That's right, folks. I am in love. It's a perfect, pure love. Not the fleeting kind, but the committed, lasting kind of love.
New Zealand is perfect. Even when it rains and is windy, it is perfection. I can't get over how beautiful it is. I have seen a good deal of the North Island, and with each town I visit and every hill I climb, I think, it can't get better than this. But then, I travel on, and find a city and mountain even more spectacular than the last, and it catches me off guard each time. The people here are totally spoiled by the exquisite land that they live on. It is really unbelievable.
And for now, if you have never meandered to this gorgeous place, you will have to take my word. I am having the worst luck with loading pictures. I will load them as soon as I can. Be patient, I have to be.
A lot has happened and much has been experienced since my last entry. I will try to sum stuff up better than the last million word entry.
Hamilton (5 Days, 4 Nights):
-Real fun. I stayed with the Astons, who have officially become my Kiwi Family. I met them through couchsurfing and they are the greatest. Carol is a real fun lady who is a very talented artist. She is really sweet, and kind. I have a blast hanging out and talking with her. Her husband Tim is great. He takes me into town, picks me up from the bus stop, and even took to the Waitamo Caves on Tuesday. He is so nice, and also great to talk to. Their son Nick is real class; he lives in the shed, so I have only gotten to talk to him a few times. He is real funny and nice. All in all, a loving (and Christian) family.
-They are the ones who live in the country.
- Hungout at an Irish pub with a dude I met through couchsurfing. Was a fun night.
- Chilled around the city and on the farm. All in all my time in Hamilton was great.
Rotorua (5 Days, 4 Nights):
- Seriously smells like rotten eggs. Rotorua is world famous for their natural hot springs and thermal pools. And for smelling like poop.
-Rotorua, the city, is situated in the crater of a volcano. If erupted, I would be dead. And it is not extinct. The last time it erupted was in 1889, totally destroying the settlement their and a few Maori tribes. Freaky.
- I stayed with my friend Sean's friend Kirsty, who he went to high school with. She is awesome. We got along so well. So sweet and welcoming. We listened to a lot of music, played cards and LAUGHED a lot. I am hoping to go back to Rotorua to celebrate Thanksgiving with her and her friends (she's an Aussie, but an MK, so she has been celebrating Thanksgiving for years with other missionary families).
-All of Kirsty's friends are healthcare professionals. They are either nurses (like Kirsty), GPs, surgeons, or whatever else. I felt like I was in Grey's Anatomy or Scrubs. I was just waiting for Zach Braff to show up, but sadly, he never did. It was really funny to be amidst all these professional people my age, you know, being unemployed and homeless. Classic.
- Chilled in a thermal pool my first night. So hot. And my rings tarnished from the sulphur (I think the sulphur). And my shorts still smell a bit funny because of it.
- Cafes, museums, thermal pools, Braveheart, outdoor bowls, the bathhouse, Redwood forest.
- I was suppose to leave last Thursday, but my bus broke down, and I ended up having to stay another day, but it was nice hanging with Kirsty.
New Plymouth (4 Days, 3 Nights):
-TOTALLY AWESOME! New Plymouth is right on the west coast of the North Island. You could see the Tasman sea from where I was staying out on their front porch. Then, go the their kitchen, look out the window, and there is Mount Taranaki. So beautiful. This snow-capped volcano (I am telling you, there are volcanoes everywhere). If you have ever seen The Last Samurai, the entire film was shot in New Plymouth and Mt. Taranaki was Mt Fuji.
- The couple I stayed with, Barbara and Craig were totally awesome. They picked me up at the bus stop, bought me dinner, showed me all around New Plymouth, took me to the Sugar Loaf Islands, took me to down town, made me dinners, took me on walks, let me use their internet, took me a scenic drive around the area and to black sand beaches, taught me more about rugby, and watched a really cool documentary about Blues Music. Basically, they were awesome and I had a blast.
- Went to the city museum. And you will NOT believe this. They had a traveling exhibit. About dinosaurs. And it was Sue. The T-Rex. From the Field Museum. In Chicago. I have grown-up going to the Field Museum almost annually. To think, the most familiar thing that I have seen in the last month has been a dinosaur carcass just cracks me up.
