Saturday, May 30, 2015

Maori Tattoos and Jewelry Carving


In picture of the weavers in the last post, one of the women had a tattoo on her chin.


Tattoos, called Moko, have been an integral part of Maori culture for many hundreds of years.  Far more than decorative, the tattoos and their location tell about the person who bears them.  The male face is divided into eight Moko regions, and the tattoos tell tribal rank, birth order, tribal history, eligibility to marry, father’s and mother’s lineage, and more. 


Women’s faces have a smaller ‘map’ than men's, and like men,  they may have tattoos elsewhere.  The female moko tell of rank, family lineage, marriage status, fertility (after the first child is born) and more. 

One member of our tour, seeing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, gets a tattoo of his ‘family tree’ on his leg:

The spirals (Koru) have many possible meanings--experience, new life, human connections.  I can’t really explain this guy’s tattoo, but knowing that interconnected spirals  usually refer to the strength of human bonds, I can see how it would represent family. 

* For more information on tattoo meaning, check   http://www.themaori.com/maori-tattoo/moko- meaning

Jewelry Carving
Just as weaving is imbued with the artist’s spirt, so are personal decorative carvings. Maori believe that the carved gift creates a bond between recipient and giver.  There’s nothing unusual in that--but for the Maori who hand-carves a pendant, the bond carries with it the spirit of the artist.  If something like this passes down to the next generation, the spiritual bond is even greater.

 The most common media for jewelry carvings are bone  (these days most likely cow instead of whale bone) and a green nephrite jade called pounamu, found primarily in NZ.

The Koru  (spiral) appears in carvings as well as tattoos.  I talked about  Manaia in my previous post on carving.  Manaia may stand for the link between spiritual and mortal world, and the cycle of life:  the three fingers in the work represent birth, life, and death. 
Speaking of important symbols....for a while, I was confusing the Manaia and the Tiki.   

                                                                      Manaia                                            
      
                                               



But they are not the same.  The Tiki is an ancient symbol that appears in many Polynesian cultures. Although I’ve found several variations for its meaning,  one thing is consistent:  the Tiki is a fertility symbol. 

Because the sea was a major source of food for the Maori, the symbol of the fish hook -- Matau-- can refer to food, wealth, and good fortune in anything related to the sea.
My fishhook pendant, most likely carved from cow bone (cows were brought to the islands by Europeans;  prior to the arrival of Europeans there were no known mammals in New Zealand.

When I bought the nephrite pendant above, I thought it was another representation of a fish hook.  After some research, I think it may be an eel, still standing for food and but a more modern carving than the hook or the spiral.





Twists --single, double, and even triple --stand for the path of life and the connection between people or groups of people.  Because the carving has no obvious ‘beginning or end', it also refer to eternity.

For more information on Maori carving meanings, please visit  http://www.tuarangi.com/meaning-of-maori-symbols-and-designs/

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Maori Carving and Weaving

After the Maori welcome and the Poi and Haka are done, we have the chance to visit the rest of the Te Puia Cultural Center.  Initially, Te Puia focused on traditional Maori hand crafts, especially weaving and carving.  Like many cultures that had an oral history tradition, Maori  arts were the primary media for passing on history and beliefs.

We start at the carving school.  The meeting house where we had our initial and unique welcome demonstrates an impressive representation of the ornate carving.

Meeting house above
meeting house carving detail below


Wood Carvings
Some of the images in Maori  carvings are reminiscent of the expressions on warriors‘ Haka faces.  Much of the carving has meaning, but it is not always spiritual--often it relates to lineage.   Usually the peak of the meeting house has a face (like that in the photo above).   Often the head on the outside peak is ‘continued’ with a body carved on the pole below that head, but visible only from the inside. 



above - carving school; 
 below  detail 



One image that appears in many carvings is the Manaia, a beaked figure that resembles a man’s face, or a bird, or maybe a bird-man.  In the carving detail photos above,  you see some of those faces on a completed piece.  It’s possible the Manaia is a messenger between humans and spirits.  That's one interpretation.

