In the Weeds...

So 2 weeks in and what's there to tell...less than would make you jump out your chair and call a travel agent. I will say that if anyone plans to come to new zealand, they'd better do themselves a huge favour and plan on buying a car...or even renting one; you MUST have a car to truly see and enjoy NZ. I've learned the hard way.

In brief, Auckland was just an average town, of which I remained just outside...suburbia I suppose. Title has nothing to do with Nava; sorry, rather in regard to my work/stay which wasn't all I hoped or even expected but what's 4 days? Basically, I woke up and started work 'bout 7am (my request for she got up @8am) and worked for 3 hours in exchange for my own room, kitchen, etc. Work? Yeah, pulling weeds out of a garden, chopping up bamboo, handyman maintenance stuff; all of which were never reasons for coming to new zealand...so I bailed after telling her so. Str8 2 Roturua, a town with a nice lake and several falls to gape at...that's if I had a car. I ended up hitchhiking to a mountain called Rainbow--side note: I saw more Rainbows in Atlanta than I ever thought possible. Sure most of them were on the back of cars and in attitudes with a flamin' red, but still quite remarkable now that I'm in a place where people are well...hetero--Mountain. No one could tell me anything about Rainbow, nor could I find anything about it in any travel guide or tourist pamplet; thus, I decided that it should be investigated...I like the path less taken. I hitched out there with such ease that I was amazed. Pics are on my site in the folder titled "kiwi kommence" with others to boot. Totally worth the adventure and I only ran into a pit bull/boxer half way up the mountain that made me almost create a one coloured stream of rainbow out my pants...I managed to suffocate my surprised spirit and just threw him a look Zoolander would have been proud of...he bailed up the mountain. 20 minutes later I found him with 2 other dogs (much bolder and more playful) with a guy that resembled a guy that you wouldn't want to find on a mountain alone...until he spoke...turned out to be a friendlier type than I thought. He turned after brief hellos and then I noticed the rifle straped over his back...yeah...to the top! Check the pics; the mountain breathed its consequence of being the scalp of the volcanic activity below...like it was alive and breathing its elation that someone finally made it up the unknown hill that they refer to as a mountain.

The rest of my time in Roturua was spent in a place that served barley and hops and tasted like friday afternoons...hmmm...and met some cool peeps. After that I went on to Taupo via thumb and also found luck with a group of japanese (they were staying at the hostel and thus you might consider it cheating a bit, but I was still braving it so bugger off) that showed me to Huka Falls and then dropped me right off to my hostel. A scottish bloke was super cool and took me into a great hostel that offered free coffee all day long...what better place for the murr?

Coming over the mountain to Taupo was the first time my expective palette for nature and its beauty was satiated. The crystal lake shining with a community surrounding it. The waikato river (longest in northern island and possibly country) ran into the lake and provided for the celestial falls that are named Huka. I've been guilting myself to get off my arse and do things immediately and so I wasted no time and bummed a ride with the scottish guy (manager of hostel) to the base of a mountain that I wanted to climb by unloading the compost he was to take to the dump...an easy exchange! I then proceded to Mount Tauhara that was a great bush walk with stupendous views from atop the green fuzz. I snapped some shots here also, but was happier with the climb and the personal view. Hitching back was succesful after just 500 meters on the main road; a nice kiwi kouple [sic] that talked to me about some great places to go. They had "time to spare" so they drove up the road and dropped me off at the front door--awesome people here that have picked me up so far...awesome!!!

Huka falls from the river shined a blue that can only be described as reverential...truly the heavens just below the surface of this liquid spewing over a fall into a larger venue. The crushing of the fall flowed like lava in form of foam, and not unlike the steaming of milk for a warm latte gooing out into the celestial blue that it was just 15 feet above; also pics of that in the aforementioned kk folder.

I met this irish bloke Conner who went with me to Craters of the moon that happened to be an incredible surprise. Now that I think of it, I have no idea how I met Conner...cool lad though. We took a lil' walk towards Huka and found a "hot spot" where boiling water spilled from a little trickling fall into the river so blue. It was quite bizarre to feel the streams of thermal water with iced h20 enveloping my body. Just diving into the cold was refreshing, but swimming up towards the fall of steamy water was well...I guess the perverse would say it was like being downstream of someone relieving themselves in the river, but I prefer to put it closer to rising to the temperature of paradise-like thermal baths. We hopped out and continued on our way to Craters of the Moon.

