Tag Archives: new zealand

A Long & Winding Road (New Zealand Day 6)

This morning we took a local’s advice (front desk receptionist at Woodlyn Park), and embarked on an adventure to find a few natural attractions in the area. She warned us to make sure we had a full tank of gas (we didn’t), and we set off!

Mangapõhue Natural Bridge

Following one long road the entire time, our first stop was at Mangapõhue natural bridge. Just a five minute walk down through the bush, you stumble upon a huge rock formation, with water flowing underneath it creating a cave as well as a huge rock arch above you. In contrast to what we originally thought, we ended up viewing this natural bridge from underneath, instead of overtop. We explored the countryside for a little, then returned back to the road to continue to our next stop.

Suspended bridge walking to the natural bridge

Natural bridge from north side

Natural bridge from south side

Marokopa Falls

A few miles later we pulled off the road at Marokopa Falls, allegedly the biggest waterfall in New Zealand. After another five minute speed walk through the bush, we found ourselves near the base of this huge and absolutely beautiful waterfall. It was a little too wet/muddy to try and risk hiking down to the bottom of the falls, but we still had a breathtaking view from where we were. Definitely a fantastic find!

Marokopa Falls

Marokopa

Our final destination took a few more miles of driving along the long and winding Te Anga road, but we made it there successfully (aka with plenty of gas)! Referred to something like Coffee Coast by the hotel receptionist (could not find this name anywhere), we arrived in the tiny town of Maropkopa, where we followed a short trail down to the black sand beach. As you can imagine, we lost phone service around the natural bridge area, and although I forgot to take a picture, at the trail entrance there was a sign posted that read, “in case of emergency, dial 911 from the nearest house or public facility.” So that gives an idea of how isolated we were. There was a huge inlet that clearly would completely flood during high tide, but was only about half full at the time we were there. We took a few pictures and moments to take in the incredibly peaceful scenery, then got back in the car for the trek back. I also took a small flat black rock along, to represent the black beach and surviving the trek out to the coast!

Black sand beach

Panoramic view of Marokopa Coast

After arriving back to the tiny town of Waitomo, we grabbed lunch, filled up on gas, and headed towards Auckland to drop our car off by 5pm. We checked into our hostel, took a short walk around the city, joined a friend for dinner, and got to bed early in preparation for our early morning flight. Overall, New Zealand provided so many incredible experiences, and I have come to the conclusion that one week is not NEARLY enough to explore just part of only the North Island. With that being said, I guess I will have to come back someday. Until that day, Kia Ora, New Zealand!

Scenic New Zealand countryside

Hobbiton Movie Set (New Zealand Day 5)

Today we visited the Hobbiton movie set just outside Matamata, used in the filming of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Covering 12 acres, this beautiful landscape includes Hobbit Holes, the Mill, Lake, Shire, Green Dragon Inn and more.

Hobbiton Set Building

This property is owned by the Alexander family, and remains a fully functional working farm, producing sheep’s wool and cattle meat/hides. In 1998, Peter Jackson, director of the movies, approached the Alexander’s requesting to use the land for filming, and after the contracts were signed, he embarked on a journey of detailing sets, starting with site construction in 1999. To build the small town, the New Zealand Army was actually asked to assist in building roads, transporting equipment, and filling in a large swamp area to transform it into a field. Although they were not paid, they were reimbursed by being offered fighting roles in the movies. Most of these men were so enthusiastic about the filming that Jackson had to request them to tone it down so it was not too violent for a family movie, and three men were hospitalized for fighting a bit too intensely!

Hobbit hole

Details Details Details

The level of detail that Jackson included into his set is incredible, and can be seen on the property:

Jackson did not think the sheep that came with the farm fit the time era they for shooting for, so he had the native sheep removed and imported sheep for filming.
The wooden beams of the hobbit holes were distressed using a chainsaw, soaked in vinegar and dried to make them look the appropriate ago. A mixture of glue, wood chips, and cement was also used to splatter on wood, giving it the appearance that it is naturally covered in lichens.
The orchard, which was originally comprised of plum trees in the book series, was not aesthetically appealing to Jackson, so he planted pear and apple trees instead. When it came time for filming, all the fruit and leaves were stripped off the trees, and artificial plums were attached to make the scene look comparable.
There is even a tree on top of the hill that is completely artificial. It is made of a steel trunk and branch frame, painted with weatherproof material to make it look and stay looking realistic. Additionally, individual leaves were attached all over the tree, and later all individually painted a different color.
There are also three hobbit holes built into the background hill of the valley, with the intention being solely just in case the camera accidentally paned and caught a glimpse of the background. All the work of altering the background landscape from its natural empty fields was shown for a grand total of three seconds throughout the film series.

Fake tree mentioned above

On Set

Our tour began by bus, traveling though the filming grounds, where our guides pointed out different sections. The first main section was a large fenced-in field, which use to house over 250 species of animals used throughout filming. A section to the right was used to store tech equipment, and now is used as the farm’s maintenance department. There was a field used solely for all hair and makeup, next to a small hill that was acted as the communication hub of the property.

Following the winding road, you end up in Hobbiton, where majority of the filming took place. We walked through town, learning that all of the hobbit holes were only used for external filming, while all inside scenes for filmed in the “Hobbit Mansion,” an indoor set in Wellington containing over 130 separate rooms. On property, there are multiple sizes of hobbit holes, some on a 30% scale to make characters look large, up to a 90% scale to make other characters appear small.

Stereotypical tourist photo at a hobbit hole

We walked though the pathways, garden, over the bridge of the lake, and into the Green Dragon Inn. This property serve four unique drinks, three alcoholic and one non-alcoholic, and can be found nowhere else in the world since they were created specifically for the movie set tours. The Green Dragon Inn is internationally and externally decorated and fully functional, even offering an area for private functions. The entire landscape of Hobbiton is extremely beautiful, encompassing the natural wonders of New Zealand, and enhancing them with movie set magic.