Hamilton (Again. 3 Days, 2 Nights):
- I was suppose to go to Wellington, but I couldn't find a place to stay. So, Carol and Tim let me come back. Actually, Carol wanted me to stay forever! Haha. It was really neat to go somewhere, and recognize people and places. I was only there for 2 nights, but it was great to go "home".
- Tim and I went to the Waitamo Caves and went on a glow worm tour. Pretty cool. I am planning on going back in the summer (Dec) and doing black water rafting. Basically, you ride down the river, in inter tubes, in the dark. Sweet as.
WELLINGTON!!! (Just got here yesterday)
-I am finally here, and it is awesome! I contacted this guy named Steven, he is my friend Ashley's friend from college, and he found me a place to stay (I told him about my places to stay falling through, and he asked his friend's family if I could stay with them).
- I am planning on living here, and I am so psyched about it. It is a cool city. It has a very unique feel and style. Welly --its nickname-- is often compared to San Fran, but greener. There are hills everywhere and it, Wellington, sits right on the water. Too bad no beaches, but still choice.
- Today was a beautiful day. Sunny and warmer than it has been. Great weather for exploring the city.
-The girl I am staying with, Angelic, is really nice. And her fam is great. She picked me up at the bus stop, along with Steven and their friend Sam and we all went out for burgers. I enjoyed hanging out with people close to my age (I don't do it often. Either older couples or just myself. That's one reason I totally loved being in Rotorua with Kirsty).
General Info:
- I am doing real well. I am still loving my time here. Some people have asked me if I am getting lonely, and mostly the answer is no. I had a hard time, about a week and a half ago, but I called my parents at 2 am their time, and made them talk to me. I felt a little better after our convo (part of it was that I didn't have a place to stay the next day, and I was getting all anxious and nauseated). But than I went back to Carols and had a nice, long talk with her, and everything was better. I stayed with them a few extra days, so no worries, I haven't slept in a park yet.
- My clothes are starting to smell funny. I have done one load of laundry, but I need to do more ASAP because I am starting to STANK.
- I am sick of spending money. Stuff is expensive!
- I have a job interview tomorrow for a short term nanny position, and I really want to get it. Pray that is works out! The funds are depleting, and I need to be saving money and making some as well.
- Our close family friends, the Fores, are going to be in New Zealand in a few weeks, and I am going to meet up with them! Mr and Mrs Fore's twin girls, Katie and Meghan are studying in Sydney, and they are traveling around AUS and NZ for a bit. I am meeting up with them in Queenstown, and I am SOOO excited to see people I know. It is going to be great.
- Umm, I have read 5 books since I have been here. And I am in the process of reading 3 more.
- I miss my bed.
- I really love watching rugby. And I understand it a lot more now.
- If you haven't given me your address already, and you are not in my church directory, give it to me!! I am sending postcards, and you don't want to miss out. Also, I am trying to see how long it takes for them to reach people, so if you have received already, let me know it arrived! And if you haven't yet, don't worry, your time will come.
-Also, if any of you see my parents ever, give them a hug from me.
love from aotearoa,
jewels
25.9.08
12.9.08
yadda yadda yadda
quick update:
-bought a camera. not to worry, more pictures will arrive soon.
- i dont currently have a place to stay next. i feel like i might ralph.
- met some cool people here in hamilton. hungout at an irish pub last night and listened to really bad music. rock on.
- i might have found a flat! so that is pretty sweet. i hope it works out.
thats it. thanks demo and nicole for reading my blog in its entirety. i went through later and saw all the errors, and it annoyed me. sorry about that.
thats it for now.
julie
-bought a camera. not to worry, more pictures will arrive soon.
- i dont currently have a place to stay next. i feel like i might ralph.
- met some cool people here in hamilton. hungout at an irish pub last night and listened to really bad music. rock on.
- i might have found a flat! so that is pretty sweet. i hope it works out.
thats it. thanks demo and nicole for reading my blog in its entirety. i went through later and saw all the errors, and it annoyed me. sorry about that.
thats it for now.
julie
11.9.08
we are the music makers
I know it has been too long. For this I apologize. There was just so much fun to have and brilliant new things to see. I am currently in Hamilton. I just arrived here earlier today and am staying with a very nice family in the country. But first, I need to update you all on my travels. Quick summaries and highlights are about to commence.
