Wonderful World of #14

The Aussie Invasion is Here!

2008-07-18T11:29:00.003-04:00

After 3.5 long months, Sean will be here! I will be heading on up to JFK airport to pick him up on Saturday and I'm excited to say the least. Some people are wondering, "Why didn't he just get a train to Philly?" Well, since he will be in a plane for 24 hours traveling halfway around the world, the last thing he would want to do is go navigate the train system while uber-exhausted. It's not a big deal to go up and get him as long as traffic cooperates and I don't get lost. He did drive 2.5 hours to meet up with me in Sydney when I was in Australia so it's only fair. We plan on having a quiet night of pizza (he misses good American pies), root beer, which they don't have in Oz, and a night of general catching up. His internal clock is going to be all sorts of mucked up so I have a feeling he won't be jamming into the wee hours anyway.
The next day we will get some brunch and then meet up with his friends out in Manayunk at Kildare's. I loathe that place, but I'm willing to make an exception for him. Plus, on Sundays there isn't too many drunk, annoying frat boys and their equally annoying sorositute girlfriends so it should be cool. There will be a lot of boys from England and Scotland here for one of the weddings so things should get interesting so stop by if you need a laugh. The singing will start around midnight.

On a side note, I have a lot of blogging to catch up on from the past month. One thing you should know about me is that I'm a horrible procrastinator that tends to do very good work under pressure. Since there is no pressure here to blog, I always put things off until the next day, knowing damn well that is going to turn into the next day and the day after that. It's a vicious cycle, but I'm working on it. I got some blogs on Dorney Park, camping on the upper Delaware and a trip to Sea Isle City to fill you all in on, so I thank you for your patience and good day to you all.

A Fall Without Pumpkinfest...

2008-07-16T11:53:00.001-04:00

is like a season of Project Runway without some batshit crazy designer who wants to dress women up like bad acid trip (thank you Blayne for filling this void for season 5). If your team is interested in playing in Pumpkinfest, then hurry up and get your registration in! I know some people have scheduling issues and whatnot, but quoting the impeccable Tim Gunn, "Make it Work!"

The 25th annual Pumpkinfest tournament will be help September 5‐6, 2008 at Pennypack Park in Philadelphia, PA.   The tournament will consist of three divisions – Senior Competitive, Senior Social, and Collegiate. 

Pumpkinfest is proud to support a Women’s Referee Development Clinic in conjunction with the tournament.  This clinic will provide an opportunity for women who ref to get high‐level development while providing excellent refs for the tournament! 

To register, visit the official Pumpkinfest Website and download the registration form.  

If you have any questions, contact Ginger at pumpkinfest@pwrfc.org.  HURRY!  There are only a few spots left!

ALFie Awards

2008-06-17T15:10:00.030-04:00

Here they are, what you have been waiting for...the ALFie Awards for the Best of Everything from my trip! Ever since I've been home people have been asking me everything from "Where is the prettiest beach?" to "What was the most exhilarating tour you took?" to "What was the best bar?" So I decided to give out my very own ALFie Awards to the best parts of my trip. I've also added links to the winners so you can go check them out for yourself (and maybe plan your own trip to see if I'm telling you the truth). I had to make some really hard decisions and some came out as a tie, so without further ado, the ALFie goes to...

Best Hostel - Arts Factory Backpackers Lodge, Byron Bay, NSW, Australia. In the 70's it was a magnet for hippies and still manages to keep the same vibe and attract the same people. Relaxing, friendly and totally unique accommodation (teepee!) and fantastic amenities. I kicked myself for only staying two days!
*Runner up - Treks Backpackers, Rotarua, New Zealand. Cleanest, most well stocked kitchen ever. No bunk beds too!

Best Guesthouse - Mahana Homestead Lodge, Queens Charlotte Track, New Zealand. John and Ann are the nicest, most accommodating hosts I've ever come across. Home cooked meals, fireplace with puzzles and books to read in a TV and PC free environment. Bliss!

Best Beach Hut - Atcha Hut, Ko Lanta, Thailand. Cozy, airy huts on an uncrowded stretch of beach run by a Thai family. Can take part in communal dinner with the family every night and it's delicious.

Best Airline - Qantas Airlines, NSW, Australia. Nothing even comes close in this category. Period.

Best Bus - Intercity Coachlines, New Zealand. On time, friendly drivers and great commentary from guides on some buses. Hassle free.

Best City - Large - Sydney, NSW, Australia

Best City - Small - Wellington, New Zealand
Best Locals - Penang, Malaysia. Drank beers and broke bread with owner of my guesthouse and was almost overwhelmed at the generosity of this stranger. No hidden agendas, I know what you're thinking, trust me!

Best View - Sky Bar, Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The nighttime view of the Petronas Towers are absolutely mesmerizing.

Best Restaurant - Layla Bar, Ko Lanta, Thailand. The mossaman curry is to die for, seriously, the perfect meal. Wash it down with a fresh mai tai at sunset.

Best Street Food - Laksa and peach champagne flavored bubble tea from a cart in Penang, Mayasia
*Runner up - onion, tuna, cheese and egg pancake with chili sauce in Hat Sairee on Ko Tao. Perfect late night food when you are leaving the bar.

Best Snack - Tim Tams, Australia & New Zealand. These chocolaty cookies are so addictive. I am starting a petition to bring them to the US.
Best Meal with a Stranger - Bangkok, Thailand. I was joined by a gentleman from London for breakfast. It was nice to have a conversation in English!

Best Bar - Opera Bar, next to the Sydney Opera House, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Where to go to see and be seen in Sydney. The view and the people watching are uncomparable.
Best Beer - Toohey's New, Australia
*Runner up - Singha, Thailand

Best Drink - Bucket of Joy, Ko Lanta, Thailand (but you could get it anywhere). Take one pint of Thai whiskey, add a can of energy drink and a can of Coke, stir in bucket, add straw and drink. Fall on floor later.
Best Place to Party - Ko Phangan, Thailand. Home of the Full Moon Party, but it wasn't full moon when I was there, but still plenty of people getting their drink on.
*Runner up - Queenstown, New Zealand. Adreneline junkies head out at night and paint the town red. These guys know how to do it right!

Best Beach - Bondi Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia
*Runner up - Lake Macenzie, Fraser Island, QLD, Australia

Best Diving - Ko Haa, Thailand. Two words - WHALE SHARK

Best Surfing - Noosa, Australia. Quintessential surf spot and surf patrol is pretty hot too!
Best Hike - Queen Charlotte Track, New Zealand. Best accommodations of any track with beautiful views over Queen Charlotte Sound. Quiet and peaceful too! It takes some preparations and time to get there, but worth it.
*Runner up - Queenstown Hill Hike, New Zealand (warning, do not attempt this with a hangover!)
Best Unique Land Activity - Zorb, Rotarua, New Zealand. Strap into a giant inflatable hamster ball and roll down a hill. So simple, yet so much fun!
Best Rugby - Canterbury Crusaders, Christchurch, New Zealand. From the country that lives and breathes rugby, I got to see the eventual Super 14 champs play in dominate their opponent. Great atmosphere! Go to the Holy Grail sports bar and get a Beer, Bus, and Footy ticket for beers and transporation to the match.
*Runner up - CA Brumbies, Canberra, ACT, Australia. I was able to see my idol Stirling Mortlock on the sidelines, eat a pie and have a beer while sitting front and center.

