A Christmas Wonderland

Set on upholding my own personal holiday tradition, I started singing along to Christmas music on my iPod the very day after Thanksgiving. Without my usual Christmas triggers (snowflakes, snowmen, school cancellations, and Christmas decorating), I was bound and determined to get into the Christmas spirit! (And secretly hoping, wishing, and praying for snow!)

In early December, the Christmas trees went up in the Lodge lounge and in the Saigon staff quarters. About a week later, a package arrived for me from Mom, Dad, and Cate which I dutifully placed under the tree, resisting with all my might the “Oh just open it!!” remarks from my merry co-workers. *sigh*

Despite the glowing tree lights, presents, and humming hundreds of Christmas carols, it still wasn't feeling like Christmas. But, there was still time.

In mid-December, the Milford pub hosted a themed Christmas party for the Lodge staff. But, instead of cotton-topped Santa hats, pointy elf ears, and a room filled with red and green, the Milford Lodge gang arrived as a hodge-podge of interesting creatures. Our “Christmas” theme? Futuristic! We had in attendance Beer-Bot the Robot, Avatar, Wilson the Extra Head, Future Asian, and the Bearded Milford Man – each an interpretation of what we thought the “future” might look like. Oh, it was a merry night alright! Nothing like the “Bite My Box” game to get the crowd all Holly and Jolly! :-D

A few days later, for a bit o' Christmas fun (and as a gift to the person I was Secret Santa for), I rewrote the lyrics to “The 12 Days of Christmas” and turned it into “The Milford 12 Days of Christmas.” Go on, sing along ;-)

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,

12 guests a-scratchin'

11 waterfalls fallin'

10 boats a cruisin'

9 kayaks paddlin'

8 dolphins swimmin'

7 trampers stinkin'

6 seals layin'

5 BILLION SANDFLIES!!

4 chalet views

3 woofers

2 cheeky keas

And a Tui in a beech tree!

The Christmas spirit was finally starting to seep in! I whipped up a batch of “Reindeer Poop Cookies” (my favorite chocolatey, peanut buttery, oatmealy plops of No-bake goodness!) and wrote a sweet little Christmas note to accompany them:

Santa's reindeer came for a visit and shit on the roof... Help Yourself! ~ Anna

The entire batch had disappeared by the next day. What can I say? It's some good shit!

Now, it was less than a week till Christmas! And apparently in Milford, that means weather like you wouldn't believe. As I chilled out in the staff lounge, belting out Christmas tunes with Rosie O'Donnell, a needle and thread in hand, repairing a few holes in my travel-worn clothes, I was simultaneously keeping my fingers tightly crossed in hopes that the whole of Milford wouldn't get swept away by the torrential downpour of rain that had raised the river substantially in the last few hours. Not to mention, the entire foundation of Saigon was moaning LOUDLY in protest at the powerful wind, like the class nerd boldly refusing to give up his lunch money to the school bully. In the end, I couldn't help myself. I dawned my Santa hat, invited along my friend Crystal, and the two of us went bounding happily through the parking lot jumping smack-dab in the center of every puddle we could see! Merry *SPLASH!* Christmas!!

The heavy rain and brutal wind didn't end there. I think Mother Nature and Old Man Milford had gotten bored of quiet romantic picnics and decided to go out for a crazy night of dancing and drinking at the hippest dance club. The morning must have brought with it a wicked hangover as Milford suffered nearly 10 power outages and two road closings (because of a tree slide road block) over the next few days. Milford was getting exciting!! Not only exciting, but incredibly, stupendously, and awesomely beautiful. Just this week, I've witnessed some of the most stunning scenes of Milford that I have seen since I arrived here. The mountains became vertically striped with hundreds of white, flowy, watery ribbons, some splitting at the middle, like the silky ends of a graduation tassel. And all around, the clouds shimmered and hovered, gently caressing and protecting the fragile greenery that clung so desperately to the plunging mountain face.

A Christmas Wonderland.

And, in the midst of this summer storm, I sit, cozy and dry, listening, writing, sipping Hot Peppermint Chocolate, and simply grinning at the dangerously beautiful nature that surrounds me this Christmas. I have much to be thankful for as I reminisce about all that I've seen and done in 2010. It's been one hell of a year, and I am so happy to be able to share it with you. Family, friends, and loved ones are what give meaning to the Christmas season. You are all in my thoughts as I count my blessing of the old year to make ready for the new.

Happy and content, I look over my shoulder to glance out the window again at the magical view of the Fiordland. My eyes widen and my grin broadens – a fresh snow dusted mountain top. Wishes do come true! It looks like it's going to be a white Christmas after all.

May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white.

Peace and Love, Anna

Underground Astronomy & A Wilderness Experience

With four days off from work at the Milford Lodge, I bussed to Te Anau for a change of scenery and further exploration of this beautiful part of the country. One of the Te Anau's touristy hot spots are the Glowworm Caves, located across Lake Te Anau. So, after a sunny and windy boat cruise across the lake, I reached the “Cavern” along with 50 or so other glowworm goers. As we sipped tea and coffee, we learned that unlike fireflies which glow to attract a mate, glowworms glow when they're hungry thus louring their unsuspecting insect prey into their dangling, beaded, and sticky fishing lines. Mmm, dinner's ready!

In groups of 10-12, we crouched low to shuffle our way under the cave entrance. Once inside, my ears were filled with the roar of rushing water, and my group made its way through the damp, cavernous hollows of the cave, seeing a few bluish pinpricks of light above and using the guide's torch to illuminate a clump of glowworm fishing lines that clung delicately to the overhanging rock. We paused again to watch the mad rush of water cascade over a U-shaped curve of rock above and falling to fill the swirling pool below which fed the underground river. At the end of the walkway, my group settled into a small boat and the lights went out leaving us in total and utter darkness. I couldn't see the outline of my fingers less than an inch from my face! The boat began to glide through the blackness, jolting it's passengers when it occasionally bumped the sides of the cave. The sound of the river was a distant hum, and everyone went unanimously silent in the stillness of the cave. With necks craned back, patches of tiny white lights began to pierce the blackness, like bright stars on a moonless night. I could have sworn I spotted the Big Dipper in this underground nighttime sky.

Experiencing the Glowworm Caves was an unexpected treat during my four day weekend. What I did have planned, however, was an entirely new adventure – a two day sea kayaking and camping trip in the Doubtful Sound, another part of the Fiordland's wondrous National Park. The Doubtful Sound isn't as easily accessible as the Milford Sound, thus making it much more remote and, well, wildernessy! My sea kayaking team was made up Matt and Fi, our two super guides from Fiordland Wilderness Experiences, Larry and Pam, a 60-something year old couple from North Carolina, and Jens, a photo-journalist from Germany who was “here on business.”

As we came over the highest point of the Wilmot Pass between Lake Manapouri and the Doubtful Sound, we got the chance to witness a rare view of the fiords. From high above, we could see a low-hanging cloud that blanketed the entire floor of the fiord, tucking in the ribbon of blue water from view. You could just imagine what the powerful glacier looked like thousands of years ago carving its way through the land. It was a pretty spectacular sight!

It was from Deep Cove that we set off in our sea kayaks, basking in the warmth of the sun, mouths gaping at the magnificent natural surroundings of the towering mountains. During the day, we paddled up close to the mountain sides, listened to funny bird calls, took time out for lunch and a swim (BRRR!!!), heard stories about Maori folklore, and learned historical and natural facts about the area from our knowledgeable guides. Near the end of our day's paddle we decided to “sail” our kayaks! To do so, we rafted up (all three kayaks coming together side by side) and held high a sturdy piece of cloth using two paddles from the back and two hands from the front. Then, it was just a matter of holding on tight and going with the wind! The rest of the afternoon hours were spent drinking in the intoxicating beauty of the Doubtful Sound wilderness and getting quite tipsy indeed! Then, it was time to set up camp for the night with our thousands upon millions of ungracious neighbors – the Sandflies.

Setting up tents and unloading gear was frequently interrupted by slapping various body parts, waving arms vigorously in the air, and pausing every so often to spit out a relentless sandfly that cruised its jolly way in between parted lips. I couldn't believe how many there were! Thankfully, once everything was set up, the six of us zipped ourselves into a mesh tent where we relaxed for the evening with several glasses of sweet wine and a smörgåsbord of cheese, crackers, chips, and dip – safe and sound from the miserable swarms of those biting black buggers.

We ordered another picture perfect day for day two of our sea kayaking expedition. With a few more red and itchy welts to decorate our already suntoasted skin, we began our paddle back out of Hall Arm to Malaspina Reach along the quiet waters of morning, gliding underneath the dripping overhangs of untouched greenery and watching reflections of the sunlight dance along the lower cliffs. It was peace and serenity at its very best.

We sailed the remainder of the trip back into Deep Cove, and I went for a final swim in it's chilly waters – an icy blast of a way to end an incredible kayaking and camping excursion in the magnificent and magical Doubtful Sound.

Mashed Potatoes, Yeah Yeah Yeah!

Considering the “bubble” like feel of my small Milford community, there really is quite a multitude of things to keep one busy. The dreaded B-word (“Bored” - *in hushed tones) hasn't even come close to escaping my lips. Exploring the stunning surroundings and working full-time has turned me into a busy little bee (correction – Sandfly), and I am having a great time!

On my first weekend off, I decided to go for an afternoon hike with three of my work friends, John, Jonathon, and Angie. John, having worked in Milford before, knew about a local secret trail which leads to the top of Bowen Falls, the Energizer Bunny of waterfalls in Milford. This is because firstly, it's flow generates enough electricity to supply Milford in its entirety. And secondly, it just keeps going and going and going, unlike the thousands of waterfalls that seem to magically appear whenever there's rain. Given that it was the first sunny and dry day in about a weeks time, the four of us were eager to tromp around, up, and through the dense and sodden rain forest.

