Birthday Funday

Yesterday was my birthday. I am now really old.

The day didn't go entirely to plan. In the morning I was meant to be joining the hot neurosurgeon (on who I have the biggest crush in my life. Turns out my type is paediatric neurosurgeons, which limits my number of potential partners somewhat) for an exciting tumour removal operation. Sadly, I was coughing too much to go into theatre. I didn't bother going in at all as the day before I coughed in PICU and was sent home too.

Instead of going to the hospital, I phoned home, and enjoyed confusing my parents with the time zones. This bit went entirely to plan.

The second not-to-plan bit occurred a couple of hours after, when I locked myself out of my accommodation with no suncream, no lunch, no camera, and no friends. I only had a phone, $10, and three hours to kill until I could meet the others. This did mean I got to have cake in the park for lunch, though.

After wandering aimlessly around Auckland for three hours, the group met up and went to the Sky Tower. That is the pointy thing that dominates the seven million photos of the Auckland skyline I have taken.

Opened in 1997, the Sky Tower stands at 328m tall, making it the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. During construction three GPS satellites were used to ensure it remained exactly upright, and it can withstand earthquakes measuring over 8 on the Richter scale. It is kitted out with millions of LED's, and often provides different colour schemes for special events, e.g. red and green for Christmas, pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, gold for NZ Olympians.

The ticket for the Tower provided several more facts, the most useful of which are:

• Sky Tower is as tall as 37 buses laid end-to-end.
• It weighs the same as 6,000 elephants.

My question is: are they African or Indian elephants?

So, after the rather terrifying lift (there was a window in the floor) to the Main Observation Deck at 186m, we got our first breathtaking views across the whole of Auckland. It was a gorgeous day with barely a cloud in sight, so we were able to see 52 miles in every direction.

We were also able to see zero miles in every direction, thanks to the glass windows helpfully built into the floor. Even the boys had to hold onto the handrails when venturing out onto the glass.

Here is a picture of my feet:

Every 15mins a crazy person jumps off the Tower. It's probably the only time you can stand on a tall building egging some bloke on to jump. Here is one such crazy person:

Mental.

We also went up to the Sky Deck, which is at 220m. Not a great lot of difference in views, really, so I won't bother showing you anymore pictures of that.

After going back down in the terrifying lift, we headed home for my birthday tea. This involved exciting takeaway that we had heard all about. It was from a place called 'Hell', which produces pizzas called things like 'Mischief', 'Lust', 'Sinister', 'Damned', and 'Mordor'. It also gave the option of having a lamb shank with mash and gravy as a side dish. We did.

The pizzas were very exciting. Mine had onions, spinach, mushrooms, avacado, cashew nuts and camembert. H's had refried beans, and E's was made with seafood sauce instead of tomato! We also got a dessert pizza covered in berries and custard, and were given a free portion of 'Hell Crossed Buns', which have a pentagram on top instead of the traditional cross. They also had the tagline 'For a limited time only. A bit like Jesus.'

Overall, it was a good birthday, and I was in bed by 10:30pm. My bones were a bit creaky by then.

Rangitoto

Today we went to the volcanic island of Rangitoto.

Rangitoto sprung up only 600 years ago, in a series of eruptions lasting around 100 years. During this time it produced more volcanic material than the other 49 Auckland volcanoes did in the preceding 100,000 years. It is not expected to erupt again, but they are due more eruptions in the Auckland volcanic field: any time between tomorrow and the next 5000 years, and there will be no warning that it's about to happen. Scary!

The literal translation of Rangitoto is 'bloody sky', but is actually taken from the phrase 'Ngā Rangi-i-totongia-a Tama-te-kapua' ('the days of the bleeding of Tama-te-kapua'). Tama-te-kapua was the captain of the Arawa waka (canoe), who was badly wounded during a battle with the Tainui iwi (tribe) on the island. Maori tribes will have seen Rangitoto appear from under the sea - footprints have been found preserved between layers of volcanic ash.

Recurring theme: when the British arrived on the island it was stripped of wildlife.

