I should honestly be blogging everyday...so much happens in one day that after 3 days I forget so many things...but lack of internet makes it difficult so I am going to try and do my best.
In my last post I finished off by saying I had to get my stuff printed so I could board the plane; well that didn't and I almost didn't get to leave Fiji. Because I didn't have my papers printed I didn't have proof of a flight leaving NZ. I ran around the whole airport looking for someone to print my stuff out for me but no one could do it they said I had to walk 15 minutes to the closest place that would do it. I went back to the check in and this really nice woman told me if I could email her my info she could print it out for me. I had to go buy internet time and then use one of the computers in the terminal (which are brand new MACs) send it to her email and wait a half hour for her to print it all out. Paige was with me and we were both getting really stressed out. We finally get through the gate and to our terminal and grab some food as we were starving. We buy two sandwhiches (if two buns and a piece of meat qualifies of a sandwhich) and fries. 20minutes later our fries still hadn't arrived so I went up to the counter and they said hot food takes 20 minutes. I explained that my plain was boarding and that I needed them to cancel it, I was told that because I i already ordered it. Finally after a bit of arguing they gave me my money back and Paige and I boarded the plane and were on our way to Auckland New Zealand.
The plane wasn't bad, it was a pretty short flight and Paige and I got to stretch out, play cards and enjoy some free wine (gotta love the international flights) and celebrate her BDay up in the sky. I was so excited when we landed! I couldn't believe I was in NZ (just like I couldn't believe I was in Fiji) we grabbed a shuttle and headed towards Base hostel right in the heart of Auckland City.
Everything was fine when we checked in except when they said they needed a $20 deposit for the room key. All I had on me was Fiji and Canadian currency and they wouldn't exchange it at the hostel. Off I go to the corner to an ATM. Card 1- not an account that I really use just a savings account. I punched it what I thought was my code - try again. Ok - try again. Third attempt - your account has been frozen. Shit. Card 2 - no problem its my everyday card - your request is being processed. Waiting ....waiting...waiting...the card was getting stuck in the slot and wouldn't pop out...all of a sudden the machine sucks in my card and says "your card has been taken please call your bank" ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!!! Back to the hostel I go starting to stress, its after 7pm and everything is closed including the money exchange locations. Crossing my fingers I hand over my Visa-accepted, Thank God! Finally I'm in my room with my roommate from Fiji, Matthew. We had two other English guys in our room Jordan and Wesley they seemed pretty cool so I said they should come to the bar with us for Paiges Bday. We all headed down to the Globe Bar (the hostels bar) and got good and liquored up. During the night Wesley was telling me that him and Jordan were buying a campervan and going across both Islands. Thinking this was pure awesomeness I knew I had met them for a reason and that there was a possibility of a crazy ass adventure that was going to take place very soon.
The next day the guys and I headed out into the city. Now its a city with a small town feel to it, only 4 lanes wide and lots of hills, lots of hustle and bustle, and the sidewalks are all pretty much covered so you don't get rained on. There seemed to be so much life to. You walk along the main road and then look up a little side street that is a steep hill with outdoor patios and cafes, everywhere you look there was something different. We went to a little restaurant off a side street called my bar where people from another restaurant were sitting at the tables inside-it was really wierd. We went to an art gallery and went to Alfred Park and enjoyed the hot afternoon sun. I went to the bank and was told that my card would be cut up.Grrr! So frustrating.
For dinner Wesley, Jordan and our other dormmate Nikki (from Germany) headed into Ponsonby for dinner. This classy part of Auckland where the street is just lined with restaurants. We ended up eating at Thai House. The food was fantastic, we drank Chang beer and our bill was almost $200! But we knew we wouldn't be able to eat good like this for awhile so it was well worth it. We then walked along Ponsonby and went to Long Bar. Its an open concept classy restaurant bar with expensive drinks and good looking people but just like dinner it was well worth it. We headed back to Base at about 1am, the guys grabbed there wine and vodka (it was kept at the front desk as they don't allow drinking in the hostel) and drank in our room till about 5am with me as usual being one of the first ones to pass out.
I woke up at around 9am (its hard to tell as our room had no windows-my first morning I woke up confused because I didnt know where I was or what country I was in) I woke up the guys and we packed our stuff because we had to check out by 10. I was told I was welcome to go with them -though I dont really think I gave them a choice.