The trail entrance was camouflaged and nearly impossible to spot. But, once discovered, we had John leading the way yelling, “Mud!” or “Branch!” as our sneakers squished through the soggy trail and dew-dropped leaves and fern fronds brushed our calves. We skipped (carefully...) over rocky streams and crept Spiderman-like through nearly vertical “V” shaped mountain sides. Then, we really started climbing! Ropes had been secured to trees and rocks in years past, and we were scaling up the side of the mountain, gripping fiercely to the ropes and praying that they wouldn't break or slip loose. I felt like an Amazon warrior woman! with a photographic edge.

After tramping our way up the bush, we came to the Pipeline which carries water from the top of Bowen Falls to the hydro-electric building at the base of the mountain. There was more rope and metal rods here to assist our climb, and eventually we just balanced our way to the top using the Pipeline as our cylindrical walkway.

Eventually, we reached the river that fed into Bowen Falls and began to make our way down-stream, hopping over boulders and splashing through the swift currents. Another short trek through the bush led us straight to where the river becomes waterfall – the majestic Bowen Falls. The view from the lookout was just spectacular! I could see the multicolored foreshore with it's greens and browns and blues, the silhouette of Mitre Peak, and the seemingly endless passage of water that winds it's way through the Milford Sound. I could have stayed up there for hours.

The next day, I walked to the foreshore with Jonathon and Leo to fly my stunt kite in the steady day breeze. We named my kite “Kea” after one of the native birds of the area. The colors of the kite and the colors of the Kea's wings are very similar so it seemed like a fitting name for my sky-high toy. With a backdrop of glacier carved mountains and the dark flow of water making its way out to the Tasman Sea, I'd have to say this is one of the most eye-appealing places that I've had the opportunity to practice flying my kite. It absolutely made my day!

After such a refreshing weekend filled with a rain forest tramp and some excellent hours of kite flying, it seemed like perfect timing to start giving some major thanks for the blessings I've had over the past year. And what better way to do that then with a proper Thanksgiving feast! My two fellow American co-workers, Jonathon from California and Crystal from Alaska, took over the meal preparations as I had begrudgingly come down with a nasty, energy zapping bug. But, there was no WAY I was missing out on this year's Thanksgiving celebration!

First and foremost, I have to give mad props to Jonathon and Crystal for their incredible Thanksgiving cooking! The table was piled high with dressing, meatballs, gravy, veggies and dip, and of course, the center piece – a golden-brown mashed potato “Turkey,” complete with a celery and carrot stick fantail, black olive eyes, and a sundried-tomato gobbler. It was priceless! Our staff gathered together over Saigon's best China (paper plates and mismatched forks) and between mouthfuls, we share stories of the first Thanksgiving and the friendship between the Pilgrims and Native Americans. To top off the dinner, Jonathon had made both pumpkin AND sweet potato pie and served it with fresh whipped topping. Bellies were seriously bursting by the meal's end. A Kiwi-Thanksgiving success!

My Itchy Milford Bubble

I've written before about the joys of hitch hiking in New Zealand (and it's obvious financial benefits...), but I've never really expanded much on some of the interesting folk I have had the pleasure to meet! Allow me to enlighten you...

From Dunedin, I decided to hitch to Queenstown – pretty much going from the far east of the South Island to the (almost) far west. On this particular hitching expedition, I was tucked neatly and snuggly into the backseat of a rental car with two slightly over middle-aged Australian women and their floral-print luggage. During this two and a half hour venture, I chatted gaily with Fay and Margee and learned of their life in Oz, their weekly neighborhood dinner parties, and their happy families. The two ladies had been friends since childhood and recounted numerous stories of their mischievous and laughter-filled lives as playful youngsters. Along the way, we stopped at an information centre and while washing my hands in the ladies restroom, I learned from Fay that Margee had been diagnosed with terminal cancer with a prediction of about 12 months to live. After her diagnosis, Margee decided to tour the world – and invited her friends and family along with her! Margee had just returned from a trip in Europe and had a trip to Asia and the USA already penned in the calendar. My heart both ached and awed for this vibrant woman. She was a real-life Bucket List Lady! This special hitching-ride was both humbling and inspiring. Yet another God-winking reminder to always live life to the fullest and love those close to you without abandon. Love and grateful energies coming your way.

Now, Queenstown is a place known to tourists for adrenaline, pub crawls, and Fergburgers. In other words, a fabulous place for tourists alike to empty their jean pockets of coinage until there's nothing left but a tuft of blue lint. I however, dipped into the less touristy side of Elizabeth's title town. After spending my first day lounged out on the hostel deck with a novel in hand and Lauren dozing nearby in the next chair (the both of us determined to kick our colds in the bum before they got the best of us), I spent the next afternoon hiking up Queenstown Hill. The view of the blue lake and surrounding mountains was lovely; up, up and away from the touristy hustle and bustle of the lake hugging town. That same evening, I was able to connect with three of my “old” NZ friends – two of which I had worked with in Paihia back in March! Hugo and Helen had the honors of introducing me to my first Fergburger. From the way I had heard people talk about the infamous Fergburger, I wouldn't have been surprised if a beam of yellow light illuminated the paper bag it came in, and I heard heavenly angels singing! Of course, I ordered the veggie option, the “Bun Laden” - a whale of a burger with Falafel and every imaginable topping. After dominating this well-known after-bar-close burger, I almost expected to receive a certificate to take home with me, stating proudly, “FERGBURGER. BEEN THERE, ATE THAT.”

While in Queenstown, I organized a WWOOFing job in the Milford Sounds, an easily accessible yet remote spot in the Fiordland National Park. “Milford City” has a population fluctuating from about 200 people per day (working staff sticking around for the season) to 4,200 (!!!) during the height of summer when tourist-jammed coach buses, camper vans, and Milford Track trampers come pouring in to glimpse the magic and beauty of the Fiords. After WWOOFing for just 2 days, I was offered a full-time Receptionist/Housekeeper position at the Milford Sound Lodge (MSL), a buzzing place as the sole open-to-the-public accommodation center in Milford. Unfortunately, it's not just buzzing with travelers but also the dreaded New Zealand pest – the Sandfly. These little biters stop at nothing to make your life (and work) miserable. Not to mention waking up in the middle of the night to scratch your ankles silly. The entire area is teeming with them! They are, by far, the biggest downside to being in Milford.

With a few days to mull over my decision to join the MSL staff, I kept busy WWOOFing (making beds, scrubbing bathroom floors, removing the magically reappearing cobwebs, etc...) and saw more of the Fiordlands via cruise boat and sea-kayak – complements of being a WWOOFer! As a temperate rain forest, Milford receives around 7 METERS of rain per year! The great part about it, though, is that the area is gob-smackingly beautiful come rain or shine. When it rains, waterfalls cascade down steep rocky cliffs out of which sprouts any type of greenery that can stick to the near vertical sides. The water is deep and dark, carved out God-knows how many years ago by turtle-paced glaciers; snowy remnants of which you can still see amongst the mountains. On my cruise, my boat went far enough out to see the Tasman Sea, and, on it's return, we spotted numerous adolescent male seals lounging in the sun and a small cluster of dolphins dipping in and out and back in the water's surface. My sea-kayaking tour took place within the same Fiords, but was an entirely different experience altogether! The sky-scaling cliffs create a kind of optical illusion. Because of their incredible height (Mitre Peak reaches up 1692 meters!), they tease your mind into severely underestimating distances. What looks like a jutting boulder about a 30 minute paddle away takes twice, if not three times, as long. The Fiords are a place where a 300 passenger cruise boat look like a child's bathtub toy and airplanes looks like model planes in flight. Talk about humbling! While kayaking, we took an impromptu shower under the stunning Sterling Falls and witnessed penguins bobbing merrily along through the water. And, surfing the 3-5 foot waves (it was an unusually rough paddling day) with my sea-kayak partner was definitely a highlight to the trip. Just a small perk to having one of the kayak guides steer your boat!

In the end, I did choose to accept the position at MSL and started my new job this past Sunday! The staff here is really like a little family away from family. Everyone (ranging from 8-12 people on any given day) gathers for dinner in Saigon (the staff dining and chillaxing crib), and the homemade meals range from fresh Italian style pizza to Thai curries – it's like eating out at your favorite restaurant with friends every day! Plus, I've been diligently practicing and playing the acoustic guitar daily and am attending local yoga classes with a few work mates during the week. Given the remoteness of Milford, I had to take a 2 hour bus ride to the nearest town last weekend just to buy toothpaste and shampoo! But, when it comes down to it, little itty bitty Milford is really just a sweet place to be – my wonderful, itchy Milford bubble.

Rail Trail Tales

After Oamaru, I based myself in Dunedin – a vibrant university city swarming with students from all over the world! I couchsurfed for my first two nights in a house with five of the aforementioned students - three Kiwi guys and two American gals. This crazy family brought me straight back into memories of college living, complete with messy university housing, cheap evening entertainment at a local stand-up comedy venue, and a late night out at the university bar. Let the good times roll!

As a result of staying with these cool cats, I was offered free use of a mountain bike for my venture on the Otago Central Rail Trail! In fact, the Rail Trail is one of the top “101 Must Dos for Kiwis” so I was more than eager to begin! The 300+ kilometer ride from Middlemarch to Clyde back to Middlemarch was my watered down substitute to my original idea of a South Island bike tour.

From Dunedin to Middlemarch, I took the train along the scenic Taieri Gorge with my new-found Pennsylvanian friend Lauren. From Middlemarch, I bid Lauren farewell and set out on my bum-numbing six day ride. Wahoo!! :-D

And bum-numbing it was. Not to mention unforeseen challenges such dive-bombing magpies and the mighty & unrelenting headwinds. Those tuxedo clad birds are nothing less than the spawn of the devil... There I'd be, cruising along the graveled trail with mountains and rolling farmland on both sides, the sheep and cows pausing in their constant state of mastication to stare wide-eyed at this imposing cyclist, when SWOOSH! The wings of a magpie come within inches of my head, and my heartbeat skyrockets with a rush of adrenaline to propel me as quickly as possible away from THAT DAMN BIRD.

