Living on a magma bubble
New Zealand | Anno 2019
Saturday 9 March | Auckland
Saturday 9 March | Auckland
Gradually, the Tasman Sea comes into view from beneath the dense cloud cover. This enormous body of water separates New Zealand from its big brother, Australia. Our destination, Auckland, is a whopping 2,150 km away from Sydney, Australia – as far as Brussels from Istanbul. No wonder New Zealand is sometimes referred to as the most remote destination in the world.
A friendly female voice whispers "Haere mai" softly through the speakers. That means welcome in Māori
It's advised not to carry fresh food, fruit, or other organic substances in our luggage, as indicated in the video shown shortly before landing. Apparently, fines ranging from four hundred to a hundred thousand dollars, or even imprisonment, are at stake for violators. There's no room for illusions. The beagles used to sniff our luggage have the most developed sense of smell among all dog breeds. If we happen to possess such prohibited items, we can dispose of them in waste bins ironically called amnesty boxes. Once past this point, there are no excuses for offenders.
Even tools intended for working with plants or animals should not contain organic residues. Even equipment for outdoor activities, such as tents and hiking boots, raises the suspicion of customs. And it doesn't matter whether you have those shoes in your luggage or on your feet.
Below, amidst the water mass, the green North Island of New Zealand slowly emerges. The only runway of Auckland Airport juts out into the sea like a grey tongue. The touchdown is a fact a little past twelve local time. The time difference with Belgium cannot get any larger, as it is midnight there. Day is now night, and night is day.
There is a dense grey cloud cover over the airport, and the tarmac is wet, but it's not raining. The thermometer reportedly shows 16 °C (61 °F). While we’re looking for our luggage, a friendly female voice whispers Haere mai softly through the speakers. That means Welcome in Māori.
An enthusiastic welcome committee is waiting impatiently in the arrival hall. Not for us, it turns out, but for their Champions 2019 NCA. It is the New Zealand cheerleading team that has just won a world title in the junior category in Dallas, USA.
Further away, a group of about sixty young men is forming. Their appearance reveals their Polynesian origin. They come from Vanuatu, an island group about 2,200 km away, to pick kiwis in New Zealand. Normally, these fruits ripen in April, but the warm summer has pushed the harvest forward by a few weeks. The same applies to the grape harvest, by the way.
With a chocolate biscuit in our stomachs and a twelve-hour jet lag in our bodies, we start our journey by bus just after half past one. Our bus tour will take us from Auckland on the North Island to Christchurch on the South Island in eighteen days. It hasn't rained here for weeks, but yesterday and last night, the water poured from the sky. We are fortunate to have this sunny day.
On the northern hemisphere, New Zealand would be located in the zone between the Italian Turin and the Libyan Tripoli
No matter how insignificant New Zealand may seem at the edge of that vast Pacific Ocean, with its area of 275,000 km², it's certainly no small fry – slightly smaller than Italy. In fact, New Zealand has more in common with Italy, geographically speaking. It is situated between 33° and 45° south latitude, equivalent to the region between Turin in Italy and Tripoli in Libya on the northern hemisphere. Moreover, the shape of New Zealand somewhat resembles that of Italy, at least when you flip the map upside down.
And there's more that's upside down here. Take, for example, the seasons. While we in Western Europe eagerly anticipate spring, they wistfully look forward to autumn here. They've never heard of the southern sun because that celestial body always heads north here. To interpret moon phases correctly, you need to stand on your head because when the moon presents itself as the last quarter, it's actually the first quarter. And vice versa.
Despite its vastness, you'll hardly find five million New Zealanders here – about the same population as Ireland, but four times as large. They are often called Kiwis, and it's not even an insult. They take pride in it and use it freely themselves.
Auckland – Skyline with Sky Tower
On average, you can encounter eighteen Kiwis per square kilometre. However, this is purely theoretical, as the South Island is less densely populated than the North Island. Additionally, one-third of the Kiwis gather in Auckland, making it the largest city in the country. However, it is not the capital; that title belongs to the more centrally located Wellington.
New Zealand takes pride in its ethnic diversity, which has increased significantly since the 1960s. This is most noticeable in Auckland. While three-quarters of New Zealanders are still of European origin, the proportion of Asians and people from the Pacific Islands is steadily growing. Māori now constitute approximately 15% of the population. Their language is one of the three official languages, alongside English and… sign language.
Auckland is not built on a single volcano but on an entire volcanic field
Mount Eden
Why precisely this area is such a popular spot among the Kiwis may seem like a mystery when you know that Auckland is not built on a volcano but on an actual volcanic field. More than 50 volcanoes – yes, fifty volcanoes – rule the roost here. There is no shortage of explosion craters, tuff rings, cinder cones, and lava flows. The cause of this is a magma bubble snuggling uncomfortably close to the Earth's crust. So, it's a hot spot, comparable to but much smaller than that of Yellowstone.
