Llamas, Xena Warrior Princes, Hercules, and goat soap in New Zealand

Auckland, the Waitakere Ranges and the Northland

Kia Ora!
I`m in New Zealand!
I`m in New Zealand!

Yeeeeaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!

I flew in to Aukland and stayed two days. Cool coastal city.

I am now on the coast of the North Island in a place called the Waitakere Ranges. This is where they filmed Hercules, Xena and the Power Rangers, to name a few. Awesome n'est pas? All those battles that Xena and Gabrielle took part in... I'm right in the middle of those hills, beaches, hidden vistas, meandering coast, caves, waterfalls, old country homes... pretty cool, huh?

There are roaming hills and mountains, black sand volcanic beaches, hiking trails, a large variety of hiking options, forests, amazing wildlife and the roads are all twisty and windy.

Going down these roads feels like one of those luxury car commercials where the driver is going fast along the meandering road of the mountainside, top down, sun shining, and loving life. Ahhhhhh.... big happy sign. Nice, eh?

I know I've said this before but I must restate... Kiwis are SO nice. So nice. Wow. They are willing to have you try things even at the chance of you destroying property. I've been offered cars and vans to drive around even though I made it clear that I have no experience driving on the left side, while sitting on the right side of the car AND driving manual... or a van, for that matter.

They're like, "meh...no dramas... just come for a drive with me tomorrow... you drive and I'll just navigate and explain the rules of the road to you. Then you're good to go."

Meanwhile I'm thinking... are you kidding me? I wouldn't let me drive your van. You're going to let me drive? Wow... we had better take the road that has no other cars on it then. lol.

"You must come for dinner." "Join us for gecko monitoring... we'll give you a crash course." "Enjoy the cabin on the weekend... it's empty... have fun." "We're going 4W driving tomorrow, join us." And it goes on and on.

This is not just with guests, people invite and share with all around them. It's really good to see.

Obviously I pitch in to help with whatever is needed too... as does everyone.. but communities are real communities and they help each other, swapping dinner invites, eggs for veggies, stories for beer, and concert tickets for some company and conversation. This is the norm.... yes, I realize bartering can happen anywhere... but to have it with such heart and sincerity on such a large scale is very encouraging for me to witness and be a part of.

I am staying with Penny, who is the wonderful owner of Karma Llama and a wealth of musical knowledge who shared her enthusiasm of music, llamas and NZ with me. I fed her llamas and chickens, walked her dogs and did some general farming chores. Her enthusiasm rubbed off on me. I basically tagged along with her to various social engagements, having dinner with one set of friends, spending time at another friend’s fabulously located art studio and staying overnight with yet another set of friends who also have llamas. In fact, three of them make up the Llama Association!

She’s got gorgeous, endearing whippets (dogs), one of which has been a whippet champion in Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Olliver and Diva. Aptly named too. Lol.  As well as a cat called Cougar who showed those whippets who's boss!

Olliver and Diva waiting for the llamas to finish eating!

On my first night there, we visited her friend Vickie who has a lovely and very patient daughter called Jesse, as well as a friendly dog called Panda (he looks like a panda) several chickens and chicks and many monarch butterfly caterpillars.

After chatting for a bit we went up to see her freshly built art studio that is situated at the top of one of the local hills on her property. What a spectacular lookout! Holy moly! Penny brought up champagne to congratulate the completion of Vickie’s amazing art studio and my finally making it to New Zealand after “trying” for the last 15 years!  I’ve wanted to come here since I was a teenager.

Vickie's beautiful art studio overlooking the black volcanic sand beach. And let me just say, black sand is the finest, softest, silkiest sand I have ever come across.  Walking around in it barefoot is a total delight!

Llama vs. Alpacas
I had no idea… did you?

Llamas are gentle, stoic and do not scare easily.  They are great with children. They are very conscious of their physical space and are easily trainable.

Alpacas are good for their fleece, but are not as intelligent or as easily trainable. They also spook easily.

What? Haven't you ever seen a llama before?
I'm eating here... do you mind? Oh...wait...you're a girl... that's different... uh.... please... won't you join me on my patch of grass? There's plenty of room...

Did someone say hair brush? Man... I could do with a good brushing to untangle these curls.

Are those the whippets?  Let's see if we can get them to come closer.

Maybe if we stand reeeaaallly still and pretend we are a postcard....

I'm pretty and you know it!

Just look at these eyelashes! 

Get back on that chicken!
It's been 15 years in the making so it's definitely about time I got over this one.
Back in 98', I went to live at the Yasodhara ashram for a few months. This was in BC. My first karma yoga task was to collect the eggs from the chicken coup. They had over a hundred chickens.

Now I wasn't thinking "cute little birds." I was thinking Stephen King's "The Dark Half." (For those of you who haven`t read it... there is an ominous feel around birds.) I guess you could equate it (somewhat) with "The Crow." (The poem, not the movie) Or "Kujo" if he was a bird.

Aha! I have finally gotten "back on that chicken!" Mind you, at arms length. But still... that's pretty darned good I think.

The scheming chickens... not to be trusted I tell you...

The fruits of my self imposed therapy. Er... "labour."

Alfalfa and zinc oxide to feed the llamas.

The zinc ozide is added to feed as a preventive measure against facial eczema.

I went in to the coup, took one look at so many birds all around me and went back to ask for guidance. They told me to just reach under the birds and remove the eggs. I went back and chose my first chicken. I looked it in the eyes, she looked back into my eyes. I know how crazy this sounds, but I am sure that chicken knew I was there to steal her eggs and was telepathically signalling to her comrades to prepare for full on warfare. I slowly walked over and began to reach my hand out towards her. She pecked me and then flew right in to my face! Then, ALL the birds... I am not exaggerating... ALL of them came at me. Well, I ran out of that coup so fast the birds ate my dust.

