I'm going home tomorrow. Enough said.
I'm ready!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
What I've learned about New Zealand...
- The local music is phenomenal!
- NZ is pronounced "en zed"
- It's raining and sunny at the same time.
- If you don't see a rainbow, you're looking in the wrong place
- Legends = ABBA, Dolly Parton, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Coldplay
- Michael Jackson is known as a great musician, not a child molester.
- Athletic t-shirts and jackets are status symbols.
- Heat and water pressure are luxuries and don't come standard with every room.
- Everywhere you walk is uphill, both ways.
- People don't speed on the motorways.
- They only have and only need 2 major highways.
- No roadside advertisements.
- Rivers don't have banks or at least no one has told them that they do.
- Burger King is Burger King, not Hungry Jacks (Aus), but McDonalds is the real king!
- Every block has avocados and coffee for sale.
- Pine tree needles go from dark green through gold to bright yellow, so the trees end up looking like yellow bushes.
- They love their roundabouts (I drove through at least 2 dozen of them yesterday). "Hey, kids. Big Ben, Parliament."
- Red hot poker is everywhere!
- No postage costs for non-profits.
- You can get anywhere without a map. The signage is that good!
- NZ is pronounced "en zed"
- It's raining and sunny at the same time.
- If you don't see a rainbow, you're looking in the wrong place
- Legends = ABBA, Dolly Parton, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Coldplay
- Michael Jackson is known as a great musician, not a child molester.
- Athletic t-shirts and jackets are status symbols.
- Heat and water pressure are luxuries and don't come standard with every room.
- Everywhere you walk is uphill, both ways.
- People don't speed on the motorways.
- They only have and only need 2 major highways.
- No roadside advertisements.
- Rivers don't have banks or at least no one has told them that they do.
- Burger King is Burger King, not Hungry Jacks (Aus), but McDonalds is the real king!
- Every block has avocados and coffee for sale.
- Pine tree needles go from dark green through gold to bright yellow, so the trees end up looking like yellow bushes.
- They love their roundabouts (I drove through at least 2 dozen of them yesterday). "Hey, kids. Big Ben, Parliament."
- Red hot poker is everywhere!
- No postage costs for non-profits.
- You can get anywhere without a map. The signage is that good!
Day 25: Waitomo Caves
With nothing else on my agenda, I decided to make a hail-mary long drive to Waitomo to see the glowworm caves. I wondered if the drenching rains had affected the level of water in the caves, but instead of checking online, I was up for a drive anyway, so I went not knowing what I would find.
It was (almost) a rain-free day with lots of sunshine! I drove through Hamilton and on to Otororanga (sp?) where I bought a Koru ceramic that looks like my necklace.
Once at the caves, I saw they were indeed flooded. I hadn't planned to go black rafting, so I wasn't that disappointed. Instead, I turned for home (Auckland) and drove back.
Patricia, Chari (from Thailand), and I went to Circus Circus for dinner and coffee/tea. Chari is out of her country for the first time, and she has been working on her English by watching American movies... The Lion King, 13 Going on 30, Shrek, etc. I don't know how well it's going, but she and I will probably stay in touch. A few other backpackers found out that I was an APA format guru, and I've been answering dozens of questions about essay writing in English and use of tense when citing. I miss work!
It was (almost) a rain-free day with lots of sunshine! I drove through Hamilton and on to Otororanga (sp?) where I bought a Koru ceramic that looks like my necklace.
Once at the caves, I saw they were indeed flooded. I hadn't planned to go black rafting, so I wasn't that disappointed. Instead, I turned for home (Auckland) and drove back.
Patricia, Chari (from Thailand), and I went to Circus Circus for dinner and coffee/tea. Chari is out of her country for the first time, and she has been working on her English by watching American movies... The Lion King, 13 Going on 30, Shrek, etc. I don't know how well it's going, but she and I will probably stay in touch. A few other backpackers found out that I was an APA format guru, and I've been answering dozens of questions about essay writing in English and use of tense when citing. I miss work!
Day 24: Goat Island
Today I drove up to Goat Island, which is about an hour north of Auckland. It was a beach unlike anything I had ever seen. It looked like someone had poured quik-rete in the water because parts of the beach were stuck together at least 4-5 feet above the sand, and it was solid. No slippery footing, but lots of "life" still left in the pools. I got some photos of the coastline and poked around at some mussels, snails, and urchin before walking back to the car. I still can't get over how no two beaches look the same. Almost every time I would round a corner, the view would take my breath away. It's that gorgeous. I've been told by other backpackers that the South Island is even more beautiful. Will have to do that on the next trip.
