Pohutukawa is the New Zealand Christmas tree. We saw the tree, but it had already bloomed. At Christmas, it is bright red. We found a few “late bloomers”.
Today we caught a four-hour bus ride to North to Paihia. I get very seasick/carsick, and the last hour was brutal. Fortunately, we stopped to stretch our legs. Rob and I both got a Magnum Classic which is a chocolate-covered ice cream bar. In fact, it was calling our name.
When British missionary Henry Williams first arrived in the Bay of Islands, and knew only a little of the Māori Language. He did know the word ‘pai’ meaning good, and he told his Māori guide ‘Pai here’ (meaning Good here) when they arrived in Paihia. It has been called that ever since.
When the British say ‘here’, it does sound like ‘hia’.
Have you ever heard of Zane Gray? Rob had found a restaurant called Zane Grey’s Restaurant. Surely, it isn’t the same man who wrote stories about the American West that is from Zanesville, OH. IT WAS!!
Well, it turns out that he was a BIG fisherman. Zane Grey is credited for catching the most marlins on one day. This occurred in New Zealand. He caught three marlins. This record will stand as you are now only allowed to catch one per day.
Zane Grey basically put the Bay of Islands on the map by entertaining many of his famous friends … and even writing a book about his fishing adventures. Tales of the Angler’s Eldorado, New Zealand.
I had another surprise. Grey was good friends with Buffalo Jones who was the co-founder of my hometown of Garden City, KS. For a little town, it sure does have a worldwide reputation.
Anyway, he traveled with Buffalo Jones and even wrote a book about him. This should have been required reading in my high school English class. The title is The Last of the Plainsmen. I would like to read it.
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