Te Urewera National Park

I have wanted to see the Ureweras for a long time, and got my chance in January. My friend Dave was going, and I was able to ride along. We were going to a combination camping, Reiki, Open Heart meditation session. I am always interested in learning about how people connect with God in their lives. The people who came here were loving, happy people and I enjoyed their company and the meditations. We stayed at Camp Kaitawa. Here is the big kitchen:




My cabin, with 4 beds, which I had all to myself for much of the week:














The view out my cabin window

















The view over one of the small lakes

















Beautiful ferns




















































































We went for long walks in the native bush near the campground, and took car trips to the nearby waterfalls of the area.
















We stood and absorbed their sound, feel, and beauty for a long time before moving on.






































































































































The water in the streams was crystal clear, and in one spring-fed lake the water had the most unusual blue color:



























We had heard there was a wild dolphin which was visiting the swimmers at the beach at Mahia peninsula. Playing with them, taking their boogie boards and balls, and returning with fish! One story of this dolphin, which has been named Moko, is that it rescued a whale and its baby when it got caught between the shore and an offshore sand bar in the bay. The Department of Conservation people had given up trying to turn the whale around and head out to sea, when Moko came to the rescue. Moko swam up to the whale, and communicated with it, and when Moko headed through the narrow gap in the sand bar to get back out to sea, the whale and her young one followed the dolphin. Well, after hearing these stories of this amazing dolphin, we wanted to see it. So we took a day trip to Mahia Beach, in hopes of seeing, and maybe even playing with, Moko. It was a beautiful day for a trip along the coast.















We arrived at Mahia Beach, and there were people out in the water, just treading water quietly. No big excitement. And there was a boat, and a kayak. A girl on the shore confirmed that Moko was out there, so I changed clothes and swam out. I had no longer arrived out where the other people were, and was floating on my back, when the next think I knew Moko surfaced under me and lifted me partially out of the water!!!! As you can imagine, I was delighted and very surprised. During the rest of our hour or so in the water, Moko came back to me 3 more times close enough to let me touch him. No one else in our party was so favored. I don't know why Moko singled me out for this special treatment, but I feel very blessed. Here is my favorite YouTube video of Moko: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzu7hxxqr3c

After a while, Moko left the area, and we hung around and watched the boats and the tractors:


and played a form of frisbee on the beach.





On the way back to camp, I spotted this Gypsy wagon. Very colourful:













It was during this trip that Obama took office. Big news in New Zealand!























The Uruweras are famous for their lakes as well as their native forests and waterfalls. One of New Zealands' Great Walks goes around Lake Waikaremoana. Jamie and I hiked up it to the first major overlook, and back down again. Here are some of the photos from this part of the
Great Walk:































































































If these students on the track had seen this photo of them, I don't think they would have been quite so close to the edge!


































































Here are some photos from the ride back to civilisation: 75 km along an unpaved road was part of the adventure.