Best Zoo - Australia Zoo, Beerwah, QLD, Australia. Although they pimp out the Irwin kids, its a great hands on zoo and totally worth it just for Kangaroo Heaven.

Best Animal Sighting - Canberra, ACT, Australia. Kangaroos just hanging out in a park and I see a joey moving around in it's mother's pouch. He never fully appeared, but exciting nonetheless.
*Worst Animal Sighting - Sean tells me there is a kangaroo on the side of the road and I look and its dead. WTF?!?

Best Shopping - Singapore! Stylish, chic and sophisticated. Bring your Visa...
Best Place to Spend Money - Again, Singapore. More restaurants, bars and shopping complexes than you can shake a stick at, all geared towards the expat population. A bit pricier than Australia, but extravagant compared to the rest of Southeast Asia.
*Runner up - Sydney, NSW, Australia. Expensive, but so much fun! Spent with abandon and had a blast. I wouldn't suggest visiting if you have a strict budget or you'll miss out on a lot.
Best Place to Be a Bum - Byron Bay, Australia. Time grinds to a halt here in this hippy community. Lovely cafes and shops, beautiful beaches, the perfect weekend getaway.

Best Kept Secret - Cairns Wildlife Dome, Cairns, Australia. Happened to stumble on this and it was not promoted in any way, so head on over to the casino (it's at the top) and enjoy! The crocodile feeding and bird show not to be missed!
Best Cheesy Attraction - Vic Hislop's Shark Expo, Airlie Beach, Australia. Should dangerous sharks be hunted or saved? You be the judge. Warning - do not go see this and then go diving the next day or you'll be paranoid.

Best Museum Exhibit - Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Game On: Play your way through the history of video games
*Runner up - Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Andy Warhol: 300 Art Works, One City
Best Cultural Attraction - Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand. All glitter and gold and so beautiful.
Best Tour - Combination tour of Erawan Falls, Nok Soi Waterfall, Hellfire Pass, Death Railway and Bridge on the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
*Runner up - Trails of Middle Earth Tour, Queenstown, New Zealand. For super Lord of the Rings geeks only!

So there you have it! If you have visited any of these places and would like to agree or disagree or have your own category and winners, leave it in the comments :)

I Haven't Forgotten 'Bout You Auckland

2008-06-12T10:04:00.010-04:00

Whoa, I almost forgot to give you all the dirt on my last few days in New Zealand, Auckland to be exact! Auckland is pretty much like any other city you've been too so there isn't too much to report in that department. Since it was the last stop on my trip, I started to get a bit anxious about returning home. I was just about out of money, a bit road weary and over the rainy and chilly weather of late. Plus, I needed a haircut like nobody's business. I was excited about getting on a plane and flying into LA and then Atlanta and then Philly just because I was curious as to how things would feel when I opened the door to my apartment.

I left Rotarua a day early to head to Auckland as it was Becky's birthday and I promised to meet up with her for some birthday shenanigans. She was due to fly out the day before me so I wanted to see her before we both left the country for good. I met up with her and secured a bed at the same hostel and we made plans to go out for a proper dinner that night. She ran off to get a tattoo and I wondered around a bit, looking for sushi. I found a nice hole in the wall that sold the most incredible double avocado/double salmon rolls ever and for only NZ$7.50 and they were HUGE! Afterwards, I tried to decide how to use my time except I wasn't interested in going up in the SkyTower or going to a museum because I felt like I had my fill of them on the trip. I opted for a nap instead.

Me, Becky and some fellow travelers (Tal, Merriam and I forget the other girls's name) from her dorm all went to a nearby Mexican restaurant for dinner and it was lovely! I had some sangria and we gorged ourselves on just about everything on the menu. It was kinda like 'The Last Supper' since Becky was flying out to Fiji the next day, Tal was flying the next day and I was flying out a few hours after him. After we were sufficiently stuffed, we exited and decide what to do next. Becky was never in a casino so we ran over to the Sky City Casino and played some roulette. I won NZ$10 and she lost NZ$10, but it was fun because we ended up making good guesses and staying on the table for a bit. We then got a drink at a fancy bar in the casino and called it a night. As much as I was looking forward to going home, I wish I was on my way to Fiji with Becky for some more beach time!

The next day Tal and I went walking to a vantage point on the outside of town that gave us great views of Auckland all around. Too bad it was a bit rainy and chilly. We passed through the botanical gardens and I really would have liked that if it wasn't raining. Ugh, we were getting soaked. My emergency poncho was tucked into my backpack in my dorm, a good place for it! There isn't too much to report about Auckland, I'm afraid. If I would have started my trip there I would've gone to all the museums, points of interest, taken a harbour cruise, etc, but I was tired at this point. Tal and I headed back to the dorm (I swung by and got more yummy sushi) and made plans to go see U2-3D at the Imax theater later that night. It was the last night of my trip and it was stormy and miserable outside, so it was perfect that we were going to a theater. The show was so cool, we go those cool 3D glasses and watched U2 perform their concert from Buenos Aires. It felt like you were really there! Those guys are getting up there in years, but they sure do know how to put on a show.

The next day I pack up all my crap for the last time and went out in search of a few more souvenirs before grabbing lunch (yup, more sushi) and heading to the airport and it just fit. I don't think I couldn've gotten one more thing in my bag! Wouldn't you know it was nice and sunny? Anyhoo, I was really sorry that I didn't book a side trip to Fiji before heading home, but oh well. It didn't feel weird that I was leaving - I was ready and I felt so happy with my trip and how it went so there was absolutely no regrets about anything. I did really amazing things, saw cool stuff, met some of the best people, and really got to spend time with someone I was neglecting for awhile - me!

Dragonboating and Beachcombing

2008-06-08T10:01:00.009-04:00

I was fortunate to be involved in my first dragonboat race the other weekend and it was really fun. One of the partners at my firm sponsored a boat and anyone and their friends could join the team so Mancini and I decided to go for it. It sounded really cool, although upper body strength is not my specialty, so we signed up. It invloves putting 20 people in a specially designed dragonboat and using paddles to get your boat moving. You use the paddle to pull the boat through the water instead of using the more familiar rowing motion to get going. We had one practice on the Thursday prior to the race and we learned all about how to paddle effectively and learned a lot of dragonboating lingo. "Check it down!" We were expertly guided by a really cute surfer type and Mancini was called out three times for minor infractions, lovingly being referred to as 'green shirt.' On the day of the race, I decided to rollerblade down to the boathouses on Kelly Drive. It was so hot, I totally forgot about that whole heat wave thing and I was dripping with sweat when I arrived. Mancini arrived a bit later, so we carbed up for our first race and watched a few of the first heats before it was time for ours. We all scurried up to where the boats where launching, grabbed a paddle and a life vest and jumped in the boat. I was starting to get a bit nervous! It was a 500 meter race and lemme tell you, that is FAR to paddle. We queue up at the start and then we are off! Three big strokes followed by 20 small and quick strokes and then we settle into our long strokes for the duration of the race. We are quickly passed by a superior Chinese team, but we blew away the other remaining boats to get a second place finish. Awesome! The only bad part was having to paddle our boat all the way back up to the start so another team could use it. My arms were like jello so this was the last thing I wanted to do after we were done.

