So lately we haven't been up to much. The winter season has started and it rains most days. The coldest night we have had so far got to around 2 degrees. Nate got up that morning to frost covering the ground. It was supposedly one of the coldest nights recorded in Auckland for a long time. The days usually get to a high of between 14-16 degrees, which for winter isn't bad at all considering winters I'm used to range around the -40 mark! So to keep warm we bought a little floor heater. The flat does not have central heating and no fireplace so it can get pretty cold at night. I think we take central heating for granted...once something is taken away you really learn to appreciate it.
I probably should bring everyone up to date on the past few months though. We have taken a few small trip.jpg)
s here and there. The first trip after the South Island was sailing. I get free admission on the America's Cup sailboats and The Whale and Dolphin boats through my work so I booked a sailing trip for Nate and I.
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s here and there. The first trip after the South Island was sailing. I get free admission on the America's Cup sailboats and The Whale and Dolphin boats through my work so I booked a sailing trip for Nate and I.We went on a Saturday. The weather was beautiful and the wind was perfect. we were loaded aboard and given a safety talk, apparently no one has ever fallen off the America's cup...Nate and I thought if we did we would be famous, but they said we would all be losers ha ha! We were worked hard on the sailboat. We had to grind on the grinders to get the sail up, which is actually allot of hard work. and the wind was quite strong so the boat leaned over really far a few times...if you were sitting on the edge you could reach out and skim your hand over the water! And the boat being over so far you had to climb to get to the other side. Nate and I even got to steer the sailboat. The instructors would tell you to point the bow at a certain object and try to keep us going towards it. With the waves though, it could be a bit tricky. And at the end Nate got to go below deck and help put away the big sail.
A few weeks after the sailing trip we decided to check out Waiheke Island. It's about a 35 min ferry ride from Auckland. The island is only around 93 sq km and covered +(2).jpg)
in vineyards. Apparently there are 26 vineyards and 26 art galleries and craft stores...very impressive for such a small space of land. Nate and I went on a short bus tour which showed us the multi-million dollar homes and vineyards scattered around. We got to stop at the two main beaches, Palm Beach, and Onetangi. We had ice cream at Onetangi beach where a wasp chased me almost off a little cliff, and then headed to Oneroa (the main village). We walked around a few little shops and then stopped at a little restaurant for some amazing fish and chips. We walked down to a little sandy beach afterwards where we found an interesting chair carved out of an old tree stump. We did a sweep of the beach for some cool shells and then headed back to the Ferry and home.
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in vineyards. Apparently there are 26 vineyards and 26 art galleries and craft stores...very impressive for such a small space of land. Nate and I went on a short bus tour which showed us the multi-million dollar homes and vineyards scattered around. We got to stop at the two main beaches, Palm Beach, and Onetangi. We had ice cream at Onetangi beach where a wasp chased me almost off a little cliff, and then headed to Oneroa (the main village). We walked around a few little shops and then stopped at a little restaurant for some amazing fish and chips. We walked down to a little sandy beach afterwards where we found an interesting chair carved out of an old tree stump. We did a sweep of the beach for some cool shells and then headed back to the Ferry and home.Our next big trip was to Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach. We went with our flattie Tanja and two of her work+(2).jpg)
friends, Katja and Svenja...both from Germany. We all piled into the little car strait after work on a Friday and then drove the 3 or so hours to Paihia. We stayed at a really cool backpackers called the Mousetrap. The first day we were up at 6am to catch our tour bus. we drove around the little town picking up other people from different hostels and hotels and then made our way to the sand dunes at Ninety Mile Beach. To get to the dunes our bus driver had to drive through a little sandy river for a good 5 mins. He said if he stopped, the bus would get stuck, so he drove like a crazed man and at times I thought the bus might tip over lol! Now it wasn't all that warm when we arrived and the wind was very strong. everyone changed into their sand boarding wear, which for me was my bikini and a rash guard (kinda like a t-shirt for those wondering). Most of the other ppl just wore shorts and a t-shirt...smart because it really was very cold in a bathing suit. We grabbed the boards and followed our bus driver up this huge sand dune. The wind was so strong here it nearly blew you back down. The sand was being whipped at my bare legs and it felt like being slapped over and over. Once at the top I could barely open my eyes. The driver directed us down the hill one at a time and told us to be mindful of the drop at the end and aim for a grassy patch...well I could not see any grassy patch so tried to go really slow. To go slow you had to dig your bare feet into the sand which didn't feel so great after a few seconds of barrelling down the hill. And then the driver starts yelling to lift your feet so you can go fast...I was not gonna do it lol! And neither did the other girls. Nate was the only one who plummeted himself down the dune at reckless speeds. I only we.jpg)
nt once, the sand and wind was too much...and most of the ppl on the bus ditched after one run as well. Nate went a few more times as well as some others but no one really lasted, and the bus driver ended up being on the hill alone...he was hardcore!