But all those volcanoes are dormant now, it is reassuring to say. In the past twenty thousand years, there have been only 19 eruptions, with the last one dating back six hundred years. A quick calculation tells us that we have over 400 years of respite before the next eruption. Statistically speaking, at least.
As we proceed, the Sky Tower emerges on the right in the distance, the iconic symbol of modern Auckland. Then, we enter the Victoria Park Tunnel because we are on our way to another icon – the Auckland Harbour Bridge, built in the fifties to span Waitematā Harbour. With its length of 1,020 m, it hardly falls short of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Rivalry between Australia and New Zealand is never far away here.
From the bridge, you have the perfect view of Auckland's skyline. Under the dark grey cloud cover, the city presents itself as a quite impressive collection of tower buildings, with the colourful marina and hundreds of sailboats in the foreground. Above all, the Sky Tower appears like a delicate needle piercing a hole in the clouds. Even from this distance, it's evident how green the city is. And on the right in the background, the partially wooded profile of Mount Eden dominates, the highest among those fifty dormant volcanoes.
Harbour, Sky Tower
It's half-past two when we arrive at the hotel. Plenty of time to explore the nearby harbour on foot. The cafes around the dock are quite busy on this Saturday afternoon. Impressive sailboats are moored there. Bright red catamarans from Sealink are ready to serve the many islands in the Hauraki Gulf.
Somewhere in this harbour, in 1985, the Rainbow Warrior was docked before being sunk by the French secret service on 10 July. Greenpeace intended to use the ship to protest against French nuclear tests at the Moruroa atoll, a move that did not sit well with the French.
Harbour, Sky Tower
Step by step, the Wynyard Quarter is being upgraded from a neglected industrial site to a neighbourhood where people live and work, do business, and relax. From the quay, we observe the Harbour Bridge in the distance.
A Memorial Beacon reminds us of the many New Zealand soldiers who fell and were buried in far-off Europe during the First World War. Such monuments can be found all over New Zealand, but this is perhaps the oldest, erected on 17 December 1915.
At that time, more than a hundred thousand New Zealanders were involved in the conflict – a staggering ten percent of the population. Of those, 16,697 would perish, and another thousand would succumb to their injuries later.
A similar scenario unfolded during the Second World War, with an additional 11,700 New Zealanders paying the ultimate price for their commitment. Even the Māori distinguished themselves in both world wars with their bravery in those distant, cold lands.
And now, that very country was sinking a ship here?
It was indeed a strange revelation for the Kiwis when the true nature of the attack on the Rainbow Warrior became clear. Twice they had travelled halfway around the world to help liberate France. Tens of thousands had never returned. And now, that very country was sinking a ship here? While the allies pretended not to notice?
Memorial Beacon (1914) |
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Ferry Building |
It marked a turning point in foreign policy. New Zealand declared itself nuclear-free and placed disarmament high on its agenda. In contrast to the Australians, the Kiwis abstained when Bush sought allies for his invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The Ferry Building once served as the hub for the ferry network to the islands. In the early twentieth century, Auckland was one of the leading ports in the Southern Hemisphere. Such status is something to boast about. This stately four-story building in imperial baroque style leaves no room for misunderstanding.
Atop the tower, a time ball was even installed. Every day, at exactly 1 pm, this wooden ball would drop along a vertical rod. Sailors in the harbour could synchronize their chronometers with it.
A leisurely stroll, but without a railing or balustrade at a height of 192 meters.
Sky Tower |
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Just after six, we set out one last time, this time heading to the Sky Tower that dominates the skyline wherever you are in Auckland. On the Southern Hemisphere, you won't find a building taller than this needle-like structure standing at 328 meters.
New Zealand wouldn't be New Zealand if they didn't make something thrilling out of it. You can experience a SkyWalk – a leisurely stroll around the tower, but without a railing or balustrade at a height of 192 meters. If that's not exciting enough, you can opt for a SkyJump – a 192-meter freefall at a top speed of 85 km/h with a controlled soft landing.
Harbour
We take it a bit more leisurely. First, we marvel at the expansive surroundings from the observation deck – the Harbour Bridge, the marina, the commercial harbour with its terminals, cranes, storage facilities, and reservoirs, the numerous green parks, Auckland Museum on the remnants of yet another volcano, and, of course, the imposing Mount Eden. Not to mention the bike highway that recently meanders through the city like a conspicuous pink ribbon.
Wynyard Quarter, Harbour Bridge
All of that unfolds before our window once every hour, as we delightfully acquaint ourselves with the New Zealand cuisine at the Orbit 360° Dining restaurant.
Jaak Palmans
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