I've been in Nelson almost a week now, and it mostly has been a pretty uneventful yet very relaxing time. It could only be the weather that's been happening this week, but I've felt an obvious increase in warmth compared to the Southern reaches of the island (Nelson is on the Northern coast). Everyday except today has been sunny and warm, and now even though the clouds have opened up, there is no trace of chill in the air.
I spent the first couple of days here relaxing in the hostel and doing a bit of busking. The hostel I have stayed in is really nice compared to other ones I've visited. It feels like a small home. There is free internet, fresh baked bread, fruit, and hot drinks, and the staff keeps things super clean and friendly. My USA birth date was on Thursday here (march 24), but after thinking about it, I realized my New Zealand date of birth was actually the 25th, so I decided to do a little celebrating both nights. On Thursday I bought a large bottle of Australian beer and some icecream treats to share around the hostel. It was good to do a little something special. Friday is BBQ night here, so I figure I would get a nice steak, and celebrate again with a tasty, protein-packed meal. I did that, but after it was over a couple of the girls staying here also surprised me with a chocolate cake! It was the closest I have come to a surprise party, and it was good to do the customary wishing and blowing out of the candles. Otherwise, I may not have truly felt a year older.
After my days a relaxing, I decided to do a hike around Nelson. It is a very sprawling city as the real estate along the coast is in high demand. I walked one day along the shoreline to the beach and watched the ocean freighters coming and going out in the bay. After the beach I walked through the surrounding neighborhoods up to the highest point in the city which made for a gorgeous view of the bay on one side and the city with its surrounding hills on the other. From there I made my way down to the city center feeling like I had made a pretty good tour. Yesterday, I went to the market with some folks from the hostel. I bought some socks and an excellent spicy German sausage complete with saurkraut and mustard. I also bought some sweet corn that was top notch and dirt cheap (tis the season), and some multicolored bell peppers that made for a good snack.
Afterward the market, I was doing a bit of busking without much luck, when a group of kids from Australia walked over. One of them said he played a bit of violin as he dropped a five into the case. He asked if he could play a few jams, so I tuned it to standard and handed it over. I think he played 5 or 6 tunes, a mixture of Irish and classical stuff. I had no idea my cheap violin could sound like that. I've met other people who say they play, so I oblige, and they play a few notes without any rhythm, hand the fiddle back, and say they can't remember anything without their music. It was good to meet someone who can play some beautiful stuff from memory. My favorite tune he played was the song from the movie Titanic that the band plays as the ship is sinking. It was great. Plus, he made a bit of money and refused to take it with him when he left. A class act indeed.
I was hoping it would be good weather today because technically I should leave the hostel before the afternoon, but it continues to rain. Hopefully I do not overstay my welcome. I was a good guest for five nights, I suppose I deserve a little added hospitality. Sometime after 4pm I am to be picked up by my WWOOF hosts on their way to Marlborough Sounds. They are on their return trip from Christchurch. It has been good to not have any commitments for a while, but I am ready to get back into the working world, the WWOOF working world at least.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Gray Day in Greymouth
I rode the bus for 8 hours today from Wanaka. Greymouth is as I expected, grey and raining, but the hostel is dry and warm. I spent the past week camping and tramping with a friend of mine, Vinny from the UK. We drove from Dunedin to Wanaka, which is in the center of New Zealand up in the mountains. We camped beside a lake with great views and an awesome swimming beach. We also spent three nights doing some tramping on what is called the Matukituki Valley Track. The first day of the tramp we followed a steel-blue river up into a gorge where it is fed by a gigantic glacier. