G'Day! In my attempt at a clever subject line last time, I didn't realize Gmail won't let you change it when replying to a previous email. In short, I was trying to say that the biggest danger in NZ is the chocolate. So dangerous, in fact, that it consumed all of my spare change and then some; not to mention weighing down my backpack. I've decided that the metric system is much more flattering, though. Your weight is a smaller number, the distance hiked is a longer number, and nutrition labels list "energy" in kilojoules rather than
calories. Who couldn't use more energy? As for temperature, I never really made the transition, but I just learned that when I was in Sydney it was always between the mid-60's and 80's.
I say "was" because all good things must come to an end and I'm back in DC. I'm happy to see friends again and look forward to the cherry blossoms in a few weeks, but I confess that the grey sky, bare trees, and brown grass that greeted me as we landed was one of the most depressing sights I've ever seen. Not to mention the weather! My whole scheme was to flee winter and have it warm and sunny upon my return. Alas, gloves are still required, but that's not what you want to hear about so here's the wrap-up of my travels.
My last weekend in NZ was spent in Auckland, where I was able to meet the Pakis, a family related to some family friends. They were so welcoming, and if they didn't already have a daughter named Kelly I'd offer to join theirs. Monday was grey and drizzly, and I took comfort in knowing the country was as sad to see me leave as I was to leave it. But to ease the pain of separation, I had a few days in Sydney before returning to the States.
While I struggled in NZ to differentiate between being a traveller and tourist and what exactly that meant, I was determined to be as much of a tourist as possible in Australia and just enjoy myself. Sydney is a beautiful city in site and situation, with some architecture I was able to enjoy up-close (see photo). Rather than waste my money on bungee jumping or sky diving in NZ, I opted to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge. It was completely safe, lasted longer, and offered better views. It was excellent! Later that day I went to the zoo to get my
marsupial fix, and decided that the Koala is my favorite. Did you know it needs to sleep 20 hours a day? I topped the day off by going to a performance at the Sydney Opera House, where I was treated to the drum music and dancing of Papa New Guinea and Polynesia.
The next day was spent hiking in the Blue Mountains, a national park just a few hours from downtown. Not surprisingly, the forest consisted of several species of gumtree (eucalyptus) and turpentine. I also encountered more lizards than I ever saw in NZ, but thankfully no snakes. My final morning was spent in a last-ditch effort to tan, so I took the ferry across the harbor for some swimming and sunning. On my Aussie coworker's suggestion I headed to to Manly Beach--named by Captain Cook because the aboriginals looked especially "manly"
there (I'm serious!). Speaking of aboriginals, while I never actually saw a boomerang thrown, I did hear some street performers in native dress play a didgeridoo. Then it was back to the airport to fly to Auckland and back to LA, where I spent the night with my family before flying back here.
Now I'm back at work, waiting for my pictures, and in denial about the financial impact of this trip for as long as possible. It will have been worth it regardless of expense, but you know how frugal I am. In summary, New Zealand is a beautiful and amazing country that I highly suggest visiting if you ever get the chance and Sydney isn't so bad, either. Well, take care and keep in touch!
Cheers,
Kellee
31 March 2005
15 March 2005
The biggest danger in New Zealand
...is the chocolate. It's just a little too delicious and accessible for my own good. Dr. Jacobs (my Vienna director who's in Auckland) thinks it may even be better than the chocolate in Vienna, but I'm still doing taste tests to determine if I agree. :)
This week was the South Island which is large and largely rural. The sheep definitely won on this leg, but I still saw a fair amount of cattle and deer (venison is gaining popularity). There's too much to do, so even limiting it to three activities consumed the week as they were about as far apart as could be. After bidding farewell to the North Island with a cruise (west?) across the Cook Strait, I spent Monday kayaking and hiking on the Abel Tasman Coast. It was perfect weather with a light wind at our backs as we paddled through clear
water to small golden beaches. The walk back was equally stunning through dense forest and I felt blinded by all the green some moments.