But even the demon magpies and the remarkable headwind (sometimes I felt as though I were cycling in slow motion - Bay Watch meets Tour de France!) wasn't enough to dampen my spirits. The peaceful scenery among the Central Otago region was a lovely accompaniment to the constant crunching sounds of slippery gravel under the grind of my spinning wheels. I averaged between 55-60 kilometers per day, staying the night at Holiday Parks or hostels and treating myself to scrumptious dinners in the evening.

When all was said and cycled, I took the train back to Dunedin – this time catching some Zzz's instead of enjoying the scenic vista – and was happily reunited with my friend Lauren! The next day, I joined Lauren, along with two other backpackers, Daniel and Angela, to explore the Otago Peninsula – an area well-known for the world's only mainland royal albatross colony, yellow-eyed penguins, massive sea lions, and WIND. The four of us decided to brave Sandfly Bay – a beach named not for the nasty biting sandfly but instead for the wind-bludgeoning* sand that literally pelts the poor bodies of anyone silly enough to cross the treacherous bay. And, well, we were silly enough. We spent our afternoon dodging lazy sea lions and trying to stay upright against the wind while attempting (without much success, might I add) to keep the sand from flying up our nose and out our ears. It was challenging, satisfying, and gritty fun!

Halloween was rather uneventful as the Kiwis don't much celebrate the holiday with the same gusto as Americans. Instead, I went out for sushi (Ooo! Dead fish...spooky!) and joined my friends for a suspenseful movie to mark the occasion. Happy belated Halloween!

* Phrase borrowed without permission from Lauren Sicher :-) Cheers! xx

An Island of Mystic Spaces

If you looked at a map of the South Island, Lake Tekapo looks like God took his almighty thumb and fingerprinted himself smack dab in the centre of the Island. And good gracious, if God ever did get fingerprinted, Lake Tekapo is a fairly spectacular way of thumbing the earth. First off, the water is dyed a brilliant, opaque turquoise which only adds to the awe of the sky slicing mountains that boarder one long side of the lake. Sift on a bit of the icy cold white stuff to coat the mountain tips, and that, my friends, is just the icing on the cake.

I bussed to Tekapo to visit my friend Hugo and his girlfriend Helen who were superb hosts during my weekend stay. My weekend activities included hiking to the summit of Mt. John (and enjoying the awesome 360 degree panoramic views), soaking in the outdoor hot pools (during the only snow storm flurry that I've seen since I left Wisconsin), and attending a Sunday evening service at the quaint Church of the Good Shepard. Company of friends combined with a scenic beauty overload made for a delightful and relaxing weekend.

From Tekapo, I hitched to Oamaru where I was to begin WWOOFing at Chillawhile Backpackers where I was more than happy to just, well, chill a while. The hostel is a hodgepodge of art displays, heart-thumping music, miss-matching comforters and pillow cases, half-tuned instruments, and backyard clothes lines which are consistently hidden under billowing sheets, clothes, and towels drying in the sunshine.

As far as the town goes, there's not so much to see besides the semi-restored, semi-rundown historical district and the infamous blue-penguin and yellow-eyed penguin colonies. I've gone for several walks and, without much help from the windy coast, tried flying my brand-new stunt kite in the park just in front of the backpackers. So, to mix things up a bit, I contacted a fellow Couchsurfer, 50-something year old Peter, a history buff and Otago area tour guide extraordinaire.

So, on a cloudy Friday afternoon, Peter drove and talked me all the way to the Moeraki Boulders, nearly 40 km south of Oamaru. This well-visited beach site is home to a set of round, massive rocks that have settled into the sand. And lucky for us, we arrived at low tide so you could really see just how unique the boulders were. They honestly look as though they are a set of Giant's Marbles, scattered carelessly on the beach. I've never seen anything like it and was quite captivated.

The Moeraki Boulders were only the beginning of an afternoon of intriguing sites that Peter took me too. Just a bit farther up the road, we tried to catch a glimpse of yellow-eyed penguins, but didn't see more than a few tubby fur-seals. Then, a drive through some less traveled roads between Highway-85 and Highway-83 brought about some goose-flesh tingling scenery. In a pasture dubbed “The Vanishing World,” I spotted honey-combed, limestone rock and a protected ancient whale fossil. It's no wonder the jagged cliffs of limestone and lush green pastures of the area brought out the film-makers of the movie “Narnia – the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” I was able to visit one filming spot in particular, the site of the Elephant Rocks, where gynormous limestone rocks have settled after having been elegantly carved by wind, rain, and rivers. The naturally calming site is so-named for the way in which some of the rocks actually do resemble giant elephants. It's as though Medusa came by, with all her wrath, and looked an entire herd of elephants point-blank in the eye. Whadya know – stoned for life.

Over the weekend, Peter and I met up again to go penguin-spotting near the wharf. It was drizzling lightly and dark (most of the blue-penguins come up to check on their nests around 8pm after the sun's sunk beneath the horizon) but we spotted nearly 30 penguins! They were huddled under branches by the rocky coast or waddling down the wharf. We even caught a couple mating under the street light (not very inconspicuous of them...) and got lucky enough to glimpse a baby penguin crouched and trembling outside it's nest. Peter told me that he's never seen that many penguins by the wharf before, so I was uber lucky! But, as cute as they are, these little fellows create quite a racket and smell like a dumpster load of rotting fish. Thus, I was more then happy to leave the waddling tuxedos for the comfort (and exceedingly nicer smelling) lounge of Chillawhile with a novel, comfy chair, and blazing heater to boot!

Sport 101 (with an Aussie flair)

I had a relaxing and enjoyable stay in Kaikoura but was eager to move on to the earth shaken city of Christchurch where I would get the chance to visit some long-time family friends of mine – Gail & Steve and Katie & Mark from Australia. I've been staying with Katie and Mark in Rolleston and having a smashing time! I've been expanding my Australian vocabulary with words like “Poofter” and phrases such as “Getting the shits” but, just as importantly, having a significant number of Kiwi/Aussie sport related cultural experiences! All of which have been top notch :-) Let me divulge.

Mark and Katie are originally from Australia, but moved to Christchurch over a year ago so that Mark could pursue his career as a race commentator – harness racing that is. This sport is quite popular in New Zealand, and Mark ranks very high as one of New Zealand's best race callers. With Katie as my guide, we watched one race high up in the stands. There are typically about 10 races per day and each race seems to take place in about 10 blinks of an eye. It's quick! We were watching the Trots form of racing, where the drivers ride and steer from a carriage pulled by the horse. The races begin with a mobile start meaning that the horses are already running when they cross the “start” line. There's a lot to the race that I have yet to understand, but it was still exciting to watch! We watched a second race from the sidelines – up close and personal! You couldn't get any closer to the race without risking getting mowed over by the thundering beasts. And, for my third race, I got VIP access to the commenter box (aka Mark's office). It helps being friends with people up top! From here I got a full view of the race track and even got to watch Mark as he called out during the race and announced the winners at the end. If only I had placed a bet or two...



Over the weekend, I had my first lesson on the sport Rugby League via television with two Australian teams dueling for the big win - the Roosters verses the Dragons. Now, Rugby LEAGUE rules are quite different from Rugby UNION rules. I'm not going to bore you with all the differences (mostly, because I don't really know them...) but let me just say that League rules are much simpler and easier to follow.

* WARNING – THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE TO SOME AUDIENCES *

I like Rugby League more than American Football.

And here's why: Because it flows. It seems to me like football has too many timeouts and whistle blowing and clock stopping. Rugby, however, is like the Energizer Bunny. It just keeps going and going and going. And I like that. Plus, you can actually SEE the players as well. They're not all decked out in padding and helmets. Just good, ol' fashioned short shorts. Yeah, rugby wins :-)

And then there's netball. I learned the basics to this English sport last summer, but after some superb coaching from Katie, watching netball during the Commonwealth Games broadcast, and a 10-minute Netball boot camp, I made my NZ YMCA Netball Club debut! I crossed my fingers that I wouldn't bomb too much and put on my Wing Attack (WA) jersey. Turns out my 8th grade basketball skills came in handy, and I didn't do half bad! Not having to worry about dribbling the ball was a big bonus since I never did quite master that skill. And I only got penalized by the ref twice for stepping out of my designated “Wing Attack Area.” All in all, I had a darn good time out on the court!

Nevertheless, sports isn't the only thing that's been rocking in Christchurch. Aftershocks have been rippling through the city quite frequently since the 7.1 earthquake on September 4th. In fact, over 1,000 aftershocks have been recorded in the past month. It's been pretty common for me to be sitting in the house or lying in bed when all of a sudden I hear a dull roar and feel the entire house vibrate beneath my feet. The biggest one I've experienced here was scaled at 5.0 and the epicentre was just about 5-10km out of Rolleston. And even though I never get used to them (they take me by surprise every time), I kind of expect it now. Call me crazy, but I actually think it's pretty cool feeling the earth shift and settle right beneath my toes. You're completely at Mother Nature's mercy. Thus, I've come acknowledge each aftershock as a “count my blessings” reminder. A million blessings and counting! :-D

The Grandeur of Kaikoura

There aren't many places on earth where sea waves kiss sky scraping mountains. But, wouldn't ya know – New Zealand has one of those very special places. Taking the Transcoastal Railway, I arrived in the east coastal town of Kaikoura – cute and cozy with jaw dropping views and a variety of wildlife to feast your already wide-eyes upon. Here, I settled into my Turkish styled dorm room at the Albatross Hostel (a backpackers complete with organic, fair trade hot chocolate, numerous instruments, and the perfectly pillowed reading spot). This place was right up my alley :-)

I only spent one full day in Kaikoura and was told that visiting the seal colony and walking the Kaikoura Peninsula was a must (along with helicopter whale watching...maybe when money starts sprouting out my ears. So, taking this wise advice, I set out for a morning-afternoon hike. I just couldn't seem to get enough of the mountain view. The contrast of the snow on the peaks and the dark bouldered base was just spectacular. Add in the pebbled beach and endless blue horizon and it was, well, almighty.

