Throwing away the Ruby Slippers

Tom Hanks

egdoster — Wed, 30 May 2007 03:28:00 GMT

I forgot to mention in my previous article additional flight circumstances that I found rather disturbingly humorous @ the time, during which I became Tom Hanks. but not Tom Hanks of "Sleepless in Seattle," a lover. nor Tom Hanks of "Catch me if you Can," an FBI agent. at least I wasn't Tom Hanks of "Castaway!" instead, I was Tom Hanks of "The Terminal," and this is how.

So we had those 2 additional hours on the plane in Auckland as we waited for the intercom to be fixed, right? and then we de-boarded the plane for another 2 hrs, during which time we were issued $10 food vouchers. The international terminal had a mere 2 choices of places to eat, a cafe & Burger King, neither of which sounded good to me. As I'd already been in airports & on planes for almost 12 hrs, I felt like a walk, so I decided I'd stretch my legs & visit to the domestic terminal, which had better food choices. To my chagrin, I was stopped by security & informed that I'd already officially left New Zealand, and was therefore not allowed to leave the international terminal! I was less-than overjoyed, and didn't like the feeling of being stuck somewhere, not allowed to leave.

Thus, I did another lap of the terminal, only to return to the cafe line, which had approximately 150 people in front of me. At least I was able to get something to eat, consisting of a stale croissant and an oddly-flavored chicken mango chutney sandwich.

As for star sightings, Jessica & I saw Peter Jackson in the mall while we were in Wellington eating lunch on Mother's Day...

I'm currently, yet again, attempting to download and upload pictures; we'll see if I have a link to send out soon!

38 hrs in transit!

egdoster — Fri, 25 May 2007 02:34:00 GMT

After a grueling 38 hours spent on flights & in airports, I finally made it home! I was supposed to make it by Wed evening, but didn’t get in until Thurs morning. My 1^st flight was delayed 4x & finally cancelled, so they put me on a different airline. I was pretty much jogging from the domestic to international terminals in order to have time to pay my $25 departure fee & change over the last of my NZ $’s, after which I had 90cents that I quickly spent on a chocolate costing that amount. I made it in time for the next flight (on the different airline), we boarded the plane, waited for 2 hrs for the intercom to be fixed, got off & ate dinner (@ 10:00 p.m.), then got back on & left 4.5 hrs later.

My arrival in L.A. & getting another flight (mine had left 6 hrs earlier) went rather smoothly, though I detest that airport—it’s dirty & full of belligerent, rude people. I could immediately tell I was back in the States, the land of the-customer-is-always-right, & having everything available all the time (no missing condiment or coffee extra). I had a 5-hr lay-over, so I had plenty of time to hit the Mexican joint in another terminal! I’d been waiting months for that! 2 more flights & I was home! Yeah! I knew the flight would be bad enough on it’s own, but when I added in all the logistical problems & so much time, it was even worse—I had about 10,000 body complaints (swollen feet, sore knees, etc.), & was simply bored & exhausted.

I’ve definitely had trouble re-adjusting; it’s the worst jet-lag I’ve ever had! I’ve been staying up all night, sleeping in, tired, am getting a cold, just all screwed up. Despite this, it’s great to be home, seeing family & friends. In fact, I’ve already taken a mini-road trip down to KY to see a friend & her new baby.

I think reverse culture shock is always worse than the original—when you’re heading away from home, you expect things to be different & feel weird, but when you’re coming home, you expect it to be just like normal. Nope, it’s been odd to drive on the opposite side of the road (25 yrs of 1 side, 6 mo’s of the opposite, & I’d already changed!). Mom made fun of me for reaching for the gear shift & hitting the blinker or windshield wipers instead, which I didn’t really have a problem w/ in NZ! I don’t think I’ll ever be instinctually, 100% positive that I’m on the correct side of the road, like I was before I left.

Once I was in from my flights, it was breakfast time, so I went for some milk to go w/ my bowl of cereal (not muesli), & was quite taken aback by how large the milk jugs are—it wasn’t just 1 or 2L, in a square container that easily fit into a smaller refrigerator door. In fact, everything in the U.S. seems bigger—stores, parking lots, vehicles, roads, distances, signs, etc. bit overwhelming, even though I’ve lived here before! Now, I’ve got tons of stuff to do before I leave for the summer again, and I’ve been procrastinating, so I’d better go.

