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Location: Bordeaux, France

Wine capital tour and Finals

I have become less and less frequent when it came to writing this blog, and it’s because these last few weeks have been hectic. I have officially started a countdown of the days I have left before I get to return to the US. I am going through so many emotions, but mostly good ones. This week was my last week of classes at Paul Valéry. Where has the time gone?

Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting the wine capital of the world. That’s right, I went to Bordeaux. Bordeaux is the 9th largest city in France, right after Montpellier. Of course, I could not resist going to Bordeaux without doing a château and wine tour.

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I had the opportunity to visit a château that is part of the “Grand Cru Classé,” which is recognized as a category of excellent wine since 1855. The château we visited is now under ownership of a French company, but once was owned by an English man. The château (French word for castle) isn’t really a castle, but a huge house or mansion situated in the countryside of Bordeaux. Château Prieré-Lichine was exciting to visit, especially since we got to try a 50-euro bottle of wine.

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Afterwards, our tour ended in a “Cru bourgeois” category château named Château L’Ermitage. This vineyard is family-owned and operated, making it a bit more “homey.” There, I got to try not only wine, but also some goose pâté, which surprisingly was delicious.

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This week has been full of final assignments, essays, presentations, and last days of classes. Tomorrow I will have my first final in modern civilization. The good thing to look forward to is that we have a week off from classes, and that means travel time! I will be heading to the infamous Spanish island of Ibiza for a few days, and eventually ending up in Naples for some more adventures. I look forward to visiting Pompeii, as it is one of my top places on my bucket list to visit.


Location: Bordeaux, France

Spring Break on the Emerald Isle

When you think of spring break, one tends to think of sun, sand and beaches. Never one for going with the crowd, two friends (who are also Penn Staters!) and I decided to head over to Ireland for the few days we had off over Easter weekend. That’s right, we headed to a place where, as the Irish say, you can experience all four seasons in five minutes.

We flew into Dublin on Wednesday morning, and were soon exposed to our first dose of Irish culture shock: when the attendant selling bus tickets into the city asked us if we knew what stop to get off at, and where we were going. Seems like a pretty normal thing to ask, but after spending two months in Germany, where everyone assumes that you know what you’re doing and where you’re going and glares at you if you are unsure, this was a welcome change. I really didn’t realize how unfriendly the Germans can be until we got to Ireland!

We had enough time on Wednesday to walk around the city and find our bearings, as well as formulate a plan for the next few days as to what we wanted to do and see. High on my list was the Trinity College Library, and the Cliffs of Moher. We decided to sign up for a Paddywagon Tour, which was recommended to me by my friend who visited Ireland last spring. We settled on  a trip to Northern Ireland, and early Thursday morning met a giant green bus on O’Connell Street, which took us north of Dublin on a beautifully scenic ride through the Irish countryside, as we made our way up to Northern Ireland. We made several stops on the Paddywagon tour, the first was at a road called the “Dark Hedges” which was also the spot of filming for the Kings Road in Game of Thrones! Next up was the coast and Carick-a-Rede rope bridge! On a clear day, you would have been able to see Scotland, but the cloud cover only allowed us a glimpse of the land of Scotch and kilts. Being at the coast was stunning, and also the windiest place I have ever been! It was near impossible to take pictures of the three of us since we all looked like Cousin It. The rope bridge, Carick-a-Rede was the most impressive; at one point it was only single rope that fishermen eased themselves across on in order to check on their nets of wild Atlantic salmon. Walking across the “fortified” bridge which still swayed in the wind was an experience enough- I couldn’t imagine doing it without handrails! Afterwards, we headed to Giants Causeway, a volcanic rock formation of hexagonal, pillar-like rocks that descend into the sea, and reappear on the other side in Scotland. Celtic legend said that the giant Finn McCool built the rock ’causeway’ to Scotland in order to steal away the prettiest girls in the Scottish highlands! The ‘giant’ part of the name originated because locals believed that giants were the only ones strong enough and large enough to move the massive stones into formation. On the way back to Dublin we stopped in Belfast, home of the Titanic! Sadly, the museum was closed for the day by the time we arrived, but we were able to sit in a cafe and relax, while reading about the surprisingly tenuous political situation that exists in Belfast today. For anyone unfamiliar with Irish history, in 1916 the Easter Rising occurred, where Ireland declared itself free of the British crown and began a long and bloody fight for independence. Although the Republic of Ireland exists now as an independent nation, Northern Ireland remains a part of the United Kingdom, and therefore under British rule. I did not realize that so many tensions still existed between federalists and loyalists in Belfast; the schools, for example, are still segregated  between those favoring an independent Ireland and those loyal to British governance. Additionally, there continues to be a lot of gang violence in Belfast that is related to the Irish Revolutionary Army, or IRA. Our guide told us that coming to Northern Ireland even 20 years ago would have been extremely dangerous, and the border between the Republic and the north would have been heavily patrolled and guarded.

