Hellooooo everyone!
First off, thanks to everyone who has left comments and suggestions for tasks on this blog. I really appreciate the time that you take to do that, and it makes me feel that much closer to home :)
So after hitting up the East Coast, the bus found it's way back to Taupo (home of the skydiving jump, if you've been following closely). On this return trip through the area, I decided to take on the Tongariro Crossing: a hike through the mountains, tundra, and 'jungle' in the region which averages 7 hours! The hike was incredible and exhausting! Halfway through they have a point of no return where you have to turn around if you feel that you won't make it the rest of the way....a route that I momentarily considered and then kind of regretted not taking during the arduous last 2 hours of downward path through a hot jungle forest. But all in all the views were spectacular and the feeling of having completed a feat as difficult as this hike was amazing. I htink that the strangest thing about this hike was the landscape which was constantly changing: tundra to mountain to flat crater to mountain to deep red crater to emerald lakes to moutain paths to jungle.....just incredible!
The next day the bus ventured to River Valley Lodge with a stop at Tongarki Falls (sp?) to do a hike which ended at the river where part of Lord of the Rings was filmed (which part? I don't know. Which scene? I don't know....but it definitely looked like a landscape from Lord of the Rings, haha!) At the picturesque River Valley Lodge we played some sand volleyball (with the menacing sand flies...don't even get me started on those little pests! They are my arch enemies at the moment!). The game was great for meeting a busload of new people. I didn't do the rafting there (I'm actually starting to watch my bank account now), but I took in some eye-opening swimming in the icy cold river and then a nice break in the hot tub. The next day was a bit of a disappointment because we drove all day to Wellington and then I had only planned one night there. This meant arriving at 7 pm and leaving at 7 am....thus, I've planned on 3 days in Wellington when I return to the north island in about 8 days. (wow, 8 days! It's wierd to think that my time in NZ is almost over!)
Next we crossed the beautiful Marlbourgh Sound to go to the south island and then drove to the ever-sunny Nelson....in which, the next day, it rained. But we made the best of it as 7 of us rented a van and attempted the 2 hour drive to Abel Tasman National Park; on which we went to a brewery, got lost, found a quaint winery in the countryside with $2 wine tastings, and then eventually found our way to the park where we dined on wine and all the fixings of a great picnic: cheeses, crackers, fruit, meat, and chocolate. Next we walked to the first lookout (in a park which takes a few days to walk its entirety) and enjoyed the views...even on a cloudy day.
It was on this day that the earthquake occurred and we, fortunately, didn't even have the slightest idea while we were in the park. However, although the devastation is isolated, the whole country has felt the impact of destruction from the quake and is grieving for the city of Christchurch. It's gotten quite emotional a few times while watching newscasts and knowing that the inhabitants of the city of, in some cases, lost home and loved ones and are just trying to pick up the pieces...while dodging aftershocks and the apparent arrival of another giant earthquake (although these have just been rumours). Thank god that my friend Anita, whom I was going to stay with, was okay. One of the hostels which the bus frequents in Christchurch was flattened and yes, there were some casualties...none from the kiwi experience, but it's still a horrible situation. The kiwi buses are now detouring around christchurch except for those people that have flights out of the airport. These people are told to bring enough water, food, toilet paper, etc... to last them until their flight leaves. I just received a message from Anita who said that they are now able to use the toilets, but they still have to boil their water. If you are able to donate any money to help the situation for the people fo Christchurch, then please do.
Onto brighter notes, the next day out of Nelson I was on Morrie's bus. Morrie is a dread-locked, surfboard-toting New Zealander who is constantly seeking adventure and is quite a laugh to talk to. He gives out beer to anyone who jumps off the bus and kisses lollipop men and women (or construction workers) when we have to stop for contruction. The beer count goes up the more undesirable the worker seems to be. Double points for a ginger (or redhead) because Morrie is one. We haven't had the honor of witnessing this spectacle yet, but I'll be sure to get lots of pics if it ever happens!! We continued on to Lake Rotiti: nestled in the mountains and full of....eels and ducks. Well, okay, not FULL of eels, but seeing them under the dock and then NEEDING that jumpshot off the dock into the same water was a little unnerving, but I did the jump, got the shot, and then got my ass out of the water. The ducks there were SUPER friendly....as in they would crawl all over you trying to get at your food! One guy in the group even got his nipple bitten as a young duck attempted to snatch his slice of pizza. Crazy little buggers! We then rolled into Westport .....which is not much of anything, but gave us a chance to go to a pub for dinner and drinks and a pool game (involving the whole bus!) and meet the crew which was a good night.
On Morrie's bus, he tends to stop at any and every stop there is for a scenic snapshot or a short walk through the forest. At first these stops are abhorred as you try to relax or catch up on some sleep, but then you realize that this IS New Zealand and these stops are getting you up close and personal with it. Next we went to Lake Mahinapua, home of the legendary Kiwi Experience Poo Pub night (no, no 'poo' is involved...this comes from 'Ma-hin-a-POO-a'). Every bus has different costume themes to fulfill for the night, and ours was "tight and bright: anything tight and bright". At first we balked at the idea as we didn't have time to shop at thrift stores, but with ingenuity, and some rummaging through the hostel's clothes box, we all came up with fabulous costumes (you MUST see facebook pics for the feel of this night!) Every kiwi bus that comes through (which is every night) gets a group photo and these photos are put on the walls, and then in albums when the walls are full. The night was merry and BRIGHT as we drank $10 jugs and chose our own music from the jukebox. :P
The next day (without a hangover for myself! AMAZING!), we ventured to Franz Josef, the site of the incredible Franz Josef glacier! 2 nights here allowed us to enjoy a day of trekking out on the glacier. We climbed the ice through caves and crevasses (sp?) and ultimately hiked a total of 16km (painfully reminiscent of the Tongariro crossing!). Halfway through the hike i thought, "Well, this is just like any other hike." But as the day wore on, I realized, holy shit! I'm on a glacier!!" and this feeling was incredible!
Now we are in Wanaka. Tonight will be an easy night as a group of us are going to the local cinema which employs couches for seats and serves hot chocolate and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies in the intermission :) :) The movie being shown is The Fighter, which my parents have told me is a must-see! Tomorrow we are off to Queenstown where I will spend 5 days (a luxury in the life of bus travel!) and will see the magnificent Milford Sound.
Kia Ora!!
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