Making an Impression

Day 391

Te Awamutu to Whangamata, Coromandel Peninsula

Spending the weekend with some lovely friends of my parents, Rozzie and Jim. It's no coincidence that Rozzie and I share the name Rosalind, she's my namesake. We spent the day at their plot on the beach. Very chilled out, lots of catching up to do! And then home to watch the Frechies hump the English.

Rozzie got to know my auntie and my parents when she was over in Scotland studying for her PhD. She's a historian, specialising in the migration of Scots to New Zealand. I find it quite embarrassing to hear about the British colonisation of NZ, but thankfully the British had learnt from some of their previous mistakes during the colonial era and the Maori were not going to take an invasion lying down. And then the Europeans introduced alien species into this fragile ecosystem. In some places northern hemisphere pine trees are more common place then the natural bush of tree ferns and cabbage trees. Rats, possum and ferrets pray on the unique bird-life, driving many of them to distinction. I am not proud of the impression the British have made on this beautiful country.