The Two Weeks That Felt SO Long Ago

So this is long over due and I'm realizing that the more I put off and update the harder it will be to do...We had break for 2 weeks and I've done so much that it really feels like ages ago. The thought that I was on the South Island a week or so ago is mind boggling. Nonetheless I try and get everything in without being to vague (I feel like I've forgotten the small details already) or going on forever.

Three weeks ago I flew to Christchurch on the South Island. We had a small set back waiting for the airport bus and pretty much got to the airport 20 minutes before the flight took off. Being American, we took on a brisk walk to the check in counter where they didn't just asked for our last name and took our bags. It's hard to remember I'm in a different country sometimes since I've been here for a while and I've also noticed NZ is looks similar to the States. Airport security was a real reminder; we took out or plastic bags with fluids and they laughed at us noting that this was only necessary for international flights. Anyways we strolled on board and all of us fell asleep. We woke up and the flight attendants were playing some sort of game show advertisement for New Zealand's Next Top Model and the whole plane was playing this guessing game. Anyways we flew in and watched us cruise over the hills of the northern tip of the South Island.

Christchurch was small and plain. We had a good time in the 15 hours we were there though walking around the city and going to a local bar where I guess we were in the right place at the right time because they had a bunch of free food. We got on our bus the next morning around 8am and made our way to Kaikoura, a small coastal town on the west coast north of Christchurch. We were on the Stray Bus, which is a backpackers bus. These things run regular circuits around the country and target people who want to travel as cheaply as possible. Their also great for seeing a lot in a short period of time. Toward the end of the week I was quite tired of the touristy things we were doing but it was well worth the $150 I spent on it. Anyways, Kiakoura was very small and we did a 2 hour walk around a small cape. Again very beautiful views of the ocean. I'm starting become immune to New Zealand's beauty but looking back the pictures I can feel my jaw drop slightly. I really can't tell you how pretty this place is and pictures are great but nothing does it justice like looking at the real thing. Kaikoura isn't even known as a place you HAVE to see but it's just an amazing place and the wildlife there was crazy. Their are dolphins, seals, and penguins (though I only saw seals), living in the bay. Again it was a small place so we didn't do too much else.

The next day we left for Able Tasman by way of Picton. We had to change buses and that was one of the best parts of the trip because our new driver wasn't as cold as our other one. Nat made a real effort to make the most out of our time on the bus and stopped a lot between places showing us as much as we could see. In Able Tasman we stayed at Old McDonald's Farm which was pretty much a bunch of temporary buildings with bunk beds on a farm. Quite a scenic place with alpacas, roosters (which woke us up both mornings), and cows. They also had a really nice fire pit which both nights we sat around and got to know the people from all over the world that were on our bus. Making conversation with strangers is in general a lot easier here because I feel like we have more in common. New Zealand is a small place and not every one's go to destination so people who made an effort to come here usually have a big open mind and want to take in everything they can. That's a generalization, I know, but I'm finding it to be mostly accurate. I keep getting away from the topic of Able Tasman. Able Tasman was a Dutch explorer who was the first European to see New Zealand. Apparently he poked his head around the corner, heard a huge horn and thought it was a welcoming harbor. He in turn sounded his horn and sent out some of his men on a row boat to meet the Maori Haka (war canoe), that was racing to come meet them. Long story short the Maori killed a guy and then Tasman shot at one of them and scared off the Maori who had never heard a gun. Tasman then turned around and left. So for this great and triumphant effort, Able Tasman gets a beautiful national park named after him on the north west point of the South Island. The water here was so amazingly clear and it's easy to forget you're in an ocean because it is so still. Also, there is a thriving bird sanctuary where you can hear native birds. Apparently when the Europeans came out here they had to take Maori chiefs out to their boat so that they could hear each other because the birds made so much noise. New Zealand loves their native birds and finally getting to hear them was a nice, but I didn't really get to see them. The point is I could go on and on about Able Tasman. It was easily one of my favorite places thus far. We kayaked in the morning and then met up with a sailboat later int he afternoon. The place is just so picturesque so look at the pictures that I'll link later.

From there I can't remember the exact order. We stopped in a small town on the west coast where I'm pretty sure the only business they get is from buses like ours. Happy hours starts whenever the bus gets there and end 2 hours later. We had a huge costume party with our new friends where the theme was just the letter "r". I went as a pirate and just said, "arrrrr" every time someone asked what I was and I was very proud of that effort. The hotel we were in had a whole room dedicated to crazy second hand clothes so everyone was wearing ridiculous clothing. I think we stopped and saw the pancake rocks that day too. They are rock formations by the ocean that look like stacked discs or pancakes. This was a minor stop so I can't remember the details but it was a very pretty and unique little park. The West Coast is known for it's outdoorsy spirit. This is where rugged men came to be alone and live off the land in the lat 1800's or at least that is the myth they like to portray. It was a unique place and felt similar to the US south. It didn't make a huge impression on me except for the rain. They also call it the Wet Coast and it gets a ridiculous amount of rain each year. When I was there it actually hailed which is a perfect lead in to Franz Josef Glacier.