It's amazing to see a glimpse of something, a process, that's been going on for millions of years. The angst below us was softened by the greenery that amazingly flourished atop the spewing fumaroles, mudbaths, and other boiling spots of earth that resembled the fire below.

New Zealand sits on top of 2 major plates that have collided and the result is a beautiful island nation that is comprised of moutains--more accurately volacanoes--and boiling soil with whistling valves that have found their way to the surface...it's quite astonishing and so fun to take a look right into the mouth of. There are some great photos, though not doing justice of course, of Craters of the Moon where the earth is burping it's livid temperament.

Then I sorted out the first main trek that I wanted to do, Tongariro Crossing. I had the shuttle pick me up at 5:40am and take me up in time to climb both summits as well as the regular saddle thru the crossing; most people said I was ambitious to try to climb both summits, but I didn't care..and it didn't even matter anyhow. It was my luck and would continue to be my luck to have completely crap weather; I couldn't see but 3 steps in front of me. So rushing ahead of the entire crowd to have it to myself didn't really prove to be rewarding...I was bitter to say the least. A fantastic hike of just 5 hours but the crimsom red volcano crater, the emerald lake that glistens of jade and all the other places of which pictures that motivated me were never personally seen. It was my experience...that's all I can say. I will probably come back to TC on my return to the northern island up towards Auckland because it must be so incredible.

After Taupo, where the scot offered me work and I declined because I'm rushing to the south island before it gets cold (side note: it's already flippin' cold) I came to New Plymouth. To the cute canucky who inquired...I'm hurrying to the south island because it's the place they say has everything "I" want out of NZ...we'll see.

I've been waiting in New Plymouth to climb an incredible volcano calle Mt. Taranaki; an extremely shy mountain that has hid itself in clouds since my arrival 4 days ago...I'm feeling a bit combative towards fate I suppose. Since then, I've met a group of people that took me to Whitecliffs for a 4.5 hour hike that was nothing less than wondrous. We had to time it just perfectly, because as you start the hike and ascend several hills only to descend them and rise to another, a beach awaits your termination of the route. You need to be aware of the low/high tide because if you get it right you can walk the beach amongst the beautiful whitecliffs and view the amazing scenery that you dream up when thinking of NZ. If on the other hand you don't make it in time, you have to swim...not so fun. We were actually with our backs to the cliffs just in time to grab the inlet where there car was parked and saved. Pictures of this are also available on the pic site. Really quite similar to Ireland, or what people have told me of Ireland. The only downside to this was again, my luck with the weather...it rained most of the time and was just crap and unclear while walking the beach. I managed to enjoy it, but photos were out of the question...gape at those before the rain hit. The beach in front of the cliffs has a blackened sand (volcanic ash) that I've never seen adorning any other coast...uniquely stunning with the "White" cliffs hanging over.

I have to say that the departure of that group of 3 people was so symoblic of every encounter that I've had with most people. It's sad to say goodbye; but you know, and have always known that it was to come. Furthermore, it was rather difficult to get my feet moving with alacrity at the idea of traveling again...this pains me to say for I'm a vagabond to the soul; however, my feet felt stuck in mud (B4 the rain mind you; no pun intended). Maybe it was the fact that I actually settled for the first time in 5 years in Atlanta this past summer and managed a handful of people I'd call friends and financial stability...maybe that was the sticky stuff I was trying to free myself of upon landing in Auckland. I don't know, but it was rather disconcerting to not have the spirit that I normally have whilst walking the globe...sure to pass. Since then, I've said goodbye to some great people and though it's a bit remorseful, I know that there are soooo many more to come. Traveling has given me the ability to say goodbye more easily if nothing else...but of course there's something else.

I've decided to mainly hitch throughout NZ due to the friendly people and the chat that is initiated...besides, a more unique experience than just bussing it everywhere; I'm soooo glad I didn't buy one of those packages for too much money offering bus hours and/or "experiences"...shuh!

I'm currently reading Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut and it totally kicks; "sweet as" they chant out here in kiwi-land...don't have the faintest what the comparative leads to...they just drop it off right there leaving it to sound more like something you might comment to a hottie crossing the street after a few "stubbies"...I think I'll crack a beer open now actually.

Alright...Taranaki is suppose to summon the sun tomorrow and thus, I'm going rain or shine. After that, I'm on to the south island via thumb with a short stop in the capital city, Wellington and then on to a place that I've heard soo much about...you'll be so spoiled when you see and hear about this.