lack of a "real job"

egdoster — Wed, 16 May 2007 07:58:00 GMT

"In these trying times, I don't, in a manner of speaking, know what I want; perhaps I don't want what I know and want what I don't know." (from Marsilio Ficino, in a letter to Giovanni Cavalcanti) guess when this was written--c. 1475! and yet, I find what is true for this guy in 1475 is true for me, in that people often ask when I plan on settling down, getting an 8-5, M-F, getting married, having kids, what my life will look like in 5 yrs, etc. I don't really have an answer for this, except this quote seems quite appropriate. it's not that I plan to live the life of the nomad for all eternity, it's just that I've yet to find anything else more interesting, a reason to stay in 1 place, doing 1 thing day after day. I look @ the classifieds in the newspaper & simply can't see myself doing/being interested in any of the jobs listed; therefore, I look elsewhere, & end up doing things like being a sky ranger in CO, or a Jeep tour guide in AK, or packing fish in NZ. I am not a travel snob--sometimes I run into people who denigrate those who stay @ home, don't leave their comfort zones or experience the world, etc. I, on the other hand, am glad that people can be content w/ that life; besides, I need someone to be an accountant b/c I need help w/ my out-of-control taxes (6 state & a federal last year, no more 1040EZ for me)! I do, however, get sick of those who listen to my stories & look @ my life & say, oh, I wish I could do what you do, I want to travel, but I just can't b/c....(litany of excuses inserted here). it's really not that hard--you simply make up your mind & do it! I leave in just a couple hours for home, on a 2 1/2 day trek, really. I've made sure to wear my comfortable pants & t-shirt! When I get home, I've got lots of friends in the midwest to catch up w/, that I'll be sure to exchange stories w/, even share pictures w/. What will be disappointing is that in all the words I use, all the thousands of pictures I show, I'll never be able to explain what my life has been for the last 6 months, what it means to experience NZ, how my (literal) mountaintop experiences suffuse my self. you've just got to do it for yourself, in order to understand it! that's the end of my rant--I've had a fabulous time w/ Jessica, living on a hillside on the beautiful bay, watching the sailboats go by, and am now fully used to civilization again (i.e. showers, beds, sheets & blankets, eating @ a table w/ dinnerware, etc.). As usual, I am sorry to be leaving, but excited to see friends & family @ home. I have the feeling that these flights home are going to feel like an eternity--I'm ready to be there already, & I haven't even left!

Things to Miss about NZ & going Home

egdoster — Mon, 14 May 2007 18:56:00 GMT

I'm going home in 2 days--what a bittersweet feeling, as always! Things to Miss about NZ: Big Bikkies, Whittaker's almond chocolate bars, Tim Tam Slams, Hokey Pokey icecream eating 5 meals/day (breakfast, tea, elevenses, lunch, tea, dinner, supper, etc.) kettles & tea lack of pretention w/ income, career status, prestige, intellecutalization, & appearance mellow, laid-back lifestyle constant flow of travelers, the intermixing of cultures, the large ratio of non-native NZers living permanently in NZ bewitching mountains, forests, rivers, rocks, beaches lack of dangerous, poisonous animals, @ least while hiking in mountainous territory & having to place one's hands in covered crevasses of trees & such being around people who are allowed to have pride in their country, who love their country & what it has to offer my new friends from around the world "extreme" activities cheap vehicles lack of waste, recycling values my personal lack of responsibility to anyone but myself Things to Appreciate about going Home: family & friends! fast inernet connections, wireless, free internet (& CDs & DVDs) @ the library, constant access to computers Mexican food (including quasi-Mex, like Taco Bell!), graham crackers (necessary for s'mores, lacking in our fires on the beach), Ben & Jerry's lower cost of living/less expensive to go out to eat reverting back to privacy concerning political views fleeing the skinny jeans trend prevalent in NZ sweet sweet stuff no life-size Mr. Bean posters! ambition in people, access to resources & jobs, schools, businesses, stores free nights & weekends stunning landscapes of the U.S. not being the arrogant, consumer-mad, environment-destroying, war-mongering, redneck, lazy, condescending, processed/preservative-ridden/fast/junk food- eating, disdained, materialistic, ignorant- of- the- world, destroyer of the world via political, religious, environmental, economic, & medical beliefs, American. (not that this attitude is always prevalent, but one of these issues will usually pop up eventually)

city girl

egdoster — Thu, 3 May 2007 18:27:00 GMT

I've been a city girl the last week, w/ plans to be a city girl for my last 13 days. Since dropping Teri off @ the airport @ 5 a.m. last week, I've been living in Christchurch w/ friends of my parents & their 3 kids, attempting to sell the van. We definitely paid too much for it, so I haven't been satisfied w/ the offers I received, so I've still got it, which is not according to plan, but what can you do?

So I've spent the last week figuring logistics & buying plane tickets (Wellington-Auckland on my departure date, & Indianapolis-Salt Lake for June) & a ferry ticket for tomorrow. I'm driving from CHC-Picton, which takes about 6 hrs, then getting on the ferry for 3 hrs to get to Wellington, where my college friend Jessica & her husband Simon live. as I said, I'm not thrilled about being a city girl for so long, but am happy to see friends & even got to visit Borders here!

I am absolutely stuffed right now--we had lasagna & pavlova for dinner, before which I ate a bunch of chocolate & crackers (I've been eating a ton of chocolate lately, which I never used to like, which is case for a protruding stomach, as I also haven't been exercising of late!). ah, the joys of living in a house w/ a family! thank you, O'Malley's!