Tuesday was spent just getting to Christchurch, but I was able to enjoy a very delicious lamb dinner at a restaurant someone recommended to me. A bit out of the way, but I was able to meet the chef and get the recipe. The city is considered the most British in NZ and it makes me excited to visit England next.
Wednesday was spent on the TranzAlpine. It was funny to pay so much for a seat, considering I spent most of my time in the observation car snapping photos and marvelling at the engineering feat. Great scenery goes without saying, and once on the west coast I went as far as the Franz Josef glacier. I arrived too late to hike on it, but just walking to it was awe-inspiring at its sheer size. I've come to realize this happens often down here because things are just so big! Thursday was another travel day through beautiful countryside and
glimpses of the ocean to get down to Queenstown, so that Friday I could cruise the Milford Sound. Just getting there was a 5 hour bus ride, which made for a very long day but easily one of the highlights of my trip. The sound (really a fjord) was massive, beautiful, and again easy to loose any sense of scale. I've needed to use my jacket this week because of wind and rain, but it is still definitely shorts weather down here and the thought of returning to winter makes me shudder.
It's funny to stay in backpackers and see the trends of gear and guidebooks. The only people I've seen using something besides Lonely Planet are the Japanese and some Germans. For example, on the bus ride to Queenstown I was met an American, a German, a Dutch, and an Italian. We all had our Lonely Planets to read during the ride and compared our systems for tabbing the pages. Apparently I'm not so unique after all. Well, time to catch the bus. Take care!
Kellee
This week was the South Island which is large and largely rural. The sheep definitely won on this leg, but I still saw a fair amount of cattle and deer (venison is gaining popularity). There's too much to do, so even limiting it to three activities consumed the week as they were about as far apart as could be. After bidding farewell to the North Island with a cruise (west?) across the Cook Strait, I spent Monday kayaking and hiking on the Abel Tasman Coast. It was perfect weather with a light wind at our backs as we paddled through clear
water to small golden beaches. The walk back was equally stunning through dense forest and I felt blinded by all the green some moments.
Tuesday was spent just getting to Christchurch, but I was able to enjoy a very delicious lamb dinner at a restaurant someone recommended to me. A bit out of the way, but I was able to meet the chef and get the recipe. The city is considered the most British in NZ and it makes me excited to visit England next.
Wednesday was spent on the TranzAlpine. It was funny to pay so much for a seat, considering I spent most of my time in the observation car snapping photos and marvelling at the engineering feat. Great scenery goes without saying, and once on the west coast I went as far as the Franz Josef glacier. I arrived too late to hike on it, but just walking to it was awe-inspiring at its sheer size. I've come to realize this happens often down here because things are just so big! Thursday was another travel day through beautiful countryside and
glimpses of the ocean to get down to Queenstown, so that Friday I could cruise the Milford Sound. Just getting there was a 5 hour bus ride, which made for a very long day but easily one of the highlights of my trip. The sound (really a fjord) was massive, beautiful, and again easy to loose any sense of scale. I've needed to use my jacket this week because of wind and rain, but it is still definitely shorts weather down here and the thought of returning to winter makes me shudder.
It's funny to stay in backpackers and see the trends of gear and guidebooks. The only people I've seen using something besides Lonely Planet are the Japanese and some Germans. For example, on the bus ride to Queenstown I was met an American, a German, a Dutch, and an Italian. We all had our Lonely Planets to read during the ride and compared our systems for tabbing the pages. Apparently I'm not so unique after all. Well, time to catch the bus. Take care!
Kellee
25 February 2005
Kellee goes Kiwi vol. 1
note: this is an email I sent to family and friends during my trip to New Zealand and Australia in 2005.
