Wild Australia

I have to admit. I was a tad bit nervous about going to Australia. Only a few weeks ago, Queensland was devastated by floods and, shortly there after, ravaged by the menopausal cyclone Yasi. Then, the Aussies of the West Coast experienced horrific bush fires – Mother Nature imploring her wrath without a particularly good excuse. And, never mind the fact that Australia is home to poisonous snakes, deadly spiders, tourist eating crocodiles, and the dreaded blue bottle jellyfish. But, oddly enough, that's not what was putting my nerves on edge. Nope. It was the people. Not the Australians, the foreigners, or the tourists, but rather the simple fact that there are just so MANY people! From what I remember of Sydney, it's got more than its fair share of people strolling between the high rises. And, in New Zealand, the big city life was not something I came across on a regular basis. So, needless to say, I was slightly anxious about stepping into the hustle and bustle of Sydney. However, getting out of my comfort zone is something I've consciously tried to do throughout my travels, and I wasn't about to quit now.

Regretfully, the Aussie television show, “Border Security” wasn't filming the morning I arrived, so instead of being detained, patted down, and cavity searched (with no thanks to Mark McNamara...), I was smoothly ushered through customs by a friendly, neon-blue gum chewing officer and found myself in the land of Oz. Anyone seen my red sparkly shoes?

That very afternoon, I strolled through the city from my hostel down to the Sydney Harbour and surprised myself by feeling quite comfortable amongst the crowded sidewalks and sensory stimulating streets. The sky was overcast, yet, when I reached Circular Quay and found myself within sight of Sydney Opera House, there was nothing that could cloud the elegance of that magnificent structure. It was so calming to walk beneath the tiled peaks of the building with surrounding water and the dark silhouette of the Sydney Harbour Bridge completing the iconic city view. Memories of when I first walked the Opera House steps 10 years ago came rushing back as I climbed the stairs once again. What a beautiful way to be welcomed back to Sydney.

Another happy memory of being an early teen in Sydney was our family outing to the Taronga Zoo. Therefore, a encore visit to Wild Australia was at the top of my Sydney “Must Do” list.

Thankfully, the weather was beautiful for my day at the zoo. I took the ferry across which offered panoramic views of the Sydney skyline, Opera House, and Harbour Bridge. Once I arrived, I made a bee line for Wild Australia to say hello to the local celebrities! The kangaroos and wallabies were just chillin' like villains, the koala was cuddled up on a tree branch enjoying its 23 hour nap time, the emu was ignorantly pecking at its own reflection, and the platypus made out like a magician, disappearing and reappearing in the watery aquarium at its own leisure. Oh, how I've missed these furry, feathery, and leathery creatures.

Interestingly enough, many of the animals featured at the Taronga Zoo are most active at night. So, I decided to follow suit the very next day with a ladies night out at Club TANK with some lovely, dance-crazed woman! We swayed, jumped, and dipped to the beat till the wee hours of the morning, and I have my Couchsurfing friend Aryn to thank for a fabulous night out in the flashing beams of strobe lights.

Aryn was a wonderful host and, having been born in Montana, I didn't expect anything less. We spent our Saturday in the city, exploring The Rocks Market and sweating in the Sydney heat. We decided to cool down with a cold brew from the “Australian.” Besides having over 100 Australian brewed beers to choose from on their menu, they are also known for their gourmet pizzas. In particular, their “Emblem” pizza topped with both kangaroo and emu – one marsupial and one bird featured on the Australian emblem. Unfortunately, the restaurant was fresh out of emu, so Aryn and I substituted with crocodile instead, creating our own personal pie: the “Crocaroo.” A vivid flashback of my mom eating a crocodile burger and me Ewwing at every bite she took crowded my memory. Therefore, my lack of experimentation with foreign food on my last trip to Oz overruled the fact that I'm vegetarian friendly, and I wasn't about to miss out this time around. And wouldn't ya know - kangaroo is a lip smacker! However, that's the last one of Winne the Pooh's friends I'll be snacking on for a while...

GLEEaving Kiwiland

Just one year ago, I landed in a country halfway across the world. Even now, it's hard for me to fully comprehend. I've lived the last 365 days out of a backpack weighing approximately 20 kg. My backpack has been my constant travel companion. She's seen all and heard everything; been zipped and unzipped Lord knows how many times. I imagine that my travel worn clothes have had endless tea parties neatly rolled and tucked snuggly within my green pack, jabbering and talking over one another about the views they saw from atop that one mountain and that fellow traveler they hugged goodbye in hopes of connecting again in another foreign place. Yeah, my backpack and I, we've had one hell of a year! But you know what the best part is? It's not over yet.

I spent my last week in New Zealand reconnecting with some really wonderful traveler friends of mine at Tombstone Backpackers in Picton. Per my request, the lovely Lynne and Gordon agreed to organize a pizza night at the hostel which is just one of the many hundreds of reasons why I love it there. No better way to spend my last weekend in NZ than with friendly faces and delicious eats.

