Singing Our Multicultural Hearts Out

As annoying as the Disney corporation can be, I still grew up watching all the films and memorizing all the songs like all the other kids in my class.  I have quite a few memories of breaking into rousing renditions of Disney songs over the years while hanging out with friends – everyone always joins in, even if just for the chorus. The other day I was walking home with my co-workers Marie-Louise and Pinja when Pinja started humming a song from Beauty and the Beast. I recognized it immediately and started singing along.  She joined me, but after a second I realized she was singing in Finnish and was harmonizing with me in a different language. It didn't take Marie-Louise long to join in, showing off her Swiss mult-lingual skills by singing songs in both German and Italian. Oh Disney, who knew you'd provide such a cultural experience.

Warwick House

As luxurious as the swimming pool at Paradiso was, the busy nature of the backpackers really was not something that attracted me longterm. It wasn't going well on the job front, so in a rather depressed, desperate state, I scrolled through the Backpacker Board website to see if anyone was hiring a backpacker to work for accomodation. There was an unnamed “Historic B & B” looking for a house keeper, so I gave the number a ring and spoke to Jenny. She didn't need anyone for right now, but since I was already in Nelson, she told me to come in for an interview the next day.  She gave me an address and the name - Warwick House, and told me to look it up online before I came.

The house is one of the oldest in Nelson – it was built in 1854, and received numerous renovations and add-ons throughout its time.  In 1941 it was turned into apartments, and stayed that way until 2003 when the owners (Jenny and Nick) purchased and renovated it into a bed and breakfast. I don't think I can describe this place with any justice, so you should check out the website.  When I got there I immediately called it a mansion, but in it's glory days before some wings were torn or burnt down it was known as 'the castle'.  Living in a castle? Even better.  Jenny said she liked me, but wouldn't need any extra help until the second week of March. I thought I could find something to do until then, and left the interview feeling good.  Later that afternoon she texted me saying one of her workers decided to leave early, could I start a week earlier? Yes! To make things even more sweet, a few days later she texted back and said they had a free room and did I want to move in tomorrow? Win!

After running around trying to impress people enough to hire me, the simple, no BS interview/acceptance of this job was really refreshing. So here I am! For right now, I get my own room, free breakfast, use of a bike, and the chance to tell people I live in a castle. I might even be able to borrow a vehicle.  My job will mainly be servicing the rooms, although apparently I will also be painting, gardening, and whatever other odd jobs may pop up. Feeling good about this.

Nelson

When I originally came to New Zealand, I hoped that a introductory tour of the country would inspire me to fall in love with some town or place, where I would return and happily find a job and settle down for a while. Naturally, I fell in love with the whole country and when the time came for Chantal to go home, I still didn't know what to do. I ended up getting the travel writing job in Napier, so my path was set. Near the end of my time there, I knew I had to pick somewhere new to settle down, so I stared at a map of the country and eventually settled on Nelson. The first time I had been through Nelson, it was a Sunday so everything was closed and I was a bit underwhelmed. Still, my cousin Patrice had chosen to settle here when she came to New Zealand so I felt that there had to be some kind of potential. And I'm glad I did. Nelson sits fairly close to the top of the South Island, and it is a short water taxi ride away from the world renown Abel Tasman National Park. It is the second largest congregation of hippies in New Zealand after the Coromandel, and has a large art scene. However, my favourite two qualities of this town are that it is both the craft beer capital of New Zealand and the sunshine capital. In rainy rainy New Zealand, sunshine is a hot commodity.

So my searches on job boards were narrowed down to Nelson, and now that I am here I have no regrets. The town has a population of about 40 000 which gives it an intimate feel (although there are about 80 000 in the whole Tasman region). It's nestled in a valley that is surrounded by large hills on one side and ocean on the other. The local beach is made of golden sand, and the downtown core is architecturally attractive and pedestrian friendly. There is a Saturday market to rival that of large cities and there is always a venue playing some sort of live music playing somewhere in the city.

