Probably the most beautiful country in the world. There is nothing you can compare to it, and that happens because nowhere in the world you can find such a small place with so many different natural things to see. And as the new tourism promo says: "Welcome to the youngest country in the world".
All lands were already discovered before any human ever set foot in New Zealand. At same time, the geography of the country as we see it nowadays was pretty different not a long time ago. Separating first from the the Antarctica and Australia, when they were forming a single continent, New Zealand went sailing alone and during one period, it was nearly disappeared under the water.
Eventually, tectonic movements made the land gain altitude again to end with the image that maps offer today. Placed in the middle of a zone with tectonic movement, the North island is actually being pushed in one direction and the South Island in the other. All this underground activity has had a strong power in creating a long range of volcanoes on the North Island, and a huge mountain range at the south, the Southern Alps, with the ceiling at about 3800m.
That dramatic continuous modification of the surface caused that New Zealand today is such a varied country, where we can find from massive volcanoes to long white sand beaches, blue lakes, sub-tropical forests and huge snowed mountains.
Something that makes a difference from other countries is the conditions in which animal life had the evolution. No predators where found ever in the island, so birds became losing the need to fly. And the effect was so tremendous that they even ended losing their wings! One clear example is the kiwi, the national bird. Don't be mistaken. It really has wings, but to see them you need to catch the animal and try to find them. So little cute useless wings has the shy kiwi!
Together with the kiwi, a great animal, possibly the biggest in the world as it used to reach more than 2 meters high, was another wingless bird called Moa. Unfortunately for them, when the Maori people came from the islands and arrived to New Zealand, they became the first predator in this lands. And absolute massacre happened and the Moas were extincted. The amount of meat for the hungry Maoris was a too strong temptation.
On the other hands, the Maoris learned the lesson and became to fall in love with their lands, with animals and nature and everything living that was around. Everybody places gods in different places. We Christians close them in churches, but they learned to place their gods in nature, and they learned to respect it and live together in harmony.
The situation could have not been worst then when the English discovered this lands. The arrival was not violent, but the aim of the conquerors to transform the wild nature in something that could seem like home make an absolute disaster to the natural environment. Also, with their boats they brought many kind of animals that were not present before, rats, sheep, and many more, as well as new species of plants.
The effect was devastating and nearly a 70% of the forests were destroyed. The aim of the retired soldiers to transform the environment in somewhere they could live in reached points that still today are present there, like the Bridge to Nowhere. Literally, they created a bridge to cross to some lands they wanted to cultivate, but the power of nature conquering their lands was so strong that they had to go back. Nowadays this bridge crosses above a river, and once you are on the other side, you find yourself in the middle of nowhere. Nature has gained back its property!
Fortunately for the country, and thanks in part to the experience and influence of the Maori people, new laws were signed, massive protests against the destruction of the trees happened, and the battle began to get back to Nature territory.
Nowadays, still many things resisted all the attacks. This innocent land suffered too much, scars are visible in most places, many tears were dropped by the trees. But thanks to the strong battle that was fought there, nowadays the kiwi spirit is one of the most respectful for nature, in an aim to protect what is still there and expand it in order to bring to nature what once was stolen.
An applause for every kiwi in the world. Your spirit will succeed. Together you saved your country and kept it being the most beautiful land in the world. Keep fighting and bring that land back to its origin!
Planning a trip to New Zealand? You will find some help at: Travel to South Pacific
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Dani Alonso
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