Lest you think this little family of ours is nothing but bear hugs and big smiles, let me tell you about our recent journey to the top of One Tree Hill.
One Tree Hill is a famous inactive volcano in Auckland. U2 wrote a song about it, and the WB (remember that TV channel??) named a teen soap opera after the song. So the hill's got all kinds of pop culture cache.
In New Zealand, it's perhaps better known as the historic home of one of the largest Maori tribes. More than 5,000 Maori people lived on and around the volcano at one point in time, which is impossible to imagine today. This tribe lost a battle to another tribe, and the spot was eventually abandoned. Then Europeans settled in and everything changed. But the crater is still very significant to Maori culture.
The "tree" itself has an interesting history.
When the British first came to town, a single tree stood near the summit, which is where the name came from. This tree was cut down at some point, possibly for firewood, and then attempts to grow new native trees on the hill in the late 1800s failed. Two non-native pine trees eventually took root, one of which was chopped down in the 1960s (again, possibly for firewood. Seriously with the firewood...) Then in 1994 and 1999, Maori activists attacked the remaining tree, protesting the planting of a non-native tree on sacred ground. Rendered unsafe by the attacks, the tree had to be removed altogether, which, unsurprisingly, upset quite a few people. A new grove of native trees was planted last year to put the "tree" back in One Tree Hill and, hopefully, make everybody happy once again.
During our day at the park, we were less worried about the cultural strife the area represented and more concerned about how to keep from killing each other ;) The Adorables were in major whine/grump mode the whole time. Unfortunately, this mood typically comes with a side of bother-mom-as-much-as-we-can. It's the kind of day that really tests your patience -- and then tests it again when it knows you failed the first test.
At one point, after enduring major complaining from the Adorable Boy about something or the other -- the grass being too green, the sky too blue, the baby lambs too cute, the scenery too gorgeous -- I told him I was going to try to sell him to another family when we got to the top of the volcano.
That got a few laughs from one of the childless couples strolling by, off to do something fun and childless (lucky jerks). But I think it scarred the boy for life. He now mentions it once or twice a day: "Remember that time you tried to SELL me??" (It's great when he brings this up in public.)
Regardless, we got to the top, thoroughly enjoying the views along the way, even if the commentary was a bit...annoying. And though I wouldn't rank One Tree Hill above Mount Eden, one of our best adventures since we arrived here, it's the kind of thing you just have to do when in Auckland.
So we did it.
And if you watch our video, we look quite happy doing so. (The magic of editing :)
