So today is our last day in New Zealand.
I have not posted for while so I will do a quick update.
We went climbing Last Sunday at a place called the airstrip. It was a really good day of bouldering. Lots of fun. A great many problems. The best I have climbed in a while actually. I had a blast. After we headed to Currly's bar. We have become locals at this pub since we are rather tired of traveling around and really just need someplace to kick back for while. The waitress, Marie, is really nice. I consider her my friend. At this rate anyone that I know for more than one day is my friend. It is all a matter of perspective. It gets really lonely if you don't have friends so why not consider casual acquaintances your friends when it suits your needs? So my friend Marrie is really nice. She is from Ireland. Nice girl.
Monday (20th) we headed to New Plymouth. No real reason other than it was raining and we could not climb. Nice drive around the beach a small walk and that was about it. Stayed at a place right on the beach it was cute and only $13.50 a night each. Good deal!
Tuesday we headed back to Waitomo. The weather got nice so we figured we would try to get a day or two more climbing before the trips end. Nice drive. Also got a message from a guy Named Niall Mc Sweeeny about the van. I love this name. Somehow I knew he would be the one to buy the Van. I was right by the way. Stacy and I joked a lot about it. "putting all our eggs in the McSweeny basket!!
Wednesday-Wend climbing at Froggart. It was really fun. My climbing ability is really sad at the moment. But it was still fun. Spent our last night with new van. it was sad. I am going to really miss this van!!!
Thrusday-headed to Auckland. meet up with McSweeny We were really honest with him. We told him everything that we knew was wrong with the van. It burns oil and may need a new tire soon. He was more than happy to buy the van. We gave him a great deal 1600, but hell we only payed 1750 so it was a good deal all around. good thing because I was out of money!! Now it is McSweeny Van! Fun stuff.
Friday-Went to Museum. I am not a fan of Cities. Would much rather be in the great outdoors.
Saturday-Shopping for gifts. I hate shopping.
Sunday-last day and I am sitting her writing in my blog!! See you all soon.
Next update with be in Samoa. I might be drunk!!!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
More on New Zealand
Ok so I am going to make this short and sweet, leave out some details. But at least it will remind me what I did and hopefully help me figure out what day of the week it is and where I am!!HAHAHA. Sometimes when you are on vacation for so long you forget these details.
So I left off with the camping in the Kairi forest.
The next day with was
Monday the 13-We spent the day hiking around the beach and just looking at some big trees. These trees are pretty impressive. I think I posted a picture. But we just did some hiking and what not. Then headed to the Bay of Island.
Tuesday the 14- We went on a wicked fun boat ride out to the Hole in the Rock. there were heaps of dolphins and a short ride on a glass bottom boat. The dolphins where really cool chasing the boat and all.
Wednesday 15th- Basically drove from Bay of islands to Waitomo. Put up some fliers for the van while in Auckland. So we shall see. The new van is great. Hopefully we can give him a good home.
Thursday 16. A little hung over so we decided that climbing was not going to happens so we should go caving instead. It was one of the best things so far. Maybe I will add more details later. Friday 17 went for a hike and that was about it.
Saturday 18- Went climbing at Mangaoweka. It was really hard and I did not do good at all. I have lost all my climbing ability!! Going to be hard to get back to where I was before I left.
Well that is that. So now some pictures and I am done.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Update!!
Ok so I have a little time now to do some updating.
So we are still on the north island and have only about a week and half left on our trip and one week in Samoa. I am so sad to be so close to leaving!!
So far on the north island we have had quit a few adventures. We went to Bruce mountain bird sanctuary.(I think that was what it was called) It was cool. got to see them feed a bunch of kaka's (parrot like bird) They were flying right towards our heads it was really funny. And we also got to see our first Kiwi bird!! They are so cool looking. Like something from the lost world. That was on the 8th just north of Wellington.
On the 9th we went to Taupo. We hiked around Huka falls and Crater of the Moon. It was a pretty mellow day.
