"All good things must come to an end." It's bittersweet knowing that I'll be flying out in less than 12 hours.
The last week has flown by. Thankfully, no more encounters with vicious sandflies and we even managed to have some sunny days. We spent 2 days at a lakeside camping ground at Lake Wanaka. Our first day was spent skydiving and beach bathing, followed by wine and sitting on the roof of our campervan watching thunderstorms off in the distance. Sarah and Al took our second full day to walk into town and rent kayaks. I felt more like staying around base camp and ended up renting a mountain bike and riding some shore trails. Managed to ride next to a river to the neighboring Albert Town; surprisingly easy for someone who's never biked on trail before! Wanaka will remain a sunny gem in my mind. It was all too tempting to apply for the campground facility staff and stay until the end of Kiwi summer. Maybe next US winter?
So, I know that you're probably tired about hearing me complain about the rain. Trust me, I'm tired of complaining about it. But see, we had reason to think we were cursed. Wanaka had not received rain since OCTOBER before we arrived. The afternoon of our second day, and the heavens opened up. It poured all night. While the locals rejoiced, we internally cringed and packed our van to chase blue skies once again. Sarah joked that we spent the entire trip in overcast conditions with blue sky just out of reach. The weather lead to us being in the car more, constantly trying to find a sunny view and trails that weren't flooded. Every Kiwi we met laughed when we told them we had been rained on our whole trip and proceeded to tell us about what beautiful weather they'd been having...up until our arrival. We made the best of it though and still managed the drive around most of the country in less than 3 weeks; not a minor feat!
After Wanaka, we made it down to Queenstown to meet up with our forestry friend, Jesse, and his family. Once again, raining when we arrived. We walked around town and the waterfront and waited a half-hour for FANTASTIC Fergburgers. So good. So big. So worth it. Once again, I'm pretty sure that Kiwis have us beat when it comes to a delicious hamburger; they load them up with beets, plum sauces, and avocado among other things. Jesse's family let us dry out that afternoon in front of their condo's fireplace and we chatted about our travels over a glass of wine. After searching for cheap camping close to town and finding nothing less than $50 for an unpowered campsite, Sarah and Al bought hostel beds and I found a parking spot near downtown for our van that I would camp out in. We met up with Jesse and his brother and went to the oh-so-touristy Minus 5 bar. Completely made of ice, you have to don parkas and gloves before entering. The glasses, furniture, and art are all made of ice. It was fun, albeit expensive, but we asked the young guys running the bar where a good place in town was. We were directed to The Naughty Penguin (very appropriate for post-ice bar) and had a nice drink with locals. The night ended with us finding a bar with dance music and we enjoyed some very entertaining people-watching. Unlike other big towns where most of the hostel crowd seems to be mid- to late twenties, this area seemed to be hosting a rat's nest of 18 year olds. As I said, very entertaining people-watching.
Sarah and I took 2 days getting back to Christchurch where we'll fly to Auckland and then back home. I leave today (the 16th), she leaves on the 18th. We stayed at a picturesque country campground in the middle of the forest. Our first campfire all trip! More rain. More beautiful scenery.
Christchurch is completely different the second time around. Although there is still tons of destruction, many more people! And sunshine! And oh man, some of the most beautiful botanical gardens. We spent yesterday just laying in the central park area reading our books. You managed to save some face, Chch. Good work.
And now, I should be leaving for the airport. Sad to be leaving a country that really does feel like a good-fit, but happy to be returning to a routine. Idle hands get tiresome very quickly, as does spending money. Revamped! Rejuvenated! Ready to face the hard work of finding employment and making tough life decisions! Despite all the scenery and meeting all sorts of people, this is what I love most about travelling. It inspires me to make the most out of everyday life. It reminds me what I enjoy most about home and the friends and family that constitute it.
I can whole-heartedly say that this trip was a success. Sweet as, NZ!
Until next time,
Kate
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
West Coast
Quick update.
Drove from Christchurch to the West Coast these last few days. Highlights:
- Cave stream - underground stream; about a 30 minute hike through caves in knee-deep to chest-deep water. Water droplets on the ceiling looked like stars. So cool.