We put our stuff in storage, grabbed some pizza and fed our crusts to these little birds who fought over the big pieces. We watched them for almost an hour so technically I did some bird watching in Auckland lol.
At about 4pm we went to go pick up the campervan. Its a 1985 silver camper with black zebra stripes that has come fully loaded with everything a backpacker needs. A bed, two sleeping bags, sheets, 1 pillow, two comforters, a table, two gas cookers, flashlights, tools, laundry detergent, wash cloth, toilet paper, maps, power bar, curtains, snow chains, 7 soccer chairs, a fold up table, tent and probably a few more things that I am forgetting. To top it off it fits two people comfortably and there are three of us! Its a bit of a tight squeeze. Sleeping is COZY. We can't all sleep pon our backs because then I have one shoulder on Jordan and one under Wes so one of us always as to be on their side. If one person moves it wakes everyone up. Sometimes I roll on my side and almost kiss one of them because we are facing eachother and are almost nose to nose. Last night I was on my side and Jordan says "do you mind if I spoon you?" lol its too funny. We have completely lost any sort of privacy. We know when the other has to pee or poop, who snores, eachothers morning breath, we change where ever we can, body odor considering not a campgrounds have showers - yesterday we showered at the beach shampoo and all with our bathing suits on trying discreetyly to wash our "naughty bits" to get the sound out. When one has gas we try and make sure we are stopped as to not kill the other two, makeup, hair and shaving have become a luxury and food well sandwhichs chips and noodles are on our menu right now but I am having a blast!!!
We tried to leave Saturday night but within in two hours of buying the camper the battery died and we got stuck at a gas station with no one to help us, but after about an hour we finally got a boost. It was getting late and didn't really think it was a good idea to drive anywhere so we found a ritzy area in Ponsonby and pulled over the zebra (which stuck out like a sore thumb) and curled up for our first family slumber. We woke up at about 8 the next morning and decided that our first top would be Hot Water Beach. Once we found out how to get there (a really nice couple had us follow them so they could show us where to go) we were on our way on the Pacific Coast Hwy. What a fucking incrdible drive. I had no idea that NZ was so beautiful. One minute you are in this little beach down with a row of beach houses and restaurants. Kids swimming, people fishing off a dock, sail boats and beautiful mountains off in the distance and then you are driving through the country with miles and miles of farm land, cows and mountains all around and everything is so green and then you are driving the craziest winding roads through the mountains where on one side is the stoney walls of the mountains and the other side is palm trees that have black trunks and other jungle like looking trees at times we felt we were driving through the rainforest. We had to keep stopping to take pictures because everything was so breathtaking. We drove for hours until we finallly got to Hot Water Beach but got there a little late and hadn't packed any food and didn't know where to stay so we decided to go back there in the morning and rest for the night. We drove into a town to grab some food. It was incrdibly beautiful. On the left of the main road was this beach with presitne looking sand and beautiful water that washed up about 100 feet out and a wall of mountains off to the right that was a perfect back drop at sunset. It was something out of the movies, it didn't even look real. We grabbed food and headed to a camp ground that we found on a map it was about a 5 minute drive down a long dirt road just off the main road. There was only about 4 other vehicles there, it had a kitchen, bathrooms, showers and power posts and only cost $15 for the night. Plus you get access to their bird farm, ya that was fun to wallk through, peacocks, chickens and squacking birds are not my cup of tea. Jordan cooked a spaghetti bolognese which was awesome and we sat there and got a little shittered with a couple that was there with there kids - well I got shittered, got emotional and started to cry cuz I was a little homesick. Anyways we were up and out by about 8am - we didn't pay, the owner never came to collect our money - so we left as free is always good when on a budget and head over to hot water beach.
Once again a beautiful spot. A long stretch of beach framed by high rocks and mountains and huge rocks out in the sea. Now at hot water beach everyone digs in the sand to make their own pools of hot water. We rent a shovel and start digging - well the guys dug I took pictures - and just as we were told it filled up with hot water, but I mean hot water, in some parts you could see it bubbling because it was so hot. If you stuck your finger in the sand it burned. It was pretty awesome. We were there about an hour and met a really nice couple from England and then decided to head back to the camper and decide our next stop. As we were walking back I said to Wes "the water is pretty rough here" "nah I like it rougher" and just as he said that a wave comes in splashes on a big rock infront of us and lands on us. SOAKED I look at him and say "is that rough enough for you?"