The next day we went to this place called Hidden Valley. It was the most interested thermo active place. Hot mud bubbling out of the earth, geysers, and a cave. It was cool. After hidden Valley we headed towards Rotarua. We stayed in a camp area that has "hot ground" Mostly the entire town is on a thermally active area. The park has a ton of bubbling mud ponds and geysers. You look around and you see steam coming out of the ground all over the place. It was really strange. I honestly don't know how they build in that area. Lots of places had "new" sink holes. There was actually steam coming out of the storm sewer!!! It was strange. But lot of soaking in hot mineral pools so who am I to question there logic?
That bring me about up to Saturday the 11th. So my mom was leaving the next day so we had to make our way up to Auckland. I figured we may as well go up the east coast and see some ocean before heading inland. We found a great beach with tons of sea shells and it was really beautiful day to be on the beach. A few surfers and lots of dogs running and playing. It was really nice.
We dropped my mom off on the 12th with out a hitch for us. My mom how ever missed her flight. Let me explain. he flight was scheduled to leave at 11:10. We dropped her off at 9:00. Well apparently it is common for them to move flights up if nothing else is going on. So they moved her flight up 2 hours and she missed it. I did not find this out until we were headed out of Auckland. But fortunately the airline put her up in hotel. I still can not believe they moved it up that much. We drove up to the Kauri forest from Auckland that day.
Wow this is really hard when you let it go for so long without an update. I forget half the stuff that happened and now am remembering other things I forgot. A little more and I will have to stop and go get a beer.
Ok so we camped out in the kaira forest. It was a really strange camp sight. But you could hear all kinds of birds everywhere. Including KIWI's. We never did manage to see one, but the some other bird was making a crazy sound in the trees. It actually freaked out the German's next to us!!
Well I have only 2 minutes left on this card so I will go for now. More tomorrow. I am determined to catch up!!!
So we are still on the north island and have only about a week and half left on our trip and one week in Samoa. I am so sad to be so close to leaving!!
So far on the north island we have had quit a few adventures. We went to Bruce mountain bird sanctuary.(I think that was what it was called) It was cool. got to see them feed a bunch of kaka's (parrot like bird) They were flying right towards our heads it was really funny. And we also got to see our first Kiwi bird!! They are so cool looking. Like something from the lost world. That was on the 8th just north of Wellington.
On the 9th we went to Taupo. We hiked around Huka falls and Crater of the Moon. It was a pretty mellow day.
The next day we went to this place called Hidden Valley. It was the most interested thermo active place. Hot mud bubbling out of the earth, geysers, and a cave. It was cool. After hidden Valley we headed towards Rotarua. We stayed in a camp area that has "hot ground" Mostly the entire town is on a thermally active area. The park has a ton of bubbling mud ponds and geysers. You look around and you see steam coming out of the ground all over the place. It was really strange. I honestly don't know how they build in that area. Lots of places had "new" sink holes. There was actually steam coming out of the storm sewer!!! It was strange. But lot of soaking in hot mineral pools so who am I to question there logic?
That bring me about up to Saturday the 11th. So my mom was leaving the next day so we had to make our way up to Auckland. I figured we may as well go up the east coast and see some ocean before heading inland. We found a great beach with tons of sea shells and it was really beautiful day to be on the beach. A few surfers and lots of dogs running and playing. It was really nice.
We dropped my mom off on the 12th with out a hitch for us. My mom how ever missed her flight. Let me explain. he flight was scheduled to leave at 11:10. We dropped her off at 9:00. Well apparently it is common for them to move flights up if nothing else is going on. So they moved her flight up 2 hours and she missed it. I did not find this out until we were headed out of Auckland. But fortunately the airline put her up in hotel. I still can not believe they moved it up that much. We drove up to the Kauri forest from Auckland that day.
Wow this is really hard when you let it go for so long without an update. I forget half the stuff that happened and now am remembering other things I forgot. A little more and I will have to stop and go get a beer.
Ok so we camped out in the kaira forest. It was a really strange camp sight. But you could hear all kinds of birds everywhere. Including KIWI's. We never did manage to see one, but the some other bird was making a crazy sound in the trees. It actually freaked out the German's next to us!!
Well I have only 2 minutes left on this card so I will go for now. More tomorrow. I am determined to catch up!!!