- Franz Josef glacier - hike out to glacier; surreal scenery with lots of crowds. Also so cool...minus the crowds.
- Camping with sandflies - OH GOD MAKE IT STOP. First morning, Al's sanity broke because of the flies and the bad weather. This morning, Sarah's sanity broke because of flies and rain. Crossing my fingers that I'm not next...
- Lake Wanaka - Sunbathed for the first time! One hour makes three weeks out here worth it, right? Right??
- Skydiving - Going in an hour! Nervous, but can't wait!
No time on the internets left; only 5 days left until return trip! Ahhh!
Until more internet minutes,
Kate
EDIT:
Oh man. I just jumped out of a plane at 12,000 feet in one of the most scenic areas I've ever been. A very flirty and hilarious eastern European man was my tandem partner, and made the flight all the more fun. We did a bunch of tricks on our way down which I didn't think I'd have the stomach for. To be honest, I didn't think I'd have the stomach for skydiving period. So incredible!! Definitely an experience that will be difficult to top, what with a view of Lake Wanaka, the neighboring lake, Mount Cook, Mount Aspiration, and the southern Alps. Pictures during flight cost an extra $100-200, so here's a stolen picture with the same view as today:
Tough life, right?
Also, we picked up our Escape campervan from Christchurch. It's Transformer themed! Over the last couple days, we've gotten sooo many waves and thumbs up from little boys driving by or parked at our campgrounds. My camera was forgotten at our hostel in Chch, so pictures will have to wait until my return home. So far, the van has been a mixed blessing. Wonderful being able to cart all our gear around and not have to worry about finding a hostel every night, but we haven't showered in 3 days now (going on 4 since we're not staying at a campsite tonight with facilities). However, the sun finally came out today and Sarah and I enjoyed a jump in Lake Wanaka earlier. I will be going back for seconds shortly. Sleeping quarters tend to be a bit cramped as well, but Sarah and I brought tents so we'll be rotating out.
Spirits have been getting down with all the bad weather, biting bugs, and LONG drives (we average between 5-8 hours in the car on the days we travel) but today has been a favorite for all three of us! Oh man. I seriously can't get this smile off my face.
I was hoping to get my flight changed to fly out Chch, but my travel company is being a butt so I'll be trying to do stand-by up to Auckland on the 16th and catch my 7:30 PM flight back to San Francisco that night. Everything should work out, given I can catch my flight to Auckland. If not, I can just reschedule my flight to SFO from the Chch airport until I can hop a flight out. The return home is coming up so quickly! I'll be coming home with lots of smiles, good memories, and itchy bug bites. Once again, worth the trip!
Seriously until next time,
Kate
Drove from Christchurch to the West Coast these last few days. Highlights:
- Cave stream - underground stream; about a 30 minute hike through caves in knee-deep to chest-deep water. Water droplets on the ceiling looked like stars. So cool.
- Franz Josef glacier - hike out to glacier; surreal scenery with lots of crowds. Also so cool...minus the crowds.
- Camping with sandflies - OH GOD MAKE IT STOP. First morning, Al's sanity broke because of the flies and the bad weather. This morning, Sarah's sanity broke because of flies and rain. Crossing my fingers that I'm not next...
- Lake Wanaka - Sunbathed for the first time! One hour makes three weeks out here worth it, right? Right??
- Skydiving - Going in an hour! Nervous, but can't wait!
No time on the internets left; only 5 days left until return trip! Ahhh!
Until more internet minutes,
Kate
EDIT:
Oh man. I just jumped out of a plane at 12,000 feet in one of the most scenic areas I've ever been. A very flirty and hilarious eastern European man was my tandem partner, and made the flight all the more fun. We did a bunch of tricks on our way down which I didn't think I'd have the stomach for. To be honest, I didn't think I'd have the stomach for skydiving period. So incredible!! Definitely an experience that will be difficult to top, what with a view of Lake Wanaka, the neighboring lake, Mount Cook, Mount Aspiration, and the southern Alps. Pictures during flight cost an extra $100-200, so here's a stolen picture with the same view as today:
Tough life, right?
