All too soon, my time in New Zealand has come to an end. I have loved my time here, it has been incredible. I have swum with Dolphins, hiked on a glacier and seen more beautiful places than I can count. I have met some great people along the way and I am sad that I have to go, though of course excited for the next adventure.
I have found New Zealand to be quite different from Australia – the climate is less harsh, everywhere is a lot greener, but perhaps the biggest difference is the relationship with the indigenous people. In New Zealand Maori culture is celebrated and kept alive by all – children learn the Maori language in school, there are celebrations for the Maori New Year and a Maori language week. This is a big contrast to Australia where the relationship is still pretty difficult. One of our Maori guides on one of the trips we did said that a major contributing factor to this difference is what went on during the time when European settlers first arrived – because of the landscaped of New Zealand and the skill of the Maori in guerilla warfare they were able to combat the superior weaponry of the British and thus were never fully conquered as the Aboriginal people were. A lot has gone on since then, but this first relationship helped to define the future relationship.
I will miss the mountains, the rolling hills and all the wildlife, along with the friendly people. If I can I would love to come back here – there is still so much more I want to see! Now to catch my flight – next stop Fiji.
a wandering almond 