I'm a sucker for Christmas carols, so we decided to join in on a Christmas Eve service and really do it up. Ironically, this church was least spiritual place we visited over Christmas. At first we were tickled by rows of palm trees wrapped in twinkle lights and two theatrically dressed ushers: one as an angel, the other (my favorite) as a camel. We walked inside to a theatre with enormous screens overhead, alternately magnifying what was happening on stage and playing scenes from big-budget bible movies like a religiose version of Madison Square Garden. The singers mostly seemed to be auditioning for NZ Idol, but there were a few genuine, lovely voices in the bunch, and we were just starting to get into the holiday spirit when the sermon started and killed it for us completely. It was everything you could possibly dislike about church in one rambling homily: sanitized, impersonal, and at moments even intolerant and petty. The pastor came off like a Ken doll turned bible salesman, leaving us with an icky feeling that was absolutely the opposite of Christmas. It was an off start to what turned out to be a glorious holiday together.
On Christmas morning we jumped in the car and headed north, stopping at Whangarei falls, where people were out splashing around and enjoying sunny Christmas picnics. Later we drove further north and wandered around Paihia for a bit, enjoying the scenery, people watching, ordering takeaway; you know, the usual stuff. ;)
On Boxing day we made our way up to 90 mile beach, which is a bit of a misnomer. It took missionaries three days to travel along the entire length of the beach on horseback, and since they could normally travel 30 miles per day, they did a little simple math (hrmm 30 x 3 = 90) but forgot to take into account the extra time it takes horses to travel on sand. It's actually only about 55 miles long, but let's be real, that's still pretty impressive. It's a beautiful white sand beach and also officially a public highway (no joke). We weren't sure Lady Waka could survive the trip, otherwise we would have been all about taking this way to the northern tip of the island.
On Christmas morning we jumped in the car and headed north, stopping at Whangarei falls, where people were out splashing around and enjoying sunny Christmas picnics. Later we drove further north and wandered around Paihia for a bit, enjoying the scenery, people watching, ordering takeaway; you know, the usual stuff. ;)
On Boxing day we made our way up to 90 mile beach, which is a bit of a misnomer. It took missionaries three days to travel along the entire length of the beach on horseback, and since they could normally travel 30 miles per day, they did a little simple math (hrmm 30 x 3 = 90) but forgot to take into account the extra time it takes horses to travel on sand. It's actually only about 55 miles long, but let's be real, that's still pretty impressive. It's a beautiful white sand beach and also officially a public highway (no joke). We weren't sure Lady Waka could survive the trip, otherwise we would have been all about taking this way to the northern tip of the island.
This beach is also the road Maori believed spirits traveled on their way to the afterlife, up towards Cape Reinga, where it seems every rock, tree, hill, and stream contributes some spiritual meaning. There's a hill where spirits stop to rest, followed by another where they wave goodbye to their living relatives. They descend down into a valley towards a swampy stream where insects drone, then on to the last rocky projection of coast. As I understand it, somewhere around here is a stream where waters from the east and west coasts meet, and this sacred water is said to cleanse the spirits before they move on to the next life. Once the spirits have passed this water, there is no returning to the world of the living.
Reinga in Maori refers to the underworld; its full name, Te Rerenga Wairua means 'the jumping off point of the spirits'. Below on the bare rock you can see a pohutukawa tree which has somehow survived the harsh wind and salt, but never flowers. Spirits descend on the roots of this tree to the point where the Tasman and the Pacific meet: the entrance to the underworld, Hawaiki.
One of the most interesting things about Hawaiki is that it's both a metaphysical and a physical place, a place of origin and final destination. I've read that many other Polynesian cultures share this concept of a spiritual point of departure towards this place, but traveling further north the spot on each island begins to angle westward into the Pacific, pointing towards some mysterious, but specific location.
The road trip continues...
The best trips we have together always seem to be the ones that are fluid; we have some general ideas, but ultimately go wherever the road leads us: usually to ice cream. That's how we wound up in Opononi: a town that looks straight out of a scene from Boy. There's a great view of the giant sand dunes from there. The weather was beautiful, so we hung around the docks and enjoyed a couple of cones of hokey pokey and passionfruit ice cream. The window where they pass out the cones and the counter where you pay are in adjacent buildings, and I'm not sure what there is to stop people from walking away without paying. Very trusting. In the window there was a sign asking for yarn donations for a crochet class at a nearby prison. Taking turns jumping off the docks, a few kids found some seaweed and started throwing it around, streaming bright and rubbery through the air.