Auckland (3 nights)
I didn't know too much about Auckland before I landed there. It's New Zealand's largest city with a little over a million people, and is home to Sky Tower, the southern hemisphere's tallest building; that was pretty much my knowledge of Auckland, and therefore had no real expectations for my time there. I ended up really enjoying the time I had there.
-I couchsurfed at friendly single lady's flat in Balmoral, a suburb of Auckland. She picked me up, gave me keys to her flat, and went off to work. I explored the city with two other surfers she had staying with her from the night before, Mia and Tez (a married couple from Manchester. He's a brit, she's a yank).
-Mia and Tez introduced me to the sights and sounds of Auckland. I learned the bus system real quick. Not too hard, but more expensive than US buses. We went to a nice cafe in Balmoral and then headed to the city centre.
- Got a bank account with ANZ banks.
- Got a phone!! Little piece of junk Nokia, but I love it. 640212373112 is my number.
- Checked out the possibilty of buying a car or van. Decided to pass and just bus everywhere.
- Purchased a Flex-Pass bus ticket. 60 hours of transportation for 585$ NZ. Not too bad. It is also valid for 12 months, and I can top up whenever I like.
- Ate at nice little shops around Alison's flat. Had Catonese, Thai, and Turkish.
- Traveled to Devonport by ferry and spent an afternoon there. It is a little suburb of Auckland. I really enjoyed my time there. Just walked along the coast, took pictures and checked out the shops (there is an issue with the camera, so I can't post pictures anymore. read on and you will find out).
-Went to the top of Sky Tower. So different than the times I went to the top of the Sears Tower. More expensive, less people. The view was awesome. I wasn't planning on going to the top, but when will I have another chance to do that?
Whangarei (3 hour ride from Auckland, 4 nights)
I left Auckland Thursday, and headed up for Whangarei. I caught a ride with Naked Bus. In order to ride it, you have to be in just your birthday suit. I thought it was a little weird, but hey, it was only 20$. The drive up to Whangarei (Fahn-ga-ray) was really beautiful. In the past when I have traveled, some of my favorite parts have been the rides to my destination. This was no exception. I was meet at the bus stop by Adam, the flatmate of the girl I contacted to stay with through couchsurfing. It turned out she, Fauna, was visiting her parents up north and wouldn't be returning until Saturday. I was a bit uneasy because one of my rules to only say with ladies and families. It all turned out great. Adam is a good Christian guy. I emphasize the good part. I know plenty of dodgey Christian boys. Anyway, he picked up, took me back the flat and made us dinner (which was quite good). And then I slept in a nice, big bed. More tidbits:
- Explored Whangarei on Friday and figured out their bus system (the buses were few and far between).
- Indian food!! Kiwis love this dish (and Adam said it is a Kiwi-Indian dish) called buttered chicken. Ever heard of it? Well, it was awesome. The great dinner was followed by a nice chat with Adam.
- Saturday I again headed down to Whangarei. Hungout at a cafe and ate Subway (really cheap compared to everything else).
- Read all but 70 pages of Angels and Demons by Dan Brown.
- Meet Fauna on Saturday. She is SO nice and bubbly. I really hope she and her friend Lily (who I also meet Sat.) and Adam come visit me when I settle down.
- Went to a Rugby match!!! I was soooo excited to go. Adam and his best friend Mike (who was also visiting for the weekend, real nice guy. For those of you who know who Flight of the Conchords are, he talked the EXACT same way as Jemaine. Not was witty, but his voice sounded like him. Before I met him, I heard him talking in the kitchen, and was thinking, "Adam's friend is Jemaine? This is awesome." Oh well, Mike is really cool so it worked out. Back to Rugby, Fauna and Lily had both never been to a match, so I explained the game to them. That was pretty funny since Americans shouldn't know anything about the sport. It was Northland vs. Tasman (I cheered for Northland b/c that was where we were and who they were all cheering for). We got spanked; I think that final was 10-28. Not a good day for Northland.