After the first heats, we were placed 25th out of 50 teams so that made us the #1 seed in our division (D I think). Soon we were lining up for our 2nd race and were informed all of the boats finished within one or two seconds of each other in the standings so this would be a much close race. I paddled harder than I ever thought possible and it was so close during the race! when we finished we thought we came in second, but it was verified that we had won by a dragonhead! Yay! Unfortunately I was unable to stick around for the third and final race due to work (hello second job), so I said my goodbyes and proceeded to rollerblade back to my apartment in the hazy heat. Mancini later informed me via text that we ended up in 3rd and we got medals! It is officially the most valuable thing I own. It looks like an Olympic bronze medal!

I woke up on Sunday absolutely exhausted from dragonboating, rollerblading and then working on my feet for 8 hours. I definitely bit off more than I could chew on Saturday so it only made sense to do my recovery at the beach. I proceeded to roll on down to Avalon with Pope, Jen, Eileen, and Marfisi and together we braved the hot and humid conditions for some lounging by the waves reading trashy gossip magazines. Seriously, my brain was fried and it was the only thing I could handle intellectually. With snacks, sandwiches and magazines in hand, we relaxed and soaked up some rays, well maybe too many rays. Even with vigilant sunscreen application, we all managed to get a fair amount of sun. Eileen somehow managed to stay transparent and Marfisi's back looked like you could fry an egg on it, while Jen and Pope made marginal advancements in the evening out of their farmer's tans. Luckily I have a decent base from my travels so it mellowed into a nice golden color on me with little peeling, but my tummy was quite sensitive for awhile. I need to invest in some better sunscreen (any suggestions?).

After a few hours of rest and relaxation, we headed over to Mike's Crab Shack in Sea Isle for some beers and food by the water before heading home. I got me some oysters and stone claw crabs and chased it down with some cold Amstel Light, while Pope found a new friend in Bud Light with Lime. I'm always suspect about any beer that requires fruit or fruit flavor to make it more palpable and this was no exeption. I ate way too much, but found room for ice cream before piling back into the car and heading back to Philly. A perfect day at the beach!

Now What?

2008-06-06T12:45:00.002-04:00

What have I been doing for the last month? A variety of things, but I'll only mention the most interesting stuff to spare you the mundane details of my life. Well, it took a few days to get my sleep schedule back on track (I was six hours ahead of schedule so my body was happy about "sleeping in", my internal clock was not pleased about having to get up early to try to turn it around. It also didn't help that the glorious city of Philadelphia is doing construction on my block at night (see picture from outside my bedroom window). Jackhammering, cutting concrete, generators, you get the picture. Looks like they are replacing the water main pipes and creating a lot of noise in the process. I didn't shower the first night I was home (I hit up the Dark horse for some drinks with Chey instead) and slept in for a long time the next day. I got up and started doing laundry, cleaning up, watching TV, etc and before long it was 11pm at night. Whew! I went into the bathroom to prepare for the best hot shower in the universe and the water didn't turn on, the faucet just made this banging noise. Hmmmmmm. I go outside to talk to the construction dudes. Turns out that the water gets shut off randomly after 11pm so they can do their work so I ask them when it will be back on. He has no idea, could be 4 hours, the whole night, no idea. Great. He tells me I should've been notified (haven't been home!) and I tell him that i just got home from being halfway around the world and i want a SHOWER and he just looks at me and says there isn't anything he could do. Now, I wasn't really expecting him to stop the work and let me shower, I was just annoyed at the situation. Fortunately, I was able to use some water in the Brita to brush my teeth, but I went to bed a freakin' mess. It took forever to fall asleep, but eventually I was lulled by the soothing sounds of a backhoe digging into a brick paved street. This has gone on for 4 or 5 days out of every week.

I inadvertently started a project when I came home, at the exact time I should've been relaxing before returning to work. I started going through everything I own and decided that I don't need all the crap I have. After living out of one bag for 14 weeks, I decided to clean house and do away with many items in my apartment that I simply never used, intended to use but never got around to it, didn't fit, old, broken, etc. I generated quite a pile and it was very cleansing. I mean, how much stuff does any one person need? Why do we hold onto stuff? I swear there were some clothes that I kept mainly because you never know when you'll be invited to a themed party and have to dress up as a cowgirl/pirate/vixen, etc. I think half my wardrobe was dedicated to costumes! As I put everything in a pile to donate to my club's annual yard sale, I started to feel liberated. Feels so good to restart my life without all the clutter.

All good things must end and I returned to work on Monday, a scant four days after I returned. Some say it was too soon, but my bank account told me to get my ass back into work and make some cash. I just walked into work on Monday like any normal day and that was it - I was officially back. I went thru my email (Ctrl + A, delete) and chatted with some people in my department, my boss fills me in on what I missed (nothing) and starts forwarding me work. Word gets around that I'm back and the work comes flooding in. Within an hour I'm on gChat and it's like I never left. The funniest thing happened towards the end of my first week back on the job. I develop a severe case of strep throat and I have to call out of work not once, but twice! They must hate me, seriously. I also had to cancel happy hour an other festivities with friends due to my sudden illness. I couldn't believe I was in remote parts of the world and was fine and I get home and I get sick. Unbelievable.

After I got better I did something that I haven't done since December - I worked a full 5 day work week. It was weird. Luckily I'm really busy at work so the time goes by fairly quickly, but since my coworker is out due to shoulder surgery, I'm picking up more to do and it involves a lot of overtime. The good part is I get paid for OT, the sucky part is I'm working and not at home with a glass of wine with my friends. I also started my second job again as a catering server and that is taking up a substantial portion of my time, but again, I need to get my bank accounts back to their former glory. I'm not going on any super happy fun 7s trips this summer so I should be able to pay off my Visa and then attack my student loan. I am so sick of my student loan still hanging around so I am going to aggressively try to pay it off in one year so I can be free of it. I now wish I wouldn've graduated in four years instead of five, dammit! I used to have a 2nd loan and I used my tax refund check one year to pay it off. I called up to my loan people so they would put all the money on the one loan instead of dividing it between the two. So I'm talking to the loan rep and I explain that "I want to apply the total amount to loan #2, thus paying it off in total." Sounds reasonable, right? She then asks me, "Why do are you paying off your loan?" I'm kinda stunned at this point. " Um, cuz isn't that what you're supposed to do?!?" She hemmed and hawed a bit, but then I insisted that my money is applied the way I wanted. Sheesh, perplexing to say the least.

