I scheduled a business trip to Auckland, New Zealand, and Apia, Samoa. I was fortunate that Leslie was able to accompany me.
In Auckland, we stayed at the Stamford Plaza Hotel. One evening we decided to try the Kabuki Teppanyaki restaurant in the hotel. It is a Japanese display cooking restaurant. Along one of the walls are dozens of bottles of various alcohol.
Drinks at the Kabuki Teppanyaki restaurant in Auckland.
We had been to that restaurant once before and liked it, so we decided to try it again. The second time was even better. Maybe the chef was more flamboyant. What was the most surprising about the meal was my utensils…I was able to eat the entire meal with chopsticks! That is a feat I was never able to accomplish before.
I work with a Japanese colleague. After the trip, I asked her if these restaurants were popular in Japan. She said, not really. It is much more of a touristy thing.
Following our time in Auckland, it was off to Samoa. It is only about a three and one-half hour flight.
Our hotel room overlooked the Pacific. That provided the opportunity to watch ships coming and going from the port of Apia.
Waiting to enter the port.
Of all the times I have visited Apia, I had never visited the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum. During this trip, we had an opportunity to go. It was fascinating. The Scottish RLS was born on November 13, 1850. Around 1888, RLS made his first visit to Samoa. He fell in love with the island. In 1890 he bought a plot of land and built his home. That is now the RLS Museum.
For about US$20, one can take part in a guided tour of the residence. One of the interesting things about the house are the fireplaces in some of the rooms. Obviously, RLS was thinking of Scotland when he designed the home. A fireplace was indispensable in Scotland; in Samoa they are superfluous.
Room at the Robert Louis Stevenson museum.
The grounds are stunning with a wide variety of tropical plants and flowers. The house is at the base of Mount Vaea. He died at the very young age of 44 and is buried upon that mount, overlooking the sea.
Following the photo below of Leslie holding the Vailima beer, I added some additional photographs of the Catholic cathedral in Apia. It is one of the most stunning I have ever seen.
The Robert Louis Stevenson museum with Mount Vaea in the background.Tropical flowers and plants.Detail of the grounds at the Robert Louis Stevenson museum.A sculpture at the Robert Louis Stevenson museum.Original medications on display at the Robert Louis Stevenson museum.Some of the author’s collection at the Robert Louis Stevenson museum.The library at the Robert Louis Stevenson museum.Wood inlay at the Robert Louis Stevenson museum.Partial view of the grounds at the Robert Louis Stevenson museum.KoruPalm tree.Cargo ship.Assistance is here.PacificStorm’s a-brewin’.The welcome floor for the hair.A beer in Apia.The Catholic Cathedral.Looking toward the main entrance of the Cathedral.The dome in the Cathedral. One of the most beautiful I have ever seen.The Cathedral altar.Detail of the artwork in the dome.One of the Stations of the Cross in stained glass.The aisle toward the altar.A windy afternoon at the Taumeasina Island Resort.
We were on the road shortly after breakfast. We departed New Plymouth on our way to the visitor center at Mount Taranaki. It was a very cloudy morning with scattered showers.
There was virtually nothing to be seen of Mount Taranaki when we arrived at the visitor center. There was not a piece of it visible. The clouds were thick. So, all we could do was look around the visitor center.
Back in the car, we set TomTom for Otaki Beach. One of my colleagues at work owns a bach (summer home) there. He was kind enough to allow us to stay there.
After nearly four hours of driving, we arrived at the bach. It sits directly across the street from the beach. It was so relaxing there, especially after some 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) of driving. I was beaten. I enjoyed being by the ocean and watching the spectacular sunset.
Sunset at Otaki Beach.Sunset at Otaki Beach 2.Sunset at Otaki Beach 3.Sunset at Otaki Beach 4.
Cape Palliser is another of our favorite spots in New Zealand. Located on the southernmost point of the North Island, it has a rugged beauty. Add to that beauty a spectacular red and white lighthouse and herds of seals and one has the recipe for a beautiful outdoor experience. There are very few trees at this location. That adds to the stark look.
Nearing the small village of Pirinoa, one passes the little Burnside Presbyterian Church. It was a beautiful day for photographs. The church dates from 1875 and has a small cemetery off to one side. Other than flowers and trees, there is nothing else around.
The Burnside Presbyterian Church. A sign out front noted the church dates from 1875.
The Cape Palliser Lighthouse is literally at the end of the road. For much of its length, the way hugs the beach, which allows storms can wreak havoc on the road. In places, only one vehicle may pass at a time. Not long after leaving the small fishing village of Ngawi, the sealed road ends. The remainder of the way is simply a dirt road.
At the end of the road is a parking lot and, thankfully, a toilet. Towering above the parking lot is a large, rugged hillside, at the top of which is the lighthouse. I wanted a photograph of the lighthouse with the ocean in the background. I was not able to get a decent picture in the past because of the lens I had. The issue is that one can only stand so far back from the lighthouse without risking a fall down the hillside.