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy day, so we were in essence hiking right into the middle of a cloud. It was quite wet up there. When we made it back to the bottom of the valley, the wind was so intense that the falling rain fell sideways and felt like tiny bullets hitting our faces. The brim of my cowboy hat was completely folded over my head as we trudged down the path and decided the hike wasn't worth our while on that day. We headed back to the car with the wind at our backs and camped for the night. The next day was a completely new world, the sun shining and the wind nonexistent. We made our way up into a valley surrounded by snow-capped peaks and filled with cows and set up camp. On the way back from the tramp we had a bit of car trouble, but a disaster was avoided, and we made our way back to Wanaka. The next day was today, and I left for Greymouth where I am now. Tomorrow I will catch a train into the mountains again to a national park called Arthur's Pass. There is a hostel up there where I will spend a few nights while doing some day hikes in the park. After that I am heading to the Northern coast to a city called Nelson which I hear is the sunniest in New Zealand. Should be nice after this place. From there I am going to WWOOF at a place called Port Ligar (http://www.waterfallbay.co.nz/location.html). It is a family farm as well as a place for vacation accomadation (hence the website). Cheers for now.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Again at the Arden House
I finished my time in the Catlins with some fine times in Papatowai. Vinny and I put on a second coat of paint to the house addition and organized some scrap wood which was in quite a state of disarray. We drove out to Curio bay one day hoping for some sunshine for some surfing, but all we found was a lot of wind and rain, but beautiful nonetheless. When it is cloudy in the Catlins the sea is a dull grey, but when the sun comes out everything lights up, obviously, but the hills turn a brighter green, the ocean transforms into a bright blue, etc. Even though the weather was dismal at Curio bay there were some brave souls out on the water trying to catch some waves. They must have had some top notch wetsuits as I was freezing under my layers on dry land. I thank it was that day that it cleared up around dinner time. We were sitting around eating when the sun came out a bit and there was an absolutely perfect rainbow over Papatowai. Half rainbows are pretty common I think, but a full rainbow is hard to come by, so I thought it was pretty amazing. Vinny took a photo I am planning to post later today.
A few days ago I got lift to Dunedin, telling myself I needed to go there to catch a bus, which was half the truth. The other half was that I wanted to see the gang at the Arden house and the Albar. Last time I was in Dunedin I spent some time WWOOFing at the Arden house and most of the people that were around then are still here. It has been another good visit. Yesterday we went to a beach north of the city for some body boarding. It was a nice day, but I was still skeptical of the power of the wetsuits to keep us warm. Fears were unfounded though. It was a great time. Much easier than surfing. It is fun simply to hang out in the water for a while and get pushed around by the waves. Once in a while we would catch one just right and it would carry us all the way back to the shore. I think swimming in the ocean is always a bit relaxing, and the cold water made it, in a shocking way, refreshing also.
Later we came back to the house for a traditional Spanish dinner of Pallella (sp?). It is a rice and vegetable dish usually wish fish, but we had it with chicken. Afterward we played a couple of games and talked for a while. Joyce has a great thing is this Arden house. People from all over the world spending some quality time together. We had Japan, Spain, USA, Germany, France, India, and Chili all represented. At times the English was a bit rudimentary, but at one point during the night the thought also crossed my mind that it was a rare occasion for such a group to be gathered, and I felt privileged to be part of a positive international dialogue.
Today I go to Wanaka for the A&P show. There was a story about in the paper today highlighting a big event on Saturday morning, The Jack Russel Terrier Race. It is a popular breed here, and I am thinking it will draw quite a crowd.
A few days ago I got lift to Dunedin, telling myself I needed to go there to catch a bus, which was half the truth. The other half was that I wanted to see the gang at the Arden house and the Albar. Last time I was in Dunedin I spent some time WWOOFing at the Arden house and most of the people that were around then are still here. It has been another good visit. Yesterday we went to a beach north of the city for some body boarding. It was a nice day, but I was still skeptical of the power of the wetsuits to keep us warm. Fears were unfounded though. It was a great time. Much easier than surfing. It is fun simply to hang out in the water for a while and get pushed around by the waves. Once in a while we would catch one just right and it would carry us all the way back to the shore. I think swimming in the ocean is always a bit relaxing, and the cold water made it, in a shocking way, refreshing also.
