Kia ora!
First impressions:
We so easily filled 11 days with activities and points of interest, we've decided we must return and have already managed to make a list of places to see next time. I consider myself extremely lucky to reside in So Cal, the bar has been set extremely high, and NZ has not failed to dazzle me with its charm and beauty. If heaven looks anything like NZ, I will not be disappointed.
Nature:
Vineyards, glaciers, mountains, parks, bays, beaches, lakes, rivers, sounds...you get the idea...this place is truly a nature lover's paradise. NZ seems to have made a real commitment to wildlife conversation with its endless national parks and marine reserves. With merely 4 million people on both islands, most of which on the north island, nature reigns here. The untarnished beauty I have encountered has repeatedly taken my breath away.
Old MacDonald's Farm:
What a charming nursery school song, but what a misleading and cunning name for the lodge we stayed at in Abel Tasman National Park on the northeastern tip of the south island. The farm did indeed have horses, chickens, peacocks, roosters (who crowed very early) and a surreal mountainside setting. It also had detached toilets and showers far enough away that one was more tempted to pee in the bushes than brave the cold, dark journey at night. The sheets were unwashed and sprinkled with dirt and we had ants, spiders, mozzies and mice for roommates who were kind enough to leave droppings on us as we slept. The next morning I finally worked up the courage to emerge from my personal sheet cocoon I brought from home and ventured to the toilets to find smoke pouring into my stall from the man in the stall next to me. Delightful. And so I have learned a few lessons: hats cover a multitude of hair faux pas, wear flip flops on any surface which appears suspicious, always bring lots of extra clean underpants and baby wipes literally are a multi-practical gift from God when you are traveling, like manna from heaven.
City of Sails (Auckland):
The very best of Auckland, I've discovered is oceanside and on the water. Nick and I took a ferry to a neighboring island covered in black, crumbly volcanic rock and fauna. We trekked four miles to the top of the crater where we relished spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding islands and the most incredible view of the Auckland skyline complete with a harbor and coastline spotted with bleach-white sailboats. Well worth the hike!
Kaikoura:
Imagine a place where you can see cerulean-blue ocean, snow-capped mountains and forest green valleys all in one view. This is what we saw as we drove into the area. Breathtaking! The lodge (thank you, Mark!) had the most amazing views of the nearby mountains and valley. We truly could not have asked for better scenery.
Fire scare:
I was drinking some tea and watching a tv program on the election results when to my surprise and horror, I saw black smoke billowing from the mountainside opposite the home where we were staying. Orange flames dances up and down the mountain wall and embers floated toward us in the strong winds. We were scared senseless by the speed and ferocity of the fire. Within minutes, it had covered the mountainside across from the home. Being California residents and no strangers to evacuation, Nick and I grabbed our passports and quickly fled back up the main road to safety. Speeding down the gravel road, we passed the neighbors we had met the day before as they drove in the opposite direction towards the fire. We naturally waved them down and asked what they were doing. Turns out it was a planned burning because the wind conditions were just right that day as to contain the fire and burn the pesky bushes which had been growing all over the mountainsides. We finally started breathing again, although the air was still quite ashy. Our adrenalin was still pumping vigorously as we had no idea the fire was planned! Our kind neighbor, Ricky, and his son then took us on a wonderful 4X4 mountain trekking tour (one thousand meters up) leaving the fire and the dirty air below us and giving us a bird's eye view of the entire valley.
Queenstown and sporting adventures:
Today we went on a jet-boating adventure down the Dart River where they filmed the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We got to whiz down a very shallow, rocky river nestled in between snow-capped mountains. We were FREEZING, but the sights were incredible. It turns out that this backdrop is used to film many commercials and films that are meant to be set in the Rockies or the Alps as well, but it is for some odd reason cheaper to film here in NZ.
Tomorrow (deep breath) we are skydiving! I'll be sure to write more about that after the fact.
