, pot-holed, one-laned road.  I sensed a great deal of doubt from the troops.

Have you ever been looking for the right restaurant with people that are 1) more hungry and 2) less picky than you are.  This can create a tension as you are striving to find the “right” place while they are voting for the “right now” place.

This was what was happening as I drove this road.

Happily, I was saved as the road opened onto a flat, sandy shoreline next to the river.

This would be our home tonight.  It was more than accepti-Bull.

Susie and the van

Truly Ador-a-Bull

When we arrived at the river, a retired British Air Force man was out playing with his two dogs, Oakley (the young, huge guy) and Willow (the 6 year-old smaller gal).  Once again, the Fenway-lovers went crazy playing with these dogs.

Terrill with Willow as Virginia looks for a saddle for Oakley

He explained that there are only 3 military airfields in all of NZ and they are mostly for helicopters.  Given the wide-variation of topography and the historically low level of conflict, the Air Force has become as much about Search and Rescue as attck techniques.  [Note: more foreshadowing.]

We cooked our meal, played in the river

The boys after skipping stones

and went to bed.

Sunset from our temporary home.

2:00 AM.  Time for river maneuvers.  Yep, our cute Kiwi Air Force suddenly spent an hour running test sorties up and down the river.

Not so cute now.  Susie declared it almost intolera-Bull.

The maneuvers ended and we got a decent night’s sleep once the Apocalypse Now moment was over.

Washa-Bull

In the morning, we woke and three of us decided to shampoo in the river.  This felt a lot like camp, like home.  This was very comforta-Bull for us.

[Note on child congeniality (without cow puns).  For reasons I cannot fully explain, our children generally get along better in a 180 square foot campervan than a 3000 square foot home.  This defies all logic.  You would think that forced proximity would result in frequent conflict while separation would be the ally of peace.

Not so.  They play cards, listen to music and look out the window as we drive.  When parked, they do their chores (sweep floor, do dishes, prepare dinner, setup or breakdown bedding, etc) with minimal turmoil.  They even play well outside together.  But I have no doubt that when we return, we will have a barrage of senseless spats.  I feel sure there is a lesson on human behavior here that simply misses me.  Perhaps it speaks to the mind adapting to situations that it cannot effect.  In the same way that you can tolerate a 4 hour layover in an airport, but not a 3-second delay at a stoplight.  In the latter case, a horn might wake the person ahead of you (or, at the least, you can “think” them to see the green light), but nothing can make the plane leave sooner.  Perhaps they have no expectation of personal space, so there is no need to defend it.  At home, small concessions can become permanent ones (“this is my place on the couch – I have done my homework here everyday for a week”) so territory is ceded reluctantly.

In any event, it is a mystery that I hope to develop more insight into.

I should add that this proximity-enabled peace does evaporate at a predictable moment: whenever we are within 15-25 minutes of our destination.  You know, the destination that is not clearly marked on the map that requires clear and patient communication between driver (me) and navigator (Susie).  At these moments, our well-behaved brood suddenly channels their inner Middle East and the conflicts erupt.  Where our children sat, suddenly Isreal, Syria, Iran and the Palestinians appear.

I like to think that they are helping build our character.  Having decided that driving a tall and wide campervan on the wrong side of (very narrow and wholly ill-marked) roads, they want to challenge us with some bonus cacophony.

Much appreciated guys!

Steve Sir

The Tongariro Crossing is the “best one day walk in all of New Zealand”.

That is a big deal in a country that has over 2 dozen famous walks (or “tramps” as they call them).

It is long at 12 miles.

19.3 kilometers is 12 miles. Yikes!

It is not easy, with several serious ascents and a long descent.  [Note, the locals told us it was 'pretty flat'.  I seriously wonder what they would call strenuous.  It was not quite as tough as the hardest day in Nepal, but it was about as "pretty flat" as I am "ridiculously tall".]

It has stunning beauty and passes through at least 4 different ecosystems.

Short grasses and mosses.

Like walking on the moon

Snowlike lichen that adorned many of the hillsides

This is a forrest - 2 minutes before, it was Little House on the Prairie

Funky trees that I only seem to see here

It was 40 degrees and windy at times and hot and still at others.  The clouds participated in a dance with the mountains and volcanoes throughout the day, leaving us almost blind one moment and fully aware at others.