When we arrived at Rangitoto at about 9:45am, there were 500 swimmers getting ready to swim to Mission Bay. This is quite far, and the water is quite cold in this part of the gulf. They were all crazy.

After waving the crazy people off, we began the Summit Walk. Here is us, with the instantly recognisable profile of the volcanic cone in the background:

Not really much to say, except it was hard work. Rangitoto is a real volcano, and it makes One Tree Hill look like a mere bump in the road. However, I only had to stop for three inhaler breaks, which considering my chesty cough is not too bad. On the way to the summit we passed the crater, which was massive, and covered in big trees.

Getting to the top was a great feeling, and the 360 views of the gulf were amazing. I didn't bother taking many pics of the scenery as it was too far away. Here are two videos that are pretty poor quality.

After we had caught our breath, and taken shots of 'us+background' in as many permutations as possible, we did the Crater Rim walk. It was rubbish - couldn't see the crater at all because of the aforementioned trees.

Next we went to the Lava Caves. These were formed when molten lava cooled on the outside because of contact with the ground and air, forming a hard crust, while the still molten lava in the core continued to flow through. Using our phones for torches we managed to navigate through the pitch black. It was very narrow at some points, and we had to crouch really low for a stretch. I didn't have the right setting selected on my camera, so my pics are a bit rubbish, but here's one as we emerged from the first cave:

I shall steal good pictures from the others.

After the Caves, we went on a few more walks around, then got the ferry back. I was exhausted, and the shower upon returning home was most welcome.

Waiheke

Today we went to the island of Waiheke (Maori: 'cascading waters'). So many people we've met have said we had to go, and my house officer said it's her favourite place in the whole world. In fact she said if she could live anywhere in the world it would be Waiheke, and I can see why:

However, her ST job is in Birmingham, so pretty much anything is an improvement.

Waiheke is about 40mins ferry journey away from the Auckland CBD, and is in such a position that it has it's own subclimate; it is always about 2-3 degrees walmer than central Auckland, and has 30% less rainfall per year. The island itself has it's own microclimates too, when big hills block prevailing winds, resulting in valleys that are up to 10 degrees hotter than at the top. This makes it ideal for grape vines, and Waiheke is full of vineyards. It used to be an unpopular place to live, but now it is so popular that many residents rent out their house for the summer months and go live somewhere else, because they come off better.

We arrived at Waiheke at 9am, and went to a nice little market in Ostend, one of the villages. It was quite small, but Waiheke is a very small community, so it was to be expected. We did meet an 'Iridologist', who proclaims to be able to diagnose diseases by looking at your irises. Based on a poster at his stall, I am genetically mixed, and E has sinus congestion. He also considers himself 'naturopathic', but me thinks he doesn't quite know what that translates to.

After Ostend we tried to go to Onetangi Beach, but due to a slight bus hiccup we ended up at Rocky Bay. It was rubbish. So we left Rocky Bay and went to Stoneridge Vineyard, which is meant to be one of the best.

We got the $10 tour and wine tasting deal, and felt very rebellious sipping a nice Merlot at 11:30am. As I was still bunged up, however, the tasting part was lost on me - I just enjoyed having two glasses of wine before lunch. The scenery was beautiful, but NZ is really one of those places that cannot be captured on camera. Here is a pitiful attempt to convey the beauty of the valley:

After this, we did actually manage to get to Onetangi Beach, which is meant to be one of the best in NZ. It was stunning - the sand was light, the sea was so clear and blue, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I managed to talk most of the others into going for a swim, so we donned our swimwear (mine exposes parts of my body that I don't think have ever seen the sun) and enjoyed the warm sea.

After messing around on the beach for a while, we headed back to the main village of Oneroa to find some food. We were unsuccessful, but we had a while to wait for the next ferry, and it was a shame to waste an opportunity to sit on a balcony overlooking a bay. So instead we got a bottle of very nice wine (by this point I had partially regained my sense of smell) and scandalised the waitresses by asking for free water.

After this, we were tired and wanted some Korean food, so we went home:

One Tree Hill

This afternoon we went to One Tree Hill.

