New Zealand: Tales of Travel, Nature, and Legends
Long ago, the Māori tell of a boy named Aoraki, son of Rakinui, the Sky Father, and his brothers. The four sons set out on a great voyage across the sea to visit their Earth Mother, Papatūānuku. But fate had other plans. Their canoe became stranded in the vast ocean, and no matter how they tried, it would not move.
As the cold southern winds swept in, the brothers climbed onto the canoe for safety. The winds grew fierce, freezing them where they stood. Slowly, their bodies turned to stone. Their canoe rose from the sea and became land, and the brothers themselves became mountains.
From this transformation, the great Southern Alps were born. Aoraki, the tallest of the brothers, became the highest peak — the majestic Mt Cook. His brothers stood alongside him, forming the mighty ranges that still crown the South Island of New Zealand today.
To the Ngāi Tahu, the main tribe of the southern region, Aoraki is more than a mountain. He is their most sacred ancestor, a guardian who links the world of the supernatural with the natural. Aoraki stands as a reminder of community, purpose, and belonging — the spirit of the land itself.
Did you know that the word chocolate actually comes from the Mayan word xcolatl? The Mexican Indians combined choco, meaning “foam,” with atl, meaning “water,” to describe their beloved frothy drink.
When chocolate first arrived in Europe, it was enjoyed only as a drink — and not the sweet version we’re used to. For almost 300 years, it was a thick, dark beverage, so heavy that people would eat it with a spoon rather than sip it from a cup. The flavor was so rich that they often had to pause and take a sip of water in between spoonfuls.
It was the English who decided to experiment and add milk, and that simple idea transformed chocolate into the smoother, creamier drink we recognize today. From ancient “foam water” to the comforting cup we now know, chocolate really has travelled quite a journey through history.
Gargi and I proved to be just as adventurous as Gautham after we finished our hang-gliding session. That’s when we met one of the instructors, a German named Tara Shankar. His name caught me completely by surprise — how often do you hear a German with a name like that?
Curious, we struck up a conversation. He told us that during his six months of traveling across India, a Baba in Varanasi had given him the name Tara Shankar, and he had embraced it wholeheartedly. As we chatted, he shared stories of the places he had seen, and with a big smile confessed his love for masala dosa with coconut chutney!
We returned from the day not just thrilled by our adventure, but also rejuvenated — carrying with us stories to share with Gautham, stories as memorable as the experience itself.
At the Auckland Zoo, we met Ramesh — the red panda. He was born right here to his mum, Bo, and father, Sagar. What made it even more special was his name — Ramesh is named after a Red Panda Network forest guardian in Nepal! Fittingly, his name also means “one who saves from danger.”After our zoo visit, we tasted feijoa, a native fruit of New Zealand. It had the sweetness of guava, the tang of kiwi, and the texture that reminded me so much of a kiwi fruit. A perfect little discovery to end the day.
Royal Albatross
Albatrosses are truly fascinating birds. They pair for life, sharing the responsibility of caring for their young, each taking turns at the nest. But the most incredible part comes after the chicks grow up. Once a young albatross leaves its nest, it does not return to land for the next three to five years. Instead, it embarks on an epic journey, soaring across the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.
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