Good Friday in Dublin did not pan out exactly as we had expected, since they do not serve any alcohol on this day! So our plans to see the Guinness and Jameson factories fell through, however we did get to see Trinity College Library, which was a dream come true for me. In true Hermione form, I was absolutely spellbound by the massive “Long Room” with arching ceilings, dusty alcoves, and thousands upon thousands of books. I could have stayed in that room forever.

Friday night we got on a bus and headed to Galway, where we would spend the weekend. Galway is known as the cultural heart of Ireland, and that was evident with our visit. A small, coastal town with a big personality, Galway delivered good food and plenty of good Irish entertainment. One night we went on a pub crawl with some people from our hostel, and another night we joined the other people staying in our hostel for live Irish entertainment. The highlight of our stay in Galway, however, was the tour to the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren on Easter Sunday. The majesty and beauty of the cliffs was gorgeous, and the fact that we were standing at the very edge of Ireland was awesome. The weather cleared up perfectly for our visit, and the blue skies and blue sea were striking against the grass and the rock. Being away from home was tough on Easter, since I received many pictures of my family eating pierogis and kielbasa back in New Jersey. But seeing the natural beauty of the cliffs was so humbling, and it made me feel especially blessed to have such an amazing opportunity and to share it with some incredible new friends.

Next destination: Riga, Latvia!

The Dark Hedges or the King's Road- you decide

The Dark Hedges or the King’s Road- you decide

Coast off Northern Ireland

Coast off Northern Ireland

Falling for Ireland

Falling for Ireland

At Giant's Causeway

At Giant’s Causeway

Temple Bar at night- Dublin's best known pub!

Temple Bar at night- Dublin’s best known pub!

Long Room at Trinity College Library

Long Room at Trinity College Library

Galway harbor

Galway harbor

The Burren- stone field with stone age monuments

The Burren- stone field with stone age monuments

Gorgeous views at the cliffs

Gorgeous views at the cliffs

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Location: Dublin, Ireland

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

Suspended bridge walking to the natural bridge

Natural bridge from north side

Natural bridge from north side

Natural bridge from south 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 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

Black sand beach

Panoramic view of Marokopa Coast

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

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

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

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
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

Iconic movie set sign

Lake and surrounding area

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

Hobbiton themed rooms

Plane themed rooms

Plane themed rooms

Ship 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

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

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

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

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

Lookout point of the trail

A fallen tree over the walking path

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

Kerosene Creek

Waterfall at 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

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

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

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

Thermal area in Rotorua

Lake we explored 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.

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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.

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Start of abseiling into the cave

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

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

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

Jumping into an underground rock pool

Tour group exploring the caves

Tour group exploring the caves

Caving is Sweet As!