There are also different interpretations of the 'Koru'--the spirals or swirls that appear in so much Maori art.  Whatever their meaning, there is no doubt of their importance--we see them in wood carvings, jewelry, and tattoos. They might represent forward movement; some say experience; others say they are a symbol of new life, depicting the young fern ready to unfurl. Sometimes the spirals interlock, perhaps suggesting the strength of  human bonds.

We have a chance to practice carving.... after the feeble attempt you see below,  I feel comfortable saying this is a difficult art to master.  Anyone who’s carved probably knew that. 


the writer trying to carve  

We also visit the weaving school--Te Rito.  Flax (the source for linen) is the main material in Maori weaving.  The school name comes from the word for a young flax shoot--it’s the nascent part of the plant, meant to be left intact because it is essential for future growth.  

Weaving became especially important to the Maori when, as new arrivals, they  needed warmer clothing to suit a colder climate than the weather they had known. Weavers used to create their work on two sticks stuck in the ground, working on threads connected to the sticks or posts.  Now they use a sturdier frame, but the method remains the same.

Weaving school 

Many of the extravagant weavings incorporate kiwi feathers like the the purple and white weaving above, or the elaborate cloak worn by our welcoming guide (see previous post).  

All weaving is labor intensive. The Maori believe it takes such energy and focus, the effort imbues the work with their spirit and values.  This reminds me of Navajo rugs I saw in the US southwest.  The Navajo weaving, like the Maori work, takes so much concentration that the artisan's spirit is in the work.  The Navajo weaver puts a  ‘spirit line’ to the fabric’s edge --a path to keep her spirit from being trapped in the rug.  


A cloak with many feathers,  like that worn by the Maori elder below, is a kahu kiwi, is a valued family treasure and heirloom and often indicates high status.

above Maori Elder in Elaborate kahu kiwi  and carving

If you are interested in more info on Maori wood carving, weaving, and other arts, please visit:   http://www.maori.info/maori_art.htm http://boneart.co.nz/meanings.htm,  http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tsaconf/858/  , http://craftinfo.org.nz ,  or http://www.hetetartspace.co.nz/

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Next: Tattoos and Jewelry

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Maori Welcome (cont); the Haka (you've never seen anything like this...)


When we left off, the Maori men had done a somewhat intimidating 'welcome dance' for us.  You've seen the photos in the previous post. From what I've seen , I get the feeling they don't have a 'happy dance'.

After the warrior welcome,  the women sing.  They do a dance with something called a ‘poi’, which  looks like a little plastic bag stuffed with something that looks like cotton on a rope.  They swing the poi against their hands, creating a mild percussive sound to the rhythm of their song.  After they’re done, they invite some of us to learn.  I learn. 

Here’s what I learn: I’m wicked uncoordinated and Kate takes great pictures of my lack of coordination.  I’ll spare you the photo  (ok, I’ll spare myself the embarrassment of having you see it)

Then the women sing (very nicely).
Poi Dance

You can find a video at this link http://www.homeofpoi.com/lessons_all/teach/History-of-Maori-POI-in-New-Zealand-34_293_1947   that gives an idea of what we saw (and tried).  The purpose of the Poi dance is to help women keep their hands supple for weaving, and there are several versions of Poi that serve different purposes, including some that men would use.  Since the women use flax for weaving, I am assuming that is what is inside their 'poi'.

After we visiting women have broken the ice by trying the Poi dance,  the warriors return to the stage to demonstrate a 'Haka', which can best be described as a war dance. They make hideous faces, stick tongues out, open eyes wide, and chant in screaming, angry voices while slapping themselves, stamping the ground, and making threatening, throat-slitting gestures.  Our guide tells us a good Maori warrior must be “fierce, mean, and ugly”. 

"Fierce, Mean, and Ugly"
To get an idea of what the Haka looks like, I urge you to visit this site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI851yJUQQ  Really--- you've probably never seen anything like this and it is worth watching.  

Once you’ve watched it, imagine hundreds or warriors preparing for battle. Our guide tells us that, in times past,  threatened tribes united and performed a Haka that made the ground shake for miles.   

The Haka is so effective at intimidating opponents and getting warriors psyched that the New Zealand Rugby team, the All Blacks, performs it before each game.