So May was a blur of "Welcome backs!", adjustments, and work. People keep asking me if it is hard readjusting to life again. Quite simply, not really. I thought it would feel different, but it is still the same ole', same ole'. I've noticed a few changes in Philly, but nothing too severe. I kinda expected to have that feeling you get when you move to a differnt apartment or change jobs, but nope, nothing. Just looking forward to my 2nd round of summer for 2008!

End of the Road

2008-06-01T11:09:00.002-04:00

I know, I know, I kinda just left everyone hangin when I touched back down on US soil. I sincerely apologize for that, I do. It was a combination of exhaustion, illness, and just needing a break to help me get my life back in order that fueled my month long sabbatical from blogging.

I landed in Los Angeles on April 30, with an overnight layover before a flight to Atlanta and then to Philly on May 1. I flew with Qantas on the way back and this was the single most enjoyable flight I've ever been on. Who knew flying could still be pleasant and comfortable? Qantas should just make a bid to take over every domestic carrier with have here in the US. What made it so good? Lemme tell you! First off, I was in a window seat and as luck has it, the middle seat was open so me and the guy in the aisle seat were VERY happy to have the extra wiggle room, especially since he was on the tall side. I always feel bad for tall people on flights. I mean, where are they supposed to put their legs for X hours? Anyhoo, we take off to begin the 13 hours to LA and soon afterwards, we are given a menu card with the details of our meals and the timeline for service for the duration of the flight. Swanky! After we were in the air for a bit and the captain made all pertinent announcements, dinner service started. I was near the front so I was served relatively quickly. I chose the beef with vegetables and penne pasta with a nice Cabernet to go with it (all booze is free!). I even had a glass to drink from. The food was very good, restaurant quality and the wine relaxed me to a peaceful state. After some chocolate for dessert, the staff came around with small travel bags with socks, eye mask, and water for our comfort. The shoes came off and the socks went on, only adding to my relaxation. Can I add that I am in economy? I can only imagine how good it was for those a-holes in first class. They must get lobster, opium and lap dances the whole way home. Some time later after the entire plane was fed dinner, the staff come around again with a bag with more water and snacks like fruit gummies, raisins, chocolate, and something else I can't remember. It was perfect to go with the in flight entertainment. Instead of having one movie playing that is usually something you would never watch and you have to pay $5 for headphones, every seat has a personal TV screen built into the headrest in front of you and you have a remote control to select your choice. I know that other carriers have this option as well, but what was awesome was the selection of movies, TV shows, and music that was available. Dozens of options, movies that just left theaters, popular TV shows - the main point here is you would want to watch these things! I watched 3 movies and some documentary on Roger Federer before trying to get some ZZZZZZ. I pull the eye mask down, the blanket come up and I rest my head on the fluffy pillow. Bliss! I woke up a short time later for breakfast (ham frittata with spinach and beans) and we land in LA a bit later, on time and not feeling too worse for wear. Qantas, I adore you.

I make my way to get my backpack to check it through security and customs. They have to check my hiking boots for dirt, but it was nothing like the scrutiny your stuff gets in Australia and New Zealand, due to their unique ecosystems. Didn't you ever see the Simpsons where Bart takes a frog into Australia? I finally get through and I make my way out and to ground transportation. A few weeks prior, I made arrangements to stay with my friend Fil while I was in LA. He lives in Dallas, but travels to LA often since he works for Fox Studios so he called a meeting and booked a hotel so I had a nice, comfy place to stay. Yay! I make my way to the Intercontinental Century City hotel and my 'Pretty Woman' moment begins. Dressed in a t-shirt and cargo pants, with a backpack on my back, I do not blend into the hotel surroundings at all. This was one fancy hotel and I was initially overwhelmed. Christ, does Fil run the company? The staff offered to carry my belongings, but I was fine and everyone was very pleasant and helpful. I got to the room, contemplated taking a bath, but instead showered and relaxed a bit before Fil came back. We took the afternoon and went to Venice where I got a bike, he a skateboard and we proceeded to drink up and down the beach and just catch up on life and the details of my travels. Many, many hours later we headed back to the hotel, a little worse for wear (my exhaustion was catching up with me) ordered room service and passed out. The next morning, we were both flying at practically the same time so we got the car, stopped at In & Out Burger (heaven!) and were off to LAX for our flights. After we parted I was really annoyed that I didn't have a direct flight into Philly. I should've spent the extra to get one, but you really aren't worried about the flights home when you are planning your trip. My last two trips to/through Atlanta were horrible, resulting in tears and anger so I didn't have high hopes for this leg. To my surprise, we landed on time and I had just enough time to make it to my connecting flight to Philly. Only two more hours until I'm home!

Finally, the plane lands in Philadelphia. I'm home. Nope, it didn't feel weird. It almost felt like I was coming home from a long weekend somewhere. I go to retrieve my backpack when I notice a strange odor coming from my bag. Uh oh. I had carefully (or so I thought) packed a 6-pack of VB for a friends and it survived the overseas flight, but not the cross country flight it seems. Shit. I take it to the SEPTA platform and open her up. 2 busted bottles, beer all over my clothes and broken glass everywhere, but luckily it spared my papers and brochures I collected along the way. A fitting ending to my world travels. Now I smell like a hobo. I take the R1 back to Market East and then complete my journey by walking the four blocks to my apartment. I'm officially home! I did it!

So what will happen to WW14 now? I'm going to be spending most of my time this summer working to get my bank accounts back to their former glory, but I'm going to do many day trips to the beach, amusement parks, wineries, etc, and comment on them. Nothing too terribly exciting, but I hope you enjoy the 'little' adventures as well.

Cheers!

Mama, I'm Coming Home

2008-04-28T23:24:00.002-04:00

I've just spent 2 days in Auckland and I am now in the airport getting ready to board my flight home. I land in LA tomorrow and get to spend it crashing with my friend Fil - so thankful I get to sleep on a proper bed and not in a dorm room! I then have a flight to Atlanta the next day followed by my final flight to Philly, getting in at 10:45pm.

I'll have to do a write up on Auckland when I get home, cuz for now I'm outta here New Zealand! It's been major fun, even though you decided to rain a good part of the time, but I still love ya!

Love
Fick

Only in Rotorua

2008-04-27T05:13:00.008-04:00

Since I've arrived in Rotorua, I've been going all out, trying to make my last few days in New Zealand the best ones yet. I fly out on April 30th, arriving in Philly on May 1st at 10:30pm. I sure am going to miss it here!

I arrived in Rotarua and immediately was presented with a much stronger odor than previously experienced! People told me that I'd get used to it, but my nose never really adjusted! Have you ever been in a hot steamy shower and have someone fart while you were in it? Smells awful, right? That's Rotorua!

