From Dalai to the World's End

On Sunday we took in the open market in Auckland. There you could find many different merchants selling produce, pies and seafood, arts and crafts, and any other item you could imagine. I bought a small pie and had a taste of raw sea urchin. After a stop at Jester's pie shop it was off to see the Dalai Lama. He spoke in the Vector Arena, a brand new stadium where the Red Hot Chili Peppers were the first to perform only weeks ago. The Dalai was a jovial, laughing character, speaking about compassion and kindness, reminding us to focus on "we" instead of "I," to separate the wrong-doing from the wrong-doer and that attachment is what can bring us suffering. I liked the red visor he wore. He reminded me mostly of Yoda.
Then it was up to the coast where we checked into our small cabin or "bach." It had two bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and futon. We then caught some sleep for the next day's dive. The following morning we headed down to the marina where we found our skipper and dive master. We filled out our forms, had some tea and then the engines fired up and we were off. It had been very choppy lately and this would be the first dive our guides had been out in since a week previous. Well, there was plenty of swell and chop for us as well! It was something! I couldn't contain the joy of the ocean within me, as the boat rose up upon the crest of one huge wave and then down like a roller coaster into the trough. The adventure in the open sea, with waves higher than our boat and playful seagulls following in our wake made one feel a small but integral part of this enormous beauty. I captured a bunch on my video camera. Rob and Kel were quite sick pretty quickly and I knew I would be sick eventually too, but dang, I smiled and even sung, drowned out by the sounds of the engine, wind and sea.
As we came up to the island, a high-cliff faced formation surrounded by smaller islets, you could see the vegetation which crowned the tops as well as the gannets which swung out from the cliff face. Our skipper brought us into an enormous sea cave of which our dive master said was the largest in the world and he accentuated this point by dropping a weight belt upon the aluminum decking of our boat so that we could be witness to the 8-second echo. It was really cool, to be on a boat in the middle of this enormous cavern! Then we were out again to find a diving spot. They attempted to find us the calmest spot they could but unfortunately for Rob and Kel it provided good swell and a chance for them to empty their tummies as well. we
got into our gear and jumped in. The coldness of the water took my breath away and I had some trouble getting a sufficient draw on my regulator. I was very cold. Unlike the others I had no hood and my rental dive suit was made of swiss cheese. But there was nothing for it but to drop down below and there we were. A kelp-like plant grew everywhere and swayed back and forth with the tide as fishies swam here and there. We saw a stingray in the rocks beneath us and many, many sea urchins as well. There were rocky crevices and coves and as we rose the swell greated us once again. I had worried about my air as some 30 feet below I saw that my air gauge was at '0' and after surfacing I drew the last shallow breaths of air from my tank - not a pleasant experience. I grabbed onto the ladder and did my best to climb up on the pitching boat. That pitching was all the encouragement I needed and I barfed and fed the fishies as well. That was my only contribution but it was good enough for me. As I came on deck I had a nasty headache and decided I would sit the next dive out. Normally, I would have given it a go, but not this time. Up on deck Rob and Kel were in rough shape and wanted to get off the boat and into the water as soon as they could, and did. This time alone gave me the chance to chat with the skipper about the sea, life and everything else I've been aching to have some time to speak with a Kiwi about. For me, it was probably the highlight of the dive trip.
When Kel and Rob boarded the boat we shot on back through the choppy seas. They fed the fish some more and I went to sleep as a refuge from my deep greeness. Back at our bach I had a sandwich, slept and then we woke feeling a bit better. Heading down to the marina we had dinner. I had an incredible, big bowl of chowder and some blue nose fish. Back at our place I went star gazing for a bit,videoed the Southern Cross for everyone to see and then retired.
The next day Kel headed back down to Auckland and Rob and I went to find the furthest northern tip of New Zealand, Cape Reinga. Most roads in New Zealand are nothing more than a paved, two-lane path with no shoulder, that often weaves back and forth and back and forth at a nauseating rhythm. However, the scenery is like nothing on earth as it is green farm field after rolling green farm field, tropical woods or views of expansive vistas, out into the the wave battered coasts. We stopped several times for pictures of surfers, coastlines or other such things. Finally, after a long drive, indebted to Rob, I am, we came upon it. The Maori refer to this as the place were souls leave to the after life. It isn't very hard to believe that when you are there. It is the edge of the world, or feels like it. Here the seas merge. Here the last fingers of coast extend out to the great Pacific. Here, the spirits of the dead ascend to the afterlife.
We then departed to catch the sun setting over the coast. We raced down to the sand dunes which are supposed to be the largest on the planet. So, lead by Rob's eagerness we climbed the immense dunes. They were fantastic! In the setting of the sun and the dusk the mountains of sand were like something out of a dream. One at the top we took many pictures, gave a last look at the northern sea and then departed back. Once gain, Rob piloted his vehicle, bringing us back the many miles to Auckland. We did stop for some 'Hell' pizza, though.

Next, fly fishing in Taupo and a visit to the geothermals at Rotorua.