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!
Monday, October 18
Thursday, October 7
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
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
Saturday, September 25
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...
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...
Wednesday, September 22
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!!
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!!
Sunday, September 5
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
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
Sunday, August 8
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
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
Sunday, July 25
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
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
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