Urewera National Park

Time to start exploring a little more of New Zealand.   I haven't had much time to blog this week as I have been trying to firm up places to stay in the South Island over Easter Break (Autumn Break).  Not the easiest thing to do.   I'm sure you will be hearing a lot more about that trip in the future.  In the meantime, we decided we were ready to leave the beach and get on the road last weekend.  We had been talking of driving to Lake Taupo (5 hours away) and Brett was going to volunteer at the New Zealand Ironman Competition.  We, however, had difficulty finding a place to stay and I had wanted to go to the Community Hangi (a traditional Maori type of cook out) on Friday night.  It was a fundraiser for Liam's school and I had helped prepare some of the food.  So, much to the disappointment for Brett, we ended up not going to the Ironman.
We, did, however, end up have a pretty good weekend.  The Hangi was very cool and the food was good. The next day we decided to head up to Urewera National Park (for those of you who read my "Kiwi Speak" blog, you know what the translation of that is),  it is the Island's largest stand of virgin forest and home to Lake Waikaremoana and one of New Zealand's "Great Walks".  The park is located about 2 hours from us and the second half of the trip is made up of a lot of gravel road.   Fun, Fun.  Liam, of course, was not excited about driving to "boring" park for the day and told us it would probably be the "worst day of his life."   And, I was less excited about doing the whole trip in one day.  Of course, it rained for the most part.  But, guess what, we all had a really good time.  We found some great hiking paths to a few waterfalls.  And, we found out that our little Phoebe is one awesome little hiker.  We ended up on a path that had some shear drop offs, sink holes, caves, crevasses and one slippery, not fenced off, trail.... and we couldn't slow her down.  I, of course, was having a panic attack that someone was going to go off an edge or down a hole.   But, it was still fun, even Liam agreed.  And, we could not be happier that our children enjoyed it.   Phoebe has even been calling herself "king of the mountain".   On our way home, we topped of the day by stopping at some thermal pools (or,as Liam calls them, the "thermos pools").  This felt way too good for words.  The only minor buzz kill to the hot springs was the sign reading "do not put head under water - risk of amoebic meningitis"... but the kids obeyed and, so far, so good.   And, I can't wait to go back.  

One of the waterfalls, Liam took this shot

Phoebe took this one

Not sure if you can see it, but the word "dad" is carved in this rock

Liam and Phoebe on the hiking trail - they were "rock"stars

Lake Waikaremoana

How much do you trust one red strap?

So, it is now the end of another weekend.  This one, only half as successful.  Had a good morning of surfing lessons with Frank on Saturday, and a great dinner party at a neighbors on Saturday night (including meeting some of our other neighbors from two houses away, one of whom is an ER doc from Oregon).  Today, we decided to do some more exploring.  This time out to the Eastwood Arboretum and the Rere Rockslide - about a forty minute drive.  We ignored Liam telling us he had a belly ache, figuring he was just tried from the night before and not wanting to go on another trip.  Well, that backfired (which, we should have known, as he has never complained of belly ache).  We stopped for lunch at a waterfall, 1 mile before the rockslide.  After he puked twice,  we packed up and headed home.  He has been puking the rest of the day.   Poor kiddo!!!  At least it's not amoebic meningitis.