Until a few months ago the large 'Welcome To Marokopa' sign on the edge of this remote village on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island had a smaller hand-painted homemade sign attached below adding "The Home of Hide and Seek". Until the sign was smashed into pieces one night by persons unknown. 

Marokopa is an idyllic coastal town 250 km south of Auckland. Reached by winding roads, some just made of gravel, through rolling hills and wild bush so typical of Waikato. It is a scenery that is instantly recognisable to fans of the films of 'The Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings' as this whole area played a large part in Peter Jackson's adaptation of the films.

The black sand beaches and pounding Tasman seas are a massive drawcard for Fishermen.  The small campsite is full at the weekend with 4WD vehicles loaded with fishing gear and crates of beer, while the wood-burning smokers behind the showers prepare the daily catch for dinner.

A Quadbike on the black sand beach

Yet it is not the scenery or the large and plentiful tasty Snapper and Kingfish that have brought the tiny village, with a population of only 69 at the last 2018 census, to the world's attention but the strange and remarkable story of local resident Tom Phillips and his three children.

It is a story that is destined to make a great Netflix documentary or classic New Zealand movie when it eventually concludes. 

Tom Phillips is a respected member of the local community with his family owning a farm in Marokopa over several generations. His marriage to his wife, Catherine, was troubled and he was fighting for custody of his three children Jayda, Maverick and Ember when he disappeared from the small village on the 9th of December 2021.

Phillips had great experience in bushcraft and outdoor survival, and despite a major search using dogs and helicopters with heat-seeking equipment, no sign of Phillips and his children was found by the New Zealand Police and the story slowly disappeared from the news. The occasional sighting, such as Tom by himself shopping for outdoor gear at a Bunnings in nearby Hamilton re-ignited interest but it soon faded away again as the news dried up.

What brought it right back to the front pages was an armed bank robbery in nearby Te Kuiti in May 2023. The CCTV videos showed a man resembling Phillips and his eldest child holding up the local ANZ branch. So much cash was stolen that the street outside was layered with banknotes, an old lady helped pick up the notes and handed them to the girl who she thought had dropped them before she realised a robbery was taking place. 

Marokopa was sealed off with Police descending on it from across the North Island including Auckland, roadblocks being set up and house-to-house searches carried out. 

This did not result in the family being found but did cause unintended headaches for the Marokopa residents. Being a remote town many residents did not bother with an annual rego (car registration or MOT as it is known in the UK) and while the roadblocks remained they were unable to drive anywhere in case they were fined!

A successful catch on the beach

They are a hardy lot as I discovered, self-sufficient in many items such as milk from the dairy farms nearby and with a loose system of bartering fresh bread and other vital foods. But not beer, which was only available from bottle shops a thirty minutes drive away. A desperate situation indeed.

After a week, with no sign of the Phillips family, the roadblocks ended and the Police drifted away again and life (and beer supplies) returned to normal.

Yet the sightings continued, each time resulting in more Police activity, searches and roadblocks. A Quad bike was stolen from a smashed shop window in PioPio in November 2023, a family matching the Phillips description were seen soaking in hot pools at Okoroire in June 2024, and wild pig Hunters spotting a family similar to them in the hills behind Marokopa on October 3rd 2024.

Not all sightings have been confirmed by the Police, as they are all generally distant encounters rather than close up. "I recognised them because the kids had home haircuts" one witness said, although with the lack of barbers for miles around here most children, and also the adults, are sporting 'Home Haircuts' around Marokopa.

The locals are very supportive of Phillips and the children. "If they came to my door I would give them a feed and a bed for a night" one resident told me. Many feel the same way. An $80,000 NZ Police Reward for information on their whereabouts not surprisingly drew little interest from the residents of Marokopa, and it was later withdrawn. When they are seen, and not reported to the media or the Police, they are "Very polite, well dressed and are enjoying life".

The mother is seen to be the one at fault by the locals, not Tom, but for legal reasons, I cannot go into details as to why.  

I was told that Tom is an experienced home school teacher and that the children are "Well ahead of their year" in their results and homework assignments, which still make their way on a convoluted path to and from the children to the education authorities. 

