Thursday, August 9, 2007
The end of an adventue and the beginning of another
Good morning
Excuse me while I wipe the sleep from my eyes as it's only 7am, yes that's right 7am and here I am typing away to give you the last installment of our New Zealand adventure.
Now, I know there have been criticisms in the past about my blog entries being far and few between but I really believe that this is dedication to the world of blogging, don't you?!
We fly to Fiji today, in a couple of hours in fact and we are staying with a lady called Mumma at the Tropic of Capricorn resort in Nadi before heading out for some island hopping (don't worry Mumma Chick she'll never be able to fill your shoes!)
The last month in the north island has been absolutely fantastic I have to say and I think a lot of that has to do (I am afraid) to say with ditching the Percy and renting the "Juicy Crib".
Last time I wrote we had just arrived in Raglan (surfer paradise), we only went there to check out the waves and in the end stayed four nights in a great place called Solscape ovelooking Manu Bay. The cabins were made out of old railway carriages and the kitchen -a railway station. We had a great time, there hung out with some "dudes", enjoyed the nice warm winter and I managed to improve my climbing skills on the beach rocks (don't worry mum they were more like stones this time). Tom even managed to get us a free nights accommodation at Solscape by climbing some more difficult rocks and then drawing a map for the owners to use -yeah Tomo (I knew your obsession would pay off in the end).
Raglan is also a great place for a smoothie by the way!
Anyway we took to the road again, stopped off at Russell drunk another smoothie made out of algae (it was nice honest), stopped off at a beautiful place heading north called Whatiuwhatiu and managed to get stuck in the company of a racist Aussie and a mental patient from Auckland that loved puple shell-suits and was able to flip out his dentures and did-it made for an interesting night's entertainment.
We knew the following morning it was time to leave Whatiuwhatiu (prounced fatufatu) and head further north, so we did!
Ninety Mile Beach, Ahipara is where we ended, well I am not sure if it is exactly ninety miles but its long, very long!
Well its was from here I managed to eat dirt or should I say sand! Tom and I spent the day sand boarding and as you can see I was rather good at it. As if we weren't north enough. we decided to drive the extra two hours to the top of Cape Rienga to look across the Pacfic Ocean and the Tasman Sea (that's where they join you see) and more impressively the 800-year-old Pohutukau tree. This tree symbolises the entrance into the Maori underworld and where all spirits return (once the person has passed on of course). It was a very calming place, the seas seemed to flow in slow motion.
Then it was time to see some wood! These boys were no saplings. The Kauri forest family has names such as Father of the Forest, so without going into too much detail you can gather they are pretty large fellas!
We stopped off at Haruru Falls (where Percy first broke down) and dropped in on the Waitangi Treaty Ground-this is where Maori tibes and the English signed an agreement to British sovereignty. After spending a night free camping, Tom managed to convince this poor campsite owner to open up his closed camping ground for us at Goat Island Marine Reserve. The man was a hippy and he just couldn't say no and we ended up waking up to some of thge most stunning views of the nortth island at our exclusive retreat surrounded by calfs and puppies. He even let us stomp across his land to get an even better view of our surroundings.
Back in Auckland we handed back Juicy, ate Hoki fush and chups and went to see a full blown Haka by the Ngati Whatua o Orakei tribe and I must say it made me knees tremble.
The last 10 days we have spent working for a midwife on Waiheke Island in an eco-village and we had much fun. We were their to help her finish some building work on her mud and wood built house and got to see and smell first hand how a compost toilet works. I got the opportunity to learn about alternative energy and we met some incredibly interesting people some of whom were founders of Greenpeace. It was simply an incredible learning experience.
And that my dears is the end of our NZ travels. There has been trials, tears but above all terrific, terrific times! Tom has been a great travelling companion allong with the mice and the alpaca!
So all there is left to say is over and out and Bula Fiji!
Excuse me while I wipe the sleep from my eyes as it's only 7am, yes that's right 7am and here I am typing away to give you the last installment of our New Zealand adventure.
Now, I know there have been criticisms in the past about my blog entries being far and few between but I really believe that this is dedication to the world of blogging, don't you?!
We fly to Fiji today, in a couple of hours in fact and we are staying with a lady called Mumma at the Tropic of Capricorn resort in Nadi before heading out for some island hopping (don't worry Mumma Chick she'll never be able to fill your shoes!)