- Adam and Michael took me on a trip up the coast and to the Bay of Islands on Sunday. This was an amazing day. The roads up the coast were windy, twisting, narrow and steep. Adam knew them well, and my nerves and grip quickly loosened after a few minutes. If you get remotely car sick or are afraid of heights, this drive might have killed you. But I loved it!! They took me to a ton of places to take pictures (my digital wasn't charged so I used my Nikon N60. I can't wait to see how they turned out. Adam took pictures with his digital and I have them on facebook already). That day we went to Russell, Paiha, Kawakawa, Bay of Islands and everywhere in between.
- Watched the Hulk. Umm . . . yeah.
- Made Michael take me to the bus stop in Whangarei city centre (was staying in a suburb called Kamo). I waited for almost an hour in the rain for a bus that never showed. I made it on time to catch the bus up to Kaitaia. Was fully clothed for that trip.
Kaitaia (2.5 hour ride from Whangarei, 2 nights)
I decided to go to Kaitaia to serve as a base to visit the 90 mile beach and Cape Reinga. I stayed with an really interesting family, again with couchsurfing (Mom-Eloise, Dad- Frank, Son-Christopher). They were so welcoming and fun. Christopher is the coolest little dude, and not shy at all.
-The first night there were three other surfers staying with the family. They were all Uni (University) students in Auckland. Girl- Kaelyn from Singapore, Boy 1- Dude (forgot his name) from Malaysia, Boy 2- Joss from France. We were a mini United Nations. They were real nice, especially Kaelyn. We are hoping to travel together in the summer.
-Tour of 90 mile beach and the Cape!!! TOTALLY RIGHTEOUS!!! The other couchsurfers ended up being on the same tour as I was, so that was really great. I am not kidding, the might be the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life. I loved my day there (this past Tuesday). The tour included driving on the 90 mile Beach (only tour buses, vans and vehicles with 4WD. Insurance companies do NOT cover damage to cars on the 90 mile beach. Far too often cars get stuck and are never pulled out. There are a lot of car carcasses in the sand), sand dune tobaggoning (pretty much the coolest thing ever. Climb a huge sand dune and ride a sled or surf board down. Too bad this is where the camera causuality occured. The fine sand made its way into the lens. Tried to fix and had Frank take it apart, but it has almost flatlined. Let's pray that it will heal), hiking to the Cape to see the lighthouse and where the too oceans meet, numerous stops on beautiful beaches (where not many people visited) and more stops along the way to take pictures of the breath-taking scenery.
- Teas with the Frelch's. Cuddles from Christopher. I miss kids.
- Truck ride to Whangarei (Frank is a truck driver, and he gave me a ride to Whangarei to catch the bus. Saved me about $30, and I got to ride in a big old truck. It was awesome. Sure, I had to get up at 330, but it was free!!).
Back to Auckland
I had to spend the night in Auckland before I made my way to Hamilton (where I am now). My original couch didn't work out, so Alison kindly let me stay with her again.
- Chilled at Borders (I know, I am a traitor) for a few hours waiting for Alison to get off work. I read 286 pages from Eclipse, the third book in Stephenie Meyers Twilight series. I read the first two, and now I have to finish the series. It is ok; entertaining, easy read, not that well written. But enjoyable. Ate some food, drank a flat white (espresso+milk+foam= goodness).
- Dinner with Alison and Linette (the other surfer that I shared a bed with) at a Japanese place. SOOOOO good. Linette is here for a month. She is living in Sydney with her partner's family (that is what people call their bfs and gfs here.), and got bored and decided to come spend some time here. She is real cool.
- Caught the bus to Hamilton
Hamilton
I have only been here for a few hours. They family I am staying with are out right now. They went to go see "Cats". Weber has invaded New Zealand as well. They live in the country and have TONS of animals. They live in a log cabin/house. Their animals include:
- 3 cats
- 3 dogs
- 3 cows
- Chickens
- Ducks
- Geese
- Pigs
- Guinea fowl
- Turkeys
- Peacocks
- Sheep (of course)
This is a pretty cool place. I am excited slow down a bit. So, this was really long. You probably didn't read the whole thing (I probably wouldn't). Forgive all the typos; I didn't feel like proofreading. I will try to update more often. Also, if you haven't given me your address, please do so. I am really good at corresponding. I have been sending out postcards every few days. It is going to take me a while to send one to everyone, so be patient. They will come.