I headed on over to the Agrodome for a sheep shearing show and to learn a bit about one of NZ's largest industries - sheep! Did you know there are 19 varieties of sheep raised in NZ? Some raised for wool, some for dairy, and some for meat. Little lambs, I sometimes feel bad for you being so cute and all, but goddammit you are tasty! The 'top' sheep in the group was the Merino, who is responsible for all of my Banana Republic twinsets. So soft and cuddly! I witnessed a sheep get sheared and it looks like such hard work and the sheep didn't seem too pleased about it either. The record for shearing sheep is held by a Kiwi that sheared over 700 in 9 hours - holy crap! Then our host conducted a sheep 'auction' and then brought in trained sheep dogs for a demonstration. These dogs are good! Not only can they follow verbal commands, but also whistles. The duration and tone of the whistle differentiate the commands. The dogs eve jumped onto the backs of the sheep and posed on top of the big ones. After this, the audience was able to go onstage and get pics of the sheep and dogs and pet them for a bit. I wanted to take them all home, but somehow I don't think Nelson would be too happy about it! I now have a dream of living on a farm and raising sheep so I can make my own organic hand dyed yarn to sell to yarn shops all over the world. Maybe I'll save that for retirement :)

Next I was strapped into a giant inflatable hamster ball and rolled down a 100 meter hill. It's called Zorbing and it was one of the most unique things I've done on this trip, that's for sure! There isn't too much to explain with this - you go to teh top of the hill, they put you in the zorb, strap you in and then push you down the hill. So simple, yet so effective!

The next day I took a day trip out to Waitomo for a full day of abseiling, cave tubing, bouldering and climbing, all underground in the dark! This trip was not for anyone scared of heights, darkness or water. First we abseiled 35 meters into the caves which I sucked at. As I was working my way down fine, but as soon as I looked down, I death gripped the rope and that only made it harder to lower myself. After a few reassurances from my guide, I relaxed and got the rest of the way down. Whew! Next we took a flying fox (zip line) about 20 meters across a crevasse in the total dark and that freaked me out. When I say dark, I mean DARK. You can't see your hand in front of your face! Each of use were sent across and each time the guide turned out his light. He said it was so we wouldn't look down and freak out, which I appreciated! The caves were damp and freezing and we were wearing some pretty thick wetsuits, but it was still fuckin' cold in the water. After a break, we grabbed some tubes and jumped into the freezing water to look at the glowworms, which these caves are famous for. The walls had glowing spots all over and it was so amazing. Our guide told us they weren't actually glowworms, but maggots in larva stage and the glowing part was maggot shit. Excellent! He explained how the phrase 'glowworm caves ' was used to encourage tourism because, "nobody would come if we called them maggot shit caves." Very true! We then started to make out way through the icy cold water and climbed a few waterfalls to reach the surface. After 30 minutes my hands and feet were blocks of ice and we had another break of hot orange juice with vodka and chocolate, to prevent hypothermia. I was FREEZING at this point and it reminded me of the time I played a rugby match in the sleet and I got hypothermia and couldn't move my fingers or toes. DeMarr, I'm still mad about that! Just kidding...It was a very fun trip and I was proud of myself for getting through it all without having a major heart attack.

For my last day in Rotorua, I treated myself to a bit of sleeping in and then a trip to the Polynesian Spa to relax in the thermal spas that are naturally heated by the underground thermal activity. It was another crap day with overcast, rainy skies so it was a perfect way to spend the day. Plus the hot water turned me into a wet noodle and soothed my aching muscles due to the previous days caving expedition! The hostel was pretty quiet that night so I was able to relax with some leftover magazines and some TV before retiring. Last stop - Auckland!

Gettin' Off My Ass

2008-04-24T04:20:00.002-04:00

Sky diving was exactly what I needed to get me going again. As previously mentioned, I was supposed to jump the day before, but it was too windy, which was kinda OK by me since I was a bit hungover. My friend Becky that I met in Queenstown was in Taupo so we met up for drinks and trivia at a local pub. It was packed, but we ended up taking 3rd place! The Norwegian-American alliance celebrated by ordering more drinks. We drank more than our livers wanted and I spent most of the next day hungover and just walking around checking out the town inbetween rainclouds. I wonder if jumping out of the plane would have cured my hangover? Discuss. Lake Taupo is the trout fishing capital of the world and it would have been fun to actually spend some time on the lake, but it was too cold and the wind was too strong to take a boat or kayak out so I just walked around the lake (partly) and watched the ducks frolic. They are so cute! Seeing a mallard duck reminded me of home (they were introduced to NZ in the early 1900's) when me, my sisters and my Dad would feed the ducks after going through the Reading Museum. Ah memories...

The day after the hangover I took a bus out to the Craters of the Moon thermal park after I went skydiving. Taupo is right in the middle of some geothermal activity so there were all kinds of stuff to see like volcanoes, hot springs, crater lakes, bubbling mud pools, etc. It was pretty strange and kinda eerie and I kept thinking there was going to be a freak explosion at any point. As you can see there is a lot of steam escaping and a quite unfortunate byproduct of this is the smell. It smells like rotten eggs or a huge fart, mainly from the sulphur being released, so sometimes I wouldn't smell anything out of the ordinary and then, 'wham!' a whiff smacks me in the face - ewwwwww.

I had a very early night that night. It was the night before ANZAC Day, a national holiday for both Australia and New Zealand and probably the most revered. It commemorates the landing of ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corp) troops on the shores of Gallipoli in WWI and the terrible losses that occurred during the campaign, which ended in total failure. It now now honors all those who fought and died for Australia and New Zealand. Traditionally it starts with a dawn service that coincides with the time the troops went ashore on Gallipoli, where retired and current military members fall in and march to the local war memorial. I woke up and made it to the start at 5:50am, just in time to see everyone fall in and for the bagpipers begin playing and start marching. Noting wakes you up quite like bagpipes at 6am! There were a lot of people out to see the parade of service men and women and it surprised me, since it was so damn early. The crowd followed the parade to the war memorial where there was a speech by an army officer, the singing of 'God Save the Queen', a speech from a Maori army officer, a traditional haka, the singing of the New Zealand national anthem, guns fired, and a moment of silence. It was a very moving and solemn occasion and it was something that I was honored to witness.

After the dawn service I went back and slept for a bit before packing and heading to Rotarua, where I continued to stay off my ass.

Freefallin'

2008-04-23T20:44:00.002-04:00

I just jumped out of an airplane from 12,000ft above Lake Taupo. It's been 2 hours since the jump and I'm still shaking from all the adrenaline and whatever else my brain releases when it senses impending doom. There are no words to describe the feeling that happens when you are sitting on the edge of an open door looking down at the Earth and then suddenly you feel your instructor push you out and you start falling. Incredible!

I was supposed to jump yesterday but it was too windy. The weather here can change so fast so today was absolutely perfect for jumping!

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Lovely Wellington

2008-04-23T03:06:00.003-04:00

I spent two days in the capital city of Wellington and it was very nice. Wellington surprised me by its size - it looks much bigger than Christchurch, but officially has half the population so I'm not sure how they managed to do that! It was by far the most cosmopolitan of all places I'ven been in NZ, but it was still a very friendly and warm city - no snobbery here! I decided against doing another LOTR tour, choosing to save it for another visit (perhaps with my elf lovin' sisiter Katrina). Peter Jackson's studio and the headquarters for the LOTR filming was in Wellington, so it ground zero for LOTR fanatics. People have even gone so far as to start calling Wellington 'Wellywood' because of the number of movies being filmed and created there.