                New Zealand All Blacks pregame haka  ( from  ‘Rugby Heaven‘ )

If you lingered on the link to the Maori haka, you might have seen the All Blacks Haka video that followed.   If not, here’s another link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gbj_ig09WQ.  My thought after watching the rugby team is, if I were on the opposing team I’d probably retreat very quickly to the locker room and throw up.  Clearly I am not meant to play rugby.

In contrast to the Haka, a friendly Maori greeting--Te Reo Maori--involves touching noses, and inhaling on either side of the nose… sort of taking in the scent.  It is so different from the fierce and hostile view, it's almost hard to believe.
Traditional Maori Greeting
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11421013
I like the warm and friendly nose touching greeting just fine, and am glad my observation of the traditional warrior greeting is just ‘for show’.  And, trust me, I don’t ever want to face a team of fit and strong athletes doing a Haka...ever.

To find more interesting information and current news on Maori life and New Zealand, check Karaitiana Taiuru @ktaiuru

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Next:  Carving School

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Maori Culture--a Special Kind of Welcome

Rotorua and Te Puia provide cultural insight, history, hands-on opportunities, and maintain conservation and ecology as priorities. The land is a sanctuary for native wildlife, vegetation has been restored and the geothermal valley is constantly monitored by a full land management team. Walkways and tracks guide visitors safely through the area, protecting both the land and the people.
A woman in traditional robes comes out of the Maori meeting house and explains that soon we will be greeted by Maori warriors.
Hostess to explain


Maori Hostess in traditional feather robe to explain how our visit will proceed

The warriors will blow shells to announce our arrival, and then send a their leader out to greet us.
At this point, she asks for a volunteer male who speaks English to act as our ‘chief’.  When no one steps up, a woman pushes her husband forward.  Our Maori greeter goes on to explain that the  warrior will approach us,  will dance in a threatening way, making motions of attack with his spear.  His face will be threatening and his purpose will be to make clear that if we are not friendly, we will be destroyed.

But then he will drop some token at his feet for our chief to pick up.  The chief must never turn his back on the warrior, but step back, showing he accepts this token and comes in peace.  Then the Maori warrior will re-enter the meeting house, and we can follow, after removing our shoes and hats in respect.

Our guide explains that women may not sit in the front: that is reserved for men.  The woman adds as an afterthought that she will never abandon us but will be there throughout and to help our ‘designated’ chief.

The explanation is done.  We are ready.  Our ‘volunteer’ chief turns to his wife who waits with us, raises his shoulders in an exaggerated ‘HUH?” shrug.  He is from Holland.  He hardly understood a word.  He speaks about as much English as my cat.

I turn to Kate and say,  ‘I think we are about to die.’

Fortunately, our chief’s wife is an apt translator.  We are saved. 

The Maori warriors come out and all goes as planned.

The announcement our arrival :
shellblowwelcome W         
Warriors blow on shells to announce the arrival of visitors

The leader approaches:
welcome-w?

He drops a token of peace.
5143 drop tokenw

Our chief’s wife instructs him on how to behave. (whew!)  We are welcomed into the meeting house.
As instructed, we leave our shoes and hats at the door, the women file obediently into the back rows, and the men proceed to the front.

Once we're settled, the warriors sing (sort of) in a very intimidating way.  And this is their peaceful welcome.
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Next: Maori welcome continues.

A Little New Zealand History

We start our day at the Te Puia cultural center..   Of the four and a half million people in New Zealand, about 675,000 are Maori, and most of them (roughly 85%) live on the North Island. There are legends and theories about how the Maori arrived here.  Archeology tells us that Polynesians arrived about 1000 years ago, and the Maori descended from those original settlers.  Legend and history both suggest that the Polynesian discovery of this land wasn’t accidental, but the result of navigation using the stars as a guide.  This was no pleasure cruise.

The area of Te Puia was first occupied around 800 years ago.  Built on a strategic rise beneath cliffs, surrounded by deadly hot pools, (thanks to the Ring of Fire), the fortress was fairly impenetrable, overlooking the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley.  (‘wh’ is pronounced like ‘f’… which makes me return to the name of this valley over and over with pre-adolescent glee.) The area was so well protected,  even an 1886 volcanic eruption just north of Rotorua didn’t wipe out the local population. 
The first European to see New Zealand was a Dutch explorer searching for a southern continent filled with mineral wealth. But the first to navigate and map it was Captain James Cook.  He was followed by whalers, traders, and sealers from several countries, as well as missionaries.

