Thursday- Our wet and wild spring break began early as we needed to be on our flight to New Zealand before 10am. I was up at 5:30am to finish packing and showering. I called the rest of the group around 6am and we all piled into Eli’s car a little after 6:30am. Eli was nice enough to offer Chris, Brian, Laura, and I a ride to the airport, even though it was an early morning drive.
We made great time and our flight was smooth- we even made it to Auckland a little ahead of schedule. The trouble came when we realized we didn’t have much information about the place we were planning on staying. Chris and Brian had a friend from California studying in Auckland who offered his place up for us to stay, but we didn’t have his number and had no idea if he was home. Luckily, we had his address, so we presented that to the bus driver.
We arrived at Mike Stone’s building around 5pm, right as reception was closing. Turns out he lives at a dorm-like building that has apartment-style living spaces. Just our luck, it wasn’t so easy to stay at Mike’s… we were supposed to be registered, so we kind of shrugged off the idea of staying there and planned on finding a hostel.
We spent the night getting to know Mike better and hearing all about his experience studying in New Zealand. He expressed jealousy at our stories of our Aussie friends. The building he lives in is almost all American students, so he has had a hard time making any good Kiwi friends. I was jealous, though, of all his traveling! He hardly spends any extra time in Auckland because every weekend he is taking trips and seeing the islands. He had so many pictures and hilarious stories to tell us. He had just gotten back from his spring break during which he roadtripped the south island. One night he met a girl and found himself invited to a cocktail party by her parents for the following evening. So, there he was, in this girl’s father’s suit at a cocktail party with a roomful of strangers! He met a big ol’ Maori guy (Maori is the indigenous culture in New Zealand) and the next day was on an adventure with that giant man. At one point during their drive there was a sheep in the middle of the road (in no way is this a rare occurance) and the Maori man jumped out of the car, tackled the poor sheep, wrapped it’s legs around itself (killing it almost instantly) and threw it in the back of the car (presumably for dinner). These crazy stories that Mike had really got me psyched for our road trip we were headed on in the coming days.
We found a way to stay at Mike’s place and slept on the floor in our sleeping bags for that first night. Our group got in a little trouble with reception for breaking the rules, but it wasn’t anything we couldn’t handle.
Friday- We spent a lazy day in Auckland, actually wasting a lot of time in the public library and a Gloria Jean’s coffee shop doing some schoolwork and researching our coming trip. We had made up a game the day before, inspired by Mike Stone’s stories, called “Sheep”. The game consisted of calling out “sheep” and pointing to another member of the group before tackling them—so we played this to help pass the time and make our homework slightly more enjoyable.
Meanwhile, Mike Stone as, possibly, one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met, spent the day doing selfless favors for our group. He found us a tent to use for our road trip and got together his camping gear so we didn’t have to rent tuff like he had planned. Even more giving, he kept constant tabs on the work being done to his car—it had broken down right at the end of his road trip, but he offered it to us if it was fixed by the time we left Auckland. Amazingly, by Friday afternoon it was all set to go! We experienced so much luck and friendship during this break—the giving spirit that one single human encompasses continues to astound me.
Saturday- We didn’t quite get the early start we had planned on. We slept in way too late and after packing up, grocery shopping, and solidifying our plans, we didn’t all pile into the car and head out until early afternoon. We bid farewell to Mike Stone and rolled out in his Subaru with a single working tape—a Bob Marley greatest hits with a handwritten date of 1984. The tape was left from the previous owner and was quite fitting for our hippie outlook for this trip.
We drove south to Waitomo with hopes of blackwater rafting (rafting in caves that have black water because of the minerals embedded in the earth). New Zealand is such a tourist destination that, even in some of the tiny towns, they have “isites” (information sites) with information for the area and the whole island. After driving for a few hours in the rain, it was nice to get out and stretch our legs. We were disappointed to find out that, because of the recent rainstorms, blackwater rafting was not going to be possible. The caves were all flooded and too dangerous to raft in—there were horrible rapids created because of all the extra water.
We did get a chance to do a beautiful bushwalk through some of the cave country. We didn’t get to the carpark until a little before sunset, so we put on multiple layers and grabbed our flashlights before heading into the bush. As we were jumping out of the car, a hippie van rolled up and a couple got out to stretch. They were about to set up camp when Laura, always excited to be friends with new people, called out to say hello. Turns out they were from France, 23, and doing a road trip very similar to ours (but longer). They had already explored the south island and were heading north through the upper island. We invited them along with us on our bushwalk and they decided to join.