Iconic movie set sign

Lake and surrounding area

Woodlyn Park & Waitomo

After our tour of Hobbiton, we drove back to the Waitomo area, for our stay at Woodlyn Park. This theme hotel has a ship, plane, and hobbit hole themed rooms. We stayed in the “Waitanic” Ship Motel. Although it’s in the middle of nowhere and only a few rooms available, this iconic hotel has been recognized on TV and in media, and is well known for its unique appearance! We drove into the tiny town of Waitomo, a small village with not much more than a café, visitor’s center, hotel, restaurant, and bar. Waitomo is well known for its underground glowworm cave systems, where a lot of tourism happens, so the above ground areas are quite isolated. However, there are countless areas for nature-lovers and adventurers to explore. Essentially, Waitomo is more of an underground city!

Hobbiton themed rooms

Plane themed rooms

Ship themed rooms

Following a late lunch, we drove to the Ruakuri Bush Reserve, known for being one of the top ten short bushwalks in New Zealand. Upon arrival we definitely could understand why, as we had a fantastic time exploring the natural wonders of caves, waterfalls, a river, and many outlook points. Although just a roughly 45 minute excursion including many photos, it was amazing how many things to explore were packed into this short walking loop.

Standing in front of a cave that lead way back behind the greenery

Looking over a deep rock hole

Walking through a cave tunnel to a lookout point

On the way back we pulled into a parking lot to read a sign, saw the words lookout trail, and decided to jog the short trail before the sun set. Through a short trail in the forest, up a bunch of steps, and a around a large field, we followed a skinny trail across the hill’s edge to a lookout with a 360 degree view around the local Waitomo area. From the lookout you could see the village as well as surrounding mountains and landscapes. It was definitely a great way to sight see Waitomo!

Town of Waitomo from lookout point

Kia Ora (New Zealand Day 4)

This morning we visited a local farm in Rotorua, and spent some time looking at the hand-knit items made of alpaca, sheep, and possum yarn. New Zealand is well known for these high quality products. Following our gift shop stop, we headed to the Redwood Forests.

Driving through New Zealand

Whakarewarewa Forest

As you may have guessed, Redwood trees are not native to Australia, but were introduced from California. In 1899, 170 species of trees from all over the world were originally planted in the Whakarewarewa Forest, making it the first exotic forest in New Zealand. The intention was to see which species would grow successfully as timber trees in the central North Island. While many did not survive, 15 acres of the Californian Redwoods thrived due to the rich soils. Redwood’s lifespan is 600 years, and they can grow as tall as 360 feet. In this reserve, the tallest stand at around 236 feet and 66.5 inches in diameter.

Steps throughout the Redwood Forest

Redwoods of the forest

Today, the Whakarewarewa Forest spans for 13993 acres, joining Lake Tikitapu (Blue) and Rotokakahi (Green), and the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve. Thoughout this area, the redwoods do a great job in providing shade for New Zealand’s natural flora. In addition to mountain biking, orienteering & explorer trails, and horseback riding, there are six walking/hiking paths leading through the forest. The shortest trail is a half hour loop that is wheel chair accessible, with the longest trail being 8 hours long and requiring a decent fitness level. We hiked the hour and a half option, which looped up stairs and through boardwalk observation trails, to a rock lookout point, then back down around to the visitor’s center. The beginning of the trail was thick with redwoods, leading up the mountain through other species of trees, with numerous fun photo-ops along the way!

Lookout point of the trail

A fallen tree over the walking path

Kerosene Creek

Rotorua is a major geothermal area, bubbling with geothermal activity, geysers, mud pools, and hot thermal springs all throughout the area. In fact, the town has been nicknamed “Sulphur City” due to the hydrogen sulphide emissions that gives the area a wonderful rotten eggs smell. Not too sure if I could live there with the constant smell, but it does make for a bunch of really cool places to visit.

So, our next stop was Kerosene Creek, a place we found online prior to traveling, and also was told to visit by multiple people. This location is a bit tricky to find, given that Google Maps has the road name wrong, but we were determined to check it out. This creek is naturally hot since it runs out of and through a thermal valley. With rock structures throughout the creek, there are natural hot tubs built into the land. The main swimming area encompasses a large pool, with a waterfall, small cliff overhang, and dam. We spent about an hour relaxing in the water, then made our way back to the hostel.

Kerosene Creek

Waterfall at Kerosene Creek

Maori Village

This evening we joined a local tribe to learn about the culture of New Zealand. We enjoyed words of welcome, introducing 15 different nations that were present for the evening, and inviting all these nations to come together forming a family tribe for the evening. Next we walked down to a river, where the Maori warriors were introduced by rowing through the channel on an authentic hand-carved canoe, performing traditional chants and motions. During a short lesson on canoe making, we saw a replica of a canoe that was designed and created specifically for the movie Piano.

Maori warriors canoeing

After learning about how Maori meals (typically consisting mainly of lamb and potatoes) are slow-cooked in an underground fire for several hours, we saw a cultural performance hosted by the Maori people, which included dancing and singing, both of which were beautifully done. The chief of the tribe also introduced information on different dances, cultural traditions, weapons, and facial tattoos that are used in their culture. Most importantly, he explained a few terms that are used in their native language. Kia Ora is a very well known phrase in New Zealand, meaning hello, welcome, thank you, or often just a general greeting exchanged between people. We also enjoyed the aforementioned meal, with additional sides and desserts.

Maori dancers during their cultural performance

The Kiwi Bird

Following dinner, we took a guided night tour through Rainbow Springs, a wildlife and nature reserve. In addition to seeing many iconic animals of New Zealand, we got to see the country’s national bird, the Kiwi, up close and personal. Many plant and animal species currently existing in New Zealand were not native, but rather introduced from other countries of the world. In fact, birds were the only animals that originally inhabited New Zealand. This is easy to believe because most of the attractions of New Zealand involved the landscape, and there are not rodent or mammals pests running around the ground (like how America has squirrels/rabbits/rodents).

