Kia Ora! Hello!

For my time in New Zealand I will be going to both islands, however I have decided to break up my post into two since there is so much to share:

 

I started my time with a weekend in Auckland. It was great to be back in civilization after being on an island. A family I met on the airplane from Fiji invited me for lunch at theirs and showed me around the city; I really thank them for their hospitality!

 

 

For traveling around New Zealand I booked myself a hop on hop off bus tour. This allowed me to meet lots of young travelers. Some are taking gap years between school/university, some had quit their jobs, and some had been continuously traveling for over a year!

 

So what did I do? Each day was filled with great activities that I had never done before and most nights were spent drinking, relaxing and hanging out with other travelers. While this way of traveling was fun and intense, it was also somewhat exhausting.

 

New Zealand has been a country with a lot of ‘firsts’ for me. Here are some of the highlights:

 

Hot Water Beach

Hot Water Beach isn’t your average trip to the beach. We visited during low tide, which is when the underground hot springs filter up through the sand. I spent the time making my own hot pool by digging into boiling water close enough for cold ocean water to meet it.

 

Since this was my first night on the tour, I was excited to get to know new people. I even got to try out my phone waterproofing case to get some pics.

 

 

Black Water Rafting

I didn’t know what black water rafting was until I arrived to Waitomo to do the 3-hour Black Labyrinth tour. Black water rafting is when you ride through underground caves on rubber tubes. Since Waitomo is known for its glow worm caves, it was a really unique experience.

 

I was pushed out of my comfort zone for this one as soon as I put on my wetsuit and they asked me about how I felt in dark confined spaces. There were a few drops in the cave where you have to jump backwards into an underground waterfall with the tube. There were also a few times you had to lay back with just enough room for your head to stay up without getting scratched by the cave. The water itself was freezing.

 

And I loved it. This was part of the adventure I was hoping for. As I layed back, freezing, in my tube to see the glow worms, I realized that is this something I would have never been able to do in my “real life” back at home.

 

 

 

Hobbiton (aka Liz Meets Middle Earth)

When not filmed in studio, the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies were filmed in the beautiful countryside of New Zealand. As part of my tour I visited Hobbiton, which was the movie set for the Shire. Our guides explained some of the secrets behind the scenes and allowed us to get close to the hobbit holes.

 

To say I was geeking out a bit was an understatement. For a brief moment I was proud to be short, since only those under 5’4 were allowed to be hobbits in the movie. We finished the tour with a drink in The Green Dragon Inn.

 

 

Maori Village Stay

Maori are the indigenous people in New Zealand, and some of their words are used in NZ English. I had the privilege of partaking in an overnight stay at one of their villages. While the original tribes have now adapted western culture, the village stay teaches visitors the ways of the Maori.

 

During the day we learned about the skills that Maori would teach their children. I was able to work on my speed through their ladder game, practice throwing and catching sticks, and learned how to sing their ABCs. We also learned about the faces they make when trying to scare off potential enemies. Most of these moves can be seen in the Haka (for those of you that watch rugby anyway). In the evening they performed a show for us. The whole night was very special and bonding for the tour group.

 

 

Boat Cruise

A boat cruise around the beautiful Taupo lake was a great way to spend time with the new friends I had made. We sailed, listened to music, and had a pizza party. This relaxing ride was perfect for preparation before the big climb the next day.

 

 

Hiking the Tongariro Crossing and Mt Ngauruhoe

Most mornings on the tour were spend with a short hour or so hike. I doubt that should have been considered preparation for my most intense feat yet. Every morning on our bus we were given the opportunity to sign up for optional adventures. I was somehow convinced that a 6-hour hike of the Tongariro crossing would be a good idea.

 

The hike also offers an optional climb up Mt Ngauruhoe. This stratovolcano is better known as Mt Doom from the Lord of the Rings. At first I didn’t think I would attempt the climb, but peer pressure got the best of me. I’m so grateful it did. This was one of the best things I have ever done. Here I am at 7,500 ft and yes, I’m standing above the clouds. 

 

 

I also was able to take a few quick videos. Here are the clips from my climb:

Beginning:

Top:

Back down:

 

 

So far, the trip has been ‘sweet as’. I’ve made some awesome friends and am looking forward to what the South Island brings!