Pictures, Pictures, and more pictures

The following pictures were taken using a camera that was so kindly loaned to me by my couchsurfing host, Karen Walker. Without her thoughtfulnes, I wouldn't have a zillion pictures of Quarry Garden flowers or the breathtaking views from Mount Mania!! Thanks Karen -



QUARRY GARDENS/CORONATION PARK











My lost jacket, patiently waiting fro me :)





A plant at the Quarry gardens - Arid plant exhibit










Extreme close up of above plant















Flowers in the winter? Yep, they're everywhere around here. Just imagine what summer must be like! (this is very close up image of a very small flower)











Whangarei from above: pampas grass is a noxious weed here in NZ

Self Explanatory!!!




MOUNT MANIA















Mt. Mania from the Bottom




















Mt. Mania From the Top

On the way up Mt. Mania































View of the oil Refinery (Mt. Mania)

























Mt. Mania Pinnacle























Bridge on the trail to Whangarei falls

From Rodents to Ants with glowworms in between

This is a pre-written blog. It is a LONG one - due to my being too social to update my blog and then out of internet accessability. Sorry - no pictures, I doubt the library connection could handle it :(

Sunday 20 July, 2008 (rain, rain, rain)

I am sitting at the kitchen table of Elizabeth and Harry Warren. I met them last month at the Maori planting (see many blogs back). I had planned on walking into their Auckland suburb of Onehunga, but I am not glad I didn’t – it is POURING outside. I’m waiting for a break in the rain so I can run out into my car for a few things to keep entertained (a book, DVDs to burn pics too, etc). This is my 2nd full day here at the Warren’s. I called Elizabeth Friday afternoon before arriving in Auckland. I figured I’d let her know I was in town and see if she still wanted to meet for dinner or something. Well, she told me that her house was full of students but that I was welcome to sleep in the lounge. Of course I told her I wasn’t expecting accommodations, but since she wanted me I couldn’t pass up a free home. They have been nothing but helpful and kind since I got here.

Yesterday was a pretty uneventful day. Chatted with Elizabeth and Harry in the morning and then talked with my parents for a bit in the afternoon – they called to see what I was doing since I hadn’t written a blog or e-mail in a bit. Mom would feel better if I would just settle down and get a job, but while I’m traveling about she worries a bit. It was really nice talking with them both. I got an idea of when mom might come to visit, which is really, really nice. After getting detailed driving directions from Harry, I set off to do some comparison shopping for cameras and tents. To get an exact replacement for my camera (Canon Powershot) would cost near $500. For that price I could upgrade and get a camera with 12 or even 18 times optical zoom. However, I don’t want to spend that much. I found a Fujifilm Finepix for less than $300. The only real downside to it is that it takes 4 AA batteries instead of 2. I really should have invested in some rechargeable batteries while I was in the states. EVERYTHING is cheaper in the states. An MSR Hubba Hubba tent at a local store here is NZ$899, while it is only US$299 in the states. I’m still not sure what I’ll do about the tent. An American couple I met a few days ago told me it is cheaper to have my parents ship a tent, but that seems a bit of a hassle. I think I’ll look around online a bit more before deciding.

The rest of my week, since my last blog, has been much more interesting.

Walking:
Monday (14/7/08)I did a nice walk through Whangarei and up to Whangarei falls, followed by a steep climb up Mount Manaia – from the top I had an excellent view of Whangarei harbor and the oil refinery in which my host, Karen, worked. I waved to her from the top, but she was looking the other way :) The next (Tuesday 15/7/08) day I went to Coronation Park and did some more hiking. I had a lovely time walking through the bush and looking over Whangarei. I took a somewhat overgrown trail (how could I pass up “Mad Woman Trail”?) and headed towards Whau valley dam. I had no idea how long the trail was, but I had given myself a time (2pm) at which to turn around for the return trip. I wanted to get back to my car in time to do some shopping for the dinner I had planned to cook (something to go with the quinoa I picked up at the bulk store). I hiked until 2, had my lunch, and then headed back. I was literally 2 minutes from my car when I realized that I was missing the BSU jacket I had stuck through my pack strap!!! Argh. I headed back up the trail as fast as I could (though I was already tired from the days walk) hoping I dropped it somewhere nearby. No such luck. I spent the next hour retracing my steps to the Quarry Garden connection point of the trail. I was tired and it was getting late. I decided that someone had already picked up my jacket, or it was up the trail farther – and who knew how far. So I took the track down to the quarry gardens in order to walk the road back to my car (figured it would be faster, and far less tiring, than taking the up and down mountainous track). I spoke with a garden worker and told him about my loss. He took my number in case he heard about it.

After reaching my car, I drove to the grocery store and picked up a few things to contribute to dinner. I had talked with Colin and we were going to have more people for dinner than pizza and beer would allow (since I was a bit too tired to think of cooking). When I arrived home, I recounted my adventures, took a shower to rid myself of the cobwebs and spiders, and met the new couchsurfers staying with the Walkers – Tiff and Chris from the US. The Kiwis were outnumbered by the Americans! Tiff and I had a good time talking and cooking up a curry, while Karen, Colin, and Chris chatted by the fire.

Caving and Glowworms!
The next day (Wednesday 16/7/08) I got up early enough to see Karen and Colin before they went to work (which is a first for a couchsurfer that isn’t catching a ride into town with them). I did my yoga and had breakfast, then spent part of the morning chatting with Tiff and Chris. We made plans to try to meet up in the middle of the day and then I headed out to try to find my jacket. I started to go back up the trail from the beginning, but then realized that while I was tired last night, I was not likely to have missed a blazing blue lump of cotton sitting in the middle of the trail. I drove to the quarry gardens and went up to where I had left off. On my way, I chatted a bit with a couple of volunteers that were removing the gorse that had overgrown the small native trees. Literally 5 minutes up the trail where I had left off, I started up the small side trail towards my “mad woman track” and what did I find? Lying on the steps, under the trees, was my jacket! I was SO happy. I could deal with my ruining my camera (even if the reason was so stupid as not making sure the case was secure), but I would have been really bummed to have lost my hometown spirit. I went back down to the gardens the way I had come up – I wanted to let the volunteers know of my success. We chatted a bit more and then I walked around the cool arid plants.