The kiwi is one of these native birds, however due to its odd features, it has had some difficulty surviving and is protected nationally. Kiwi’s are flightless birds, because originally they had no predators. Kiwi’s are about the size of a chicken, but do in fact have tiny wings despite being flightless, about the size of your pinky nail. They have hair that looks and feels similar to human hair, two strong legs and feet with three toes, and a long beak used for digging for insects in the dirt. In addition to whiskers for sensing the area, they have nostrils at the end of their beak, giving them excellent smelling capabilities, and two ears, giving them excellent hearing. These birds are also nocturnal, burrowing in the ground and sleeping up to 18 hours a day, then becoming active at night. Odd but very interesting creatures!

The Maori cultural experience was a fantastic way to learn about the heritage of New Zealand, and also enjoy a quality performance, meal, and park visit. I would highly recommend this experience to other travelers!

Rotorua Local Excursions (New Zealand Day 3)

Lsat night we checked into our hostel, Base at Rotorua, and were pleasantly surprised by how much nicer one was. We took a short walk downtown, and went to a restaurant on Eat Street, a section of downtown with a bunch of restaurants and bars lined up next to each other on either side of the walkway. We were exhausted from lack of sleep and all the activities we had been doing, so we headed to bed early. Rotorua is relatively rural anyway, so there isn’t a whole lot of nightlife!

Eat Street, Rotorua

Horse Trek or Movie Set?

The next morning we woke up relatively early, and drove to Adventure Playground, where we did an hour-long horse trek through the mountainside. The horse I rode was named Rain, and although she was a little hard to control, the ride was still absolutely beautiful. The friend I’m traveling with lucked out too because she got to ride a “famous” horse who was used in the filming of Lord of the Rings. Specifically, the white horse that was Elrond’s horse. Although the movie was filmed a number of years ago, so the horse is a few years older now, you could see the resemblance! Just for reference, the real horse’s name is Dough Boy. Since the movie was filmed at many different locations across New Zealand due to the impressive and breathtaking landscapes, there are run-ins like this all across the country.

Rain & I trekking across the mountain

Horse trek

We made our way through the mountain side on horseback, taking in the lovely views and learning a little history about the specific areas we were seeing. Our guide told us about two Kiwi tribes living nearby, as well as about a nearby farm. At the top of the mountain, there was an incredible view of Lake Rotorua and the surrounding area.

Panoramic view on top of the mountain

Zorbing

In the afternoon we went on another adventure, a past-time activity unique to New Zealand called Zorbing! Basically two guys invented this activity where you jump inside a huge inflatable ball and rolls down a hill. Sounds fun right? But plot twist, they also fill the inside of the ball with some water so that as you roll down the hill, you also sort of get to go swimming! Still don’t know what I’m talking about? Check it out here: http://www.newzealand.com/us/plan/business/zorb-new-zealand/

The ball is structured like two huge inflatable balls, the smaller one inside of the other to create a thin air wall, and you climb through a hole that gets zipped up to keep you inside. As you gain momentum rolling down the hill, your body slides over the plastic in the ball, keeping you upright (mostly) as the ball spins. Physics. My friend and I got a three-ride pass, so we each went down all three track options once.

The first track was a straight down a hill, but a double ride so that we both went together! The second track zig-zags so that you roll slowly up a hill then speed up in between. I even went airborne a few times! The third track started slowly, then sped up through a steep hill, then slowed down at the end again. In the middle it was rolling so fast that I was literally rolling upside down and flipping inside the ball, but I survived right? In contrast, at the beginning and especially the end, the ball literally stopped moving so that I had to stand up and push against the inside front of the ball rolling again! They had a fantastic system down where they drive you up a hill, you roll down, then jump in a hot tub while you wait for everyone else, then repeat. This was not an activity I would have normally picked out, but according to local’s it’s a must-do while in New Zealand. It was definitely fun, and if you go, definitely wear a swimsuit!

Downtown Rotorua

In the evening we made dinner at the hostel, then took a walk around town to see what all was there. We stopped in a few stores, walked through the garden area, and down to the edge of the lake. After coming back to the hostel, we went in the heated pool for a while, which was literally a full size pool that feels like a hot tub. It was so ideal. With a full day of events ahead, it was a great way to spend a night and prep for the next day of excursions!

Thermal area in Rotorua

Lake we explored in Rotorua

The Black Abyss (New Zealand Day 2)

This morning we woke up early to make it to the car rental agency the minute they opened, figured out all the paperwork, then drove South to Waitomo for our Legendary Black Water Rafting tour! In the word Waitomo, “Wai” translates as water and “tomo” translates to entrance or hole, meaning the whole word translates to “steam which flows into the hole in the ground.” This area is one of New Zealand’s original tourist destinations, but is also rich in geological landscapes and cultural history. Perfect for natural born adventurers!

The Black Abyss

We embarked on the most extreme of tours, which included a variety activities with the Legendary Black Water Rafting Company. My friend and I joined six others, along with two tour guides, and geared up in jumpsuit/jacket/booties wetsuits, gum boots, a harness, and helmet.

Tour group after gearing up

We drove about ten minutes down the road to an open field where they have a small training area set up, as well as the entrance to the cave. We had a short lesson on how to rappel, which is essentially using a rope to lower yourself down a cliff or slope that is too steep or dangerous to descend without gear. Also known as abseiling, this term comes from the German word “abseilen” meaning “to rope down.” The rope is threaded through a metal piece of equipment, and your thumb is used to push or release on the last small bar to control the speed. To stop, the bar is pushed all the way up, and your right hand is brought behind your back. The first challenge was abseiling down a 35 meter (115 feet) hole in the ground to the entrance of the cave system. The rock hole was shaped like an hourglass, so you enter with more space, pass through a smaller hole, then are lowered into the caverns as the space opens up a little more. We rappelled one by one until we all were at the cave’s entrance, then started are walk through the cave tunnels.