Love you all, and I wish you could experience this magical place with me.
jewels
Auckland (3 nights)
I didn't know too much about Auckland before I landed there. It's New Zealand's largest city with a little over a million people, and is home to Sky Tower, the southern hemisphere's tallest building; that was pretty much my knowledge of Auckland, and therefore had no real expectations for my time there. I ended up really enjoying the time I had there.
-I couchsurfed at friendly single lady's flat in Balmoral, a suburb of Auckland. She picked me up, gave me keys to her flat, and went off to work. I explored the city with two other surfers she had staying with her from the night before, Mia and Tez (a married couple from Manchester. He's a brit, she's a yank).
-Mia and Tez introduced me to the sights and sounds of Auckland. I learned the bus system real quick. Not too hard, but more expensive than US buses. We went to a nice cafe in Balmoral and then headed to the city centre.
- Got a bank account with ANZ banks.
- Got a phone!! Little piece of junk Nokia, but I love it. 640212373112 is my number.
- Checked out the possibilty of buying a car or van. Decided to pass and just bus everywhere.
- Purchased a Flex-Pass bus ticket. 60 hours of transportation for 585$ NZ. Not too bad. It is also valid for 12 months, and I can top up whenever I like.
- Ate at nice little shops around Alison's flat. Had Catonese, Thai, and Turkish.
- Traveled to Devonport by ferry and spent an afternoon there. It is a little suburb of Auckland. I really enjoyed my time there. Just walked along the coast, took pictures and checked out the shops (there is an issue with the camera, so I can't post pictures anymore. read on and you will find out).
-Went to the top of Sky Tower. So different than the times I went to the top of the Sears Tower. More expensive, less people. The view was awesome. I wasn't planning on going to the top, but when will I have another chance to do that?
Whangarei (3 hour ride from Auckland, 4 nights)
I left Auckland Thursday, and headed up for Whangarei. I caught a ride with Naked Bus. In order to ride it, you have to be in just your birthday suit. I thought it was a little weird, but hey, it was only 20$. The drive up to Whangarei (Fahn-ga-ray) was really beautiful. In the past when I have traveled, some of my favorite parts have been the rides to my destination. This was no exception. I was meet at the bus stop by Adam, the flatmate of the girl I contacted to stay with through couchsurfing. It turned out she, Fauna, was visiting her parents up north and wouldn't be returning until Saturday. I was a bit uneasy because one of my rules to only say with ladies and families. It all turned out great. Adam is a good Christian guy. I emphasize the good part. I know plenty of dodgey Christian boys. Anyway, he picked up, took me back the flat and made us dinner (which was quite good). And then I slept in a nice, big bed. More tidbits:
- Explored Whangarei on Friday and figured out their bus system (the buses were few and far between).
- Indian food!! Kiwis love this dish (and Adam said it is a Kiwi-Indian dish) called buttered chicken. Ever heard of it? Well, it was awesome. The great dinner was followed by a nice chat with Adam.
- Saturday I again headed down to Whangarei. Hungout at a cafe and ate Subway (really cheap compared to everything else).
- Read all but 70 pages of Angels and Demons by Dan Brown.
- Meet Fauna on Saturday. She is SO nice and bubbly. I really hope she and her friend Lily (who I also meet Sat.) and Adam come visit me when I settle down.
- Went to a Rugby match!!! I was soooo excited to go. Adam and his best friend Mike (who was also visiting for the weekend, real nice guy. For those of you who know who Flight of the Conchords are, he talked the EXACT same way as Jemaine. Not was witty, but his voice sounded like him. Before I met him, I heard him talking in the kitchen, and was thinking, "Adam's friend is Jemaine? This is awesome." Oh well, Mike is really cool so it worked out. Back to Rugby, Fauna and Lily had both never been to a match, so I explained the game to them. That was pretty funny since Americans shouldn't know anything about the sport. It was Northland vs. Tasman (I cheered for Northland b/c that was where we were and who they were all cheering for). We got spanked; I think that final was 10-28. Not a good day for Northland.