I found my jacket with plenty of time left over for meeting Tiff and Chris. They, however, had to rush from the house to not be late! How opposite of what I had expected to happen. So, we met up and piled into my car (there car was loaded with clothes, books, boogie boards, and misc other gear – and topped off with a kayak on the roof!). Chris was my navigator and we headed to Abbey Caves. It was totally awesome! We walked the trail to the first cave (Organ, which was closed) and then headed to the next – Abbey? There was quite a bit of water in the bottom, so Tiff and Chris just got their sneakers wet. I wasn’t ready for that, so I took my boots and socks off and carried them. We saw glowworms and crayfish. We made it to the end of the cave, but there wasn’t a really good way out, so we headed back the way we came. We took the track to the next cave – Ivy? This was a crazy fun cave. There was water in it too, but not as deep. I managed to put one foot in, but not enough to get completely soaked. We eventually came to a section that would require near full emersion in the water. No thanks. So, we headed up. Now – anybody who knows me might recall that I am a bit claustrophobic, particularly when rock and earth are involved. So, I was quite proud to keep the one or two claustrophobic attacks in check. I would never have gone as far as I did if I wasn’t with Tiff and Chris. I felt SO comfortable with them. Pretty soon, we were crawling over and between rocks so far above the water that you couldn’t even hear it running anymore. A far difference from the loud rush we heard upon first entering the cave. We ended up doing a loop around the cave and decided to exit where we saw daylight. So, here we are – 3 rugged and outdoorsy Americans emerging from the ground to be a fence away from a pasture of cows. We walk the fence line, only to find ourselves back where we began! We’re stuck in our own little paddock, electric fence on 3 sides :-0 We hop a fence or two, wonder around a bit, and finally hear the rushing water of the cave opening and use it to get us back to the track.

It was a GREAT time. The glowworms were awesome! It’s like looking at the universe, but being close enough to touch it. Depending on where you stand, you can see different patterns made by the worms. It’s really an indescribable experience. They sparkle and glow and give you a very unearthly feeling.

In the end, I am so glad I lost my jacket. If I hadn’t needed to go retrieve it, I would have only met Tiff and Chris for dinner before leaving. Instead, I got to explore caves I would have missed with people I really like. We all headed back to town and picked up beer and pizza (since everyone agreed it sounded so good the night before). We had a nice evening with Karen and Colin, chatting and sharing pictures. Tiff, Chris, and I said goodbye to Colin that night – since he would be at work when we all left.

Night of the Ants:
Thursday (17/7/08) Karen had the day off (she has every other Thursday off) so we all hung out during the morning – breakfast, route planning, packing, and I made a batch of no bake cookies. They were supposed to be a “thank you for letting me stay so long” gift. They weren’t as good as I remember, but they weren’t bad either. Must have been the NZ butter or milk ;) We all said our goodbyes, and then I drove out of the driveway first and we went our separate ways. I put on my music so I wouldn’t have to think about the fact that I may not see these lovely people again. I get sad everytime I stay somewhere and make friends and then leave. I get lonely all over again and start to miss my family. But, I plan on making it up north again before I leave (after all I need to take a mass amount of pictures of the Hokianga area). So, I should see Karen and Colin again before I leave and hopefully I’ll be in Tiff and Chris’s neck of the US at some point in life.

I drove off with a vague idea of a trail to hike. When I tried to find that trail? Well, lets just say I didn’t mind the gravel roads, but I didn’t like backtracking without finding my destination. Before I went all the way back to the main road I saw a sign for the Waipu caves and walkway. That was where I wanted to head, so I took the road. After driving on more gravel back roads, I passed a parking area with a sign. I realized I’d just passed the caves. I parked, ate some food, and then walked the track. It took about an hour (as the sign said) to get to a road, at which point I turned around and came back. The Waipu walkway was what a person would imagine walking through NZ to be. Green pastureland, stepping over fences, great views of sharp ridged mountains, good view of the ocean and Whangarei in the distance, and cows lowing in the background. I scared up some paradise shelducks; boy where they angry – kept flying big loops to see if I’d gone, making lots of noise the whole time. It was a good day for a walk – drizzled a bit, but was generally warm too. At the end of the track, near the parking lot, I played in the massive boulders for a bit, checking things out and wishing I had a camera.
I had wanted to spend the day hiking and save Waipu caves for the next day – so I wouldn’t wish Tiff and Chris were there so much. But, since I missed the trail and since I was here, I found the cave entrance and entered. It was way bigger than any of the Abby caves, the entrance must be 20 feet wide with lots of headroom. You can go quite a ways in and still see daylight. There was no way to go far without stepping through water, so I took my shoes off. I really didn’t want wet shoes now that I didn’t have a fire to go home to (and I refused to go back to Karen and Colin’s house – they wouldn’t have minded, but they would have laughed and laughed. I’m sure they half expected me to come back as it was – since I kept extending my stay one more night). Turns out, the water wasn’t as deep as I expected, and the rocks were much sharper than Abby cave. So, I gingerly made may way around a bend in the cave until I couldn’t see anymore daylight. The glowworms here really were more spectacular than in Abby. They were everywhere! Just amazing. Around the bend in the cave I could go further only by getting wet and going under a rock or by squeezing through some rocks. I didn’t have any traction with my bare feet on the mud and I was beginning to miss having company in the caves (other than the cave spiders that is). The noise of the water running through the caves began playing tricks on me – first sounding like people talking and then sounding like a normal bubbling brook. I was freaking myself out, so I took one last look at the glowworms, turned on my headlamp, and headed back towards daylight. If I had been with Tiff and Chris, I probably would have followed them all over the cave – I wouldn’t have felt alone or been scared to get lost and I would have had someone to go through the spider webs first!

I was glad I left the cave when I did. It was getting late and I wanted to get to a campsite before dark. I had found one on the map, but wasn’t sure if it was still there or what conditions to expect. I found Uretiti beach campground with no problem. I was glad I was camping there, since it was cheap ($7) and secure (gated and locked at night). It was just a bonus that a nice sandy beach was just a 1 minute walk past the sand dunes. I was kind of excited to be sleeping in my car for the first time. I would have preferred a tent, but it was neat to feel self sufficient. However, I soon found that while the seats lay flat, they still have hard spots right where the hips go. I used a blanket to smooth things out a bit, but I really should have just gotten my sleeping pad out too. After making up my bed and deciding that while I could use a shower I didn’t want to bother with one, I went for a stroll down the beach. I had missed any sunset colors, but the blue/grey sky and the mist hanging over the islands and shore were quite pretty. The waves were soothing and the shells were beautiful (I kept 2 small ones). I met a nice guy on the beach and we talked for a bit. I found out that Uretiti beach is one of the few “clothing optional” beaches in NZ. Good to know!

