If you are friends with me on Facebook you already know that I am in Australia! And now that I am here I find myself thinking fondly about my time in New Zealand. So I thought I would do a review- one tailored specifically to backpackers, young people, or anyone traveling on a budget.
0-5 stars?
The People: 5 stars
Across the board the people were ridiculously nice, and super accommodating. Most people are really good to talk to in any setting- from day to day interactions to in depth discussions. Imagine meeting somebody you want to hang out with every time you say hello to somebody. Look back at my hitch hiking post for some more on that!
The Places: 5 Stars
I cannot stress how beautiful NZ is- words, pictures, movies- none of them do it justice. There are so many places to find amazing views. Scenery that has no equal. It doesn't matter where you go, sure, some places are different than others- but few places are really better than others in NZ- just a different kind of awesome. Forest, rivers, mountains, beaches, cliffs, lakes, snow, sand, sea- NZ has legit places to offer in all categories.
Travelers Accommodation: 4 Stars
Backpackers/Hostels in any city you go to are not hard to find. Average price is not to bad- usually between 20-26$ NZ per night for a 8 person dorm room. Prices jack up close to airports or in tourist areas as can be expected. I didn't stay at a huge amount of hostels in NZ but the ones I did were mostly nice, clean, secure for belongings, and fun places. The camp grounds are usually clean, cheap, and have a great community feel.
Transportation: 3 Stars
A vast majority of the traveling I did was either by hitchhiking or hiking. And it was super easy. And while most of you reading this will never hitchhike anywhere, maybe not even in NZ, the other modes of transportation in NZ are great. The bus system can get you anywhere as can the trains. The only reason for the less than awesome 3 stars is the price. Most bus routes and train tickets are a bit more expensive than I'd like. Cars are also easy to purchase and worth it if you're wanting to see a bunch of different areas in NZ or are gonna be spending a long time in NZ.
Prices: 2 stars
New Zealand is unquestionably expensive. Fresh food from Pack N Save is the best way to get food. Beer? 16 bucks for a drinkable 6 pack. Tobacco? 15 bucks for a pack of cheap cigarets. Petrol aka Gasoline? $2.30 per liter! (4 liters in a gallon FYI) Everything is pretty pricey in general. Going to NZ? Buy everything you can in the states. Especially outdoor equipment of any kind. Camping, hiking, anything at all- USA quality and prices are better. I would suggest REI.com. While hostels aren't to pricey, and cheap food can be found... It all adds up
Fun Level: 5 stars
If you're willing to look hard enough, go off the beaten track, or try new things out- New Zealand could be a great place for you. Tons of fun things an opportunities to really experience joy.
Giving NZ an average of 4 stars!
I loved NZ thoroughly just really was surprised by the prices. Now I'm in Australia- Staying with a CouchSurf host, Chris, in Sydney. Soon I'll be getting up to Brisbane and celebrating my birthday! All I really want for my birthday is emails from friends!
Y'all Take Care,
Steve
Monday, April 15, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
New Experiences in New Places
Internet far from a sizeable town can be very hard to find- but I managed to find some!
So, what's been goin on? I've done loads of camping, hiking, climbing, and all other sorts of outdoor fun! Ive been staying busy, losing weight, an relaxing heavily. Now I'm at a host in Decanter Bay- outside of Little Akaloa. Haven't hear of it? Surprising because it is a very large town. They almost have 50 people now. It's an amazing location. Far from tourist. Beautiful bay-
Sorry for my email list people you get to read this next bit again!--
Decanter bay. A long bay with steep hills on either side. It only has a beach at low tide, at high tide the waves crash on the rocks that roll around slowly turning into sand themselves. At the mouth of the bay there is a row of rocks that dog legs left from the right. The rocks are tall spires showing the only evidence that the ridge used to extend into the sea. They have iconic sharp shapes that any local could recognize instantly. Looking from the beach to sea they do not block the view, instead the compliment it. It takes about 30 minutes in a sea kayak to get to them from the beach. Once on the rocks themselves they change nature entirely. On a heavy swell day it is one of the more terrifying experiences I have endured. Big waves crashing on the rocks from the sea side, each time one hits you realize that the rocks are not solid. Instead they are covered in tubes that have slowly eroded for who knows how long. Each time a big wave comes, parts of the wave of rushed through the tubes and dozens of blow holes erupt with spray. It's awesome. Literally. It fills me with awe.
The host here- Brad and Marie- emailed me to request that I come work for em- it came at just the right time. Right as I was starting to look at my bank account. Yes- I am over budget- NZ can be expensive- luckily I have my Australia Working Holiday Visa now so I'm not really worried! I allowed myself to splurge one to many times. Back to being strict once I get to Australia!
For my last days in New Zealand I've decided a nice place with good work on the beach would be nice! Been doing a lot of digging holes, transplanting plants, harvesting just about everything, and eating tons of animals. Lot of chainsaw work to come- I'm very excited about all of that!
