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Published: January 19th 2010
Hey Bro,
Kiora, Hope your all well and welcome to New Zealand. Heres a little bit about the place before we get to our adventures!!!
It is estimated the Maori inhabited New Zealand around 800AD. Around eight hundred years later the Western world discovered New Zealand. In 1642, in a bid to locate the mysterious, rich land Australia, the Dutch Explorer, Abel Tasman caught sight of the West Coast of the South Island.
The First European to set foot on New Zealand soil was Captain James Cook of England, in 1769. He also made the first, but inaccurate map of the country. . There are also abundant native forests, long, deserted beaches and a variety of fauna, such as the kiwi, endemic to its shores. Its a long country split into two Islands- North and South. New Zealand is a country of rare seismic beauty: glacial mountains, fast-flowing rivers, deep, clear lakes, hissing geysers and boiling mud. There are also abundant native forests, long, deserted beaches and a variety of fauna, such as the kiwi, endemic to its shores. We spent most of our time Living and working in the former capital city, Auckland. This waterside city has
a strong pulse and a nautical twinkle in its eye. Its location on a thin stretch of the North Island, sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, is complemented by the lush subtropical forests of nearby hills and the volcanic terrains of nearby islands. With its spectacular harbour and bridge, New Zealand's largest city ranks with the best and its districts weave their way around a variety of bays ideal for swimming, water sports and particularly yachting - hence the nickname 'City of Sails'. The total population of the country is approx 3.8 million! Theres more people crammed into London than N.Z.
Theres loads of stuff to do, especially outdoor activities like - tramping (hiking), skiing, rafting and, of course, that perennial favourite, bungy jumping - await the adventurous. Theres alos surfing, body boards, scuba diving, and every extreme sport you can imagine! You can swim with dolphins, gambol with newborn lambs, whale-watch or fish for fattened trout in pristine streams and rivers. Or just chill on the beach!
Below are some terms in Maori, remember if you see WH it is spoken as an F-
Maori Language ao - cloud
atua -
gods, spirits
awa - river
Haere mai - Welcome
hau - wind
ika - fish
iti - small
kai - food
kainga - village
Ka pai - Thank-you
mang - stream, tributary
manu - bird
maunga - mountain
moana - sea, lake
motu - island
nui - big
one - beach, sand, mud
po - night puke - hill
puna - water spring
rangi - sky or heaven
roa- long
roto - lake
rua - two, hole
te - the Tena koe - Hello (to 1) Tena koutou - Hello (to more than 3)
wai - water.
Anyway we arrived 4 days before Christmas. Tired and a bit rumpled after a train ride through Malaysia and into Singapore. The trains are actually quite cool and comfortable! Singapore is ok, but VERY expensive, Nuff said. We arrived in Auckland and hit the duty free for some xmas spirit!. Customs went quickly due to our working visa's and we got the airbus to ACB on Queen Street in Auckland CBD. We had both stayed here before and it was just for a couple of nights till we moved in with our flatties in Grey Lynn! It
23 King Street
Grey Lynn Auckland, our house!! On party street LoLhonestly felt like comig home. A lot of the sites hadn't changed since 2004! ACB was still the same and we gratefully settled in and got hot showers! That night was a quiet one as we were knackered! The next day i went for orientation at IEP (bunac) who sorted my Visa, they let claire sit in n'all as it was the festive season. It was quite good and the internet was free in there, and its opposite ACB! Ideal. We filled out forms and set up a bank account, and kiwi sim cards for our phones, everything was done and dusted by 1pm!! Now all we had to do was find work!! Claire had lined up her nursing but still had a bit of a mission on her hands to sort the admin out. I had bugger all planned as yet! Anyway it was pretty much a given we wouldnt bother with anything till xmas was out of the way. We did phone Emily and Rob (remember our mates from Lanta!!). They were crashing in there parents flat on the wharf opposite the Hilton. (seriously this flat was gorgeous, well posh with a huge balcony and million dollar location
and view). All i can say is lucky buggers 😊 They had a 'mare after leaving us, as Emily got sick, the weather got shit, and they didn't enjoy Malaysia, needless to say they were both happy (and relieved) to be in N.Z. We were well chuffed to see them, and got Pizza and Beers round to their place that night. We also met Em's sister and her hubby, Jess and Aaron! They were also staying in the flat and were cool! We hada night of catching up, and beer! We also got an invite to Christmas dinner and drunken debauchery at their place. This was really nice of them, as we hadn't planned a thing we accepted before hey could change their minds! The next day was moving in day.
Aaron gave me a lift to the house which was really close to CBD (15 mins walk) near Arch Hill in Grey Lynn. It was down a hill, that ahd the famous NEWTON FISH and CHIPPERY on the corner. I should say now kiwis reckon fish an chips is there national dish, before its ours!!! Anyway the street looked quiet and the house was cool. It was back
The view from Rob a Em's
Note the sky tower in the background to front in terms of english houses. The Bedrooms were off the hallway as you came in the front door. There was also a utility room with a big freezer in it! You then went downstairs to a big kitchen diner, with paio doors out onto the deck! This was a cool place to stay, with SKY t.v. for the footy and cheaper over all than stayin in a backpackers, longterm! Our flatties were all away for xmas, but were Blackie (farm boy lol), Dave and Naomi. They were all very chilled out and all had jobs. They were all up for beers whenever and nomes was half english so made a top cup of tea!!! Me and Claire were well chuffed, it felt like we had landed on our feet. The only thing missing was a computer with internet! You cant have it all eh! This is the reason all the blogs are behind; as well as we had full time jobs on the go here!!
After getting some shopping in from Foodtown, which was a short walk (or $5 in a taxi) away. We settled in and had a nice night in. The next day was Christmas
day, i'll let Claire take over i'm getting writers cramp!!!!