I decided to head back to my car and relax with a book. I was able to lay back quite comfortably and was enjoying my reading, when I noticed an ant on my book. Maybe I should mention that my car seems to have few ants here and there inside. It seems to have quite a few on the outside, but I was pretty sure they really couldn’t get in. However, after flicking the ant off my book I decided to take a quick peak in the front of the car and see what was going on. HOLY ANTS GONE WILD!!!

I had eaten an apple for lunch and had not encountered a trash bin, so I put it in a bag on the floor of my passenger seat. When I investigated my car I found this bag swarming with ants!! I was quite surprised, as I thought my car seals were keeping them out. Apparently not! There was a neat little line of them to the bag from the passenger door. So I figured it didn’t really matter, as long as they were occupied with the apple I would probably be safe. However, I looked around a bit more. I saw some ants on the dashboard, I saw some ants on the arm console between the seats, and I saw itty bitty movements around the driver seat. I looked on the floor behind the driver seat (just below my sleeping bag ensconced feet). There were ants all over a bag down there too! Eww, what if the ants climbed onto my sleeping bag? Would they make a line for my face? Is that how they got on my book? What about all the food I had just purchased and was storing in the back of car – where my head was going to be? Was it safe? Would it be swarming with ants too? Well, I tried going back to reading my book and not worrying, but those questions just kept rattling around. It wasn’t raining outside, so I got out of my bag, put on my shoes and put a plastic bag over my hand. I went around to the passenger side of my car, opened the front door, and saw the mass of ants that were both on the outside and inside of the floorboards. I used my plastic encased hand to smash the crap out them all. For the ants on the carpet, I smashed my hand down and then rubbed the carpet hard. I made sure to watch for ants that survived and crawled around on the bag and onto my arm.
After the ant massacre, I shoved the used bag into a corner where ants would still be and tried not to worry about it. I didn’t have a tent and it was too late to try to find a hostel. I read for a bit longer and then went to bed. I didn’t sleep that well, more because the car was uncomfortable than because of the ants – but I did try to keep my feet from getting to close to the back of the driver seat (I didn’t want them crawling up the sleeping bag). I have no idea how many ants I may have eaten that night, but I felt pretty confident that they weren’t in my ears, as I had tight fitting night cap on. Boy what a night!

On my way to Auckland
Friday (18/7/08) morning I got up fairly early, but later than most times at the Walker’s. I considered doing some yoga on the beach, but decided to pack up and get going. I wanted to try to find a car wash and see if I could rid myself of some of the ant colony. I left the beach around 9:30am. I stopped at an information center to find a car wash and then didn’t stop again until I saw a sign for the Wenderholm reserve. It was a very nice day, not a drop out of the sky all morning. I parked and took only my water bottle (no jacket to lose). I walked a lovely loop trail through the bush and past great views of a river entrance. There were informative signs along the way too, which is always nice. When I got back to my car, I called Elizabeth and ended up with a place to stay. I stopped at a car wash in Orewa (where the Information center had sent me), but was very disappointed. I don’t think any water even went under my car, let alone at a high pressure! So, I arrived in Auckland an hour or so later and with a big ant colony. I stopped at the grocery store on my way to the Warren’s, picked up some food, wine, and ant bait. I set 3 plastic wells out filled with ant poison, drove to the Warren’s, and had a nice chat. It was dark when I got bags out of the car, but when I checked the next morning – holy moly, the ants were swarming 2 of the disks! It was quite gross really, I think some of the ants had drowned already! Funny thing, the disk on the floor of the front passenger seat – where the largest area of the massacre happened – hasn’t been touched. It’s like the ants are scared of it now or something. Weird.

Back to the present – Sunday.
So, that pretty much takes us back to today. Since I started this long account the rain has come and gone several times, I’ve helped Harry sort out his MP4 player, and I’ve walked into town with Harry and one of their students. I was going to buy the FujiFilm camera – but then saw that it takes an XD memory card instead of an SD memory card (which I have two 1GB cards for, plus a card reader). A 1GB XD cards ups the price by $70 (it’s $17 for a 1GB SD card). So, I came home to think about it some more. Oh, it’s raining again!

Oh – I should explain the students huh? Elizabeth and Harry host foreign exchange students for short periods of time. They currently have a 10 and a 15 year old boy from Taiwan and a 17 year old boy from France staying here. They go to school 6 days a week to learn English. They have lessons most days, but also go out and do fun things to – tours around town, swimming, etc. It’s been interesting talking with them.

Tuesday, 22 July.
If your still reading this - good on ya. You have more patience then I do! I can't even get around to reading it for errors or cool things to link :) Just thought I'd update those really curious people about my last few days ---- warning, the next few paragraphs are boring, humour is rare and details are many. You cannot get your time back after reading them ;-)

I spent Monday shopping and spending LOADS of money.
1. I bought a camera: FujiFilm FinePix S8000 - 18x optical zoom!!!! It was on sale for $100 cheaper than Saturday's pricing, wich made it only $70 more expensive then the cheap camera I was going to buy - after purchasing the 1GB memory card.
2. I bought a tent: After deciding I would save money by buying in the US and having one shipped (to cover the extra money of the camera). I did some internet cafe searching and found the Marmot Early Light to be availabe here in NZ and relatively cheap in the US. When I went to Living Simple (one of the companies that carried the tent) I asked if they were going to be having a winter sale soon (pretty much every store is having blowouts here). He gave me 20% off the price of the tent that day, instead of making me wait until August! I save $80 there! PLUS, I have it NOW. So I can go camping on the Coromandel Peninsula soon! (probably head up on Thursday after the forecasted showers have mostly passed).
3. I bought camping gear: I had store credit at Kathmandu (a pretty pricy store, but they have awesome deals on clearance - I live in my $30 pants!) So, I bought a set of 2 cook pots plus a stove to cook on! Kathmandu was having crazy 40-70% off deals on everything, so I still have half my store credit there! (from returning some boots that just didn't work - store credit is NOT the same as getting your money back, but it makes me feel less guilty about buying stuff; since it feels almost free :)

Today - Tuesday 22 July
After yesterday's massive buying frenzy, I'm trying not to spend to much. Caught a bus into town, in the soaking rain, this morning. Have done some business stuff, checked out the other Kathmandu store (a backpack that folds into a pocket!!! hmm), but haven't bought anything. I do have to get a new camera case eventually - so I checked out several places for those. I think I'll probably chill here at the library for several hours rather than catching the bus back into Onehunga. I have to be back in town at 8 to meet a friend anyway - Bobbie, from my skydiving adventures. Yay, a familiar face and more of my mail!