After that (and once I regained my composure... picking up what remained of my dignity) I walked back (without eggs) and calmly but firmly (and as nonchalantly as possible) told them that after thinking it over, I decided that I preferred to dig up the mountain of cow manure that was on the opposite side of the ashram. (It was considered the most unpleasant task and thus, not normally given to a newby lest they decide this isn't for them and leave).

So anyhow, ever since then, any time a flock of birds come near me I start getting nervous.
You know the saying that if you are riding a horse and you fall off, in order to recover and not assume lasting trauma, you must "get back on the horse?" Yeah, so this was my version of imposed therapy. Penny has about 12 birds so it isn’t as daunting, thankfully.

I decided today was the day I was going to "get back on that chicken damnit!"

Result?

Good news. I am alive and not scarred.
More good news. The chickens remain alive and unscarred as well.

My heart qi, however, was definitely NOT alive and well. 

Even under duress I am pretty good at remaining calm and relaxed, but in the chicken coup, I broke out in a full body sweat.  (Not that any of you fair readers needed to know that! Lol)

My conclusion… though chickens appear to be simple, silly creatures… do not underestimate them. Chickens are NOT to be trusted my friends.  They get together and scheme… trust me on this… you don’t want to travel lightly amongst them. Always be on your guard.

Music therapy
Penny invited me out to enjoy some live bands in downtown Aukland with her the othe day. The Kings Arms Hotel, one of three top pubs in the whole country for live music really was fantastic, as were the bands playing - The Bads and Swamp Thing.  We pinched a poster. Shhhhh… Don’t tell anyone.

Both bands were really good.

Gecko Monitoring
Gecko monitoring with Diana was a very interesting experience. I’m glad she was willing to let me tag along with her. She is just such a wealth of local wildlife and plant information and took the time to point out wetas, cicadas, various bird and tree species as we persisted in out attempt to locate geckos. Sadly, there were no geckos that day, but I did learn quite a bit and enjoyed the conversation. Diana also happens to be a wonderful writer. In fact, she and Penny met via an interview she did of Karma Llama with Penny many years ago.  Diana kindly invited me to go along with Penny and stay at their holiday cottage in the Northland. We did. It was gorgeous!

Cicadas are LOUD! You can barely hear what the person standing right next to you is saying they are THAT loud.  It is the males that make that sound during mating season.  Guess what season it is?

Freshly shed skin of a cicada. Trees are covered with these.

Trek to Northland
On our drive up to Northland, we stopped to check out the Harvest Festival.  Unfortunately it got rained out but still lots of fun with a lively marimba band and cool folks.

We visited and stayed overnight with Julie and Peter who are good friends of Penny’s and also own quite a lot of llamas, chickens, beautiful birds (and loud ones that need attention such as “Yoky!”) and many others.  Julie creates a fabulous newsletter for the Llama association and she and Peter were just great about showing me around.  Very nice to have met them!

Hot Springs
On our drive we did a pit stop at a hot springs and mineral water soak – only $5!  I love this place! Now THAT’S what I call a break! This is what your lunchtime routine should look like – have a bit to eat, soak for 30 minutes, change and then have something to drink so you stay hydrated. Then go back to work… yep… that’s how I would do it. Here… it’s possible and financially feasible to boot!

There isn’t anyone even manning a booth. There is an Honesty Box for money.  You put in your fiver and go have your soak.  Have I mentioned how much I adore New Zealand?

The bartering system is definitely alive and well in New Zealand. It’s great!  The springs look a bit like a construction site with holes in the ground the local rains had filled up. But do not be deceived folks! That horrible sulphuric smell will lead you to a relaxing session of “aaahhhhhhh” and more “aaaahhhhhhhs.” The hot mineral waters come in various temperatures, depending on which “hole” you happen to sit in.  The bottom has black volcanic sand and is totally no frills yet all comfort. (Once you’re in!) The problem comes when attempting to leave… because you just don’t want to. Lol.

Tane Mahuta
This is the largest and oldest tree in the area!  The name translates as “Lord of the forest.” 14 meters wide and around at the time of Christ. Imagine the history this tree has been privy to… civilizations have come and gone during its lifetime. What an incredible quiet strength and wisdom is found here.

Driving on the left side of the road
Kind of like going from a PC to a MAC. You think at first it’s going to be strange, that it can’t possibly be natural feeling if you are used to driving on the right side… and yet… once you actually start driving on the left it is strangely intuitive. Right from the get go. Bizarre. I was sure it would feel weird but it doesn’t.  Thanks Penny for letting me have a go and practice!  You are one brave woman! lol.

Conservation is alive and well in New Zealand! People here are very conscientious about tracking mud and seeds in to different wooded areas, composting, using toxic free products and as in Australia, water consumption is strictly watched. Most people are not on the city water system so they only have as much water as is in their tanks.  Composting or long drop toilets are also popular… so again, no chemicals. You don’t want your shampoo or soap residues seeping into the ground in which you grow veggies if they don’t have biodegradable and completely non toxic ingredients in them.

On a side note, I wish to bestow upon my lovely readers the virtue of goat soap! It’s moisturizing without stripping your skin of its own natural oils. And no, you don’t end up smelling like a goat. (In case you were wondering....) Use goat soap! Yeah!

Well, there are many other lovely adventures which have happened in and around the ones I’ve written about… but I can’t give away ALL my secrets, now can I?! Ha!

Tomorrow I head to the Rotorua region and meet with Attila for three days of travelling together before going our separate ways again.

Lots of happy “kia oras” from the land of great warriors!
Yvette

ps. To view more photos, click here.