Our ice cream cravings satisfied, we took a short drive to walk through the giant kauri forest and visit Tane Mahuta: Lord of the Forest, aka the largest standing kauri tree. This tree plays an important role in the Maori creation myth as the son of the sky (his father) and earth (his mother). Tane Mahuta drove a wedge between his parents, pushing his father higher and higher, allowing light to come between them. Then Tane clothed his mother with vegetation, giving us the world as we know it. Since it is Christmas, I should point out that this tree is estimated to be about 2,000 years old (maybe more), meaning it would have theoretically been around during the lifetime of Christ.
Although the Lord of the Forest and its fatter counterpart, the Father of the Forest, were both impressive, for me the most striking spot was at the Four Sisters: a set of towering trees that are believed to have spawned from four seeds of the same kauri. Apparently this is rare, as kauri normally grow alone. I've looked for stories surrounding the Four Sisters, but I haven't found any. If anyone comes across anything interesting, give me a shout!
There's a good reason our childhood stories are filled with enchanted forests: forests are enchanting. There's something really magical about the light, and how it's so densely unorganized, mysterious, teeming with life; each tree is an ecosystem in itself, and realizing that makes the whole of the woods feel like a galaxy.
Our ice cream cravings satisfied, we took a short drive to walk through the giant kauri forest and visit Tane Mahuta: Lord of the Forest, aka the largest standing kauri tree. This tree plays an important role in the Maori creation myth as the son of the sky (his father) and earth (his mother). Tane Mahuta drove a wedge between his parents, pushing his father higher and higher, allowing light to come between them. Then Tane clothed his mother with vegetation, giving us the world as we know it. Since it is Christmas, I should point out that this tree is estimated to be about 2,000 years old (maybe more), meaning it would have theoretically been around during the lifetime of Christ.
Although the Lord of the Forest and its fatter counterpart, the Father of the Forest, were both impressive, for me the most striking spot was at the Four Sisters: a set of towering trees that are believed to have spawned from four seeds of the same kauri. Apparently this is rare, as kauri normally grow alone. I've looked for stories surrounding the Four Sisters, but I haven't found any. If anyone comes across anything interesting, give me a shout!
There's a good reason our childhood stories are filled with enchanted forests: forests are enchanting. There's something really magical about the light, and how it's so densely unorganized, mysterious, teeming with life; each tree is an ecosystem in itself, and realizing that makes the whole of the woods feel like a galaxy.
As it coincides with summer break, most Kiwis use the Christmas holiday as an opportunity for a family summer vacation. That, and the fact that we're getting into the high tourist season made it extra lucky that we were able to find an additional night's booking last minute. When we spoke to the woman who runs the place we found she gave us a choice between two old campers they'd converted into small cabins, saying simply that one was closer to the bathroom. Neither of us really mind a walk to the bathroom, and we relish a bit of seclusion, so I forget why we chose the closer one. It was clearly the right choice though, because then the owner admitted, "Oh good, that's the one with the view."
She was not kidding. This was our view:
She was not kidding. This was our view:
The view at night was equally, differently beautiful. The moon was so bright it almost hurt to look at it. Then, when I woke up at around 4am, I found fog moving in from over the sea between the mountains. It's enough to make you want to give up sleeping altogether.
Actually, that got to be a problem throughout our trip: there was so much beautiful scenery that I felt like I was straining my eyes trying to take it all in. (My life is so hard right now, I know.) Closing them felt like a necessary evil.
As an extra perk, on the way back home I met some Italians! Christmas present from the universe? I think so.
Whew! Well that about sums up our Christmas road trip. We're back in Auckland now, enjoying Auckland things. If you've made it to the end, we applaud your dedication, and we hope your holidays were fabulous, whatever form they took.
Merry Kiwi Christmas!
As an extra perk, on the way back home I met some Italians! Christmas present from the universe? I think so.
Whew! Well that about sums up our Christmas road trip. We're back in Auckland now, enjoying Auckland things. If you've made it to the end, we applaud your dedication, and we hope your holidays were fabulous, whatever form they took.
Merry Kiwi Christmas!