Also, we picked up our Escape campervan from Christchurch. It's Transformer themed! Over the last couple days, we've gotten sooo many waves and thumbs up from little boys driving by or parked at our campgrounds. My camera was forgotten at our hostel in Chch, so pictures will have to wait until my return home. So far, the van has been a mixed blessing. Wonderful being able to cart all our gear around and not have to worry about finding a hostel every night, but we haven't showered in 3 days now (going on 4 since we're not staying at a campsite tonight with facilities). However, the sun finally came out today and Sarah and I enjoyed a jump in Lake Wanaka earlier. I will be going back for seconds shortly. Sleeping quarters tend to be a bit cramped as well, but Sarah and I brought tents so we'll be rotating out.
Spirits have been getting down with all the bad weather, biting bugs, and LONG drives (we average between 5-8 hours in the car on the days we travel) but today has been a favorite for all three of us! Oh man. I seriously can't get this smile off my face.
I was hoping to get my flight changed to fly out Chch, but my travel company is being a butt so I'll be trying to do stand-by up to Auckland on the 16th and catch my 7:30 PM flight back to San Francisco that night. Everything should work out, given I can catch my flight to Auckland. If not, I can just reschedule my flight to SFO from the Chch airport until I can hop a flight out. The return home is coming up so quickly! I'll be coming home with lots of smiles, good memories, and itchy bug bites. Once again, worth the trip!
Seriously until next time,
Kate
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Christchurch
We thought people were over-exaggerating when they told us to avoid Christchurch. This place is a ghost town! After almost a year, many of the buildings downtown are still in shambles and the recent quakes have done nothing to help. We arrived today by bus around 7, and it was eerie driving along and seeing fewer and fewer people & cars as we approached the city center. Unlike Auckland with it's huge skyscrapers and busy metro area, Chch (Christchurch) has beautiful river greenbelts and is more scenic. Sadly, many of the classic churches have crumbled or are being torn down; the brick architecture doesn't hold up well against the earthquakes. Luckily, we're only in town for one night so we can pick up our CAMPERVAN tomorrow morning.
And let me tell you, we are so psyched that we finally booked a van. A recent cancellation means that we get an Escape van all to ourselves for a week. We're jetting straight down the coast to see all the beautiful national park areas including the Queensland & Lake Wanaka area (where we plan on skydiving over the lake) and the Fjordlands. I'm hoping to squeeze in a massive day hike around Mount Cook before I have to fly out, but I'm learning that it takes much longer than we first thought to get from place to place so it might have to wait for a future trip.
Still raining, although looking sunnier as we head south. Getting nervous about coming back to the States and jumping back into school & work, but all's well!
Until next time,
Kate
And let me tell you, we are so psyched that we finally booked a van. A recent cancellation means that we get an Escape van all to ourselves for a week. We're jetting straight down the coast to see all the beautiful national park areas including the Queensland & Lake Wanaka area (where we plan on skydiving over the lake) and the Fjordlands. I'm hoping to squeeze in a massive day hike around Mount Cook before I have to fly out, but I'm learning that it takes much longer than we first thought to get from place to place so it might have to wait for a future trip.
Still raining, although looking sunnier as we head south. Getting nervous about coming back to the States and jumping back into school & work, but all's well!
Until next time,
Kate
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Windy Wellington
Being around people 24/7 is starting to catch up with me. While the big cities are fun to visit and socialize in, I'm definitely realizing that I enjoy rural areas more. Too many people! Too much noise! It all makes for a quiet and cranky Kate. Crossing over the channel tomorrow will be appreciated.
As far as big cities go though, Wellington is my favorite city we've stayed in so far. On the harbor, there are lots of little shops and cafes that offer great meal discounts and encourage people to mingle. Sarah, Al, and I went out on the town last night to try and find the Malthouse for a beer and ended up on a pretty good self-guided tour of the downtown area. Turns out the pub is only about 2 blocks from our hotel! As I said before, the theme of this trip is getting lost. We're getting really skilled at it! After a beer, Al returned to the hotel while Sarah and I went out dancing. My pop culture is about as up-to-date as New Zealand's, so it's nice to actually know the songs that are played.