Monday, April 13, 2009
North Island
Well we made it to the North island.We ended up taking the ferry on Tuesday the 7th. It was a really windy ride. Still very beautiful. The night before was a blast. We spend the night in Picton. It is a fun little. town. We went out to this Irish pub. There was a group of locals playing some really cool Irish music. The people were really friendly and we were really drunk. I was just glad that at the end of the night I remembered which bridge went back to our van site. It was fun. I was of course a little hung over. That makes for a really interesting ferry ride.
Well got to go for now but will catch up more tomorrow.
Well got to go for now but will catch up more tomorrow.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
South island continues!
We made it over to Fox Glacier on Thursday the 2nd.
We were able to book a tour to hike the glacier the next day. We got up in the morning and headed down to the site where we started the tour. It was a crazy walk to the glacier. There were these two Japanese people that the guide, Jared, had to turn back. It is still strange to me how some people completely over estimate how fit they are. This guy they had to turn around barely made it out of the car park. We had not even begun to climb the 700 stairs!! And yes it was really steep. Really nice calf workout. Walking on the glacier was really cool We went to this one spot that had an ice cave. It was really blue beautiful ice. Funny how hiking in parts of the glacier reminded me of slot canyons only with ice instead of sand stone!! And a little colder!!
On Friday we headed out to Charleston to get in one last climbing area on the south island. It was really nice climbing and perfect weather. I am actually really sad that our South island climbing is done. I wish we would have gotten more climbing in but we got about 13 days. Not to bad, but there is just so much to do here.
Saturday we headed for Hanmer springs. Oh and it was Stacy's birthday. We sat in the springs for a few hours. It was nice, but not nearly as nice as Pagosa Spring. I am so spoiled by that place. This place was nice but really there were way too many people in a small area. But it was good to soak in a hot spring and relax. Then of course we drank. I mean it was after all Stacy's birthday!!
Sunday we headed to Kaikora for a whale watching trip. The trip was canceled due to lack of Sperm whales. I guess they were too far out to sea. So we rescheduled for today. We just got back from that trip. It was kind of a bust. No whales, hell not much of anything but a few Albatrosses. But we got a 80 percent refund so it was totally worth it.
So now I think we are headed north and to the north island in a few days. I am looking forward to doing some more climbing. It should be fun.
And c an I just say that I am already having nightmares about actually having to work again.!! Bye for now.
We were able to book a tour to hike the glacier the next day. We got up in the morning and headed down to the site where we started the tour. It was a crazy walk to the glacier. There were these two Japanese people that the guide, Jared, had to turn back. It is still strange to me how some people completely over estimate how fit they are. This guy they had to turn around barely made it out of the car park. We had not even begun to climb the 700 stairs!! And yes it was really steep. Really nice calf workout. Walking on the glacier was really cool We went to this one spot that had an ice cave. It was really blue beautiful ice. Funny how hiking in parts of the glacier reminded me of slot canyons only with ice instead of sand stone!! And a little colder!!
On Friday we headed out to Charleston to get in one last climbing area on the south island. It was really nice climbing and perfect weather. I am actually really sad that our South island climbing is done. I wish we would have gotten more climbing in but we got about 13 days. Not to bad, but there is just so much to do here.
Saturday we headed for Hanmer springs. Oh and it was Stacy's birthday. We sat in the springs for a few hours. It was nice, but not nearly as nice as Pagosa Spring. I am so spoiled by that place. This place was nice but really there were way too many people in a small area. But it was good to soak in a hot spring and relax. Then of course we drank. I mean it was after all Stacy's birthday!!
Sunday we headed to Kaikora for a whale watching trip. The trip was canceled due to lack of Sperm whales. I guess they were too far out to sea. So we rescheduled for today. We just got back from that trip. It was kind of a bust. No whales, hell not much of anything but a few Albatrosses. But we got a 80 percent refund so it was totally worth it.
So now I think we are headed north and to the north island in a few days. I am looking forward to doing some more climbing. It should be fun.
And c an I just say that I am already having nightmares about actually having to work again.!! Bye for now.
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