North Island New Zealand. Nice

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All aboard - the stray bus!

An early start ensued as I boarded the bus with 15 other backpackers they all seemed nice but lacked a little crazy for my liking. After picking up supplies we were on the way to Hahai where we had a nice stroll round Cathedral cove and later a BBQ and a visit to the hot springs lying in a boiling puddle in the middle of winter - an odd experience bit like a crap bath!

After this we headed to Raglan which I instantly fell in love with a sleepy surf town in the country with laid back surfer hippy types in a lodge in the forest a beautiful retreat. Went on a cycle to the city and met some locals and some cracking fish and chips and played some poker with the locals they were great fun. After travelling for abit now I much rather prefer to meet the locals and get a much better sense of the place i am travelling and whats its all about. I love chilling with the travelers but after answering the standard questions for the 4 millionth time its nice to find out something different about people and what they do, not how long they have been travelling, where have they been, but peoples lifestyles whats great about there little piece of the world its much more of an eye opener. I understand its a process that when people meet they need to go through but would rather have an information card on everyone have a read then ask anything else if needed, the quicker the standard questions are out of the way the quicker you can start having fun.

Also saw some glowworms which again were abit crap! I needed more adventure after the crazy start to NZ and as I loved Raglan wasn't quite ready to head on so left the tour bus and stayed in Raglan for another day to see the beautiful Bridal falls. I also tried my arm at hitchhiking and was picked up by a lovely 74 year old woman Joan who dropped me to the falls and waited for me told me about her farm and the area a real sweet old lady, she even waited for me while I went to the falls to drop me back to the main road! The power and green of nature was so refreshing after Oz and was really appreciating the natural beauty that NZ had to offer.

The next day I hitchhiked down to Hamilton for the Wales All Blacks game - two birds one stone! Not that impressed with Hamilton seemed alright but nothing stand out the main attractions were gardens and was abit dreary. It was the most welsh people i'd seen in two and a half years and felt like a home from home talking about Wales. This was followed (being welsh) with a heavy night with a cracking welsh girl I met lots of booze and cutting shapes on the dance floor - god bless the Welsh!

The next day I was nursing a sore head and after abit of aggro checking out wandered through Hamilton to walk off the hangover. After a a few bevies and abit of banter with the locals (and the barmaids number) I headed down the game in my red proud to be Welsh. The Welsh were few and far between and surrounded by a sea of all blacks I belted out the anthem, Tom Jones would of been proud! The game didnt go as well as my singing but at least the boys got a try, and I sank a few more beers. Back to the hostel had a game of ring of fire with some fine ladies from the UK and headed out for the evening another night of drinking and shuffling. The morning after and another sore head I attempted to hitch back to Raglan, after 30 minnutes though gave up as the prospect of hanging round with a bad head explaining my story didnt seem appealing on a a hangover. While waiting for the bus bumped into some of the Welsh girls from the weekend before getting back to the Raglan lodge to chill out before an early start back on the stray bus.

After a walk round some caves headed for a traditonal maouri night hosted by 72 year old Uncle Boyd - what a legend! The man wasnt well but had so much knowledge and had made so many traveller friends over the years and I was engrossed by his stories and kind heart, he really did have some words of wisdom just felt like a sponge trying to absorb so much of the interesting things he had to say and great stories! But as the only male on a bus of 12 females I was to be chief for the night and had to perform the haka. Uncle Boyd had told us the first part of the night was serious and had to face a maouri challenge then perform the haka in my boxers and traditional Maori attire. A bit of dutch courage in the form of southern comfort and a great laugh with the mauri warriors I belted/blurted out pulled faces and reallly tried to do the Maori boys proud. They seemed to appreciate the efforts and we all had a great time. It was great to see and learn some of the history of the great friendly nation. I learnt later from another bus that Boyd commented to the group about the big welsh lad who gave it his all at his night - GO WALES!

After this was Roturoa where I carreared down a luge (felt like mario kart) skidding and sliding in my mini luge before heading down for the night in Taupo. Here I met up with lovely Swedish Anna who I met in Raglan, a beautiful blonde sweet girl with a lovely nature we headed out after a bottle of vodka looking for a party but found only a quiz night so one beer and a pie later called its quits. An early start at five the next morning (the half bottle of vodka now seemed a very bad call!) and we were at Torringa crossing the home of mt doom from lord of the rings. The six hour treck was simply breath-taking and the errie mist that came and went added to the fantastic trek up to the crossing. Our guide Crazy Karl was a legend a Kiwi and all round good bloke with many a mad tale! And after a massive days walk the accomodation at the park was fantastic a HOT TUB! So again I decided to head of the bus and stay here for a few days as it was really refreshing to be back to nature and away from everything. Again I wasn't in a rush and i am sorry but i am not a big fan of the tour buses , while its good if your in a hurry it seems your puled round very quick take your token photos and shooed off to try and get pushed for another paid activity to earn the drivers commission, at the expense of some amazing natural free wonders, of which New Zealand had them by the bucket load.

The next day I sorted myself out washing and chilling which was nice after the hectic nature of the stray bus, before a heavy night in schnapps with some friends from the walk Jan, Anna, Inge from my first stray bus and the chef Jo. In the tub wer pre-drank and the mix and booze and steam got us smashed and we all had an awesome night in the bar again getting our dance on. Again woke rough but after another spa headed out for a walk though some muddy rain forest in my converse low tops - a bad call and the last time I wore the poor things. It was strange realising how much I was turing into my folks loving these long walks in nature and getting away from it all, it did help though my hiking partner was the lovely Anna, but the views and the peace was really refreshing. After another walk with Anna we just chilled back at the lodge. We had a great few fantastic days together (I think we talked about every subject under the sun!) and really enjoyed hanging out with her, but I was carrying on with my NZ mission while Anna was heading back to Raglan to chill before heading back to Sweden. I was back on the bus I go with a new group but only for a day so slept most of the journey to avoid the repetitive story of the travels.

Next was my final stop in the north Wellington a lovely city down by the sea. Hear in Wellington I stayed with Kyles family from Wellington and the comforts of fantastic home cooking and a double bed were a delight! The city had a great arty feel to it not pretentious just nice down by the harbor. Here I met up with German Jan (or Hans as we called him) and headed to the Te papa free museum for the day. The museum was great very thorough and by the end of the day was mentally tired by all the information I had taken in. Jan was travelling solo as well and had bought a car in Auckland and traveled the north and was headed south. I was going to jump in with him split the petrol and see how far we would travel as long as our plans coincided. With both had similar plans to get to Queens town so we would see how we would go. We agreed to meet at 6 the next morning to board the ferry to Piction in the South - and so now I was travelling with a crazy German in a Subaru legacy round the south island - this should be interesting.........................

Auf Wiedersehen Mo'funkers

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