New Zealand

Poor Knights Islands

2010-05-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

I arrived around tea time to Whangarei. The hostel was hosting a BBQ. Ali the Manager was awesome hooking me up with a twin room over looking the city! The next morning i headed out early to Tutukara for a snorkel trip with Dive Tutukaka. We were geared up in wetties and flippers. At each spot we would get a run down of where to go and what to look out for. unfortunately I was only skimming the surface. However i saw plenty, I swam into an open air cave, literally swimming through schools of fish. I added a weight belt to make it easier to dive. We yelled in Rico Rico Cave, which has been known to host concerts because of the amazing acoustics. Maomao arch was incredible the Blue Maomao coated the entire archway! The photos speak for themselves!

Wine Country

2010-04-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

I was quite adventurous in Picton, hiking 26km on the Queen Charlotte Track. Each party I passed on the track would stop to chat with me to find out where I was headed and wish me luck on my journey. There were heaps of mountain bikers most of them headed out of the park. The track reminded me a lot of Abel Tasman, however each time you looked out onto Marlboroughal sound it took your breath away. I encountered a cow on the track and we had a photo shoot together! On my way out he was lounging under a tree. The majority of the parties who passed me on my way in were waiting for the water taxi when I tracked out 5 hours and 40 minutes later. Crazy!

Anne was my roommate while in Picton, On Sunday we decided to go on a cycle wine tour. We hired bikes and headed straight for the nearest vineyard, St. Clair. Not only was St.Clair beautiful, but also the wines were exceptional. Anne and I stopped at 5 more vineyards, Hunters, Drylands, Allan Scott, Cloudy Bay, and Bouldervines. Allan Scott made the deepest bad impression. The women conducting the tasting did not want to talk with us. She directed our questions with single word answers. Anne and I tasted quick then bolted. They had some decent wines, but I didn’t want to be around the women anyone, she made me feel like I was doing something awful and illegal. We quickly jumped on the bikes to Cloudy Bay and were immediately impressed and thanked them for their hospitality and knowledge. Anne and I were struggling by this point and in need of some refueling. we stopped off at the next vineyard, which was a small boutique located in a shopping complex. We ordered from the café and sat outside by the river over looking the mountains. It was a stunning view and delicious lunch!

After sore bums, plenty of wine and 8 hours on the tour, Anne and I retired the bikes and headed back to Picton.

So here i am

2010-04-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

So here I am. At the conclusion of 4 months work I decided to embark on a tiki tour around New Zealand. I decided to leave on a Monday, not knowing my specific destination but I knew I couldn’t change the date. Everyone knew Teddy was leaving Monday. Sunday night rolled around and I texted Abby in Dunedin telling here I was coming for a few days. With Abby’s confirmation of a bed to sleep in I packed up Janet and said goodbye to Wanaka. It was cloudy and cool for the duration of my stay, which I hear is pretty typical for Dunners. I met up with friends of Grahams for a drink and a good laugh. Abby and I were master chefs concocting delicious “American” quesadillas and pasta with garlicky garlic bread! Abby and I grabbed a cup of joe in the Botanical Gardens and explored the flowers and birds. The next day I was off to Kaikoura. 7 hours up route 1, yahtzee!

Kaikoura

2010-04-28T23:41:00.000-07:00

Kaikoura is stunning. The YHA was on the ocean, which my room over looked. Loainne from the front desk was right, I don’t want to leave my room. The sunsets were unreal. Heaps of purple, pink and deep yellow scattered the sky darkening the clouds. I picked up Dan Brown’s Deception Point from the local second hand shop. Good so far. I missioned up Mt.Fyffe 1602 meters! Previously that day I locked the keys to Janet in the locker with my computer that was a fun hunt, then a complete stranger asked me to dinner. When I returned home, I met three American girls who were roommates for the evening. The next morning I awoke to snow capped mountains! Nothing sets the day off in the right direction then fresh snow. I look to where I summated the previous day, and all I could see was snow! Unfortunately I did not see a whale, only friendly seals.

