Click a picture to see a larger view.
We wanted to experience real New Zealand bush. Ulrich, the organizer of the conference suggested that we go to Te Urewera park. It is not at too high an altitude and so won't be under snow or ice yet it is cut from civilization by the longest of winding dirt roads. The dirt road seemed endless but the view from it was worth the trouble.
Naturally, it rained on the very day, for which we planned the big hike of this vacation. It wasn't the end of the world, we had good raingear and the rain forest looked even more convincingly threatening this way. There wasn't anything to be afraid of really. There are no wild beasts in New Zealand, nor are there any snakes. Originally, there were no mammals at all, until the Europeans introduced some domestic animals on purpose and some rodents by accident. There being no predators, some New Zealand birds "forgot" how to fly. Only one of these flightless birds, the kiwi remains. It is very much endangered. Since it can't fly, it can't even flee from a dog or cat. Since these birds are nocturnal, we didn't get to see one in the wild (not as if we would see anything ever, we make too much noise) but only in a cage.
We stayed in a cottage on lake Waikaremoana. Deserted as the place seemed, we didn't lack any comforts. New Zealand is well known for being paradise for hikers. There are well maintained and well marked hiking paths, huts within walking of each other, information within reach. There are even rowboats for the hikers to borrow. Ulrich recommended this hike, which we did on the second day in the park. We walked to lake Waikareiti, borrowed a dinghy and rowed across to an island, in the middle of the lake. On the island, we walked to a little lake - a really secluded lake on an island in a lake. Did this little lake have an island? Probably, but we didn't explore any further.