In Christchurch, my final NZ stop, I stayed with Katie and Mark and learned more Aussie slang in last minute preparation for my next destination. (Anyone want to take a guess at what a “bum bag” is?) I also crammed my iPod full of music from GLEE which I found essential for the next leg of my travels. Man! A GLEE playlist and bum bag enlightenment - I am so well prepped for Oz! :-D

But, no matter how much I tried to prepare myself for my eminent departure, the fact that I was leaving just refused to sink in. New Zealand has been my home for the past year, and I've admittedly fallen in love with the Kiwi culture, the land, and its people. But, ready or not, NZ Immigration was gently untangling my tight embrace from its beloved islands. And, like a reluctant child unwilling to leave her mother for preschool, I boarded the plane to Australia. But, as every child soon realizes, the initial heartache of separation soon quiets, and the lure of the sandbox and creative play with friends brings you to a whole new world where new adventures await around every corner.

The Gold Treatment

I wouldn't dub it officially summer without a road trip. And, the best way to venture into the Golden Bay region of the South Island is by car mostly because there are loads of side roads and best-kept-secret spots only a few kilometers from the main road. So, with thoughts of exploration in mind, my friend Lorna and I rented a little car, rolled down the windows, and cranked up the tunes – it was time to cruise!

Our first detour off the main road had me maneuvering our tiny car along an 11km, windy, golden gravel road just barely scraping by the monstrous campervans coming at us from the other direction. But, we were on a mission – to see Harwood's Hole. After careful and successful passage down Canaan Road, a 45 minute walk through a white dusted forest, and a brief scramble over a few well balanced boulders, we found it. A bit hard to miss, this cave is the largest in the southern hemisphere at 400m deep and 70m wide, with a 183m vertical drop! Duly noted, however, was the obvious lack of any form of safety barrier between the boulders we perched on and big ass Hole (no pun intended). It was whooper. The granddaddy of all holes! The big Kahuna!! Okay, you get the picture.

Next, we arrived at the Te Waikoropupu (or Pupu for short) Springs, a sacred area for the native Maori people. This spring bubbled some of the clearest water I've ever seen, and perhaps the clearest in the world according to my Lonely Planet travel guide. Farther up the road, just opposite our camping grounds, is where we visited the Mussel Inn to sample their Freckled Frog Cider, a homemade brew made from an NZ grown fruit the Feijoa. It was delicious!

We spent the next two days tramping around the Farewell Spit and Wharariki Beach, even reaching the highest point of the South Island at Cape Farewell. The beaches and archways carved into the cliffs afforded some incredibly picturesque views – that is when we weren't squinting our eyes, heads bowed to the unrelenting wind that whipped and whirled the fine granules of sand into any welcoming orifice. It wasn't until we were safely sheltered from the brutal blasts of beach weather, that we realized how smooth our skin was. Apparently, all it takes is a few hours battling the elements of the Golden Bay for a free, full-bodied exfoliation. I can see it now:

Come to Golden Bay for the Gold Treatment!
Absolutely FREE!
*Only while weather lasts*

On the last morning of our road trip together, Lorna and I stumbled upon the best beach ever – the beach of Totaranui. Seriously, this place should have a blue “#1” ribbon just to prepare people for it's awesomeness. With golden sands, sapphire seas, and a brilliant yellow orb glowing out of a blue sky, this Abel Tasman National Park gem made us feel like we'd be doing the beach an injustice if we didn't crack open a brew and cheers to a fabulous road trip. Never mind that the time read “10:49AM.” Cheers! :-D

I spent two more days in Golden Bay with a fellow named John who, if I think really, really, really hard, I can remember playing on my mom and dad's softball team back in the 90's. John and his partner Brian were most hospitable, and I very much enjoyed my time with them!

Hitching back to Nelson, I had the good fortune of meeting Patrick, who is best described by his very own words: “an awesome bloke.” When Patrick found out that I didn't yet have a place to stay in Nelson, he offered to let me crash at his place for as long as I wished. As a fellow world backpacker, Patrick was happy to pay-it-forward for all the times he'd been helped out during his travels. And, I was delighted to be on the receiving end of his generous offer! Patrick was on his way back to Golden Bay that afternoon, meaning that I had the house all to myself. And, with only a 10 minute walk to the Tahuna Beach, I was happy as a clam! Two thumbs up for cool people.

I've been in Nelson for a week now and enjoying the benefits of a living in the eco-friendly New Zealand city. Nelson has a lovely city center with heaps of cool shops, coffee houses, and even a cathedral smack dab in the middle. Thus, I've been enjoying a relaxing few days of beach bumming in Tahuna, window shopping, lunching at the local eateries, and strolling the Saturday market with a paper bag full of fresh orchard cherries. I reunited with a Taupo friend of mine, Ivonne, and we've been keeping ourselves entertained by the Busker Street Festival, watching a French man on stilts puppeteer Pandora the human (and female) version of Pinocchio. We also attended the International Kai(*1) Festival which was full of enticing smells from food stands selling international specialties. Here, we participated in a Maori Hui(*2) welcoming us to the Nelson Marae(*3). It was beautifully done with speeches in Maori by the elders and ending with a Hungi(*4). So, if when I next see you, I grasp your hand and pull you in close in order to touch our foreheads and noses, don't be alarmed - you've just experienced a heart warming Hungi from me to you.


Learn a bit of Maori:

(*1) Kai - Maori for “food”
(*2) Hui - a Maori welcoming ceremony
(*3) Marea - a Maori meeting place
(*4) Hungi - a Maori greeting