Visited the museum in town this afternoon. The culture here is so rich, although the exploitation of the natives remind me of home. I dig the natural history of the islands! My favorite exhibits are the volcanic activity displays as well as the historic flora and fauna. Found a great quote about the volcanoes of the area:
"There is something in the fire and roar that generates an irresistible desire to get nearer to it."
-Charles Dickens
Don't know why I'm so drawn to those words, but they resonate strongly with me. Maybe it's a good summation of why I enjoy forestry and fire so much? It's the same desire that you feel when hiking to a summit or along a trail; there is a drive that pushes you to finish and go further.
Not too much to say otherwise. Weather is getting better; actually had a bit of sun today. South Island tomorrow and I'm pretty darn excited! Give me mountains, alpine lakes, and big sky. Need to refresh my spirit before going back to Humboldt and jumping into the chaos that constitutes the daily grind.
Until next time,
Kate
As far as big cities go though, Wellington is my favorite city we've stayed in so far. On the harbor, there are lots of little shops and cafes that offer great meal discounts and encourage people to mingle. Sarah, Al, and I went out on the town last night to try and find the Malthouse for a beer and ended up on a pretty good self-guided tour of the downtown area. Turns out the pub is only about 2 blocks from our hotel! As I said before, the theme of this trip is getting lost. We're getting really skilled at it! After a beer, Al returned to the hotel while Sarah and I went out dancing. My pop culture is about as up-to-date as New Zealand's, so it's nice to actually know the songs that are played.
Visited the museum in town this afternoon. The culture here is so rich, although the exploitation of the natives remind me of home. I dig the natural history of the islands! My favorite exhibits are the volcanic activity displays as well as the historic flora and fauna. Found a great quote about the volcanoes of the area:
"There is something in the fire and roar that generates an irresistible desire to get nearer to it."
-Charles Dickens
Don't know why I'm so drawn to those words, but they resonate strongly with me. Maybe it's a good summation of why I enjoy forestry and fire so much? It's the same desire that you feel when hiking to a summit or along a trail; there is a drive that pushes you to finish and go further.
Not too much to say otherwise. Weather is getting better; actually had a bit of sun today. South Island tomorrow and I'm pretty darn excited! Give me mountains, alpine lakes, and big sky. Need to refresh my spirit before going back to Humboldt and jumping into the chaos that constitutes the daily grind.
Until next time,
Kate
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Farewell North Island!
Alas, the past week (and then some) has flown by! After staying at the south end of Lake Taupo last night, Sarah and I left Al at a busy bus stop bound for Wellington while we drove up through the central portion of the North Island back to Auckland to return our car. Tomorrow, we are southbound and down! We'll stay a night in Wellington (to re-meet up with Al) before taking the ferry over and then let the real sightseeing begin. The three of us agreed that we've seen some pretty sights up here, but everybody raves about the south and from the pictures we've seen, it's an area well-worth raving about. Also, a Wellington local whom we met on a hike yesterday recommended the Malt House in town, so we plan on making the crossing with some good Kiwi brew in us which has been significantly lacking for the majority of the trip. We're pretty pathetic foresters (and nurses).
I know I keep mentioning the weather, but seriously, it has been depressing to leave cold & rainy California just to come to tolerable & rainy New Zealand. We have been oh-so lucky to see bits of sun on all of our hikes, but I'm crossing my fingers that our luck will bring us at least ONE full day of sun. One! That's all I'm asking for! Come on cyclone gods, I know you have it in you. Even just driving through the country today, it's ridiculous how much more beautiful the landscape is once you let a little sunshine hit it. It would also be nice to leave with some resemblance of a tan...not that I tan much in any case.
I realized yesterday that I haven't taken any group pictures on my camera yet, so here are some stolen photos from Sarah's camera...which is a far better camera than mine anyway!
