Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula and on to Fiji

Rangitoto Island, is a volcanic island created 600 years ago and is situated a 25 minute ferry ride from New Zealand's largest city, Auckland.

The 11k tramp around the island included the hike to the top of the volcano. The coastal path section of the tramp was by far the most interesting with some unusual alpine flora normally only found at alpine heights, also the photo's clearly show the piles of volcanic outpourings of 600 years previously. The weather for the previous 2 days had been very wet and cold but the day at Rangitoto was under brilliant blue skies and a warm sun. After having rung the bells at the cathedral on their practice night, where I was made to feel very welcome and spent a happy hour in the local pub with the ringers.

With only 5 days left in NZ I hired a car for 3 days and drove to the Coramandel Peninsula for a last opportunity to hike in the very beautiful countryside and practice my driving skills on narrow, twisting, unpaved roads. I found a 3 hour long tramping track on the Pacific side of the peninsula, again on a beatiful day, and did not see another person other than the camp site warden. Staying for 2 nights in a YHA which was more of a motel than hostel and very quiet given the time of year. The last night was back in Auckland, in a motel where I could pack in peace and also enjoy a swim in their outdoor lap pool.

The journey to Fiji was uneventful other than some turbulence in the middle of the 3 hour flight, though the food was poor, and I was convinced that we were suffering from Air New Zealand cutting their running costs! Arriving at Nadi on the main island was very reminiscent of conditions in Nepal though as I found out over the next week or so Fiji did have a reasonable infrastructure in place, unlike Nepal. For 2 nights I stayed in Nadi at a homestay run by Dee, a lovely Fijian lady, who then booked me to stay with her son and daughter in Suva. I was immediately made welcome, particularly when I made enquiries about the local anglican church which I attended the next day. It was very obvious that the Fijians were avid church goers, to all different denominations of Christian churches. Most of Sunday afternoon was spent in Dee's lounge being regaled with the loudspeakers blaring out across the road at the Church of God!

Travelling to Suva by bus (the main form of transport here) was on unpaved roads at times but arrived their safely to be met by Dee's 21 year old daughter, Emily and taken to her home in the suburbs of Suva, by public transport, bus. I visited the nursing registration department at the Ministry of Health and as half expected paid my 10$ dues but had to wait for the director to return from holiday to sign the authorisation for me to practice nursing in Fiji. All rather frustrating as I'd originally emailled her three and a half weeks previously.....

A journey back towards Nadi to the town of Laukota enabled me to meet the medical director of the Western Divisional Health district who at the time of our meeting (day 6 of my 30 days in Fiji) was in panic mode dealing with the latest cases of H1N1 virus so he quickly passed me on to the district senior. Sister Marisia was delighted to have me work in the district and quickly arranged for me to work with a nurse practitioner, Tiana, on one (or more) of the remote islands for the remaining two and a half weeks. The plan was for me to travel back to Lautoka on the 17th July and work with the senior nurse on some nursing protocols used by my ex-team in London.

I joined Tiana at one of her clinics on the outskirts of Lautoka where we had a most interesting time dealing with the sick patients of all ages, one of whom was quite challenging in their behaviour.

The 4 days in Lautoka were spent in relaxing at the quite luxurious (for me) hotel with a room next to the pool, finishing final arrangement details for nursing. The Fiji v Samoa rugby match for the South Pacific Cup was on only 300 yards from the hotel, so for the princely sum of one pound ten pence(!) I watched from the sidelines. Everyone was very friendly and easily answered my queries re the match , a great occasion and atmosphere.

Tomorrow, the 30th June I travel, by boat to Votuele(?) and stay at the island health facility.
Photo 1. Bellringers at the cathedral, Auckland.
Photo 2, 3, 4. Rangitoto Island.
Photo 5. The view whilst at the summit of the tramp, showing Kennedy Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Photo 6. The beginning of the final tramp on the peninsula.