No, not that One Tree Hill, silly. This One Tree Hill:

This was potentially a mistake, as it is an extinct volcano that I had to walk up, and given my current status as a chesty mouth breather, it was rather difficult. But, after tailing behind the others slightly, I finally scaled the volcano and got to the top.

To find my camera battery had died.

The camera cannot capture the sights of looking over the whole of Auckland, seeing the CBD skyline on one side, Rangitoto silluoetted against the horizon on another, and both of Auckland's harbours.

One Tree Hill, or Maungakiekie, was an old Maori pa (settlement), and the greatest fortress in the country. It used to have a sacred totara tree on top, but we came along in 1852 and chopped it down, replacing it with a Monterey pine from Europe. That stood until 2000, when Maori activists chopped it down (according to my guidebook, they first tried to chop it down in 1994, but only succeeded in 2000. I don't know what they were using that took six years. A spoon maybe?). This means that, at the moment, there is no tree on One Tree Hill.

There is, however, the grave of someone called Cornwall, who in his will decreed an obelisk be built on the top, as a monument to the Maori people. There will not be a tree until after all the current land wars are finally settled, but it will probably be an indigenous tree!

The other DrA (the male one) had a bit of a mishap while climbing over a rather unimpressive wall. His trousers split all the way up from mid thigh to groin, exposing him quite a lot. Cue much laughter.

Sick day

Today me and H had a sick day. Yesterday I woke up with a sore throat, but still decided to go ahead and have my NZ winter flu jab (we went as a Neurology bonding session between ward round and consults - my registrar got his chest out). That afternoon I spiked a fever, and a lovely nurse took my temperature and gave me a lollipop. I <3 paediatrics!

I decided to stay home today as I was poorly and chesty. H probably has the same virus, but it has manifested itself as labyrinthitis. She almost threw up on a scleroderma patient this morning.

This means I have been reading an awful lot of guidebooks. Here are some facts about New Zealand:

Humorous facts:

• Sunday newspapers were illegal until 1969.
• The human population of NZ is 4.5 million (1/4 of which live in Auckland) and the sheep population is 40 million.
• During the week of the release of the first Lord of the Rings film, the NZ government appointed a 'Minister for the LOTR' to parliament, and renamed Wellington Middle Earth.
• It is considered extremely offensive to sit on a table.

Interesting facts:

• The disposable needle, childproof pill bottles, Velcro, and the use of a whistle in a football match are Kiwi inventions. Thank you New Zealand :)
• New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the right to vote.
• However it only decriminalised homosexuality in 1986.

Depressing facts:

• New Zealand has the second highest rate of domestic violence in the world. This was hammered home to me in an incident yesterday in the hospital, but I'm not allowed to talk about it.
• The inequality between the White Caucasian and the Maori populations is staggering. I am sure I have barely scratched the surface, but there is a huge difference in health and healthcare provision between the two. Also, I have only seen one, maybe two, Maori doctors, a handful of Maori nurses, and predominantly Maori support staff/cleaners/canteen workers. It's how I imagine Britain will have been decades ago, with the added guilt that it's the indigenous population that is in the lower socioeconomic classes.

New Zealand foodstuffs Part II

1) Hokey Pokey ice cream

NZ have the highest rate of ice cream consumption per person in the world. Their own unique flavour is 'hokey pokey', which is basically just caramel ice cream with caramel flavour crunchy bits in. Bit boring really. I wanted pavlova flavoured.

2) Red bananas

Advertised in the shop as having 'a hint of raspberry', red bananas are smaller than normal bananas and have a red skin (duh). The card in the shop told me they were ripe if they showed a hint of yellow, so after careful examination I chose one and paid my 60cents (30p).

The first problem I encountered was the skin - it may be a pretty colour, but it's damned impossible to open in the normal way. I had to get H to do it with her thumbnail, and then the top was all mushy from my attempts.

The second problem was my interpretation of 'a hint of yellow'. Turns out having a slight yellowish tinge to the bottom end is too ripe, so it was a bit soft.

However, despite all this, it was quite edible, and tasted like a sweeter version of a normal banana. Absolutely nothing like raspberry though.