However, sadly and happily at the same time, in one week I will be moving to Australia. I will miss this country for sure. But I am very excited to move to my second country. While my world wide trip is 3 months down, it doesn't really feel like I'm really "under way" so to say. I feel like moving from one foreign country to another will really make me feel more like my trip is going along. It's kinda snuck up on me. I remembered to revise my visa and make CouchSurfing plans and email people and everything but next week I'm flying.... That just hit home again.... 7 nights from tonight Ill be falling asleep in Australia. Stoked.
I have been receiving a lot of emails that always keep me very happy. I even received 4 books from my cousin JJ for my kindle app! Shout out! I know my trip abroad could not have been as successful or fun without all of you. Thanks so much!
Before I leave NZ I will try to do one more post and make it a good read! What do you want to hear about NZ guys? Ask and you shall receive!
Take Care!
Steve
So, what's been goin on? I've done loads of camping, hiking, climbing, and all other sorts of outdoor fun! Ive been staying busy, losing weight, an relaxing heavily. Now I'm at a host in Decanter Bay- outside of Little Akaloa. Haven't hear of it? Surprising because it is a very large town. They almost have 50 people now. It's an amazing location. Far from tourist. Beautiful bay-
Sorry for my email list people you get to read this next bit again!--
Decanter bay. A long bay with steep hills on either side. It only has a beach at low tide, at high tide the waves crash on the rocks that roll around slowly turning into sand themselves. At the mouth of the bay there is a row of rocks that dog legs left from the right. The rocks are tall spires showing the only evidence that the ridge used to extend into the sea. They have iconic sharp shapes that any local could recognize instantly. Looking from the beach to sea they do not block the view, instead the compliment it. It takes about 30 minutes in a sea kayak to get to them from the beach. Once on the rocks themselves they change nature entirely. On a heavy swell day it is one of the more terrifying experiences I have endured. Big waves crashing on the rocks from the sea side, each time one hits you realize that the rocks are not solid. Instead they are covered in tubes that have slowly eroded for who knows how long. Each time a big wave comes, parts of the wave of rushed through the tubes and dozens of blow holes erupt with spray. It's awesome. Literally. It fills me with awe.
The host here- Brad and Marie- emailed me to request that I come work for em- it came at just the right time. Right as I was starting to look at my bank account. Yes- I am over budget- NZ can be expensive- luckily I have my Australia Working Holiday Visa now so I'm not really worried! I allowed myself to splurge one to many times. Back to being strict once I get to Australia!
For my last days in New Zealand I've decided a nice place with good work on the beach would be nice! Been doing a lot of digging holes, transplanting plants, harvesting just about everything, and eating tons of animals. Lot of chainsaw work to come- I'm very excited about all of that!
However, sadly and happily at the same time, in one week I will be moving to Australia. I will miss this country for sure. But I am very excited to move to my second country. While my world wide trip is 3 months down, it doesn't really feel like I'm really "under way" so to say. I feel like moving from one foreign country to another will really make me feel more like my trip is going along. It's kinda snuck up on me. I remembered to revise my visa and make CouchSurfing plans and email people and everything but next week I'm flying.... That just hit home again.... 7 nights from tonight Ill be falling asleep in Australia. Stoked.
I have been receiving a lot of emails that always keep me very happy. I even received 4 books from my cousin JJ for my kindle app! Shout out! I know my trip abroad could not have been as successful or fun without all of you. Thanks so much!
Before I leave NZ I will try to do one more post and make it a good read! What do you want to hear about NZ guys? Ask and you shall receive!
Take Care!
Steve
Thursday, March 21, 2013
The Abel Tasman
Howdy Y'all,
A couple people after seeing a few pictures wanted to know more about my time on the Abel Tasman. So what I'm gonna do is take the passages from my journal and put Em here and see if it makes for a good read- right before I left for the Abel Tasman I was hosted by a super nice guy named Dave- he used to work for DOC(the department of conservation- the people in charge of many outdoors things including the Abel Tasman) and can do the Abel Tasman in his sleep most likely-
------------------------------------------
3-11-13 20:43 Abel Tasman Night 1 (54) Bark Bay (M)
1 of 3 things is true. 1: Dave underestimated the weight of my pack. 2: Dave over estimated my ability as a hiker. Or 3- Dave is a dirty liar. The "5 hour" hike from Marahau(Mar-aw-hoe) took 9. But it was totally worth it. Bark Bay is legit. I met two really fun people here. Chris (American) and Anna (Norwegian) are two really nice people and Anna, after seeing my hammock, asked politely to sit in it, and then to sleep in it. So we have all become friends quickly. I knew Chris was my kinda backpacker when he pulled out a bottle of wine from his pack and offered me some! Dinner was AMAZING.( Uncle bens rice w/ canned chicken.) Especially after a long day. Little proud of myself- parts of me wanted to stop at the last camp ground. My pack might be heavy- but my nights are nice :) Gonna go read Matt Lamberts email now! Sore, tired, headache- but full and with good people.... Happy
3-12-13 20:51 Abel Tasman Night 2 (55) Awaroa (T)
Great morning, said bye to Chris and Anna, got a pretty late start. The suck started way to early today. A steep long climb 1/2 hour away from Bark Bay. Stopped on a bench and who do I see but Alex! A friendly Belgium guy, my age, good ish English. We met yesterday at lunch at Anchorage Bay, and today we had lunch together at Onetahuti(on-ah-tah-hoot-ee). Nice guy going the same direction- not same pace but I catch him at each stop. Today after a really rough start I learned I need to be more positive- usually never a problem for me. Man it was a slow day though. I got a lot o encouragement on the trail today. Never like people saying "you got this bro", but instead I was encouraged by seeing others going opposite me- for some reason it helps. Especially tonight when a group of 20 kids and 4 teachers rolled ino the hut. The adults with them are very nice and hey- if kids can get from Mutton Cove to here in a day- surely I can do the reverse! Early morning start tomorrow- if we don't hit the tidal crossing at 7 we will be stuck here for 12 hours!! Read Kate and Gingers email tonight. Such a long day- great way to end it though- nice people at the campsite- emails from home- warm soup simmering now. Gonna sleep hard tonight.