Each night when I get back to the hostel, several people are in the lounge watching movies. I made the mistake of watching this movie with them. Final Destination 3. Very scary. People getting killed, things jumping out of the darkness. I had to stay up and watch a little bit of Ocean's 11 to calm down before going to bed.
Each night when I get back to the hostel, several people are in the lounge watching movies. I made the mistake of watching this movie with them. Final Destination 3. Very scary. People getting killed, things jumping out of the darkness. I had to stay up and watch a little bit of Ocean's 11 to calm down before going to bed.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Day 23: Still in Auckland
I've grown a bit tired of driving long distances, so I've decided to make Pentlands on the Mt. Eden hillside my place of residence until I leave on Thursday morning. FYI: Like many of the "hills" in Auckland, Mt. Eden is an extinct volcano, so the landscape is different here than anywhere.
Today, Patricia and I walked into the village and had coffee (and I had a fantastic sausage roll!!) at Circus Circus. No, not the Vegas casino. One of our hostel-mates works there, so we were being supportive. Then after some quick scheming we decided to drive to Mission Bay to Kelly Tarleton's Underwater World. On the surface, it looks like a touristy aquarium like every other moving sidewalk aquarium being built today. However, we soon discovered that it was among the first, if not THE FIRST to use curved acrylic glass to create a tank that visitors can walk through and under on a moving sidewalk. We questioned how much of the system was original and how much had been added or improved upon since. We were shocked at the answer. The Underwater World opened in January 1985 after more than 10 months of converting water treatment and sewage tanks into the tourist attraction. Its founder, Mr. Tarleton, died 2 months after. In the shop, I found a postcard that showed Mr. Tarleton in 1985 just after opening standing on the moving sidewalk, and almost every feature of the tank and room were identical to what we saw more than 20 years later. According to a documentary about his life, Mr. Tarleton's design served as the prototype for many aquarium exhibits that followed, including Ripley's in Gatinburg (and Myrtle Beach?).
After spending 3 hours underground, we left the center just in time to see the sun set over Mission Bay. Gorgeous, but I didn't have the wind-chill resistance to stay long.
A quick stop at the grocery for dinner fixin's, and we were back at the hostel. What did I buy, given the opportunity? Hummus, pickles, cream cheese, salad, smoked salmon. I miss home!
Today, Patricia and I walked into the village and had coffee (and I had a fantastic sausage roll!!) at Circus Circus. No, not the Vegas casino. One of our hostel-mates works there, so we were being supportive. Then after some quick scheming we decided to drive to Mission Bay to Kelly Tarleton's Underwater World. On the surface, it looks like a touristy aquarium like every other moving sidewalk aquarium being built today. However, we soon discovered that it was among the first, if not THE FIRST to use curved acrylic glass to create a tank that visitors can walk through and under on a moving sidewalk. We questioned how much of the system was original and how much had been added or improved upon since. We were shocked at the answer. The Underwater World opened in January 1985 after more than 10 months of converting water treatment and sewage tanks into the tourist attraction. Its founder, Mr. Tarleton, died 2 months after. In the shop, I found a postcard that showed Mr. Tarleton in 1985 just after opening standing on the moving sidewalk, and almost every feature of the tank and room were identical to what we saw more than 20 years later. According to a documentary about his life, Mr. Tarleton's design served as the prototype for many aquarium exhibits that followed, including Ripley's in Gatinburg (and Myrtle Beach?).
After spending 3 hours underground, we left the center just in time to see the sun set over Mission Bay. Gorgeous, but I didn't have the wind-chill resistance to stay long.
A quick stop at the grocery for dinner fixin's, and we were back at the hostel. What did I buy, given the opportunity? Hummus, pickles, cream cheese, salad, smoked salmon. I miss home!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Finally Able to Upload Photos
Cleaning up slips, washouts, and downed trees after the storm...
Rainbow between storm clouds...
Crossing the mountain towards Whitianga...
Endless lakes that should be fields, driving into Te Aroha...
The YHA Hostel at Te Aroha (very nice and quiet)...