The last month in the north island has been absolutely fantastic I have to say and I think a lot of that has to do (I am afraid) to say with ditching the Percy and renting the "Juicy Crib".
Last time I wrote we had just arrived in Raglan (surfer paradise), we only went there to check out the waves and in the end stayed four nights in a great place called Solscape ovelooking Manu Bay. The cabins were made out of old railway carriages and the kitchen -a railway station. We had a great time, there hung out with some "dudes", enjoyed the nice warm winter and I managed to improve my climbing skills on the beach rocks (don't worry mum they were more like stones this time). Tom even managed to get us a free nights accommodation at Solscape by climbing some more difficult rocks and then drawing a map for the owners to use -yeah Tomo (I knew your obsession would pay off in the end).
Raglan is also a great place for a smoothie by the way!
Anyway we took to the road again, stopped off at Russell drunk another smoothie made out of algae (it was nice honest), stopped off at a beautiful place heading north called Whatiuwhatiu and managed to get stuck in the company of a racist Aussie and a mental patient from Auckland that loved puple shell-suits and was able to flip out his dentures and did-it made for an interesting night's entertainment.
We knew the following morning it was time to leave Whatiuwhatiu (prounced fatufatu) and head further north, so we did!
Ninety Mile Beach, Ahipara is where we ended, well I am not sure if it is exactly ninety miles but its long, very long!
Well its was from here I managed to eat dirt or should I say sand! Tom and I spent the day sand boarding and as you can see I was rather good at it. As if we weren't north enough. we decided to drive the extra two hours to the top of Cape Rienga to look across the Pacfic Ocean and the Tasman Sea (that's where they join you see) and more impressively the 800-year-old Pohutukau tree. This tree symbolises the entrance into the Maori underworld and where all spirits return (once the person has passed on of course). It was a very calming place, the seas seemed to flow in slow motion.
Then it was time to see some wood! These boys were no saplings. The Kauri forest family has names such as Father of the Forest, so without going into too much detail you can gather they are pretty large fellas!
We stopped off at Haruru Falls (where Percy first broke down) and dropped in on the Waitangi Treaty Ground-this is where Maori tibes and the English signed an agreement to British sovereignty. After spending a night free camping, Tom managed to convince this poor campsite owner to open up his closed camping ground for us at Goat Island Marine Reserve. The man was a hippy and he just couldn't say no and we ended up waking up to some of thge most stunning views of the nortth island at our exclusive retreat surrounded by calfs and puppies. He even let us stomp across his land to get an even better view of our surroundings.
Back in Auckland we handed back Juicy, ate Hoki fush and chups and went to see a full blown Haka by the Ngati Whatua o Orakei tribe and I must say it made me knees tremble.
The last 10 days we have spent working for a midwife on Waiheke Island in an eco-village and we had much fun. We were their to help her finish some building work on her mud and wood built house and got to see and smell first hand how a compost toilet works. I got the opportunity to learn about alternative energy and we met some incredibly interesting people some of whom were founders of Greenpeace. It was simply an incredible learning experience.
And that my dears is the end of our NZ travels. There has been trials, tears but above all terrific, terrific times! Tom has been a great travelling companion allong with the mice and the alpaca!
So all there is left to say is over and out and Bula Fiji!
Monday, July 9, 2007
Dunedin, Stewart Island and a few adventures in between
Hi one and all.
Okay, so I know it has taken me two months to compose this entry but you know perfection takes time!
In case anyone was worried I am fine, I haven't fallen off the end of the earth. We are back on the north island, in a groovy little place called Raglan - it's where they filmed the cult surf film Endless Summer.
So anyway here's a run down of the last two months. Percy was still giving us troubles in Dunedin, so instead of sitting in the city and sulking we buggered off to an even more remote island called Stewart Island. We could have done the famous and well marked track that takes three days and two nights but of course that would make life too easy and so we opted for a few extra days in the wilds and a not so accessible track. When I say not so accessible, what I mean to say is this: wading through mud waist high, torrential winds and rain and being caught with me pants down (literally) by a fellow hiker. Nonetheless it was all good fun, we saw a kiwi (yes!) and made good friends with the hiker I flashed!