Teri's whirlwind tour

egdoster — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 18:41:00 GMT

we just completed a 10-day, whirlwind tour of the S. island, showing my college friend Teri about, almost killing her on a driving hike of the Routeburn, playing w/ baby seals on the beach,

1st of all, I had to hitchhike up to Christchurch in order to pick up the van, spend the night, & pick up Teri the next day @ the airport, following which I quickly whisked her away from the city to Mt. Cook, the tallest mountain in N.Z., absolutely fabulous. Teri's 1st impression of a glacier: "it's like someone spit toothpaste over a dirt pile."

After a quick 2-hr hike giving us fabulous views in the mtns, we drove to Wanaka, checked out Puzzle World, then hiked to Rob Roy Glacier, where we drove off a foraging kea bird, the only alpine parrot in the world.

The next day we drove to Kinloch, where I'd been working the last 3 weeks, & spent the night in a house, w/ gracious ppl that I'd worked w/ who fed us dinner the next day after a ferocious hike on the Routeburn, following which Teri commented: "I feel like I was hit by a semi." however, what glorious views! snow-capped, rugged, steep, rocky mountains piercing the sky, w/ a background of blue, blue sky, much better than my last attempt up the track that drove icy rain into my benumbed body.

We had to spend the following day recuperating, kayaking around Lake Wakatipu & saying hello to the kids I nannied & the others I worked w/, then dinked around Queenstown a bit, checking out shops, before driving on.

This was a huge driving day, encompassing much of the west coast, w/ brief stops to check out the view of glaciers, Pancake Rocks, & rocky coasts; to stretch our legs, eat dinner (w/ a possum & weka birds wandering about), eat icecream, etc. (I made sure to take her to each & every one of my favorite icecream places, as well as introduce her to mince pies & tim-tams.)

Then it was time to enjoy the beach, driving past Abel Tasman to Wharariki Beach, where we played w/ young frolicking seals (from inches away), took silly pictures @ sunset, had a campfire & made s'mores, & slept out. Phenomenal.

After watching the seals again & wandering around all the caves of the beach, we went to Rawhiti Cave, which has a massive entrace filled with stalagtites & mites in fantastical shapes. After a few days w/o showers & our hike out to the cave, we had to wash off some sweat in the cold river, which was a quick dip! We dried out on our way to the Abel Tasman monument, overlooking the ocean & w/ fantastic rock shapes on shore, then off to Nelson.

We had to take a swim in the ocean in Nelson, as well as do a wee bit of wine tasting, before going down to Nelson Lakes, where we enjoyed an easy morning hike along the shoreline that led to Whisky Falls, which spit out over 70'. Hanmer Springs was our next stop, where we enjoyed the natural thermal hot pools, before heading back to Christchurch, touring which involved visiting the art museum, slurping up a shake from KFC for $1/ea, & the informative Canterbury Museum.

Teri heads out @ 5 a.m. tomorrow, then it's time for me to try to sell the van, then I think I'll head to Wellington to visit another college friend, Jess, who's living there w/ her husband...

a day in the life...

egdoster — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 19:24:00 GMT

up @ 7, 20-min walk down the road, checking out the fantastic post-dawn lighting

work in kitchen, 8-12:30, drinking a ghetto mocha (percolated coffee--rare in NZ--w/ hot chocolate), doing dishes, polishing silverware, etc.

made myself French toast for lunch, checked e-mail

took 3k bike ride to Glacier Burn trailhead, hiked up 50 mins through forest until reaching a rocky scramble. dinked around in the rocks, checking out the view of the valley & up to the snowy peaks, then trotted back down to the bike, which only took 20 mins.

biked back to Kinloch, quickly removed shoes & shirt, & jumped in the icy, tingling-cold lake, scrambling to swim quickly to shore, then walked barefoot up to the hottub, following which I took a luxurious shower & repaired to dinner & to do laundry before leaving.

for the 1st time since I arrived, I didn't work dinner, so I consulted w/ Julie, a physical therapist who's working as a housekeeper here, to help out w/ my knee problems.

I've got some odds & ends to clear up, John's taking me to Queenstown tomorrow, then I hope to hitchhike to Christchurch, where I've somehow got to meet up w/ my friend who has the van in Rangiora, 1 1/2-hrs away, then pick up Teri @ the airport on Tues, who's either arriving @ 3 or 11 p.m., depending on which flight she catches! logistics, logistics, logistics. ugh.

Kinloch Lodge

egdoster — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 15:37:00 GMT

Hello.

I decided to stay an extra week in Kinloch, in order to take care of some stuff that I've been putting off (like fixing my leaking Camelbak & ThermaRest--the Camelbak has leaked since I got it 2 yrs ago, the ThermaRest just the last month), to continue living like a queen (kind of), & to hike part of the Routeburn track.

I've been loving my "cupboard above the stairs" as Toni (my hostess) refers to my room. after all, I look out onto the lake & mtns, which is esp pretty @ dawn, when I briefly awaken, peek out the window to see what glory the day brings, & fall back into bed for my last brief moments of sleep, before I care for the terrors (we have an understanding now of what we're willing to put up w/, so we get along a lot better than @ first. plus, I know a lot better what they're allowed, where we can go, etc.), help w/ housekeeping, help in the restaurant, etc. I must say, however, that I'm sick of working! I can't wait for it to be done, esp b/c I've worked everyday, no day off, all split shifts, meaning I'm always thinking about work/ getting to work on time/ what else I need to get done for work, etc.