The walk was beautiful and our first real taste of New Zealand wilderness. We walked and hiked thru jungle-like foliage and came across tunnels in the rock that we got to make our way into. The track took us to an enormous cave. It was so late at night and so clouded over because of the horrible weather that we had the chance to experience one of the darkest moments in the cave. It was terrifying for me (I’m afraid of the dark- haha), but also strangely liberating. The cavernous expanse had rushing water down below and had a huge arch inside of it. When we looked up, though, that was amazing! Speckled along the ceiling of the cave were countless numbers of glowworms. Only about a centimeter long, the little dots looked like neon-green stars about us. I was so depressed because, just like stars, they were impossible to take a picture of- and almost as impossible to describe.
Reluctantly, realizing how late and dark it was getting, we trekked back to the car—seeing millions of glowworms on the cliffs and trees. We met a Kiwi on our walk back who was, impressively, taking a late-night run through the wilderness. I had a hard time keeping my footing while walking, so I have no idea how he managed to run on the slick track, but maybe that is just a Kiwi instinct?
On our way south to our next destination, a place called Taupo, we stopped into a town called Te Kuiti for a hearty dinner of fish and chips. We really were in the middle of no where during our drive- it wasn’t very late in the evening and we were seriously the only car on the road. The most terrifying moment came about halfway to Taupo when Laura had to slam on the breaks to avoid hitting a cow that was standing in the middle of the road! When we finally (and safely) made it to Taupo we searched around for a campsite we had been told about by one of the isites. Turns out it was technically closed until November 1st, and it was considered trespassing if we camped there, but there were a few other campers and tents set up, so we decided to take our chances. We pitched a tent and spent a cold and rainy night cuddled in our sleeping bags.
Sunday- We woke up to beautiful sunshine and opened our tent to see the rushing river we had heard the night before. Chris mentioned that it is the only river in the southern hemisphere that naturally flows north! We boiled some water over the gas stove that Mike let us borrow and made oatmeal for breakfast. Then we packed up our tent and sleeping bags and headed to Huka Falls.
The 80 metre fall was fun… for about 5 minutes. After seeing the waterfalls at Paradise Falls in Victoria, these could not even compete, especially because it was so commercialized- it simply took the wonder out of the natural beauty. It may have been because of all the rain, but because the river was so bloated, the waterfall looked more like harsh rapids than anything else. So, we snapped a few photos of the tourist attraction and moved on to our hike.
Starting in a town called Kinlock, we parked our car in between a “mom and pop” convenience store and Lake Taupo, one of the biggest lakes in New Zealand. The hike up the huge hill (more like a small mountain) turned out to be about 15km (about 10 miles) altogether and we forged through the woods and wilderness. The trees and foliage actually provided great cover from the rain that was falling sporadically. We came across a few beautiful lookouts that let us view the lake, trees, and town from a gorgeous angle. The trail ended close to the summit of the hill at a scenic lookout and, just out luck, the rain started pouring just as we arrived.
On our way down the train the clouds moved past and finally the sun came out. This was the New Zealand I had been waiting for! Even though it was fairly shortlived, we soaked in the sun and the views it provided for us. I don’t know if I’ve ever been so grateful for sunshine as I was whenever we received it during this trip, but I don’t think I’ll ever take that big ball of fire for granted ever again. Brian, the runner of the group, had broken off early in the hike to run the trail and we met back up with him on our way downhill. My legs were so sore by the time we reached the bottom, I was looking forward to our next stop: a natural thermal spa in Taupo!
We arrived at the park with the thermal spa around 6:30pm and learned that the gates to the carpark were locked at 7pm. This mean we would have to park at the far carpark and walk through the cold and the dark for who-knows-how-long to find the spring. I was not so keen on the idea, but I’m lucky enough to have some loving and patient friends (also pretty persuasive) who finally convinced me to push my boundaries. The boys ran ahead and Laura and I realized I had lost my towel already (she had forgotten hers in Melbourne). So, between the two of us, we were towel-less. Shrugging off the inconvenience, we headed down the trail after the towel-wealthy boys.
Lying in the naturally heated pool was like a luxury spa, especially after all the hiking. Because it was after hours the four of us were the only ones in the 90 degree water. We sat and relaxed in the hot tub for an hour or so and made shapes out of the openings in the clouds (yes, it was that cloudy). A few times we needed to stand up to cool ourselves down—it surprised me how warm I still was once we were getting out and standing in the cold wind once again. The boys let us girls use their towels and once we were all dry and changed we made our way back to the car.