Notice the huge lemons hanging from the tree in front! There are orange, grapefruit, and lemon trees everywhere, and all are full of nearly-ripe fruit!
The view from the women's bathroom...
Rainbow between storm clouds...
Crossing the mountain towards Whitianga...
Endless lakes that should be fields, driving into Te Aroha...
The YHA Hostel at Te Aroha (very nice and quiet)...
Notice the huge lemons hanging from the tree in front! There are orange, grapefruit, and lemon trees everywhere, and all are full of nearly-ripe fruit!
The view from the women's bathroom...
Day 22: To Auckland & the All Blacks Test
I awoke on Saturday morning to blue skies, which would turn to storms in 15 minutes. Roger, my only hostel-mate was up making coffee. I ate breakfast, said good-bye to him and Helen, and I was on my way north to the "big city" of Auckland, about the size of Maryville or High Point. In fact, a person could walk almost anywhere in the city within about 30-40 minutes, but the bus system seems pretty popular.
I drove through more flooded areas through the country, and the terrain was fairly flat compared to what I had seen the day before. I stopped at a service centre along Highway 1 and went through the McDonald's drive-thru backways. Not really backwards but right to left since the driver's window is on the right side of the car. I was got tickled that I had to call my nephew and tell him about it. He was not as impressed as I was, but he would have been if he had been in the car with me. I have gotten very good at driving, and it comes very naturally to me now. In fact, it makes more sense for me to keep my strong hand (right) on the steering wheel while shifting gears with my less coordinated hand (left). I think driving in the U.S. will take some readjustment.
I received an email from Ticketmaster telling me that the All Blacks vs. Wallabies "test" had sold out and that I needed to pick up my tickets in advance or I would be standing in a very long line. I arrived at Eden Park about 2:15pm and by 2:45pm I finally figured out which entrance contained the ticket office. A few minutes later and I was at the Pentlands Backpackers, a BBH hostel just blocks from Eden Park. I met Patricia (CORRECTION: a Korean medical doctor from Holland) and Diana (from the North Islands) in the lounge as well as several others from Ireland, Germany, France, Australia, etc. I was waiting for the office to reopen to get my room key and warming by the fire as the rain pounded outside.
The group bonding occurred while watching "13 going on 30." Specifically the part where all the girls sing Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield" at the top of their lungs while jumping up and down on the bed. Let's just say we had a Pentland re-creation of the scene, and several of us were still humming the song to ourselves an hour later. If you haven't seen it, that movie is a great pick-me-up. Much better than "Insomnia" which was playing when I first arrived.
The hype before the match was incredible, although I seemed to be the only Pentlands resident going. Clad in rain gear, I walked the 6 blocks to Eden Park and entered through the cricket members entrance! No delay! And I was sitting next to some real characters. You know how there's always one guy (usually drunk) who yells out things during a game that everyone laughs at? That guy was sitting next to me. Originally from Te Aroha, where I was that morning, he was pleasantly surprised that his childhood town was catching the attention of travelers. I didn't tell him that I was 1 of only 2 in the hostel. He and his family are now living in Rototura, near the popular rafting rivers. He said it's a must-see, but I'm not sure I'll get there this trip. The opening "kickoff" was incredible with the All Blacks taunting (and intimidating) rally cheer. And despite the fact that I hadn't seen international rugby in several years, I picked up on the rules quickly. A few rule changes had been initiated before that match, but I'm not sure what it involved.
I returned to a quiet hostel, as most of the residents had gone into town for post-match celebration after watching the match on television. I cooked a very late dinner with a friend from Ireland and watched "Vanilla Sky" with a friend from France. Then off to bed where one of my two roommates was snoring loud enough to get hit in the head with a pillow by one guy and a shoe thrown at him later...by me!
It was a good day!
I drove through more flooded areas through the country, and the terrain was fairly flat compared to what I had seen the day before. I stopped at a service centre along Highway 1 and went through the McDonald's drive-thru backways. Not really backwards but right to left since the driver's window is on the right side of the car. I was got tickled that I had to call my nephew and tell him about it. He was not as impressed as I was, but he would have been if he had been in the car with me. I have gotten very good at driving, and it comes very naturally to me now. In fact, it makes more sense for me to keep my strong hand (right) on the steering wheel while shifting gears with my less coordinated hand (left). I think driving in the U.S. will take some readjustment.