Just like the first time Leslie and I visited, 261 stairs were separating the lighthouse from the parking lot. None of my traveling companions were interested in taking on that many stairs. Being not quite as bright as the others, I decided I must go up. The reward for my ascent was a spectacular view of the lighthouse and the ocean. As a bonus, I was there all by myself.
The Cape Palliser Lighthouse.
As I was ready to descend, I saw three people who had just begun their ascent. The stairs are very narrow and very steep. I decided to wait until they made it up to the lighthouse before I started down. It is hard to say which is more taxing; the journey up or the walk down. Regardless, I shan’t have to worry about ever making the trip again…been there, done that.
Also, it is 261 down!
While I had been on my little adventure, my traveling companions explored the beach near the parking lot. At that point, the beach is challenging to travel across. That is due to the fist-sized stones covering the beach. It is hard to get stable, proper footing. Regardless, they did locate a lone bull seal napping on rocks at the water’s edge.
A yawning bull seal.
We got back in the car and began the return trip, stopping to look at various seal herds along the way. Just before the tiny village of Mangatoetoe, there is a small piece of land that juts out into the sea. The little peninsula forms a small, protected bay and some tidepools. Every time we have visited, we have always seen seals there. This day was no different.
By far, my favorite seal of the day was “Cruiser.” I am not sure if the youngster was a male or female, but it was undoubtedly mobile. That seal cruised all over the area. It seemed not a centimeter of the area was left unexplored. Something is mesmerizing about watching seals in their natural habitat. I know that is one of the things about New Zealand that I shall miss when we depart.
“Cruiser,” the very energetic seal pup. He or she cruised all over the rocks.
On our way to the lighthouse, as we drove through Ngawi, I noticed the Captain’s Table food trailer was not open. That meant if we wanted lunch, we would need to drive to Lake Ferry. As we entered Ngawi on our return, it was open for business. That was great news!
Adjacent to the Captain’s Table is a small camping area. We ordered our lunches and then waited at a picnic table. That did not last long. The sun was very intense, so we gathered our food and sat in the air-conditioned comfort of the car to eat.
The food trailer. This is the only food commercially available in Ngawi. When it is open, it is a must stop!
After lunch, it was a leisurely drive back home.
The Burnside Presbyterian Church near Pirinoa.261!!!View from the Cape Palliser Lighthouse. This is part of the Matakitaki-a-kupe Reserve.Truly in the rocks.Just barely raising its head. Sorry to have disturbed you.This must be how seals enjoy life.Cruiser going up a “cliff.”Ten seals.One seal playing in the small inlet.Life on the edge.Two seals and a gull.Cruiser and, maybe, mom.That just cannot be comfortable…Shortly after this shot, the seal had to abandon its post because of an incoming wave.Cruiser checking out the photographer.Another gull on the rocks. That sounds like a New Zealand cocktail…“Cruiser,” the very energetic seal pup. He or she cruised all over the rocks.Lounging seal. I guess the rock close to her head is a pillow??A gull on the rocks.Cape Palliser Lighthouse in the distance.After a hard morning of swimming, this seal could not make it very far before a nap took over.The nearby rocks must provide a sense of protection. Regardless, the flat rock seems much more comfortable than some of the other resting spots observed.A female Paradise shelduck.Gettin’ a little sun on the belly, ahhh!Rocky beach near Mangatoetoe.Awaiting lunch from the Captain’s Table food trailer in Ngawi.In the backyard, waiting for the grill to heat up. This was after a hard day of seal watching.
I guess one could say Napier is our favorite city in New Zealand since we visited thrice. One of our favorite spots to visit in the area is the gannet colony. So, with my parents in tow, we drove from Napier to the Gannet Safari headquarters. It is a short drive, maybe 20 or 25 minutes.
We departed headquarters on a bus at about 09:30. In less than one kilometer, the bus turned from the highway onto the private road to Robertson Lodges. These are exclusive accommodations. They range in price from around NZ$1,000 per night to NZ$13,500 per night. The 18-hole golf course there is currently ranked as number 16 out of 100 by GolfDigest. To play 18 holes is about NZ$495 for non-New Zealand residents.
Robertson Lodges is the brainchild of Julian Robertson, a hedge fund billionaire. He bought the roughly 6,500 acres (2,630 hectares) at Cape Kidnappers for his lodge and golf course. In New Zealand, instead of calling it a sheep farm or ranch, it is called a station.
As one approaches the lodges, one enters a wildlife sanctuary. Robertson is working hard to bring back indigenous flora and fauna to the Hawkes Bay area of New Zealand.