I did get a few hours off Tues to hike as much of the Routeburn as possible before biking 18k (~10 miles, I think) back to work. So, I got up & got the kids breakfast & dressed, 8-9:30, caught a ride in a van to the start of the track, then passed hoardes of ppl as I booked it along, trying to make it to McKenzie Saddle, which most ppl take 8 hrs thereabouts to do (w/ full backpacks). People definitely gave me odd looks & comments as I raced past. the 1st part was flat, almost boring (I'm becoming so spoiled!), then I hit a big uphill (not crazy exposed or anything, just uphill) for the next 40 mins (supposed to take 2 1/2 hrs, I guess), where I came upon the huts, which are tricked out w/ flush toilets, amazing views of the valley & snow-capped mtns, & of numerous waterfalls. After this, I tried to continue going as quickly as possible, but I hit an exposed section @ the saddle & was too underdressed & de-motivated to press on through the wind-driven rain pelting my benumbed flesh, still bedecked in my worn Umbros that are about ready to give up the ghost. I didn't feel like continuing, knowing that I had a time deadline, & would still have to go all that way back down, as well as bike back. Plus, I couldn't even enjoy the view, as I was in the cloud. When I got past that windy, windy section on the return, the clouds lifted enough for me to see the glory before me, spectacular views, even though I wasn't @ the top. got to see some blue snow, too. my gear dried in the wind of my bike ride back to the ranch, & I even had time to leisurely shower, eat dinner, & get to work, as the entire endeavor only took 6 hrs. sweet as!

As for my esteemed Umbros, that I've been wearing constantly for the past, oh, 5 yrs, I'd say, that have made the cut clothing-wise for every single one of my trips, have just about had it. I need to sew them up, as they're split down the outside of 1 leg, the inside of the other leg, & w/ a hole in the crotch! This all occurred sometime last month, just after I'd been blown away by their enormous staying power, as I put those things through tons of abuse, as you can imagine. I can't imagine going on a trip w/o them; I'll either have to buy a new pair of shorts to lug about w/ me, or hope that my poor sewing skills are up to the challenge of repairing them. after all, I need something for Galapagos!

So I'll be here @ Kinloch through the weekend, before I head back to Christchurch by Tues to pick up my college friend Teri for her 10-day tour. Now I need to figure out a way to get to CC, as that's where Liz dropped the van off, @ the Wenborn's/Bri's house, where we stayed previously.

Ecuador & Galapagos!

egdoster — Fri, 6 Apr 2007 21:54:00 GMT

I am going to freakin' Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands for the summer! How sweet is that?! Just got the assignment from Wilderness Ventures, the same company I worked for last summer, leading wilderness trips for teens.

Here's the official (short) description:

Adventure in the wilds of Ecuador while assisting local communities. See the Galapagos as Darwin first saw them and swim along side sea creatures with no fear of humans. Build a school library high in the Andes, then on Cotopaxi, bicycle downhill through several life zones. Live in a tiny Amazon village while volunteering at an animal rescue center. Raft the legendary Napo River, soak in the Papallacta Hot Springs and visit the Otavalo Indian Market.

yee-haw!!

luxury

egdoster — Mon, 2 Apr 2007 21:30:00 GMT

I've had a great week. It's funny how your definition of "luxury" or "civilization" can change. After living out of a van for a couple months, everything qualifies as luxury/ civilization! Even though I live in Kinloch, which apparently encompasses a couple trailers, a DOC campground, & the place where I work (a hostel, cafe, & hotel-type), it's still considered civilization, as I've had to consider how I smell (i.e. laundry & showering on a regular basis) & remember how to interact properly w/ people.

anyway, I've been enjoying the pleasures of unlimited internet, a room to myself (1st time since leaving U.S.) w/ a beautiful view of the lake, watching movies, the use of kayaks, bikes, & a hot tub, eating cooked food, work, taking a puppy on a walk, etc. As a cold rain was drizzling down the other day, I enjoyed my afternoon off watching "Bourne Identity" & "B. Supremacy" & drinking hot chocolate while sacked out on the couch. ahhh. and today, w/ the sun shining, we took kayaks out & lazily tooled around, then jumped in the hot tub.

also, it's been good to work, replenish the coffers, esp as I'll need $$ to take my friend Teri, from university, around the S. island when she visits for 10 days. fun stuff to look forward to!

Paradise

egdoster — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 20:57:00 GMT

Yesterday, I started my day by doing penance (1.)
I then bypassed the Cosmos (2.)
in order to make it to Paradise (3.)
from whence I was thrust into purgatory (4.)

1.) I've been nannying for a 4 & 3-yr old & 9-mo old, & I'm in over my head. I've had a tough time controlling the kiddos, as they're used to having their own way from their parents, their punishment consists of a 4 or 3-min time-out in their room where all their toys are, and I feel awkward disciplining kids when their parents are watching. so, yeah, I've been brought down by children, esp embarrassing when everyone can hear the temper tantrum as it echoes about.