Later we came back to the house for a traditional Spanish dinner of Pallella (sp?). It is a rice and vegetable dish usually wish fish, but we had it with chicken. Afterward we played a couple of games and talked for a while. Joyce has a great thing is this Arden house. People from all over the world spending some quality time together. We had Japan, Spain, USA, Germany, France, India, and Chili all represented. At times the English was a bit rudimentary, but at one point during the night the thought also crossed my mind that it was a rare occasion for such a group to be gathered, and I felt privileged to be part of a positive international dialogue.
Today I go to Wanaka for the A&P show. There was a story about in the paper today highlighting a big event on Saturday morning, The Jack Russel Terrier Race. It is a popular breed here, and I am thinking it will draw quite a crowd.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Fiordland Tramps and Papatowai Waves
The last week has been action packed. I took a bus from Invercargill to Te Anau to meet a friend for some tramping in the mountains. We did a 3 night hike on a trail called the Greenstone. It is just South of the famous Milford Sound. The road to get there was beautiful. The mountains are very steep and many streams fall down them into the lakes at the bottom of the valleys. The hike was also through similar valleys. We stayed in huts provided by the national parks service. The last night we bunked with a French guy and a German girl who also met on the trail. We were running low on food, and they were generous to give us some of theirs. The next day we hiked together through some difficult terrain. The trail was rarely free from rocks and roots. After the hike we went out for some amazing pizza, which was especially satisfying after three days of backpacking food.
I arrived at Papatowai Beach yesterday. The wind was blowing something fierce, but not in the direction one would expect. It went out to the sea rather than in from it, which made for quite a site. The swells from the ocean continued to crash and fall back against the beach while the wind created its own waves heading the opposite direction. Millions of little white caps stretched out into the distance across the deep blue water. I'll have to post a picture once the internet rationing has stopped.
I got a ride to the Catlins coast on the Southern tip of New Zealand from a freight truck driver. The Catlins is a remote area without any large settlements, but it is rich with natural beauty. The truck driver who gave me a ride has the fortunate task of driving back and forth through it everyday from his home in Waikawa. He gave me a ride that far in exchange for some assistance with his deliveries. I watched the brightly lit hills pass by as he gave a stiff-handed wave and a nod to every passing vehicle.
In Waikawa I met a man named Peter who told me about the band he and his son founded called "The Possum Pickers." "Stephen wanted to play the old music," he said of his son. Peter drove me up to the hillside where the he and his son's families still reside. Stephen came down to Peter's place with his grandfather's fiddle in tow, an old, battered thing, and a homemade bow patched up with some utility tape. With the rest of the family gathered around, we talked and played for a couple of hours. Stephen's fiddling had quite an old-timey sound. It sounded unique, but also authentic, with a good rhythm and an edgy sort of intonation. His grandad (Peter's father) had played at dances at the town hall down the road. Fiddling was the music of choice then, before the piano accordians came over after the war, later came the saxophones, and then the electric guitars. Fiddles weren't heard much after that. "I'm driving down the road," says Peter, "and here I see a guy carrying a fiddle! And I think, 'Now you don't see that everyday!'"
I spent the night at a hostel in Waikawa. It was nice to sit by the fire drinking tea and talking to a French girl named Adeline (sweet name!) about surfing. She told me how she was paddling out to catch a wave and a school of dolphins were swimming around her. Later she said she saw seals and penguins from the same vantage point. I was tempted to try it for myself, but I was already late for my stay at Papatowai Beach.
I got a ride to Papatowai beach from a Austrian guy who was looking for a good spot to do some fly fishing. Papatowai is a small cluster of homes and businesses along the ocean. An estuary runs inland near the town. The home I am staying at overlooks the spot where the estuary meets the sea, making it convenient to take seaside walks and quick swims (the water is freezing). Diana and Keith manage an impressive garden, 3 chickens, 2 donkeys, and a very efficient home. I met their son in Dunedin, and he recommended I come and stay for a while. It is really a great place. Diana writes childrens' books and Keith is a school teacher. Vinny, from England, is also WWOOFing here. We have been helping with a home addition and some firewood in preparation for winter.