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

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

Cave eel

Cave eel

Sliding down a mini waterfall

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

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

Tour group post caving adventure

Free Falling: Auckland Edition (New Zealand Day 1)

*Disclaimer: Sorry this post is long (as the rest from the week will be), but it is worthwhile if you want to live vicariously through me exploring New Zealand. Enjoy! 🙂

“Studying” Abroad

Yesterday a friend and I embarked on yet another experience of a lifetime, a week Holiday in New Zealand! Our flight was delayed an hour, but luckily that bought me a little more time to finish all my assignments before departing and (hopefully) not having to actually study over study week. I am just going to take a moment to talk about one very large study abroad stereotype. Despite the assumption of many, I do study and work hard on academics abroad, because the classes here are demanding and locals take assignments VERY seriously. Additionally, I am not taking pass/fail classes (wasn’t allowed to) and therefore need to put in the effort to get acceptable grades abroad. Let me tell you, there is a major difference in stress levels between those study abroad students taking pass/fail. Regardless, I managed to get most of my work finished before leaving (literally at the airport), and could finally start getting excited.

Upon stepping off the plane at 2am New Zealand time, I finally was thinking, I’m actually in New Zealand! However, I will say that I do fit the aforementioned stereotype since I am spending “study week” on Holiday! However, this is a fantastic decision in my opinion, because I would not otherwise have been able to find time during this semester to visit New Zealand. We checked into Nomads Auckland hostel around 3am, and although the lobby and service was unimpressive, it was a perfectly fine hostel to stay at!

Thing’s They Teach You [Part of] in School

So my whole life, all my role models taught me lessons using the phrase, “if your friend told you to jump off a bridge, would you?” Well, today I learned that sometimes what they teach you in school is not always the entire truth. The more accurate phrase should be, “if your friend told you to jump off a bridge without safety equipment attached, would you?” (Also the answer should be yes). This morning our day started by climbing and bungee jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge! I did have fear, but I have no regrets.

For those who have not experienced this high-adrenaline activity, they say it is a step beyond skydiving. It’s definitely an activity well-fit for adrenaline junkies. Now, I’m a pretty grounded and level-headed person, but also always looking for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. My friend REALLY wanted to bungee jump, and despite my initial apprehension, I agreed to go. We geared up in a harness, walked to the middle of the bridge attached to the guardrail by a metal clip, and made our way up a short and steep flight of stairs to the jumping booth located under the bridge. At 40 meters above the water, all seven of us took turns one by one jumping off the platform. The youngest person to ever jump here was 10, the oldest 89, so despite my fear I told myself I would be okay. Luckily, since I was the lightest of the group, I got to go last and watch everyone else go first!

A Leap of Faith

So here’s how it happens. Essentially we have a hardness that wraps around the top of each leg and over our shoulders, joining at the waist, where another rope is connected to two brace-like wraps around your ankles. As you jump off head-first, the rope stays connected at your ankles, so that you are upside down at the bottom of the jump. Part of a rope is tucked in the left ankle wrap, which you pull out at the top of the second bounce, to flip you so that you are sitting upright with the harness just around your waist. You sit on a platform as the rest of your gear gets attached, then waddle out to the jumping point with your ankles pretty much tied together, until your toes are just over the edge of the platform. From there, the instructors make sure the surrounding area is all clear of boats that could interfere, and gives the okay by counting down from five.

On five, you HAVE to jump or you will literally be standing there anticipating it forever. My heart is still pounding just reliving it typing this! So, on five you literally dive straight out or down towards the water in a complete free fall. The first drop down is the most intense, with a feeling that I actually cannot describe in words. It sort of feels like a constant rush of wind with a terrifying but exciting feeling of flying through space. The feeling levels in the middle a little, and comes back not quite as strong on the second bounce. From there the rest is just riding out the swing and staying relaxed as the rope gets pulled back up to the platform.

Post bungee jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge

Post bungee jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge

The catch(es)

There’s always a catch, right? Well, I prepaid for a DVD, which they somehow messed up recording (apparently it happens sometimes), so they said I could jump again for free to re-record. My response was, “are you serious?!” I did jump again, and found out the second catch of the day. The feeling of having to force your mind to go blank and body to jump into a free fall, combined with the feeling of complete adrenaline on the first drop, does not go away. It’s definitely not one of those things where you do it the first time and then could easily do it a million times, it feels just the same! However, the second jump I got to enjoy a little more because I controlled it a little more and was able to tell where I was in space more easily.