Wiley in his lion hat pointing at something that he surely cannot see

We saw beautiful mountains

Craggy walls stared at us from the side.

and stunning lakes.

One of the "Emerald Lakes"

This, my friends, is not ugly.

We have had other strenuous endeavors (the Great Wall and Nepal), but this hike had one notable difference: the pace of our fellow trampers.  In China and Nepal, we passed people and were never passed ourselves.  In the world of fit Kiwis, we found a few folks that outpaced us.

We hike and gawked and admired for 7 lovely hours.  We arrived 30 minutes early for our bus.  Our instruction sheet had one message emphasized in bold print – “DO NOT FALL ASLEEP IN THE GRASS”.  Throughout this trip, we have noticed signs that have implied messages behind them.  For example, I can picture several scenarios that led to this sign:

But I wash them in the sink at home . . .

Once we sat down in the warm sun after the long hike, we understood exactly the nature of the warning.  We made sure at least one of us stayed walking while we awaited the bus.

Oh yeah, and we are pretty darn sore right now.

Steve Sir

We have seen several fun sites already, so this blog is a series of short snippets to share them.

Worst. Nickname. Ever.

When we were here 3 years ago, we arrived in the town of Rotorua late one afternoon. Rotorua is nicknamed “Rotovegas”.  To my mind, this is perhaps the most silly nickname I have heard.  It would be like me playing basketball against eskimos who did not know the game at all.  Despite my mediocre skills, I would dominate.  But would you call me LeBron?  Rotorua is about as close to Vegas as Susie is to a professional weightlifter.

I am guessing that they gave it this nickname because people come here on vacation from Auckland and other cities on the North Island.  They have spas, some entertainment, geothermal parks, a large lake and fun restaurants and bars.  That is it.  No gambling or strip joints or insta-weddings of fake Elvises.  They do not even have neon.

Rotovegas?  The stores close at 4PM (maybe 5).

OK, maybe they have one legitimate claim to the title.  While we were walking the “city”, we heard a group of guys yelling in the distance.  As we approached, we could tell that they had enjoyed a beer or 15.  It was only when we got across the street (thank all that is holy that we were across the street), that we realized that this was a bachelor party run amock.  Here is a picture of what I can only assume is the groom.

Oh yeah, this is a good idea!

If you do not want to look closely at the picture (and I recommend that you do not do so), I will tell you that he is shackled to the street sign.  He also is sporting lots of scratches.

The guys were not rude, but welcoming.  They happily yelled at Susie and Terrill, inviting them to join in the fun.

We passed.

Handstand

When we arrived here 3 years ago, we came to the museum of Rotorua which stands majestically in front of several bowling lawns and croquet fields.  Terrill and Wiley went to the grass as did handstands, forming lovely long shadows.

Our return to the lawn this year was a little earlier in the day, but they attempted to recreate the shot here.

We needed a few takes for this one

Standing Guard on the Guard

Also at Rotorua, we came upon a statue of a local Major that stands guard of the gardens.  Serving as a sentinel can be hard work, so we are glad he had help from a feathered friend.

One looks north, the other south

Learning about the Maori

Throughout the central part of the North Island (Rotorua and Taupo), there is a high concentration of Maoris, the native people of New Zealand (Aotearoa in their tongue).  It is odd to call them “native” because all humans are late arrivals to these islands.  The Maoris probably came from Polynesia around 800 AD. They continue to practice their traditional culture while also integrating well into the society.  In fact, this country has one of the most successful assimilation of natives and Europeans in the world.  Signs are in English and Maori.  Heck, they even added a verse in Maori to the national anthem.  There were some tensions at time, but they seem to have bridge most of them.

Here is a Maori carving.[Photo coming]  I wish I could upload a video of the haka, but alas, you might just have to Google it.