So that is the update. I will post some photos as soon as a get to a place where the internet isn't so expensive. Diana has been regulating us since we are on pace to exceed the monthly usage limit, so I'll wait on the photos. I'll be here until the 8th when I'll go up to Dunedin for a few days and from there I'm thinking right now I'd like to get to Wanaka where there is a A&P Show happening (NZ for county fair). There will be many agriculture sorts of things there including sheep dog contests, livestock, arts and crafts, etc. After that on to Nelson and Marborough Sounds for more WWOOFing.
Oh, and my flight back to the USA is now for June 2nd, so if anyone would like to rendezvous on the West coast of the USA after that, let me know.
I arrived at Papatowai Beach yesterday. The wind was blowing something fierce, but not in the direction one would expect. It went out to the sea rather than in from it, which made for quite a site. The swells from the ocean continued to crash and fall back against the beach while the wind created its own waves heading the opposite direction. Millions of little white caps stretched out into the distance across the deep blue water. I'll have to post a picture once the internet rationing has stopped.
I got a ride to the Catlins coast on the Southern tip of New Zealand from a freight truck driver. The Catlins is a remote area without any large settlements, but it is rich with natural beauty. The truck driver who gave me a ride has the fortunate task of driving back and forth through it everyday from his home in Waikawa. He gave me a ride that far in exchange for some assistance with his deliveries. I watched the brightly lit hills pass by as he gave a stiff-handed wave and a nod to every passing vehicle.
In Waikawa I met a man named Peter who told me about the band he and his son founded called "The Possum Pickers." "Stephen wanted to play the old music," he said of his son. Peter drove me up to the hillside where the he and his son's families still reside. Stephen came down to Peter's place with his grandfather's fiddle in tow, an old, battered thing, and a homemade bow patched up with some utility tape. With the rest of the family gathered around, we talked and played for a couple of hours. Stephen's fiddling had quite an old-timey sound. It sounded unique, but also authentic, with a good rhythm and an edgy sort of intonation. His grandad (Peter's father) had played at dances at the town hall down the road. Fiddling was the music of choice then, before the piano accordians came over after the war, later came the saxophones, and then the electric guitars. Fiddles weren't heard much after that. "I'm driving down the road," says Peter, "and here I see a guy carrying a fiddle! And I think, 'Now you don't see that everyday!'"
I spent the night at a hostel in Waikawa. It was nice to sit by the fire drinking tea and talking to a French girl named Adeline (sweet name!) about surfing. She told me how she was paddling out to catch a wave and a school of dolphins were swimming around her. Later she said she saw seals and penguins from the same vantage point. I was tempted to try it for myself, but I was already late for my stay at Papatowai Beach.
I got a ride to Papatowai beach from a Austrian guy who was looking for a good spot to do some fly fishing. Papatowai is a small cluster of homes and businesses along the ocean. An estuary runs inland near the town. The home I am staying at overlooks the spot where the estuary meets the sea, making it convenient to take seaside walks and quick swims (the water is freezing). Diana and Keith manage an impressive garden, 3 chickens, 2 donkeys, and a very efficient home. I met their son in Dunedin, and he recommended I come and stay for a while. It is really a great place. Diana writes childrens' books and Keith is a school teacher. Vinny, from England, is also WWOOFing here. We have been helping with a home addition and some firewood in preparation for winter.
So that is the update. I will post some photos as soon as a get to a place where the internet isn't so expensive. Diana has been regulating us since we are on pace to exceed the monthly usage limit, so I'll wait on the photos. I'll be here until the 8th when I'll go up to Dunedin for a few days and from there I'm thinking right now I'd like to get to Wanaka where there is a A&P Show happening (NZ for county fair). There will be many agriculture sorts of things there including sheep dog contests, livestock, arts and crafts, etc. After that on to Nelson and Marborough Sounds for more WWOOFing.
Oh, and my flight back to the USA is now for June 2nd, so if anyone would like to rendezvous on the West coast of the USA after that, let me know.
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