We showered (as mentioned above on the beach) and hung out with the English couple exchanging information and decided to make our way to Hobbiton in Matamata. How quickly our plans changed. We were driving for a few hours when all of a sudden on either side these massive walls of rock rise up out of nowhere. I can't even explain what it was like it literally took my breath away. It was incredible, and then it was gone, wanting to see if we could somehow take pictures Wes took a quick left into a parking lot. It was like winning the lottery! We ended up pulling into the Karangahake Gorge. It used to be a gold mine but when they couldn't find any gold they literaly just left everything there to rot and now it's left for people to walk through the ruins and the caves which is all surrounded by the rocky walls of the mountains. Asking an older couple in a camper we asked if we could stay over night and they said "sure can" Excited about our discovery we parked the camper, pulled out our chairs, table and cooker and cooked up sausages, noodles and beer and enjoyed our backyard of mountains and a rocky river. It was an early night as we were all pretty tired, but not sleeping to well as family cuddles are not always comfortable. We woke up at about 830, cleaned, packed up, went across the road english breakfast tea, played in the river for about half an hour and then headed towards Waitomo Caves. Half hour outside of town I took over driving. I know right? So wierd driving on the left side but I made it our destination Jude (YHA) hostel. Once again a beautiful spot. A nice cabin like hostel with grounds for campers, a pool, trampoline, internet and SHOWERS!!! So now I am just doing our laundry before we head to the Glow Worm Caves tonight.
I can't believe I have only been in NZ for 5 days. I feel like so much has happened. The guys are great. We call Wes Uncle Wes as he makes sure we are ok and takes charge, Jordan is Chang Master as he loves Chang Beer and they call me Mother Hen. We went to buy some food the other day and I grabbed the cheapest bag of noodles Wes looks at Jordan and says "I wanted the better noodles but Mother Hen wouldn't let me spend the extra dollar"
Anyways I hope this was enough until my next one. I miss you all.
xox
In my last post I finished off by saying I had to get my stuff printed so I could board the plane; well that didn't and I almost didn't get to leave Fiji. Because I didn't have my papers printed I didn't have proof of a flight leaving NZ. I ran around the whole airport looking for someone to print my stuff out for me but no one could do it they said I had to walk 15 minutes to the closest place that would do it. I went back to the check in and this really nice woman told me if I could email her my info she could print it out for me. I had to go buy internet time and then use one of the computers in the terminal (which are brand new MACs) send it to her email and wait a half hour for her to print it all out. Paige was with me and we were both getting really stressed out. We finally get through the gate and to our terminal and grab some food as we were starving. We buy two sandwhiches (if two buns and a piece of meat qualifies of a sandwhich) and fries. 20minutes later our fries still hadn't arrived so I went up to the counter and they said hot food takes 20 minutes. I explained that my plain was boarding and that I needed them to cancel it, I was told that because I i already ordered it. Finally after a bit of arguing they gave me my money back and Paige and I boarded the plane and were on our way to Auckland New Zealand.
The plane wasn't bad, it was a pretty short flight and Paige and I got to stretch out, play cards and enjoy some free wine (gotta love the international flights) and celebrate her BDay up in the sky. I was so excited when we landed! I couldn't believe I was in NZ (just like I couldn't believe I was in Fiji) we grabbed a shuttle and headed towards Base hostel right in the heart of Auckland City.
Everything was fine when we checked in except when they said they needed a $20 deposit for the room key. All I had on me was Fiji and Canadian currency and they wouldn't exchange it at the hostel. Off I go to the corner to an ATM. Card 1- not an account that I really use just a savings account. I punched it what I thought was my code - try again. Ok - try again. Third attempt - your account has been frozen. Shit. Card 2 - no problem its my everyday card - your request is being processed. Waiting ....waiting...waiting...the card was getting stuck in the slot and wouldn't pop out...all of a sudden the machine sucks in my card and says "your card has been taken please call your bank" ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!!! Back to the hostel I go starting to stress, its after 7pm and everything is closed including the money exchange locations. Crossing my fingers I hand over my Visa-accepted, Thank God! Finally I'm in my room with my roommate from Fiji, Matthew. We had two other English guys in our room Jordan and Wesley they seemed pretty cool so I said they should come to the bar with us for Paiges Bday. We all headed down to the Globe Bar (the hostels bar) and got good and liquored up. During the night Wesley was telling me that him and Jordan were buying a campervan and going across both Islands. Thinking this was pure awesomeness I knew I had met them for a reason and that there was a possibility of a crazy ass adventure that was going to take place very soon.