When I reached the seal colony, I wouldn't have had to go any further than the parking lot to spot seals. And, as luck would have it, they were young seal pups! Gosh darn they were cute though - all spunky and curious surrounded by a handful of tourists “Ooo-ing” and “Aww-ing” and snapping photos. I wanted to take one home with me (seal pup, not a tourist). But, when I ventured further out in the colony, I passed a few of the Big Mamas and Papas. They weren't as friendly – territorial and sleepy was more like it. So, x-nay on the seal pet idea...



The rest of the walk around the peninsula was lovely. The jagged limestone coast was a stunning boarder to the turquoise seas. I tramped by some cud-munching cows who may have been a bit annoyed by my presence, so I scooted by quickly. And, throughout the entire walk, I'd often look out into the waters and squint to see if I could spot any whales. Wishful thinking perhaps...

R.I.P.

Thus far, the South Island is as beautiful as they say. Granted, I've only seen Picton (the quaint, gateway town into the South Island) and Blenheim (wine country, about 30km south of Picton). But, as far as gateway towns go, Picton boasts a picturesque backdrop of cloud-splitting mountains and the seemingly endless Sounds. Quite a jaw-dropping little welcome into the South!

For the past two weeks, I've been WWOOFing at Tombstone Backpackers. Tombstone (located on Gravesend Rd, hehe) is definitely one of the nicest hostels that I've been to in NZ so far. Lynne and Gordon, owners, managers, shuttle drivers, cheesy scone and birthday cake makers, bird and cat lovers, and oven-fired pizza creators, are the sweetest couple you ever did meet! It was so easy for me to settle right into the homely and cozy feel of this superb backpackers. R.I.P. - Resting In Picton :-)

And resting is certainly one of the things that I've been getting good at here! The weather tends to be fairly unpredictable throughout the day, yet Mother Nature most often decides to choose heavy rain and even stronger wind. Thus, after my 2 hours of morning cleaning for the hostel, I spend the rest of my day taking afternoon naps, doing lots of reading, taking long soaks in the hot tub, and practicing my skills at pool. Not too shabby!

However, on sunny days, Picton has some great hikes to offer, such as the Snout Track (profoundly named since it, well, looks like a snout...), that I completed on the first sunny day I got. At the end of the trail, I reached Snout Point and had a wide open spaces view of the Picton Harbour and the Queen Charlotte Sounds. And, as an added bonus, I got to see seals! They were showing off - swimming on their sides with their flippers poking out of the water and waving hello! Gotta love cheap entertainment.

On another sun-shining day, I went for a bike ride to Karaka Point which is also a Maori Pa Site. What is a Pa? Good question...of all the information that I read, I never once found the definition of a Pa. Settlement, maybe? But, as Karaka Point was about 10km out of town and farther up from the Snout Track, I got to see a slightly different view of the Queen Charlotte Sounds and was able gaze back at the Snout Point and Waikawa Bay.

But mostly, I am living in anticipation. Great anticipation of the next leg, erm, “wheel,” of my trip. That's right folks, I'm going biking! Since arriving in NZ and meeting a few cyclists along the way, I've made biking the South Island my number one “NZ Must Do.” So, in Christchurch, I plan to buy a bike and camping gear, significantly downsize my already relatively light load of luggage, and buy me a map! Yep, needless to say, I'm pretty stoked about putting my foot to the pedal in (* fingers crossed *) two short weeks. I can't wait!!

Shaking in my Booties

Spring is in the air here in New Zealand! I’ve felt the last of the winter chill, for two reasons mainly. One - well, winter is nearly over. And two - I’ve left Taupo’s snow-capped peaks for the southern breezes (a.ka. massive gales of wind!) in Wellington - the North Island’s windy city!

Nevertheless, I kept quite busy for the last month of the winter season in Taupo. On August 12th, I finished my final shift at Cybershed – the internet café that I will forever hold near and dear to my backpack traveling heart. But, I couldn’t bring myself to leave Taupo quite yet. I had another week as manager at Blackcurrant Backpackers, and I even though I had been in Taupo for nearly 4 months, I still had activities on my “Taupo Must-Do” list. So, I figured a bit more time staying in my home away from home would be a grand idea.

Unfortunately, it rained for much of my final days in Taupo, so checking off “Hike Mt. Tauhara” and “See Craters of the Moon” was delayed. But, I was able to have a mini-holiday away from Taupo when my friend Marcus and I decided to hitch up to Mt. Maunganui! Here, we checked out the Hot Saltwater Pools at the base of the Mount and then hiked to the summit of the Mount the next morning. This is the second time I hiked Mt. Maunganui and the views were just as stunning as before. The white beach and coastal towns of Tauranga and Mt. Maunganui are breathtaking. And, lucky for us, we had a picture perfect morning – meaning, we took LOOOADS of pictures!

From Mt. Maunganui, we rented a car and drove up the Coromandel Peninsula to Tairua, a bustling beach town in the summer, but you’d never guess it if you visited during the winter months. Besides Marcus and me, there was just one other guest at our hostel – a lovely French girl, Irene, who joined us for our adventure to Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove.

Hot Water Beach is a popular hot spot (literally…) for anyone that travels to the Coromandel. This beach is super unique in that, when it’s low tide, people come out to dig their own personal hot spa pools with spades and buckets. The geothermal activity beneath the beach heats up the water and, at some parts, it’s scalding hot! But, once your pool’s been dug, it’s a relaxing place to soak and enjoy the beautiful ocean views.

Cathedral Cove is another popular place to visit and isn’t far from Hot Water Beach. So, that’s where we went to next! The cove is fairly remote and only accessible through a hike in the bush or by boat. We ate lunch and explore bits of the cove, finding a super tall waterfall and an outhouse with a view! And, on the way back to the car park, we were greeted by the cutest lambs you ever did see. My goodness, they were adorable.

When we got back to Tairua, Marcus and I hiked up to the summit of Mt. Paku for a view of Tairua and its neighboring town, Pauanui. When we got back to the hostel, we went for a kayak around the bay before the sun went down. What a fun-filled day visiting more incredible parts of North Island.

On my last day as an official Blackcurrant staff member, we had an awesome sausage sizzling goodbye party on the Blackcurrant deck. It was great to have all the people that I’ve come to know in Taupo there for me to say goodbye to! The next day, I was headed up to Auckland, then down to Hamilton, and back through Rotorua before coming back to Taupo…again. I tell ya, they call it the Taupo trap for a reason!

I finally got lucky and for my last two days in Taupo, there was hardly any rain! So, I finally got the chance to hike up Mt. Tauhara and walk through Craters of the Moon and officially check them off my “Taupo Must-Do” list. Nothing like leaving things to the last minute!

My first stop on my way to the South Island was windy Welly – New Zealand’s capital city! I’ve been here for 5 days now and can see why so many New Zealanders prefer Wellington to any of the other “big cities” in NZ. It’s artsy, packed to the brim with cozy cafes, and boasts views of Mt. Victoria and the harbor.

I’ve enjoyed several of Wellington’s bookshops and have met up with several friends who I’ve met in other parts of NZ. My Texan friend Michelle, has generously let me crash on her comfy couch while I’ve been staying here. And, in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday the 4th, this couch was precisely where I was snoozing when I was rudely shaken awake by none other then…my first earthquake.

By now, I’m sure you’ve all heard of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that rocked Christchurch that morning. It was amazing to have felt it being nearly 190 miles away! Thankfully, Michelle came out to check on me after the earth finished doing its thing. Apparently, Michelle has felt about 8 earthquakes since moving to Wellington, but most come from off shore and since Thorndon (where she lives) is located on a fault line, she tends to feel the quakes more than most parts of Wellington. We both went back to sleep and didn’t actually realize the extent of the damage done by the quake until we turned on the television the next morning. The quake has been a major news topic and conversation piece for many New Zealanders this weekend. As for me, it’s pretty bizarre to wake up with the entire apartment rocking back and forth. Put this one down in the Baby Book: “Anna’s First Natural Disaster.”

Even without the earth moving I’ve had an exciting time in Wellington! I went to my first Roller Derby bout where nearly 2,500 people attended. Ever seen “Whip It?” Well, it’s a bit like that but with fewer of the ladies getting their faces smashed in. But, there is still a lot of pushing, shoving, and plenty of falling. It’s pretty intense and the crowd really gets into it! The costumes are a major part of the bout as well. Both the players and the fans dress in some crazy attire! In this game, the saying “It’s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye” seems appropriate. Although, if you said, “It’s all fun and games, EVEN if somebody loses an eye” that would probably be fitting as well.

Well, this Wednesday, I’ll be off to the South Island for good! North Island - it’s been grand! South Island - ready or not! :-D

A Nerve-wracking and Muscle-wrenching Week

Just this week, I was asked the typical backpacker to another backpacker question - “So, how long have you been in New Zealand for?” And for some reason, I answered a bit differently this time – “Oh, well, I arrived in the middle of February so…(quick month count in my head…) nearly, 6 months. Oh my gosh. 6 MONTHS. Wow…” I actually shocked myself a bit. I was getting so used to just saying, “4 months” or “4 and a half months.” When did it turn into half of a YEAR? Sheesh. It’s true though – time really does fly when you’re having fun.

And, speaking of flying – I just happened to do a bit of that recently. Well, flying, falling…one in the same. *grin*

As it happened, I had woken up pretty early on Monday morning to go whitewater rafting down the Tongariro River, but when I arrived at the rafting headquarters, I was told that the trip had been canceled due to too much rainfall and the river rising to dangerous levels. Shoot! So, back to the hostel I went. But, as it happened to be my day off, I was bound and determined to do something adventurous. So, when my friend Hannah suggested bungy jumping, I was immediately on board! Our other friend Malorie was keen on jumping as well, so it was settled – Taupo Bungy, here we come!