FJG is a glacier in the middle of a rain forest that developed due to the amount of rain they get there. There are about 3,500 glaciers in New Zealand and I think this one is the most touristy because it's the easiest to get to and climb on. There I went ice-climbing which is what it sounds like. They give you special boots with spikes and axe picks and then we walk to an ice wall and climb up it using pick axes. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done and was really tiring, but it was an awesome time. The spikes on your shoes are like four wheel drive for your feet because you can literally go anywhere with them, (unless the glacier breaks and you fall into an ice cave and die...). The highest wall we got to try was about 50 feet I think and climbing it was a real rush. We were harnessed and everything but since it's just you and the ice and the ice picks, you have to plan your route up the wall. So you get kinda nervous when you feel one of your picks start to shake our of the wall. For a real challenge I tried doing it with 1 pick which seemed impossible but I did get up pretty far before my arms gave out. Again, look at the pictures because this was also not to be believed. The most amazing thing about New Zealand has been the diversity of landscapes. I mean it took us a day to get form tropical forests in the Tasman to the glacier in a rain forest.

From there, I had to get to Queenstown to catch my flight home to meet Christina (my girlfriend) in Auckland. Queenstown was also a very pretty spot and is known for it's extreme sports from the canyon swing (a bungee jump that turns into a huge swinging thing) to the Nevis, (a 150 meter bungee jump). It's also known for the night life because it's very small and a lot of backpackers make their way there. I was there on Good Friday when there is a Liquor ban in New Zealand so everything closed at 9ish so my time there was rather uneventful. From there I made my way back to Auckland. The drive to Queensown was fantastic though. We drove through the Southern Alps and it was just an amazing sight. I took some pictures on the bus but that really didn't do much for it. One other random note, the South Island has 1 million residents, only 1/4 of the entire population and in total less than Auckland. But it's rather big so it has a weird dynamic to it; it feels like the North Island except for more stretched out and the mountains are taller. All and all very worth the time spent and I'd love to go back but I doubt I'll have the time. I liked the South but I'm happy I'm up in the North because it's a lot easier to get around up here and it's much warmer.

After a day of traveling, (as in I took 15 hours to fly 2 hours), I picked up Christina and took her home where we both just wanted to sleep forever. She had traveled 18 hours and was on completely opposite time clock so she deserved it more than me. The next day we did a quick Auckland tour which was more than enough time. We went to Mount Eden (that was the first place I really saw) and walked around the city. The next day we got on a bus to the Bay of Islands, which is as you guessed, a bay of islands. They actually used to be a huge plane but after the last ice age, it filled up. The bay actually looks like little mountains peaking out of the water. Here again we got on a small sailboat and went out to a secluded Island for a swim, lunch, kayak, and a brief hike. Again look at the pictures, really can't say it enough. We got an amazingly sunny day and the water here was even clearer than the Tasman. We could see our feet clearly in water up to our waists. We actually didn't do any sailing because there was no wind but it was a very nice relaxing day.

From there we came back to Auckland and we just relaxed for the day. We then got adventurous and rented a car to go to Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel. Driving actually wasn't that bad and I got a lot better over the 2.5 hours. We went straight to the Hot Water Beaches where the gasses leak up into the sand and creates natural hot tubs if you dig a small ditch. Unfortunately we went at the peak of high tide where there was no chances of getting a good tub. We ended up "sharing" with another group who had a shovel and got lucky. The Next day we went to New Chums Beach which is apparently one the top 20 beaches in the world. It was insanely peaceful and the sand was so soft I could have stayed there forever. Again check the pictures out! We then did the 40 minute hike to Cathedral Cove. Years and years of waves have worn the walls of rock formations creating giant coves between two beaches and some amazing rock formations out at sea. We did spend quite some time there relaxing and napping. I feel like a broken record but look at the pictures because while I was there, I can't describe how fantastic these places are to you.

We came back and again just hung around Auckland reuniting with friends as they started to trickle back to university from break. Phew...that felt like it took forever but this update was definitely needed. This weekend I head to a small surfing town on the west coast, Raglan. Expect an update next week (I hope). I haven't had time to caption the pictures but I will sometime soon. Here's the link.