Taking Steps

2010-04-26T01:49:00.000-07:00

I look at my calendar and count the days I have been away from my wanaka family. It reminds me of when I would count the days, weeks, and months I have been away from home. Saying the word home now makes me think of Wanaka not America. I do feel homesick. When I travel solo my emotions become a roller coaster. I have trouble figuring out what I want. I think about how different it would be if I had a companion. How awesome and romantic the holiday would be with Gavin. How adventurous and full of laughs it would be Colin, and how traveling with Ailsa would bond and develop our friendship. However this portion of New Zealand is now about me.

Today I read beneath a tree over looking the ocean. Yesterday a complete stranger asked me to dinner. He did make a valid point, “no one wants to have dinner alone.” Traveling alone enables you continuous time to reflect. I’m actually relaxing! I am less strung out and lonely, more self content and open to opportunity.

Swimming with Dolphins

2010-03-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

Akaroa Harbour was one of the first safe European settlements for whalers. Akaroa is also home to the worlds smallest and rarest dolphin, the Hector. Natalie and I were lucky enough to get up close and personal with the dolphins. Blackcat Cruises guided us through the waters of the harbour. I loved the huge swells which peaked higher than the boat! The White Flippered Penguin was a curious creature, swimming above the water then diving and shooting across the boats edge. The Hector dolphins mounted to a pod of three to four swimming and playing around the ten swimmers. They had us make noises under water by clacking rings together or singing, which would grab the dolphins attention to come play with the human buoys . Check out some of the video and photographs. Cheers for now

Moeraki Boulders

2010-03-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Maori legend explains these spherical boulders as food baskets washed ashore after a canoe crash. The Moeraki boulders lay scattered on the beach. Most are buried well in the sand, while others look as though you could roll it down the beach. Within this trip to Dunedin, Gavin and Ailsa toured me around the Otago Peninsula and Speight’s Brewery. I learned the correct way to pour a Speight’s from the tap. Did you know the yeast used to make Speight’s is then passed along to create Marmite! My favorite beer by Speight’s is distinction. The brew a delicious stout beer, however the name escapes me.

Oh Janet

2010-03-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

The morning started off with a flat tire, which we did not realize until a nice couple pointed it out. On the side of a busy mid morning rush in Christchurch, Nat and I limped the car to a random Japanese diesel specialist operator. A nice young man changed our tire and we are off to swim with dolphins. While driving I notice the steering was still pulling and unbalanced. We checked several more times for a flat but found nothing. We parked along the Akaroa Harbour, had breakfast, and signed up to swim, then headed back to move Janet.

Unfortunately we discovered Janet (my car) would not start. We spent the remaining time before the cruise making sure Janet would not get a ticket and finding someone to give us a jump. We bagged the idea of jumping the car and left a note for the parking warden. Several hours later we hopped back into the car and she started right up…? thankful, we filled her up with petrol and head back to town. I dropped Natalie at a bus station and began the five hour trek home to Wanaka. Not even 30 minutes down the road, on busy highway the steering was jerking out of control and a huge piece of rubbed released from my tire. Figuring I had a second flat, I took a deep breath and called the police without even getting out to check the car. I finally assessed the damage and discovered the tread from a retread had released. I didn’t even know people actually used retread tires. After a long chat with the tow man and the generosity of the tire place, Janet now has two new tires, making the final 400kms of my mission back home a little less worrisome.

The Catlins

2010-02-18T19:38:00.000-08:00

This past weekend Natalie and myself road tripped to the bottom on the South Island. After a four hour drive we finally made it to the Dolphin Lodge at Curio Bay. We were directed to head to the beach to witness the yellow eyed penguins come ashore. Nothing like socializing with penguins after a long drive. we were able to walk out onto the beach while the penguins were coming in with mouths of fish! The next day was surf lesson day. we spent the morning missioning on dirt roads visiting the southern most point of mainland New Zealand and almost being conquered by mating sea lions. we suited up in hood to booties wet-suits and were instructed with paddling and standing techniques. Then we took to the water, starting on the white breaks, I charged it and stood up on the first try! YEA! from there we progressed out to the "real" waves. Natalie and i were worked by the meter high waves. incredible session with the surf instructor, i would surf again in a heart beat. we saw dolphins swimming in the bay before we entered to surf, it was pretty surreal. that night we stayed at the YHA Catlins Coast which is an old hospital. The next morning we headed to Nugget Point and looked out to Antarctica, said "hello" and then went to the beach in search of paua shells, which we were successful in finding! The Catlins is my favorite place in New Zealand!