Pictures

I have added pictures to this and my previous blog - click on them to make them ridiculously big.

Also, I have changed my comments to all users (apparently I hadn't before), so there shouldn't be a need to register.

I woke up early this morning and used my brand new yoga mat! (Now I just need to continue to use it.) After finishing my downward dogs and various warrior poses, I opened one of the curtains and enjoyed the view of the valley. The dark green mountain peaks were skirted by light green paddocks, which rose out of a lake of white fog. The view from Karen and Colin Walker’s home keeps amazing me. My arrival here was just before sunset on a sunny day. The colors over valley they overlook were beautiful.

Karen and Colin aren’t WWOOF hosts, they are Couchsurfing (CS) hosts. They are my first CS hosts. I was nervous and not sure what to expect, but my stay has been great. I brought beer and macadamia nuts for the first night – though we ended up drinking 2 bottle of wine, we did use the nuts in a stir fry. Karen and I did some shopping yesterday during the first half of Colin’s football game (European style = soccer). The store we went to was basically a NZ version of Wal-Mart – The Warehouse. While I visited the Warehouse in Auckland earlier, I did not purchase any of the Chinese products they sell. However, I wanted a cheap pair of gumboots (no more pinched toes) as well as a cheap yoga mat. I was surprised to find this store also sold food. Just like Wal-Mart, produce and all. I picked up the ingredients for the dinner I was cooking (vegetarian shepard's pie), along with a few other things to minimize my use of the house food. I did decide against the non-organic bananas though, after thinking about all the chemicals I’d read about – they looked SO delicious though.

It turned out that the Warehouse was the best place to develop my roll of film too. I decided against getting any prints done up and just had them put on a CD. While the pictures taken in dark conditions ended up grainy, the rest are absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, they are all pictures taken from the land. I forgot to take the camera diving with me!!!! Yep – I went diving!!! I arrived at Karen and Colin’s Wed. night, took Thurs to enjoy their home, do laundry, find job ads, and to book my dive. Friday morning I headed off towards town before light, catching a ride with my hosts on their way to work. I was picked up by Dive Tutukaka and chatted with my driver during the ride (I was the only pickup). I mentioned my underwater camera and then realized I had forgotten to bring the extra roll of film!! Ugh. Oh well, I still had 10 pictures left.

While the trip was definitely a splurge on my savings (though slightly cheaper than skydiving), the roller coaster ride that was our journey out to the islands was well worth the money. The sea swells were only 1.5 meters (3 feet), but they were pretty close together (and I swear there was a 5 footer or two in the too). While I was smiling in enjoyment of the stomach lurching crashes of the boat, others were hiding their heads in sick bags – while others just held their bags for comfort. Despite that fact that water was dripping from the roof and all over me, I stayed quite warm in all my fleece.

Once we arrived it was time for the neoprene. I was very glad I paid the extra money to take the refresher course. I had a one on one chance to test my memory and refresh my skills, including everything from putting my gear together to going through an “out of air” experience underwater. My instructor was really nice, and kept telling me that I remembered a lot. However, I still managed to have feelings of claustrophobia and slight panic the first time I went underwater for my buoyancy test. The water was very cold – though WAY warmer than Alaska (where I got certified). I didn’t have a dry suit, so I felt every bit of chilly water contact my skin through the wetsuit. This coldness did not help me relax into the experience! I passed my underwater skills tests and then we went about exploring “Jan’s Tunnel” of the Poor Knight’s Island. Having a guide that knew where we were and what to look for was extremely useful. Dawn pointed out hidden shrimp that I would never have found on my own.

After my first dive, we had lunch and motored to the next site. I wasn’t real sure that I wanted to get back into the cold water after warming up with coffees and hot chocolates, but obviously I didn’t have much of a choice (I’m not that big a pansy!). Unfortunately, somewhere between getting my camera out of my bag and having a 2^nd hot drink, I completely forgot to get my camera over to my dive gear. I set up my equipment, put on my weight belt, strapped into my tank, and slipped my flippers. I stepped off the boat and grouped up with Dawn and 2 other divers. We were going to explore "Dutch Cove". Just as we were descending into the deep, I realized I had forgotten my camera! Bummer. However, there wasn’t really that much I missed out on. During my first dive I was pretty glad not to have my camera. I had so many other things to think about – buoyancy control, breathing, enjoying myself – that having a camera would have been a distraction. On the second dive, there just wasn’t as much to see. Dawn pointed out fewer nudibranchs (sea slugs) and there weren’t as many snapper hanging out. We did see a carpet shark though, apparently it’s pretty rare to see these guys swimming around – they are usually sleeping on the floor.

The Poor Knights are supposedly world renowned for diving. The EAC (East Australian Current – ring any bells from “Finding Nemo”) flows around the northland and straight into these islands. This means that many tropical fish larva ride this current to the subtropical area of this marine reserve. I saw lots of colorful wrasse, but not sure that I saw anything definitely tropical. Apparently, during the summer, string rays come to the islands to breed and manta rays occasionally stop by too. Right now (winter) the sting rays are in the harbors and estuaries, being chased occasionally by orca whales. There were some NZ fur seals on the rocks of the second sight, but none in the water. I was out of the water (used my air to fast by going a few meters deeper) and missed a “swim by” from a dolphin (though one of the diver’s in the water missed it too – there is a lot to pay attention to). One of the cool things I saw was a ton of moray eels.

So – all in all, the trip was great. It was nice to not feel pressured while relearning my skills and the entire crew was really nice. The ride back was less choppy and wet since we were going with the swells. I look forward to coming back again!