Start of abseiling into the cave

Abseiling into the cave

The Subterranean World

We had a short brief about cave walking safety and were told not to touch the stalagmites and stalactites that were millions of years old and can be easily damaged. The guides also pointed out a few fossils, and mentioned there were also wale and other fossils throughout the caves, that were over 1.2 million years old from when the area was an ocean. We crossed a section of the caves where grates were placed over cracks in the rocks, where we also connected our cow tails (basically safety ropes) to a hand rail rope until we crossed through.

Our next challenge was called the “flying fox,” where we were sent zip lining through the pitch black, across a deep cavern in the cave. There was a rock mechanism to stop you above a large rock, and the other guide helped us down one by one. It was an incredible feeling flying the open space with no concept of what was where! The platform we were on looked out over an underground rock pool, where we dangled our feet over the edge and enjoyed a snack of hot chocolate and homemade granola bars before jumping into the icy water.

Rock pool inside the caves

Next we grabbed inner tubes, put them around our waist, and jumped off a platform into a rock pool! The reason for the insulated wet suits is because, as you can probably imagine, the water in underground caves can get pretty chilly. We paddled our way to the wall to grab the rope and pulled ourselves along the wall, and walked through some of the more shallow areas. When we all got back in the inner tubes, we linked up in a chain as one of the guides pulled us along through the water giving us a lesson on glowworms.

With our helmet lights off, the pitch black allowed us to see a ceiling of glowworms that looked like a beautiful night sky full of stars. One major feature of the Waitomo caves is that they are home to glowworms, making it an incredible sight to see. If you would like more information on glowworms, refer to my previous blog post “Mt. Tamborine.” We also got an up close and personal look at some of the glowworms and their thread formations on the cave walls along the way. It was an incredibly peaceful, yet also eerie, moment to sit back and slowly make our way through the quiet and beautiful caves.

Up close look at the glowworms

Sweet As!

We spent time wading through the cave waters, climbing over the uneven rock surfaces, and eventually where were challenged to jump off a ledge into another rock pool. Then we came to a passageway where they gave us a hot drink and chocolate to warm our bodies up, and took a few group photos. They took one using a long exposure method so you can see the cave and the people, then had us put our translucent drink cups over the light on our helmets and each motioned a backwards letter in the air to spell out “Sweet as!” It was very cute.

Our tour guides also let us know that at that point, we were as deep into the caves as we would be experiencing for the day, at 60 meters below ground. At that specific spot the caves did get too much deeper compared to where we entered, the ground just got higher, so we were passing through the center of the mountain. The caves only go about 5 more meters deep, but still crazy to be so far below ground level!

Jumping into an underground rock pool

Tour group exploring the caves

Caving is Sweet As!

Underground Waterfalls

Next we slid down a small waterfall where they placed a slide to catch a photo op, and our next challenge was sliding headfirst through a small hole in the rock to get to the other cave room. I learned afterwards the larger part of the cave wrapped around if you didn’t want to attempt the crawl space method, but it was more fun that way! After exploring some more we caught a glimpse of an eel in some of the shallow water, where the guides explained that eels in the caves can grow up to two meters long and a hefty width (she motioned a size somewhere in between a football and soccer ball). We all agreed we were glad to not have known these little guys were swimming through the same water we were prior to jumping in!

Our last big challenge was rock climbing up two waterfalls. The guides instructed us step by step by pointing to rocks, until we reached a point where we were close enough to the top to just go for it. We got a short brief before the climb, but mainly it was either do it right because wrong will not end well! We climbed up one waterfall to a cave chamber where we waited for the group before walking through a short passageway, then climbing up the second waterfall.

Climbing through a small rock entrance from one room to the next

Cave eel

Sliding down a mini waterfall

Just a few meters straight, then another few left and you could see daylight, where the caves opened up into the same field that we entered down through. The cave exit was surrounded by a lovely little waterfall and pond area, with greenery all around.

Climbing out of the caves

At the conclusion of our tour, we changed out of our gear, showered off in fantastically hot water, then ate hot soup and a bagel as we watched our slideshow of pictures from the day of caving. It was a FANTASTIC tour that I would highly recommend to anyone traveling in New Zealand. Although you do need to be relatively fit and fearless, it was by far one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. After getting everything together, we jumped back in the car and made our way to Rotorua!

Tour group post caving adventure

Greetings from Te Whare Wanaka o Aoraki

Ladies and Gents I have survived the 25 hour flight. A little worse for wear but I’m pretty sure I’ll be alright. Nevertheless, let it be known that I’m not at all looking forward to heading back to the U.S and having to do that all over again.

Starting at Dullas International airport I was set up with problems right away when one of my bags was grossly over the weight limit of 50lbs (which by the way is way too low an allowed weight considering how far I had to go in the end.) So some shuffling around of clothes had to take place while my brother and I had to intermittedly run back to the parked car that was not allowed to be parked where it was to avoid getting a ticket. After that was solved and I was all checked in he was not allowed to go past a designation point and I was forced to say my goodbyes and begin my journey on my own.

The 5 hours to San Francisco was relatively uneventful and I was treated to an awful Justin Timberlake movie to which I can’t recall the name and read a bit. The immediate problem in this leg of the journey being that my carry on was too large to fit in the overhead compartment, most likely because more things had to be put into it so I wouldn’t be charged $200 for an overweight bag.

Once in San Francisco I had about 4 hours to kill until my next flight and had planned on storing my bags and walking around in the fresh air until I was told that it would cost me $60 for both bags to be stored so I decided to enjoy the free wifi instead and sat around for a while surfing the net before it was announced that any ticket given not my Air New Zealand was no longer valid and it was required that I got another. This ended up being a good thing though because I ran into another girl who had been on my last flight from Washington D.C and we started to talk only to find out that we as well as about 5 others in line were all studying in New Zealand though in different places. A majority were doing a program called Australearn and were going to be in the Hamilton area. But I did chance upon a boy by the name of Brandon that was coming here so we spent a good amount of time talking and walking around the Auckland airport trying to find our gate. I really didn’t expect to meet so many people who were coming to study here.