Haven't heard about anything major happening in the US. If something big/dramatic/awesome has happened, please let me know. I'm that kid that went 75 days without knowing about the Gulf oil spill. So, seriously. Let me know. My e-mail is kmwilliams12@gmail.com if you just want to say hi as well! Miss y'all!
Until next time, Kate
I know I keep mentioning the weather, but seriously, it has been depressing to leave cold & rainy California just to come to tolerable & rainy New Zealand. We have been oh-so lucky to see bits of sun on all of our hikes, but I'm crossing my fingers that our luck will bring us at least ONE full day of sun. One! That's all I'm asking for! Come on cyclone gods, I know you have it in you. Even just driving through the country today, it's ridiculous how much more beautiful the landscape is once you let a little sunshine hit it. It would also be nice to leave with some resemblance of a tan...not that I tan much in any case.
I realized yesterday that I haven't taken any group pictures on my camera yet, so here are some stolen photos from Sarah's camera...which is a far better camera than mine anyway!
Haven't heard about anything major happening in the US. If something big/dramatic/awesome has happened, please let me know. I'm that kid that went 75 days without knowing about the Gulf oil spill. So, seriously. Let me know. My e-mail is kmwilliams12@gmail.com if you just want to say hi as well! Miss y'all!
Until next time, Kate
Monday, January 2, 2012
Celebrating the New Year & Tourist Season
Warning: be prepared for a long post. I have reasonably good internet and got up early to find a computer.
Happy New Year, all! Not sure how you celebrated, but the three of us grabbed a couple beers with some Germans and a fine English bloke in the cute little hamlet of Coromandel Town. Briefly checked out the bars and then walked back to our Lion's Den hostel (see pictures of previous post to understand why it's an awesome place to just hang out) and chatted about life over in Europe. I've never heard anyone talk so casually about hanging out in weather that's -20 degrees celsius! Also discussed traditional holiday drinks in each country; turns out eggnog is popular in Germany and the US but is virtually unheard of in Britain. A very kind German couple talked over our ideas of places to visit and nixed a few areas that we had planned on; they suggested getting down to the South Island and spending the majority of our time there. We return our car in 2 days back to Auckland and then plan on training or taking the bus down to Wellington so we can ferry over.
Speaking of being on the move, we've spent a lot of the time in the car exploring the coast these past 3 days. After venturing over the Broken Hills, we returned to the area the next day to sit on the white-sand beaches in semi-sunny weather. The views of the ocean were worth the sporatic rain and overcast coolness!
The hike to the beach took you through a lot of Monterey pine stands and natural fern-tree forests. While a lot of the area reminds me of home (green rolling hills, cows on the hillside, huge conifer forests), this was definitely a sight that was unique to the west side of the Pacific.
After playing at the beach for a couple hours, we decided to head down towards Tauranga to see if we could find a hostel at the surf town of Mount Maungani. As it turns out, this is where all the Kiwis go to vacation and EVERYTHING was booked. We backtracked to Tauranga for little luck until Al batted his eyes at a hotel clerk and managed to get us a room. Although it was much more pricey than we were looking for, it was better than our alternatives which included sleeping in the car, driving an hour to Rotoruga to find more filled hostels, or attempting to pitch tents on the side of the road at 11 PM.
I should mention that we have a peculiar habit of getting lost. We're getting better about it though! At first the detours cost us about 2 hours worth of time; we're down to about a half-hour now! Part of the problem is that many of the roads aren't clear about what direction they go. They'll say they head east when we really want them to head south. Another problem is that many of the highways intersect mulitple times with neighboring roads, making it difficult when you're trying to find a specific turn-off. We also apparently just fail at recognizing NZ signs. As Sarah says though, it's about the journey and we're seeing a lot of things that we wouldn't have otherwise gone to check out!
After bedding down in Tauranga, we left to go find a series of waterfalls that my off-the-beaten-path guidebook suggested. After getting lost and finding them, we were blown away. WOW. First of all, barely any other tourists! Secondly, one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've seen in person. Kaite Falls, you were well worth a 30 minute detour.