Mt Cook, Kayaking, Fern Burn and Wanaka Rock

2010-02-11T12:13:00.000-08:00

Natalie and I utilized our day off and missioned to Mount Cook. Mount Cook is the highest peak in New Zealand and the mountains around it were no some feature either. We walked along the Hooker Valley Track, which ended at a pond full of floating icebergs. Some icebergs were coated it rock sediment where others were glistening teal ice. Satisfied with the exploration at cook we headed to the salmon farm. We picked up smoked salmon and fed the energetic overfed jumping salmon. The next day we borrowed a tandem kayak and headed to Ruby Island for some swimming. The following days I hiked into the Fern Burn Hut, which is part of the Motatapu track and finally rock climbed in Wanaka!

Mt Aspiring Birthday Venture

2010-02-02T14:12:00.001-08:00

For the past two weeks I have been on duty each night. My reward is two nights off which proceeded my birthday! Monday afternoon Gavin picked me up and we headed out into the Aspiring National Park. We mountain biked from the Raspberry Creek car park to the Aspiring hut. This was my first big mission off road on a mountain bike. I fell off a few times and had to push the bike up a hill but traveling with an overnight pack on a bike was awesome! I learned to ford rivers, travel up and down hill on loose rock all on a bike. We arrived at the warden’s hut, which was a mate of Gavin’s. Michelle is an Aussie who spends two weeks in the bush then one week out. She spends most of her time painting and reading, she is quite a character and very hospitable. We made delicious pancakes for breakfast topped with Baker’s apricot jam J. That morning we headed up Cascade just above the bush line. The views of the valley and Matukituki River were incredible. We hiked out and had lunch back with Michelle. Gavin made his special popcorn with icing sugar! We packed our gear and jumped back on the bikes. By this time it was mid day and very hot. We stopped for a quick dip in the Matukitki, whose temperature doesn’t change much between summer and winter. We then ditched out bikes and packs in the grass and headed up the Rob Roy Valley track towards the glacier. Rob Roy is the first glacier I have seen up close. It was absolutely stunning! Hands down the most beautiful thing I have seen in my lifetime. We spent some time laying in the grass, soaking up the sun and beauty around us. Then we jumped back to the bikes and headed for the car. By this time my legs were tired, good thing it was down hill the majority of the way to the car park. It was an epic 24hrs and a trip I will remember for a lifetime!

Happy 24th

2010-02-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

This year was a first for having a summer birthday and I decided to have a BBQ! I spent the first part of the day working and talking with my folks back home then I looked into going on a helicopter ride. Riding in a helicopter is just something I really want to do. I was all set to go however the flight was postponed due to weather and the paying customers had to leave. So, not letting this get my hopes down I called Richard at Wanaka Paraglide and he agreed to take me on a birthday flight. I was taken up the Treble Cone access road 800 meters above my car. Richard and I were attached, double checked and then we waited for a gust of wind and literally ran off the cliff and started flying! The sensation of flying is unreal. It is so easy to take in the views and just relax. Landing was a trick, you fly in fast but then just start running to catch yourself. After my flight I headed back to town for the pot luck BBQ. Co-workers and friends gathered, we drank good brews and ate heaps of food. Natalie my flatmate and Michelle my other American friend both made me cakes! It was definitely a day to remember and smile about.

2010-01-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

Hi family and friends,

sorry i have not been posting, life in New Zealand has been full of adrenaline. I accepted a position at the YHA Purple Cow Hostel located in Wanaka on the South Island! One of the main jobs of working at the front desk is selling travel. I book anything from a bus to Queenstown, Franz Josef glacier tours and advanced accommodation bookings. Over the course of the last 6 weeks i have been traveling with co-workers to experience the travel we sell. I have posted photos from the 1992 NZL 14 Americas Cup boat, summit view from Mt. Roy, our combo KJet boat ride and bridge bungy day, canyoning on the Niger in the Aspiring Park, and my 15,000ft skydive.

Wanaka is beautiful and this past week we have had endless warm sunny days! My birthday is only a few days away, we are having a BBQ! This is the first time my birthday will be in summer!

I moved out of the hostel after logging 34 days, I moved into the staff accommodation flat with my new roommate Natalie who is from NY.