The next day the guys and I headed out into the city. Now its a city with a small town feel to it, only 4 lanes wide and lots of hills, lots of hustle and bustle, and the sidewalks are all pretty much covered so you don't get rained on. There seemed to be so much life to. You walk along the main road and then look up a little side street that is a steep hill with outdoor patios and cafes, everywhere you look there was something different. We went to a little restaurant off a side street called my bar where people from another restaurant were sitting at the tables inside-it was really wierd. We went to an art gallery and went to Alfred Park and enjoyed the hot afternoon sun. I went to the bank and was told that my card would be cut up.Grrr! So frustrating.
For dinner Wesley, Jordan and our other dormmate Nikki (from Germany) headed into Ponsonby for dinner. This classy part of Auckland where the street is just lined with restaurants. We ended up eating at Thai House. The food was fantastic, we drank Chang beer and our bill was almost $200! But we knew we wouldn't be able to eat good like this for awhile so it was well worth it. We then walked along Ponsonby and went to Long Bar. Its an open concept classy restaurant bar with expensive drinks and good looking people but just like dinner it was well worth it. We headed back to Base at about 1am, the guys grabbed there wine and vodka (it was kept at the front desk as they don't allow drinking in the hostel) and drank in our room till about 5am with me as usual being one of the first ones to pass out.
I woke up at around 9am (its hard to tell as our room had no windows-my first morning I woke up confused because I didnt know where I was or what country I was in) I woke up the guys and we packed our stuff because we had to check out by 10. I was told I was welcome to go with them -though I dont really think I gave them a choice.
We put our stuff in storage, grabbed some pizza and fed our crusts to these little birds who fought over the big pieces. We watched them for almost an hour so technically I did some bird watching in Auckland lol.
At about 4pm we went to go pick up the campervan. Its a 1985 silver camper with black zebra stripes that has come fully loaded with everything a backpacker needs. A bed, two sleeping bags, sheets, 1 pillow, two comforters, a table, two gas cookers, flashlights, tools, laundry detergent, wash cloth, toilet paper, maps, power bar, curtains, snow chains, 7 soccer chairs, a fold up table, tent and probably a few more things that I am forgetting. To top it off it fits two people comfortably and there are three of us! Its a bit of a tight squeeze. Sleeping is COZY. We can't all sleep pon our backs because then I have one shoulder on Jordan and one under Wes so one of us always as to be on their side. If one person moves it wakes everyone up. Sometimes I roll on my side and almost kiss one of them because we are facing eachother and are almost nose to nose. Last night I was on my side and Jordan says "do you mind if I spoon you?" lol its too funny. We have completely lost any sort of privacy. We know when the other has to pee or poop, who snores, eachothers morning breath, we change where ever we can, body odor considering not a campgrounds have showers - yesterday we showered at the beach shampoo and all with our bathing suits on trying discreetyly to wash our "naughty bits" to get the sound out. When one has gas we try and make sure we are stopped as to not kill the other two, makeup, hair and shaving have become a luxury and food well sandwhichs chips and noodles are on our menu right now but I am having a blast!!!
