Notes from the North Island

1/31/2010

He said:

As we make the leap across “the ditch”, from the north to south island, and as we conclude our extended stay in Wellington, it seems appropriate to reflect on the overall sentiment and experience we have had so as to have accurate documentation for comparison when we finish our journey. It’s an interesting dilemma to reflect on an experience in a country. On one had, there are certain experiences and visions that any traveler to a country would/could have. Viewpoints, waterfall swims, narrow coastal drives, mountain top treks. These are things which any traveler with the desire, a generic guidebook and the physical ability could experience in a country. And indeed, with some individual variation, for the most part people would report these things in similar ways. A giant mountain will be the same for everyone. A shockingly blue lake will hold its color for all those who lay eyes on it. Of course we factor in weather and other temporal determinants of “fun”, but all in all, these are what I would call “uniform excursions”. So what is it that separates the experiences? Where do we break from the “uniform excursions” and create an individual journey? Because in truth, this is what separates not only trips, but also lives. And in so doing, this is what makes for me the most challenging feelings not only to realize, but to relay to those who might be interested.
Do I want to call this journey fate bound? I’m not sure. But why else did we choose this trip? I am amazed how many Kiwi’s will ask upon learning of our plans: “Why did you choose New Zealand for a year”? After overcoming my initial reaction of “why the hell not?”, each time I am struck by an overwhelming need to rationalize our trip. Like I should have an itemized list of why. And of course, we do have such a list as seems a necessity to justify our actions as humans. But what I really think is that we did it just because. Because life is short, because life is long, because life should be fun, because we can. The longer we’re here, I realize that this journey is as important for me because of what we are missing at home as it is for what we are gaining while being here. And I think those things, we won’t be able to fully realize or recount until our journey is long passed.
But I digress...I feel a word on my vision of kiwi’s of the north island is necessary. This country seems to have two very distinct personalities competing for the face that it puts on for the world. And though this probably happens in every country, the relative tininess of New Zealand makes it very obvious. The aura of the English dominates. With expression, food, and even sensibility, larger city kiwis shadow what I have come to find in a traditional English personality. But holding this city personality up, is a completely opposite and indeed more prevalent backbone of the country that I would describe as “Blue-collar”. If a very British, suited and presumably straight-laced personality dominates my impression of the large cites of New Zealand, then my much more prominent and indeed more endearing vision of rural New Zealand is that of the farmer. When I think of most of the north island, whether it’s central or coastal, farmland dominates. And more often than not this land is inhabited by this quintessential farmer. Standing up while driving an ATV, with any number of well-trained and well loved farm dog siting on the back. Waiting at a moments notice to perform any one of the numerous tasks required of Kiwi dogs and their owners. Incredibly friendly, forthright and trustworthy and very hardworking. And I really like that. There is a frank nature to most Kiwi’s that can be at times frustrating and elusive, but generally is very pleasant. They have an ability to skirt around issues and be defuse in their description of things that we have seen manifested in several ways. Sometimes its asking for driving directions, or trying to figure out what a W.W.O.O.F. host actually wants us to do from the little concrete information they give us. I think this must stem from an individualism that kiwi’s possess. A self-sufficient attitude that you would see from other isolated places that necessitate this quality (Alaska, midwest, etc.), but matched with a friendliness that is world renown. Maybe because it’s so beautiful here? It is important to qualify this distinction however. People often make it sound like every kiwi you ever meet is the friendliest person alive. And indeed many are friendly. Especially the farmers. But when you get in the city, they are faced with the exact same a-holes that live in every other big city. Where we have a sort of frat-boy douche bag mentality in many of our young men, the kiwis have something slightly different. These are the hard partying kiwis you often hear about. Part hooligan, part farm boy, part muscle head, these guys can be seen often in large groups wasted and being silly. But what’s different is that they don’t seem to possess the aggressive tendencies that so many young men in the U.S. have. They substitute fights for serious “broin’ out”. Often hugging and laughing rather then punching and yelling. It’s sort of a nice change. You can identify these “brosephs’” by their sweet attire. They usually have super short rugby shorts for showing of some nice thigh meat, some sort of tattoo of the actual outline of NZ, and finished up nicely with a small, curly, sometimes blond rat tail in the back and short spikey hair on top. It’s brilliant! It’s a Kiwi mullet! And they’re everywhere!
So that’s about it...a bit of everything from our experience thus far. I am excited to see how this will differ from the south. Things have been very interesting and I guess we will let fate show us the next adventure.

she said:

The music is blaring, Jesse is singing, the cool NZ breeze is blowing through the partially rolled down windows of the Honda Odyssey, waking our minds and softening our nauseous stomachs as we cruise through the curviest, narrowest roads I have ever been on. I close my eyes to fight the car sickness that consumes my body but only for seconds at a time, afraid that that one extra second my eyes close I will miss out on the beauty that surrounds us. Remarkable hill country to green grassy plains, lush rain forests to dramatic coastlines. I am still overwhelmed with the diversity this country proudly displays. But as extraordinary as the countryside is, the strip-mall sprawl of the rural towns that dominate the North island(excluding Auckland and Wellington) have left me a bit disheartened. The worn buildings with unappealing store fronts all packed together on the main street has me questioning where the quaint villages i had read about were. Aesthetics aside, this country feels old and young at the same time. It possesses the gruffness of a cowboy and simplicity of a small town but seems naturally intuitive and progressive in protecting its land and people. New Zealand was one of the first countries to provide universal healthcare for its citizens and this is funded with general taxation. Its provides its citizens with publicly funded services including:
free treatment and prescriptions at any public hospital
free treatment at any urgent care
subsidized GP referral visits to specialized fields
free or subsidized treatment for those with chronic conditions
free lab tests and x-rays when carried out at a public hospital or clinic
all services free for pregnant women
subsidized care and prescriptions for children under 6
free standard dental care for school age children
free breast screening for women over 50
Private insurance is also available for those who desire both. The more I hear about their healthcare coverage the more frustrated I become that our nation cannot adopt such philosophies and unite for the common good.
Martin Luther King, Jr. said: “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” And it seems that New Zealand and its government have a innate ability to act in this way. As well as NZ protects its people, it protects its environment. From the Department of Conservation, with its protection and conservation of NZ’s natural wonders, to the well maintained trails, campsites and camping huts that are plentiful, accessible and cheap. New Zealand provides its people and guests with an abundance of healthy activities and in response this country feels vibrant and happy. This makes the country easy to experience and memorable. From digging underground hot-spring pools to soak in on the beach to watch the sun rise, to climbing/scrambling up 2287m (7150 ft) of loose rock to summit the active volcano, Mount Ngauruhoe, aka Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings. To swimming under shockingly cold, pounding waterfalls, to hiking for hours without another person in sight. Jesse and I have throughly explored the exquisite wonders of the North island and as our tour comes to an end I am eagerly anticipating the South Island and its “spectacular beauty”. Every person who inquires about our travels will inevitably ask if we have been to the South Island. And before we can answer they all unanimously express such awe and marvel of the South Island it has me questioning if this picturesque land could really get that much more beautiful?