Traveler

While I was meandering through town I ran into a couple of guys I met while working in Auckland. Lucky me they showed me where the best coffee place was. And attempted to teach me how to play backgammon. I also ran into another guy I met while I was in Rotarua, one of the guys I went to Karesene falls with!

My first night I stayed in a eco lodge a little bit outside of town called Solscape. Its before you hit this surf beach called Manu bay. I stayed in my car, if you choose to stay in one of the rooms they are old cable cars from a train.

Their is an area for check in that has a beautiful view of the ocean and a vegan cafe (opened two days after I left

The common space by where everyone slept was a living room area and a kitchen. I met a lot of people and ended up going into town for the night. It was an open mic night. There were all different ages and styles that performed it's nice to see something a little bit different then just young adults everywhere. By the end of the night it was just a party!

I met this girl name Gen, who is from Quebec and she complimented me like I dont think anyone else could. She said I reminded her of a comedian. (I secretly want to be a comedian when I grow up). We got along really well. Unfortunately I didn't get her information but maybe one day we will be reunited.

I had been hesitant to hit up the guys I met before, the hostel was a bit out of my price range and I didn't want to impose but I did end up messaging Bing, I wanted to see the guys anyway. and without hesitation he invited me over.

I don't know how Green Wave actually got started but I am pretty sure it was three guys that were like let's teach people to surf and feed them. It's one of the owners parents house. I think it can hold up to ten people plus the four woofers in the basement (aka the garage). It was super chill. I ended up staying for two nights, and did two surf lessons with Zen. It was so much fun! I think I prefer to swim in the ocean but I'd give surfing another chance.

Whakarewarewa village ( moari village and people still living there )

First day I got there I walked around town and this park called kaurie park. It's right in the town and is all geothermal activity. As you are walking around the park you see steam everywhere as hot water is flowing all around.

The next day I did white water rafting. Two other people from the hostel also came. Nynka and Collum. We went down a 7m waterfall it was so much fun. Had a mellow afternoon. I have been reading a lot and wanted to finish my book but ended up falling asleep. One of the guys (Dakota also american ) at the hostel had a birthday. Me and him made cake and a couple others got balloons and candy. We had a little birthday party.

Next day me and a few others (nynka-dutch, Kristina- garman and chase - american) went to rainbow mountain and did a hike. The mountain is mostly clay and it looks very red.

Later that afternoon just by accident I went to Karesene waterfall. I was walking back to the hostel and a couple guys (one was Thomas who I later saw in Raglan) in a car where driving somewhere and I just said hey and they invited me. It's a hot water waterfall and you can swim at the bottom of it.

Today I went to a Maori village and learned about how they lived. I thought it was interesting and glad I went however it made me feel a little uncomfortable. It reminds me of when I was younger is Israel and we would go to the nomadic villages. Like a show being on display. They were really nice though, the showed me how they would make one of their skirts. I'll attach a photo in a bit. They take a leaf and etch out a pattern. Taking a clam shell they take off part of the outside layer of the leaf with a clam shell. And it leaves just the fibers. And twist them together like a rope. It's hard to explain but it was really cool.

And then today I drove to the west coast to reglan.

While in napier it is known as the art deco (I dont know what that is ) I thought I would be bored but it was more interested then I thought. The waterfront is full of huge installation art, and waterfountains.

We stayed at a campsite just twenty minutes outside of napier, the next day we headed to Taupo. My driving style has changed since I first started travelling. Instead of constantly having to move I have taken a step back and it takes longer, enjoying more of what the country has to offer me. It took us most of the day to get to Taupo. When we got there is was beautiful. It's a huge lake the background is three mountains covered with snow. We went for a quick swim it was definitely cold.

We went into the city and had some dinner and then we found a ninja gym! It was an outside playground but it had all these crazy obstacles it was so much fun. And then we found a free campsite for the night.

Next day we went to a free natural hot springs, it was so nice. It was at the bottom of Huka Falls, a big tourist place but the place we went to wasn't too popular it was just us a couple, and a family of four. We spent the morning at this huge park practicing our horrible acro yoga. (We only know one thing) and playing on the play ground. After a coffee in town we made our way to Mt. Ruapehu.

Mt. Ruapehu is a snow covered mountain in the middle of the North Island. It's one of the only mountains on the north to get snow and now it is a ski and snowboard area. The terrain is different then what I grew up around the snow is more icy then powder. And instead of trees and grass underneath its rocks. More intimidating then meadows.

They have got it down to a science when we arrived the bottom runs where closed for the season. From what I understood they had pushed all the snow upwards so it would cover all the routes on the final weekend that the mountain was open.

The following day we took a chairlift to a cafe on the top of the mountain. On our way back we went on a walk/run to this river that had silica deposits and the rocks were all white. We spent the night in taupo and then headed back to napier in the morning.

Life has been super busy and mellow at the same time. I don't know if I even remember everything I've done in the last two weeks.

I packed up my car and my last day of work was the 14th. Two days before I left I found out my friend is having an engagement party in tasmania, so of course I want to go but flights are so expensive. I am still going to go. It's one of those things I think spending two days with everyone will be worth traveling a month on my own.

As soon as I was done with my last shift I went and played some ultimate frisbee pickup at one tree hill college (best way to start my new freedom), snuck back into the hostel to shower and then headed to Moishe house Auckland for a potluck dinner. Mor and Jack are the two I had mostly talked to but I met there two other roomies as well. And jack let me crash in his bed while he was away (super sweet).

Next morning I went towards Coramandel. There was this six hour hike I wanted to do but I just wasn't feeling it. So I found a campsite around four or five and practiced my ukulele skills (I need a lot of practice) one of the long termers heard me playing and gave me some sheet music. Turns out she also was teaching herself but preferred the improv method.

I spent two days just hanging around coramandel. And then I was going to meet up with a friend in Napier. I didn't realize how far away napier was and how little driving I had done. Before going to napier I stopped at hot water beach and got lucky with timing.

Hot water beach is where there is a natural hot springs under ground. So you can dig into the sand and it's a natural hot springs. I was under the assumption you could go any time. But its suggested 2 hours before of after low tide. I got lucky as I was walking towards the beach a couple left and I got a pool all to myself. I talked to a lot of people and met an older couple from Whales. Gave me some tips for when I decide to travel there. If you dug too deep your feet would burn the water would get so hot. And then I kept on driving.