Tuesday 2 January 2007

God of the forest

Every time we find ourselves north of Auckland, we make a point of visiting the Waipoua Forest – a truly awe-inspiring place famous for its living giants, including Tane Mahuta (God of the Forest), the biggest kauri tree in New Zealand. It’s 51 metres tall, about 14 metres around and somewhere between 1250 and 2500 years old. Unfortunately, the girls are more interested in the chocolates we have bribed them with to make the short walk into the forest … but Doog and I are totally charmed. This forest is often overlooked when time-pressed tourists are making up their itinerary and maybe that’s part of the attraction. In my experience, the fewer the people, the better the experience.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi nance
love reading about all your adventures!!
love the photos too!
your livin it, and lovin it,...truly inspiring
kathy harrison :)

Anonymous said...

Tane God of Forests.....a real man's man. A story I love which all Kiwi slash Canuck slash all kids should hear is "How the Kiwi lost it's wings" Tane doesn't mess around and sorts out all the wonderful birds that exist today in the New Zealand tree tops. And on the driving lesson front....something tells me it won't be the last time your Molly tumbles out of a moving vehicle so in essence you were exercising some new cosmic parenting by being there to guide her through the first time. In my books that's all good!! Cheers, Holmzee

david mcmahon said...

Hi Nance,
Hope you're enjoying your holidays. Love the story about how Molly had a falling-out!
More details - like, how she fell out of a sedan, not a ute.
And I'll divert Grandma away from that blogpost!
By the way, I'm just about to post a link to Travellin' Mama on my own blog in about two minutes.
See ya Monday
David

Nancy Harper said...

Thanks guys; I'm having fun myself and trying to keep Molly from falling out again...
harps