New Zealand was awesome, and once again Topdeck have delivered on their promise of an awesome and hassle-free trip.
I travelled with Air New Zealand (or Air Middle Earth, as their latest advertising campaign and safety video using the Hobbit says). The trip over to Auckland was comfortable, and spending the small amount of extra money to get the Seat+Meal option was well worth it, even if it was only a 3hr 30min flight. The cabin crew were very helpful and cheerful, which makes for an excellent journey.
I transferred from Auckland airport to the city on a bus, and for NZ$16 it was great service. The bus driver announced hotels/hostels nearby certain stops so you could get off at the right place, saves all that hassle on needing a map or getting lost!
My first night at Nomads Auckland was interesting to say the least. My room was on the 5th floor (of 7), with 2 sets of bunks (4 ppl), and a small ensuite room with toilet, basin and shower. Room was clean, which was a plus, and had alright floor space to share between 4. Ensuite was what you'd expect in a hostel - basic and small. You definitely do not pay for the view from your room! The view from mine was a concrete wall. The mattresses weren't very comfortable (have definitely had better in other hostels), and the bunks in need of replacing. The room was mixed gender, which I was fine with, but others may not be so happy with that.
The next morning, the lift was broken, and having to traverse 3 flights of stairs per floor and navigate around the cleaners equipment and laundry bags left in the stair wells was not safe or easy!
The staff, however, were very helpful and even though they were over-run by check-ins they got them through quickly and efficiently.
After hanging around Auckland's downtown for the morning, it was time to join Topdeck and shoot up to the Bay of Islands.
The way that Topdeck run their tours isn't news to me. Usually, there are a number of people on different sectors of a longer trip which helps to ensure trips are well patronised and make it more economical for the company (not so many empty seats). There were 9 people doing the last leg of their Christchurch-Auckland trip, and the rest of us travelling Auckland-Wellington/Christchurch.
As usual for Day 1, heaps of info gets chucked at you and then you play the 'getting to know you' game where you say hi to everyone, say what you do, where you come from, etc. It obviously is different from trip leader to trip leader. Can't remember what we had to say in Europe, but on the NZ trip you said 'hi' in your 'local' language, said who you were, what you do at home (student/employed/other), and then took a lucky dip for a random question (ie: tell a joke, something you want to do in NZ, etc.). Some of the lucky dips had a prize attached to them. I won a pen :)
My first night was an optional extra on The Rock - an overnight houseboat cruise of the Bay of Islands, starting and ending in Paihia. The crew are a mix of locals and people from all over the world, and all bring their uniqueness with them. With plenty of activities such as fishing, 'duck shooting', kayaking to see the phosphoresence and starts at night, diving for urchins, eating urchins, and a visit to one of the 144-odd islands, the 22-hr trip is a lot of fun!
With it being early November, the weather was a little cool still and the water reflected that. It rained a little, mostly when we were fishing (I caught a pretty Gurnard). Also pack the swimmers, you are guarenteed to get wet kayaking (or at least a wet bum!).
http://www.rocktheboat.co.nz/
The second night of the trip was spent on land in Paihia at a nice hotel. Topdeck in NZ has two-three kinds of accommodation:
- Hotel-style (ensuite bathroom, fridge, TV, single/double beds, shared between 2-3 people)
- Flashpackers (nice backpacking hostels, shared bathroom not in the room, usually shared between 3-4 people)
- Marae stay (hosted by a Maori community in their community house)
The Marae was our 3rd night. After leaving the Bay of Islands early, we breezed through to Auckland where we dropped off the 9 and picked up a few more. The Marae was outside of Rotorua, so to get there we drove through Matamata (aka: Hobbiton) where we had a short stop. The Marae is located at Lake Rotoiti.
Part of the 'cultural' aspect of visiting a Marae is that a woman of the iwi invites the visitors in with an eerie call that calls you and your ancestors in as a welcome. The women stand in front of the group, with the men behind. Upon walking up to the main building, you take your shoes off and enter, seating infront of the assembled hosts with men in front and women behind. Culturally, the men are the protectors, while the women hold a place of importance, and this arrangement reflects that.
The most senior male, or chief, present will welcome the group, and then sing. In return, the guests also sing a song. Our song was the first few verses and the chorus of 'Good Time' by Owl City and Carly Rae Jespen. After that, you shake hands and do the traditional nose and forehead touch (sharing of spirit and ideas) with all present.
This night, in my opinion, was the best night. You got to learn more about the local maori iwi, got to share a meal, and have the opportunity to spend the night, which many Kiwi's do not get to.
Nearby is the (to my knowledge) only commercially rafted Category 5 rapid. Quite a number of the group went to do this, and some got thrown out of the rafts!
Also part of the optional extras were a visit to the Spa at Hell's Gate in Rotorua, and a visit to the actual Hobbiton set from LOTR and The Hobbit. The Green Dragon was being turned into a working pub, and was supposed to be opened by December 1st.
In the afternoon in Rotorua, we had another maori cultural experience by visiting Whaka Thermal Reserve. Our guide was a descendant of the families that continue to live there and in Rotorua, and he was a hoot! After getting a crash course in Maori, you see the thermal pools (all over 100 degrees Celsius!) where the locals cook (the ultimate microwave and slow cookers), and they also use the waters to bathe. Many do live in the reserve.
