by Melanie McMinn on August 16, 2009
You may have notice my wee hiatus. Was I in exotic climes, you ask? Climbing the Himalayas? Meeting orangutans in Borneo? Sadly no.
As luck would have it, I was giving The Man proof that I was officially and medically “bloody minded.” But after a barrage of CT scans, MRIs and several months of recuperation, I’m back in the saddle.
As a tribute to my latest ordeal, expect upcoming posts on the best places to visit when you are sick, tired, elderly or just don’t have the enthusiasm for a big adventure.
by Melanie McMinn on March 24, 2009
The Sign for the Longest Place Name in the World
Maori place names are often tongue-twisters to the uninitiated, but for the mother-of-all-place-names, head down to a little hill near Parangahau in Hawkes Bay.
The name on the sign for the World’s Longest Place name, Taumata-whaka-tangi-hanga-koauau-0tamatea-turi-pukaka-piki-maunga-horonuku-pokai-whenua-kitanatahu, is a bit longer than the one I used in the title for this post.
The mind bending, tongue twisting polysyllabic place name in the title, Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu, is what is shown on our standard driving map of NZ and the one the Man taught me how to say so I’d say it is the version “in common usage.” It means, more or less “the summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as land-eater, played his flute to his loved one.”
It isn’t too hard to say, [click to continue…]