The Holy Church of Rugby

We think that the key to healing between the Maori and the European descendants has been rugby.  The team is a mélange of Maori and European-descended players.  They also have a tradition that has made their national team – the All-Blacks – famous for more than just their great play.  [Note: rugby is religion here.  Despite the smaller size of this country, it consistently has the best rugby in the world.  The All-Blacks are famous for being the best, but choking in the World Cup.  They have lost 5 times despite being the favorite since their last win in 1987.  Their victory in the 2011 World Cup was the greatest gift the nation could have had.  I am not kidding about this.  I watched the coverage and saw people of every age, race and gender openly weeping.]

The All-Blacks are known for one additional tradition – the haka.  The haka is a Maori war dance that involves chanting, powerful gesticulations, pounding of chests, sticking out of tongues (“I eat my enemy”) and general intimidation.   It is a site worth seeing.  Anyone playing the All-Blacks spends at least a few hours discussing what they will do as the All-Blacks perform their haka at mid-field before the game.

Gardens, Gardens Everywhere

I am not a gardener or an expert in flowers.  Even so, you cannot walk or drive around this country without being struck by the beauty of their gardens and wildflowers.  Apparently, the mild weather and fantastic soil makes this the greatest place on earth to grow things.

In less than a century, Redwood trees grow here to heights that would take California 2-3 times as long.

We regularly see show-worthy hydrangea growing untended along the road.

On occasion, I will share some shots.  Just deal with it.

A Photo for Our Campers

Each summer, Susie invites every girl’s cabin and I invite every boy’s cabin to our home.   Susie calls hers “Friendship Games”.  They eat snacks, drink sodas and chitchat.  We guys are too macho for that.  We guys have munchies, enjoy beverages and talk.  Oh yeah, and we call it Man Cave.

With that in mind, I was delighted to see this sign.

I love this shot

Steve Sir

If this trip is a massive banquet, we have arrived at the dessert.

China, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam were each fascinating it their own right, but they were also somewhat tricky.  We dealt with unfamiliar tongues, tricky traditions, foreign foods, and pulsing populaces.  Do not get me wrong, we loved every place that we went, but they could be draining.

New Zealand is different.

Of course, when we came here 3 years ago, it felt foreign.  I drove a campervan (for the first time ever) with a standard transmission on the wrong side of the road.  We learned how to live out of a camper.  We went to unfamiliar places.  It seemed exotic.

After watching cremations in Kathmandu, avoiding cycles in Saigon, eating kangaroo in Cambodia and hiking high in the Himalayas, New Zealand seems tame.  Add the fact that we are familiar with much of the country, we know how to camp and the van is an automatic and this seems more like coming home than traveling.

If it is so familiar, why did we return?

Simply put, we adore this place.  The people are friendly to a fault, the scenery is spectacular and the weather mild.

Lake Taupo - We will have MANY more beauty shots

It is perhaps the least crowded place I have been.  There are 4 millions people in the entire country, three million of which live on the North Island (Auckland and Wellington).

Let’s put this into perspective.

There are more people in Houston than New Zealand.

Shanghai has 5 times (!) more people.

Saigon has enough scooters so that every Kiwi (affectionate term for New Zealander) could have one and a half.

The most major highways are generally one lane each direction with an occasional passing lane.

I suspect the lack of population density is one of the reasons people are so delightful here.  They have not yet tired of tourists and they appreciate the variety of company.

Susie and I first decided to visit here after seeing the “Fellowship of the Ring” movie and being struck by the beauty of the scenery, all of which is in New Zealand.     I like to say that this country has all the beauty of Europe crammed into a space the size of Florida.  The South Island itself has the following within 200 miles of each other:

• Glaciers
• Mountains like the alps
• Rain forests
• Fjords like Norway
• Deserts
• Forests
• Beaches
• Majestic cliffs
• Deep ravines
• Geothermal pools
• Spring fed mountain lakes

The wildlife is also intriguing.  They have a wide assortment of flightless birds, the kiwi being the most famous.

The intriguing Papuka

We have seen hawks, black swans and albatrosses.  [Note: Albatross mate every other year and mate for life.  They, however, do not hunt or travel together during the 700+ days they fly literally around the world.  Yet mated couples will arrive within 48 hours of each other when they return.  That is almost incomprehensible to me, but still very cool.]   We have swan with seals and dolphins.  We stood within 2 feet of seals and penguins – they, like all the other kiwis, are just glad for the company.