Undoubtedly the small community is helping the Phillips family evade the Police. And the Police themselves do not seem to be putting that much effort into finding the family, particularly as the game of 'Hide and Seek' continues now into its fourth year. The children are getting schooled, and learning a lot of bushcraft. The situation is still far from perfect for them and as they grow older they may well not wish to continue their current lifestyle which may bring this story to an end, or not.

The village is incredibly hospitable, although perhaps less so to the Police and tabloid Journalists. With no shop around, and not enough provisions for my stay in town I was overwhelmed with their generosity. Their self-sufficiency was shown in the gift of some of the best homemade sausages I have ever had, made of freshly caught Wild Pig and Venison. The offered payment by me was firmly and politely refused.

While I was there I kept seeing local children around, most with, not surprisingly 'Home Haircuts', but none that resembled the Phillips Kids. They were off somewhere else, maybe in a cave, or an unused holiday home, or staying with friends.

Marokopa is a beautiful laid-back Kiwi village. The black sand beaches amidst the rolling green hills make it a picture-perfect destination and its inhabitants will be very happy when it is back to being known for this rather than for the escapades of the Phillips family.

Long Cheng (also known as Long Tieng) in the mountains of eastern Laos was the busiest airport in the world towards the end of the Vietnam War in the early 1970's. Operated undercover by the CIA using 'independent contractors' flying 'Air America' it was the base for military operations against the Viet Cong as well as Laos itself. The CIA itself called it "The most secret place on earth".

The 1260 metre (4,100 feet) runway was surrounded by Karst mountains keeping it hidden from the Vietnamese as well as the US Congress who had no idea they were funding it. It grew into a town of over 40,000 people, with a wild west feel, some of the bars kept animals to try and attract the airmen. 

One famously kept a bear behind the bar who became rather too fond of the beer flowing out of the taps. It all changed dramatically as it was evacuated of Americans, as the US withdrew from the region after losing the Vietnam War. Most of the local and mercenary fighters were stranded and had to make their own dangerous way out of the country to Thailand.

Mud, sand and rocks. The main road to Long Cheng

Today it is a ghost town boasting a population of only 3,000 people. Yet it still remains an important military base for the Laotian military and this prevented foreign visitors until recently. Ten years ago you would have been arrested and deported if you tried to visit, now you just need a really good 4WD car to get there. Technically you still need permission to visit, but no questions are asked if you bring a few bottles of beer and some cigarettes for any friendly road checkpoints you may encounter.

I left Phonsavan with Mr Pao and his new 4WD. He had moved from a village outside of Phonsavan to one near Long Cheng during the US Secret War on Laos, as his parents had been told it was safe from bombing, although they did not know the reason why at the time. He remembered the US bombers continually dropping bombs from sunrise to sunset, they rarely ran bombing missions at night which at least allowed the family to sleep safely at night.

Long Cheng in the distance surrounded by high mountains

The road to Long Cheng was poor, and that is being generous. It was just potholed and rutted up to the turn-off to the Chinese-run Xaysomboun gold mine but after that, it was just sand and mud with deep channels either crossing he road or running down the road carved out by the rains in the wet season. It was very slow going and despite slow and careful driving, we punctured a tyre.

Long Cheng is at 1,000 metres (3,200 feet) from sea level and as we drove in it became obvious why it was such a good location. Totally surrounded by higher mountains gave the base natural security and in the days before ubiquitous spy satellites kept it hidden from prying eyes. The Kart hills rise up from the end of the runway and were nicknamed "The Vertical Speedbrake" by the pilots.

General Vang Pao's house. Now a military officer's residence.

The town remains a military town. The base provides work for the remaining residents here and is still built on the edges of the large runway that dominates it. In between flights, it is used more as a shortcut across the town, it is in much better condition than the road, and a place to graze cattle. Presumably, they are moved before runway usage.

One of the largest houses that remains belonged to General Vang Pao (no relation to my driver) . A large-than-life character, he was chosen by the CIA to lead the local Hmong forces and a mercenary army of over 10,000 men from Thailand, China and the Philippines in a civil war against the Pathet Lao Army. 