And that's only the upper falls. The lower falls were enormous and roaring with water due to the amount of precipitation the island has received recently. I didn't want to risk my camera getting wet due to all the spray, so I'll have to steal photos from Al or Sarah later on. At the lower falls, there were cliffs to jump off of into the swimming hole and cavities to explore next to the actual falls. Lots of spots to sunbathe as well, if only there had been more sun!
Feeling happy after our visit to the falls, we headed south to Rotoruga to find a hostel for the night. Rotoruga is a very touristy area that the locals feel exploits most of its natural wonders. One of the most geothermically active areas in the world, it seems like everybody has their own personal hotspring in their backyard. Our hostel even has a free thermal spring! After booking a room, we consulted my guidebook again and there is a recommended secret spring south of town. My guidebook doesn't give instructions on how to find it, but it gives a riddle to solve that the author says will lead you to the spring. Al and I solved the riddle and sure enough, we found the perfect hidden spring in a Jurassic looking forest!
The water was sooo nice! We all agreed that this was an epic win. We lounged around for about 2 hours, enjoying the spring and the solitude.
On our way back to the hostel, we passed a sign for Mud Pool. My book raves about this place; the author says it is one of his favorite spots on the North Island. While not one of our favorites, it was definitely a new experience to see so much boiling mud.
Maybe it's just one of those places you have to be at to enjoy. Lots of disgusting and/or hilarious sounds errupted from the mud craters! We stayed around to finish a beer and then jetted back to enjoy the sunset painting the most beautiful colors on the clouds overhead. First sunset I think we've been able to see since it wasn't completely cloudy or rainy at that moment!
When planning this trip, I expected a lot more self-reflection. Turns out I'm around people too often to do much deep thinking. I also expected to see things that took my breath away around every corner. I remember when I first drove into the park when I worked at Lassen; I couldn't believe that I was going to live in such a wonderful area for 3 months. Every time I drove into Redding or back to Davis, I had this same heart-wrenching feeling of just how lucky I was. Here though, so much of it reminds me of the States. Not that it's not beautiful and new!, I guess I just expected more after hearing what others who had traveled here had said. I guess it goes to show what a unique experience it is to live in Humboldt. California, you've ruined me in terms of appreciating natural beauty! I have my fingers crossed that the South Island can show you up.
One thought as a forester; clearcuts are epic over here! Al and I joke that this is where California loggers go to play. I remember my silviculture professor saying he left New Zealand because the forestry was boring, and I can see what he means. Huge tracts of Monterey pine fill the landscape in tight stands. I haven't seen any selection cuts or anything that challenges a manager. Fun if you're a timber beast! Boring as hell if you're not.
Until next time, take care of yourselves!
Kate
Happy New Year, all! Not sure how you celebrated, but the three of us grabbed a couple beers with some Germans and a fine English bloke in the cute little hamlet of Coromandel Town. Briefly checked out the bars and then walked back to our Lion's Den hostel (see pictures of previous post to understand why it's an awesome place to just hang out) and chatted about life over in Europe. I've never heard anyone talk so casually about hanging out in weather that's -20 degrees celsius! Also discussed traditional holiday drinks in each country; turns out eggnog is popular in Germany and the US but is virtually unheard of in Britain. A very kind German couple talked over our ideas of places to visit and nixed a few areas that we had planned on; they suggested getting down to the South Island and spending the majority of our time there. We return our car in 2 days back to Auckland and then plan on training or taking the bus down to Wellington so we can ferry over.
Speaking of being on the move, we've spent a lot of the time in the car exploring the coast these past 3 days. After venturing over the Broken Hills, we returned to the area the next day to sit on the white-sand beaches in semi-sunny weather. The views of the ocean were worth the sporatic rain and overcast coolness!
Cathedral Cove - "Crowded" by Kiwi standards, but still not as bad as US beaches in my opinion
The hike to the beach took you through a lot of Monterey pine stands and natural fern-tree forests. While a lot of the area reminds me of home (green rolling hills, cows on the hillside, huge conifer forests), this was definitely a sight that was unique to the west side of the Pacific.