I haven't found a job here yet, but I'm reluctant to go chase employment somewhere else when there is so much going on here, and I still haven't made it out to Abel Tasman.  Basically what I'm trying to say here is yay Nelson!

Paradiso

I came to Nelson with the exciting prospect of two job possibilities.  The first was working in the farming industry as a fruit maturity tester.  I don't really know what that means either.  When I got to Nelson, I found out I'd need to buy a car (a fact that wasn't advertised on the job description) and they were thinking about giving me a different job within the company.  I wasn't feeling good about going through with the job, so I turned it down.  The other job possibility was as an intern at a publishing company.  I applied for fun in early January, never expecting that I could get the job.  In the beginning of February, I got a call back.  I went for an interview, but didn't end up getting the job. My 'working holiday visa' stamps me with an unfortunate transient status that may have worked negatively in my favour, so I've decided to take it as a compliment to my resume that I was interviewed at all in the first place.

So what have I been doing?  Well, living in paradise.  Nelson is home to Paradiso Backpackers, an above average hostel that offers a fairly cheap bed, free breakfast, and free soup at 6PM every night.  It also features a beautiful big blue pool that is perfect for Nelson, which is the sunshine capital of the country.  In these last days of summer, it is still very warm.

After 3 months of being unemployed in New Zealand, I really do need to start getting the 'working' part of my working holiday visa under order.  It's a bit rough, but in the mean time, I have spent my days in Nelson travelling through the adventures found in novels, sun tanning, and basically taking a vacation from my vacation.  At night there are always travellers gathered in the common area ready to meet new people and have a few drinks which is nice.  Even better, my room is far enough away from the common room that I generally have a good nights sleep.

I have to say, life in Paradise isn't too shabby.

Eulogy

I am sorry to break the news that my beloved camera has gone to technology heaven. Last week, it had a run in with a leaky water bottle and lost. After a week of IRT (Intensive Rice Therapy), I have decided to pull the plug. Even though it's just a piece of plastic and metal, I'm still devastated. My camera has been with me through thick and thin since December of 2009. Its life was too short, but I can testify to the fact that it lived to its fullest potential.

It has been to 15 countries (and 2 principalities). It was witness to the excitement of the night at Carnevale in Venice, and the dark, dirty corners of Napier Prison. It has recorded hours of brilliant music at concerts and festivals. My dear camera came to the tops of the highest medieval bell towers and deep down into the tunnels used in World War I. It has been through caves and castles, to Sasquatch and Shambhala, and around Hogwarts and Hobbiton. Although I can replace the physical body, I will never forget the adventures we shared together. Rest in peace my beloved little black box, I will miss you.

And the Award for Most Popular Nationality of People Visiting New Zealand Goes To..

The Magic Bus stops at a winery in between Picton and Nelson that offers a wine tasting for only $2. You get to try 5 different wines, which is such a good deal that you really can't turn it down. Nearly everyone on our bus headed in for a taste. The woman who poured the wine tried making conversation with all 28 of us, and asked, “So where are you from? Well, all over I guess, eh?”

A guy in the back responded, “Yup, all over Germany.”

Accurate joke was accurate.

Wellington, Again

Because it was Danna's first time in Wellington, I took her around to a lot of the same sights I had been to on my first weekend in the city. This was fine with me since it is a beautiful city with the great vibe. The first evening we had a free dinner in the hostel followed by a walk down Cuba street, took advantage of happy hour in our hostel bar, and then went out to Courtney Place for a few drinks. We were still exhausted from canoeing the day before though, so we went to bed early. The next day, we slept in (glorious!) and then went to the free national museum, Te Papa. When we were done, we stumbled on a Hare Krishna festival happening on the waterfront, so we got free henna tattoos and free curry for lunch! After that, we went up the cable car, wandered around the botanical gardens, and then went back to the hostel where I had my first nap in a long time. That evening we went out to watch fireworks over the waterfront for Chinese New Year. I think Wellington is my favourite city in New Zealand. I'm a bit sad to be leaving.