- Adam and Michael took me on a trip up the coast and to the Bay of Islands on Sunday. This was an amazing day. The roads up the coast were windy, twisting, narrow and steep. Adam knew them well, and my nerves and grip quickly loosened after a few minutes. If you get remotely car sick or are afraid of heights, this drive might have killed you. But I loved it!! They took me to a ton of places to take pictures (my digital wasn't charged so I used my Nikon N60. I can't wait to see how they turned out. Adam took pictures with his digital and I have them on facebook already). That day we went to Russell, Paiha, Kawakawa, Bay of Islands and everywhere in between.
- Watched the Hulk. Umm . . . yeah.
- Made Michael take me to the bus stop in Whangarei city centre (was staying in a suburb called Kamo). I waited for almost an hour in the rain for a bus that never showed. I made it on time to catch the bus up to Kaitaia. Was fully clothed for that trip.
Kaitaia (2.5 hour ride from Whangarei, 2 nights)
I decided to go to Kaitaia to serve as a base to visit the 90 mile beach and Cape Reinga. I stayed with an really interesting family, again with couchsurfing (Mom-Eloise, Dad- Frank, Son-Christopher). They were so welcoming and fun. Christopher is the coolest little dude, and not shy at all.
-The first night there were three other surfers staying with the family. They were all Uni (University) students in Auckland. Girl- Kaelyn from Singapore, Boy 1- Dude (forgot his name) from Malaysia, Boy 2- Joss from France. We were a mini United Nations. They were real nice, especially Kaelyn. We are hoping to travel together in the summer.
-Tour of 90 mile beach and the Cape!!! TOTALLY RIGHTEOUS!!! The other couchsurfers ended up being on the same tour as I was, so that was really great. I am not kidding, the might be the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life. I loved my day there (this past Tuesday). The tour included driving on the 90 mile Beach (only tour buses, vans and vehicles with 4WD. Insurance companies do NOT cover damage to cars on the 90 mile beach. Far too often cars get stuck and are never pulled out. There are a lot of car carcasses in the sand), sand dune tobaggoning (pretty much the coolest thing ever. Climb a huge sand dune and ride a sled or surf board down. Too bad this is where the camera causuality occured. The fine sand made its way into the lens. Tried to fix and had Frank take it apart, but it has almost flatlined. Let's pray that it will heal), hiking to the Cape to see the lighthouse and where the too oceans meet, numerous stops on beautiful beaches (where not many people visited) and more stops along the way to take pictures of the breath-taking scenery.
- Teas with the Frelch's. Cuddles from Christopher. I miss kids.
- Truck ride to Whangarei (Frank is a truck driver, and he gave me a ride to Whangarei to catch the bus. Saved me about $30, and I got to ride in a big old truck. It was awesome. Sure, I had to get up at 330, but it was free!!).
Back to Auckland
I had to spend the night in Auckland before I made my way to Hamilton (where I am now). My original couch didn't work out, so Alison kindly let me stay with her again.
- Chilled at Borders (I know, I am a traitor) for a few hours waiting for Alison to get off work. I read 286 pages from Eclipse, the third book in Stephenie Meyers Twilight series. I read the first two, and now I have to finish the series. It is ok; entertaining, easy read, not that well written. But enjoyable. Ate some food, drank a flat white (espresso+milk+foam= goodness).
- Dinner with Alison and Linette (the other surfer that I shared a bed with) at a Japanese place. SOOOOO good. Linette is here for a month. She is living in Sydney with her partner's family (that is what people call their bfs and gfs here.), and got bored and decided to come spend some time here. She is real cool.
- Caught the bus to Hamilton
Hamilton
I have only been here for a few hours. They family I am staying with are out right now. They went to go see "Cats". Weber has invaded New Zealand as well. They live in the country and have TONS of animals. They live in a log cabin/house. Their animals include:
- 3 cats
- 3 dogs
- 3 cows
- Chickens
- Ducks
- Geese
- Pigs
- Guinea fowl
- Turkeys
- Peacocks
- Sheep (of course)
This is a pretty cool place. I am excited slow down a bit. So, this was really long. You probably didn't read the whole thing (I probably wouldn't). Forgive all the typos; I didn't feel like proofreading. I will try to update more often. Also, if you haven't given me your address, please do so. I am really good at corresponding. I have been sending out postcards every few days. It is going to take me a while to send one to everyone, so be patient. They will come.
Love you all, and I wish you could experience this magical place with me.
jewels
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