Poor Knights Islands














Shells embedded in rock, Hokianga Coast




Me at Wairere Boulders

Gone Native

This is a previously typed blog, dated 7 July, 2008. Pictures added 13 July.

Last time I wrote I had visions of mattress monster rodents in my head and was off to take a break from WWOOFing. Boy, did I ever make the right choice!!

Marty and his wife had offered me the spare room in the main house. I came very close to taking it, but just didn’t really want to. As much as I felt bad leaving them, I really was ready to go. Marty completely understood and gave me an open door invitation to come back anytime. I spent the morning prepping the shop (sweeping, checking fruit, etc) and then helping Marty wash oranges. Exactly a week before, I had met Marty to wash oranges and sort into good, bad, and juicing oranges. How funny that I was ending my stay exactly as I had started – and I wasn’t a bit faster at my sorting! After leaving Kerikeri organics, I dropped Thomas, the Frenchman, at his friends house in Paihia. It was slightly out of my way, but I enjoyed talking and laughing with him – particularly over the morning’s adventures.

After leaving Thomas I headed back the way I came, with Hokianga Harbor as my vague destination. As I drove, the weather went from blue skies and sun to its 3^rd hard shower of the day. I still felt a bit guilty for ditching Marty and was starting to get a little lonely. I had really enjoyed sharing work and cabin life with Shin and Thomas and I was going to miss that camaraderie. As Marty said “everything’s okay as long as all the workers agree the boss is a bastard”! We didn’t think this off him, but we had our friendly gripes. I was also thinking about my family as I drove. They were probably well into their BBQ with my cousins and having a great 4^th of July. I decided to turn on my phone (which had been off to save batteries) and text my sister. I would tell her to check my blog so everyone could have a good laugh at my morning. When I turned on my phone, I was told I had a voice mail. It was my dad. I bit the bullet, and opted for calling them (expensively) from my mobile, rather than calling very late (but cheap) from a hostel. I am SO VERY GLAD that I did. I talked to everyone (though my sister hadn’t yet arrived). It was really nice to hear everyone’s voices and chat for a bit. My prepaid minutes gave out eventually, but I had already made the full rounds. I drove west with a smile on my face.

Having slept for only 3 hours that night, I opted to drive straight to a hostel and forgo getting caught in the rain on a forest trail. The first hostel I pulled into (with great views of the harbor) had a “no vacancy” sign. :( So, I kept going south. What looked like, on the map, a good ½ hour drive to the next town turned into a 5 minutes. Soon I was at the next hostel. No signs, plenty of parking. The guy was super nice and laid back; showed me around the place, gave me options of beds, and told me there was plenty of room if I decided to stay longer. I loved the place, Globetrekkers Lodge, as soon as I arrived – granted I wouldn’t be using he hammocks or sitting on the picnic table, but it was clean and WARM. I fell in love with the town too, just driving in. Omapere is such a small town, just off the beach in front of the mouth of the harbor. It just dares you to try not to relax. There are no chain grocery stores around, and the only ATM in town doesn’t yet take my banks card (it’s a trial machine!). Fortunately, I can get a cash advance at the small food store.

My first night in Omapere, I walked from the hostel into town. I found the gas station and the wharf with a great view of South head (on the right (south)of the harbor entrance) and the sand dunes of North Head (on the left (north) side of the harbor entrance). The sand dunes are really funny. After spending so much time in the green mountains and valleys of New Zealand, it is so bizarre to see these large hills of BROWN! The color reminds me of Idaho! I had seen the dunes of Cape Reinga, but I was on them at the time. It is very different to see the dunes from across the water. I walked back up to the hostel and called my family again. I remember feeling like I really need to get hold of them when I was on the beach, but when I was calling I couldn’t remember what it was I had to say. I got the answering machine, so tried again. When I got the machine again I left a message. I wasn’t disappointed though. I really couldn’t remember what I so very much needed to tell them. At least with a message they knew I had driven safely through the various storms and found a good place to stay.

I walked back down to the harbor and watched the sunset. Nothing spectacular, big black clouds to the south east, big white clouds with some gold lining to the north west, the sun getting ready to set behind the dunes the dunes. Back at the hostel I had a PBJ sandwich and killed some time. A little after 7, I walked back to town to the Copthorne hotel (looks pretty swanky – great place for a summer beach holiday). I ordered a beer and some dinner in the pub and settled in to watch the All Blacks play South Africa. The pub wasn’t as full as I expected, and the people weren’t as loud as I thought they would be – but everyone there was definitely into the game, with collective groans and cheers and the occasional shouts of “come on ref”. I talked with an old NZ marine merchant for the first part of the game (he left after the half time) and got a few clues on who was being penalized for what. After the game, I went home and slept very hard.

I had set my alarm for 8, to be sure I didn’t get a late start to my morning – I had a 9am pick up. I woke up before my alarm (which I always appreciate – alarms are horrid things). Charlotte arrived right on time to take me, and a German couple, to her house to meet her husband. He is a local Maori carver and we were going to spend the day making our own bone carvings!! It was one of the best days I’ve had here in NZ! While I had briefly seen the flyer on the wall of the hostel, it was talking with a girl that was wearing her carving that sold me on the idea. I wanted to wear something so cool too! So, the hour and half between sunset and rugby I doodled. I am a terrible artist, so most of my drawings consisted of spirals or flowers. I attempted to do the turtle that I have on my back – it came out alright, but really, I don’t need to wear an image that I already have permanently etched on my body – even if it is pretty cool. I considered carving something for Kristi – a cat or even the turtle. I came up with a couple of symbolic doodles representing family. I tried to decide if I was going to gift this carving or wear it myself. I decided I’d probably wear it for while and then give it away.

When we met James we were all anxious about our ideas and how they would actually come out in bone – and if we could really make them look professional. I showed him my ideas and pointed to one that had a flower and a bunch of curlicue spirals. James said it would make a great piece. He then told me to think about the size I wanted. The German couple showed their ideas. They were great. So well drawn, pieces that were more iconic of NZ – a kiwi bird, the figure 8 (can’t remember the Maori term), etc. I felt kind of bad about my skills. Nina, told James she was thinking about the figure 8 carving. He told her he hated to see people do something that could be purchased at a souvenir shop. So, he suggested adding a couple of details to make it uniquely hers. Since the figure 8 represents life – it’s continuation and constant upsides and downsides – he suggested adding a couple of dashes to represent her parents (as she is an only child). She also added the iconic NZ silverfern leaf.