I mainly walked around, took in the Te Papa National Museum (fantastic, and free!) and took a cable car ride. There was really great shopping, but I resisted and kept my money in my wallet. Afterall, there are more important things to be done in my last week that I need the money for anyway! Sorry I don't have anything more exciting to report about Wellington, but this was it. The next few days in Taupo and Rotarua will be much more exciting - skydiving, thermal pools, mud baths, zorbing and cave rafting. I'm finishing up my last week with a bang!

Most Disturbing Commercials

2008-04-20T21:57:00.003-04:00

The TV in both Australia and New Zealand have plenty of public service messages warning people against drunk driving, falling asleep at the wheel, beating your wife, etc, but the following win the prize for being both informative and sobering at the same time. Both commercials are not for the faint of heart, you have been warned!

First up, NZ for a message about getting out of control drunk and it breaks my heart:

Second, from Australia about the dangers of riding a scooter without protective clothing - I almost lost my lunch:

I don't think the US would ever show anything this graphic for fear of upsetting people or sensationalizing the problem, but I think it could work to help problems instead of just feeding people statistics. Any thoughts?

Tramping Around

2008-04-18T22:31:00.008-04:00

No, it's not THAT kind of tramping around! I'm talkin' about hiking or trekking people, get yer minds out of the gutter...

I left Kiakora for the top of the south island, namely Picton. Most people stop in Picton for 2 reasons, first to catch the ferry to the north island or secondly to catch a ferry to the Queen Charlotte Track. I made plans to do a full day of hiking on the beginning part of the track as recommended by Annie and Paddy (remember them?). The weather was still miserable (cold, raw, rainy) so I was a bit concerned about the day ahead of me. Luckily the hostel had a considerable movie collection and I think most people had the same idea as me for the rest of the day - sit on our asses and bathe ourselves in the warm, loving glow of television. "Mother, teacher, secret lover" (Homer J. Simpson)

I woke up the next day and to my surprise, it was bright and sunny! I grabbed my day pack and merrily headed to the ferry that would take me to the start of the Queen Charlotte Track. The QCT is a very popular tramping route, usually taking 4 days to complete. What sets it apart from other multi day routes are the hiker amenities on the track, which are considerably nicer here than other tracks. Usually on other tracks, you have to book a basic wooden hut, but you provide everything - cooking essentials, sleeping bags, water, food, etc so to do some of these tramps were never an option for me since I have none of that crap, nor was I interested in hiking by myself for 4 days. I know people do it all the time by themselves, but I would be more comfortable doing it with at least 1 other person - safety first! For the QCT I opted to stay at a cozy place called the Mahana Lodge, again recommended by Annie and Paddy. Once I started the hike, it was bliss! Not many people or bikes on the trail, so it was just me, the wildlife, the wind and the water. I trekked for about 4.5 hours and made my way to the lodge and my tired, sweaty, and muddy self was cheerfully greeted by Ann and John, the owners of the lodge (and quite possibly the nicest people on Earth). It was only a bit more money than staying in a dorm room at a regular hostel so it was a lovely splurge after a tiring day. I shared a room with only 1 other person and there was a nice living room with wood stove, kitchen and NO TV, Internet or radio. Just books and puzzles to pass the time plus a great view of the sound. I splurged on myself some more and purchased a home cooked meal (made by Ann and John) and John even carried it up to my lodge on a tray - beef and mushrooms over rice, fresh salad from the garden and chocolate cake with fresh fruit from the orchard. Stick a fork in me, cuz I'm done!

The next day I took a kayak out for some exploring before I headed back to Picton. I wanted to stay another day, but they were totally booked out :( I really want to return there for another stay someday! It was now time to leave the south island, which was kinda sad since I enjoyed it so much. I packed up my stuff and headed to the small cruise ship-like ferry for my bon voyage to the south island! I did a lot of relaxing on the south island and I now think I need to do something that will get the blood flowing, possibly skydiving, paragliding or rafting. Decision, decisions...

Why Does It Always Rain on Me?

2008-04-16T22:10:00.003-04:00

After a relatively pleasant time in Christchurch I continued north to the small seaside town of Kiakora. It is one of NZ's fastest growing vacation spots, but don't let that fool you, it ain't like Wildwood or anything on the East Coast. It's still very small, but since NZ only has 4 million people total and 2/3 live in the North Island, there isn't a need to build up every available bit of land in a town, which makes it feel more spacious and relaxing. When I got there the weather was overcast with showers and then rain forecast for the next day so that spoiled my plans for Kiakora - to get taken out to the local seal colony and observe them in a wetsuit in the water! The sea was way too rough so the company had to cancel, which was totally understandable. I could have opted to go whale watching, but the thought of just sitting in a boat until a whale shows up sounded kinda boring. Plus, there isn't any guarantee that you'll see any! Kiakora was a major whaling port back in the day, but ever since it was outlawed, the town turned its attention to whale tourism. Hooray! I'm sure the whales are overjoyed.

I decided to brave the elements and take advantage of a break in the rain to go on a 3 hour hike around the peninsula. The pics make Kiakora look very bleak, but it is very pretty when the sun it out (for the 15 minutes I saw of it while there!). I walked down to the seal colony and got to see some seals sleeping, checking out the people, and more sleeping. What a life! Actually, it's been kinda close to my life for the past 13 weeks except I get to have a few beers now and then. I was able to stop at a small roadside cafe for some amazing seafood chowder and bread before continuing on, just the thing you need to keep you going on a raw afternoon! It reminded me of the those little roadside shops in New England where you can get stuff like that. Just as I was heading home it started to really rain, so I had to put the camera away for the time being. On the way back, a funny thing happened when I stopped at the local butcher for some meat for dinner. They had they nice stir fry mix so I opted for that. I asked how much I needed for 1 person and he replied, "About 300-400 grams" Huh? I had no concept on God' green Earth how much that looked like! I'm pretty good with metric distance and with kilograms, but this baffled me. He must have read my expression and offered to show me 300 grams. Whew, thanks! I actually needed 250 grams, but it was a fun reminder that I'm still not in Kansas anymore :)

The Good, the Bad, and the Missing

2008-04-15T02:57:00.004-04:00

I spent 4 days hangoing out in Christchurch and it was pretty nice. It's a city of 370,000 people so it wasn't too long before I got the hang of things. That's when things seemed to start falling apart...sort of.

