Near Perfect North

The Bay of Islands “is not only South Pacific-beautiful, it has been an important crucible for New Zealand’s human history”. That history begins with arrival from the north in sea canoes of the fierce, and fiercely proud, Maori people about a thousand years ago. New Zealand, devoid of people for eons, was gradually settled, basically north to south, over the succeeding centuries. Today Russell, Paihia, Waitangi and this bay of many islands — “a place of rolling green hills, sheep grazing above the crystal blue waters,” Jeff Lawson, an expedition leader for Utah-based Fun for Less Tours notes, is “a place where you truly feel ‘down under,’ far from the troubles of the world — a place the New Zealanders refer to as a “Godzone” because so many of them are people of faith, believing their homeland is God’s best work, and you live closer to God by living in New Zealand.