After a bit of a scrub up it was time for some farm fun on the island of Inchclutha, near Balclutha. I got the chance to learn about herbs and composting, play in the vegetable garden and discover that poison hemlock will make you hallucinate. Tom flexed his muscles chopping wood, plucking and removing the innards of a chicken and generally doing boy things! The wonderful time we had was all thanks to the lovely Erin, whose love of life, kind-heart and delicious cooking made it hard for us to to leave (cheers Erin). But leave we did, leaving Percy behind! That's right after three months of the arse bleeding us dry of our well earned holiday cash he decided not to pass his WOF (the equivalent of our MOT). It was going to cost us a tidy sum to try and get him through so we called it a day.
Anyway after a brief stop over at Christchurch (great city) we picked up out rental car known as the Juicy Crib (that's what the rental company call it not us) and headed for some action on the slopes of the cold, soft stuff at Mount Hutt, Methven. But when we arrived the slopes were closed and there was just rain-snow joke! (ha) Anyway after holding out for a day and a half we finally got some action, I with the cool cats snowboarding and Tom with the slightly older crowd and little more stooped in their stance skiers!
Rivalry aside we spent three glorious days throwing ourselves down the slopes and getting black and blue!
Obviously, after that fun we needed a rest so we headed to Kaikoura. What a wonderful place. Here the mountains meet the sea and definitely my all time favourite south island destination. Even the sun shone, I should also mention that we saw seven sperm whales and 300 (yep 300) Dusky Dolphins. The word awesome springs to mind.
Since then we have cruised up and over to the north island, been moved on from our camping spot by an affable security guy and taken in some beautiful beaches. From now on it's north all the way back home. Of course there is the little matter of stopping off at Fiji, Raratonga and the US first!
Take care one and all. See you soon (ish)
Caroline xxx
Okay, so I know it has taken me two months to compose this entry but you know perfection takes time!
In case anyone was worried I am fine, I haven't fallen off the end of the earth. We are back on the north island, in a groovy little place called Raglan - it's where they filmed the cult surf film Endless Summer.
So anyway here's a run down of the last two months. Percy was still giving us troubles in Dunedin, so instead of sitting in the city and sulking we buggered off to an even more remote island called Stewart Island. We could have done the famous and well marked track that takes three days and two nights but of course that would make life too easy and so we opted for a few extra days in the wilds and a not so accessible track. When I say not so accessible, what I mean to say is this: wading through mud waist high, torrential winds and rain and being caught with me pants down (literally) by a fellow hiker. Nonetheless it was all good fun, we saw a kiwi (yes!) and made good friends with the hiker I flashed!
After a bit of a scrub up it was time for some farm fun on the island of Inchclutha, near Balclutha. I got the chance to learn about herbs and composting, play in the vegetable garden and discover that poison hemlock will make you hallucinate. Tom flexed his muscles chopping wood, plucking and removing the innards of a chicken and generally doing boy things! The wonderful time we had was all thanks to the lovely Erin, whose love of life, kind-heart and delicious cooking made it hard for us to to leave (cheers Erin). But leave we did, leaving Percy behind! That's right after three months of the arse bleeding us dry of our well earned holiday cash he decided not to pass his WOF (the equivalent of our MOT). It was going to cost us a tidy sum to try and get him through so we called it a day.
Anyway after a brief stop over at Christchurch (great city) we picked up out rental car known as the Juicy Crib (that's what the rental company call it not us) and headed for some action on the slopes of the cold, soft stuff at Mount Hutt, Methven. But when we arrived the slopes were closed and there was just rain-snow joke! (ha) Anyway after holding out for a day and a half we finally got some action, I with the cool cats snowboarding and Tom with the slightly older crowd and little more stooped in their stance skiers!
Rivalry aside we spent three glorious days throwing ourselves down the slopes and getting black and blue!
Obviously, after that fun we needed a rest so we headed to Kaikoura. What a wonderful place. Here the mountains meet the sea and definitely my all time favourite south island destination. Even the sun shone, I should also mention that we saw seven sperm whales and 300 (yep 300) Dusky Dolphins. The word awesome springs to mind.
Since then we have cruised up and over to the north island, been moved on from our camping spot by an affable security guy and taken in some beautiful beaches. From now on it's north all the way back home. Of course there is the little matter of stopping off at Fiji, Raratonga and the US first!
Take care one and all. See you soon (ish)
Caroline xxx
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