Lake Waikeramoana Tramp and afterwards

The roundabout journey to the lake was worthwhile and the New Zealanders description of the place as one of the countries best kept secrets well founded.There were only 2 people staying at the DOC owned and leased lake motor camp, so very quiet, as was the walk itself. The whole tramp of 50km over four and a half days, involved staying in 4 huts around the lake. The toughest part of the hike was climbing the Panekiri Bluff, a climb of 600 metres, a steep ascent characterised by muddy degraded pathways which were snow covered at the higher altitudes, and needless to say the cold northerly wind added to the chill factor. The Panekiri hut itself was situated next to the trig point (at an altitude of 1185 metres) and given the clear, cold weather the sunset was quite spectacular. This hut was the only one of the four where I shared the minimal facilities with any other trampers. Given the drop in temperature at nightfall we all slept by the gas fire and were thus able to keep relatively warm. The solution to dealing with the early morning cold on this tramp was to start moving asap and would quickly warm up to be able to negotiate the mainly wet and slippery paths of the next few days. The whole tramp was very similar to the Abel Tasmin Walk, the difference being the views were of a lake as opposed to the open waters of the Tasmin Bay. The forest walking was broken by sudden amazing views of this beautiful lake with its small sandy bays and inlets. Sadly, unlike the Abel Tasmin experience it was too cold to swim in the lake but there was an abundance of wildfowl to be viewed, including paradise ducks and black swans with their families of cygnets, surprisingly the cygnets were the same colour as white swan cygnets. Despite the lateness of my shuttle back to Waoroa I was able to complete all the cleaning of kit at the motel I stayed at in the town, in plenty of time to catch the bus to Rotorua the next morning. Peter, the motel owner very obligingly threw all my luggage into the back of his pick-up truck and took me to the travel centre in the town centre.
Rotorua was an attractive town located by Lake Rotorua, in a very active area of volcanic thermal springs, where the smell of sulphur was very pervasive. I stayed 2 nights in the town, the main intention being to visit the most popular of the local hot pools. Here I had the most relaxing massage you could wish for, spending the remainder of the day in the hot pools and then finally the larger pool, suitable for swimming.
After Roturua, Hamilton, was not the most attractive town to stay 3 nights at the YHA. Due to a miscalculation on my part I had great difficulty booking a bed as it was the week of the NZ equivalent of the county show in the UK, here given the label 'Fieldays' . The weather was atrociously wet so apparently the whole experience was the usual mudbath to definately be avoided in those conditions. I was able to ring the bells at the cathedral and attend my first Maori church service afterwards. It was a well attended service with an even mixture of Europeans and Maoris, very reassuring to think the anglican church can get something right for once.
As ever I located the local swimming pool and completed a further training session and was able to use the pool the half price of 2$ for a senior citizen swim! The pool was empty and not nearly as well used as the New Plymouth equivalent, particularly at the weekend.
I discovered the local museum was hosting the international Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition, an interactive exhibition of his many inventions, including a model of his helicopter design. The guided tour was excellent, and included people of all ages, and was presented by Leonardo's 'senior apprentice' who had everyone completely rivetted for the whole hour of his presentation. Again I was able to buy my ticket at the senior rate of half price.
My time in NZ was sadly nearly over and I made the penultimate journey to Auckland on the 15th June, though the final place visited will be to Ahip Ara and 90 mile beach, for 24 hours, before flying to Fiji from Auckland on the 20th June.

Photo 1. The cabin stayed in the night before the tramp, at the Lake Waikeramoana Motor Camp.
Photo 2. The view of the Panekiri Bluff from above the motor camp.
Photo 3. Lake Waikeramoana from the near the DOC Visitor Centre.
Photo 4. The forest at the outset of the tramp, before the climb to the bluff. NB no snow at this altitude (560metres).
Photo 5. The lake from a viewpoint near the top of the bluff.
Photo 6. The lake viewed from a point near the first hut.
Photo 7. The trig point, usually constructed of wood, not as attractive as the stone trigs in England!
Photo 8. Sunset at Punekiri Bluff.
Photo 9. The frost covered forest, a forest with an abundance of mosses and lichens coating the trees of mainly black or mountain beech at this altitude.
Photo 10. Marautui Hut. The onle hut with a log stove, had to cut timber to feed the fire, as luck would have it a saw and axe were provided.
Photo 11. Unusual (?) purple mushroom on the side of the track. Unable to identify it in available literature.
Photo 12. Looking down at a stream close by the final hut, the Whanganui hut, by far the worst hut of the tramp as the gas fire died at 7pm and it was extremely cold, so walked around the area to keep warm, and came across this attractive small waterfall and stream.
Photo 13. Many paradise ducks at the lakeside, sadly unsuccessful in getting a close-up of the black swans.
Photo 14, 15, and 16. Relaxing in the hot pools at the Polynesian Spa in Roturua. This spa is rated as one of the top 10 in the world, and worth every penny.
Photo 17. St Georges Cathedral in Hamilton.
Photo 18. Overlooking the Waikota River at Hamilton.