It wasn’t until I walked onto the platform that I started to feel a bit nervous. Peering over the railings, I saw just how high 47 metres was – ummm, yeah. It’s HIGH. Really, really, really high. All us girls were on edge (literally!), and before I knew it, I was sitting on the bench and the bungy masters were strapping my ankles into the bungy holds. Holy Crap! At that point, I started my mini-freakout. “Oh my god that’s high!! Holy man…I can NOT believe I’m actually doing this! Hannah, what the hell are we THINKING!!?!” But, beneath my freakout was a very, very excited woman! I couldn’t wait to dive off the ledge. I even requested to the bungy masters that they give me a full body dunk (a.k.a. Sole Club Jump) into the waters of the Waikato River. After all, the Taupo Bungy is the highest water touch bungy jump in all of New Zealand (and possibly the world?) so I figured, go big or go home. KOWA-BUNGY!! :-D

Finally, it was my turn to jump. Eee!! I shuffled my feet over to the edge of the platform and was really surprised that the bungy cord was so heavy. I turned back and smiled for the camera. Then, I looked straight down over the edge and heard in my left ear, “1, 2, 3 BUNGY!” Woahooo, wait, wait, wait…haha – this is crazy!! Oh my gosh…okay, I can do this…I’ll jump this time. One last glance over the edge. “1, 2, 3…” And off I leaped! As I plummeted toward the blue-green waters, the loudest, most blood-curdling scream just exploded out of my mouth. I didn’t know I had that in me! I rocketed to the water and stretched out my arms, but since I was the first person to use the bungy cord that day, the tension had been done a bit tighter as a safety precaution, and I didn’t end up even touching the water. No worries - as I boinged! back up, I was laughing and still yelping a bit. What a rush!! And, if you can believe it, much scarier then a 15,000 skydive. 47 metres verses 15,000 ft and the smaller number freaks you out more…go figure.

The boat came over to release me from my bungy straps and bring me to land so I could watch Hannah and Malorie take the plunge. My heart was still racing and the adrenaline was a-pumping! Fun, fun, FUN!! :-D

But, the fun didn’t stop there. The next day, I was up dark and early - I say this because I reluctantly left the warmth of my duvet at 5:15am, and it was still plenty dark out! And why, you ask, was I up at such an ungodly hour? To hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing! Again. And yes, in the middle of the New Zealand winter. When the mountains are covered by snow. And ice. Once again, another crazy, yet awesome expedition!

The shuttle picked me up from Blackcurrant at 6:00am and drove myself and 22 other bleary-eyed and eager hikers to the start of the 19.4 km hike we were about to embark upon. On the bus, our two guides, Sarah and Danny, fixed us up with essential winter hiking gear – rain-proof jacket, fleece pants, hiking boots, cramp-ons, and even an ice axe! We were geared up and ready to rock!(climb). :-)

The mountains looked magnificent in front of a morning backdrop of blue. But, when we looked to our left, far off in the distance, we could see the yellow, thick clouds rolling towards us. Twenty-four (our guides included) sets of fingers were crossed in the hopes that we’d make it to the summit before Mother Nature came knocking at our door.



The first 2 hours of the hike were really pleasant. Good weather and plenty warm. And dry! But, as we climbed the Devil’s Staircase to reach the base of Mt. Ngauruhoe (a.k.a. Mt. Dome from LOTR), the clouds found us. Mt. Ngauruhoe was right in front of us, yet disappeared completely. We had reached the snow and ice on the mountain as well, so it was time to secure our cramp-ons to our boots to keep from slipping and sliding over the mountain.

We crossed the South Crater and you would have thought we were tramping across Antarctica! Nothing but white all around us. But, instead of snowfall, we were getting drizzle. Soon, our gloves, hats, and clothes were soaked through. Our breaks didn’t last long since most of us became quite chilled when we stopped walking for too long. But, we kept on! Up and over the steepest part. It was pretty bizarre to know what views I should be seeing from the top, but not being able to see anything but cloudy fog. Not exactly the ideal Alpine hike I was hoping for, but our group was great and, after convening for a group meeting at the top, we all voted to continue ahead with the hike to the other carpark instead of turning back the same way we came up. Go team! :-)

After our initial decent from the summit, we came to another iced over crater. As we made our way across, someone’s foot went through the ice into the frigid, 7 inch deep water below. Then another foot. And another. Soon, all of us were breaking through the ice, again and again, trying not to lose our balance and fall in completely! All we could do was shriek, curse, and laugh uncontrollably. Unfortunately for us, this meant another 3 and half hours of tramping with cold and extremely wet feet! Brrrrr…

A quick stop at the Hut for a PB&J lunch break, and I was up and off to complete the rest of the hike – the last 90 minutes! We were allowed to hike this last part on our own. So, I cruised down the path, through the National Park, with the carpark and warm shuttle in mind as the final prize!

I made it back to the carpark around 3:00pm – which meant I completed the Crossing in just under 7 hours! I peeled off my sopping wet jacket, fleece pants, hat, mittens, and hiking boots and dumped them in a pile outside the bus. Tired and majorly damp from a combination of sweat and constant light rain, I plopped down into the bus seat, waited for the rest of the group to arrive, and thought to myself, “Tongariro Crossing, you’ve been crossed. Sahweeeeet!!!”

And, as one of the other girls on my bus said, “Yeah, we’re definitely hardcore.”

We certainly are. :-D

*Video Link*

--> My Bungy Jump! <--
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=myuploads#!/video/video.php?v=618713737401

*Photo Links*

A 47 Metre Leap of Faith
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2157604&id=185002768&l=48a15e13f9

Conquering the Tongariro Alpine Crossing!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2157608&id=185002768&l=abb402722d

Boat-loads of fun on Taupo waters

Once upon a time, I was feeling adventurous :-) Haha, who am I kidding, I’m nearly always feeling adventurous!! But, on this particular day, I had a jet boat ride booked with Rapids Jet, a company located about 12 miles out of the centre of Taupo. So, I borrowed my friends bike and pedaled through the beautiful, foggy, farm-filled hills of Taupo till I reached the stomping grounds of Rapids Jet.

The jetboat ride quite fun! This time, I was smart and wore my cozy wool hat, so I was much warmer. It was an overcast day, so it was bit chillier than usual. Our driver was fun and easygoing and brought the whole lot of us to the Aratiatia Rapids. At the start of the 35 minute ride, the rapids were mostly just rocks with a bit of water spouting through. But, at the end, after the dam had been opened wide, there was LOADS of water gushing over the rapids. You couldn’t even see the rocks anymore! That was pretty cool.



The jet boat did lots of spins and bumped us up and down the pristine Waikato River. It was fun bouncing along the rapids and gripping on to the heated hand rails! After that wicked ride, it was time for me to jump back on my bike and cruise (well, more like huff and puff – I had to go up a MASSIVE hill!!) my way back to Blackcurrant Backpackers.

The next day, my friend Hannah and I took a lovely walk from town to 5 Mile Beach (which was, actually, five miles out of town!) and back. This walk, also known as the “Great Lake Walk” was on my Must Do in Taupo list. Great Lake Walk – check!

Then, on a beautifully blue Sunday morning, my friend Marcus and I went for a sail on the Barbary – my third time on the boat! It was such a lovely day, but with hardly any wind. But there were others on the boat this time as well, so we motored/sailed out to the Maori Carvings which I had been wanting to see for ages!


The Maori Rock Carvings were done as a gift from the Maori people and have become one of Taupo’s many cultural attractions. The carvings are only accessible by boat, so it was very neat to be aboard the Barbary with views of the magnificant mountains over Lake Taupo and the Mine Bay cliff carvings. What a lovely and peaceful way to spend a Sunday morning!

*Photo Links*

A Wickedly Rapid Ride
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2156255&id=185002768&l=1ab13f0d1e

A Sail to the Maori Carvings
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2157551&id=185002768&l=0355f317dc

Trekking in Taupo
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2157597&id=185002768&l=8e74666f39

A Close Encounter with the Kiwi Whisperer

First off, congrats to Spain for the World Cup win! We had some die hard and dedicated fans at Blackcurrant Backpackers who woke up at 6:30 in the morning to watch the football (erm, soccer…) game. I was happy to sleep in and catch the last 5 minutes when Spain scored the winning, and only, goal! Congrats :-) Holland – there’s always next time… ;-)

For my brief time off this week, I decided to head to Rotorua with my new Swiss friend, Marcus, (yep, third time to Rotorua! I just can’t stay away apparently!) where we visited a Maori Village called Matai and enjoyed a very touristy, albeit relatively authentic Maori cultural evening!

As part of the Maori cultural event, we were ushered into an outdoor theater to watch a Maori show. There were women and men clad in traditional Maori dress – which, during the winter, doesn’t cover much… And, they were all barefoot! Crazy… But, the show itself was really interesting. We learn several Maori words and phrases, they explained some of the rituals of the Maori culture, the weapons used, instruments, and games played. The women did an incredible rhythmic dance with the Pui and the men danced a Huka which is a dance done to intimidate an enemy before a fight. Both are SO COOL!! Definitely, my favorite part of Maori culture. I could watch it for hours. But, the dances, especially the Huka, are filled with so much energy, passion, and sweat that the performers are completely exhausted afterwards. They really put everything they have into the dance – slapping their chests and thighs, their eyes bulging and their tongues plastered to their chin and coming to a sharpened point. It is certainly an intimidating dance! In New Zealand Rugby, the NZ team (such as the “All Blacks”) perform the Huka before the start of the game. I honestly think it might give them a bit of an edge over their competitor because of the wild and threatening manner in which they perform the dance. I wouldn’t want to fight one of them after seeing that! Plus, most of the Maori men are BIG. And I mean BIG in every sense of the word. Really, really big…

Another highlight of the evening was visiting the after-dark Kiwi Sanctuary at Rainbow Springs. This was the first time I had ever seen a real live Kiwi bird! They are much bigger then I thought they would be! Like, the size (and kinda the shape) of a rugby ball. And, they are so cute! Long, thin beaks and fat, fluffy, brown bodies. And big feet, like a chicken! I tried taking a few photos, but since it was so dark, they didn’t turn out much at all.