Our last stop for the day was to find a pretty well lit spot to make dinner—and this is where we really started to look like homeless people. We drove around the outskirts of town until we found a fairly lit spot outside of a Goodyear Tyre, a printing company, and across the street from a car dealership. We were lucky to see a picnic table outside of the Goodyear and we nabbed the opportunity to eat while sitting comfortably. We made some refried beans and tortillas, added some salsa and had ourselves a mini-fiesta. After dinner we kept moving south to the mountains we planned on hiking the next day.
Monday- We woke up outside of Tongariro National Park in a town called Whakapapa (sidenote: “wh” is pronounced “f” in the Maori language… you can all figure that one out) in a little caravan campsite we had stumbled upon. We slept in the car and all of our backs were tight and uncomfortable—obviously complaining about our choice.
We began our drive to the national park where the mountains jutted up toward the horizon, but on our drive there (especially as we started to gain altitude) the rain clouds and fog really started to set in. With showers on and off we crossed our fingers that the weather wouldn’t hinder our explorations. We were wrong. The mountains we wanted to see are beautiful tourist attractions- well known from the location of Mordoor and Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The day hike we had planned on taking is also rated on of the top in the world! But, sadly, the information centre we stopped at let us know it was a pointless journey—the fog, snow, and rain were simply too overbearing. If we even tried the hike, which wasn’t recommended, we didn’t have the proper gear and it would be impossible to see any of the sites.
Disheartened that the weather kept forcing us south, we moved forward to a little town called Taihape. Here we stopped at the isite and library to gather some info on what we should do next and use the internet for the first time in a few days. Laura and I became very excited about the possibility of bungy jumping at a place called Gravity Canyon. The 80 metre bridge jump is the highest on the north island of New Zealand. (Sidenote: New Zealand is the country that invented bungy jumping.) The ladies at the isite were kind enough to make a call to Gravity Canyon and Laura and I were disappointed to hear they were not running the bungy because the river was too high. The company uses a raft in the river to pick you up after the jump and with all the water created rapids in the river, it simply became a safety hazard. Frustrated, we asked the women if the weather was always so gloomy and wet. They told us it is normally a little rainy, but this year is one of the worst they have seen. I felt a little relieved that it was not just poor planning on our part, but that the weather was actually wild, even by the Kiwi standards.
We took some time in Taihape to do the touristy “Gumboot Throwing”. This task consisted of throwing a dirty, wet, rubber boot down a grassy lane and making it travel as far as possible. As can be imagined, the boys got a far greater kick out of the experience than us girls. So, our movement south continued.
Finally on our drive down the west coast the clouds began to clear and the sun started to shine. I think the whole group was a little giddy to see some better weather—we soaked it in, even if it was while we were in the car. The more south we went, the more green the land seemed to get, the more rolling hills seemed to go on for ages, the more sheep we saw! New Zealand has an overwhelming sheep population—it’s a little intimidating. The statistic is something like six sheep to ever one person in the country… a little wild.
Hyper from the sunshine and better weather, Laura decided to drive off onto one of the farm roads that went up the massive green hills that surrounded us. We drove at an amazingly steep angle for a good while- I was impressed with how well Gloria (the car) managed. We parked at the top of the hill to overlook the beautiful scenery that encircled us and reminded ourselves to be grateful for the chance to be in such an amazing area of the world.
We jumped back on the highway and drove for a little while until we saw a sign for Foxton Beach, 5km to the right. With such fabulous weather and no real plans for our trip, we couldn’t pass up a beach so close! We veered right…
We could feel the wind coming off the Tasman Sea even before we stepped out of the car. We had been told the winds could reach up to 100kph that day and I believe it! A few times the wind literally picked me up and moved me! We took off our socks and shoes and rolled our pants up to play on in the surf, sand, and the sea foam. I giggled and savored the beauty that (seriously) was being thrown in my face. The beach looked over the Tasman Sean, one of the roughest in the world and the wind made the waves absolutely wild—I could taste the salt water being carried in droplets in the air. We must have looked like school kids on recess to the locals. There were a few other cars in the parking lot, all of the people safely in the security of their cars, but I could see some people smiling at our pure joy. One van was a little creepy and it moved from one side of the parking lot to sit closer to our car—maybe to watch us or maybe to steal from us? So we kept an even closer eye on our locked car, just in case. We enjoyed ourselves on the beach and in the wind, but saw storm clouds moving toward us.
We jumped back in the car just as the sky opened up and started pouring on us and we continued south. Laura decided her pants were too wet to wear for the rest of the trip and drove us pantless for a good hour until we reached a park that had a river running through it that was in one of the Lord of the Rings movies. Chris, a self-proclaimed Lord of the Rings fanatic, was very excited for the chance to see the site. But when we returned to the car and Chris and Brain finally realized Laura wasn’t wearing pants, they decided to join and I was trapped in a pantless car.
