Hello again, and welcome back! The far north was beautiful, beautiful I tells ya! I really wish Geoff and I still had our van and that we had more time to spend up there. Lovely beaches, little undiscovered coves, friendly people... Very nice indeed.
I'm in Auckland now, New Zealand's largest city. Lots of people say that Auckland is full of JAFAs (if you're in the know, you know) and that it's too busy and bustling. Frankly, I'm enjoying myself. I bet it would be different if I was working here and had to contend with traffic and expenses and everything else that comes with big city living, but right now I'm enjoying myself.
Yesterday my friend Calesta took me on a "Tiki Tour", which as far as I can make out is just a little day tour of wherever you happen to go. It has nothing to do with tikis at all. My day started with a hair cut, which was probably well overdue. I have to say that John the Immigrant Iranian did a fine job. After this I met Calesta and we had a picnic lunch on North Head. North Head has all these cool underground tunnels that were built during the war, and they are now open to the public for shitty little kids to graffitti their tags all through. It's quite interesting, actually. After exploring the tunnels we drove to a place called Takapuna where I purchased two new plain t-shirts to replace two others that I didn't wear anymore. I'm very pleased with the new ones. Plus they were only $10 for both, which in my mind is a bargain! Calesta and I then grabbed a juice and drove over to Mission Bay and the Domain. Next it was off to have dinner at her place where she cooked me a nice vegetable stir-fry, and home by 10.30. I was pretty tired from not sleeping the night before, but I had a great sleep last night. Thus the Tiki Tour was completed.
As far as Tiki Tours go, it was the best one I've ever known to have been on.
30 October 2005
27 October 2005
G'day from the North of the North!
I made it, everyone, I made it as far north as you can make it in New Zealand. The sense of achievement is great, and I am a better person for it. Let's step back a little and bring you up to date, okay?
Mount Maunganui was nice, very nice indeed. We got there fairly late, after a late start to the day in Rotorua. We checked in to the hostel, dumped our stuff, and a few of us headed for the Mount, which is about the size of a pimple compared to the rest of the mountains here in New Zealand. Still, it was nice to get some exercise and the view from the "summit" was beautiful.
An early start to the day got us on the road to Auckland, and we were there by early afternoon. Just enough time to check into the hostel and have a wander around the city centre. Everyone bags Auckland and says how crappy it is, but I got a pretty good feeling from it. It's nice and green and there seems to be enough stuff to do to keep oneself busy. But then again there are lots of big cities that are exactly like it. As far as big cities go, though, I thought it was okay. I'd better like it because I'll be back there tomorrow! Haha!
Anyway, on Wednesday morning I caught the bus again for the north, and a town called Paihia. Northland New Zealand is beautiful, and the ride was great. I'm in a great hostel here (far and away the best I've been in while in New Zealand, actually), and the atmosphere is great. Yesterday I did a LONG day trip up to the northernmost tip of New Zealand, Cape Reinga, and along the way we did some sand boarding on 100metre high sand dunes. I had the most runs out of everyone, I'm pretty proud of saying...
Today I've already gone for a walk along the beach into the town centre, and this afternoon I'm going on a four hour walk to the Haruru Falls and back. I'm also going to pop into the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and inform myself of Maori/European History. Should be good I think.
Mount Maunganui was nice, very nice indeed. We got there fairly late, after a late start to the day in Rotorua. We checked in to the hostel, dumped our stuff, and a few of us headed for the Mount, which is about the size of a pimple compared to the rest of the mountains here in New Zealand. Still, it was nice to get some exercise and the view from the "summit" was beautiful.
An early start to the day got us on the road to Auckland, and we were there by early afternoon. Just enough time to check into the hostel and have a wander around the city centre. Everyone bags Auckland and says how crappy it is, but I got a pretty good feeling from it. It's nice and green and there seems to be enough stuff to do to keep oneself busy. But then again there are lots of big cities that are exactly like it. As far as big cities go, though, I thought it was okay. I'd better like it because I'll be back there tomorrow! Haha!
Anyway, on Wednesday morning I caught the bus again for the north, and a town called Paihia. Northland New Zealand is beautiful, and the ride was great. I'm in a great hostel here (far and away the best I've been in while in New Zealand, actually), and the atmosphere is great. Yesterday I did a LONG day trip up to the northernmost tip of New Zealand, Cape Reinga, and along the way we did some sand boarding on 100metre high sand dunes. I had the most runs out of everyone, I'm pretty proud of saying...
Today I've already gone for a walk along the beach into the town centre, and this afternoon I'm going on a four hour walk to the Haruru Falls and back. I'm also going to pop into the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and inform myself of Maori/European History. Should be good I think.
23 October 2005
And awaaaay we go!
YIKES!!!
That's right folks, I have now achieved both my "adventure goals" for New Zealand, that being jumping off a platform with nothing but a rubber band strapped around my ankles, and now I have lept out of a plane with nothing but a piece of fabric and a tiny dwarf strapped to my back. I have to say, though, that it was one hell of a ride. Mind you, it DID sort of feel like we were being cattle-herded into the plane... There just wasn't that personal feeling about it. Oh well. Can't have everything in our "adventure goals", can we?