After Rotorua, it was off to Taupo. There was a stop to Huka Falls, which was amazing - especially given the amount of water that flows through! Taupo isn't too far away, and is a good spot to base yourself for the Huka Falls Jet, and the Tongariro Crossing. Lake Taupo is a volcanic lake, and from the Taupo side you get a spectacular view of the Tongariro National Park volcanos (Mt Tongariro, Mt Ngauruhoe (aka: Mt Doom), and Mt Ruapehu). The 2 nights here were spent in 'flashpackers' Silver Fern Lodge.
There is a day trip to traverse the Tongariro crossing, which does require a resonable level of fitness - so for me it would have to be another trip! I spent the day exploring Taupo - there are heaps of shops and there was a little market as it was Saturday. Hilarious thing is that nearly a week later, Tongariro had a small eruption.
After Taupo, it was a drive through the 'desert' region near the volcanoes and along the Kapiti Coast to Wellington. After a visit to the Weta Cave (Wellington is home to Weta Studios), a trip up Mt Victoria, and a drive through the 'Honking Tunnel' (under Mt Victoria, if you honk, then others will honk in return... apparently its treated as a bit of a nuisance but heck its hilarious!), it was a stop at Travelodge. We had a bowling night - cuz it was the last night for some people - and some did go out to a bar called Electric Avenue - it was Sunday and a bit of a dive.
The next day I spent the day at Te Papa (Wellington's museum). There is heaps to see, its great for kids cuz it has a lot of interactive play areas, and you can easily spend a full day there... especially as the day had some very questionable weather.
Next day, it was across the Cook Strait to the South Island. The crossing was a bit choppy, and while I don't usually get seasick, I did feel very off! It was a relief to get to Picton for lunch. The afternoon stop at Hunter's Winery (included on the North-South direction, but not South-North) for some lovely whites and cool climate reds (not as strong as the Aussie cool climate reds). Nelson was beautifully sunny! We stayed 2 nights at Aloha Lodge - very Taiwanese-oriented in the architecture considering the owners are Taiwanese.
With possibly the best (and highest) skydive (saw the vids, not game enough to get thrown out of a plane), Nelson has many activities. In nearby Happy Valley, there are 4WD bike adventures and trail rides. My horse was a gelding named Blaze - and while he was quite handsome, he was a little naughty in stopping to eat all the time. The ride was worth it! Heading up into the mountains and beyond the farmland with an awesome view of the East Coast.
After Nelson was a stop in Kaikoura - a very food-rich area of the sea where dolphins, seals, and whales all hang out. Saw Oahu Pt Seal Colony - full of NZ Fur Seals in all their cheeky and stinky glory! In Kaikoura you can swim with Seals and Dolphins (depending on them, of course!), and watch the sperm whales (again, depending on them!) Managed to see 3 whales, after doing some chasing that involved using a microphone put into the water to hear the sounds of the whales - they make different sounds if they're swimming, and none if they're eating or coming to the surface. Sperm Whales are amazing - they're able to dive up to 3km below! Also the 'oil' in their heads (that gives them their name... cuz it looks like the obvious!) helps them to dive or rise by heating or cooling it!
That night was spent at Hamner Springs. Spent most of the evening at the pools having a soak in the 35-42 degrees C waters. Good thing too, considering it was pouring rain! Got soaked heading back to the hostel (very basic, but its a bed and a roof over the head!).
Got to Christchurch early in the morning and said goodbye to my companions - they were all meeting new travellers and heading down south for a farm stay and then to Queenstown. I got a lift into town, and found out I was staying right next to the CBD red zone - where all the destruction was centred after the 2010-11 earthquakes and 10,000 aftershocks. The Ibis was only newly opened, and was the only thing on that part of Hereford St open! Everything else is still boarded up and empty - awaiting fixing or demolishing. Nearby is the Re:Start Mall - colourful shops made from shipping containers - and Christchurch Museum. You can also go on Red Zone tours where the bus takes you into the CBD to see the progress of the recovery. It's mostly meant for the locals, but many visitors go on it too! I went on it on the Saturday, it was very scary to see the destruction - very much like a ghost town! I also went into the Museum as the weather was shocking! There were a fair few exhibits open, but still a lot closed off until they make sure the building is properly fixed.
On the Friday, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were in town and they drove past my hotel on their way to tour the Red Zone. They spent time out at the mall greeting people and walking around as they do.
As many buildings have been demolished, the empty lots have been turned into 'Gap Fillers' - public areas of art and activity. Near Re:Start was a dance floor and disco ball where you can plug your ipod in and for $2 get to groove to your tunes for 30mins, with anyone allowed to join in! Across from the Ibis is a small-sized soccer field with balls where anyone from the casual player, kids, and sport groups can go and play.
The Sunday meant it was time to head home with a flight from Christchurch, to Sydney, and then to Canberra. The flight was nearly 4hrs as a headwind slowed the crossing, and storms in Sydney meant a few delays. My flight home from Sydney was delayed by nearly 2hrs! But at least it was a quick flight!
All-in-all an awesome trip!
Since being home its been busy working and spending time with friends and my other half. This week, I'm moving back into the ACT. It'll be nice being a bit closer to work and having a bit more space to spread out or chill.
On a final note, got the results of the studies they did on my poor gallbladder. Chololithitis, with epithelial changes... benign but a good thing it came out cuz it apparently was very sick for a long time!