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friends, Katja and Svenja...both from Germany. We all piled into the little car strait after work on a Friday and then drove the 3 or so hours to Paihia. We stayed at a really cool backpackers called the Mousetrap. The first day we were up at 6am to catch our tour bus. we drove around the little town picking up other people from different hostels and hotels and then made our way to the sand dunes at Ninety Mile Beach. To get to the dunes our bus driver had to drive through a little sandy river for a good 5 mins. He said if he stopped, the bus would get stuck, so he drove like a crazed man and at times I thought the bus might tip over lol! Now it wasn't all that warm when we arrived and the wind was very strong. everyone changed into their sand boarding wear, which for me was my bikini and a rash guard (kinda like a t-shirt for those wondering). Most of the other ppl just wore shorts and a t-shirt...smart because it really was very cold in a bathing suit. We grabbed the boards and followed our bus driver up this huge sand dune. The wind was so strong here it nearly blew you back down. The sand was being whipped at my bare legs and it felt like being slapped over and over. Once at the top I could barely open my eyes. The driver directed us down the hill one at a time and told us to be mindful of the drop at the end and aim for a grassy patch...well I could not see any grassy patch so tried to go really slow. To go slow you had to dig your bare feet into the sand which didn't feel so great after a few seconds of barrelling down the hill. And then the driver starts yelling to lift your feet so you can go fast...I was not gonna do it lol! And neither did the other girls. Nate was the only one who plummeted himself down the dune at reckless speeds. I only we.jpg)
nt once, the sand and wind was too much...and most of the ppl on the bus ditched after one run as well. Nate went a few more times as well as some others but no one really lasted, and the bus driver ended up being on the hill alone...he was hardcore!After the sand dunes we drove to a little beach where we ate our lunches and took a breather. Some ppl went swimming and I really considered it but the wind was just too cold. We took some photos and explored a little, then everyone piled back on the bus and we headed for Cape Reinga. When we arrived it was the windiest yet. Tanja and I could lean our full weight into the wind and not fall over! We took the path down to the lighthouse, about a 10 min walk, where people were walking on .jpg)
an angle, to stand upright was impossible! The wind was so strong I am amazed no one was blown away! Once on the path the view was breathtaking! This is the point where the waters of the Tasman sea meet the Pacific Ocean. In stormy weather the waves crashing together can get up to 10m high! Looking out over the endless ocean gives a real end-of-the-world feeling, and the Maori consider Cape Reinga the jumping off point for souls as they depart on their journey to their spiritual homeland. We were not aloud to have food or drinks here out of respect for the dead. There is an 800 year old pohutukawa tree at the very tip of the cape where the souls are believed to slide down its roots. After getting some really awesome pics we headed back to the bus. This is when it started to rain...pelting down with help from the crazy wind. We made it to the bus just before the downpour! Next stop was Ninety Mile beach.
We drove through the river again to get to the beach where the coast stretched out for miles! The bus stopped and we went searching for clams. The driver found some rig.jpg)
ht away, pulled it right outta the sand, ripped it open, and offered it to Nate...who, reluctantly at first, ate it! He said it was like chewing on sea water...very salty. We then dug up some of our own clams, but didn't eat them. Then the waves came crashing in and my pants got soaked lol! Back to the bus. We drove along the beach for about an hour or more...it was like the beach never ended. One point of interest was a car that had been half buried in the sand by the tides. You can only drive on the beach when the tide is out...someone must have drove out and then didn't realize the tide was coming in and got stuck ha ha!