Whanganui Canoe Safari

After working our legs out so much on the Tongariro crossing, Danna and I felt that our arms needed some attention as well, so we booked ourselves into a Canoe Safaris adventure on the Whanganui River. I had purchased a GrabOne (similar to a Groupon deal) for this which got us a hotel room in Ohakune for a night and a full day out on the river, which is just west of Tongariro National Park. I didn't entirely know what the trip would be, but I was expecting more of a leisurely float down a river. Instead, we ended up on a 22km trek over rapids and constantly had to avoid shallow rocks. It was hard work.

I took the back seat to act as the steering captain. The last time I was in a canoe was in August when I went to Jasper with my family. We went out onto Pyramid Lake, and my brother was in the back doing all the work while I lazily paddled every once in a while, thinking I was helping to move us around the lake. Not so much this time. I am so sorry I was such a tool, Robert. Now I understand.

It took me about a kilometre to get used to steering, and then whenever I felt tired or got distracted by our beautiful surroundings, our canoe steered itself into the side of the river where low tree branches grow and spiders like to hang out. We fell to the back of the group of five other canoes, and so we were never able to stop paddling because we were constantly playing catch up. Then again, at one of corners with more intense rapids, I steered us through while two other canoes tipped over. So we weren't that bad!

Just when I thought I couldn't paddle much farther, we came to our lunch stop: the Lavender Fields Cafe. True to its name, a small wooden cabin surrounded by lavender in full bloom welcomed us in to sit in the shade and rest our weary arms. After that, a short 30 minute ride took us to the pick up point, where I jumped into the river to cool off, and then had a relaxing nap on the hour long drive back to Ohakune.

My arms are dead. But tickets for the gun show go on sale tomorrow at 10AM.

Happy? Hippie. Happy Hippie!

When we went for dinner at the pub in Taupo, there were about three tables full of people from the Magic Bus. As the night went on, numbers started to dwindle and Danna went to join another table as I was deep in conversation with a couple from England. Ruth and Frank decided to head back to the backpackers around 10, and I went to the bathroom. When Danna noticed our table was empty, she became concerned, so she asked Russ, another Magic Bus driver, if he had seen me. He responded in a thick Kiwi accent, and the conversation went like this:

Russ: Does she have a nose ring?

Danna: Yes!

Russ: Is she wearing a green knit sweater?

Danna: Yes!!!

Russ: Is she a happy?

Danna: Is she happy? Yes?

Russ: No, is she a hap-pie?

Danna: Yeah, she's happy.

Russ: Is she a HIP-PAY?

Danna: OH!! Sure..

When I got back to the table, everyone shouted “Heyyy! Hippie!!!” And made room for me to sit down. I really didn't understand where the nickname came from, but I was referred to only as 'Hippie' for the rest of the night. I have always joked that I am a hippie, but I thought I was the only one who thought so. The backstory didn't come out until I asked Danna the next day. My wonderful dirty backpacker lifestyle has finally made my the hippie I know inside become visible on the outside. I'm kind of proud.

Tongariro'd

One of the most famous day hikes in New Zealand is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which is known to be a strenuous 19 km hike over the volcanos in Tongariro National Park. If the weather is bad, the shuttle buses do not operate since the trek can be seriously dangerous in the rain. Prospective hikers are warned that this is not a leisurely stroll, and that proper attire and hiking footwear are necessary. The shuttle drops people off at one end of the trail at 7:30AM and picks them up 8 hours later, so you need to make sure you are capable of walking fast enough to meet the bus at the end. I was a bit concerned over this, because I am as slow as a turtle when I climb up hills, but I decided to take the risk. We woke up Tuesday morning to a blue sky and the promises of a great day.