So Taupo was nice, and now I'm in the rotting egg hell of Rotorua. Actually, the smell isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Rotorua is the spiritual centre of the Maori Kingdom (or so I've been told to tell everyone), and it's also a major hotspot for geothermal activity. This means that the town has a faint odour of sulphur constantly hovering over it. Luckily that managed to mask my own smell (I had a bit of geothermal activity myself last night!)...
This afternoon we're off to a place called Mount Maunganui, which is a popular coastal resort town. The hostel I'm staying at there is giving me a free meal tonight, which I'm really looking forward to. Should be good...
20 October 2005
Where do I begin?
Hells yeah, y'all, I'm back on the road! Well, it's not all fun and games, of course. I had to leave several good good friends back in ChCh, which is probably the worst thing about travelling. That, and not having enough money, EVER, to do the things that you want to do... But I'll be raking in the casheesh soon enough, so it's not all doom and gloom! Thanks (huge thanks, in fact) go out to Tam, Mel, EmJizzle, and Phil for the last south island road trip, it was fun. I'll miss you all, and already do.
Of course all the other folks back in good ol' ChCh will also be missed, and you know who you are. Thanks for the memories. So long, and thanks for all the fish.
Now, back to the travelling bit. Hopped on the ferry to Wellington on a beautiful cloud free day. Waved goodbyes across the bay to the ones I love the most, and set off into the distance. The trip itself was pretty uneventful, but once I arrived in Wellington I was determined not to get stuck in a rut and stay at the hostel. Nice city, Wellington, and my only full day there was spent walking around taking a few photos, visiting a couple museums, and generally being a tourist. Luckily there were plenty of other tourists to blend in with. Met a couple nice people, which always makes the stay that little bit brighter.
Wednesday morning I got on my Magic Mystery Bus (beam me up Scotty was our driver, in only his third ever solo trip. What joy awaited me!) at the oh-so-early hour of 7.55am. Off on the road we went, with fresh-faced Scotty telling us interesting banter that he read out of the Magic Bus Driver Handbook along the way... I'm sorry, but please don't re-hash all the same stuff you have been told in training. But if you absolutely HAVE to, at least get the facts right and remember names.
After a few gratuitous stops along the way we arrived in Napier, the art deco capital of New Zealand. Napier was levelled by a massive earthquake at the turn of the 20th century, and it was rebuilt in an art deco style. Unfortunately they seemed to have forgotten over the years that art deco is a fairly boring style of architecture, so it just ended up being any other town. Oh well. The hostel I stayed at was interesting. It used to be the local prison, and we got to sleep in the old prison cells or officers' buildings. The shower blocks were, well, interesting, with a small plywood board covering your tiddly bits. Thankfully there weren't any extremely tall or short people staying at the time. The creepiest bit about the hostel though, was the fact that they had decorated some of the cells with dummies and other "prison-esque" articles. You'd be walking through the halls and suddenly see this person looking at you through the bars, only to turn around and see that it was some mannequin. Wierd.
The next day we were off to Taupo, where I'm writing this right now. Nice little town, with the cheapest skydiving in the world. I signed up to do a 12,000ft jump, all for the low-low price of $145. Unfortunately when we arrived it was really windy, so the jump was called off. We arranged to jump in the morning (today) weather permitting, but it's been raining since yesterday evening, so no jump today. Now it's scheduled for 8.30am tomorrow morning, exactly two hours before the Magic Mystery Bus is scheduled to come and get me to take me to the next spot. Talk about cutting it short!
Anyway, instead of skydiving yesterday I walked to this little stream that is heated by thermal vents in the earth's crust, so I had a bit of a free hot spa by the side of the river. Mind you, it was bloody freakin' hot, so I didn't stay long. Instead I went back to the hostel, cracked a beer, and hopped in the hot spa there. Haha! Made a few friends, which was nice, and had a good time.
So today is a bit of a write off, really. I can't go for a walk along the lake, which is what I wanted to do, because it's too rainy and wet. Instead I've already watched "The Incredibles", eaten breakfast and lunch, played pool with an englishman who didn't know how to play pool, walked into town to buy some dinner food, and now I'm writing this. Oh well.
Tomorrow should be more eventful. Early morning skydive, bus to Rotorua for a stopover to see the bubbling thermal pools, and a couple nights in Mount Maunganui. The hostel there is meant to be great, with free breakfast AND free dinner. Who could ask for anything more?
Of course all the other folks back in good ol' ChCh will also be missed, and you know who you are. Thanks for the memories. So long, and thanks for all the fish.
Now, back to the travelling bit. Hopped on the ferry to Wellington on a beautiful cloud free day. Waved goodbyes across the bay to the ones I love the most, and set off into the distance. The trip itself was pretty uneventful, but once I arrived in Wellington I was determined not to get stuck in a rut and stay at the hostel. Nice city, Wellington, and my only full day there was spent walking around taking a few photos, visiting a couple museums, and generally being a tourist. Luckily there were plenty of other tourists to blend in with. Met a couple nice people, which always makes the stay that little bit brighter.