Unexploded ordinance inside General Vang Pao's house

Under the tacit approval of the CIA, he established a heroin laboratory here to process the opium grown in the Hmong villages nearby. This was used to fund his army with the irony being that much of the heroin was flown into South Vietnam and was paid for and injected by American troops there, which did not add to their battle readiness.

The house is now used by officers of the Laos Military. I was allowed to wander around. There was no sign of a heroin lab, but there was a mass of unexploded ordinance left in one of the rooms with some Lao PDR. I had my fingers crossed that it had all been safely defused as I got in for a close-up view.

The abandoned temple from the ruins of the hospital

Moving away from the runway there are a lot of reminders of the large settlement that Long Cheng was. The large hospital used during the war is overgrown and lies in ruins. The Buddhist temple has been abandoned, although a new one has been closer to the town. Lumps of concrete and rusting metal litter the ground all around.

To get a good overview of the town we headed up the hill to the site of the old Royal Palace. It is hard to believe that any Laotian royalty would build a palace here. Its position high up on the mountain gives it a great view of Long Cheng. During the war, it hosted an anti-aircraft battery and intelligence officers. Now it is a military barracks for the Laos army.

The photo montage of Long Cheng base on the wall in the Laos military barracks

The soldiers welcomed me into the old building, and we gave them our last bottles of BeerLao as a thank you. It was pretty spartan except for bunk beds and a kitchen. 

There was a large photo montage on the wall, including photos from the time the base was taken back by the Pathet Lao and Vietnamese forces which showed what an incredibly busy place Long Cheng was for that brief period of time before it returned to its somnambulic state.

The main runway/road in Long Cheng

What would you do if you became a multi-millionaire? Buy a Ferrari, a yacht, maybe a bigger house? Or just buy a massive farm and fill it with gigantic outdoor sculptures by some of the worlds best modern artists and let exotic animals roam the grounds. This is what the reclusive New Zealand businessman Alan Gibbs chose to do.

Gibbs made his money wheeling and dealing in transport companies and most lucratively in the privatization of New Zealand Telecom in which he had a substantial stake. With his new400-hectarefound wealth he purchased a 400 hectare (900 acres) block of land in Kaipara Harbour, 47 Km north of Auckland. He built a large home by the sea and filled the landscape with giant works from local and overseas artists. 

It was not just a case of sticking pieces of art all over the farm without any thought. He worked with the artists to incorporate the landscape into the art itself, and even to change the landscape when necessary to make the art more spectacular. This is particularly noticeable in Anish Kapoor's Dismemberment Site I, a massive ear trumpet that required a hill to be cut in half to place it to great visual effect. 

Alan Gibbs home, artificial lake with boat and the sea based Arches by Andy Goldsworthy

Although a very private man, Gibbs was persuaded to share his beautiful farm with the public. He does this very much on his own terms. opening it for approximately 4 random days a year and not making a profit by granting access to selected charities to sell limited numbers of tickets to use to aid their funding.

I had wanted to see Gibbs Farm for a number of years but could not match the occasional openings with me being able to fly to  New Zealand.  So when it was announced that on a Friday in November, Gibbs Farm was to be open to the public on behalf of the Skin cancer charity Melanoma New Zealand I immediately bought a ticket (it sold out a few days later) and arranged flights.

It was an easy drive up the coastal road and there was already a small queue of vehicles waiting to get in 15 minutes before the official opening time (10:00 to 16:00). Once in, with a map in hand it was time to explore the private sculpture garden. Despite typical New Zealand weather, cloudy skies with warm sun and then a torrential downpour about every thirty minutes, it was an easy walk past the Giraffes, Yak, Zebra and Bison, not roaming free today, to the sculptures.

The Trumpet, officially known as Dismemberment I by Anish Kapoor

I loved Anish Kapoor's Trumpet, or Dismemberment Site I as it is officially known, a piece that is associated with GIbbs Farm in almost every photograph about it, including this blog! And it does not disappoint. About thirty minutes uphill from the car park takes you to a position in front of the largest end of the canvas covered sculpture.