The ‘‘new arrivals’ traded with the Maori, brought previously unknown germs (to which the native population had no immunity), and guns, which the natives learned to use. The result was a decline in the Maori population... this has often been the story when Europeans come into a long-isolated area.
Cultural instability grew as each country’s representatives tried to stake their claims and purchase land from the Maori.  British settlers increased rapidly, and the need for some sort of British ‘control’ became apparent.  Great Britain appointed an ‘Official British Resident’ to organize Māori chiefs into a united body that could bring some control to the chaos--that didn’t work.

As an alternative, the British and Maori formed a treaty that made New Zealand part of the British Empire by NZ choice (not by war).  Britain sent Captain William Hobson to organize the treaty, but this didn’t give him the right to organize a government.  With a little clever (devious?) planning, the colony of New South Wales (in Australia) extended its control to any parts of NZ that had been given to the Queen.  So when Hobson said, ‘The Queen sent me,’ British government arrived with him.  There were changes over the years, but ultimately the New Zealand Act replaced the constitution act that had effectively put NZ under British rule.

I am going to confess right here that the paragraphs above constitute the weakest excuse for ‘history’ that you will find, because sources offer varying dates and information.  But I have a feeling you would prefer to read about what I saw rather than the history I read, so I’m going to provide some sources at the end for your reference.  Feel free to comment and correct.

In the 60’s, the government moved to encourage and restore the Maori culture, arts and crafts, leading to the development of Te Puia Cultural center. It was originally a place to teach weaving and carving and it still includes the original schools for those arts.  But now there is also dramatic presentation of Maori dances, history, much explanation, and information, film, and guides. Many of the guides are the direct descendants of the original tribes who settled here 800 years ago.

**History sources:
New Zealand in History    history-nz.org/index.html 
New Zealand History       http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/


Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Melbourne to Auckland to Rotorua

Just a reminder--my travel blog posts are based on the journals I keep when I travel, supplemented by research (as needed) to make sure my information is still current and useful.  I write from the comfort of my home, and I welcome comments, replies, and feedback.

It's been a while since my first visit to Australia, but not a long while since my last chat with Kate.  When I learn that Kate and her husband haven't been to New Zealand, I think we have the perfect trip for the three of us.

Boston to San Francisco, San Francisco to Auckland Auckland to Melbourne. Kate picks me up at the airport, I feel like it’s only days since I’ve seen her, not years,  and I feel at home even though I’ve only been here once.
I won’t take you through my visit to the Melbourne area here. You can read about the beginning of this trip at http://arlington.wickedlocal.com/section/blogs01?taxid=1963. Just remember, as with all blogs, the most recent post is on top--if you want to start at the beginning of a trip you have to start at the 'bottom'. 

Instead we’ll go directly to New Zealand.  Kate and I are off to the airport, leaving Gary in charge of the children for three days.  Then he’ll join us on the South Island of NZ.

We are leaving Melbourne, which has been Australia’s fastest-growing city, with a population of about 4.5 million. 
We are going to New Zealand;  the whole country  has a population of about 4.5 million people. 

Flight goes fine, car pick-up -- fine, three-hour drive to Rotorua -- fine.  Kate is stuck doing all the driving because she’s accustomed to being on the left side of the road, and her insurance covers the rental.  My job is to try to stay awake.

Auckland, on the North Island,  is the major urban center in New Zealand with about 1.5 million people.  Auckland, however, is not the capital of New Zealand;  That is Wellington, also on the North Island.  

Wellington has about 385,000 people.  I have checked this a few times.  Why, you ask, (well, I asked)  is a city less than 1/3 the population of Auckland the capital of the country?  Because it is further down the coast and therefore more centrally located.  That actually makes sense.  (Please note I specifically said ‘Wellington’ referring to the city proper.  The Wellington region, which includes much of the surrounding area, has about 450,000 people).

New Zealand has drawn me for a while.  There are only a few places on earth that have the amazing geothermal phenomena we can see here on the North Island:  geysers, hot pots, mudpots, and more. Yellowstone National Park in the US, Iceland, Russia, Japan, and...New Zealand.  