We took a long weekend and (as is usual for us) booked everything at the last second. We decided to go to Waiheke Island which is the most populated of the Hauraki Gulf islands. These are a short ferry ride from Auckland. The islands are really beautiful and have beaches, secluded coves, good surf, good fishing and a top Indian restaurant. The morning we were leaving we found out Waiheke was fully booked! We eventually found and booked rooms at Glaennfearn bed and brekky 22 Crescent Rd East, Ostend/Palm Beach. We were looked after by Sue and Vern and there hyperactive but lovely dog! This place was like a small apartment and the oners go aove and beyond to make you feel welcome, and too enjoy your stay. We absolutely loved it here. The island is stunningly beautiful, and tranquil and theres loads to do. There are some quality vinyards to explore (clairey was in her element). Theres fishing e.t.c. Most of all though is the extremely laid back attitude to life. I've put some links on so you can find out more about the islands and also Sue and Verns place as me and claire HIGHLY recommend it.
http://www.gleannfearn.co.nz/
www.waiheke.co.nz/
I got a job quite quickly, i went to work for Allied Workforce. In NZ this firm is huge. It employs evryone in the construction business, on an agency basis. I joined as a labourer on minimum wage! My first job turned out to be my only job! I was sent to Argon Construction working on a re-furb' of the main Synogogue in Auckland! I stayed on that job the entire time i was in NZ. I met loads of top blokes on that job Andrew and John the bosses, were good to me. Graham and all the lads labouring and chiipy-ing and the shotcrete boyswere all sound. The work was (forgive me french) fuckin hard graft. I spent months literall down holes digging, or breaking concrete. Being summer it was hot and sweaty! I was also still smoking at this point and went through 'em like they were going out of fashion! Overall though i had a ball. The work did me the world of good and felt like the first honest graft i'd done in years. I worked right upto the last week we were in New Zealand, and dont regret a second of it! Hope the synogogues finished!
After we knocked our jobs on the 'ead we decided to treat ourselves to a week away. We had given our notice in at the house. Em and Rob, Jess and Aaron and there AWESOME parents, kindly offered me and Claire the use of thier second luxury flat on the wharf, until we left N.Z.! Of course we said YES! It was lovely and a perfect end to our stay. We spent a week in Rotorua. This place takes a bit of getting used too. It is the most volcanic region in NZ and is home to the sulphur spa's and dozens of pools and steaming craters! Basically it stinks of wet farts!!! BUT once you've been there a day you get used to it. There are endless hings to do here and I highly recommend a visit whilst you are in NZ. We did all the main sulphur parks, and culture vulture bits. We also visited whakarewarewa (remember what i said about WH). This is a traditional maori village a 2 minute drive outside Rotorua town. Whakarewarewa (reduced version of Te Whakarewarewatanga O Te Ope Taua A Wahiao, meaning The uprising of the warriors (war party) of Wahiao. This all tends to be shortened to Whaka in the modern day! The maori have occupied this village sine about 1325 and before the treaty of waitangi they owned all the land. They are due to get the land back soon as per the treaty. The village sits on a hugely active thermal area. Which the maori have adapted too and use for everything including heating, cooking, and bathing communally as they have for hundreds of years. Whakawerawera has some 500 pools, most of which are alkaline chloride hot springs, and at least 65 geyser vents, each with their own name. Seven geysers are currently active. The most famous, Pohutu Geyser, meaning big splash or explosion, can erupt up to 30 m, usually every hour.
Many of the thermal features at Whakawerawera have been adversely affected by Rotorua residents taking advantage of the underlying geothermal fluids of the city by drawing shallow wells (20-200 m deep) to extract hot water for both domestic and commercial heating. A bore closure programme in 1987-1988 resulted in 106 wells within 1.5 km of Pohutu Geyser being cemented shut, with another 120 wells outside the radius being shut due to a punitive royalty charging regime. There has subsequently been a pronounced recovery in the geysers and hot springs at Whakawerawera. We got there quite late in the day, which worked out well. We were a tour party of two! We got our guide, who was lovely and really knowledgable Aneta. She showed us around and explained everythig to us. You also get the best view of the geysers from the village and not the nearby hotels. We loved the village and went back the next day. Hopefully next time we go if we ask nicely they may let us stay the night!
We also went to Paradise Valley Springs where we could touch Lion cubs, Hells Gate Geo thermal site. Wai o Tapu Geo thermal wonderland, the museum and skyline sky rides. This was a gondola up a hill to look out over Rotorua. At the top is a must do! Its the luge! Its go-krting downhill and is loadsa fun, we had numerous goes. We also did the skyswing which was cool but scared Claire to death LoL. We also went to MITAI experience. This is a tribe of maori who have recreated there village for tourists. You get picked up of an evening and taken out to the site. You see a war canoe paddle upstream containing fully tattoed (or painted on in some cases) maori warriors and are given traditional greetings and a view of the haka. You also eat a feast cooked in a traditional hangi and drink lots (of course) its a cracking night and i'd recommend it over the other 'experiences'.
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Tom Eustace
non-member comment
Hello from ex-CIC man-Tom Eustace
Hello Claire-Tommy. I finally found ya. On Facebook. I am friends with Chris and Andrew Rowat,and chasing around finding old work friends. I now work with Surrey Social Services,as a Care Manager[Social Worker] Assistant.Pre this ,I was 2 years with Sutton Council.Mental Health.I also work with Adults with L.D.,and now and again as a D.J.with Epsom Hospital Radio.My eldest,Daniel,got married in Vegas in April.We got stuck in Paris on our return to Heathrow,thank you Icelandic Volcano> Drop a line -I'm on FB.Best wishes. Tom Eustace