CHASING CATTLE

2009-12-08T14:18:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I was on duty for babysitting. Saturday afternoon farmer Pete delivers 6 goats. Amber and Cory immediately chase the goats either to pet, feed, or ride them. to their surprise the goats run in the opposite direction. Farmer Pete warned it would take a few days for them to adjust. so the kids and i go on playing outside when all of a sudden Amber yells that three of the goats are running down the road. Cory hops on his bike and races after the goats. Cowboy the owner of Randle the horse, which boards at the house starts walking down the road towards the escaped goats. I calmly walk inside laughing to inform the town police that goats are on the loose. about 30 minutes later Cory has one cornered which will pull by the horns back into the paddock and Cowboy is carrying one like a baby. one is still missing. the next morning farmer Shane delivers calves. these four big female cows clumsily enter the paddock and start eating grass. the cows head toward the goats. they must have been spoked because they start attempting to jump the fence. Now cows can't jump. their hind legs get caught on the wire and they tumble onto the gravel and run down the neighbors road. I watch in astonishment and laughter thinking "shit, yesterday goats, today cows. Hahaha." Shane jumps in the truck to heard the cows back towards the paddock. the cows decide to jump another fence into the paddock with Randle the horse, and then continue through the electric fence to the front paddock. So now we have 4 cows roaming around the front paddock. later that night when Dawn and Kevin arrive home from Aussie, the 6th goat, which i have named three and a half leg(because it limps) standing in the driveway. with the help of all five of us Three and a Half Leg is back into the paddock with its friends. it was an interesting 24 hours of livestock herding.

GLOW WORM CAVES

2009-12-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

On Lake Te Anau, past the southern arm there is a cave! within this cave lives thousands of tiny glow worms. each glow worm is spaced about 10 mm apart. the worms section themselves this way because they're protecting their eating grounds. the worms create sticky strings which hang around their domain. these strings catch insects like moths to feed the glow worm. if a glow worm feels threatened then it will lunge at the approaching glow worm. if the approaching glow worm is so unlucky it will be captured in the sticky strings. in one swift gulp one glow worm eats the other, and you can see the glow tip inside the conquering glow worm. survival of the fittest! we walked on a hanging walk way with an active waterfall rushing below us. the limestone, sandstone layers were beautiful underground. i love seeing what water can carve out of the ground. when we reached the end of the walking bridge we boarded a boat, which was pulled along by a chain. You could not see your hands in front of your face, it was quite cool! the glow worms were everywhere and clustered throughout the cave. The sunset was unspeakably beautiful on the boat ride back to shore. the wind became increasingly strong and it was hard to walk on the top deck, which made it all the more fun! I met a women names Merika from Germany and we stayed together through the whole tour, she is on a 6 week holiday traveling solo as well. we met two london natives, Tom and Matt. i met up with them later at the Moose for drinks. yea the bar is named Moose even though there is no such thing as a moose in New Zealand! go figure. *unfortunately you are not able to photos in the glow worm cave.*

LIVING

2009-11-26T15:52:00.001-08:00

I am sure everyone is anxious where i have been staying for the past two weeks. I have been staying with a family in Te Anau! Unfortunately today it is raining with dangerously high winds. The house is surrounded by live stock paddocks. As i type the sheep are being ushered up the road to a near by paddock. Yesterday the farmers dogs were out herding the cows around, it was a stunning scene watching dogs control cattle. These pictures will give you an idea where i am and what beauty surrounds me! I am headed North to Wanaka in two weeks to start my position at the Purple Cow Hostel!

MILFORD SOUND....FJORD

2009-11-20T18:36:00.000-08:00

Do you know the difference between and sound and a fjord? Yea, i didn't either. A Fiord is carved my glaciers sounds were caused by water. so Milford is actaully a Fjord. I embarked on the M.V. Sinbad nature cruise. we spotted 6 bottle nose dolphins with juveniles, 5 Fiordland Crested Penguins, and a handful of fur seals. The cruise left Milford Sound and went out to the Tasman Sea and back. The skipper Dennis put the boat under multiple waterfalls and even let me take a turn at the helm. the entire boat is computerized and is maneuvered by a tiny stick (haha). I was fortunate to head into Milford with Kevin. he took me around to all the boats and each crew was generous with snacks and coffee. I even walked around the engine room of the Sinbad. What a great trip. I met a bunch of travelers on the boat they were nice as. I have two interviews on Monday for jobs, let you know the outcome.