When James turned his attention back to me and the question of size I had already started to reconsider my carving. I wanted something symbolic too. I was looking at my family of curlicues. Again, he asked about size. When I told him I had no idea, he asked who it was for – myself or a gift. I told him my idea of wearing it until my decision. He told me that in Maori culture bone carvings are highly regarded as heirlooms. A piece will be carved, worn, and then passed down in the family. After being worn against the skin (even for a short period, but especially over the long term) the bone absorbs the oils of the wearer. The color changes as to oil seeps into the pores. So when it is passed down to the next generation, the previous generations spirit is passed down too!!!

Well, that did it. I was making a piece for my dad! I had never heard of that tradition and it just hits me in the heart to think about. James said that very few people have heard about it, it is one of the reasons why bone carvings are so highly regarded by Maoris.

The whole process, from choosing the bone the piece would come from to polishing the finished product, was done by me in one day! It was an amazing experience. I used a dremel to cut the piece out of the bone and smooth it down to a consistent thickness. Sandpaper was used for the initial smoothing and then the design was drawn on the piece using pencil (though I actually did this step before cutting my pendant out! – I had to be careful not to rub the design out during the above work, and obviously I didn’t sand that surface either). Then we used the dremel to cut the design (after which I sanded the surface). The only part of the process James did for us was to fill in the design with his super secret inlay powder. He uses superglue and shavings to give the design a beautiful gold filling. Then I got to use a file to scrape/sand the superglue off. Wow, that was a long process. After a couple more fillings of powder (which was way easier to file off than the initial filling) I was ready to polish my pendant. Using water and super fine sandpaper, I rubbed the piece to a shine. Using a rag with silver polish on it (which had to dry for a day and be shaken out to remove grit that would actually scratch the piece) I rubbed my final piece to a glow! I must say – I was REALLY impressed. It definitely has its flaws, but considering I MADE it – it’s pretty darn good? What do you think?

The designs represent dad and mom - creating the figure 8 of life with each other and giving life to my sister and I. The design is close to, but also quite different, than my original design. So, do I need to make one for mom now? I actually came up with a design I like for her (last night), but I’m afraid it would be too long to be worn by a woman. I’m also not sure that she would want to wear it all the time – though I don’t expect dad to wear his ALL the time either, but I hope he likes it enough to wear it a lot. I figure Kristi will just have to come over and make her own! The other conflict I have, is the sign posted on the walk I was on today use a similar design – two curlicues creating a figure 8. While I know that I didn’t copy their design and they didn’t copy mine, it makes me want to come up with something more original. What else would one use to symbolize life? I would love to talk with Kristi about it – man, she would make some great pieces with her artistic talent!

The whole day was just fantastic. We worked in James and Charlotte’s home. Charlotte made a fantastic chicken pie for lunch. James’ mum was up from Auckland for a visit. We chatted, laughed, and watched rugby (followed by the national geographic channel) while we worked. It was fun. All of our pieces came out well: Nina’s silverfern figure 8 looked perfect for her and Mike’s kiwi bird as so realistic. Nina and Mike had a camera, so we all took pictures throughout the day. I am very grateful for them sharing their pictures with me – I have wonderful pictures of the entire process!!

Tonight – in just an hour, I will continue my native experience with a night time walk through the Kauri forest! A maori guide will take us to the largest living Kauri tree (Tane Mahuta) and tell us stories and legends from the culture. I’m pretty excited about it. While I’ve already heard a kiwi bird, I haven’t been outside when hearing it. It is highly unlikely, but somewhat possible, that I’ll see a kiwi bird. Those things are so darn elusive! Most New Zealanders I’ve talked with have only seen one in captivity!

As for today – I spent the morning writing half this blog, then I chatted with people until they went to their bone carving day (I look forward to seeing how their ideas came out). I then took my car and backtracked a bit and went to Wairere boulders. It’s private land where massive boulders have fallen into a gully. These boulders are unique in that they have been “fluted” (rutted) by acidic rains from long long long ago (the acid coming from the kauri leaves). It cost some money, but $10 was well worth the walk this couple have created. It was so fun walking under and between massive rocks. It’s the first time I’ve really missed my camera. However - being the well loved, and lucky, gal I am – I do actually have a second camera! My friend Dave, of Robin fame, gave me his underwater/land camera during my last visit to WA!! I expected to use it during my dives/snorkels, but I hadn’t really planned to do much land photography with it – but, I pulled it out more than a couple of times today. Although, now I have to wait until I finish the roll so I can develop it. I’m so used to instant gratification of digital!!! I want to see how my timed self-portraits came out!!!

right now - I am staying with a couple in Whangarai (I'm sitting here on a full belly with a glass of wine, a cup of hot chocolate, and a hunk of chocolate bar! Life isn't to bad!). Hopefully I will arrange diving tomorrow!! Barring in complications with my ear canals (from the cold I am recovering from). Spent last night looking for Kiwi in the dark - no luck, but lots of fun.

Foiled again

Dang - I had a pretty cool blog post typed up and was ready to spend the money to upload a picture or two (complete with people I refer to in them - just for Virginia!), but unfortunately the hostel I'm at has old computer. Old computers have USB ports in the back. The USB ports on this old computer does not have room for my card reader (well, unless I unplug the monitor, but that seems a bit pointless!).

So. Short story. Today I went hiking. Tonight I go walking around the forest in the dark listening to Maori legends and looking at massive kauri trees (or the shadows of them). Yesterday I spent the entire day with a Maori carver, creating my own bone carving! It turned out awesome! \

I am staying in a tiny town called Omapere. It is very relaxing. However, I may be leaving tomorrow. Maybe not too. I'm not sure yet. I'll post a large massive blog soon though :)

Independence Day means freedom …. from rodents

Happy Independence Day to America!! While it’s 5am July 5th (Sat) as I type, it’s a bit after 11am on the 4th in Idaho. I imagine most everyone in the states is getting ready for a nice day of family/friends BBQ/get togethers to celebrate summer and the freedom to still speak ill of the government. Anyone in Juneau, AK should still be sleeping/recovering – if they stayed up to watch the midnight fireworks. Juneau is proud to be the first (or at least one of the first) to celebrate the 4th of July. I wonder if it was raining?