The 75% pantless car made it to Wellington, New Zealand by dinnertime. We drove past the ocean on our way into the capital and it was a beautiful sight. I could see the city beyond the giant bay and it was awesome to see the lights that were filling up the evening horizon. We parked the car, my companions put pants on, and we started exploring the city on foot. Starving, we stumbled upon a place called Burgerfuel and absolutely gorged ourselves on fast food. It was a good break from the peanut butter and honey sandwiches we had been living off of for the past few days.
We walked around the city for a little while longer before hopping back in the car to find a campsite for the night. We drove through the hills neighboring the city into more rural land and suddenly found ourselves spat out right next to the sea. We parked in one of the 5 spots across from a few suburban homes. It was probably illegal, but we weren’t bothering anyone and no one seemed to mind, so we slowly fell asleep in the cramped little car, listening to the ocean just a few yards away.
Tuesday- Waking up at the rocky Makara Beach (outside of Karori) the weather looked beautiful, but we opened the doors to feel some pretty harsh wind. Desperate for some physical activity, we all put on a few layers and headed out for a morning walk/run. We all broke off on our own and it was nice to have some time to myself after so many days together. The ocean rolled over the rocky beach and I found a beautiful little perch where I could take some time to bask in the sun. In fact, I started to feel legitimately warm, while outside, for the first time during the trip. I stripped off two of my three coats and carried them the rest of the way.
I caught up with Brian who, as the runner, had already taken the track all the way around and he recommended I see the sights from the top of the surrounding hills. On the way up the giant hill (Brian guessed it took you a few hundred fee above sea level) I met up with Laura and she took the hike with me.
The summit of the hill we climbed allowed a stunning view of the ocean from both sides of the little peninsula we were on. Sometimes the top of the hill was only about one foot width across, which made the winds slightly terrifying, but the views were worth the fright. We ran into Chris, who was preoccupied chasing a sheep, and stopped him so we could take a few pictures. Afterwards, we started the decline. Chris ran off somewhere and Laura and I chose the wrong path down. The grass was muddy and slippery because of all the rain and I, the clutzy one, slipped and fell right on my butt into the cold, wet mud. The back of my pants were literally brown from my waist to my knees and I was coated in a thick layer of New Zealand muck. Conveniently, Chris showed up just in time to see the fall and snap a few pictures… hilarious. Embarrassed, but also amused at myself, the three of us got a good laugh out of the situation.
On our way continuing down (a little more carefully now) we came across a little stream in the valley of two of the hills. Chris moved on and Laura waited for me to take some time to wash my clothes in the babbling water. I seriously felt like a cross between an indigenous and homeless person.
With cold and wet (but cleaner) pants on once again, Laura and I made it to the car. The four of us piled into Gloria and headed to some neighboring Lord of the Rings sites. I’m not much of a fan of the movies, but I respect the fact that it was cool we were in some of the locations filmed in such an epic trilogy. But, to be honest, besides the awesome scenery, I didn’t really get it—we drove to a couple rivers, looked at them, and turned around. I think the whole group got more enjoyment out of playing at one of the playgrounds at one of the sites. The playground was much like the ones at home; the real difference was the breathtaking backdrop. These kids play with green fields and snowy mountains off in the distance—pretty different to the suburban Chicago I grew up around.
As evening started to creep up on us, we headed back into the big city of Wellington to find our first hostel. We stayed at a place called Lodge in the City and got beds in a 10 bed dorm-like room for $18. The place was like a 5-star hotel compared to what we were used to and we were all thrilled to have the opportunity to shower and sleep in a real bed. The boys made pasta in the kitchen area and met some friends. When Laura and I came in, they introduced us to Caitlin, from Alaska and her traveling partner, Marius from Germany. Caitlin and Marius met in a hostel on the south island and, with similar travel plans, decided to team up. They didn’t have a car and had some hilarious stories about hitchhiking and couch surfing. I was so impressed by their adventurous spirit and doubted if I could ever do something so truly bohemian.
Laura and I were too tired to go out and wanted to savor every important hour we got to spend in a real bed. So, the boys and Caitlin (whom we quickly nicknamed, creatively enough, “Alaska”) headed out on the town and Laura and I fell asleep pretty soon after.
I still have to type up my journal from Wednesday to Sunday, but I wanted to give everyone a first taste of my spring break in New Zealand!
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