The trail is absolutely beautiful, and begins with a few kilometres of flat ground that were carved out by a glacier thousands of years ago. All the people on our bus blew past Danna and I, making us worry about the increased fitness level of the rest of our group. We went at our own pace though, and reached the Devil's Staircase, which brought us up 300 metres higher. At the top was the turn off to the summit of Mt Ngauruhoe, or what I like to call Mt Doom since it was where Frodo destroyed the ring in the Lord of the Rings films. To climb to the summit of Ngauruhoe, you need to be 'super fit', and it adds about 3 hours to your hike. I skipped it, as did everyone else on our bus. Mt Doom from afar is good enough for me.

From there, we walked across the Southern crater to the turn off for the optional hike to the summit of Tongariro. I had a lot of energy still, and was 2 hours ahead of the schedule the guides had given me so I decided to walk up to the summit of Tongariro, which added an extra 3km to my hike. Danna decided to skip it, so I went on my own with plans to meet her at a later rest stop. It was a fairly easy trek, and showed views to the Northwest of the farmland down below and Mt Taranaki far off in the distance. As I was returning to the main trail, I met up with a lot of people from my bus. Even though they raced down the trail for the first stretch, everyone seemed to slow down once the incline started, and I was comforted to know I wasn't falling behind. As the trail continued, I reached the peak of the hike at 1886m that gave great views into the Red Crater. It was really impossible to forget you were climbing volcanos and not just mountains. From there, there was a long, steep scree slope going downhill filled with loose rocks and a lot of dirt. People were tentatively finding their way down, but it was actually my favourite part of the hike. I felt like I was running down a sand hill. Flex your feet, swing your arms, and strut like a giant! That was my motto, and it brought me down to the Emerald Lakes which are surrounded by steam vents. When I climbed Mt Vesuvius in Italy, there was snow on top of the volcano which was a pretty convincing indicator that it wouldn't explode with me on it. On the other hand, the volcano range I was on here was still active and has erupted in my lifetime. There are signposts that give information on what to do a volcano does erupt, but the underlying message there is that you're screwed. Luckily, the lava stayed inside the volcanos, and after a relaxing lunch Danna and I kept going. We ended up walking with a man named Frank who was on our bus who made the conversation interesting as we trekked along the final stretch. The last 6km were down the other side of the range with a wonderful view of Lake Taupo, and then through the cool forest to the carpark. It wasn't until the last kilometre that my legs started to wobble.

Overall I did 22.4km, which is the second longest hike I've done. I finished with half an hour to spare, so I have to say it was a bit overhyped, but just helped to boost my self esteem. Part of me also wants to recognize the energy drink I brought along, which I purchased because I needed another water bottle. This “Loaded Sport Assassin” boasts about having 50% more electrolytes than anything other drink in New Zealand, which makes it responsible for enhancing output in high performance sports. I just got it because it was on sale. Then again, I am also privileged to have grown up hiking in the Rocky Mountains, and that experience definitely helped. Apart from being tired, I escaped with only 4 blisters, which really isn't too bad for such a long walk. Overall, it was a wonderful day in the outdoors amongst the barren landscape of lava scarred mountains.

A Belated Reflection on 2011

I meant to do a classic 'reflection' blog post around New Years that looked back on 2011, but I got distracted with other things and forgot. So I'm going to do it now.

2011 was an amazing year for me. My biggest passion in life right now is travel, and I definitely travelled a lot. In February I went to Florida for Reading Week and spent a week in the sun exploring Harry Potter World, Universal Studios, and Disney World. I was accepted into a Spring study abroad program that allowed me to explore France for seven weeks in May and June. When I was there, I received the final credits for my degree by learning the French language and culture while immersed in the country itself. In the beginning of August, I went to BC for a week to experience the wonders of Shambhala Music Festival and at the end of the month, I escaped to Jasper for a few days of fresh mountain air. In September, I went on a West Coast trip with Trish and Jill, and caught up with friends and family in Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland. And of course, I finished off the last month and a half of the year here in New Zealand.