For me, today is the day I get the heck out of here. I had planned to stay several more days, into next week or longer. However, after returning from the outhouse at 3:30 and trying to get back to sleep, I heard the rustle of a mouse/mice. Okay, no big deal. I knew they were here, I even knew there was one in my mattress a few days ago. But since I was getting up when I heard it that morning, I didn’t let it get to me. However, at 4 am everything feels more ominous than it really is: rustling is louder, scratching seems closer, shadows seem to move. So I hit my mattress a couple of times, trying to get them to move on. They sounded next to the wall, next to my head! Were they going to run over me soon? I sat up, turned on my head lamp, hit the mattress. Okay, so I knew they were in there; but I was NOT prepared to actually see the mattress hit back! Seriously!!! The freaking mattress moved! Right under my pillow! It took me a good full minute to process this fact, and then I was off that bed and there was no way I was getting back on!!

Okay, so maybe it is somewhat my fault. I knew we had mice. I purposely didn’t set traps. I figured hearing the occasional skitter under my bed was better than hearing a loud "snap" in the middle of the night and knowing that I’d killed something (no, I am not a hunter). Yes, I know mice are filthy and the best way to deal with them is traps etc. But they are also cute and it’s not their fault that my cabin is cozier than the wet outdoors. Although, to be honest I can’t actually say that they are mice and not rats! Rats are way uckier and less cute, and probably wouldn’t even flinch at a mouse trap – let alone die quietly. So, I may to blame for the continued presence here, but I’m not going to stay around and deal with the problem. In fact, I’ve already told Marty that I’m leaving. I would have waited until well after dawn to tell him, but I figured since I was up and had time to kill (there was no way I was getting back to sleep after that – even in the now empty spare bed Shin left behind yesterday) I decided to go up to the shop and check my e-mail. After starting the computer I got a glass of water. Imagine my surprise when I heard the beeping of an ALARM!! What the??? I thought this store was run on honesty! I had no idea there was an alarm! So, I had no idea what to do, not even a clue what the code might be. Pretty soon the beeping stopped. I heard a distant whine. I went around the shop and towards the main house. The whine got louder. Pretty soon I was at the sliding glass front door, right next to the source of the whine. I waited, and knocked a bit, and waited. Nobody was stirring inside. Then the whine quit. Great, what was next? Sirens? A phone call? I stood outside watching the stars for a bit to see what would happen. It was a beautifully clear night, I saw a couple of falling stars. If only it had been raining, I probably wouldn’t have ventured out of the cabin. So, when nobody came out and no sirens sounded – though a dog was barking somewhere far away – I decided I should at least turn the computer off. No point wasting electricity. I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t set the alarm off again – but it apparently didn’t disturb anybody the first time. So, when no beeping started when I went in again, I decided to go ahead and check my e-mail and relate the rodent episode to my parents.

I hadn’t been typing for more than 5 minutes when I heard a voice. It was Marty. No, he hadn’t heard the alarm, but he had seen the glow of the computer screen. I told him about the alarm and he turned it off, giving me the code to turn it back on when I was through with the computer. He said goodnight and I went back to the computer. Then I heard him come back. He asked that I stay on at the farm until Wed. It was going to be his wife’s birthday and he wanted to give her a break for a day. He asked if that would be okay or if I had other plans (just today, while moving cows, I had told him I’d feel bad about leaving him without any workers if I left next week after Thomas left. He said that he appreciated the thought, but it wasn’t my problem and not to worry about it). So, this morning I told him I had planned on leaving today. I told him about the mattress moving mice and how at 4 am that I just wasn’t able to deal with it. He understood and apologized about it. I told him I understood wanting him to get Becky away and that maybe in the light of day I could deal with it, but again he told me "it’s not your problem". And he’s right. It’s not my problem. I’m tired of the ants in the kitchen. I’m tired of my saggy bed. I’m really tired of gum boots (rubber boots) that pinch my toes (oh man, I dream of insulated Xtra Tuffs – a SE Alaska utilitarian foot fashion). I’m ready to move on. I realize that there are many people in this world, and in the US, that live in conditions similar or worse than where I’m at now. I’m sure many people don’t even have food in the cupboards to attract ants, not to mention the homeless that don’t have a bed to worry about what’s inside. There’s a part of me that wants to be very zen about all this, take it as it comes and accept it. However, I’m still a bit to western for accepting rodents into my life, at least ones that aren’t in cages and running around in little plastic balls ;)

I don’t have a place lined up to stay, but I don’t really care. I actually want that feeling of adventure and not knowing what’s next. I may try calling a couple of WWOOF places on the west coast of the Northland (I’m on the east coast right now), but more likely I’ll just spend a couple of days checking out the beaches and Kauri forests; spending the nights in a hostel or in my car (it may be cold, but I’m fairly certain there are no rodents – though I have found ants before). After a month of saving money WWOOFing I will feel fine hostelling for a bit. After exploring the area I’ll head south to a large town called Whangarai. I should be able to surf a couch there for a night or two. I’ll try to set up a dive off the Poor Knights Islands (a marine reserve that is supposed to be fantastic diving (though nowhere near the quality it was 50 years ago, according to older divers)). After that I’ll probably chill out in Auckland for a bit. Maybe catch the Romeo and Juliet ballet, maybe catch some of the international film festival. Maybe couch surf, but more likely stay at the hostel where Bobbie is. I’d like to hang out with a friend again.

HA HA HA, I just remembered leaving the shop this morning. I checked to make sure I hadn’t left anything out in the back. I had my head lamp on and as I went past the stock shelves, I heard large rustling and scurrying. Ugh, willies. The farm has a super friendly manx (bobtail) cat (I’ve had some love sessions with it a couple of times). When I walked to the back to set the alarm she made a meow/stretch sound/move under the table as I turned the corner. Scared the bejeesus out of me! I think I thought she was an overgrown rat!!! Oh man, makes me laugh thinking about it. I gave her a pet and asked why she wasn’t catching the rats in this place. My cat would be ALL over them (and the native birds too – particularly those flightless, nocturnal kiwi birds!).

So, to all my fellow Americans – HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!! I hope the weather is good, I hope the beer is cold, and I hope the laughs are loud and plentiful.

