Say No To Didymo!

Didymo [Didymosphenia geminata] known as "rock snot" is an invasive freshwater microscopic alga. It is a native of northern Europe and North America and was first reported in New Zealand in 2004.

Prior to leaving on our windy, wet crossing from Picton to Wellington, the New Zealand Department of Conservation checked to see if we had taken our car near any rivers or streams on the South Island. They are trying to prevent the spread of Didymo to the North Island. Fortunately, after inspection, we were declared clean of rock snot - at least on this visit!!

We drove north from Wellington towards Taranaki. En route, we stopped to visit Wanganui, one of the oldest cities in the country. The clock tower at Cooks Gardens was originally built as a fire lookout tower in 1891. It was at Cooks Gardens that New Zealander Peter Snell, the future Olympic gold medalist, set a world-record time for the mile in 1962.

We also had a terrifying encounter with our first wild New Zealand Croc on the streets of Wanganui! Fortunately we escaped unscathed!

New Plymouth is the principal centre of the Taranaki region and is situated around the only deep-water port on New Zealand's west coast. The massive cone of Mount Taranaki towers behind the city.

According to Maori legend, Mount Taranaki was banished to the West Coast from the Central Plateau, after losing a battle with Tongariro for the heart of pretty Mount Pihanga.

Today the brooding peak offers a spiritual beacon for the Taranaki people, standing in the center of the region and taking a commanding role in the region's geography and weather patterns.

Unfortunately, the weather hasn't cooperated for a decent picture of the volcano, which from the pictures we've seen, is magnificent. For the past two days it has been covered in cloud and mist. Hopefully before we leave here we'll get at least one good picture - otherwise we'll have to take a picture of a tourist brochure to post on the next blog!

We spent some time today visiting Pukekura Park and Brooklands Zoo in New Plymouth. Opened in 1876, the park is only a ten minute walk from the city. As we walked through the park we were struck by the similarity to San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

Our next blog will be from Melbourne, Australia. We leave New Zealand on Wednesday after a night in Auckland.

So it is "e noho ra" to New Zealand and "haere mai" to Australia.

Kia Ora,

Trevor & Rebecca