Greetings from Tongariro National Park (aka Modor)! I can't believe I'm already half-way through my trip, but I easily loose track of time down here. Literally. My analog watch stopped at one point, causing me to miss a bus. Thankfully, another bus came an hour later and I can now check the date from my digital watch as I catch every bus. I'm really enjoying summer and have to constantly remind myself it's February, since almost every day has been sunny and hot. A little drizzle during a train ride has been the only precipitation so far. "Touch wood," we'll have great weather next week when I'm going through the Alps. It wasn't until my hike that I saw why New Zealand is known as the land of the long white cloud as we hiked above, in, and below the clouds in the course of a day. Today is actually overcast, so I'm glad my tramp ended yesterday. I chose to do the 3-day Tongariro Northern Circuit, which was amazing and quite humbling. The company was great, and thanks to the jacuzzi here I'm not too sore, just bruised. The hike goes up and around Ngauruhoe (Mt. Doom) through a variety of landscapes including desert and forest. I'm sorry I won't have time to do more hiking, but I'm not sure I'm physically up to it at the moment anyway and there are plenty of great day hikes I can still do. I've used almost everything I packed, especially Duct tape. Thanks, dad!
New Zealand has been ridiculously easy to get around, possibly because I'm only going to things on the beaten path and also because they speak English (sort of). Still don't always understand them on the phone and they use some different expressions than we do. It's weird to be the one with the accent for a change.
I've actually embraced the fact that most of the people I meet are fellow travellers, and I've met someone from every continent (except Antarctica, but we're pretty close down here). Being alone has forced me to be more of an extrovert than normal, but everyone's really friendly so how could you not be? The majority of people I've met are British, but my German is also getting a bit of exercise. I hadn't met any Dutch until the hike, but they were a majority in the huts we stayed at. I hardly meet any Japanese because they tend to stay on
their tours, but when you see any you see at least a dozen. I even met someone from Liechtenstein yesterday! It's been fun to swap travel tips and learn about what drew them here. I have managed to meet a few Kiwis, too, with the same resulting friendliness. It's also now a bit of a game to see who you meet up with later down the road since I'm not with a formal tour.
I keep waiting for the ugly or boring part of the New Zealand landscape so I can fall asleep on the bus, but so far no dice. Maybe next week on the long South Island bus trips. I've never seen so much farmland, and so far I've seen about as many cattle as sheep. I've heard the sheep win on the South Island, but they now only have 35-40 million sheep here (and a little over 4 million people!). I've already sampled some lamb at a Hangi (Maori feast) which was delicious, but I'm looking forward to treating myself to some more next week. Of all the native plants, my favorites so far are the tree ferns. Seeing the black and silver ones towering overhead or peeking out from the bush gives the landscape a forest primeval feel and you keep expecting a dinosaur to pop out. Most places are fairly small so I'm not sure what you need to be called a town. I always thought at least a gas station was necessary, but apparently not. Most homes are small by US standards and have clotheslines in the yards--simple and unpretentious. I like that about the people, too. They're down to earth and don't put on airs to impress you.
Driving on the other side of the road affects me even if I'm not driving. I try to get in the driver's side of the car almost every time, and still don't know how to look both ways properly before crossing the street. I also borrowed a bike to get around Paihia, which was fantastic but a little crazy going around the traffic circle. I came out of it alright but on the wrong side of the road. By the time I adjust I'll probably be back in the states.
I'll send more of a write-up once I'm back with free Internet, but believe me it is all fabulous, wonderful, marvelous, etc. Everywhere I've been I want to stay longer, but I keep hearing reports of what I haven't seen yet and continue on. Next time I'm here...
Cheers,
Kellee
PS If you were interested in where I've been so far, here's the list: Auckland (stayed with the Jacobs), Paihia (Bay of Islands), Cape Reinga, Hamilton (saw the temple!), Rotorua, Waitomo, Turani, and Tongariro NP. Tonight I'll be in Wellington and next week is the South Island.