I’ve said this before--I do enjoy and appreciate the unique qualities of different cities.  It’s where I choose to live.  Maybe that’s the reason that when I travel, I want to see the natural, stunning,  and non-man-made.



    Auckland Skyline

The other draw to New Zealand has been the unique native culture--the Maori.  As in Australia,  where the Aborigine history and legend enthralled me, so does the Maori culture here in NZ. 

Maori Welcoming Committee?

Natural wonders and fascinating culture will wait til tomorrow.  We are worn out by the long day of travel, and go from checking into our room directly to a light dinner and then back to the room.  Before crashing to sleep, we see the steam of thermal pools right near our hotel….and smell the sulfur. hammy.


Ring of Fire

Our drive across the North Island yesterday gave  us a sense of the landscapes—fields, sheep, mountains. In general, New Zealand (outside Auckland) seems like a quiet, rural sort of place--reminds me a bit of Ireland.  We noted a few places we’d stop and spend more time on the way back to Auckland.  Today we begin our official sight-seeing in Rotorua.

This is the view from our hotel room--and that steam is providing the sulfurous odor we’ve noted. 

 “steamy view from hotel 


New Zealand sits on the Ring of Fire, which goes along the eastern edge of Asia, north across the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, and south along the coast of North and South America.  Three fourths of the planet’s volcanoes and earthquakes are on the Ring.

A (very short) geology lesson   
Geologists have learned that the earth is made of moving ‘plates’ of rock.   Think of the earth as a ball made of glass, covered unevenly by dirt.  The ‘ball’ is broken into pieces.  You can’t see the cracks because they’re (usually) miles below the surface. But they’re there and they constantly move.  

When things go smoothly, you’re not aware of the motion.  All of this movement creates a tremendous amount of energy that can heat rock to a melting point--we call it magma when it’s in the ground, lava when it rises from the surface.  Over millions of years, one plate might rise over another, creating a mountain.  Or the melted rock may make it’s way to the surface---either explosively or slowly-- volcano.  And if a piece of plate gets stuck as it’s moving, and then suddenly breaks free, there’s a jolt--that’s an earthquake.  

I promised this was a short lesson, so I won’t go into much more detail.  Here are the important points: most (not all) of these cracks go around the Pacific--hence the name, ‘Ring of Fire‘.  Along this ring we find many mountains (like those in British Columbia, where I went heli-hiking) volcanoes (like Mount St. Helens in Washington) and earthquakes (Japan, San Francisco)--all because of the moving plates.

In a few places on the planet, the layer covering those moving plates is thin, and we not only have mountains or volcanoes or earthquakes,  but also a chance to see, rising from the depths of the earth, some of what normally stays far beneath us.  Rotorua is one of those places, and the things we will see here, like those in Yellowstone National Park, are rare geothermal phenomena.  That, and an introduction to the Maori, await us tomorrow in Rotorua.


Time to Go Home--and Important Travel Tips

I’m at the airport, waiting to board the plane for home.  I’ve been traveling for three weeks and covered so much ground, so many sights, that it feels like it's been a longer trip. 

Some people enjoy travel for months at a time.  When I'm moving from place to place and learning new things, about three weeks is my limit.  After that, I begin to have trouble taking in new information,  I begin to long for my own bed, I want to see my friends and family.  So I am at the airport, waiting to board the plane for home.

I’ve learned about the Aborigine of the Outback and the coasts. I’ve seen kangaroos—I saw a fox  (imported here by the English for fox hunting) holding a joey in his jaws as he ran across the road, I saw kangaroos boxing, I’ve seen emu foolishly running in front of the coach.  I’ve held a koala and photographed faerie penguins.  I’ve been to the Red Desert, the Blue Mountains, valleys, the Pinnacles, the Twelve Apostles, been snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, walking, hiking, enjoyed time with Kate who will always remain a close friend even though we live half a world apart. 

But it is time to go home.

As I leave Australia, it seems like a good time to share some travel tips.

Flying
I started my trip to Australia in Perth, Western Australia.  The flight there took me half way around the world.  If I had continued to travel, I would have been on my way home.  

