July 19 - Kaikoura Day 1

Today we traveled three hours north along the east coast to Kaikoura. After lunch we watched seals at the Ohau seal colony and their babies in a secluded waterfall just 10 minutes inland.  The New Zealand Fur Seals are a protected species.  Seeing them so close was magical.

In the mid-afternoon, Kira lead our party onto the Takahanga Marae for a Maori Welcoming Ceremony.  We listened to the beautiful spoken word of the Maori language as our host acknowledged the natural and human world and welcomed us in this sacred ceremony to their marae.  We sang "Boys of Old Florida" as part of our required response in song of the ceremony...not in four part harmony, but not too bad.  Once inside, we learned the history and story of the iwi of this particular marae through the ornately decorated walls, prepared our sleeping area, and partook in a delicious meal.