3-13-13 17:52 Abel Tasman Afternoon 3 (56) Mutton Cove!!! (W)
Today could literally be the best day of my life. I'm at Mutton Cove!!! This'll be my last night on the Abel Tasman- 50 kilometers and change so far- a couple hours hike tomorrow and I'm all done. Not only that- but while in Totaranui(random village along the track) I got a shower! Put on clean clothes! And very randomly got wifi from the DOC office. Found out my work visa for Australia was approved! Aaaand that Stephen Merritt dedicated a song to me at Search called "Dude I totally miss you"- seriously made me smile so much. Mac and cheese and chicken soup- mixed together- was awesome for lunch. Me and the Canadian guy who's name I never understood are being bros right now. Sharing food and being proud in our accomplishment. Awaroa to Mutton Cove- a good day. Beautiful cove- writing on the beach- full stomach. Dog tired. And happy.
---------------------------------------------
After I woke up it was a small hike to the finish. A hitch later and I'm in collingwood- the most north you can go on South Island pretty much. Stayed in a cheap- but very nice...ish camp ground.
That's pretty much the main story of the Abel Tasman. Lot of fun and would suggest it to anybody. Lot of great views- pictures do none of it justice. I just loaded up with more food and fuel- about to hit up another trek and start it all over again. I love this life. It's hard at times no doubt. Sometimes I get pretty rough at myself for being not as positive as I should- kinda vicious cycle really. I find that the grind hits my spirit before it hits my back- if I stay positive I know I can do more.
I find myself often thinking of Sir Ernest Shackletons personal motto:
"By endurance we conquer."
Y'all take care, I've got another track to do!
Steve
A couple people after seeing a few pictures wanted to know more about my time on the Abel Tasman. So what I'm gonna do is take the passages from my journal and put Em here and see if it makes for a good read- right before I left for the Abel Tasman I was hosted by a super nice guy named Dave- he used to work for DOC(the department of conservation- the people in charge of many outdoors things including the Abel Tasman) and can do the Abel Tasman in his sleep most likely-
------------------------------------------
3-11-13 20:43 Abel Tasman Night 1 (54) Bark Bay (M)
1 of 3 things is true. 1: Dave underestimated the weight of my pack. 2: Dave over estimated my ability as a hiker. Or 3- Dave is a dirty liar. The "5 hour" hike from Marahau(Mar-aw-hoe) took 9. But it was totally worth it. Bark Bay is legit. I met two really fun people here. Chris (American) and Anna (Norwegian) are two really nice people and Anna, after seeing my hammock, asked politely to sit in it, and then to sleep in it. So we have all become friends quickly. I knew Chris was my kinda backpacker when he pulled out a bottle of wine from his pack and offered me some! Dinner was AMAZING.( Uncle bens rice w/ canned chicken.) Especially after a long day. Little proud of myself- parts of me wanted to stop at the last camp ground. My pack might be heavy- but my nights are nice :) Gonna go read Matt Lamberts email now! Sore, tired, headache- but full and with good people.... Happy
3-12-13 20:51 Abel Tasman Night 2 (55) Awaroa (T)
Great morning, said bye to Chris and Anna, got a pretty late start. The suck started way to early today. A steep long climb 1/2 hour away from Bark Bay. Stopped on a bench and who do I see but Alex! A friendly Belgium guy, my age, good ish English. We met yesterday at lunch at Anchorage Bay, and today we had lunch together at Onetahuti(on-ah-tah-hoot-ee). Nice guy going the same direction- not same pace but I catch him at each stop. Today after a really rough start I learned I need to be more positive- usually never a problem for me. Man it was a slow day though. I got a lot o encouragement on the trail today. Never like people saying "you got this bro", but instead I was encouraged by seeing others going opposite me- for some reason it helps. Especially tonight when a group of 20 kids and 4 teachers rolled ino the hut. The adults with them are very nice and hey- if kids can get from Mutton Cove to here in a day- surely I can do the reverse! Early morning start tomorrow- if we don't hit the tidal crossing at 7 we will be stuck here for 12 hours!! Read Kate and Gingers email tonight. Such a long day- great way to end it though- nice people at the campsite- emails from home- warm soup simmering now. Gonna sleep hard tonight.
3-13-13 17:52 Abel Tasman Afternoon 3 (56) Mutton Cove!!! (W)
Today could literally be the best day of my life. I'm at Mutton Cove!!! This'll be my last night on the Abel Tasman- 50 kilometers and change so far- a couple hours hike tomorrow and I'm all done. Not only that- but while in Totaranui(random village along the track) I got a shower! Put on clean clothes! And very randomly got wifi from the DOC office. Found out my work visa for Australia was approved! Aaaand that Stephen Merritt dedicated a song to me at Search called "Dude I totally miss you"- seriously made me smile so much. Mac and cheese and chicken soup- mixed together- was awesome for lunch. Me and the Canadian guy who's name I never understood are being bros right now. Sharing food and being proud in our accomplishment. Awaroa to Mutton Cove- a good day. Beautiful cove- writing on the beach- full stomach. Dog tired. And happy.
---------------------------------------------
After I woke up it was a small hike to the finish. A hitch later and I'm in collingwood- the most north you can go on South Island pretty much. Stayed in a cheap- but very nice...ish camp ground.
That's pretty much the main story of the Abel Tasman. Lot of fun and would suggest it to anybody. Lot of great views- pictures do none of it justice. I just loaded up with more food and fuel- about to hit up another trek and start it all over again. I love this life. It's hard at times no doubt. Sometimes I get pretty rough at myself for being not as positive as I should- kinda vicious cycle really. I find that the grind hits my spirit before it hits my back- if I stay positive I know I can do more.
I find myself often thinking of Sir Ernest Shackletons personal motto:
"By endurance we conquer."
Y'all take care, I've got another track to do!
Steve
Thursday, March 14, 2013
That Time I Got Kicked Off a Farm
It's been a whole since my last post and for that I apologize. Thing were pretty hectic for a minute there but luckily things are under control now!
How the hectic started: so there I was. New Plymouth, New Zealand. Hanging out with my good buddy Jack Henderson who I met in the states last year via CouchSurfing. Long story short- we had a great weekend together and then I went on to my next farm location.
So this farm was being run by the most conservative family I have ever met. Backstory- I am from Mississippi- been Christian for a long time- conservative family- homeschooled till I was 13- went to University in Alabama- have spent a huge majority of my life in the "Bible Belt". These people were way more conservative than I am used to. Part of the reason I asked to stay with them was because in their farm profile it said "Christian Family" and I thought it would be nice to be surrounded by Christians. Because recently my places have not been so I thought it would be refreshing. They were very nice people and the kids were lovely!! Such nice kids! At least the 7 that I got to meet. Oh yeah- they have 11 children... So- I did loads of chainsaw work for them. Like- a ton of chainsaw work. 3 solid days worth. Nothing but. Good work too. So I'm pretty sure I messed up and essentially got myself kicked out when........
We were playing risk. Gathered around the board game. When the son(Johnny)(the rest of the kids were girls) asked me who the tattoo on my left deltoid is for. I told him it was for Tino(if you don't know the story of Tino I will fill you in later if you'd like)- a buddy of mine who is no longer with us. He said "I'm sorry" and then we kept playing the game. As soon as Johnny asked about my tattoo I saw the look on the other kids faces. The "sweet Johnny broke the ice on asking Steve about his tattoos" look. And the questions starting poring in. "Why'd you get that tattoo?"..."do other people like it?"... "Aren't you afraid of what it'll look like when you're older".... For a few minutes. I responded patiently knowing that they were young kids. (I think Johnny was the youngest at the table at about 12-13.) And right when, for the first time, I was getting tired of defending my tattoos it happened. The question I've heard before and always responded the same way: "the Bible says Christians shouldn't have tattoos" and I replied "Yeah but 4 verses later it says we should stone homosexuals"....
.....
So. Johnny says "oh" and we get back to risk. Two minutes pass. Two. Very uncomfortable. Long. Minutes.
Johnny, "What's a homosexual?"
.......
Me,"a gay person..."
Johnny, "what's gay?"
Me panicking. Realizing I have said WAAAAAY to much, "I'm not sure I should be the one to talk to you about that...."
I waited till the dad got home- told him straight away that his son will most likely be asking him about homosexuality... Just a heads up.
So, that was on Wednesday night. Friday morning I was supposed to go up Mount Taranaki and come back Saturday afternoon and spend a few more days there. Thursday night at dinner the dad pretty much says "Hey Steve, you're going up the mount tomorrow right?" "Right" "how's about you just don't come back."
So I got asked to leave 3 days earlier than I had planned and they didn't share their Internet so it was pretty rough finding a place to stay for a little bit.
That story ended up being way longer than I planned. After that Me and Klara(who I will describe in detail on my next post) stayed with Jack again before starting to head south!
So later I'll post about my most recent adventure on the Abel Tasman Track. I hope none of you respect me less after that story!
How the hectic started: so there I was. New Plymouth, New Zealand. Hanging out with my good buddy Jack Henderson who I met in the states last year via CouchSurfing. Long story short- we had a great weekend together and then I went on to my next farm location.
So this farm was being run by the most conservative family I have ever met. Backstory- I am from Mississippi- been Christian for a long time- conservative family- homeschooled till I was 13- went to University in Alabama- have spent a huge majority of my life in the "Bible Belt". These people were way more conservative than I am used to. Part of the reason I asked to stay with them was because in their farm profile it said "Christian Family" and I thought it would be nice to be surrounded by Christians. Because recently my places have not been so I thought it would be refreshing. They were very nice people and the kids were lovely!! Such nice kids! At least the 7 that I got to meet. Oh yeah- they have 11 children... So- I did loads of chainsaw work for them. Like- a ton of chainsaw work. 3 solid days worth. Nothing but. Good work too. So I'm pretty sure I messed up and essentially got myself kicked out when........
We were playing risk. Gathered around the board game. When the son(Johnny)(the rest of the kids were girls) asked me who the tattoo on my left deltoid is for. I told him it was for Tino(if you don't know the story of Tino I will fill you in later if you'd like)- a buddy of mine who is no longer with us. He said "I'm sorry" and then we kept playing the game. As soon as Johnny asked about my tattoo I saw the look on the other kids faces. The "sweet Johnny broke the ice on asking Steve about his tattoos" look. And the questions starting poring in. "Why'd you get that tattoo?"..."do other people like it?"... "Aren't you afraid of what it'll look like when you're older".... For a few minutes. I responded patiently knowing that they were young kids. (I think Johnny was the youngest at the table at about 12-13.) And right when, for the first time, I was getting tired of defending my tattoos it happened. The question I've heard before and always responded the same way: "the Bible says Christians shouldn't have tattoos" and I replied "Yeah but 4 verses later it says we should stone homosexuals"....
.....
So. Johnny says "oh" and we get back to risk. Two minutes pass. Two. Very uncomfortable. Long. Minutes.
Johnny, "What's a homosexual?"
.......
Me,"a gay person..."
Johnny, "what's gay?"
Me panicking. Realizing I have said WAAAAAY to much, "I'm not sure I should be the one to talk to you about that...."
I waited till the dad got home- told him straight away that his son will most likely be asking him about homosexuality... Just a heads up.
So, that was on Wednesday night. Friday morning I was supposed to go up Mount Taranaki and come back Saturday afternoon and spend a few more days there. Thursday night at dinner the dad pretty much says "Hey Steve, you're going up the mount tomorrow right?" "Right" "how's about you just don't come back."
So I got asked to leave 3 days earlier than I had planned and they didn't share their Internet so it was pretty rough finding a place to stay for a little bit.
That story ended up being way longer than I planned. After that Me and Klara(who I will describe in detail on my next post) stayed with Jack again before starting to head south!
So later I'll post about my most recent adventure on the Abel Tasman Track. I hope none of you respect me less after that story!
Friday, March 1, 2013
Your Questions So Far
First off I would like to thank each of you for your emails, for reading the blog, and for keeping in touch! Keep the emails coming or send your first- it's great hearing from y'all. I've been getting a lot of questions and I wanted to take a second and answer a couple frequently asked ones. You can all thank my good friend Briana for the inspiration behind this post.
1. What exactly am I doing on a day to day basis??
Not an easy question to answer. My pattern so far is to spend about a week at a farm then move on to a more southern city. So- what am I doing on these farms? Well that depends on the location. I've worked at a lovely outdoor setting in a valley, a olive tree orchard, a winery, a lodge, and a dry stock farm. So as you can imagine my answer changes each time I move locations. Mostly given my size and capabilities I've been moving a lot of heavy things, doing a good amount of chainsaw work, splitting wood, and other burly tasks.
2. What is my favorite moment so far?
There is one moment that I knew months before I left- that would be a moment I would remember forever: Stepping out of the airport doors in Auckland. Yes- I know it sounds lame- but I had been looking forward to that moment for months. To have my backpack there and not lost. To get my visa and not be denied. To have all my gear let in. And to be here. The start of a life changing trip. Best single moment so far.
3. What would I have liked to know before I arrived in New Zealand?
I will be the tallest guy around. I'm used to being big in the states. But here it is totally different. EVERYBODY is smaller than me. Twice a week without fail I hit my head on something most people around me just walk under. So tall/burly am I in comparison, random people ask to take their picture with me.
4. What, if anything, gets on my nerves about being in New Zealand?
It's kind of frustrating being the only person on my side of certain debates. Back home I can usually turn to someone close to me and get some back up if I need it. Here I have to be my own back up in cultural, political, religious, or any other type of discussion. I'm glad that I have the knowledge to back up my arguments. But when everybody around you has the opposite- sometimes it's frustrating.
5. What do I miss most about the states?
I could easily say "Well friends and family obviously"- and while yes I really really miss my friends and family that is not the answer you want to read about. The thing I miss second most- is American accents. I had no idea I would miss that. It took me by surprise how much I enjoyed listening to the first American I talked to here in NZ. (The woofer from my first farm Jennie) The people here are great to talk to- but every time I talk to a American it's just the best sound ever. I had no idea I would miss it.