I learned a lot about jet lag on that flight.  I went from Boston to LA to Sydney to Perth in what seemed like an endless combination of planes and airports, traveling for 38 hours before I was able to sleep in a bed.  I lost a day (crossing the International Date Line) and got so confused and jet-lagged that a few hours after I put my head on a pillow, I got up demanding a piece of toast.  It was the middle of the night and we found toast.

I’ve taken a few other long flights in my travels, though this was the longest.  Here’s some of what I learned.
- If cost keeps you in coach (and let’s face it, that’s where most of us travel), make sure you bring things that will keep you comfortable:  your own pillow, eyeshades, ear plugs, your favorite stuffed animal. (I carry a down pillow that squishes into knapsack.  I’ll leave out other things to be sure I have that pillow.)  
- I wear a jacket and sweater onto the plane and use them as additional pillow and blanket. 
- Wear your most comfortable clothes—vanity is not an issue, comfort is. 
- Hydrate.  Planes are dry, water is important.
- Cleanliness does not make you paranoid.  It is a good idea to wipe down your tray and arm rests with an antibacterial wipe.  If the person before you had a cold, do you really want to start your vacation with it? Only once have I worn a mask on a plane, when the swine flu had everybody anxious.  I’d do it again if I got nervous again.  
- Those bags that allow you to squish out the air making puffy things smaller are great for getting stuff on to a plane. You just have to be able to squish the things back down when you prepare for deplaning.

Packing
- Pack things that will dry quickly and so you can rinse them out in a sink.  “Wicking” athletic activity clothes are great for this.
- Do not pack a rainbow of colors.  I always lean toward black: goes with everything, doesn’t show dirt.
- Dress in layers.  A lightweight t-shirt, a blouse on top, a sweater or light fleece, and waterproof rain jacket can get you through a lot of weather. (Maybe not the record-breaking New England winter of 2015, but seriously, it can get you through a lot of weather).
- Wash, wear, repeat.  Three or four days worth of clothes can last two weeks or more.  
- Do not bring valuable jewelry.  Bring only what you will wear all the time and make sure you will not be upset if it gets lost.  Things happen.

On planes, I tend to wear cotton: t-shirts or blouses and jeans.  Other than that, I am the wicking-clothing queen.
-  If you can split a very long flight by staying somewhere for a full day and night of rest, do it.  

Safety
Be careful and alert.  If you’re far from home and someone manages to get your wallet or passport, it’s a lot worse than the inconvenience you would deal with at home.  Thieves who prey on tourists are skilled and devious.  In Ecuador, I was a man on my tour wisely put his wallet in his front pocket.  He never noticed when a thief slit the pocket and took the wallet. (no, not kidding).  In Spain, an acquaintance had someone accidentally (hah!) spill coffee on her and then try to make up for it by wiping her, apologizing....and his accomplice ran off with her bag.  In China, a monkey so harassed a friend that she paused to reorganize herself for safety--and the monkey grabbed her knapsack and fled.  (I don't think the monkey was a trained thief, I think he was an annoying-as-hell monkey -- but can you imagine the fun that followed that?)   I’ll spare you more stories (unless there’s a demand for them) and just go with some good ways to avoid becoming a victim (of humans or monkeys).  So far, all these have worked for me and/or acquaintances.

Before you leave for your trip, notify your credit card companies of your destinations and dates.    Make 2 copies of your passport—leave one with someone at home.  

Somewhere in your luggage, separate from the passport, put:
  • the other passport copy
  • emergency contact information for your credit cards (but not the actual card info)
  • a copy of your itinerary 

When I travel, I can’t make much of a fashion statement, but I also haven’t had any crises.  I recommend a waist pack with separate compartments that zip shut.  (These are gender-neutral and just as effective at foiling pick-pockets as purse-snatchers.) Are they fashionable or cute?  No. I don't care.   Some waist packs have a wire in the waist band that can’t be easily cut;  some have zippers with pulls that can hook to something so no one can quickly unzip and steal. 
I also wear a money-belt that tucks under my clothes, and that’s where I keep most of my cash, a spare credit card, and my passport (when I don’t need to show it often). 

That's it for my travel advice today, that's it for Australia.  I thank you for following this blog.  

Coming up next:  New Zealand.