I received an email from Ticketmaster telling me that the All Blacks vs. Wallabies "test" had sold out and that I needed to pick up my tickets in advance or I would be standing in a very long line. I arrived at Eden Park about 2:15pm and by 2:45pm I finally figured out which entrance contained the ticket office. A few minutes later and I was at the Pentlands Backpackers, a BBH hostel just blocks from Eden Park. I met Patricia (CORRECTION: a Korean medical doctor from Holland) and Diana (from the North Islands) in the lounge as well as several others from Ireland, Germany, France, Australia, etc. I was waiting for the office to reopen to get my room key and warming by the fire as the rain pounded outside.
The group bonding occurred while watching "13 going on 30." Specifically the part where all the girls sing Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield" at the top of their lungs while jumping up and down on the bed. Let's just say we had a Pentland re-creation of the scene, and several of us were still humming the song to ourselves an hour later. If you haven't seen it, that movie is a great pick-me-up. Much better than "Insomnia" which was playing when I first arrived.
The hype before the match was incredible, although I seemed to be the only Pentlands resident going. Clad in rain gear, I walked the 6 blocks to Eden Park and entered through the cricket members entrance! No delay! And I was sitting next to some real characters. You know how there's always one guy (usually drunk) who yells out things during a game that everyone laughs at? That guy was sitting next to me. Originally from Te Aroha, where I was that morning, he was pleasantly surprised that his childhood town was catching the attention of travelers. I didn't tell him that I was 1 of only 2 in the hostel. He and his family are now living in Rototura, near the popular rafting rivers. He said it's a must-see, but I'm not sure I'll get there this trip. The opening "kickoff" was incredible with the All Blacks taunting (and intimidating) rally cheer. And despite the fact that I hadn't seen international rugby in several years, I picked up on the rules quickly. A few rule changes had been initiated before that match, but I'm not sure what it involved.
I returned to a quiet hostel, as most of the residents had gone into town for post-match celebration after watching the match on television. I cooked a very late dinner with a friend from Ireland and watched "Vanilla Sky" with a friend from France. Then off to bed where one of my two roommates was snoring loud enough to get hit in the head with a pillow by one guy and a shoe thrown at him later...by me!
It was a good day!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Day 21: Bone Carving and Te Aroha
The next morning, I awoke to hot coffee and great music!! I can't say enough times how much I love the music here! Then I walked round the corner to Bay Carvings, where I met Roland and Claudia (originally from Germany) who helped me make a spiral bone carving, Maori symbol of rebirth and new beginnings, which I feel like this trip has been for me. Using a Dremel and some creatively cut sandpaper, I shaped and sanded the bone for 3 hours before I held my beautiful product in my hand. I'll try to upload a photo.
I also saw on Facebook that my dive team had a raucous last night, with all the talk about headaches and aching livers. While I "gutted" that I couldn't be with them to celebrate, I was glad to contribute a couple of rounds of drinks via dive instructor Emily.
Then I was packed and off to my next adventure through the Karangahake (kar ANG a HACK ee) Gorge, where the Ohinemuri (oh HEE nee MUR ee) River flowed with great force. The way was reopened after flooding just minutes before I entered the gorge, and I must say that the river which is normally a gently flowing class III was a raging class IV-V that rivalled the New at 10 feet or any section of the Lower G. I had to be careful to watch the road as much as I watched the river just a couple of feet away (horizontally and vertically)!
I arrive in Te Aroha (tay arrow HA) just before dark and met hosts Helen and Danny and Roger (NZ but originally from England). I drove to the market for fajita fixings and cooked dinner for the first time in weeks. Unfortunately, the market didn't have beef or chicken (just weird mystery meat mixes of chicken, pork, and lamb), so instead I substituted salami and mushrooms and some homemade guacamole. I will intentionally make fajitas this way after returning to the States. It was good! Even for breakfast! The night was cold, with a bit more rain but not nearly as much wind as previous nights, even though some areas of the island were forecasting 160km per hour wind.
I slept very well under a few layers of blankets, and I'm preparing to drive back to Auckland for the All-Blacks "test" tonight. If you've ever seen how excited Mexican fans get over national team soccer, you'll have an idea of the Kiwi experience I have ahead of me tonight. And today is Emily's 23rd birthday (also a Kiwi), so I'm hoping that the All-Blacks will be able to pull out a victory despite injury and shifting lines.