If you let them know you want to, you can actually have your head touch the water during the jump. I opted out, but the second jump the instructor adjusted the equipment so that if I jumped more down verses out I could maybe touch. I was able to see and reach for the water, but wasn’t able to actually touch it. Regardless, it was an exhilarating experience that I would recommend for people who feel like they can handle it! As a follow up recommendation, take a go pro to record it yourself, or pay for a pre-paid DVD for the chance to maybe get to jump twice!

Waiheke Island

Does that name not just SOUND amazing. About a 40-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland, “the island of wine,” or Waiheke Island is a 92 square kilometer island known for its beaches, artists, vineyards, olives, and restaurants. They have 17 fully-operational and highly-appreciated vineyards, to be exact. There are also many outdoor activities to take part in, including zip lining, ocean kayaking, mountain biking, walking, or hiking. With our itinerary and bungee jumping in the morning, we didn’t have enough time to do a full wine tour of the island, but went on a self-guided tour. We first walked to Oneroa, the small downtown area, and spent some time shopping around the boutique stores.

Downtown village of Oneroa

Downtown village of Oneroa

Then we headed to the wineries near Matiatia, the ferry wharf we docked in. The walk was longer than anticipated due to a few mistakes with directions on our part, but we were able to take in some absolutely incredible views of the iconic New Zealand landscapes. Due to the late time of day, the three vineyards we walked to in the area were closed for tastings, but at least we got to experience a lovely coastal walk of Waiheke Island!

Vinyard on Waiheke Island at sunset

Vinyard on Waiheke Island

Landscape of Waiheke Island seen on the coastal walk

Landscape of Waiheke Island seen on the coastal walk

Ferry wharf at port Matiatia at sunset

Ferry wharf at port Matiatia at sunset

That evening, we made our way back to the ferry port, and headed back to downtown Auckland. After a dinner at our hostel’s restaurant (which was quite lovely), we headed in for the night to prepare for the next day ahead!

Moreton Island

This weekend my friends and I made our second trip trip Brisbane, staying overnight and successfully making it to the aforementioned Moreton Island!

Life in The Valley

In the afternoon we took the train to Brisbane, and made our way to Bunk Backpackers hostel. As compared to the hostel I stayed in when in Sydney, this one was far better. The entrance looked just like a hotel, the rooms were clean, and the facilities (pool/hot tub, bar, lobby etc) were lovely. We checked in, then went to dinner at Full Moon, a nearby Thai restaurant. The food was fantastic and it looked like a lovely place to spend an evening relaxing listening to live music. Friday evening we explored nightlife in “the Valley,” a downtown area of Brisbane that locals often suggest visiting. The area looks like an artsy city at night, with lights and graffiti art all around. We enjoyed our time exploring, and headed back to the hostel early to get some rest before our morning ferry to Moreton Island!

Paradise?

In the morning we caught the 8:30am ferry ride to Moreton Island, which took about 75 minutes to reach. Moreton Island is located on the eastern side of Moreton Bay on the coast of south East Queensland, just north of Stradbroke Island. The island is 37 kilometers long, and 13 wide at it’s widest point. Many visitors also stay for more than a day, since 95% of the island is contained within Moreton Isand National Park, camping or glamping is very popular. The Coral Sea lies on the east coast of the island, offering plenty of water activities including sports, snorkeling, and even scuba diving. Nicknamed “the Gem of South East Queensland,” this bay is one of the few untouched areas of natural wilderness along Australia’s east coast. In fact, it is the third largest sand island in the world.

Tangalooma is the main access point for the island, although we docked at a nearby smaller port. Tangalooma Resort is an exclusive property where guests are able to stay for periods of time, and they offer many different packages and activities to do around the island. Fun fact, this resort was used in the filming of several commercials and movies, including Totally Wild, Getaway, Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and Scooby-Doo’s Spooky Island.