The 13hour flight was not as painful as I thought it would be but it also wasn’t great either. It was nearly impossible to sleep comfortably and I often felt the need to walk around to stretch out my legs. But each seat did have its own television stocked with recent movies, games and music. I ended up watching “Warrior,” “Drive,” and “(500) Days of Summer. But most of the flight was dedicated to trying to sleep. I must also mention that the flight attendants were really nice.

In country, after the short flight from Auckland to Christchurch (I did take some shots of the beautiful landscape while in the air but they are on my itouch and can’t be sent without wifi so that will come later) , I was picked up with some others by a shuttle and brought to campus (ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD) and have spent the last several hours sleeping, getting unpacked, meeting my mates in my pod (there is only one guy on the floor so far but there should be another soon along with 3 girls not including me) and walking around campus.

(Recreation center/ dining hall, Library and Rugby Pitch)

Only complaints so far are that the internet in the dorms is VERY limited. We only get 5 gigs for every 2 months! The RA warned against Skyping in the dorms because it drains the gigs really fast so I will end up doing that on “hot sports” near the Library and Dining area.

(Small side note: since the last earthquake the dining area had to be moved into a gym off the recreation center. Besides that there isn’t too much damage to campus.)

Hope you enjoyed the long update. Much love to my friends and family back home <3

Until we meet again stay beautiful.

Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

Waiting for take off

(Me (left) and my friend Shay (right) at an Equestrian team dinner)

Hello Hello!

I spent a lot of time trying to decide what I wanted to post and if I would even post before I left the country, nevertheless, here I am. So I will start by telling my readers a little about myself!

My name is Ericka Roberts and I am a sophomore at Penn State University, University Park campus. The second part of my sophomore year will be spent at Lincoln University in Christchurch, New Zealand. I studying Community, Environment and Development (a relatively new and little known major) with a specification in International Development. I am also studying Sociology (with a major interest in demography) and International Agriculture. Along with my studies I ride for the Penn State Equestrian team and absolutely love it.

It’s suggested that in the first entry bloggers talk about what they expect from their study abroad, preparation and all that. So I am just going to say that I am beyond nervous for this impending trip and going to the complete other side of the world! Don’t get me wrong I am so excited and I have been waiting for this for so long but nevertheless this is my first time traveling out of the country without my parents (who are both military, so we have lived all over the world) and both my brothers. It’s just a new feeling knowing you won’t have that support system when you come home, or just 4 hours away in the case of me going to PSU and being from Northern Virginia. But I know world travel is what I want otherwise I wouldn’t be spending my college career studying to get a job that has me do just that. This is just the first step toward getting used to that really being on your own in a foreign place feeling. I know I really want this. I am mostly looking forward to traveling all over both the islands, maybe even taken a flight to Australia, and learning about the Maori culture. That’s why I am trying to take at least a class or two on them hopefully through a sociology class. But really the more time I can spend outside exploring, hiking, and taking pictures the better.

The last thing I am going to address today is this packing fiasco. Like any other person my age I put my trust in Google to give me some advice on what to bring, what to leave and the major things not to forget. So far it’s been rather helpful besides the little tip I keep seeing about only bringing one suitcase of stuff and a carry on (not counting a purse)…this must be a suggestion for a man! You cannot tell a woman she should limit herself to one bag! What about all my jeans, skirts, swimsuits, dresses, suits, shoes, t-shirts, sweaters, pullovers, scarves, coats, shorts, workout clothes and anything else I require! I have to have options; I have to be ready for any fashion situation. One suitcase won’t cut it unless I make some serious sacrifices. Anyway, I will be sure to address it in my next post once I get to New Zealand (on the 21st of Feb.) and let everyone know how that went.

The next post will also hopefully also include a few pictures once I get to Christchurch (if I decide not to post until then) and will fill you all in on how the 25 hour flight went, my roommate and how the campus is in comparison to Penn State.

Until then,

stay beautiful everyone!

Location: VA, USA

North

New Zealand is an undoubtedly beautiful country. Unfortunately, since I arrived, I have been cooped up in Wellington, stuck between classrooms and dorm rooms. So when the mid-trimester break rolled around, I was itching to get out. The South Island proved to be too expensive to move around, and further trips such as Australia and Fiji were out of the question, so I decided to go north. $150 later, I had my passport for the Naked Bus, a curiously titled service that specializes in cheap, clothed public transit. Five bus rides in ten days, taking me from Wellington to Taupo, then Rotorua, then Waitomo, then Auckland. The final trip would be a marathon 12-hour ride back to the capital.

Away to Taupo

The first stop on the trip was Taupo, a small tourist town on the shore of an enormous lake of the same name. Known for its hot springs and scenic landscapes, Taupo is a nice place to stay for anyone expecting a full schedule of activities. Like many places in rural New Zealand, Taupo is loaded with options for thrill seekers and casual travelers alike, from skydiving to bungy jumping to horseback riding to scenic lake tours. The area also houses Huka Falls, which is reportedly the most visited attraction in New Zealand. This waterway, which can fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in two minutes, is a good two hour walk from the center of town, and is well worth the trip. After a day of horseback riding and hiking, it was incredible to head down to the hot springs and lay in the water for a couple of hours. The best part is: free! I spent entire day relaxing in a spa without spending a dime.

