Day 109 Okere Falls (Glenn and Mere's)

I awoke early. Eagerly anticipating a swim before I checked out of the lodge and splish splash splosh . My swimming book tells me water is a thousand times denser than air and effectively massages your muscles. Hence that glowing feeling after the swim. I glowed!

So I bid farewell to Anndion and drove North to the volcanic hotbed that is Rotorua to meet up with Glenn and Mere who I'd met at the New Zealand kayak school. Glenn is an expert kayaker and Mere is from the Hinetapora tribe and at the forefront of safegaurding Maori cullture.
They have a beautiful country home at Okere falls which (surprise, surprise is next to the mighty Kaituna river ....a kayaker dream.)

I received a lovely welcome with Mere applying the hongi.(Maori nose press) and I then stood flabergasted as they pointed to where I would be staying. I'd have my own wee house in their garden!

We sat outside for our meal and were joined by Mere's kids Paora, Susan and Leteisha along with Mr Meow Meow the most relaxed cat in New Zealand.

As evening settled in we got chatting about our respective backgrounds and Mere explained the principle of Whakapapa. Translated this is geneaology and the Maori beleive you need to know your family tree (Whakapapa) as you gain strength from knowing your roots. Also if part of your bloodline is from another country you can effectively go there and feel you have a right to belong.
With that I went to bed wondering did I have New Zealand in my Whakapapa?