2.) a view of the Cosmos Peaks is passed on the way to Paradise 3.) a town (?) which consists of 1 mansion, 1 metal house/shed, a sheep station, spectacular views, a no-exit road sign (it's a 1-way road), & the film crew for "Prince Caspian," the 2nd of the Narnia movies.

4.) as I returned late from Paradise to get to dinner, the stereotypically temperamental chef @ the restaurant where I also work, was a bit perturbed, & we had a busy night.

(Actually, it wasn't that bad, but that's what I thought of @ the time! :)

trek & nannying

egdoster — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 19:11:00 GMT

Today was beautiful--we keep ending up back in Queenstown, not b/c we're enamored of the place, but b/c of the convenience--easy access to showers, free 3-min e-mail checks & decent prices on internet, etc.

Yesterday, I was able to obtain a job in Glenorchy starting Mon, so we've had a couple days to kill. Thus, we took another awesome trek up the mtn, starting @ a track near the gondola that goes up a steep, steep hill, then on the Ben Lomond track to the top of the mtn, w/ an excellent view of Mt. Aspiring, & lots of others. We kicked butt, I must say, as we pretty much halved the time they say it should take, which is great for fitness/exercise! We gained about 4000' in elevation, too! And the view just kept getting better at each new bend or lookout. Our fast time also enabled us to spend heaps of time @ the peak, soaking it all up. What a gorgeous day!

As I said, I start my 2-week job in Glenorchy on Mon. I'm quite nervous about it, as half the time I'll be caring for a 4 & 3-yr & 9-mo. old, which I've never done before! Sure, I've babysat some, but nothing to this extent, though I'm sure it'll work out fine. What could possibly go wrong for 2 weeks? (famous last words!) I'll also put some time in @ the restaurant. I think this will be my last job, enabling me to spend the rest of my time traveling about; as I've seen everything that I've wanted to see, I'll be able to re-visit favorite places or simply follow the sun back north or some such. ah, the possibilities!

Liz is going to spend the next 2 weeks traveling w/o me. we're not sure how/when we're going to meet up, as she's almost on her way back home. depends on what we feel like doing after the job is done--it's way too far ahead to plan. :)

until next time...

oh, yeah, I just uploaded some pics for the 1st time, they're from the Greenstone-Caples trail of my previous journal entry.

tramping glorious mountains!

egdoster — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 09:27:00 GMT

Dept of Conservation Visitor Log:

No. of nights in huts*: 2

No. in party: 2

Names: Liz Doster & Liz Voigt

Home country: Indianapolis & TN, USA

expected route: Upper Caples--Mt. McKellar--car park

Primary reason for stay: eating tuna & stomping through mud puddles (i.e. tramping)**

Comments: glorious, incredible***, happy to have semi-dry hut instead of tent in rain!

*Liz V, on an expected 3-night, 4-day tramp (took us a day less), decided to take 16 cans of flavored Sealord tuna as her sole means of sustenance. we both thought this hilarious!

**esp as we had extra room in our backpacks, as we didn't need a tent, b/c we utilized the great NZ hut system. though you have the option to tent it, along the route they have cabins that come equipped w/ water from a tank (suggested you boil or treat--I did not, & can but hope that in a week or 2, giardia doesn't disturb my biorhythms), & a roof, which is utterly spectacular when you've got a cold, autumnal rain pouring down for 2 nights, & you're able to almost-dry your soaking clothes & sleep in a bunk & move around under a roof, which is odd, after months in the confined space of a van.

***You would not believe the scenery along this tramp, just outside of Glenorchy, that we were able to enjoy in the sunshine on our last day, & in the rain on the day we had to go up & over the saddle (just 954 meters, but still a bit of a downclimb, esp when it's slippery). There were plenty of mud-sucking puddles to wade through, & I managed to find the 1 spot that a sink hole in a stream was waist-deep. good thing my sleeping bag was encased in a trash bag, or I'd have had a wet night! after being in the cold rain for so long, the water didn't feel too bad; if it'd been sunny & warm out, it would've been freezing!

As I was saying, there really is no way to describe in words the glory of the rugged, rocky mountains & enchanted forest & sparkling waterfalls & rays of sunshine & foggy mists & jade-colored rivers, & green valleys & golden fields & bits of snow tucked among rocky outcroppings of peaks that we encountered in our journey. not even pictures, let alone words can't contain the feeling, the mystique, the fantasy of the breath-taking, soul-snatching, awe-inspiring, astounding, stunning, etc. etc. scenery. you've just got to be there & experience it for yourself.

Though I didn't go so far as to solely eat tuna, I did find it funny that I didn't need to alter any of my grocery purchases for living in the backcountry, as living in a van is close enough, & I didn't care about the extra weight of cans of baked beans, cans of tuna, cans of corn, an apple, a couple pieces of chocolate, & a few granola bars. On our last day, a meandering, easy 16-mile hike out w/ blue skies, we did promise ourselves the joy of Big Bikkies, described as: "creamy cookie flavoured icecream packed w/ big cookie chunks, smothered in cookie crumbs & rich milk chocolate. Warning: This icecream will seriously satisfy." ah, the reward of gorging!