3) NZ version of fast food

They do have the same fast food outlets here in NZ that we do (if I have to walk past another blooming Subway store...), but they also have another fast food option: sushi.

There are hundreds of sushi shops here, offering pre-packaged takeaway boxes full of sushi. You can get 8 large pieces of mixed fresh sushi/sashimi for about $9 (£4.50), or you can go for the 'sushi of the day', which is 8 pieces of the same sushi for $4.90 (£2.95). And it's goooood sushi too - the kind that would cost £10-15 in the UK. Bargain!

Tiritiri Matangi Island

Yesterday (or the UK's today...kinda) we ventured out on the 9am ferry to Tiritiri Matangi Island, a open science reserve about 30km from Central Auckland.

Tiritiri Matangi (Maori: 'tossed by the wind') is an entire island devoted to maintaining populations of endangered bird species. There are several islands like this in NZ, but I think Tiri is the only one open to the public.

When NZ split from the main continent 60 million years ago no land mammals had yet evolved. Only bird and reptile life existed on the islands, and there were no predators. As a consequence the native life did not adapt the neccessary evolutionary mechanisms to protect them from predators, and lost the ability to fly. When Polynesian (and later white Europeans) settled and brought land mammals with them, such as rats, mice and stoats, almost 50% of the species native to the country were wiped out. The rest of the species became severely endangered.

Around 600 years ago the Maori made their way to Tiri, followed by the British in 1840 (the British set it up as a lighthouse station, which they had made in England and then shipped over to NZ). Then followed a period of intense farming, and 94% of the original bush was wiped out.

When the impact of human activities on NZ wildlife was realised, a big drive to restore populations of species began, and in 1970 Tiri became a science reserve. Predators were irradicated, volunteers planted 280,000 native trees, and birds were rounded up and introduced to the island when it was felt the conditions could support them. Tiri was selected for this as it is 3km away from the nearest land, and rats can only swim 2km.

Since then the island and it's wildlife has florished, though there are some difficulties. The Takahe is a flightless bird that resembled a cross between a chicken and a parrot, and was thought to be extinct until a small population of around 250 was found on the South Island. 60 years later there are still only around 300 in the country - inbreeding and the shrinking of the gene pool has led to a high rate of genetic mutations and thus infertility and miscarriage.

Because of the significance of this island biosecurity is very important, and the guidebooks and leaflets forewarn of the impact of bringing pests with you. So, after hastily throwing our pet hamsters and armies of mongooses over the side of the ferry, we set off to Tiri.

We decided to get the guided tour, a bargain of $5 (£2.50) on top of the ferry price of $66 (£33), which is done by a volunteer. Ours was called S, and worked at Starship during the week. She took us on a 2.5hr tour, pointing out all the birds which I completely failed to take pictures of. Turns out I'm not very good at taking pictures of birds - either I've taken too long setting up the shot, or my camera zoom isn't good enough. For example, this picture theoretically contains a bird, but it's like a game of Where's Wally:

Fortunately, one of our party said I could steal some of his pictures, as he was more successful, so here is one of a Takahe:

As well as birds, we also saw some other interesting wildlife. The Kohekohe tree is unusual as it is the only tree outside of the Amazon rainforest to grow it's berries on little shoots directly out of the main trunk. Usually this feature evolves due to the dense canopy in the rainforest, so animals can still get to the berries. Why this feature has evolved in NZ is a mystery.

Also on Tiri is a Tuatara (Maori: 'peaks on the back'), a reptile which is different from all other reptiles in the world: it is the sole remaining member of a family that has been unchanged since dinosaur times 225 million years ago. Sadly we did not see one as they are nocturnal.

The scenery on Tiri was astonishing, and we took loads of photos. Sadly, they don't do them justice. The sight of a palm tree against the blue sea with a volcanic island in the background cannot be captured on a basic camera, but here is an attempt of a beach:

After several hours walking round the (very hilly!) island, we returned to Auckland and decided to have a BBQ. I won't bore you with that, but here is a picture I took on the way to the supermarket. It turns out in NZ they don't cut down trees to make way for telephone wires: