http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Katy-Taity/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Katy Taity en-us Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:52:42 +0000 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:52:42 +0000 Well it was an early rise....5am to be precise....packed up my trusty car.....bumped into a few late night early morning drunken souls.... and said farwell to Christchurch. I watched the sunrise over the mountains at Kaikoura and then stopped to have breakfast at the seal colony.Still recovering from the night before the night before getting old you know I managed to have a wee nap at Picton http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Whangarei/blog-88680.html After a final drunken night...and losing badly at a quiz night....it was time to say farewell to Mr Kevin Tears were held back just for a change on my behalf a quick hug and see you later then we went our seperate ways Alone again but in a backpacking world I headed back to Foley Towers my home for the next couple of weeks. Determined not to wallow and miss Mr Kevin I joined in with the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Christchurch/blog-82724.html Packed up and all our worldly belongings wedged into my trusty little car Kev and I said farewell to our friends..and Auckland...and set off on our adventure south.With a long journey ahead...and lack of stereo sorry Kev...we entertained ourselves all the way to Tongariro National Park where we stopped for the night at a ski lodge backpackers. After having dinner watching a spot of TV saving http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/blog-80934.html With the travelling bug in my system and the reality that perhaps I need to get a job I decided...why don't I do a road trip down to Christchurch with the aim of finding work on the south island. Such a good plan. And then to top it all Mr Kevin's flight out of NZ was from Christchurch too....so a road trip we plannedWith one week left in Auckland we had to make the most of itFirst up St Patrick http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-79366.html ....having said my farewells the night before I waited patiently for the bus in the early hours...back on the road...travelling alone.We pretty much headed straight through to Taupo where I decided to jump off and attempt the sky dive or the Tonagariro crossing again....only to my dismay that crappy weather once again stopped any funTrying to entertain myself in the town that I'd already spent ex http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Taupo/blog-79365.html Another great plan of Kathryn's....that went wrongRecruiting fellow drunken traveller Ian to get up early in the morning to Go and see the seals...what an adventure didn't quite go to plan. Knocking on his door at the early hours...forcing coffee and toast down his neck and getting all excited about our adventure I was suddenly brought back down to earth to hear that they've got pups at the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Wellington/blog-79361.html From Taupo we headed on to the wonderfully named Whakapapa note that locals tend to say F instead of the Wh....so childish I knowAnyhoo...on the way we stopped to check out the Craters of the Moon...did the compulsory walk around the track and ooh'd and aah'd as appropriate. In fact I think most of us just wanted to get back on the bus and snooze typical backpackers. Then we stopped at http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Tongariro-National-Park/blog-77920.html After leaving Rotorua our trip took us to Taupo. On the way we stopped at Huka Falls...not really a waterfall more like a thunderous mass of white water....a 100m wide river compressed into a 15m gulley...so i've been told. A lot of water. Not something you'd like to fall into.Anyway we rushed on in hope of doing our skydive today...picked up in a white limo and driven to the air field to find th http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Taupo/blog-74506.html After our extended stay in Raglan we set off for Rotorua via Waitomo Caves.......now here's the thing... I decided it was time to face my fear and head deep under groundKitted out in our rather attractive wetsuits and white gum boots wellies to you and me we treked across the fields a bit like the Thunderbirds towards the caves. All was going well...wading and crawling through water a wee tea http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Waitomo/blog-65724.html After Hahei we headed across to the west coast to the surfing town of Raglan.I think this has to be one of my favourite places in NZ and I've only seen about 20 of the country so far The town just has this chilled out feeling where anything goes.We stayed at Karioi Lodge a really funky place set in the bush with hammocks and decks that look out over the rugged west coast... and the meanest chef http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Raglan/blog-63929.html With my backpack ready fresh and raring to go....off I went to see the sights of NZ and do everything a traveller should do Stepping out on the street I felt invinsible and revelling in the freedom and the adventures that would come. Feeling like I was the only one who has ever done this I soon remembered that the only people up at 6am in the city are travellers.... and lots of them And then ca http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Coromandel/Hahei/blog-61656.html Well life in NZ continues........my New Year's Resolution is to do something new every week....so lets see how it goes in 2006First up....AWOL Canyoning.... hiking to the top of a gorge and then abseiling and jumping off waterfalls in the Waitakere Ranges It was time for a girlie outing and so off Chloe Gemma Rachel and I went Great fun spectacular scenery and definately a new experience Al http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/North-Shore/blog-59497.html My first New Zealand Christmas and my first Christmas away from 'Home'....but what a Christmas to remember Becky and Clive and Addison were the perfect hosts They invited the waifs and strays to have a full on NZ style Christmas spread After exchanging pressies and eating ourselves silly we headed down to Long Bay to relax on the beach. To be honest I think I was having more fun than Addis http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/North-Shore/blog-57863.html How lucky am IWell my luck continued..... deciding to settle near Matt n Chloe and Becky n Clive on the North Shore I managed to land a job at North Shore Hospital in Takapuna a town just a couple of kilometres north of Auckland city. A couple of phone calls and a day later I was interviewed and then a week later I was in post doing Orthopaedics and MSK Outpatients... just like thatAnyway on http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/North-Shore/blog-56794.html Well it was time for my first mini solo journey before starting work. Well almost solo I decided to use Stray hop onoff bus company to meet some fellow likeminded travellers and to share the experience with.First stop was Goat Island a marine reserve on the east coast. The opportunity to do some snorkelling was on offer but I declined. For three reasons 1 The recent storm 2 Visibilty was http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Bay-of-Islands/blog-56309.html Well I landed in New Zealand to be greeted by Matthew at Auckland Airport.....eventually got back to Matt and Chloe's place Matt promises me he knew where he was going and was just showing me the sights but I have my doubts. Anyway Matt and Chloe were kind enough to make me feel at home and soon helped me to settle into the Kiwi way of lifeFirst weekend....first camping trip Cars packed and http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-53901.html Well i landed in Brisbane to be greeted by Emma and rain. A crazy slightly tearful reunion on my behalf its amazing what a long haul flight and the realisation of what you're doing can really have. Anyway once we had composed ourselves Em gave me the guided tour back to their house in Upper Coomera. The journey mainly consisted of me saying wow every five minutes.... I mean how often d http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Gold-Coast/Mt-Tamborine/blog-50716.html Having said my farewells to all including Jasper and Rory I waved Morpeth goodbye and set off on my travels. I'm afraid all I can say about the car journey to Glasgow was that it was wet A typical grey wet and miserable winters day.It made me laugh cos sitting in the car Dad turned to me and said just think you're leaving this all behind for sunshine....little did he know that when I lande http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/Morpeth/blog-50484.html At last I've mastered the world of computers I know I say this every time I know its simple and you just follow the instructions but computers and I have occassional ok frequent disagreements and I'm sure one day they will rule the world.Anyway for those of you who are interested here's my story so far.....For those of you who don't know I'm now in NZ and it's amazingWhy Not quite sure http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/Morpeth/blog-50479.html