It's Thursday morning and I am sitting, waiting patiently for a phone call. Jake got into Auckland this morning and is headed this way! The airlines misplaced his luggage and he missed his flight to Wellington. It's all good, he'll be here sometime today! We're about to embark on 12 days of tramping, driving, sight seeing, wine tasting and sky diving!! I'm so excited to be able to share my great experience with someone from home and just to see Jake in general. Before we head out I thought I should catch up the world on my life.
I've been back for two weeks for a 20 day Easter holiday. This holiday is a lot longer than ours at home and what all exchange students wait for during the semester. It's our chance to get out and see New Zealand and be free from school for a few weeks. Like most, my friends Anna and Eva planned to have a trip of a lifetime. From our weekend trips we've all gathered a knowledge of having no plan (in most cases) is the best plan. So they flew to Dunedin and went from there. They wanted to do a 3-4 day tramp and see as much of the South Island as possible. I on the other hand wanted to try to work a bit. It's pretty easy for travelers to show up at hostels and get short term work through word of mouth. I wanted to do this alone. I ended up spending 10 days alone, working a week in vineyard then another few days driving. By d
ay 6 or so I was good on the alone thing. I felt a little lost, not physically but mentally.
Anna and Eva came out of the bush and texted me that day. They were about to go on another 3 day adventure of kayaking Doubtful Sound. This is one of the New Zealand experiences everyone is supposed to have. I just figured since I wasn't able to join in (being really far away) I would just drive down to meet them when they finished. I took almost three days to drive South to Wanaka then onto Queenstown. Once I got into Queenstown I met up with Eva for a burger and immediately drove north with her 12 hours. She had to meet her boyfriend Peter in Nelson to start another tramp the next day.
So here I was, semi enjoying my break, pretty much just really to chill out with some friends, and can't find anything to do. I dropped Eva and her boyfriend off at the trail head about 15 days into our trip and went in search of something that made me feel like I actually found something over break. I totally got it.
The next 4 days were some of the best I've had in my life. I stumbled across this rock climber's campground called Hang Dog. It was great. I found exactly what I needed there. I made friends quickly with the laid back climbers and found a climbing partner the first night. So the next three days were spent slowly waking up and heading out to the rock walls at Paynes Ford to climb. In the afternoons I went to town, Takaka, or hung around the campground. One day I went to the beach with a friend and just enjoyed life's calmness. The nights were probably the best part. As soon at it got dark, it got cold and someone lit the fire. Every night I was there we sat around the fire, sang songs, drank cheap box wine and laughed a lot. These few days made me realize I enjoy being around people and kind of need it.
I didn't have a horrible time on the first part of my trip and I'm glad I did it. I learned a lot about myself that I wouldn't have otherwise. I am going back to Hang Dog camp, as much as I can before leaving New Zealand. I'm all about finding new and exciting places and not dwelling in one, but that is one to go back to.
So! After my new lessons learned I am ready to go out again. Most likely I am going to take Jake to Hang Dog so he can see what it's all about. I'll try to not wait so long to write about this next trip. By the way: school's going good. My new project is making paper out of leaves! We only have 3 weeks of school left!! After that I have about a month to travel and really get my fill of New Zealand before heading home.
Anna and Eva, again like most, had the trip of a lifetime hitchhiking, hiking, camping, kayaking, and taking in life. I also had an amazing trip but mine was more internal than what I actually did and where I went.
I've been back for two weeks for a 20 day Easter holiday. This holiday is a lot longer than ours at home and what all exchange students wait for during the semester. It's our chance to get out and see New Zealand and be free from school for a few weeks. Like most, my friends Anna and Eva planned to have a trip of a lifetime. From our weekend trips we've all gathered a knowledge of having no plan (in most cases) is the best plan. So they flew to Dunedin and went from there. They wanted to do a 3-4 day tramp and see as much of the South Island as possible. I on the other hand wanted to try to work a bit. It's pretty easy for travelers to show up at hostels and get short term work through word of mouth. I wanted to do this alone. I ended up spending 10 days alone, working a week in vineyard then another few days driving. By d
ay 6 or so I was good on the alone thing. I felt a little lost, not physically but mentally.Anna and Eva came out of the bush and texted me that day. They were about to go on another 3 day adventure of kayaking Doubtful Sound. This is one of the New Zealand experiences everyone is supposed to have. I just figured since I wasn't able to join in (being really far away) I would just drive down to meet them when they finished. I took almost three days to drive South to Wanaka then onto Queenstown. Once I got into Queenstown I met up with Eva for a burger and immediately drove north with her 12 hours. She had to meet her boyfriend Peter in Nelson to start another tramp the next day.
So here I was, semi enjoying my break, pretty much just really to chill out with some friends, and can't find anything to do. I dropped Eva and her boyfriend off at the trail head about 15 days into our trip and went in search of something that made me feel like I actually found something over break. I totally got it.
The next 4 days were some of the best I've had in my life. I stumbled across this rock climber's campground called Hang Dog. It was great. I found exactly what I needed there. I made friends quickly with the laid back climbers and found a climbing partner the first night. So the next three days were spent slowly waking up and heading out to the rock walls at Paynes Ford to climb. In the afternoons I went to town, Takaka, or hung around the campground. One day I went to the beach with a friend and just enjoyed life's calmness. The nights were probably the best part. As soon at it got dark, it got cold and someone lit the fire. Every night I was there we sat around the fire, sang songs, drank cheap box wine and laughed a lot. These few days made me realize I enjoy being around people and kind of need it.
I didn't have a horrible time on the first part of my trip and I'm glad I did it. I learned a lot about myself that I wouldn't have otherwise. I am going back to Hang Dog camp, as much as I can before leaving New Zealand. I'm all about finding new and exciting places and not dwelling in one, but that is one to go back to.
So! After my new lessons learned I am ready to go out again. Most likely I am going to take Jake to Hang Dog so he can see what it's all about. I'll try to not wait so long to write about this next trip. By the way: school's going good. My new project is making paper out of leaves! We only have 3 weeks of school left!! After that I have about a month to travel and really get my fill of New Zealand before heading home.
Anna and Eva, again like most, had the trip of a lifetime hitchhiking, hiking, camping, kayaking, and taking in life. I also had an amazing trip but mine was more internal than what I actually did and where I went.