6. What have I learned about myself?
I've been abroad for a month and a half-ish. I've learned one surprising thing about myself: I love being alone. All over my time at college(university for my non American readers) I was social everywhere and loved it. Meeting people, making friends, having get-togethers, going on trips. I've always loved it. But while here I have realized how much I enjoy me time. Waking up on a cold ridge all by myself overlooking a sunrise. Walking down a lonely highway with the wind to keep my company. Sitting on a rock overlooking the ocean at sunset. I had no idea I would like being alone as much as I do. (Don't get me wrong friends and family yes I want to hang out with you dearly.)
So here is the plan. You email me- or write a comment, with a question. If it's a good one- ill include it at the end of my next post with the answer. I'd love to make that a recurring thing!
Take care!
Steve
1. What exactly am I doing on a day to day basis??
Not an easy question to answer. My pattern so far is to spend about a week at a farm then move on to a more southern city. So- what am I doing on these farms? Well that depends on the location. I've worked at a lovely outdoor setting in a valley, a olive tree orchard, a winery, a lodge, and a dry stock farm. So as you can imagine my answer changes each time I move locations. Mostly given my size and capabilities I've been moving a lot of heavy things, doing a good amount of chainsaw work, splitting wood, and other burly tasks.
2. What is my favorite moment so far?
There is one moment that I knew months before I left- that would be a moment I would remember forever: Stepping out of the airport doors in Auckland. Yes- I know it sounds lame- but I had been looking forward to that moment for months. To have my backpack there and not lost. To get my visa and not be denied. To have all my gear let in. And to be here. The start of a life changing trip. Best single moment so far.
3. What would I have liked to know before I arrived in New Zealand?
I will be the tallest guy around. I'm used to being big in the states. But here it is totally different. EVERYBODY is smaller than me. Twice a week without fail I hit my head on something most people around me just walk under. So tall/burly am I in comparison, random people ask to take their picture with me.
4. What, if anything, gets on my nerves about being in New Zealand?
It's kind of frustrating being the only person on my side of certain debates. Back home I can usually turn to someone close to me and get some back up if I need it. Here I have to be my own back up in cultural, political, religious, or any other type of discussion. I'm glad that I have the knowledge to back up my arguments. But when everybody around you has the opposite- sometimes it's frustrating.
5. What do I miss most about the states?
I could easily say "Well friends and family obviously"- and while yes I really really miss my friends and family that is not the answer you want to read about. The thing I miss second most- is American accents. I had no idea I would miss that. It took me by surprise how much I enjoyed listening to the first American I talked to here in NZ. (The woofer from my first farm Jennie) The people here are great to talk to- but every time I talk to a American it's just the best sound ever. I had no idea I would miss it.
6. What have I learned about myself?
I've been abroad for a month and a half-ish. I've learned one surprising thing about myself: I love being alone. All over my time at college(university for my non American readers) I was social everywhere and loved it. Meeting people, making friends, having get-togethers, going on trips. I've always loved it. But while here I have realized how much I enjoy me time. Waking up on a cold ridge all by myself overlooking a sunrise. Walking down a lonely highway with the wind to keep my company. Sitting on a rock overlooking the ocean at sunset. I had no idea I would like being alone as much as I do. (Don't get me wrong friends and family yes I want to hang out with you dearly.)
So here is the plan. You email me- or write a comment, with a question. If it's a good one- ill include it at the end of my next post with the answer. I'd love to make that a recurring thing!
Take care!
Steve
Friday, February 22, 2013
Hitch Hiking in New Zealand
I completely believe hitchhiking is looked down upon in the states because of the media. Yes, I know I am a big burly guy. For me physical safety is rarely an issue. I would never want any of you to do anything you are not comfortable with. And for my female readers a strong guy with you will never hurt- that being said:
If you ever find yourself in New Zealand needing to get from point A to point B, without a car, guy or gal, rain or shine- hitchhike.
Many people who come here are impressed by how cheap some bus companies are. Some people say that it's to dangerous to hitch. Some people think its far more reliable and timely to take a bus. A lot of cities have trains, and taxis aren't all that expensive.
Let me tell you why I hitchhike:
People. Experiences.
Lets say you hop on a bus. Put in your head phones or read your book. Wait. Get to your hotel. Check in. Go up. Go to bed. Congrats you met the check in person and made eye contact awkwardly on a bus with some rando for a split second.
My first week or so in New Zealand, I will admit, I got a couple busses. I now COMPLETELY regret that. Why? Because these people put southern hospitality to shame. (And ill never get that money back) Lets say driving straight through a route would take 3 hours. Hitch hiking it takes 5-6. Why? I only wait like 20-30 minutes TOPS at any stop. So why does it take longer to hitch?
The first man to ever pick me up hitching it was named Patric. He drove me 30 minutes to the small town of Whangamata. I was about to hop out the car- when he asked me if I knew what grass bowling was. I did not. He is a greens keeper. And took me to his bowling club- taught me the game- and let me play for a few minutes. He then gave me a ride around the town showing me all the sights before dropping me off on the far side of town. This sort of thing keeps happening!!
An elderly couple showed me a giant open air gold mine in Waihi. You're not thinking giant enough- I promise.
I have made plans with relatives of people giving me rides to stay with who live on South Island.
A group of three girls bought me dinner and joked along with me for ages!