The Good
Based on the recommendations of Becky in Queenstown, I decided to book a tour of Edoras (capital city of Rohan in LOTR) with a specific company. The morning arrived and I was all set and ready to go, bursting with geeky excitement at my day ahead. I got to reception to wait for my pickup and I was informed that the tour was cancelled! It was my last day in Christchurch and I was leaving for Kiakora the next day so this was my only day to do it! Boo...but then the guy said to call the company as they wanted to apologize to me. I called them and they were very apologetic and offered me the tour for another day ABSOLUTELY FREE for my inconvenience! I hadn't planned on staying for another day, but I postponed my reservation in Kiakora and took them up on their offer for the next day! Mind you, this is a $200 tour that I got for free, so how awesome is that? Plus, it gave me a whole day to book my bus and accommodation for the next week and make my plan for hiking part of the Queen Charlotte track in Picton so I got a lot done.

The Bad
The day before my LOTR tour I went to the Crusaders match and out for some beers to watch the Brumbies play afterwards at the bar. I've been very careful to carry my wallet (with cards and money) with me in my day pack and not in my back pocket or anything so not to invite pickpockets or risk having anything fall out. I eased up on this and was carrying my money and Visa in my back jeans pocket - I had noticed twice that my money was partially hanging out and I should've put it all in my wallet, in my day pack, but I didn't. I didn't lose any money, but my Visa was gone by morning. A quick check with the bar revealed that it wasn't left there so I had no option left but to cancel it and rely soley on my checkcard for the last 2 weeks of my trip. Now, I have plenty of green to sustain me, but it still makes me feel a bit unsettled to not have the security of my Visa with me. I should have followed my instincts and luckily nobody went a ran up a tab with it! I don't have too many expenses left other than cave rafting/abseiling, some kayaking, and possibly skydiving, but that's it. Doh!

The Missing
The morning I noticed my Visa was gone, I also noticed something missing from my pack. I had gotten in around 10:30pm and unpacked my pack to get my pj's and got to bed so I didn't have a lot out. In the morning after showering I was looking for my orange ditty bag that contains my undies and bras and for the life of me I couldn't find it anywhere in the room (I was in a 4 share dorm). I was positive I packed it in my bag, that I was certain, so how does a bright ass orange ditty bag with underwear disappear overnight? My theory, although I'm working on proving it, it that it was taken accidentally by another girl in the room. She woke up at 4:30am to pack and catch a flight and I think in her zombie mode, she picked up the bag with my unmentionables and threw it in hers. Afterall, our stuff was sorta next to each other, but not really, but it's possible and the only explanation. It has to be accidental, because why on earth would you steal underwear? Gross! I have way better stuff to steal. The other girls in the room emailed her to see if she has it and I'm anxiously awaiting their email letting me know if she has it or not. In the meantime, I had to go get me some Hanes Her Way bikinis and I luckily have 1 good bra left to wear for the next 2 weeks.

So that ends a crazy 4 days in Christchurch. I don't have anything interesting to report on Chirstchurch other than it was really pretty, very English, and quite clean. Not much else to say about it without regurgitating the whole history, which may leave you falling asleep. The pic you see doesn't give a full view of the city, but it's one of my favorites that I took. Enjoy!

More Remoteness...

2008-04-11T02:08:00.004-04:00

From Wanaka I traveled to Lake Tepako for a quick pitstop. There are only 300 people in Lake Tepako so the size and remoteness was very soothing. The hostel was right on the lake so I was able to drink my coffee/tea in relative piece and quiet with only the occasional sound of a vehicle passing by. Most people only stay in Lake Tepako for a day or two with most people stopping just for a few minutes to see the one attraction the town has to offer - The Church of the Good Shepard. It's a cute, tiny stone church built back in the day for all Christians in the vicinity for worship and it's quite pretty. It took me all of an hour to visit the church and the rest of 'town', grab some groceries and head back to the hostel, which was more like an alpine lodge than anything, very cozy. I made a huge dinner and assembled a jigsaw puzzle next to the fire. Lake Tepako reportedly has the clearest sky in New Zealand and the nighttime sky was so stunning - so many stars! You kinda forget what the night sky looks like with you live in a city due to light pollution. Lake Tepako protects its sky very well, not allowing street lights or anything to interfere with the view above.

The next day I decided to backtrack a bit and visit Mt. Cook before heading to Christchurch. I was fully prepared for a long day on the bus so when a double decker tour bus pulls up and a tour guide appears and comes up to me and says, "Angelia?" I was a bit confused. I was expecting my regular Intercity Bus, so what was going on? Turns out that Intercity partners with other companies that travel the same routes all over NZ (there aren't too many roads so they pretty much all use the same routes!) so I had booked this bus for no extra charge. Sweet! I got on and took up a window seat and we start our way with the driver giving us full commentary the whole way to Mt. Cook. This was great - like getting a day tour without paying for it! We even stops at various spots for a few minutes for photo opportunities. I thought it would be a wasted day traveling, but I luck out again!.

On the way to Mt. Cook we stop to take pics at Lake Pukaki. Like many lakes in this region, it is fed by glacial waters so the color you see is very unique. The water looks a bit milky too and that's due to something called 'glacier flour.' When the glaciers grind again the rocks as they move, the rock is ground into dust that is taken to the lakes and creates this beautiful turquoise color in the sun. It's so amazing! Plus, the water (and all other water in NZ) is so freakin' clear and clean - I'm in awe of it!

We arrived at Mt. Cook and it did not disappoint as well - it was dazzling! It was so awesome to see some snow as I thought I wouldn't see any this year and that made me a bit sad. Mt. Cook is the highest peak in NZ, but is not one of the highest in the world by far (3750 meters approx), but in terms of climbing, it is one of the most dangerous mountains to climb, on par with Denali or Everest. Standing at the foot of it made you feel really insignificant. The ice you see in the pics is about 150 meters thick and if there were people up there climbing you wouldn't be able to see them. A little trivia courtesy of the tour guide - the Maori call Mt. Cook 'Aoraki' meaning 'Cloud Piercer.' I'll need that for my Jeopardy appearance some day. After a sandwich and cappuccino on the deck of the Hermitage Hotel, gazing at the mountains and bit of glacier, it was time to head off for Christchurch. It took a little longer to get to Chirstchurch, but it was definitely worth it!

Further into the Wild

2008-04-09T19:30:00.000-04:00

It was soon time to say goodbye to Queentown and continue my move towards Aucklans, where I will have to catch my flight home at the end of the month. Due to the positioning of the Southern Alps, I had to decided how I was going to travel. Do I take the more direct route up to Christchurch or swing around the west coast to see Milford Sound, the glaciers and Nelson? I decided on the first option and I'll save the latter for a seperate trip (you need more clothing and hiking gear to do it anyway). So I set off for a series of 1 day stops on my way to Christchurch, starting with Wanaka to see the Puzzling World center and the NZ Fighter Pilots Museum. I had to rent a bike to get to both locations, but it was a nice, sunny day so I didn't mind. 10km later I got to the Fighter Pilot Museum - ugh, I'm a bit out of shape!

The museum had a very good history of NZ piloting during wartime and it also had an impressive collection of aircraft actually used during WWII so that was neat. My Dad would have been in heaven. In another hanger they also had 3 aircraft on loan from Russia - very cool. They also had the gear used by pilots and some big guns too. As far as the pilots go, it went through the training of pilots to where they fought and how some died. They had an entire wall with all the NZ aces and their bios. Only a few made it to a ripe old age. It also listed their squadrons and missions too.