My decision to not raft while I was in Australia and New Zealand was confirmed since the rivers have all flooded their banks. This morning I found out that a woman drowned on the St. Russell River near Cannes, Australia. A sad day whenever anyone is lost to paddling. I hope it was not a hostel friend.
I also saw on Facebook that my dive team had a raucous last night, with all the talk about headaches and aching livers. While I "gutted" that I couldn't be with them to celebrate, I was glad to contribute a couple of rounds of drinks via dive instructor Emily.
Then I was packed and off to my next adventure through the Karangahake (kar ANG a HACK ee) Gorge, where the Ohinemuri (oh HEE nee MUR ee) River flowed with great force. The way was reopened after flooding just minutes before I entered the gorge, and I must say that the river which is normally a gently flowing class III was a raging class IV-V that rivalled the New at 10 feet or any section of the Lower G. I had to be careful to watch the road as much as I watched the river just a couple of feet away (horizontally and vertically)!
I arrive in Te Aroha (tay arrow HA) just before dark and met hosts Helen and Danny and Roger (NZ but originally from England). I drove to the market for fajita fixings and cooked dinner for the first time in weeks. Unfortunately, the market didn't have beef or chicken (just weird mystery meat mixes of chicken, pork, and lamb), so instead I substituted salami and mushrooms and some homemade guacamole. I will intentionally make fajitas this way after returning to the States. It was good! Even for breakfast! The night was cold, with a bit more rain but not nearly as much wind as previous nights, even though some areas of the island were forecasting 160km per hour wind.
I slept very well under a few layers of blankets, and I'm preparing to drive back to Auckland for the All-Blacks "test" tonight. If you've ever seen how excited Mexican fans get over national team soccer, you'll have an idea of the Kiwi experience I have ahead of me tonight. And today is Emily's 23rd birthday (also a Kiwi), so I'm hoping that the All-Blacks will be able to pull out a victory despite injury and shifting lines.
My decision to not raft while I was in Australia and New Zealand was confirmed since the rivers have all flooded their banks. This morning I found out that a woman drowned on the St. Russell River near Cannes, Australia. A sad day whenever anyone is lost to paddling. I hope it was not a hostel friend.
Day 20: Whititanga, NZ
I made a second attempt to cross the mountains towards Whitianga. I should note that going almost anywhere in NZ requires crossing a mountain, so I quickly got over my constant fear of slips and washouts.
For anyone who has ever heard the saying, "If you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes"... That saying must have been written for New Zealand. For two days, I have been driving through 15 minutes of beautiful sunshine, then 15 minutes of light clouds and rainbows, then 15 minutes of pouring rain, and the cycle starts over again.
I stayed at the Cat's Pyjamas (not misspelled) in Whitianga... pronounced FityANGa in Maori. I don't know how many times I misspoke before someone corrected me. :) Cat's was an incredibly spacious, neat, and inviting hostel within a minute's walk of "town." "Town" consisted of a 2 square block area of businesses, very reminiscent of Skagway, Alaska. Sue and her 4 kids live behind the hostel, and she was very nice to hang out with me and chat while I was there. The night before had been the only night in the past 2 years that not a single person occupied the hostel. And I was its sole resident that night. I watched a little tv because the internet was down all over town, and in fact down over much of the North Island along with the power in many areas.
For anyone who has ever heard the saying, "If you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes"... That saying must have been written for New Zealand. For two days, I have been driving through 15 minutes of beautiful sunshine, then 15 minutes of light clouds and rainbows, then 15 minutes of pouring rain, and the cycle starts over again.
I stayed at the Cat's Pyjamas (not misspelled) in Whitianga... pronounced FityANGa in Maori. I don't know how many times I misspoke before someone corrected me. :) Cat's was an incredibly spacious, neat, and inviting hostel within a minute's walk of "town." "Town" consisted of a 2 square block area of businesses, very reminiscent of Skagway, Alaska. Sue and her 4 kids live behind the hostel, and she was very nice to hang out with me and chat while I was there. The night before had been the only night in the past 2 years that not a single person occupied the hostel. And I was its sole resident that night. I watched a little tv because the internet was down all over town, and in fact down over much of the North Island along with the power in many areas.
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