Aside from our tramp, in the last week we also visited the magnificent Milford Sound, packed full of more majestic, mystic mountains (& cold rain), as well as the confounded Nugget Point, an area so far South that the ocean gets confused & waves crash into each other & the sediment that it's pushed together into vertically-striped rocks. phenomenal. and, I was treated w/ a rainbow over the sea just before I left.

am I spoiled or what?!

Queenstown, tourist central

egdoster — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 20:21:00 GMT

this feels odd to be writing so late at night (10:10 p.m.), b/c usually the internet places, in fact, everything in the entire town, closes down by 6 p.m., but here I am in Queenstown, tourist central, where even the internet places are open late, which is great! I've definitely become used to everything closing early, though.

Our plans to hike the glacier fell through, as first we had poor weather (Freezing rain), then we decided to go climbing in Wanaka (1 1/2 hrs from Queenstown), w/ Cat & Jen. HOwever, Cat, our local guide whom we all met wwoofing, then left w/in 12 hrs of reaching Wanaka for the States, in order to work w/ her brother in a shearing venture, where she'll be for 10 weeks. talk about a quick turn-around--she found out as we were driving down, then had to head back up, a 15-hr drive, in order to make her flight the next day! glad it wasn't me. Thus, our glacier & climbing guide fell through, we had heaps of freezing rain in Wanaka, so we hung out @ Puzzle World for a while, which plays mind tricks on you, then took off for Queenstown, in order to be ready to celebrate Jen's b-day the next day.

Today was spent recovering from that birthday, we were rather lazy, though we did just do a quick hike up the hill, offering spectacular views. Yesterday, we were blown away by the Remarkables, the mountain range, which are beyond word description. They were even snow-capped for us, courtesy of the freezing rain we experienced previously. We drove to a ski resort, then hiked for a couple hours to reach a small peak, practically being driven by the wind off the mountain, but being rewarded w/ views beyond compare, of snow, rugged mountains, a green river, a steel-colored lake, I just can't do it justice w/ words, & my pictures will be a disappointment, as they won't encompass the majesty of the mountains whatsoever. However, it was awesome to view & play around in!

w/ all the other activities of the day, including one of the most decadent icecream shops I've ever encountered (I had a "single" scoop w/ tiramisu & cappuccino flavors of utter deliciousness), & receiving mail/ a package in Queenstown, as well as going out that night, I decided to declare it my birthday as well, b/c we had such a great time!

Now, Liz & I have Milford Sound to cover w/ a tramp or 2, while Jen takes off for a wwoofing gig in Blenheim w/ fellow Belgians. you really should look up Queenstown/the Remarkables on the internet for pictures or something, just to get a taste.

NZ culture, part III

egdoster — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:15:00 GMT

Have I mentioned how atrocious the sand flies are? worst season they've had since locals can remember. As bad as their bites itch (mostly around feet & ankles), we've determined we're glad they don't buzz like mosquitoes.

It's normal for schools to be separated boy/girl. All wear uniforms (some more disturbing than others--some have fleece &shorts, others striped jackets).

update: We've found normal, good-looking, attractive people on the South island.

Kiwis love meat pies, they're advertised everywhere, including gas stations. Mince pie almost seems like the American hot dog. in general, though, doesn't seem like New Zealand will ever be known for its food. I desperately miss Ben & Jerry's & Mexican food!

I-sites are marvelous, where you go to get any tourist info you need/directions/signing up for trips/etc., & they always have toilets, & are open on weekends & holidays!

On hot days, seems like virtually everyone will have an icecream cone, especially at the beach.

NZers are not partial to dogs in public places, like parks, beaches, etc, partly b/c they scare sheep or kiwis (the bird, not the people). sign in a park in Nelson: "Dogs hassling sheep will be destroyed." --city council of Nelson

Maori (the natives of New Zealand) traditionally have tattoos on their faces, so it's not totally unusual to see people w/ faces and necks tattooed.

NZers speak w/ lifted voice inflections at the end of a sentence, making declarative statements sound like questions. it's very interesting to listen to, just different.

My time in Nelson was the longest period I've spent w/o seeing sheep!

Kiwis hate to stand in line, so most times will have machines to take a number, then take a seat, like at the i-site or bank or post office. if seats aren't available (or even the no. system), then people simply wander around or give so much personal space to one another that you don't know if they're in a line (queue) or not. Beware of thinking it's your turn & accidentally cutting in front of someone--they won't hesitate to defend their position!

