Up North, Down South

Monday 5th March 2007
We thought of you all tonight as we watched another brilliant sunset. We’re now 13 hours ahead of you, so as it set, we sent it to you, to rise.

An interesting day today. Pahia is just a couple of kms from Waitangi where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed – the treaty that marked the founding of New Zealand in 1840. This guy called William Hobson, a naval captain, was instructed by the British to do a deal to transfer sovereignty because they were afraid of the French moving into and across the Pacific, taking control. So the deal was between the United Kingdom and the United Tribes of New Zealand. He was told by Queen Vic (or her minions, probably) to ‘be fair to the Maori’. So the treaty was drawn up in both languages and the deal was negotiated between Hobson and 500 Maori chiefs.
This morning we set off to see the Treaty House and grounds and it was very interesting. Although the Maori have not always been treated brilliantly and still have some protests now and again, our immediate if superficial impression is that there are loads of mixed race (Maori/white) people, everywhere you go, who seem totally integrated and part of the country as a whole and really friendly.

So the Treaty House and historic flagpole, made a good stop on our way North. As we made our way towards Ahipara (the gateway to 90 mile beach) we took the coastal route and saw some of the best coastal scenery we’ve seen anywhere in all our previous travels. I can understand why everyone who’s been here raves about New Zealand. This area is like the very best bits of Devon, Cornwall, the Scottish coast etc. but totally unspoiled, and with lovely weather.

There was another French reference in today’s trips also. We stopped off at Matauri Bay and climbed to the hilltop to see the Rainbow Warrior Memorial. It is off this coast that the remains of the Rainbow Warrior 1 lies. I hadn’t remembered all the details until we got there but now know (again) that in 1985 Greenpeace organised a flotilla to protest at French nuclear testing – the French had relocated Pacific islanders back in the ‘60s to do nuclear tests and refused to stop the tests despite other international agreements. Two French secret service agents bombed the Rainbow Warrior killing a Greenpeace photographer and destroying the ship. The sculpture on the hilltop is a poignant memorial.We arrived at our apartment in Ahipara just after lunch. It was only about 150kms today, so we’d taken it slowly, drinking in the views with lots of stops. The apartment is beautiful and backs onto 90 mile beach with our own steps down. Absolutely stunning. Will post a photo of this tomorrow. We just walked the beach this afternoon, and enjoyed some time on the deck. This evening I’ve managed to catch up on all my emails – a great wifi broadband connection.