And then there was Wayne. Wayne took me my final 1 1/2 hour stretch to New Plymouth. I will never forget the first two questions he asked me: "do you smoke?" (Rolls me a cigarette) and "do you drink?" (Hands me a chilled can of rum and coke). And then we hit the road. Once we got close to New Plymouth, I was asking him to drop me at a camp site. Wayne asks if I'd like to stay at his place. I say- really?!? He says sure! (No, before that point I had no real idea where I would be staying that night) So Wayne takes me to his place. A clean house in a convenient location in New Plymouth. Tv. Radio. Hot shower. Spare bed. Food. And then Wayne leaves. Oh yeah, he had told me before that he would be staying at his woman's place about 20 minutes away. I had a house to myself. Wayne- picked up a hitchhiker. Judged his character within an hour and a half of talking and joking around a good deal. And then gave him his house. Would you do the same? Would I? Depends on the hitchhiker I guess.
I know one thing for sure, just about anything in this world can be dangerous if done improperly. I've stuck to major roads, in the day time.
I cannot speak in any way to the whole world, but i can for NZ. If you ever find yourself here, don't spend a dime on transport. Walk or hitch. Maybe from the airport to your first stop get a bus. Then get your head about you. Maybe make a little sign that says "I'd give you a ride" or "not as scary as I look." Stretch out your thumb. And go for it.
If you ever find yourself in New Zealand needing to get from point A to point B, without a car, guy or gal, rain or shine- hitchhike.
Many people who come here are impressed by how cheap some bus companies are. Some people say that it's to dangerous to hitch. Some people think its far more reliable and timely to take a bus. A lot of cities have trains, and taxis aren't all that expensive.
Let me tell you why I hitchhike:
People. Experiences.
Lets say you hop on a bus. Put in your head phones or read your book. Wait. Get to your hotel. Check in. Go up. Go to bed. Congrats you met the check in person and made eye contact awkwardly on a bus with some rando for a split second.
My first week or so in New Zealand, I will admit, I got a couple busses. I now COMPLETELY regret that. Why? Because these people put southern hospitality to shame. (And ill never get that money back) Lets say driving straight through a route would take 3 hours. Hitch hiking it takes 5-6. Why? I only wait like 20-30 minutes TOPS at any stop. So why does it take longer to hitch?
The first man to ever pick me up hitching it was named Patric. He drove me 30 minutes to the small town of Whangamata. I was about to hop out the car- when he asked me if I knew what grass bowling was. I did not. He is a greens keeper. And took me to his bowling club- taught me the game- and let me play for a few minutes. He then gave me a ride around the town showing me all the sights before dropping me off on the far side of town. This sort of thing keeps happening!!
An elderly couple showed me a giant open air gold mine in Waihi. You're not thinking giant enough- I promise.
I have made plans with relatives of people giving me rides to stay with who live on South Island.
A group of three girls bought me dinner and joked along with me for ages!
And then there was Wayne. Wayne took me my final 1 1/2 hour stretch to New Plymouth. I will never forget the first two questions he asked me: "do you smoke?" (Rolls me a cigarette) and "do you drink?" (Hands me a chilled can of rum and coke). And then we hit the road. Once we got close to New Plymouth, I was asking him to drop me at a camp site. Wayne asks if I'd like to stay at his place. I say- really?!? He says sure! (No, before that point I had no real idea where I would be staying that night) So Wayne takes me to his place. A clean house in a convenient location in New Plymouth. Tv. Radio. Hot shower. Spare bed. Food. And then Wayne leaves. Oh yeah, he had told me before that he would be staying at his woman's place about 20 minutes away. I had a house to myself. Wayne- picked up a hitchhiker. Judged his character within an hour and a half of talking and joking around a good deal. And then gave him his house. Would you do the same? Would I? Depends on the hitchhiker I guess.
I know one thing for sure, just about anything in this world can be dangerous if done improperly. I've stuck to major roads, in the day time.
I cannot speak in any way to the whole world, but i can for NZ. If you ever find yourself here, don't spend a dime on transport. Walk or hitch. Maybe from the airport to your first stop get a bus. Then get your head about you. Maybe make a little sign that says "I'd give you a ride" or "not as scary as I look." Stretch out your thumb. And go for it.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Differences and Similarities
To start this post my original thought was to do a "pro/con New Zealand list", then I realized I would rather point out the differences than write down negatives about this amazing country.
Differences:
They don't have Ketchup(American). They have tomato sauce. No, it is not the same, and as a matter of fact anyone who tells you they are the same- has either never had both, or is a dirty liar.
Driving on the left side of the road. Luckily I haven't had to do much driving- some driving, but mostly in rural areas. Apparently my drivers license is valid here! Who'd have thought.
Vowels. Ooooh the vowels are different. It is one of the main features to a New Zealand accent. Soft "I" as in six is a hard "e". Soft "e" sounds like soft "I". Mind you I'm a Mississippian who has been known to skew vowels, but it is making it hard to understand some people. Not all, not even most, but some people.
Illegal to hit your kids. Kid acting up? Thinking about spanking him? Could cost you jail time if little Timmy has evidence to take to the police.
