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Driving from Rotorua to Wellington James likened it to driving through a huge national park. This Volcanic Island came to life showing us its lush, fertile and arable land, its countryside alive with herds of cattle. In the distance we passed a rugged volcano that when we got closer looked to be erupting. The top looked like it had blown off but was propably just lost in clouds. The side of the rock seemed to glow a fiery, red but there was no smoke or panic anywhere. Kestrels tempt fate by swooping in on fresh roadkill nearly succumbing to the same fate and white butterflies play a deadly dance across the roads nearly always facing a certain death.
Another noticable precense on the roads here are hitchikers which I though left in the 80's. we have seen more than a few people on one roadtrip looking for rides.
I think the perfect word for describing NZ is "Untouched" which was used by both me and a local cabbie one evening. He was an ex-pat who spent the entire ride home from Wellington City pointing out sights and informing us of local information. Like the gangs who live here and are based on the gangs of L.A. He gave us the names of each gang but there were too many to mention and like the U.S one group has even created its own record label and have become quite successful over here. The others are still into fighting and crime. i found it hard to believe that somewhere so beautiful was so tainted. He also told us how unemployment levels were at a real low local people were forced to move abroad to find work and they are being replaced here by skilled migrants. That sounds about right for every country we have visited so far though.
Picture the U.K, 60+million people. Now picture Japan 130 million people. These Islands are roughly the same size as New Zealand and here there are 4.5 million people. I think my descriptive words in my earlier blog sums NZ up.
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