The size of an eight storey building, the red canvas over metal sculpture looks incredible whether you see if rom a distance or up close. His largest ever sculpture, it does look like it belongs here. It neatly bisects the hill it is carved into and I imagine it would have great acoustics. I would love to set up a band playing on one side and hear it through the other end of the trumpet.

Horizons by Neil Dawson

Neil Dawson's Horizons sits on top of a nearby hill. I saw it has a page from a book, although the Kiwi artist actually designed it as a giant piece of corrugated iron that had blown in from a collapsed water tank on a nearby farm. Either way it looks majestic and is enhanced by a wandering Bison grazing nearby.

On an often wet and cloudy day the Dutch/New Zealand artist Leon Van den Eijkel's coloured blocks set on the valley floor, known officially as Red Cloud Confrontation in Landscape, just worked well. The bright colours are offset by the green landscape. Up close it was not so impressive, definitely one to be seen from a distance.

Red Cloud Confrontation in Landscape by Leon Van den Eijkel

The last piece that really worked me was Sentinels by Andrew Rogers. minimalistic, austere and uniform, the 15 metre metal poles are already starting to be tarnished by the unforgiving New Zealand weather. Sure, they dominate the landscape towering above the native trees, but their outsized presence is impossible to ignore. 

There are a large number of works that Gibbs has commissioned, not all are shown here. Some I appreciated a lot more than others, but the giant sculptures work in the giant area that they sit in. 

Sentinels by Andrew Rogers

Unlimited by the normal limits imposed by a museum or home, the artists have used their imaginations to produce some beautiful pieces of work that look great from a distance, while towering above you as you get close. 

Of course, if I was a multi-millionaire, and as a massive fan of Deadwood, and Alias Smith and Jones (anyone else remember that classic Western from the 1970's?) and happened to have a large property I would also build a mock wooden Western town with bars and a hotel. Gibbs has beaten me to it and has already built one on another party of the farm where he has themed parties there with friends and family. Sadly this part of the farm was not open to the public. 

I will have to wait to build my own.

Up close looking into the canvas clad metal sculpture of The Trumpet

Krakatoa is one of the most famous volcanoes in the world. Its huge eruption in 1883 occured at a time when the telegraph was connecting the world, while the increasing popularity of daily newspapers meant news was becoming increasingly global. The horrors of the eruption became one of the first world events to be discussed at the breakfast table and in the pubs at night. 

It has been estimated that the explosion was equivalent to that of 13,000 nuclear bombs of the size that devastated Hiroshima. Scientists consider it to be the loudest sound ever heard on earth at an estimated 310 decibels. Loud enough to be heard on the island of Mauritius, 4,780 km (2970 miles) and in Perth in Western Australia, 3,100 km (1920 miles) away.

Just to give a little bit of context, a clap of thunder directly overhead produces around 120 decibels, and anything over 160 decibels will rupture an eardrum. Anyone living close to the island, within 20km, would have been permanently deafened.

Sadly that was not to be their biggest concern as the 37 metre (120 feet) Tsunami produced by the eruption wiped out all island and coastal life on the nearby shores of Java and Sumatra. The death toll was estimated at close to 40,000, but with no official records, or census at that time, the toll could have been much higher. For years afterwards skeletons were washing up on the east coast of Africa on beds of floating pumice stone.

Little remained of the original Krakatoa island, a few jagged peaks ot the original caldera and a few small islands. But in 1937 a small volcano emerged in the centre of the caldera. Named Anak Krakatoa (Son of Krakatoa) that has been growing at a rate of 7 to 9 metres (22 to 29 feet) a year since.

This new crater has been becoming increasingly active, particularly since 2018 when an eruption destroyed the eastern flank of the new caldera sending a tsunami that devastated the coastal villages in Sumatra and Java, particularly in Carita Beach and Anyer, where Seventeen, a local Indonesian rock band was playing on a stage on the beach. Several of the band were killed as part of 437 people who lost their lives to the second worst Tsunami of the twenty-first century.