Guns. So many places to go with this. When I tell people I own gun, they look at me with bewilderment. "You can just go buy a semi-automatic rifle....." "That's insane" "why would you ever want one" "are all Americans like you?" It's as if many of these people expect that I've shot people in cold blood. Totally opposite from the typical South US view.
Internet. People's payment plan and data might change but most of them are similar from what I've seen. You "top up" each month and purchase your amount of usage. However many gigs that might be. If you run low you "top up" again and can use more Internet. From what I've seen people don't have infinite Internet. And I've been at some pretty "flash" houses.
Lingo. Lord-a-mighty there's a ton of it. Flash means cool. You have to end every sentence with "hey" or "aay" to make sure the person heard you. A torch is a flashlight. Togs are trunks aka swimsuit. Jandals are sandals (most of their sandals come from Japan... Japan + sandals = jandals). Rubbish can either mean trash the item(s) or it can be a stand alone adjective. To many to think of now. This might be a running theme.
Air conditioning. Nobody has it. Like nobody. Really flash houses just have an abundance of windows. The breeze can get so legit that you usually don't want one. However I've also noticed that it'll be like 75 and a breeze and people will want to put on a jumper(sweater) and complain about how cold it is.
Washer and dryer? More like washer and clothes line. Sure hostels have dryers but the people who live here don't. I've done a good amount of laundry while here, and so far only two of my host have had dryers, and they don't use them. (I should mention that my cross section of NZ so far has been thorough.) It's not at all like people of lesser means don't have dryers and people with greater income use them everyday. Even those families I've stayed with who were better off don't use them. A total waist to them a drier seems. The sun and breeze are right there... Why not use them.
Recycling. Now don't get all upset. Yes a lot of Americans recycle, I know, I know, I know. Good for you and I'm proud of you. But here.... EVERYBODY, EVERYTHING, ALWAYS- seriously. It's logical, useful, healthy for the environment... And people actually do it...
I'm sure I'm missing scores of differences but these are the big ones that have stood out to me over the last month. None really negative, just different.
I hope you enjoyed the read. Keep the emails coming I love to hear from home and stay in touch if possible. Got questions? Suggestions for my next writing subject? Email me!
Stevegoesabroad@gmail.com
Take care y'all!
Steve
Differences:
They don't have Ketchup(American). They have tomato sauce. No, it is not the same, and as a matter of fact anyone who tells you they are the same- has either never had both, or is a dirty liar.
Driving on the left side of the road. Luckily I haven't had to do much driving- some driving, but mostly in rural areas. Apparently my drivers license is valid here! Who'd have thought.
Vowels. Ooooh the vowels are different. It is one of the main features to a New Zealand accent. Soft "I" as in six is a hard "e". Soft "e" sounds like soft "I". Mind you I'm a Mississippian who has been known to skew vowels, but it is making it hard to understand some people. Not all, not even most, but some people.
Illegal to hit your kids. Kid acting up? Thinking about spanking him? Could cost you jail time if little Timmy has evidence to take to the police.
Guns. So many places to go with this. When I tell people I own gun, they look at me with bewilderment. "You can just go buy a semi-automatic rifle....." "That's insane" "why would you ever want one" "are all Americans like you?" It's as if many of these people expect that I've shot people in cold blood. Totally opposite from the typical South US view.
Internet. People's payment plan and data might change but most of them are similar from what I've seen. You "top up" each month and purchase your amount of usage. However many gigs that might be. If you run low you "top up" again and can use more Internet. From what I've seen people don't have infinite Internet. And I've been at some pretty "flash" houses.
Lingo. Lord-a-mighty there's a ton of it. Flash means cool. You have to end every sentence with "hey" or "aay" to make sure the person heard you. A torch is a flashlight. Togs are trunks aka swimsuit. Jandals are sandals (most of their sandals come from Japan... Japan + sandals = jandals). Rubbish can either mean trash the item(s) or it can be a stand alone adjective. To many to think of now. This might be a running theme.
Air conditioning. Nobody has it. Like nobody. Really flash houses just have an abundance of windows. The breeze can get so legit that you usually don't want one. However I've also noticed that it'll be like 75 and a breeze and people will want to put on a jumper(sweater) and complain about how cold it is.
Washer and dryer? More like washer and clothes line. Sure hostels have dryers but the people who live here don't. I've done a good amount of laundry while here, and so far only two of my host have had dryers, and they don't use them. (I should mention that my cross section of NZ so far has been thorough.) It's not at all like people of lesser means don't have dryers and people with greater income use them everyday. Even those families I've stayed with who were better off don't use them. A total waist to them a drier seems. The sun and breeze are right there... Why not use them.
Recycling. Now don't get all upset. Yes a lot of Americans recycle, I know, I know, I know. Good for you and I'm proud of you. But here.... EVERYBODY, EVERYTHING, ALWAYS- seriously. It's logical, useful, healthy for the environment... And people actually do it...
I'm sure I'm missing scores of differences but these are the big ones that have stood out to me over the last month. None really negative, just different.
I hope you enjoyed the read. Keep the emails coming I love to hear from home and stay in touch if possible. Got questions? Suggestions for my next writing subject? Email me!
Stevegoesabroad@gmail.com
Take care y'all!
Steve
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