Wednesday morning I got on my Magic Mystery Bus (beam me up Scotty was our driver, in only his third ever solo trip. What joy awaited me!) at the oh-so-early hour of 7.55am. Off on the road we went, with fresh-faced Scotty telling us interesting banter that he read out of the Magic Bus Driver Handbook along the way... I'm sorry, but please don't re-hash all the same stuff you have been told in training. But if you absolutely HAVE to, at least get the facts right and remember names.
After a few gratuitous stops along the way we arrived in Napier, the art deco capital of New Zealand. Napier was levelled by a massive earthquake at the turn of the 20th century, and it was rebuilt in an art deco style. Unfortunately they seemed to have forgotten over the years that art deco is a fairly boring style of architecture, so it just ended up being any other town. Oh well. The hostel I stayed at was interesting. It used to be the local prison, and we got to sleep in the old prison cells or officers' buildings. The shower blocks were, well, interesting, with a small plywood board covering your tiddly bits. Thankfully there weren't any extremely tall or short people staying at the time. The creepiest bit about the hostel though, was the fact that they had decorated some of the cells with dummies and other "prison-esque" articles. You'd be walking through the halls and suddenly see this person looking at you through the bars, only to turn around and see that it was some mannequin. Wierd.
The next day we were off to Taupo, where I'm writing this right now. Nice little town, with the cheapest skydiving in the world. I signed up to do a 12,000ft jump, all for the low-low price of $145. Unfortunately when we arrived it was really windy, so the jump was called off. We arranged to jump in the morning (today) weather permitting, but it's been raining since yesterday evening, so no jump today. Now it's scheduled for 8.30am tomorrow morning, exactly two hours before the Magic Mystery Bus is scheduled to come and get me to take me to the next spot. Talk about cutting it short!
Anyway, instead of skydiving yesterday I walked to this little stream that is heated by thermal vents in the earth's crust, so I had a bit of a free hot spa by the side of the river. Mind you, it was bloody freakin' hot, so I didn't stay long. Instead I went back to the hostel, cracked a beer, and hopped in the hot spa there. Haha! Made a few friends, which was nice, and had a good time.
So today is a bit of a write off, really. I can't go for a walk along the lake, which is what I wanted to do, because it's too rainy and wet. Instead I've already watched "The Incredibles", eaten breakfast and lunch, played pool with an englishman who didn't know how to play pool, walked into town to buy some dinner food, and now I'm writing this. Oh well.
Tomorrow should be more eventful. Early morning skydive, bus to Rotorua for a stopover to see the bubbling thermal pools, and a couple nights in Mount Maunganui. The hostel there is meant to be great, with free breakfast AND free dinner. Who could ask for anything more?
04 October 2005
All that is old is new again.
I've noticed yet another idiot fad coming through in the youth of today. Recently we've had such gems as the fashion mullet come back into style, or the genius style of the 1980's coming back, which to me is just ridiculous. Even people that were teens in the eighties would tell you that it was complete stupidity that got them to wear such hideous articles of clothing.
Since I work in a busy shopping centre in Christchurch, New Zealand I'm able to observe quite frequently what the youth of today are up to. Mainly I just shake my head and laugh, but over the past week or so something has come to the forefront of my embarrassment for them. Somehow kids of today have decided that it's once again cool to shave interesting shapes into the sides of their heads, much like the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air used to shave ladder effects into his hair back in the early-mid nineties. I think if you were to ask Will Smith (aka. The Fresh Prince) what his biggest fashion faux-pas was in his entire life, I think he would say it was a toss-up between fluorescent clothing and funky hair designs.
Today alone I've noticed two of the youth of today with things shaved in the SIDES of their heads. One had funky ladder designs, and the other had what looked like a shockwave-esque line, much like what a heartbeat looks like on a heart monitor. I'm sure one of them was even wearing a pink polo shirt.
Now, if the youth of yesterday can see, in hindsight, that their fashion choices were horrible, why can't the youth of today see, with foresight, that their choices will inherently be horrible? Smarten up kids, think before you shave.
Since I work in a busy shopping centre in Christchurch, New Zealand I'm able to observe quite frequently what the youth of today are up to. Mainly I just shake my head and laugh, but over the past week or so something has come to the forefront of my embarrassment for them. Somehow kids of today have decided that it's once again cool to shave interesting shapes into the sides of their heads, much like the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air used to shave ladder effects into his hair back in the early-mid nineties. I think if you were to ask Will Smith (aka. The Fresh Prince) what his biggest fashion faux-pas was in his entire life, I think he would say it was a toss-up between fluorescent clothing and funky hair designs.
Today alone I've noticed two of the youth of today with things shaved in the SIDES of their heads. One had funky ladder designs, and the other had what looked like a shockwave-esque line, much like what a heartbeat looks like on a heart monitor. I'm sure one of them was even wearing a pink polo shirt.
Now, if the youth of yesterday can see, in hindsight, that their fashion choices were horrible, why can't the youth of today see, with foresight, that their choices will inherently be horrible? Smarten up kids, think before you shave.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