Krakatoa remains a volcano with a danger that can not be underestimated or ignored. Not surprisingly for me, I still wanted to climb it. Some large explosions from the active crater in September 2023 meant the island was off limits for all visitors, but finding up-to-date news was near impossible when I visited Indonesia in October 2023. 

Seeing as the eruptions had moderated to plumes of white smoke and hot gases I was hopeful I could land. Krakatoa is located in the centre of the Sunda Sea separating Sumatra from the main Indonesian island of Java, approximately 55 km (34 miles) from land. I decided to head to Carita beach via train, bus and ojek (Indonesian motorbike taxi, with no helmet provided).

The warning that you are entering a "Disaster Prone Area"

Carita Beach was typical of many Indonesian beaches, beautiful but with little care of litter being placed in bins. The condominiums which faced the water were in a poor state, Many had been abandoned after the 2018 Tsunami had killed many occupants of the ground and first floor apartments. It felt strange staying in an apartment with a keyed door when the ones either side of mine were windowless and had boarded up doors. At least it was quiet. Probably not the ideal weekend beach getaway.

I was not here for the beach, and I spent the first day negotiating with middle men to try and get to Krakatoa. "Too far, much money" was the opening gambit of the few English speaking touts (admittedly it was over 50 km away) who then offered me their best price which was equivalent of a flight to Australia. 

The next day I walked to the small port at the southern edge of the beach. Thanks to Google Translate I was able to secure a reasonable price for a two engined boat to head over to Krakatoa the next day. I could have rented a single engine boat for a lot less, but even the Indonesian sailors thought that was too risky, which was good enough for me. 

I had read that there was a 5 km (3 mile) exclusion zone around the island, with the latest update being in September. Was this still active? The Captain shrugged his shoulders leaving me none the wiser. We agreed to meet at 6:30 AM the next morning. 

Anak Krakatoa with smoke pouring from the crater in front of a surviving part of the crater wall of the original Krakatoa

The speedboat had seen better days but had two working engines, the captain, an engineer and a lovely smiling local, Marto, who was an extra crew member/guide, although his guiding ability I was soon to discover was somewhat limited.

Marto had survived the 2018 Tsunami by chance. Reluctantly leaving his beachside home, which was destroyed, to attend a wedding of distant relatives inland. Luckily for him, he had run out of reasonable excuses not to go.

His knowledge of history prior to the 2018 eruption was very limited, nor did he have any recent updates on the crater activity. But he could lead and point out the path up the volcano, which, of course, was what I needed.

At least we should get there. We sped out from the bach with the engines on full throttle, bouncing into each oncoming wave. The Captain had tried to increase the agreed price as we left, an interesting tactic, by suggesting we were were going to have to pay fines to the police to get close to Krakatoa. 

I was not totally clear on why there would be fines, although I was beginning to guess the 5 km (3 mile) exclusion zone was still in force and that a bribe/fine might be needed. Rather than pay upfront I agreed that if the police boarded us I would pay whatever fines were issued. In the event we saw no other human close to the Krakatoa crater, although that situation is different on weekends, which is probably when the police hit paydirt.

Out in the Sunda Sea we passed fishing boats but then there was nothing but ocean as we sped westwards. About 90 minutes into the journey the distant peak of part of the old Krakatoa caldera became visible on the horizon. 

We slowed down as we passed the heavily forested remains of the original volcanic island and entered the sunken caldera. The new island of Anak Krakatao in the middle looked devoid of life, made predominantly of ash and lava no vegetation had been able to take hold as yet. 

I jumped off the boat and waded to shore to start the climb up to the crater. A sign gave a somewhat understated warning that this was a 'Disaster Prone Area' but did not actually say 'No Entry'. No one else was around though as we began walking upwards in the stifling heat.

Smoke rises from Anak Krakatoa in the middle of the larger Krakatoa caldera

A strong smell of sulphur was present from when we had approached the island and this only got more overpowering the higher we went. The path was littered with lava bombs from when the activity was greater and this area was more downwind. We had already checked the wind direction before climbing, just for added safety. There were also lots of gullies cut out of the ash by rain, which would make good shelter should they be needed.