After playing at the beach for a couple hours, we decided to head down towards Tauranga to see if we could find a hostel at the surf town of Mount Maungani. As it turns out, this is where all the Kiwis go to vacation and EVERYTHING was booked. We backtracked to Tauranga for little luck until Al batted his eyes at a hotel clerk and managed to get us a room. Although it was much more pricey than we were looking for, it was better than our alternatives which included sleeping in the car, driving an hour to Rotoruga to find more filled hostels, or attempting to pitch tents on the side of the road at 11 PM.
I should mention that we have a peculiar habit of getting lost. We're getting better about it though! At first the detours cost us about 2 hours worth of time; we're down to about a half-hour now! Part of the problem is that many of the roads aren't clear about what direction they go. They'll say they head east when we really want them to head south. Another problem is that many of the highways intersect mulitple times with neighboring roads, making it difficult when you're trying to find a specific turn-off. We also apparently just fail at recognizing NZ signs. As Sarah says though, it's about the journey and we're seeing a lot of things that we wouldn't have otherwise gone to check out!
After bedding down in Tauranga, we left to go find a series of waterfalls that my off-the-beaten-path guidebook suggested. After getting lost and finding them, we were blown away. WOW. First of all, barely any other tourists! Secondly, one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've seen in person. Kaite Falls, you were well worth a 30 minute detour.
And that's only the upper falls. The lower falls were enormous and roaring with water due to the amount of precipitation the island has received recently. I didn't want to risk my camera getting wet due to all the spray, so I'll have to steal photos from Al or Sarah later on. At the lower falls, there were cliffs to jump off of into the swimming hole and cavities to explore next to the actual falls. Lots of spots to sunbathe as well, if only there had been more sun!
Feeling happy after our visit to the falls, we headed south to Rotoruga to find a hostel for the night. Rotoruga is a very touristy area that the locals feel exploits most of its natural wonders. One of the most geothermically active areas in the world, it seems like everybody has their own personal hotspring in their backyard. Our hostel even has a free thermal spring! After booking a room, we consulted my guidebook again and there is a recommended secret spring south of town. My guidebook doesn't give instructions on how to find it, but it gives a riddle to solve that the author says will lead you to the spring. Al and I solved the riddle and sure enough, we found the perfect hidden spring in a Jurassic looking forest!
The water was sooo nice! We all agreed that this was an epic win. We lounged around for about 2 hours, enjoying the spring and the solitude.
On our way back to the hostel, we passed a sign for Mud Pool. My book raves about this place; the author says it is one of his favorite spots on the North Island. While not one of our favorites, it was definitely a new experience to see so much boiling mud.
Maybe it's just one of those places you have to be at to enjoy. Lots of disgusting and/or hilarious sounds errupted from the mud craters! We stayed around to finish a beer and then jetted back to enjoy the sunset painting the most beautiful colors on the clouds overhead. First sunset I think we've been able to see since it wasn't completely cloudy or rainy at that moment!
When planning this trip, I expected a lot more self-reflection. Turns out I'm around people too often to do much deep thinking. I also expected to see things that took my breath away around every corner. I remember when I first drove into the park when I worked at Lassen; I couldn't believe that I was going to live in such a wonderful area for 3 months. Every time I drove into Redding or back to Davis, I had this same heart-wrenching feeling of just how lucky I was. Here though, so much of it reminds me of the States. Not that it's not beautiful and new!, I guess I just expected more after hearing what others who had traveled here had said. I guess it goes to show what a unique experience it is to live in Humboldt. California, you've ruined me in terms of appreciating natural beauty! I have my fingers crossed that the South Island can show you up.
One thought as a forester; clearcuts are epic over here! Al and I joke that this is where California loggers go to play. I remember my silviculture professor saying he left New Zealand because the forestry was boring, and I can see what he means. Huge tracts of Monterey pine fill the landscape in tight stands. I haven't seen any selection cuts or anything that challenges a manager. Fun if you're a timber beast! Boring as hell if you're not.
Until next time, take care of yourselves!
Kate
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