Only native mammal of NZ--3 kinds of bats, 1 of which is extinct, so don't come to NZ for the wildlife, though you will occasionally see herds of deer in pens (it's weird when you're used to seeing such hefty animals as cattle, & instead you see slender deer), & the sand flies are voracious! You're legally allowed to shoot anything that's not a native of NZ, which means any mammal.

quotes, part III

egdoster — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:11:00 GMT

I can't let a deer walk by without shooting it. --Cat

This is an outfit, right? --Doster, wearing gumboots, a tan sweatshirt w/ United States emblazoned in blue glory on it, & gray sweatpants, in order to go hunting

How long are your legs? --Rob, to 6'7" Seb

I am munching! --Seb, gruff-voiced, as an explanation to eating the lunch fixings

It's amazing where 1 foot in front of the other can get you. --Voigt, w/ great profundity, while walking

and he had 1 arm, too. --Voigt

typical American teen girls. --too long of a story to explain now, but extremely insulting

Don't be a baby. --50-year-old deadhead hippie from NY, Steve

kiwi terms: sweet as. far out. lollies (candy). singlets (tank tops for guys). dog box. keen, heaps, mate, take the piss out of me (to tease), eh, toasty cheese (grilled cheese)

Don't breed, folks! --redneck Jason from Karamea

I try not to get myself in situations where my girlfriend beats me up. --redneck's friend

Wild Foods Festival

egdoster — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 11:59:00 GMT

man, I typed all of this out yesterday, & it all disappeared when my time ran out. bummer! so, here we go again.

We've been doing a lot of stuff, here's a random assortment:

I learned to do my very 1st official cartwheel, on the beach, the other day. woo-hoo!

I touched a baby seal, twice, as it swam by me.

we viewed dolphins frolicking in the swells of the ocean, even jumping a few times, from Pancake Rocks, which are beautiful layered cliffs

hiked a rain forest area, up Mt. Stormy, clambering up and down root systems, very glad we're not in Oz, so we don't have to think about all the crazy poisonous stuff that can easily kill you, though it'd certainly add to the adventure!

had a group of teen boys surround me while I was stretching out, asking if I was a circus act! should I be insulted? I've never been asked if I were in the circus before...

hiked through the Fox River, past stunning rock faces reminiscent of the San Juans, to the Ballroom Overhang, which could probably hold 100 ppl, under which we slept peacefully (once the sandflies died down for the night). it's where I awoke on my 26th b-day.

painted my face w/ raspberries like the traditional Maori facial tattoos.

slept in a house (on a mattress on the floor in my sleeping bag), for the 1st time since Jan. 25! wow! took a hot shower (1st 1 since leaving Nelson 2 weeks ago, otherwise just bathing in rivers & the ocean), ate at a table w/ bowls & silverware, cooked oatmeal/porridge, fell asleep to movies.

stayed w/ a fascinating family in Christchurch area for 2 nights. have 11 kids, eclectic bunch--parents used to be prima ballerinas, live in a house filled w/ a daughter's oil paintings, another daughter owns a coffee shop & is the NZ women's nat'l fencing champion, another is a wedding dress designer. good to interact w/ new people again.

listened to live music, a band featuring a lead singer w/ a lisp, another who looked like the comedy version of a history prof, & a robotic drummer who played in such a stiff style he resembled Forrest Gump

highlight: attending the Wild Foods Festival in Hokitika, a town of 4000 that adds 18000 for the festival! lots of drinking, drinking, drinking everywhere, bonfires on the beach, a small fireworks display, more drinking.

We gave ourselves a personal mission of taking pictures w/ 20 different dressed-up groups, w/ a "say no to didymo" bumper sticker (an algae that's infesting NZ rivers). we had pics w/ guys dressed in Alcatraz orange jumpsuits, pirates, cops wearing Speedos, the actual security guys, professional tennis players from the 80's, craziness!

Though we passed on trying huhu grubs, worms, pig's eyeballs in Mac & cheese, and grasshoppers, we did try ostrich pie (not too bad), sheep testicles ("mountain oysters"--not horrible, as long as you didn't think about it) served by old guys, & an oyster in tabasco & lemon juice (which was nasty). Good times were had by all.

rednecks

egdoster — Wed, 7 Mar 2007 13:44:00 GMT

hmmm, what did I last write? as you travel, the days all blend together, b/c you see & do so much!

currently, we're in Christchurch, after driving 4 hrs through the gorgeous, mountain-filled Arthur's Pass yesterday, from Greymouth/Pukaiki. we're staying w/ 1 of Cat's sisters, Brianna, who lives w/ a family of 13! they're so hospitable & nice, it's wonderful, & we've finally taken a shower for the 1st time in ages. otherwise, we've just been bathing in rivers & in freezing cold pools in front of waterfalls, or taking numerous dips in the ocean. we've spent a lot of nights on beaches, esp beautiful b/c of the full moon of late. the night before last was spent underneath the Ballroom Overhang, after a 2-hr hike through a river by gorgeous rock faces that reminded me of the San Juans.

