Week 8: "Hitch Hikers...Pick Um' Up!!"

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Week 2 in New Zealand: Monday, 18 Feb - Sun, 24 Feb

Coming back from a few days in Fiji last Monday was rough.... 😊 but I made it and eventually got caught up on my papers and the work I had missed (that was supposed to be turned in the Friday before I ever went to Fiji. Oh well, I'm in another country and living it up 😊! Tuesday we went on a Biology field trip, we took a ferry 20 min. out of the city of Auckland to Rangitoto Island, a 600 year old volcanic island. Our group hiked up the rocky, steep path that was an estimated hour length to get up...but that my friends and I got up in 40 min, (apparently they thought it was like a race or something...). I was straggling in the back the whole time telling them to slow down; I think I'm a little out of shape -- too much Nutella, donuts, pastries and coffee while not working out or something?!! Anyways, the huge crater at the top was pretty cool and the view from the top looking back at the city was pretty neat as well. It was mostly a cloudy day so the view wasn't as clear but it was nice because even the cloudy days here are muggy and I wouldn't have wanted it any hotter while hiking an old volcano. On the way back we had fun walking through some caves!

Wednesday morning we went to the International Student Orientation and it was so cool seeing how many people are studying here at Unitec Uni from ALL over the world! It's really hard to explain but the Maori, indigenous people of New Zealand, have an extremely unique culture and part of it is their "Powhiri" which is their way of welcoming anyone and everyone. We all enjoyed the free "brekkie" (breakfast) as well!! Thursday was a day of classes and homework -- ALL day long!! Friday we were supposed to go on a field trip to Tiri Tiri, a bird sanctuary but it ended up getting canceled because it was too windy for the ferrys to run. So, instead my roomies, Sam and Melanie, and I went and spent the morning at our favorite cafe down the road -- drinking BOWLS of coffee and enjoying the free wireless (not usual in cafes here) for five hours!!

Saturday morning Melanie, Sam, and I caught a bus 4 hours South of Auckland to a city called Rotorua, which is an old touristy town famous for its geysers, boiling mud pools, hot lakes, mineral hot pools, and sulfurous odors (basically, rotten eggs is the smell of the town). The first night we went to a Polynesian Spa and soaked in the sulfur baths for about 3 hours (which was great) then went out to a pub and talked to two backpacker guys we met from England and Scotland! One of my favorite things about traveling is meeting other backpackers from all over; you meet all kinds of different people that have all done some awesome things! The more people I meet the more I feel less traveled -- it's crazy how people are able to get around to see the whole world, it's definitely possible! Saturday the three of us had brekkie at a very cute, small town diner...I enjoyed my banana pancakes! Then we caught a bus and headed out of town to go Zorbing!! For those of you who don't know what zorbing is, I will TRY to explain...better yet, I will read you what the Zorb postcard I bought says, "Zorb Rotorua is the 'Home of the Zorb': the world's first Zorb site. Zoom 200 metres downhill inside the Zorb, either dry and harnessed or sloshing in the awesome 'wash-cylce.' The new Zig-Zag hydro ride is described as a cross between a waterfall and a roller-coaster! Zorb, a revolutionary legend." Basically, the three of us dove into a plastic 6 x 6 ball, with warm water, and rolled down a hill! When we first got there we looked at the hill and were kinda bummed, thinking that it wouldn't even be that cool. However, it exceeded my expectations and we were dying laughing the entire way down. I kept trying to talk and say something but the three of us were flying around and I was laughing hysterical and couldn't quite get words out. I decided Zorbing needs to be the next event that Young Life camps invest it; kids (and leaders and adults) would LOVE it! After our great zorbing experience we waited an hour for our bus to pick us up. We had paid $10 for a roundtrip ticket from the city to the zorbing place and knew our bus would get there at 2:25 to pick us up. At 2:24 I saw him pull up and we all got up from the picnic bench we'd been sitting at (covered from the rain) and started walking around these trees over to the van...well, within the few seconds of us walking around the trees where we couldn't see, he had left!! He knew we'd be there waiting because I talked to him but apparently he thought he did not need to stop because he didn't see anyone right away. There was no way to chase him down so that left us stranded and little worried because we were 25 minutes outside the city, where we needed to be at 4:00, to catch our four hr. long bus ride back to Auckland. We asked the zorbing people what to do and they told us to hitch hike. We looked at each other (3 young girls), and then back at him and were like uh, seriously? He's like yup, it's pretty safe around here. So we walked down the road, in the rain and stood with our thumbs up wondering if this would seriously work. I didn't have much faith as I watched the few cars out in the middle of the country drive by us...and at that point I decided I was from now on going to pick up hitch hikers, (atleast if they are innocent girls that look stranded on the side of the road)! 😊 About 10 minutes later this guy with 2 young kids pulled up in his station wagon and said we looked pretty worried and desperate for a ride; that we were! The three of us crammed in the back with me basically sitting on top of his six year old daughter. He was from Scotland and we had fun talking to him and his kids! So, another first time experience for me: hitch hiking...and in New Zealand! All together my friends and I had a really fun weekend, despite the rain! The weather here has been mostly cloudy with quite a bit of wind and rain!! Apparently they had a great first part of their summer, sunny every day, up until we got here (when it rained for the first time since Christmas). They were about to be in a drought I guess so we're supposed to be thankful for every bit of rain!

We got back Sunday night and can't believe we are now in our last week of classes here at Unitec; three weeks go by pretty fast! Friday we take our last quiz, papers are due, and we give our Biology Ecosystem Presentations. Then Saturday morning I'm off to travel the South Island for my last week -- renting a van with 6 other people will I'm sure will be full of adventures and many more stories!!??

I'm really starting to miss my Iced White Chocolate Americanos from Forza (and good, free wireless). I can't stop thinking about how excited I am to have one the day I get home!!! 😊 Mmm!!

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Photos

Caves
Sam & I walking thru the caves!

Climbing out of the caves...
..my friend Melanie apparently thinks she can help push me, or catch me if I fall??...all 100 pounds of her, haha

Having fun w/ the roomies
...just us having fun, as always! ...you kinda had to be there! :)

bowls of coffee
Our HUGE lattes in HUGE bowls...spending 5 hours at our favorite cafe, trying to get work done but spending more time chatting! :)

Polynesian Spa
There were 7 different spas, all different temperatures and some of them looked out over the lake. It was raining a little bit and I love being in hot tubs during the rain, it was great!

Zorb Rotorua
We first saw the hill and were like that doesn't look that cool...uhm, it was definitely cool!! We were glad we got our moneys worth!

Zorb
all three of us inside there, flying around as we get stopped by the hill at the bottom!

Zorbing
...they gave us dandelions at the bottom

crazy zorbers...
they had us jump and do weird things for pictures right after we got out of the zorb! we wished we could have gone way more but it was a little too spendy

Hitch Hiking!
at this point I wasn't too excited to be hitchhiking...in the rain...in the middle of no where...after I'd paid $10 for a ROUND trip ticket...and when I needed to be back to catch a bus home!!
However, it was a fun/great experience once we found a ride!! :)

Comments

[Karissa A]

I cannot believe you guys hitch hiked!!! That is hilarious!