A true organic farm

Written yesterday evening:

Today (Tuesday 1st of July) I had the day off. I arrived here at Kerikeri Organics Saturday morning – the day Armin (my last host) left for a meditation retreat in Auckland. I met Martin Robinson Friday night at the Waipapa ceili. Very few people showed up for the Ceili, and even fewer showed up on time. So I started talking with lots of people. One of the ladies I was talking to introduced me to Marty, knowing that he relied on WWOOFers to run his business. He already had 2 WWOOFers, but could use my help. So, rather than leaving Armin’s and setting out into the unknown, I left Armin’s and set out to wash fruit!

I had been to Kerikeri Organics in my first week staying with John (1st WWOOF host). We stopped by the store on our way back to a Bay of Island’s water quality meeting. I remember being completely surprised at the selection of organics – everything from the expected produce of potatoes and apples, to the unexpected dry goods of baked beans and chocolate, with everything in between (including organic nori and pickled ginger for sushi lovers!). If the selection didn’t surprise me, then the fact that it was completely unsupervised certainly did. The customer was on the honor system for weighing their bulk goods (cashews to cane sugar to quinoa flour) and entering the correct price per kilo to get the total price. The customer then wrote everything they purchased on a slip of paper, put their payment in the honesty box (or into the IOU notebook), and took their goods!! Not even the threat of a camera watching them! I thought it a bit odd, but then decided that if a person was going to go through the effort to drive 800 meters up a gravel road to buy organic food – they were probably of a person of principles and wouldn’t try to rip off their supplier. Marty agreed with me when I told him this (over coffee and toast (homemade bread spread with organic butter and organic marmalade) after washing oranges). I mentioned that I had seen many unmanned roadside stalls since seeing his store – they seem to sit in front of every orchard/garden that produces surplus goods. Marty said those do tend to get ripped off. I guess that 800m drive makes all the difference!

Life here at the farm is pretty good. The chickens get fed organic grains in the morning and the pigs get fed left over house and store food. I haven’t been here long, but I have already picked kiwi fruit, dug potatoes and Jerusalem artichoke (a root I have not yet tried), and helped organize paperwork. I earned today’s day off by working a full day yesterday, instead of a half day. I like the other WWOOFers I work and live with. We have our own "cabin" which is very minimal, but provides shelter. The blankets I hung up in front of the glass door and in the middle of the room keep part the part of the room with the fire a lot warmer than when I first got here. When Thomas (French) is off at his friends house I cook dinner, but when Thomas is here he does all the cooking (he is schooled as a pastry chef, but makes fantastic meals too). Shin (Japanese) makes the fire every night and helps with the dishes at lunch. When Thomas is here and cooking, I do the evening dishes. It’s a pretty good system. It also works well when digging in the dirt. We have only 2 pitchforks, so 2 people work and the 3rd person rotates in to provide a break.

It has filtered down to me through e-mail that some people would really like to see these people I’m running around with. Unfortunately, I no longer have a digital camera so I will probably never have pictures of Marty, his family (one adorable 5 year old girl that I met at the ceili, a 14 month old, and his wife along with a couple shared kids I don’t really know), or Thomas and Shin. I never did get a picture of Armin either. Someday I’ll try to post pics of the other people I’ve met though – Bobbie in Auckland, John and Dominic in Kaitaia, and I think that’s really everyone! However, I’m back to 10 cents a minute internet, so no pictures in the near future ;)
I’m not sure how long I plant to stay here. Sometimes I feel like I’d like stay for a whole month – so I can be around for the next Waipapa ceili; there might be a big music and dance get together in the Puketi forest after the ceili!! Other times, I really want to get out of the muck (there is very poor drainage here and los of rain – as I may have mentioned previously) and back to a place where dirt and cobwebs aren’t the norm. I wouldn’t mind being back in Auckland for part of the international film festival. I’d also really like to at least have a place to sit on the floor and stretch again! I think I might be unrealistic asking for a warm place though! I was warned before coming that New Zealanders do not build their homes with insulation in mind. I was told (by a former NZlander) that it is common for one room in the house to be heated, the bedrooms to be freezing, and coats to be worn through dinner!!! So, I guess I’ll just get used to the cold! I am now glad that I didn’t try to get a job as a lift operator at a ski resort. I may have cold feet in rubber boots here on the farm, but at least I’m moving around to get warm. A lift operator stands there ALL day!

Anyhow ---- I spent my day off driving ½ an hour from Kerikeri to Waitangi. I didn’t pay the money to see the Waitangi treaty house, but I may do that in the future – it is an historic landmark where the first ever treaty between Maori and the British government was signed. Much like the treaties between the US and it’s natives, it wasn’t (and isn’t ) honored real well – but it’s still historic. Instead of spending the sunny day inside (the 2nd sunny day in a row!), I took a 4.5 km track up to Hururu falls. It wasn’t a difficult track at all, and took me half the time the map said (2.5 hours), but it was beautiful. I didn’t feel that I was alone in nature (as it starts by edging a golf course and then a maintenance truck was on the road below the path), but the trees were green and I could see the river below me. Eventually I walked on a boardwalk path through a mangrove forest. I stopped and read the sign explaining the importance and ecological significance of the forest. I listened to the echoing "cracks" all around me – created by the snapping shrimp that lived in the muck. It was low tide. I should go back at high tide and see how the area differs. I walked all the way up to the falls. Nothing tall and amazing, but very wide and neat none the less. Since an e-mail from a cousin, I always consider sticking my head under the falls that I hike too, but no trail has yet to take me close enough. This trail took me to the top, and I certainly didn’t want to disappoint my family by falling off! Sure, I could probably bushwack through to the bottom, but I don’t want to hurt the kiwi habitat by my needless tramping (ha ha, I can hear the collective groan of my family even now ;)

After my walk, I bought lunch in Paihia, since I had left mine at home - on the table :( I then drove up to Waiomio to check out my first ever glow worm caves!!! After taking a turn of the main road, following the gravel road for a while, and coming to the mountain with pretty cool rock formations, I was informed that this family run business did not take Eftpos (debit)!!! I had spent the last of my cash on lunch! I had considered hitting a cash machine, but didn’t. So…. I turned around and drove back to the farm. The caves aren’t far away, so it will make a good afternoon trip on some day I work only ½ a day. It will give me something to look forward to. You can be sure I’ll blog all about it. I think glow worms are the one thing I was most excited about seeing when I came here. Silly, I know , but that’s me….