Shortly after passing the golf course, the four-wheel-drive bus diverts onto dirt roads. Manuka trees line the dirt road. I had not paid attention before, but the manuka trees are the flowering trees from which bees ultimately make manuka honey.
At roughly the halfway point, the bus stops at an overlook. Our driver/guide allowed us to disembark and view the cliffs of Cape Kidnappers. One can easily see the various volcanic layers exposed in the cliff face. At the overlook, one can see a danger sign, warning about the danger of the cliffs. The “railing” is much different than the railings at the Colorado National Monument. The fences at the monument are roughly one meter (3.2 feet) high. The railings at Cape Kidnappers are a mere 25-centimeters (10-inches) high. One does not want to stand too close.
Cape Kidnappers cliffs.The cliffs at Cape Kidnappers. Napier is at the far shore.
Along the dirt road, the bus passed through numerous gates. After all, we were driving through a working sheep and cattle ranch. Since we sat near the front of the bus, I volunteered to open and close the gates. That made it easier for the driver/guide. He did not have to get in an out of the bus. Instead, I got in and out to operate the gates.
A few minutes later, the bus made a U-turn and stopped atop the mesa inhabited by the gannet colony. All of the tourists streamed off the bus and began snapping photographs of the birds. These particular birds are the Australasian gannets. The adults are white with yellow and black accents. The birds’ wingspan averages 1.8 meters (5.9 feet). The average weight is 2.3 kilograms (5 pounds).
The colony.
The noise is quite loud at the colony. All of the birds; the adults at the nest, the chicks, and the flying adults trying to find their nest, call out incessantly. Exactly how one finds another is a real mystery to me.
The birds make their nest using sea kelp and their feces. Yes, that does lend itself to a rather strong odor at the colony. When the young chicks hatch, they have very fluffy, white feathers. As they grow older, the feathers take on a mottled gray and white. The adult male and female gannets take turns at the nest and feeding. The adult at sea feeds on small fishes. When the adult bird returns to the nest, the chick uses its beak to knock at the adult’s beak to induce the regurgitated goodness that is warm, partially digested fish…yum, yum!
You lookin’ at me?!
The nesting sites are very arid. There is no source of freshwater. The gannet adults and chicks get their freshwater intake from the fish. Additionally, they have glands that help them shed the salt they ingest from their fishing and diving into the sea.
When the chicks take their first flight, it is a roughly 2,500 kilometer (1,553 miles) journey to Australia, nonstop. That is a fantastic feat.
Walking to the edge of the cliff, one can look down on yet another gannet colony. It is much smaller, but every bit as lively. Just beyond the gannet colony is a rock formation the driver/guide referred to as Sharks Tooth Island. It is easy to see how it got its name when one looks at the shape. I was surprised how visible the island was from the terrace at our motel.
Lower gannet colony with Sharks Tooth Island in the background.
Looking to the north, one can see an alternate way to get to the gannet colony. At low tide, one can pay to ride on a flatbed trailer behind a tractor. The tractor trundles along the beach, depositing passengers near a trailhead. The passengers can then walk up the trail to the gannet colony. I must say I am thrilled we opted for the bus.
An alternate method of getting to the gannet colony.
While we were at the gannet colony, the driver/guide made some tea and coffee. He offered that with some biscuits — a lovely gesture.
On the way back to headquarters, I was on gate detail again.
Then it was back to Napier to relax. One of my favorite parts of relaxing was watching the spectacular sunrises from our terrace.
Dropping from the sky.Searching…searching.The drop or the plop.“Teenage” calisthenics.“Teenage” calisthenics 2.“Teenage” calisthenics 3.“Teenage” calisthenics 4.An intense look for the nest.Checking the wind.A tired “teenager.”Preparing to drop in.Pre-flight check.A gannet siesta.The younger and the older.Intent stare.Gannets-eye view.“Teenager.”Young chick.The youngest gannet chick on the day we visited the colony.Cape Kidnappers cliffs II.DANGER!!Sunrise and fishing boat…version 2.Sunrise and fishing boat.Norfolk Pine trees at sunrise.Seagull sunrise at Napier.Readying for takeoff.Final approach.Searching for the nest.A “teenager” exploring away from the nest.Taking a snooze.Hunting for their landing spots.The landing pattern is always very busy.The gannet colony. The young gannet at the center foreground looks dead. In reality, it was just sleeping soundly.Final approach.Gannet colony and some spectators. Take note of the two seated spectators.Lower gannet colony with Sharks Tooth Island in the background.Gannets everywhere.Sharks Tooth Island as seen from our motel terrace.Art deco corner.The art deco Haynes building.Negotiating the landing…Gannet landing at the colony.Searching for Dory!Feeding time.Little Blue penguins swimming at the National Aquarium.Little Blue penguin.Seagull diving at the sun.Seagull sunrise.Napier sunrise.Sun’s first peek.