Most of our group had left the Kiwi Sanctuary and have moved on for the rest of the tour, but Marcus, me, and this other dude had stayed back to watch this one particular Kiwi a bit longer. It was so close I could have touched it! Then, one of the Kiwi Keepers came in to the sanctuary and said he’d try to encourage the Kiwi into the light so we could take a better picture. Amazingly, the Kiwi responded to this Keeper so easily! He literally followed him to the other side of the pen when the Keeper called his name. When the man came back into the sanctuary, I looked at him in awe and asked, “How did you do that!? That was incredible!” At this point, the Kiwi was actually nuzzling the Keeper’s hand, and he was petting the Kiwi back. Now, this might not sound too remarkable, but the Keeper went on to tell us that this particular Kiwi had chosen him as his Keeper and was the only Kiwi bird that they knew of who would allow human contact. And the Keeper was the only person the Kiwi would be pet by! A pretty big honor for the Keeper, that’s for sure. I dubbed the Keeper “The Kiwi Whisperer” because of his unique talent. So, besides just glimpsing the Kiwi’s we got to witness something pretty remarkable! So cool!!

On the route back to Taupo from Rotorua, Marcus and I visited Wai-O-Taou Thermal Wonderland, a national park of New Zealand. There are several steaming pools and incredibly vibrant colors that the different organic minerals produce. The variation amongst the sulphur pools, rocks, and water is really impressive! And, of course, there is so much to photograph! So, Marcus and I (two lovers of photography) had a grand time snapping photos around every corner. :-)

Getting High in the Sky

It’s hard to come by days that are as awesome as today. To start, the weather was beautiful – blue skies speckled with clouds and lots of sunshine. My friend Marcus from Switzerland has been staying at Blackcurrant for the past couple days and had picked today to do his skydive! Lucky for him, the weather very much cooperated, and I was so excited that he was going to jump! As I wasn’t working, I decided to tag along to the Drop Zone with him, and our friend and fellow Blackcurrant cleaner, Hannah, decided to come as well to watch with me.

When we arrived at the Taupo Tandem Skydiving, I was immediately asked by my friend Brad (who works as a manager and tandem master at TTS) if I was skydiving. Correction, I wasn’t so much ASKED if I was going to do a skydive, I was more so TOLD that I was doing a skydive. I had actually considered it earlier in the day because it really was ideal weather for a skydive. I joked with Brad asking him if it would cost more to get him as my tandem master for the jump and he replied with a big grin and said, “You can get the skydive for free, but it costs $100 to jump with me!” Turned out, Brad wasn’t kidding… It didn’t take much to convince me past that point! I looked over at Marcus and was like, “Oh my gosh, I’m going again!!!!” Immediately, I had butterflies in my tummy and all the excitement and nervousness of my first dive came flooding back – I couldn’t believe I was going again!

And, that’s the story of how I came to do my second skydive from 15,000 ft and be strapped to the front of my #1 Favorite Tandem Master, Brad Rock :-D Not surprisingly, I was much more present during the second skydive. But, I was just as excited and smiley as I was the first time!! In the plane, Brad pointed out that we could see both the east and west coasts of New Zealand, Lake Rotorua, and the Coromandel Penisula. It was really cool to see the clouds in the sky as well! It really creates a different, more textured view of Taupo and the surrounding areas. Beautiful.

Brad and I were the last tandem to jump out of the plane. As we sat, perched at the edge of the plane with our legs dangling 15,000 ft above the ground, Brad goes, “You ready!?!” YES!!!! I felt a slight tip out of the plane and next thing I knew he pulled back a bit and goes, “No, I can’t! I’m too nervous!!” *!!!* I was like, Brad you bugger!! Seriously, if I could have reached around and popped him one, I would have but those darn harnesses just don’t make it easy! Just sitting there, about ready to jump out of the plane is a thrill in and of itself!! It's one of my favorite parts!! Before I knew it, my head was tilted back and out we went!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW. The freefall was so awesome!!! And, I actually remember it!! Brad and I did lots of spins, and I played around with my arms trying to maneuver them against the full force of the rushing air. It makes such a difference when your brain actually keeps up to speed with your body. ;-) About 5 seconds before Brad pulled the shoot, he pointed to a cloud and I glimpsed a circle rainbow! Apparently, our shadow made that! Where’s my camera when you need it???

The glide down was so nice as well. The views are just so spectacular from way up there! The shoot gets pulled at 5,000 ft so we still had quite a ways to sail. Brad goes, “Welcome to my office.” Definitely a job to envy.

Brad let me take control of the parachute for a while as well! So we did some super fast turns and some pause drifting in the air. That is a bizarre feeling to almost come to a stop in mid air! I didn’t expect to stop moving like we did, and the first time it happened, Brad goes, “Uh oh.” Uh oh is not a phrase I want to hear 3,000 feet in the air!! Sheesh ;-)

We did a standing landing verses a slid-in which was cool! I gave Brad a BIG hug for such an awesome and very entertaining dive! What an fantastic second jump!! There’s no denying it…I’m hooked. Brad, you have such a badass job!! Thanks a million!!! :-D

A Tipsy Tour of Hawkes Bay

Despite the chilling temperatures in Taupo, I’ve been feeling more and more comfortable in this tourist trap town as the weeks of my work-stay here continue to add up. This winter, I am getting a pleasant mix of the local and backpacker feel to the area, the people, and Taupo’s many attractions!

Three weeks ago, I was offered a thrilling ride on the Huka Falls Jet Boat! The 30 minute speed-boat ride brings you all the way to the Aratiatia Dam and then back up river to a stunning, close up view of Huka Falls. Lots of spins and quick maneuvers to avoid hitting trees sticking up out of the water. I was pretty soaked by the end of it and my head had turned into an icebox. Luckily, my hands were just fine because the handrails on the jetboat are heated! Brilliant :-)

A major highlight of the last few weeks was a photoshoot that I did with my friend and Blackcurrant neighbor, Jana. We went to the back alley-way behind Cybershed and found some quirky, unusual, and trashy spots to shoot at. Jana has great vision with regards to photography and really has a good eye for picking out unlikely photo shoot settings. I had a blast posing and jumping and working on my “come hither” eyes ;-) And, with great creative direction from Jana, we were able to create some really stunning photos!

Later in the week, I was able to go on another sailboat ride with my good friend, Barbary Dave! I seem to time my visits to the Barbary Sailboat just right, as I have gotten to do two charters with Dave without any other customers aboard. And, on this particular day, we actually had some wind to sail with – strong wind! So, once the sails were up, we really got cruising. The boat would tilt sideways to where the edge of the boat was only about a foot or so away from the water. Dave would warn me ahead of time when a stronger gust of wind was coming, but it still got my heart pounding when the boat tilted so much. He even taught me how to predict the big winds – the water from a distance would be different colors and the darker color meant stronger winds. Kinda cool! I also got to meet two of the Barbary’s frequent sailors – ducks! They both landed right on the boat too. Dave gave me some cookies to feed them and one of them even took the cookie bits right out of my hand. They were so cute :-)

I’ve recently gotten into a bit of a creative streak these last few weeks as well. It started out by making a “Thank You” card with magazine cutouts. I had wanted to thank Taupo Tandem Skydiving for such an incredible skydive experience and, thus, made them a card to show them my sky-high appreciation! And, besides feeling artsy, I have started singing a bit at the Sunday Jam Sessions at Mulligan’s Pub! A fun group of locals get together and jam out with guitars and harmonicas and serenade the pub with some good classic pub tunes. It was fun getting a chance to sing with the other jammers!

I ended up with two days off from both Cybershed and Blackcurrant two weeks ago and made an impromptu trip to Napier which is located on the east coast of the North Island, about a 2 hour drive from Taupo. It was such a lovely escape! My highlight of this mini vaca was the wine/chocolate/cider/beer tour that I did around Hawkes Bay via bicycle! I started out around 9:30 in the morning and 8 tastings of wine from the Mission Estate Winery, 1 nibble of dark chocolate from the Chocolate Shop, 3 glasses of cider & 2 glasses of beer from the Filter Room, and 30 kms later, I had thoroughly enjoyed my day! It’s easy to see why Hawkes Bay is known for their wine. There are vineyards everywhere and the wine stuff doesn’t taste half bad either ;-) A wine tour is definitely a must-do for visitors to Napier – add on the chocolate, beer, and cider tastings as well, and you’ve got the good stuff covered!



And, before I forget, a belated Happy 4th of July!! It was definitely odd not watching fireworks to celebrate the 4th. But, as it was Canada Day 3 days prior, myself and a few of the backpackers at Blackcurrant sang our countries respective national anthems and saluted our countries with a glass of vino :-)

Ready, Set, SCRUM!

Besides a sweet skydive this past week (in which I thought I should dedicate a full blog post too, haha), I have done a few other things which are definitely worth mentioning! A week of firsts it seems :-)

On Monday, I got my first NZ haircut! I figured going over 5 months without getting this mop cut was quite long enough. The lady who cut my hair was super friendly, chatty, and quite interested in my travels to NZ. Her catch phrase? “Good on you!” I swear, she must have said this nearly 50 times by the time my shampoo and cut was finally complete. She told me that for a backpacker, my hair was in surprisingly good condition. And, I told her that I was quite surprised by that considering I haven’t brushed my hair more than 4 times since I left NZ. In fact, I hadn’t even packed a brush! But, hey, apparently that’s the secret to beautiful locks. Works for me!