If I sound like a paid spokesman for the NZ Chamber of Commerce, I apologize.  I struggle to find much wrong with this location.

Among the family, we have been talking about what locations we like the most.  To my delight, the basic view is that every country that we visit is our favorite.

• China’s history is unequalled with the Great Wall, Forbidden City and terracotta warriors.
• The mountains of Nepal literally made us speechless on occasion.  [Note: if you spend any time with this family, you will know that speechless simply does not happen.]
• Thailand won us with its beaches and exotic animal encounters with tigers and elephants.
• The temples and people of Luang Prabang (along with spending time with friends of Susie) made Laos magic.
• Cambodia’s ruins have no equal in the world and ignited our inner Indiana Jones.
• Staying with families in Vietnam suggested to us that people are basically friendly and hospitable.  It also provided great teaching opportunities for our children.
• Now New Zealand is , well, New Zealand.

Every place is our favorite for different reasons.  I guess that perhaps New Zealand is the favoritest.

BTW, New Zealand has one additional bonus for the kids: dogs.  Throughout Asia, we forbid the kids from touching any dogs because of a real and scary threat of rabies.  We read a report that said that one in 10 dogs in Thailand had rabies.  Since rabies is fatal if fully contracted, the upside of “doggy wagging its tail” does not outweigh “not seeing the next birthday”.

New Zealand has no rabies.  This has set dog-crazy (and Fenway-missing) children into a bout of blissful pet-petting.

Steve Sir

My final blog on Vietnam will be on a quirky and intriguing religion unique to their country: Cao Dai.

I will be honest – this feels like an anticlimactic conclusion to such an intriguing country,  But I have some interesting pictures and I have failed to share this with you.

Oh, yeah, it is also really pretty odd.

I see Cao Dai as Vietnam’s answer to Scientology.  This odd religion was formed by a man (Ngo Van Chieu) in 1926 in the southern part of Vietnam.

You might think that a country of less than 20 million people could get by with Confuciusism, Animism, Daoism, Christianity,Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism.

You would lack that Ngo Van Chieu’s vision.

Like L Ron Hubbard, Ngo wanted to create a new religion.  When he started the religion, he worried that the French would stop the spread of Cao Dai, so they called the center church a “rubber farm” and held services in a temple secreted among rubber trees.

In fact, some people suggest that Ngo created a religion designed to refute the French colonialists, as if to say ‘we can have our own religion without you’.  I tend to think this is an extreme way to make a point and that Ngo must have had some greater motivation to start the religion than rebellion, but who can tell?

Each of the three major Asian religions are represented by different colors.  Yellow is Buddhism, Blue is Daoism and Red is Confusciusism.

The Cao Dai flag - that is the Buddha eye

You will note that no western religions are officially represented. But that is deceptive.  Their services (4 times a day) resemble a mass. Their leaders wear miters.  They say the God has connected with man 3 times in history: once with Moses, once with Jesus and once with an odd trio (see below for the details).  In any event, they really seem to borrow from ALL major religious belief systems.

Here are a few highlights of the beliefs.

• The central altar features a 10 foot model of an eye that they pray to.  It is the “Eye of the World” – here it is.
  

  I see you!

• Behind the altar, there is a statue with four faces: Buddha, Jesus, Moses and Lao Tse.  I have nothing to add here.  This is odd.
  

  Sorry this is blurry, but I had to share this

• They have three patron saints.  I love this.  The first is Vietnamese.  The second is Chinese.  The final name of the holy trio?  You might guess a daoist monk or an Indian yogi.  You might get a little creative and name a king.  Not Ngo.  He went off-the-board and pulled a truly creative name.  His final saint is Victor Hugo.
  

  That is Victor in the middle. Do you think he knew he was a saint?

Yes, Victor Hugo is one if the 3 major saints.  Minor saints include Thomas Jefferson, Joan of Arc and Winston Churchill.  Quick, think of any other list that includes all three of these names!

Despite the oddness of it, the people at the mass seemed deeply moved and solemn.

The congregation chanting and praying during the mass

I conclude with one shot of the kids.

Enjoying the temple

Steve Sir