Away to Rotorua

If there is anything you need to know about Rotorua, it is that the town smells. It smells bad. Due to the high geothermal activity, the entire area reeks of sulfur, although it is much stronger in some areas. My hostel was, of course, in such an area. Don’t let this deter you, though; the town is arguably the North Island’s biggest tourist spot, and there are plenty of activities that reflect that. I spent the longest amount of time there, and if you’re traveling around the North Island, I would suggest you do the same. In the four days I stayed in Rotorua, I went rafting, luging, zorbing and hiking in the Redwoods. Coupled with going to bars almost every night, this turned out to be the most expensive leg of my journey, but it was well worth it. The rafting experience was excellent, despite the fact that we flipped on the highest commercial fall in the Southern Hemisphere, something I was a bit wary of beforehand. Luging and Zorbing are relatively cheap and took up an entire day, and both are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities (Both are almost exclusive to New Zealand for obvious insurance issues.) For those of you that don’t know, Zorbing is an activity invented in New Zealand that involves people getting inside a giant plastic ball and rolling down a hill. I did the HydroZorb, which is essentially a hot tub rolling down a hill.

Away to Waitomo

Waitomo is, to put it bluntly, a hick town. The kind of place where the only motel in the area has a noose hanging out front and the cows outnumber people. Made up of various farming properties and the Maori families that own the famous caves in the area, it is not exactly outsider friendly. With no car or public transit options, we were forced to walk about 2km to anything substantial. However, once I got over the initial aggravation of hauling my bags down a gravel road to the hostel, the atmosphere of the town eased my tension. For one, there is almost no light pollution, and anyone who enjoys admiring the sky will not be disappointed. The view at night is by far the clearest I’ve ever seen, which granted is not saying much, being from the ever-lit American suburbs.

As I said before, Waitomo is famous for its cave systems: over 300 snake underneath the hills for kilometers, although only a fraction of them are open to the public. The most popular of these are the Glowworm, Aranui and Rurakuri Caves, and of these I explored the first two. If you want a relaxing, educational experience, this is your best bet. The package was a very reasonable price, and ended up being much more rewarding than I assumed. My guides were both Maori, and one was the great-granddaughter of the chief who discovered the caves almost 150 years ago. They were incredibly knowledgeable about the history and contents of the structures, and were open to questions and requests. The tours do not last that long (each was about 45 minutes), but they do not disappoint. The Glowworm Cave, while less impressive than Aranui in size and formation, ended with a silent boat ride through a small underground grotto whose ceiling harbored countless glowworms.

Fun Fact: There are now more cows than sheep in New Zealand. New Zealand also produces 1/3rd of the world’s dairy products.

Away to Auckland

Auckland is New Zealand’s largest and most populous city, and it feels that way. Whereas Wellington is defined by three or four streets, Auckland has a much more sprawling cosmopolitan layout. I did not get the chance to go out on the town, and for that I’m sort of glad; most of my experiences in big city bars have not been that enjoyable. I arrived late at night and stayed in my hostel for approximately 10 hours, which is about as long as I would ever want to stay in an urban hostel. Simply put, they suck. They’re big, dirty, cheaply made and yet so expensive to use (one load of laundry cost about $6.) I much prefer the smaller hostels of Taupo, Rotorua and Waitomo, where the receptionists know your name and the kitchen feels like the one in your home as opposed to the one in your university. For the second night, I had my first CouchSurfing experience. For those that don’t know, CouchSurfing is a non-profit project based out of San Francisco that aims to let people around the world connect with each other and set up “free” accommodation at their houses. While there are never any monetary transactions between the parties, it is generally understood that the travelers will compensate the hosts in the form of alcohol, a night on the town, or a home-cooked meal. This service is not about finding an anonymous couch to sleep on for one night; it is an opportunity to meet and learn about new people, and many experienced hosts stick to this. There is a very clear etiquette that must be adhered to when talking and scheduling a stay, and failure to do this will most likely result in a rejection email.

Anyway. I stayed with a few Kiwis who had moved to Auckland from Christchurch after the earthquake. They had some amazing stories of being in the city during the event, and while I ended up spending more on wine for everyone than another night at the hostel, it was a much better experience than sleeping in a cheap cot that may or may not have had bedbugs.

The trip back to Wellington felt strange. I had been away for only ten days, and I had only lived in New Zealand for two months, but it felt like I was going home.

As per usual, here are some tips for traveling around New Zealand:

1. Pack light. I had a duffle bag and laptop bag, both full of books, clothes, chargers, food, and other crap that I hardly used. I prepared for several different scenarios which, in retrospect, I could have dealt with in a much more efficient way. Forget the raincoat and second jacket, and only bring a computer if you absolutely have to. There are plenty of internet cafes or terminals inside the hostels, and although they come at a pretty hefty price (the standard was $1 for 15 minutes), buying a long-term internet card might be worth not having to lug around an extra bag.

2. Budget your time and money. It can be very easy to book many activities on a whim (in fact, many of the things we did were booked two hours or less in advance, and some we just showed up to). This can get incredibly expensive very quickly, and can often eat up the short time you might have in that town. Before you go, plan the big activities and book them in advance so you know exactly how much you will be spending. Leave aside a few hours for relaxing, sightseeing, and eating of course. In each place we visited, there were also a ton of free options, like hiking trails or just sitting outside and watching the stars.

3. Rotorua smells like rotten eggs. I can’t stress this enough, it was pretty gross.

4. For smaller towns, definitely stay in hostels. You will almost certainly meet a ton of cool people who like to have a good time, and the prices can’t be beaten. If you go to more urban areas like Auckland or Wellington, it might be worth it to sign up for CouchSurfing. I had to make a $19 donation, but once that’s paid, you have access to literally thousands of places to sleep for the price of a bottle of wine or a display of some culinary skills.

5. Charge your stuff whenever you can get the chance. More often than not, your hostel room will have one outlet. Take these opportunities to make sure your cell phone, iPod, computer, camera and other electronics are juiced up, because if they run out you could be really inconvenienced.

6. If you go horseback riding, secure your pockets. My brand new camera flew out of my pocket on the first trot, and while I found it after trekking through the trail for half an hour, I would not want to go through that again. Better yet, leave all of your belongings somewhere safe before getting on the horse.

