New Plymouth

Rainy days are museum days, which is why I visited Puke Ariki in New Plymouth. There is an exhibition about the Māori, one about the flora and fauna of New Zealand, one featuring contemporary art, and one about New Plymouth itself. The exhibition covering New Plymouth spans from the arrival of the first settlers to the present day. Apparently, the first settlers were very creative, innovative, and inventive people because they built all sorts of things to simplify their lives. For instance, one man developed a machine that lifted heavy bales of hay onto a trailer so that this physically demanding work no longer had to be done by humans.

Even today, individuals from New Plymouth are frequently recognized for their great inventions. For example, the Kindling Cracker (a tool for splitting wood) and the sshhmute (an attachment for trumpets that reduces volume) are inventions from people in New Plymouth. Who hasn’t heard of these yet?

Among other things, a dentist's room was also recreated based on a photograph by a man. We chatted briefly, and he told me he grew up in New Plymouth and that the dentist's rooms, through which entire classes were ushered, really looked just like that. That’s why he wants to send his brothers photos of it.

When it eventually stopped raining, it became more enjoyable to stroll through the streets, view Saint Mary's Cathedral and Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church, and walk along the promenade. By the way, Saint Mary's Cathedral, built in 1845, is the oldest stone church in New Zealand and was designated as the Cathedral of Taranaki in 2010.

On the promenade stands the Wind Wand, a slender, bright red, 45m high carbon fiber pole with a glowing orb at the top. A similar, but smaller version of the Wind Wand was erected in New York in 1962; however, in New Plymouth, it was initially intended to be a whole forest of 125 swaying Wind Wands, starting with the first one erected in 2000. But that hasn't materialized yet.

I also found the Clock Tower and its reflection in the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery and Len Lye Center quite cool. The first time I drove past the mirrored block, I thought it was a parking garage!

I stayed overnight at Lake Rotomanu, where I watched people waterskiing and wakeboarding while having dinner. Additionally, a German couple asked me for salt. They had just bought their van and started their road trip but forgot the salt while shopping. Naturally, the pasta doesn't taste good without it! I was happy to help them, and this way, I could also recharge my good karma a little, which I had somewhat strained the day before.