Back to Nature

We walked 2 kilometers....maybe.

There are wild birds all over in this country. The wild chickens are some of the most amazing chickens I've seen. Granted, I'm an expert chicken identifier, but they are beautiful. These chickens were so mellow, when we approached them, they didn't run or seem to care.

This is a narrow walkway through the hillside. It made me laugh a little. They won't "carve out hills" for roads, but they will for hiking trails. Because the roads go around every mountain and through every valley, our kids get super car sick when we drive any where. It's kinda sad, because we can't go too far without having to stop, get some fresh air, and settle stomachs down.

Looking west at the hills from the Karamu walkway.

Suzanne was creeped out by walking through the narrow passage way. 

It's so wet here, they have to use stairs and drainage systems to keep the trails from disappearing.

I'm not sure how much Eric will remember when we leave. I thought nothing could capture Eric in NZ better than his little person among the native bush.

Hiking is called tramping here. I cannot bring myself to use the word "tramping." It seems so dirty. Ha!

These two photos are looking up at the canopy of the native bush.

Had to get one photo of myself.

Ryan, Eric, Luke and Suzanne at the entrance of Bridal Veil Falls hike. This was the first place we came to "see" New Zealand after we got off the plane. It's one of our favorite places.

I love this scene. We are looking east from the top viewing area of the falls. For me, nothing encapsulates New Zealand better. Most of the photo is overlooking the native bush of the North Island of New Zealand. In the distance are farmlands where the native bush has been burned to carve a live. It's the contrast between the ideal "100% New Zealand" and the reality of survival.

Exhausted kiddos after walking A LOT of stairs!

Suzanne's sculpture; she worked on this for hours!