7. If you’re drinking, don’t just go to one bar. It’s pretty easy in towns like Taupo and Rotorua to stay in one place the entire night (sometimes it’s unavoidable, as all of the other bars close down and come to you), but take the time to look around and find another local bar that isn’t full of backpackers. It could be even better than what you had planned.

8. Pak ‘N Save is backpacker heaven. $20-30 can get you enough oatmeal, trail mix, milk and other food for a week, assuming you know how to ration and cook. Also, look out for free stuff. Some of our hostels gave us free rice or pasta (enough for a family of four in our case) or barbeques at the bars. All totaled, we probably got about a dozen free meals throughout the 10 day trip.

9. Make sure your camera has enough memory. Don’t start your trip with room for only 100 pictures, because that will probably be gone in the first two days.

10. Don’t stand up when Zorbing. You will fall.

11. Don’t be afraid to ask for rides. I’m not advocating hitchhiking, but it might be worth it to make friends with locals or people in your hostel with cars, as walking 2km to an activity and back can be excruciating.

Location: New Zealand

From The City To The Sea

Seeing as it has been about two weeks since arriving in Wellington, and I have not yet ventured to any part of the surrounding landscape that enticed me to come to New Zealand in the first place, I figured that the first days of from my lectures was a good enough place to start exploring. And so, armed with a digital camera, some muesli bars (granola, for you American types) and shoes I would later find out are not, and never claimed to be, waterproof, my international friends and I set out on Wellington’s City to Sea Walkway. The title is a bit misleading, as you primarily stay on the hills surrounding New Zealand’s capital, with the only “city” aspect coming in the form of the bus ride home. Nevertheless, if you like walking (and who doesn’t like a good walk?), this is not a terrible way to spend your day.

We began at 10am, in Wellington’s Botanical Gardens. The trail begins near what the locals refer to as the “Trippy Tree”: an enormous topiary clipped in a circular shape, where the local kids engage in the occasional cigarette or other debaucherous activity. Climbing its thick branches gives one a particularly spectacular view of the city.

The trail snakes around Victoria University’s Kelburn campus, which sits perched on one of the many hills encircling the capital. Despite being only a few minutes walk from the political center of New Zealand, the density of the foliage in the area (locals would call it “the bush”) is curious and amazing. The trail twists in and out of civilization, with some stretches of the path becoming completely encapsulated in what one might mistake for the Amazon. Most of the bush looks fairly comparable to the deciduous forests of central Pennsylvania, however the mixture of lush tropical plants and thicker canopies make for an entirely unique outdoor experience.

After about an hour or so of trekking through the bush, the trail spills out into the beginning of a relentless expanse of hills (While I use the term “hills” throughout, do not be mistaken about their size. At their best, they can reach some of the low-flying clouds commonly found in the valley). Virtually any spot on these landscapes are perfect for picture taking, and I did not take these opportunities for granted.

Once we left the quiet shade of the forest, we became victims to Wellington’s primary adversary: wind. The breezes that roll in from the sea are strong enough to knock you off balance, which is particularly frustrating when you are attempting to climb a staircase with no handrails. Nevertheless, venturing to the top of each hill is, in itself, its own reward.

It was here where we stopped for a quick lunch. If you ever plan to complete the City to Sea trail, you had better bring some sort of meal with you. There are no caf�s or dairies on the way, and believe me when I say you will need the energy.

After a few more hours of traversing the hills, we ended up, rather abruptly, in a quaint neighborhood. It was here that I first got a good look at the architecture that one might consider a bit eccentric. The homes are not expansive in any way, nor do they look particularly expensive. But, unlike the Pleastantvillian, cut-and-paste style housing so pervasive in American suburbia, New Zealand’s architecture seems to be mostly individual. Most had a 70s style split-level or ranch style to them, but every so often there would be a Victorian tower sticking out of an otherwise modern home. There was no sense of standardization among buildings, which was a refreshing change from the uniformity of my hometown.

The neighborhoods led almost to the edge of the island, where treacherous-looking rocks meet the ocean. In the distance, the South Island is barely visible, almost as if it was a drawing on a movie backdrop. In fact, almost every landscape we witnessed on the trail seemed unreal. Perhaps the reason for this is that I have never been in a place so naturally beautiful before, unless it has been through the medium of the silver screen. Sitting on the sea’s edge, and later, thanks to the tides, in the caf� by the sea’s edge, was a perfect ending to an exhausting but wholly worthwhile day.

Shortly after taking the picture above, Poseidon decided he preferred my lower half to be a bit damper than it already was.

In the usual fashion, here are a few tips if you feel like walking around New Zealand (or more accurately, when you have to walk around New Zealand. You can’t get out of it.):

1. Shoes. For the love of all that is holy, bring hiking shoes. Ones that are comfortable. I made the 14km walk from the city to the sea in about 3 hours with decent shoes, and a day later, my feet are still sore. It is much more economical to bring shoes to New Zealand instead of buying them here, as any decent pair is going to cost you upwards of $150NZ. I got mine at DSW for $40US. Just bring them yourself.
2. A decent camera. If you have an older one that you’ve been meaning to upgrade, go for it. The landscapes of New Zealand are some of the most breathtaking you will ever see, and a high quality camera will do them justice. Mine is a Sony Cybershot DSC-W570, which takes incredible panoramic shots and HD video, not to mention some of the best image stabilization I’ve seen on a budget point-and-shoot. It was only about $150 as well, and is the perfect tool for making an amateur photographer’s shots look exceptional.
3. A comfortable backpack with plenty of pouches. A bulky, amorphous bag can ruin even the shortest of walks, and not having one is definitely a mistake. My bag is small and loose, so most of my food and things were all mashed together. A light bag with compartments for a water bottle, food, natural souvenirs (I spent a good hour searching both the bush and the shore for shells, fossils, leaves, and all other assortments of special finds) will prevent everything from getting everything else dirty. If you want a lot of hydration for a long hike (or if you want to inconspicuously get drunk in a public place), a camelback would not be a terrible purchase.
4. A light, well insulated jacket. Many of my friends brought winter jackets, which seems a bit like overkill. They’re bulky, stuffy and a hassle to store when not being worn. I unfortunately did not bring any jacket (mine got ruined a few days before I had to leave), instead opting for a few pullovers. These work alright, but a small zippered jacket would be much more convenient.