And, I am working on substituting my American term “bangs” (why in the world do we call them bangs anyway??) for “fringe,” the Kiwi way. I was looking for a bit of a change with my currant hairstyle, so I decided to try out a fringe again. Fingers tightly crossed that I wouldn’t sorely regret it. But, turns out I like it! So, phew! Fringe is in ;-)

I had the next day off (from BOTH jobs – yay!) so I decided to hike to Huka Falls. I had already been to Huka Falls several weeks ago, but had mountain biked there instead. Thought I’d take a different route :-)

Wednesday was of course the epic skydive day. Wahoo! (See *60 Seconds* for the full story!) :-D

And, I finally left Taupo for the first time in 6 weeks to go to Rotorua to watch my first professional rugby game!! Nz Maoris vs Ireland – I had bought my ticket last week and was super excited to watch the game at the Rotorua stadium!! Gavin, an Ireland native, had come through Taupo and stayed at Blackcurrant for a couple days last week and had told me about the game. Thought it would be pretty sweet to watch the game with someone who has a bit of their heart invested in the opposing team. Although, as it turned out, I cheered for both teams for the first ¾ of the game. Eventually decided to cheer for the Irish with 7 minutes of the game remaining. They were losing 31-28, so I was hoping to give them an extra boost of cheer! ;-)

The game was such fun!! They had a few live performances with NZ singers and even a beatboxer as pre-game entertainment. Good stuff! And, it was so nice having Gavin right beside me for the game because I was able to ask him loads of questions about the plays and such. I think I pretty much understand the basics of rugby now and thoroughly enjoyed watching the game! Quite unlike going to my highschool football games where I spent most of my time with my back to the field, chatting with my friends on the bleachers instead ;-)

Unfortunately, Ireland ended up losing…bummer. And, I was super cold by the time the game ended. My pinky on my right hand had gone numb! So, we went back to the hostel, drank a couple beers, grabbed a bite to eat, and hung out next to the fireplace in the lounge. Ahhh…nice :-) Then, once were were nice and toasty, we went out for a night on the town to celebrate the Maori win at the jam-packed Irish pub. What a fun mini roadtrip out of Taupo. I’d say it was a breath of fresh air, but this is Rotorua we’re talking about…a.k.a “Sulfur City.” Not so fresh but a lovely mix up to the weekend :-)

60 Seconds

*a.k.a – Anna’s Skydive: With 15,000 ft of Perspective

**a.k.a – That time I jumped out of a plane!!!

What. An. AWESOME. Day.

So much smiling!! Yes, definitely a day of grinning overdose.

I woke up at 8:45am and remember first pleading with my alarm clock in my head, “just a little longer…?” And then all of a sudden, it dawned on me that today was the day. ToDAY was the day that I was going skydiving!! Ever since arriving in New Zealand, I wanted to do a skydive. With every freefall video that I watched in the Blackcurrant DVD lounge, with every backpacker that had come through Taupo with the sole goal of jumping out of a plane, the anticipation had heighten – a LOT. And today, was the day. HOLY MAN was I excited!! And, with that thought alone, I was wide awake.

Lars and Bea (my two work mates at the hostel) got me so psyched up for the jump telling me how awesome it would be and how much I’d love it! I literally couldn’t stop smiling. Haha. I actually felt pretty silly – I mean, I hadn’t even jumped yet, and I was grinning from ear to ear!! My tummy felt like I had butterflies doing gymnastics in there! A mini gymnasium for all their somersaults, cartwheels, and tumbling routines. I was completely giddy.

I planned to do the jump with Leslie and Sophie, both who work at the Funky Green Hostel in Rotorua. The jump was scheduled for 2:00pm so I just hung out around the hostel with my boss Beth and the Taupo Tandem Skydive (TTS) marketing manager Bex who had set up the jump for me! Lars decided to come along too, and we both had our fingers crossed that he could do his solo jump from my plane. How cool would that be?!

Bex gave Lars and I a ride to TTS in her little TTS Cruiser. It was pretty cool to be chauffered to TTS with the main marketing lady! Even better than the van pickup!

Now, I think I forgot to mention that since I am working now at both Blackcurrant and Cybershed, and since we do bookings for Taupo adventure activites (such as skydiving), and because Bex and Beth are amazingly, fantastical women, I was offered this opportunity to skydive for free. No joke! I figured, in that case, that I would be given the actual skydive for free and then I could pay for my freefall video and photos on top of that. But, when we got to the Drop Zone at TTS, Bex informed me that I would be receiving the “Gold Package” – a.k.a. the whole works! Freefall video, Handycam video, Freefall photos, and Exit/ground photos. I couldn’t believe it! What a superb perk of working hospitality in Taupo!

I was still beaming from ear to ear, even as I signed my life away on the “Please don’t sue us if you die” contract. I met my tandem instructor, Andy, who has done so many jumps that he’s stopped keeping track! Andy, a born and bred Kiwi, has the typical “I’m a badass skydiver” look with a scruffy ‘tashe and beard, wind-whipped hair, and heavy, carved earrings. Andy helped me into my jumpsuit (under which I was completely layered up – thermal top and bottom, t-shirt, fleece and jeans – it gets chilly 15,000 ft above the ground!!) and secured my harness. The harness makes you waddle when you walk, but I was way too excited to care about my funny gait. I’m jumping out of a plane!!

Just minutes before we boarded, the solo-jumpers on-call were announce over the intercom and Lars was one of them! So, we were going to be jumping out of the plane together afterall! Super cool beans!!

The little, bright yellow TTS plane can fit 16 passengers. As it was a nearly full plane, I got real up close and cozy with everyone there. With Andy behind me and Mikey, my video guy, in front, I felt like we were three peas in a pod :-)

I was doing everything I could to take in the whole skydiving experience. Even the 20 minute plane ride up gave us a splendid view of Taupo and the surrounding areas. We could see Mt. Taranaki which is all the way over in New Plymouth – nearly 300 km away (about 185 miles!). I learned that skydiving on a clear, winter day offers way better views of the landscape than on a clear, sunny day in the summer. I guess the heat makes everything slightly fuzzy. So, basically, we really couldn’t have asked for a better day. And, although it was -8 degree C (so, about 17 degree F), I didn’t even feel the chill! I think the excitement of everything was an extra layer of warmth on top of my already layered up self.

The plane leveled out at 12,000 ft for a few of the solo jumpers and students to jump out. So, that meant a quick “see ya-BYE!” grin and wave from Lars and then he just disappeared! Simply tipped himself out of the plane and whoosh, POOF! Gone. I don’t think my brain was really able to register the fact that my friend just jumped out of a plane right before my eyes. My brain certainly wasn’t registering that I was about to pitch mySELF out of a plane flying 15,000 ft over Lake Taupo. Yet, I still had a silly grin plastered to my face – that smile wasn’t going anywhere.

Along with enjoying the view on the way up, Andy had secured the two of us together – tight! I had harness digging into my ribs, but that feeling alone helped to reassure me that I wasn’t going anywhere without him.

Before I knew it, the plane had reached 15,000 ft. Since Mikey, Andy, and I were at the front of the plane, we were the first to go. I had zero qualms whatsoever. Andy and I scooted forward and next thing I knew my legs were over the edge of the plane – Mikey was actually outside the plane at this point and the three of us posed for quick exit photo.



This part was surreal. My mind wasn’t processing everything that was happening so things are a bit blurry. If Andy had counted to three and said “JUMP!” I didn’t hear him. For the next 60 seconds, I heard nothing. Did we do flips? Spins? I haven’t a clue. For 60 seconds of freefall, my mind, body, and spirit were in system overload. Each one of my senses were being pummelled with pure, WOW. The one thing I do recall somewhat is seeing Mikey freefalling backwards, just below Andy and I. And I remember thinking, “I so want to try that!!”



The 60 seconds felt like 10. Andy pulled the parashute (and yay, it opened!!), and we were sailing through the sky. At this point, my brainwaves finally got up to speed, and the thrill of what I had just done had a ripple-effect throughout my entire being. I was laughing, catching my breath, and feeling a bit of shock at what I had just experienced. Pretty sure I let a 'Holy Shit' leak out, but turns out they edited that from the final video so I can’t be sure. Haha. But seriously, a 'Holy Shit' doesn’t even give a skydive justice. Holy Shit times 20.

The view as we parasailed was just awesome. I was in complete awe of how far and how much I could see! There still wasn’t a cloud in sight and the lake just sparkled. Andy even let me take control of the parashute handles and take the both of us for a ride! I cranked down on left handle, and we went into a full 380 degree spin. Then straightened out and took us the other direction – got a bit dizzy with all the spinning, but it was fun steering this massive green shute!

Andy brought us in for a smooth landing at the Drop Zone. Knees up, legs out, and we slid in on our bums. The parashute landed gently in a heap in front of us and Andy quickly unhooked my harness from his. What a ride!! I gave Andy a high-five and a huge thank you for an awesome dive. So much fun! And yep – I was still grinning like the Cheshire Cat :-D

Like I said. Quite an awesome day *grin*

Becoming Kiwi

The other day I found myself saying, “Oh yeah, it’s easy as!” Now, if this doesn’t sound odd to you, it should. “Easy as PIE” – now that’s more of the norm to the American ear, but easy as??? That’s a total Kiwi term. Easy as, sweet as, cold as… I stood there kinda shocked after I heard those two little words pop out of my mouth. It just…happened. Apparently after living in New Zealand for nearly 4 months, the Kiwi phraseology has worn off on me a bit. Funny how that happens. My sister Cate seems to think that my accent sounds different too, but I’m not convinced. I can only imagine what another 8 months will do…!

I had my very last day of cleaning at Blackcurrant Backpackers yesterday morning. Yes!! After two and a half hours of cleaning every morning for the past 5 weeks, I am an expert in:

1.) Cleaning shower drains.
2.) Stripping beds in the “special way” to check for those nasty bedbugs.
(Nothing found yet! Knock on wood…)
3.) Disinfecting sinks and toilets.
4.) Not spraying myself while cleaning IN the shower.

