1/3/01: Waiheke Island, New Zealand

We don’t have a car here, so we rely on taxis, buses, bikes, and our own six feet to get around. That’s okay. The island is small, we’re close to the main village, and one of the reasons we are here is to take a vacation from driving.

But on this particular sunny day, we decided to rent a jeep and see a bit more of Waiheke. This island is about the size of Manhattan—maybe ten miles by four miles, with lots of crags and bays. About 8,000 Kiwis live here; maybe 25,000 at the peak of the summer season. More than half of it is virtually undeveloped, and more than that is virtually useless. They’re in no hurry to dig into the future here. And of course, New Zealand ain’t exactly lacking for land. Thus the vast vistas everywhere. Here are some of the sights from our all-day tour.