Other than that, I had a fantastic summer in Edmonton with my friends that continued on into the first Fall I can remember that didn't come with the stress of school. Right as I was preparing to leave Edmonton, I realized I was going to miss it for the first time since I started travelling on my own. It is really nice to feel an attachment to a place and the people in it. In November I convocated from the U of A with an English Degree which was the close of another chapter in my life. My first job in New Zealand was to be a writer, which felt amazingly self-affirming in that I obviously did something right during my degree.

As the year drew to a close and everyone around me reflected on how their own year went, I realized 2011 was one of the best years of my life. The only bad thing was the passing of my grandfather, which happened exactly a year ago today. My dear Gido has been on my mind for the past few days. If he was still here, I figure he'd be like my Baba, and not really understand why I continue to want to travel when I've already gone places. It's time for a house and husband! But really, whenever I talk to my Baba I just hear the excitement in her voice to talk to me and to hear I'm having a good time. And a good time I'm having. Here's to you, Gido.

2012 has already been full of communing with nature, meeting new people, great live music, new and unique experiences, and the best crazy dancing. Plans for my future are open to pretty much anything in the world. I am so lucky to have the life I do along with the support of my wonderful friends and family.  I can only hope that the rest of the year will be as spectacular as the first month has been.

Rotorua and Taupo: Take Two

The first time I went to Rotorua, I spent the afternoon in Hobbiton, the evening at the Tamaki Cultural Village, and the following morning at the Wai-o-Tapu Geothermal Reserve. It made for a very exciting 24 hours, but I really didn't get to see the town itself. It wasn't until my return to Rotorua yesterday that I even realized the town is cradled by a lake.

Rotorua is the hub of New Zealand's geothermal activity, so the main park in the town is full of fenced off hot pools, steaming lakes, and boiling mud. The drains in the street have a constant flow of steam coming out of them, which reminds me of the unbearably cold days at home when the water vapours in the sewers condense as fog. The smell of sulphur lingers in the air and every once in a while a breeze blows that pungent rotten egg scent towards you. After we Ogo-ed, Danna and I went for a walk to check out these natural wonders, and then came back to the hostel to soak in the geothermally heated hot tub. Awesome.

During my first day in Taupo, I went skydiving, bee-lined it to town for a much needed dinner, then ended up in Mulligans Irish Pub and stayed there for the rest of the evening. On the way back north, our bus broke down and so we didn't get into Taupo until 7:30, at which time we went for a much needed dinner then ended up in Mulligans for the rest of the evening. This time, I was determined to see more of the town than just the pub. We arrived in Taupo, and Matt, our bus driver, offered us a ride to the thermal pools outside of town. There's a natural hot spot that releases boiling water into the Waikato River, which is freezing cold. Normally, the river is quite high, so if you jump into this unique little spot, you have a nice warm pool to splash around in. Apparently, the river was about a metre lower than normal, which meant we were reduced to sitting down in about 10 centimetres of water, trying to avoid the waves of frigid water that came in from the river. According to Matt, the springs were not showing their best, but I still really enjoyed it. In the evening, Danna wanted to go to Mulligans for the backpacker's special (beer and a burger for 12 dollars). My resolve to see more of Taupo was apparently not that strong, so I joined the group from the Magic Bus and headed to Mulligans where I stayed for the rest of the night. I really don't understand what it is about this pub. It just sucks me in.

Ogo

One thing the Kiwis have invented here in this secluded little corner of the world is the sport of rolling down a hill in a giant inflatable plastic ball. The inventors originally called the enterprise 'Zorbing', but when their business relationship went sour, one of the partners cut his losses, went to another part of town, and made a longer, better track with better plastic balls and called it 'Ogo'. Danna and I were sold after hearing “giant plastic ball”.