And, lastly…

5.) Bed making. (Big shout out to Mom and Great-Grandma Pierzina for passing down the skills of hospital-corner tucks for top sheets! Beth from Blackcurrant would like me to give you a BIG hug :-) *HUG!*)

So, on Monday, I begin my position as Assistant Manager and, as Beth my boss says, I mostly just have to talk to the newcomers and hangout around the hostel when I’m on duty. Basically, getting paid to do what I do anyways around Blackcurrant! And, like I mentioned in my last post, I get my own room (which has an electric blanket!!) so I am pretty darn happy about that :-D

I’ve been getting some good use out of my gym membership this week too. Went to the group fitness class “BodyCOMBAT” with this crazy, hyper-intense instructor. Holy cow! I was jumping and kicking and punching and sweating. It was awesome! A killer workout. My favorite part of the class was at the end when we were stretching out to “Du Hasst* Mich” (a song from Rammstein, a German band, that means “You Hate Me”), which just happened to be quite fitting as the whole group of women stretched and glared at the instructor for wringing every last ounce of water out of our poor, wretched bodies. I’ll definitely be back :-)

I went to my first cinema in NZ this past week as well! My new friends, Gavin the Irishman and Frake the “Flying” Dutchman asked if I was interested in seeing the movie, “Boy” - a story about an 11 year old Maori boy who has to take on a lot of responsibility for his younger brother and cousins when his Grandmother (who they all live with) goes to attend a funeral for a week and leaves them all at home. The movie is both side-stitchingly funny and also heartrending. Overall, I really enjoyed it! And, the pre-scooped ice cream cones from the concessions were just icing on the cake :-D

I’ve really enjoyed watching New Zealand made films since I’ve arrive here. I’m not sure how many of them are actually available in the states, but there hasn’t been one that I haven’t enjoyed. If you are looking for a good movie, check one of these out:

Sione’s Wedding
Meet best friends Michael, Albert, Stanley and Sefa; the ladies' man, the good boy, the weird one and the party boy. They're staring down the barrel of their thirtieth birthdays, but still act as if they're sixteen; they get drunk, they chase the wrong women and they have a remarkable record of misbehaving and causing chaos at every wedding they attend. But now Michael's younger brother Sione is getting married, and everything is about to change. Sione is their boy, the kid they used to look after, who grew up while they were still partying. And to ensure his big day isn't spoiled by his boys and their idiot antics, Sione has issued an ultimatum; the guys all have to bring dates to the wedding. And not just any dates; real girlfriends, someone they've made a commitment to. They have one month. So just how hard can it be to get a date for your best boy's wedding?

Once Were Warriors
Set in urban Auckland (New Zealand) this movie tells the story of the Heke family. Jake Heke is a violent man who beats his wife frequently when drunk, and yet obviously loves both her and his family. The movie follows a period of several weeks in the family's life showing Jake's frequent outburst of violence and the effect that this has on his family.

*Very graphic movie, but extremely powerful! Highly recommended but only for mature audiences.*

Eagle vs. Shark
Lily, a lonely oddball and fast-food waitress, and her crush, Jarrod, another lonely oddball and video game clerk who has spent the last decade plotting ultimate vengeance on a bully from his high school past, connect at a "dress as your favorite animal" party. She comes as an anemic Shark and he's a fluffy-headed Eagle. It's a match that seems made in outcast heaven, but when Lily decides to risk everything for love, her hopes are nearly dashed.

After a brief fling, Jarrod dumps Lily because he's too busy "training" for his all-important payback mission. But neither of them can anticipate just what kind of grit the steadfastly optimistic Lily will show in her heartbreak. As Jarrod's day of reckoning arrives, and everything hits the fan, Jarrod and Lily will find something that goes beyond romantic fantasies and revenge -- faith in who they are.

Whale Rider
On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From then on, Whangara chiefs, always the first-born, always male, have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.

And, of course, the infamous Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Watch. All. Three.

Dear Gabi,
Thanks for the correction on "hast" and "hasst" - my German is definitely rusty!

Chillin' in Chilly Taupo

Well, the winter has definitely arrived. I sleep in layers:

Layer 1.) long pants and a longsleeved t-shirt
Layer 2.) feather blanket
Layer 3.) duvet #1
Layer 4.) duvet #2

And, to top off my ice cream sundae of coverings, the cherry! A red, hot water bottle that I first use to warm up my toes and once that has been done, I hug it close like a four year old clings to their teddy bear. Only after all of this do I sleep comfortably, cozy and warm. Crazy kiwi’s and their lack of insulation or indoor heating… As I made my oatmeal this morning, I could see my breath in the kitchen! Yep, so go ahead and tell me how you’re having that 80/90 degree weather and the sun is shining bright, but don’t expect me not to get a wee bit jealous! *wink*

Living in Taupo and working, both at the hostel cleaning and at Cybershed, have allowed me to create a bit of a routine. I work just over 40 hours per week at the two places combined, so I keep quite busy. It’s easy to stick around the hostel during the down time, usually during the afternoon between cleaning and work at Cybershed. And, there’s been a bit of a rainy spell here in Taupo for the last week so it’s quite nice to just cozy up under the fuzzy blanket in the DVD lounge and read a book or watch a movie.

A couple weeks ago, I went with one of the other cleaners, Malorie, to Action World! This was literally a world of huge inflatables! The two of us had so much fun and practically had the entire place to ourselves. We swung around on the monkey bars, jumped into the balloon landings, and jump-posed in the air for silly action shots. It was one of the few sunny afternoons we’ve had lately, so it was great to spend it outside jumping around and acting like 8 years olds :-)

Action World is right next to the airport which is where all three of the Taupo Skydiving companies are located. So, I walked over and hung around to watch my friend Lars jump out of a plane! It was so cool to see the divers jump. After a while, I just laid on the ground and watched the plane fly overhead. All of a sudden, you could see a little white dot falling from the plane. Then, POOF! The shoot would open and before you knew it, there were 8-10 colorful parashutes falling from the sky! And the weather was perfect for diving – blue, blue sky and a warm sun. Such a calm and relaxing thing to watch.

It was also fun listening to the jumpers after they landed. The excitement in their voices made it clear that there was still a crapload of adrenaline coarsing through their veins. Just hearing them talk about how amazing the last 7 minutes or so of their life just was makes me that much more pumped to try it out!

Speaking of skydiving, it’s funny how much it’s talked about around the hostel and in Taupo in general. Coming from Raglan where the conversation nearly always turned to surfing, it’s interesting to find that each city has it’s “thing.” I also love learning more about the sport. There are a couple people at my hostel who have either taken the course (Kevin has done nearly 70 jumps already!) or are currently working towards their certificate. They are constantly using terminology that goes straight over my head, so I am consistently asking them questions. It’s fun learning more about the art and technique of skydiving, especially from people who are so enthusiastic about it! I can’t wait to go!!

Last Sunday, Kevin, one of the Blackcurrant long-termers, had the idea to make a Sunday Roast. A great evening of food, laughter, warmth, and wonderful smells. Roasted potatoes, pumpkin, kumara, gravy, mint sauce, yorkshire pudding…wow!! And even a berry pie with ice cream dessert AND dark chocolate mouse made by Malorie. So so so delicious!! It really felt like a family coming together for a big Sunday meal. Ahh, warm fuzzies :-)

And, as of last week, I feel a bit more like an official Taupo community member because…I bought a gym membership! At the local Taupo Events Center fitness suite. It’s about a 20 minute walk from my hostel which isn’t so bad and a perfect thing to do during the cold, rainy winter days in Taupo. The events center is actually a pretty cool place, complete with a huge indoor climbing wall! Just yesterday, it was pissing down rain, so a few of us drove down and, as I worked out in the fitness room, I got to watch my friends climb the rock climbing wall at the same time! I even played on a local volleyball team last Sunday – very impromptu, but it was so much fun getting a chance to play volleyball again! I’m hoping to make it an every Sunday evening thing.

One of the perks of working at Cybershed (and also just living in the close-knit town of Taupo where everybody knows everyone) is getting free stuff! When I had first started at Cybershed, I met Dave, one of the managers at my favorite pub in town, Mulligans, and he offered me a free cruise on the sailboat that he is the skipper for. This past Monday was an absolutely GORGEOUS day – sun and blue sky, one of the few nice days we’ve had in a while - and, because I had the day off, I walked down to the harbor and found Dave to see if he was sailing that afternoon. Turns out there were no other customers, but Dave said he wouldn’t mind going for a sail on the lake anyway. We sailed around Lake Taupo for nearly 2 hours. The mountains were in the backdrop and Mt. Ruapehu had just gotten a fresh covering of snow the night before. It was beautiful! We watched a few sky divers parashute down from the plane – what a perfect day for a skydive. What a perfect day for almost anything outdoors! It was my first time out on the lake as well, and although it wasn’t really that windy, we were still able to put up the sails for a little while. We even had time for hot chocolate and biscuits :-) It was a lovely afternoon on the Lake Taupo. Cheers Dave!

Last Friday marked my one month anniversary of being in Taupo! Gosh, I can’t believe it’s been that long already…it’s gone by so fast! I think especially working at both Cybershed and Blackcurrant for the past 3 weeks have kept things quite busy. And, speaking of working at Blackcurrant, I have accepted an offer from Beth (one of the owners and managers of the hostel) to be a part-time assistant manager for the winter season at the hostel. So, instead of cleaning every morning, I will be working about 3 overnights per week for accommodation (which will be my very own room!) and 4-5 evening shifts. So, I’ll start that job on June 14th and continue until I leave Taupo, I suppose! This also means that I’ll be getting one FULL day off per week between the two jobs so I’m hoping to go skiing a couple times over the winter. Bring on the white fluffy stuff :-9