I then pedaled back towards Wanaka to stop at Puzzling World, a tribute to puzzles, mazes, and optical illusion. It was pretty cool, especially the Amish quilt, but the best part was the maze out back that was really hard to navigate. After 45 minutes I let myself out via an emergency exit because I was getting so frustrated and I had to pee really bad! I started back for my hostel in Wanaka and stopped a few times for some pics of sheep and the scenery. Sheep are funny, as soon as they see you they stare at you like crazy! Very strange.

Back at the hostel, I made some dinner, curled up with some tea and put together a jigsaw puzzle (tried to anyway). My body was tired from the biking so I slept like a log that night :)

Nerd Alert!

2008-04-07T16:54:00.000-04:00

OK, as I told you in the previous post, Becky and I discovered we were both Lord of the Rings fans (LOTR). She was interested in a tour of the filming locations around Queenstown so we both decided to take a tour together. She was visiting a ton of the filming sights while in NZ and she showed me her map with all the locations and film sets marked on it. Whoa! She was a woman on a mission.

We did one of the pricier tours, but was told it took you to more places and the guides are actual fans and not just drivers who point out things so we went for it. It did not disappoint! Just to let you know how geeky this was, all 7 people on the tour saw the extended editions of the movies and read the books. We also got o pose with several props from the movie (not the originals, but copies incase the originals were lost or broken) so you kinda had to let go of any personal embarrassment you had at this point and embrace your inner hobbit/elf. The elf cape was an original and was worn by Sam in the movie - weeeee!

Most of the filming in Queenstown was for the filming of the escape of the Rohan refugees to Helm's Deep in The Two Towers along with some other bits. We saw were the refugees walked, where they were attacked by Orcs on Wargs and where Aragorn tumbled over the cliff attached to a Warg. That I recognized right away! Our guide had pictures of the scenes so we could look and compare for ourselves and it's amazing how they get so many shots from one location all due to camera angle and positioning. I think when I get home I am going to take better still from the movie and edit my pics so you can see the similarities better. It's pretty awesome when you see it in person though! You'll notice that some of the scenes are reversed - that's a whole other story on why and I won't bore you by getting into it here!

Our guide was also a cornacopia of information and trivia on the filming, movies and books and he freely shared this with us. He pointed out favorites places to eat for cast and crew, funny stories of their off camera shananigans, and details on how locals were cast into the movies. Apparently Orlando Bloom did anything dangerous he could do, despite a clause saying he couldn't in his contract (and almost got a stunt double killed while taking a canoe where he was told he shouldn't), the four hobbits were inseparable and Viggio Mortenson was almost arrested several times because he insisted on carrying his sword everywhere, even in the streets of Wellington!

Ok, that's enought nerdiness for now. Be warned that I'll be totally annoying the next time anyone watches LOTR with me because I will feel compelled to share all my new knowledge with you! Who's in for a movie night?

A Whole Different Level

2008-04-06T16:19:00.004-04:00

New Zealand is really on a whole different level. For starters, it's an outdoorsmans dream country, with virtually unlimited hiking and tramping, fishing, rafting, boating and almost anything else you would want to do! It's quiet, the air is clean, and the views are outstanding. I could just sit from any of my hostel decks and just stare out into the wilderness all day long, that's how beautiful it is! One huge difference is the temperature - it's freezing! Luckily I sent Sean home to Oz with a fleece and my puffer vest so I didn't have to carry it all the way thru Asia and Oz. I did send him my Rough Guide, yoga pants, long sleeve, jeans and another fleece when I was in Thailand for the same reason, but it never arrived in Oz so I'm a bit low on warm clothing. I have enough for 2 days and its going to get a bit warmer the further north I go so I should be fine. If I was going on extended 3-4 day tramps then I'd be screwed, but if things get really bad, I can always duck into a Salvation Army and pick up something cheap (the tourist shops with all the outdoor gear are ridiculously expensive!). Also since I'm without my Rough Guide I've been winging it a bit, but the tourist centers have so much info in them that I haven't had to buy another one!

Anyhoo, I met up with a fellow traveller in my hostel, Becky from Norway, and we ran around Queenstown for 4 days together. We were both a bit older, over the young party scene, LOTR geeks, so we got along famously. On our first day, we took the gondola to the top of a mountain overlooking Q-town, rode the luge ride (I did it twice cuz it was so fun), took a million pics, tried to catch some people bungy jumpy so we could see if anyone threw up on the way down, and then stopped at a pitch and watched some rugby courtesy of the Wakipitu Rugby Club! A perfect afternoon! Those pics are on the previous post.

No, Joey, I am not going to bungy jump. I've thought a lot about it and while some activities require a bit of fear and adrenaline to make it more fun, this would be too terrifying. It would cease to be fun for me as soon as I got on the platform and I suspect there would be tears involved. Maybe in the future, afterall, I have to save some things for my bucket list! There is a reason Q-town is called the 'Adventure Capital of the World' - it has all those things I mentioned above plus, canyon swings, jet boating, rock climbing, etc. It also means that many companies are ready and willing to part you with your money so if you aren't careful, you could drop a ton on activities. Jet boating for an hour was $160 alone! Since I was told you could do most of these activities elsewhere in NZ, I held off until I could decide what I really wanted to do. My VISA is already feeling a bit strained as it is!

The next day I went for a hike for about 3 hours up into the hills on a well marked track. The views were just incredible! I was in awe everytime I turned the corner. It was fairly hilly and I'm not sure if my body was prepared as I was a bit sore the next day! After a hard day's work/play, Becky and I would combine forces and cook some dinner and then curl up in the common room with some tea and watch a movie with some others and just relax and then turn in for some well earned sleep. The hostels in NZ are far superior to the ones in Oz. For starters, you get less of the 'party people' and more outdoors people who aren't getting blind every night and they all tend to be a bit older (25+) so there is a bit more courtesy and maturity. In other words, you can sleep at night :) Also, they places I've stayed have an alpine lodge feel to them, with nice clean kitchens and common rooms with TVs and movies to pop in to pass the time or games and puzzles. It's perfect for nighttime if you aren't into the bar scene. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of places to go for a drink and Becky and I tried a few out, but I'm not here to spend all my money on booze so we showed some restraint. We also felt really old in some places! A bouncer checked my ID and when Becky was fishing around for hers, he just said, "go ahead in, this one was born in 1976 so I'm sure you are fine too." Jerk! Forgot to mention - you don't have to tip bar staff in Oz or NZ! They work for regular wages so that's cool, but there is one considerable drawback: since they aren't working for tips, many don't seem to hustle like they do in the US, so most take their time doing anything, so if it's even remotely crowded, it will be awhile for you get your drink. Bummer.

Viva la New Zealand!

Hello New Zealand!

2008-04-05T00:52:00.002-04:00

Queenstown to be specific. I don't have a lot to say about it so far, except its the most beautiful place I've ever been. It's sick! I'll let the pictures do the talking...