Haircut, Taranaki, and Trout

Sir Edmund Hillary dominated Kiwi hero-culture through the later half of the 20th century.  His status climbed along with his mountaineering triumphs.  Accompanied by Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, the summit of Mt. Everest was conquered on May 29, 1953.  His legend began and expanded as additional peaks were ascended.  Following his 1992 final ascension to the Big Peak in the Sky, Sir Edmund's feats found a trail into the country's folklore.  His image adorns the New Zealand $5 bill.  And he had a distinct haircut.

A haircut emulated by many Kiwi males.  One known by any barber worth his red and white rotating pole.

When Tom needed his first New Zealand trim, the local Thames main street barber shop offered a convenient location within 250 yards of home. The shop displayed double painted poles supporting the front overhang.  A schooner replica occupied the entirety of the grimy front window.  Tom entered through a turquoise front door and sat in the unoccupied chair.  Nicely worn leather cushions buffered the seat as well as the armrests.  A lone upper middle aged man, the Barber, rose from the other chair.  With reluctance he closed his book, Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors", and reached for his tools.  Dunking the tools into antiseptic solution, he measured his new challenge.  After drying the scissors and combs and nose-pluckers, he practiced his art.  Ten minutes later the trim became a haircut.

Sir Edmund and his haircut on the 5

Edmund Hillary's haircut consists of a very close removal of sides with haphazard cuts on top accentuating the wild wind-blown natural look.  The doctor's 61 year old head allows for a large space from eyebrow to frontal hairline.  Once the scissors was placed safely away, the Barber swung the chair around facing the mirror.  The reflection sitting in the chair resembled something from the Muppet Show.  Bert or Beaker.  $15 was exchanged.  The doctor walked home aware of the wind direction as it flowed past his bare ears.  When he arrived home, he still appeared to be a Bert-Beaker hybrid.  How could the epic voyage continue with the beautiful Blonde Woman?  As Bert and the Blonde Woman?

But, even with the initial adjustment to the Hillary-ian haircut, the doctor grew to appreciate its value:
1) He is not the only male Baby Boomer with the same style in the area
2) The sun hat fits just right
3) Beautiful NZ women did not interrupt his schedule
4) Tom returned to the barbershop 4 more times.

Even with his last haircut occurring in 1992, Sir Edmund got the last laugh when quoted, "It's not a real adventure when you have to pay for it."

Mt Taranaki from Surf Highway

Mt Taranaki and the goddess

Sir Edmund did not climb Mt Taranaki.  Neither did the doctor nor the Blonde Woman.  They drove around the great volcano reigning on the western coast of the North Island.  New Plymouth was a weekend destination.  An area characterized as rich farmland, off shore gas and oil drilling, and history/legends surrounding the volcano visible from half of the North Island on a clear day.  And clear it was.  Following a drive down the Waikato, Waitoma, and west coast regions they spent time looking at the botanical gardens and then to a rugby test between the Chiefs and New South Wales.

The following day Mt Taranaki was circumnavigated.  Department of Conservation sites explored, small towns along coastline visited, and new territory witnessed.  The mountain carries part of the creation myth of the Maori.  One visualizes Tongariro from sites on the mountain.

Mt Taranaki from New Plymouth

The mountain offers various views and moods depending on the light and position.  It sits above all existence in the area.  After a weekend, the trip home weaved through the mountain ridges along the "Forgotten Highway".  Taranaki eventually disappeared.  Taranaki yet awaits for his girlfriend to call his name.  An explosion is certain some day.

Peter and Dawn Willis with Cheryl at Lake Taupo

Something is biting besides Tom

 And then back down to Lake Taupo, the largest lake in the Southern Hemisphere.  Peter and Dawn shook loose and met Tom and Cheryl.  Once again, the weather cleared and the executive decision cleared for serious fishing.  The boat just happened to have a protected deck.  Skipper Dan told stories, taught techniques, took fish off hooks, cleaned the catch, and offered preparation advice.

Cheryl's catch in the blue waters of Taupo

Cheryl and Dawn barely spoke due to the intensity of the event.  That may be overstated.  The fish were 90 feet down, so some laughter may have occurred in a subdued manner.











Cheryl's fish and two others ended up in the oven at a Taupo restaurant, the Vine Eatery. Smothered with almonds and olive oil the trout baked and were served.  Eating the captured fish in a restaurant with friends--why do trout taste so good?

Cheryl's trout

While fishing, more views of the Tongariro National Park area and the large central volcano, Ruapehu sat on the far south end of the lake.  Catching fish was a bonus, but the ride on the lake took the stage credits.

Ruapehu from Lake Taupo

The sun sets on the Tasman Sea off the coastal walk at New Plymouth.  The shorter New Zealand days and the angle in which the sun nestles down for the night give a new dimension to the end of daylight.  "Moon over the Tasman", must be the next Country/Western hit.

Things

Plenty of funny things.

As mankind attempts to carve out an existence in a region of great oceans, great mountains, great bush, and great variety, they leave something behind to designate the struggle or the victory.  The appearance of many relics constructed for posterity play on the comic vibration built into the countryside.  Homes and buildings display art and attempts at art.  A bold statement sits along the coast road north of Thames.  Elongated orange heads peek above the decorative landscape surveying the world and wondering, "What's going on?"  They maintain guard over a neighborhood with Mona Lisa smiles.  Do the prodigious Orange Man Group represent a religious sect? a secret club? treasures lifted from the Pacific?  family gravestones?

Small NZ communities define themselves boldly.  Or, desire to be known for noteworthy things in noteworthy fashions.  To demonstrate the community's proudest product, a mega-sample often occupies an unabashed civic location.  Paeroa is the former home to the L&P soft drink company.  The company moved out, but left its giant L&P bottle in a main-street park and toilet area.  Each visitor poses by the bottle (previous entry).

The town of Taihape produces gum-boots, or gum-shoes, or gummies, or Wellies.  As the Dalmatian immigrants flooded into NZ in search of the Kauri tree gum deposit, poor conditions necessitated proper equipment.  Standing in mud and water required a good pair of waterproof boots.  Taihape places the world's largest gum-boot at the entrance to town.  A used one, of course, in the tradition of Kiwi conservationism.




Ohakune watches the volcano mountain Ruapehu from the south.  Local vegetable growers did not want to be forgotten by local skiers, climbers, and trampers.  The farmers erected a large carrot.  One worth envy.  It is difficult not to pose, and public toilets are planted near-by.

Carrotific.
Carrotpendous.

The great Carrotsaurous of Ohakune.

No giant rabbits in sight.

Dunedin's Harbor Mouth Molars denote the importance of NZ's first dental school and strong teeth.  The molars ache for attention.  Trying to outshine Wellington's reputation as the art center, Dunedin clenched and coughed up tax money for the big molars on the beach.  A full set may follow some day.

Little town of Tirau laps up a laugh with its "top ten most unusual buildings in the world".  A sheepdog and sheep-shaped building allows visitors to walk into the bowels of the  i-Site information center.  Each NZ community has an information center to portray the regions highlights to visitors and mark the region's fame.  With a smile.










A bus trip in Auckland?















A pizza ad on Mt. Maunganui Beach











A couple leaving for the States?










A Kiwi weekend off.

Hot dog shop by the Auckland Harbor.

Tim? No, cannot be.

The Kiwi Humor.

Metalwork sculpture at Wellington national gallery