we had an absolutely hilarious time being entertained by stereotypical rednecks the other day, whom we met b/c he was taking his dog for a walk by driving down the beach & saw our fire & stopped to chat. how else did they fulfill their redneck requirements? by:

wearing a singlet (tank top)

being proud of having never cleaned his vehicle, & owning another vehicle just like it in order to have spare parts for when it broke down

having a 1-year-old walk around naked w/ a beer

having a spare bedroom made out of an old watertank in their front yard

having a house made of curving sheet metal

meeting a 16-year-old girl named Georgia, after hte Ray Charles song, who believed me when I said i was 54

a dog mad about sticks who breathed by snorting like a pig & didn't like men

starting the fire w/ petrol

having our redneck friend yell out to a less-than-beautiful middle-aged couple, "Don't breed, folks!" and admitting that he'd gone up to large (300 lbs) ladies & said, "You don't sweat much for a fat chick, do you?"

being told we should be glad to be partying w/ them, as there were real rednecks on the other side of town, who weren't living there for the "right reasons"

having a broken-down, smashed-up car in the front yard

owning a house that had more paint peeling than was actually on the house, w/ a general air of disrepair & neglect

having a backyard filled w/ old vehicles

having our friend Jen standing in front of said house & vehicles wearing a white tank top w/ a broken strap & red bra peeking through!

am tired & out of time to write, so that's all you get!

climbing! caving, swimming, adventure!

egdoster — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:24:00 GMT

My fingertips are toast--some skin is missing & it hurts to type & do practically anything. but, it was all the in name of a good cause--climbing! we've had an incredible time this weekend, playing in the Golden Bay area w/ Cat (of Port Ligar, our wwoofing place in Marlborough Sounds) & another of her wwoofers, Jen, of Belgium, who's currently traveling w/ us. we did so much cool stuff!

climbing, caving, sleeping on a fine white sand beach, watching the sunrise & sunset on the beach w/ spectacular rockfaces before us, swimming w/ baby seals (touched one!), doing tim tam slams (into cream liqueur-delicious!), drinking beer & wine yet again on the beach mostly, drinking champagne & eating strawberries & chocolate for breakfast on the beach, more swimming & climbing, climbing & midnight by moonlight, eating Big Brekkies (cookies 'n cream icecream bars), being amazed by the green glowworms in a cave, viewing the largest cavern in the southern hemisphere w/ incredible stalagtites & stalagmites, you name it, we did it! we're a bit worn out now!

to recuperate, we stretched out on the beach last night, then took a walk to Wainui Falls this morning, bathing in the freezing cold water of the falls. brrrr! today is errand day, then we've got just over a week to kill before we meet up w/ Cat & Seb (bro & sister) again in order to hike the Fox Glacier (she used to be a guide there) and partake in the Wild Foods Festival, but that's not until March 9 or so. we're planning to explore the west coast w/ Jen until then, which makes a squeeze into the van, but I'm sure we'll manage. we don't have an itinerary, just guess we'll see what we see along the way.

my highlight of this weekend was night climbing, which I've never done before. We did some 17's (which I think is a 5-8/5-9 for the U.S. scale) on a beautiful night w/ a 2/3rds moon that set while Liz & Jen were on their way up the limestone rockface. I chose not to use my headlamp & just ascend via moonlight & feel, which was incredible! It was esp redeeming for me b/c I'd bombed my climb of earlier that day, leaving quite a bit of blood on the rocks, which is why my fingertips hurt now. it was nice to actually make it to the top, esp of The Bellringer, which actually had a bell @ the top to ring!

this & that

egdoster — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:01:00 GMT

We are in our last 2 days of work @ Sealord. had a blast the other day eviscerating fish, ripping their guts out, using our gloved hands up to our wrists, then twisting. Too bad it only lasted half the day, & we were back to the fillets in the factory, which is enough to drive me batty, though I'm getting used to mindless jobs.

We're leaving this weekend to hang out w/ the amazing Cat Shand, whom we met via wwoofing in Marlborough Sounds. she's a great climber, has lead 5-12b's--wish I could do that! we're going to be hanging out in Golden Bay, near Takaka (where our van broke down--ah, the memories!); she said we're going to need heaps of energy b/c she's got plans for us. can't wait!

the energy is low at the moment b/c we spent the night on the beach. It was glorious, comfortable, falling asleep to the sound of waves breaking (good thing we went to bed @ high tide!), though not until 2:30 a.m. I was up by 8, driven nuts by the sand flies trying to attack my face, neck, & whatever other body parts they could reach. So, I ate a bit of everything we had in the van (cheese, peanut butter, chocolate, plums, a carrot, stuff that really didn't go together), then took a jog down the beach.

This jog was definitely not classified as a run--I had a tough time catching an old guy* who was wearing a white singlet** who was probably in his 10th kilometer anyway.

*Don't worry Mom & DAd, this guy was upper 60's, I think, so you're not old yet!

**a singlet is NZ speak for tank top. It just generates such a lip-curling attitude to say singlet instead, bringing to mind the jr. high wrestling team in their embarrassing uniforms. eeek.

after the "jog" I took a dip in the ocean, which counts as both "shower" and "laundry." you wish i were kidding, don't you! (we have showers @ Sealord, don't worry.)

yesterday, saw an interesting old lady in town, w/ white hair, ripped calves, a tan, w/ an old cruiser bike, wearing a hot pink polyester housedress. just thought i'd fill you in on that.

I'm down to my last minute, so i'd best sign off!