We got to the hill, and opted for the water filled ball on the curvy track. We were driven to the top of the hill, and the employee filled up our ball with about 2 litres of water, and told us to run and dive into the small hole (which was probably about 60cm in diameter). I went first with about as much grace as a fish out of water, and Danna quickly followed me in with a similar lack of dignity. As the employee zipped up that little hole, she told us to stand up and walk as far as possible to gain momentum. So we stood up, and within two steps, we were both on our backs as the hill took over the task of rolling us down. Danna immediately erupted into semi-hysterical giggles that lasted all the way down the 5 minute track. Rolling down the hill felt like a mix of being on a water slide and being in a washing machine. To start, we were laying next to each other with our heads comfortably above our feet. Within the first minute, the ball flipped us around so we were rolling down head first. I thought that was bad, but then the track really took over and we lost all control. One turn and we were facing each other, another and Danna's knee connected with my head. At one point I somehow had Danna pinned underneath me. We finally rolled down to the bottom and Danna's peals of laughter continued as the employees came over to unzip us and told us to climb on out. I heard an explanation of Ogo once that said exiting the ball is like coming out of a birth canal, and I really can't give you any better description than that. The sealed ball really heated up on the way down, and so I dropped out of the ball, wet and dripping, dizzy and a bit disoriented, onto the beautifully cool grass.

I love you, you crazy Kiwis. So much fun.

Danna's Here!

My dear friend Danna arrived in Auckland yesterday to start her own 5 month trip to the great land of New Zealand.  We are going to travel together for the next week or so, and then I am heading to the Nelson area on the south island to commence the "working" part of my working holiday visa.  I guess reality had to kick in sometime.  Danna is still job searching, but is going to try and find something in the same area so we can see eachother.

I have to say, it is really nice to see a familiar face, and I met Danna in Cortona so I already know she's a competent traveller.  Danna had an orientation session today because she came through the SWAP program, so I just chilled around the hostel, did laundry, and caught up on posting pictures on my Flickr account.  I have been a bit low on enpergy for the past few days so it was nice to have 'the day off'.

This evening we headed to Albert Park for the Chinese Lantern Festival to celebrate the end of the Chinese New Year.  We have opted for a quiet night since we have to catch the Magic Bus to Rotorua at 7:30.  Here I go again!

Rangitoto

One thing you may not know about Auckland is that the city is surrounded by about 50 volcanos that are visible around the city as hills and islands in the harbour. The youngest volcano is about 600 years old. It's called Rangitoto, and is accessible by ferry for day hikes. I managed to drag my lazy ass out of bed and onto the first ferry at 9:15, which put me on the island just before ten. Perfect for a day of exploring the volcano!

Near the harbour are small little houses called 'bachs' that were built in the early 20^th century. Some have been demolished, but others still show evidence of being lived in. They're cute little cottages, and other than the waves of tourists who come to explore the island every day, it would be a nice 'away from it all' place to live that is still really close to the conveniences of Auckland. I took the long route up to the top of the crater, which led me along the shores of the island on a path surrounded by black volcanic rock, through a gorgeous grove of Pohutukawa trees, and past a lighthouse. It also had great views of the Auckland CBD. Eventually, the path turned inland and I started to climb up. Near the top were the lava caves, which are natural tunnels that somehow developed out of the molten lava back when the volcano was still visibly active. The caves were cool because they were just long enough that you could be in the dark while still being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

From the caves, I headed up to the top of the crater, which has an absolutely spectacular 360 degree view. I had a quick picnic lunch, ran out of water (it was a very hot and humid day), and decided to continue on since I had to be back for the last ferry at 3:30. I wanted to check out the bay on the opposite side of the island, but sadly I didn't have enough time. I took a longer route back to the wharf so I could see something different, but halfway to the ferry I was hit with a wave of dehydrated exhaustion. It turns out I went on about a 13 km hike around the island, so no wonder I was tired.

When I got back to my hostel, I had a grand reunion with water and rested in my bed. About an hour later, it became apparent that the sunscreen I had put on my shoulders had rubbed off and the sunscreen I neglected to put on my arms was coming back to teach me a lesson. Sun burn. My poor, poor red arms. I'll never learn.