Greetings from Tongariro National Park (aka Modor)! I can't believe I'm already half-way through my trip, but I easily loose track of time down here. Literally. My analog watch stopped at one point, causing me to miss a bus. Thankfully, another bus came an hour later and I can now check the date from my digital watch as I catch every bus. I'm really enjoying summer and have to constantly remind myself it's February, since almost every day has been sunny and hot. A little drizzle during a train ride has been the only precipitation so far. "Touch wood," we'll have great weather next week when I'm going through the Alps. It wasn't until my hike that I saw why New Zealand is known as the land of the long white cloud as we hiked above, in, and below the clouds in the course of a day. Today is actually overcast, so I'm glad my tramp ended yesterday. I chose to do the 3-day Tongariro Northern Circuit, which was amazing and quite humbling. The company was great, and thanks to the jacuzzi here I'm not too sore, just bruised. The hike goes up and around Ngauruhoe (Mt. Doom) through a variety of landscapes including desert and forest. I'm sorry I won't have time to do more hiking, but I'm not sure I'm physically up to it at the moment anyway and there are plenty of great day hikes I can still do. I've used almost everything I packed, especially Duct tape. Thanks, dad!
New Zealand has been ridiculously easy to get around, possibly because I'm only going to things on the beaten path and also because they speak English (sort of). Still don't always understand them on the phone and they use some different expressions than we do. It's weird to be the one with the accent for a change.
I've actually embraced the fact that most of the people I meet are fellow travellers, and I've met someone from every continent (except Antarctica, but we're pretty close down here). Being alone has forced me to be more of an extrovert than normal, but everyone's really friendly so how could you not be? The majority of people I've met are British, but my German is also getting a bit of exercise. I hadn't met any Dutch until the hike, but they were a majority in the huts we stayed at. I hardly meet any Japanese because they tend to stay on
their tours, but when you see any you see at least a dozen. I even met someone from Liechtenstein yesterday! It's been fun to swap travel tips and learn about what drew them here. I have managed to meet a few Kiwis, too, with the same resulting friendliness. It's also now a bit of a game to see who you meet up with later down the road since I'm not with a formal tour.
I keep waiting for the ugly or boring part of the New Zealand landscape so I can fall asleep on the bus, but so far no dice. Maybe next week on the long South Island bus trips. I've never seen so much farmland, and so far I've seen about as many cattle as sheep. I've heard the sheep win on the South Island, but they now only have 35-40 million sheep here (and a little over 4 million people!). I've already sampled some lamb at a Hangi (Maori feast) which was delicious, but I'm looking forward to treating myself to some more next week. Of all the native plants, my favorites so far are the tree ferns. Seeing the black and silver ones towering overhead or peeking out from the bush gives the landscape a forest primeval feel and you keep expecting a dinosaur to pop out. Most places are fairly small so I'm not sure what you need to be called a town. I always thought at least a gas station was necessary, but apparently not. Most homes are small by US standards and have clotheslines in the yards--simple and unpretentious. I like that about the people, too. They're down to earth and don't put on airs to impress you.
Driving on the other side of the road affects me even if I'm not driving. I try to get in the driver's side of the car almost every time, and still don't know how to look both ways properly before crossing the street. I also borrowed a bike to get around Paihia, which was fantastic but a little crazy going around the traffic circle. I came out of it alright but on the wrong side of the road. By the time I adjust I'll probably be back in the states.
I'll send more of a write-up once I'm back with free Internet, but believe me it is all fabulous, wonderful, marvelous, etc. Everywhere I've been I want to stay longer, but I keep hearing reports of what I haven't seen yet and continue on. Next time I'm here...
Cheers,
Kellee
PS If you were interested in where I've been so far, here's the list: Auckland (stayed with the Jacobs), Paihia (Bay of Islands), Cape Reinga, Hamilton (saw the temple!), Rotorua, Waitomo, Turani, and Tongariro NP. Tonight I'll be in Wellington and next week is the South Island.
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