The Journey Home and Beyond - August 3rd

Our Iwi

Kia Ora! Having been immersed in Kiwi and Maori culture for the past five weeks will make the journey back to American culture another adventure.  Our students will take with them lasting memories of the challenges and opportunities of what not only New Zealand faces, but what the rest of the world faces as well.  Preserving biological diversity, conserving resources, and maintaining a balance between natural and human built environments are key to a sustainable future.  And, it will take all of us with our diverse backgrounds to come together in many different ways to help make lasting change for a bright future.

Dear students, we hope that what you have experienced with us in New Zealand will help shape the decisions you make for our future in exciting and positive ways.  We thank you for giving of yourselves openly with your hearts and minds so that our time together could be such a special learning opportunity for us all.  We have really enjoyed being with all of you, touring the wop-wops, and sharing a daily cuppa. Sweet As!

From the land of the long white cloud, safe and happy travels!  See you in the land of the flowers (La Florida).  With a Hongi and hug to each of you, m&m

Life among the animals, giving poi a go, and a hangi - August 2nd

Tuatara, a living fossil!

Thursday afternoon we experienced Willowbank Reserve.  Willowbank cares for New Zealand wildlife that occurs both naturally in the country as well as species that are part of the country's history (i.e., species that were introduced by colonists over time).  Some of these species are domestic such as chickens and horses, others have become pest species such as wallabies and possums.  The park seeks to educate residents and visitors as to the heritage and challenges New Zealand's animal species bring to the table.  Our tour also included native New Zealand species where we saw our first Tuatara, Kiwi, Takahe, and Morepork. We also got to size up the extinct animals of New Zealand that roamed this wondrous place not too long ago.

An additional tour was to experience Ko Tane - a Maori cultural performance.  I got to be our chief and made sure to let the Maori Village know that we came in peace by accepting their offering and performing a proper Hongi. 

Girls learning a Poi dance

We all had a wonderful time, and our gals got to give Poi a go, and our guys got to give the haka a go as part of the show (they felt well prepared after our private lessons at the Takahenge Marae - thanks Bret).

Following our tours we had a traditional Hangi dinner and had a chance to thank Colin, Tupelo, Jámm and Meryl for their assistance with the course, and of course, the students for their enthusiasm and sense of adventure for making the course a success! 
Cheers, Mark

A Koha of Native Trees, A Mess of Paint, and Singing the Night Away - August 1st

Planting natives along the Avon River

Today was certainly an eclectic mix of activities.  We started out bright and early with a planting of natives along the Avon River just north of Hagley Park in Christchurch as a Koha (thank you gift) to Colin for his time and help with the course.

Getting on the gear for paintball

After lunch, it was the students' choice to take in an afternoon of paintball.

Singing the night away at the Famous Grouse

After dinner, we went to the Famous Grouse for Karaoke night where we cheered on our willing participants.

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

Water Issues and Journals - July 31st

We spent the morning out at Waihora (Lake Ellesmere), New Zealand's fifth largest lake, learning about water issues and the Maori.  Very timely as water rights and the question of "does someone own the water" is very much in the news here right now.  During our morning tea break, we worked on our journals.  Another rainy afternoon was set aside as free time for working on journals. Cheers, Mark

From cheeky Kea to a castle on a hill and the Simpsons? - July 29th

Kea on the Gatorwaka's rearview mirror, Arthur's Pass

Devil's Punchbowl Falls, Arthur's Pass

After becoming regulars at Maggies in Greymouth, we headed back toward Lincoln across Arthur’s Pass.  We stopped in Arthur’s Pass proper and enjoyed up close and personal time with the Kea, alpine parrots, before taking in a hike to Devil’s Punchbowl Falls.  

Castle Hill, Arthur's Pass

After we had lunch and drove on to Castle Hill, a spot popular with rock climbers  for its beautiful limestone formations.  The pass was clear and only the peaks of the mountains had snow. While we are not complaining about the warmer winter, we are sure the skiiers are not thinking this, but we were happy for yet another spectacular day! 

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

Doh!  We pass through a town called Springfield on the
way back to Lincoln.  Home of the Simpsons?

Morning above the clouds - July 27th

Sunrise above the clouds

Breaky at Ces Clark Hut

Group shot at hut before heading out

We woke up to a beautiful sunrise above clouds that filled the valley below us and poured over some of the adjacent mountains. We eased into the morning and set off again for our trip down. A group of us headed back down the way we came, and another headed on toward Barrytown, a slightly longer and more difficult 9.15 mile hike  across the mountain top and then down to the Tasman Sea. Along the longer hike, we saw spectacular views to the Tasman Sea, views of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, weta, weka, wild goats, and we came within 50 feet of a calling kiwi!

We were all excited to check into a comfortable hotel that night and enjoy a good meal out.  

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

Uphill, both ways, 5.5 hours - July 26th

Views to the south and north of the Tasman Sea

Chasing the good weather to the West Coast paid off.  We had to stage a car at the end of the Croesus Track in Barrytown on the coast and then travel all together around to the other side of the mountain in Blackball to start our overnight journey.  Along the way to Barrytown we enjoyed a brilliant morning with the sun glistining off the Tasman Sea and spectacular views of the coastline.

Swing Bridge

Ces Clark Hut just within reach

Our 8.3 mile hike up to the Cess Clark Hut took us across three swing bridges, along a beautiful clear river and eventually, at the top, out of the dense rainforest to tussock and spectacular views of the valley and south toward the Southern Alps.  Along the way we saw the New Zealand Robin, heard a Tui, and as the day wore on we heard what we were after - a Kiwi!

We got settled in at the hut, saw a Weka, and enjoyed our freeze dried dinners.  Some of us ventured out for an evening hike to hear more Kiwi. 

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

This is for the birds - July 25th

Hiking up the Kaikoura Peninsula to the Hutton's Shearwater Project area

In order to chase good weather for our big hike on the West Coast, we shortened our stay in Kaikoura, but not before taking in the views from the Kaikoura Peninsula and learning about the Hutton’s Shearwater conservation project. The only place in the world the Hutton’s Shearwater breeds is in the mountains above Kaikoura.  This one remaining colony is threatened by the presence of rats.  The Department of Conservation along with other researchers and the community decided to translocate some of the Huttons Sheerwater into a predator-proof fenced area on the peninsula.  They removed chicks from the mountain colony and raised them within the predator proof fence with the hopes that those raised in this new safe location will return as adults to the predator proof area to raise their own chicks.  The translocation has been a success as three years out several adults have returned and they hope in the very near future chicks will be raised there.

Checking out the "Elfin Forest" on the St. James Walkway in Lewis Pass

We then made our way down and across Lewis Pass toward Greymouth on the West Coast.  Along the way we walked a short hike on the St. James Walkway through an “elfin forest” and stopped in Reefton, first city in  New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere with electricity, for our afternoon tea time.  

Making lunch and gathering breaky supplies for the Croesus Track hike

After dinner in Greymouth, we readied all our supplies for our big hike on the Croesus Track.  

Cheers, Mark and Meryl