TE ANAU PART 2

2009-11-16T14:15:00.000-08:00

In Te Anau it has been snowing above 400 meters. The wind off the mountains has a winter chill when it reaches the town. Dawn, Pam and myself hiked the first section of the Kepler Track up to the Luxmore hut. The follow day i hiked into the Moturau hut, which is the third hut on the track. unfortunately the track was closed between the two shelters so hiking the loop has been out of the question. To access the track we were dropped off by boat and explored through the bush for the track. The summit gave us a great view of Lake Manapouri, Te Anau, Hidden Lakes and the southern arm.

I cruised down to Manapouri where i had a interview with Real Journeys. The Lake there is beautiful. The town has one pub, an visitors center, petrol station and motor inn. The population is just about 300 people. However Manapouri is the launching point for the Doubtful Sound cruise, which i heard is by far the most spectacular. Enjoy the photos!

TE ANAU: First Days

2009-11-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

I met up with Dawn in Dunedin and she took me back to Lake Te Anau. This small tourist driven town lays at the base of Fiordland National Park. We spent the day in the park "swimming" in a local river and hiking into the Flat Knob waterfall. We witnessed a slide while swimming in the river ( bottom photo). The kids dressed in the hats are Amber (11) and Cory (6). They took me around to the hot tourist souvenir shops. The weather here has a consistent chill to the wind. The sun is strong however you find yourself reaching for fleeces and hats. I sleep in long underwear and wear wool socks walking around the house. yesterday was the first significant rain storm, which continued into today. The National Park generates a mirco climate for this small town, rough swells and high winds. More to come about the Kelper track, where i am staying and my next moves. Talk to you soon!

EXTREME QUEENSTOWN

2009-11-07T21:39:00.000-08:00

I have been told that i possess excess energy, well they haven't spent time in Queenstown. Between our late night Halloween extravaganza and jetboating down the Shotover coming inches from the rock faces and whirling 360 you barely have time to think. The people are friendly and anxious to convince you an 8 second free fall is natural. Here are a few photos from my 24 hours in Queenstown! check out the beautiful botanical gardens!

WANAKA

2009-11-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

Wanaka is a small town at the base of a great lake surrounded by mountains. i spent about seven days there, exploring the town, hiking and swimming. I considered staying in Wanaka for the summer. The friends i met are genuine and hospitable to this solo traveler. Each night were family dinners. we made fresh pizza dough, NZ mussels, tacos, or spaghetti and meatballs, it was a time to talk about the day, spill some drinks, and eat great food. I am looking forward to traveling back to Wanaka. write more soon, bye for now

BAY OF PLENTY CONCLUSION

2009-11-06T11:07:00.000-08:00

I attended the Millar family BBQ, heaps of great food and Wii playing! Sue (Elise's Mom) placed me in charge of constructing the pavlova (Kiwi pudding or dessert). The pav is an all egg white cake topped with fresh whipped cream, sliced kiwi fruit and Cadbury shredded chocolate. Delicious! Then we were off back to Auckland sitting in heaps of traffic but stopped for the best lunch at a local vineyard! Great kick off to my New Zealand Holiday!

BAY OF PLENTY PART ONE

2009-10-24T01:33:00.000-07:00

Elise and i arrived in the Bay of Plenty. We hiked Mount Maunganui with her brother. The view and weather was fantastic! This was my first time in the Pacific Ocean. Elise's Granddad told me if i decided to start swimming i would end up in Chile. I tested out the tough camera in the natural hot pools. It was a hit! There are five pools each separated by a few degrees. In the summer months the town becomes over loaded with loopies (tourists) and it is hard to find a park. i can understand the draw because the water is tropical and the atmosphere relaxed!

FIRST FEW DAYS

2009-10-24T01:26:00.001-07:00

I have arrived safe in New Zealand. The first few nights were spent in the ACB Hostel right in the center of downtown on Queen's st. Auckland reminds me of Boston but cleaner. I met a few other solo travelers during my stay in Auckland, four from Canada and Christian my German dorm mate. This holiday weekend i am headed to the Bay of Plenty with my friend Elise.