Goodbye for now!

Location: Wellington, New Zealand

The Flight

If you are planning on traveling to New Zealand, you probably already know that you are in for a long trip. Nevertheless, I feel it necessary to stress the following point:

New Zealand is far away. Very far away.

Do not let this hurdle deter you, though. With adequate preparation and a little luck, it can actually be quite fun. While I cannot help you in the luck department, I can do my best to prepare you for the journey ahead.

My trip started in Philadelphia, and went a little something like this:

Philadelphia ———6 hour flight ———-> Los Angeles (2.5 hour layover) —————–12.5 hour flight———–> Auckland (2 hour layover) ———1 hour flight————> Wellington.

All totaled, it took over a day to get from my bedroom to my dorm room. My flight times were structured in a way that would minimize jet lag: I left in the early evening, taking a red-eye to Auckland and catching a few hours of sleep in between on demand films, and touching down in Wellington about halfway through my day. Granted, it’s still tough to get past 8pm the first day, but it’s better than getting in at 11pm with a full night’s rest.

The first, and possibly most important thing to know about traveling to New Zealand (or any faraway place), is that, unless you possess some sort of portable fission reactor, your electronic devices will die long before you reach your destination. There are two main reasons for this:

1. With the recent explosion of mobile energy-hogs, the airlines and airports have unfortunately realized that having a free power outlet within 20 feet of any given spot is not very good for business.
2. There is absolutely nothing to do on the plane. And if you think you can read for 13 hours straight, you’re dead wrong.

If you’re not in first class, don’t expect to get any juice for your laptop, even if the entire plane is WiFi-enabled (only $12.95 to tweet from 35,000 feet). During my layover in Los Angeles, I noticed several Samsung brand mobile charging stations, which I foolishly thought was a neat idea at first. Upon closer observation, I realized that the four outlets at each station (which had no seats and a very small counter where one can stand guard over their precious devices) were not nearly enough to cover the power needs of the dozens of jacked-in nerds that wasted all of their battery life playing Angry Birds. I myself lost my entire charge watching a movie (or at least half of one; Toshiba batteries supposedly has some sort of grudge against Tom Cruise and his secret agent antics), and had to join the other outlet vultures who were circling around the stations, waiting for a spot.

This need for energy was not as relevant on the flight to Auckland, as Qantas Airlines generously provides TVs in the headrest in front of you. All programs are free to watch, and are of impressive variety and quality. The meals are also surprisingly delicious, and everything is included in the ticket price. Even the beer was free.

I was also lucky enough (and, in some ways, unlucky enough) in my seating arrangements. On the Los Angeles flight, I was seated in an exit row. This allowed for more leg room, but denied me a tray table or proper window to look out of. To Auckland, I was given an aisle seat in the middle section, next to an empty seat in an otherwise loaded jumbo jet. The person on the other side of the free seat and I worked out an arrangement to share the seat for sleeping, storage, etc., which made the flight much more bearable. Perhaps the most disappointing point of the voyage was the flight from Auckland to Wellington. I was given another aisle seat, and was deprived the spectacular view that the window allows. If you get a chance, definitely take a window seat for that flight.

A view of Mt. Taranaki from the flight from Auckland to Wellington. This is the only picture I took while on the plane, as I did not want to bug the person sitting in the window seat to keep photographing the landscape for me. According to Maori mythology, Taranaki fled after being wounded in a battle with Tongariro, another mountain in the middle of the island. The eastern slope is considered a premier skiing spot in the area, and trampers (hikers) enjoy the moderately difficult day-long trip up-and-back, despite the unpredictable weather patterns.

When entering New Zealand, keep in mind the severity of the native customs regulations. Any outside food or drink must be declared upon entry or discarded in designated bins.

To sum up, here are some tips to get you through the trip to Wellington:

1. Conserve your electrical (and physical) energy.
2. A pillow is not essential. On the flight to Auckland, each passenger is provided with a blanket, pillow, toothbrush/toothpaste, and a seat comfortable enough to allow a decent night’s sleep.
3. Pack light, both for your carry-on and checked bags. US Airways did not allow any bags over 50 lbs, and forced the family in front of me to remove 3 lbs from their suitcase. Also, my carry-on laptop bag, when stuffed full of things I rarely used on the trip there, was a nightmare to carry around the terminals. When combined with my luggage (I had to transfer my bags in Auckland) and a 13 hour period of limited mobility, it resulted in being extremely sore the next day.
4. Get an aisle seat for convenience on the red-eye, and a window seat if you take a domestic flight to Wellington. Also, if you’re willing, an exit seat will provide some much-appreciated space.

Good luck, and safe travels!

Location: Wellington, New Zealand

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Tag Archives: new zealand

A Long & Winding Road (New Zealand Day 6)

Mangapõhue Natural Bridge

Marokopa Falls

Marokopa

Hobbiton Movie Set (New Zealand Day 5)

Hobbiton Set Building

Details Details Details

On Set

Woodlyn Park & Waitomo

Kia Ora (New Zealand Day 4)

Whakarewarewa Forest

Kerosene Creek

Maori Village

The Kiwi Bird

Rotorua Local Excursions (New Zealand Day 3)

Horse Trek or Movie Set?

Zorbing

Downtown Rotorua

The Black Abyss (New Zealand Day 2)

The Black Abyss

The Subterranean World

Sweet As!

Underground Waterfalls

Greetings from Te Whare Wanaka o Aoraki

Waiting for take off

North

From The City To The Sea

The Flight