Tangalooma Resort

Tangalooma Resort

Spooky Island movie set on Moreton Island

Spooky Island movie set on Moreton Island

Visit Brisbane promotes white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters surrounding Moreton Island, and upon arrival we saw that this is 100% accurate! The water was legitimately the clearest water I have ever seen, and there were even a few starfish and tropical fish right near the water’s edge. The entire island literally looks like a postcard, the perfect image of paradise. We spent our day mostly just enjoying the beach, however since it is a national park, visitors can also enjoy walks and hikes, exploring historical sites, and many sport activities. There is also a mock shipwreck area called “The Wrecks” where a sunken ship is dispersed near the water’s edge. We stayed the day and caught an evening ferry home, returning to Brisbane for dinner on the water. We were all exhausted on the train home, but it was a weekend well spent!

Beaches of Moreton Island

Beaches of Moreton Island

The Wrecks at Moreton Island

The Wrecks at Moreton Island

Brisbane at night

Brisbane at night

London, Manifestations, and Medieval Music

Before studying abroad, I never thought I would be traveling so much around Europe. This passed weekend was Easter weekend, (Happy belated Easter everyone!) which meant students had Monday off as well. So basically, I had a 4-day weekend to explore any place in Europe. I decided to visit Portobello Market, Big ben, and even Buckingham Palace. As you probably already know, I went to London this weekend, and it was awesome! I definitely recommend visiting London at least once in your lifetime.

So, I arrived in London on a Friday morning. The first thing I did in London was probably a really American thing to do, but I was basically obligated; I went to Chipotle. Okay, maybe I wasn’t obligated, but it was well worth it.

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Big Ben

After settling into our Airbnb, we decided to go out and explore the city, without really anywhere to go or do. I got to see Big Ben, Parliament, London Bridge, and even the London Eye. I was really surprised to see how many tourists were out and about, especially since it was still winter season. I did not have the chance to get on the London Eye, but I’m sure it would have been worth the 2-hour line.

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Borough Market: BREAD!

Saturday morning we woke up pretty early to go to London’s world-famous markets. The first stop was at Borough Market, which is a huge farmer’s market with lots of small little food shops. Of course, we spent about an hour just taste-testing all of the food. I loved the variety and diversity of this market. I could walk one way and try Paella, and walk another way and try Curry.

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Spanish style Paella

After spending the entire morning eating amazing food, we decided to go to Portobello market, which is an antique market. Portobello Market is basically an entire street of just shops of all kinds. This is where you go to find some vintage clothes, teacups from the Victorian era, and even vintage cameras. Of course, I could not afford most of the items for sale on this street, but I did buy a teacup set.

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It started raining (what a surprise), so we decided to get some coffee while remap our plan of touring London on a rainy Saturday afternoon. We decided to take a tour around London through the bus, which was well worth it. We saw Hyde Park and all major tourist attractions.

On Sunday Morning we decided to head to Westminster Cathedral for an Easter morning Mass. Afterwards, we had reservations at Bea of Bloomsbury’s for some afternoon tea. We were completely soaked when we arrived for our tea, but the tea was well worth running in the rain.IMG_1734

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Buckingham Palace

 

We had the rest of the day free, so we decided to pay a visit to the infamous house where the Parent Trap movie was set in. This house was really nice, located right outside the SOHO district in London. Afterwards, we also visited Abbey Road, famous for the Beatles album cover. We got to see Abbey Road Studios as well, but could not go in, as it was a Sunday. London was great, but I wish I had more time to visit this awesome city.

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Abbey Road

The week after Easter was a bit boring compared to my weekend adventure. I was in Montpellier all week witnessing the manifestations the students were putting for the “Loi Travaille” (workers law) that is being disputed now. What I know about this law is that nobody likes it, and it is currently waiting to pass, or not, and eventually become a law. The university was closed briefly, and public transportation was scarce.

Yesterday night (Friday night), I spent my night with my host mom at a classical music concert in St. Guilhem le Désert, which is a mountain town built in the 10th century with medieval architecture. The concert was in the local Basilica, and included the original organ from when the church was built. It was really refreshing listening to an instrument from hundreds of years ago that fully works today. I loved this cute little village, and I hope to return soon to explore. À la prochaine!

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Basilica