We tried to leave Saturday night but within in two hours of buying the camper the battery died and we got stuck at a gas station with no one to help us, but after about an hour we finally got a boost. It was getting late and didn't really think it was a good idea to drive anywhere so we found a ritzy area in Ponsonby and pulled over the zebra (which stuck out like a sore thumb) and curled up for our first family slumber. We woke up at about 8 the next morning and decided that our first top would be Hot Water Beach. Once we found out how to get there (a really nice couple had us follow them so they could show us where to go) we were on our way on the Pacific Coast Hwy. What a fucking incrdible drive. I had no idea that NZ was so beautiful. One minute you are in this little beach down with a row of beach houses and restaurants. Kids swimming, people fishing off a dock, sail boats and beautiful mountains off in the distance and then you are driving through the country with miles and miles of farm land, cows and mountains all around and everything is so green and then you are driving the craziest winding roads through the mountains where on one side is the stoney walls of the mountains and the other side is palm trees that have black trunks and other jungle like looking trees at times we felt we were driving through the rainforest. We had to keep stopping to take pictures because everything was so breathtaking. We drove for hours until we finallly got to Hot Water Beach but got there a little late and hadn't packed any food and didn't know where to stay so we decided to go back there in the morning and rest for the night. We drove into a town to grab some food. It was incrdibly beautiful. On the left of the main road was this beach with presitne looking sand and beautiful water that washed up about 100 feet out and a wall of mountains off to the right that was a perfect back drop at sunset. It was something out of the movies, it didn't even look real. We grabbed food and headed to a camp ground that we found on a map it was about a 5 minute drive down a long dirt road just off the main road. There was only about 4 other vehicles there, it had a kitchen, bathrooms, showers and power posts and only cost $15 for the night. Plus you get access to their bird farm, ya that was fun to wallk through, peacocks, chickens and squacking birds are not my cup of tea. Jordan cooked a spaghetti bolognese which was awesome and we sat there and got a little shittered with a couple that was there with there kids - well I got shittered, got emotional and started to cry cuz I was a little homesick. Anyways we were up and out by about 8am - we didn't pay, the owner never came to collect our money - so we left as free is always good when on a budget and head over to hot water beach.
Once again a beautiful spot. A long stretch of beach framed by high rocks and mountains and huge rocks out in the sea. Now at hot water beach everyone digs in the sand to make their own pools of hot water. We rent a shovel and start digging - well the guys dug I took pictures - and just as we were told it filled up with hot water, but I mean hot water, in some parts you could see it bubbling because it was so hot. If you stuck your finger in the sand it burned. It was pretty awesome. We were there about an hour and met a really nice couple from England and then decided to head back to the camper and decide our next stop. As we were walking back I said to Wes "the water is pretty rough here" "nah I like it rougher" and just as he said that a wave comes in splashes on a big rock infront of us and lands on us. SOAKED I look at him and say "is that rough enough for you?"
We showered (as mentioned above on the beach) and hung out with the English couple exchanging information and decided to make our way to Hobbiton in Matamata. How quickly our plans changed. We were driving for a few hours when all of a sudden on either side these massive walls of rock rise up out of nowhere. I can't even explain what it was like it literally took my breath away. It was incredible, and then it was gone, wanting to see if we could somehow take pictures Wes took a quick left into a parking lot. It was like winning the lottery! We ended up pulling into the Karangahake Gorge. It used to be a gold mine but when they couldn't find any gold they literaly just left everything there to rot and now it's left for people to walk through the ruins and the caves which is all surrounded by the rocky walls of the mountains. Asking an older couple in a camper we asked if we could stay over night and they said "sure can" Excited about our discovery we parked the camper, pulled out our chairs, table and cooker and cooked up sausages, noodles and beer and enjoyed our backyard of mountains and a rocky river. It was an early night as we were all pretty tired, but not sleeping to well as family cuddles are not always comfortable. We woke up at about 830, cleaned, packed up, went across the road english breakfast tea, played in the river for about half an hour and then headed towards Waitomo Caves. Half hour outside of town I took over driving. I know right? So wierd driving on the left side but I made it our destination Jude (YHA) hostel. Once again a beautiful spot. A nice cabin like hostel with grounds for campers, a pool, trampoline, internet and SHOWERS!!! So now I am just doing our laundry before we head to the Glow Worm Caves tonight.
I can't believe I have only been in NZ for 5 days. I feel like so much has happened. The guys are great. We call Wes Uncle Wes as he makes sure we are ok and takes charge, Jordan is Chang Master as he loves Chang Beer and they call me Mother Hen. We went to buy some food the other day and I grabbed the cheapest bag of noodles Wes looks at Jordan and says "I wanted the better noodles but Mother Hen wouldn't let me spend the extra dollar"
Anyways I hope this was enough until my next one. I miss you all.
xox
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