The climb was nor particularly difficult, with only a very few steep sections, although the ground was at times slippery where the ash was not compacted. The biggest issue, apart from the sulphur smell was the intense humidity and heat. Although it was only 10:00 AM the temperature was approaching 35 C (95 F) and it felt as if I was walking through an oven.

The plume of smoke and gases was rising about 100 metres (330 feet) into the sky with no visible lava or rocks being propelled out of the crater. Krakatoa is one of the more dangerous types of volcano, not just because of its historical activity, but due to its nature to erupt pyroclastic flows, deadly superheated clouds of ash and gas that, as Vesuvius showed with Pompeii, kill every living thing in its path. 

Anak Krakatoa is defined as a Surtseyan eruptive volcano, named after the Icelandic island off the South coast of Iceland, a particularly violent and explosive type. Growing from the bottom of the ocean they eventually collapse and disappear back under the sea without continual eruptions, due to the actions of the sea. Krakatoa's many eruptions seem to preclude this, unlike the original island of Surtsey which is becoming smaller every day.

A massive gap on the eastern side of the rim was all that was left of the original rim, The collapsed eastern rim of the crater, which caused the deadly 2018 Tsunami was clearly visible. The island lost two thirds of its size during the collapse and where the rim had been was now just beds of ash cut through with rain channels.. The majority of the land on this side of the island was now buried under the sea.

The collapsed eastern side of the crater. Now just ash and lava

As the island continues to grow another collapse is seen as inevitable, scientists believe that the western side, where I was standing, will next crash into the sea creating another deadly Tsunami. This newly formed island lacks a strong submarine plateau to give it the stability to support the newly formed mainly ash based land above, while the continual destructive actions of the sea combine with the constant tremors and vibration from eruptions to weaken the rim. 

It may happen tomorrow or in twenty years, but it will happen. With only 55 km (34 miles) from the volcano to the nearest land it is estimated that it would take less than 30 minutes for the resulting Tsunami to reach the coast.

Even if effective early warning systems were in place this would not give enough time to evacuate. Neither Western Java or Southern Sumatra would be the place to build your dream beach home close to the water.

Anak Krakatoa in the middle of the caldera

Far Flung Tips

* Krakatoa can be reached by boat from either Sumatra or Java. The Sumatra route from Lampung will probably involve an overnight stay at Sabesis Island and will take longer. The costs are roughly the same.

* To reach Krakatoa from Java either hire a 3 hour to Carita Beach or Anyer Beach for approx US$60 through the Gojek app (a must have in Indonesia). Note that getting a car in the opposite direction is very hard. Or catch the regular commuter train from Jakarta Tanahabang station to Rangkasbitung for avery cheap US$1, which gets you two thirds of the way there. Then either proceed by Gojek car all the way (US$20) or a quick motorbike journey to Pandeglang Bus terminal to get the regular bus to Labuhan and then a final motorbike ride to your beach destination. Slightly longer, lots of fun depending on luggage, and at a cost of US$3.

* English speaking touts will approach you on the beaches asking for exorbitant amounts of money for a boat to the volcano. Go to the port and negotiate directly in Bahasa using Google Translate to cut out the middle man. It is a long way and requires a lot of fuel so you will not be able to bargain down that much.

* Check the weather. I was stuck in Carita Beach for two days because of high winds. It is not worth travelling in this weather, although the Captain may still want to take you there to make money. You will add more risk and suffer an uncomfortable long journey.

* Go for a 2 engine boat. More expensive than a one engine boat but again a lot less risk. You are out in the ocean with few to no other boats around.

* Exclusion zones dependant on volcanic activity and/or Police patrols may prevent you landing. The views will still be spectacular if you just sail around the volcano.

Anak Krakatoa erupting lava in September 2023

The mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh is one of the more complicated parts of the world. Straddling Asia and Europe, even its name is disputed with the Armenians calling it Artsakh and Azerbaijan (and most of the rest of the world) calling it Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Samoa is not known for its exports, outside of rugby union players, but it has a small but growing industry in producing extremely tasty chocolate.