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an angle, to stand upright was impossible! The wind was so strong I am amazed no one was blown away! Once on the path the view was breathtaking! This is the point where the waters of the Tasman sea meet the Pacific Ocean. In stormy weather the waves crashing together can get up to 10m high! Looking out over the endless ocean gives a real end-of-the-world feeling, and the Maori consider Cape Reinga the jumping off point for souls as they depart on their journey to their spiritual homeland. We were not aloud to have food or drinks here out of respect for the dead. There is an 800 year old pohutukawa tree at the very tip of the cape where the souls are believed to slide down its roots. After getting some really awesome pics we headed back to the bus. This is when it started to rain...pelting down with help from the crazy wind. We made it to the bus just before the downpour! Next stop was Ninety Mile beach.We drove through the river again to get to the beach where the coast stretched out for miles! The bus stopped and we went searching for clams. The driver found some rig
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ht away, pulled it right outta the sand, ripped it open, and offered it to Nate...who, reluctantly at first, ate it! He said it was like chewing on sea water...very salty. We then dug up some of our own clams, but didn't eat them. Then the waves came crashing in and my pants got soaked lol! Back to the bus. We drove along the beach for about an hour or more...it was like the beach never ended. One point of interest was a car that had been half buried in the sand by the tides. You can only drive on the beach when the tide is out...someone must have drove out and then didn't realize the tide was coming in and got stuck ha ha!On the way back to t.jpg)
own we stopped in a little fishing village for the best fish and chips I have ever tasted! we pre-ordered from the bus so they were ready for pick up when we drove in. I am not really a fan of eating fish and so shared with Nate, but I wish I would have had my own that's how good it was! We then made a stop at the Ancient Kauri Kingdom (a little tourist store) which was mostly tacky and overpriced. Here 50,000-year-old kauri stumps are dragged up from swamps, which they fashion into furniture, woodcraft products, and tourist junk. Inside there is a huge kauri log with a spiral staircase carved into it that takes you up to the second floor...pretty cool!
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own we stopped in a little fishing village for the best fish and chips I have ever tasted! we pre-ordered from the bus so they were ready for pick up when we drove in. I am not really a fan of eating fish and so shared with Nate, but I wish I would have had my own that's how good it was! We then made a stop at the Ancient Kauri Kingdom (a little tourist store) which was mostly tacky and overpriced. Here 50,000-year-old kauri stumps are dragged up from swamps, which they fashion into furniture, woodcraft products, and tourist junk. Inside there is a huge kauri log with a spiral staircase carved into it that takes you up to the second floor...pretty cool! Finally we made it back to the hostel where we made some spaghetti and had hot showers. The next day we took a car ferry across to a little town called Russel. They had a s+(2).jpg)
mall country music festival sort of thing going on and we witnessed a man singing in the street while his band played from the safely of the sidewalk. We walked in and out of some cool little art shops and Nate and I grabbed a delicious smokey and bun from a street vendor. We then drove to the end of Long Beach Road to check out a spot a very close friend of mine told me to see while I was here. Alison said it was one of her favorite spots in NZ and I knew it had to be a must see. When we got there it didn't look like much, just a small beach. We got out of the car and went exploring. We climbed some rocks on the shore...the tide was out and there were lots of little pools teaming with life. And the water here was so clear. We all wished it wasn't so cold so we could go snorkeling. After the beach we made our way back to the car Ferry and started the drive back to Auckland. It was a very Windey road and I ended up getting really car sick. Being squished in the back of the car didn't help so I switched someone for the front seat. We continued the drive, wanting to stop and an old Kauri forest but we couldn't find the one we were looking for. we found a different one and the others left me in the car to recover while they checked it out. That's when it started raining really hard again and there was a bit of thunder. I started thinking about what would happen if they didn't come back. Nate had the car keys and my cell phone was dead so I had no way of contacting them or anyone else...luckily they finally showed up soaking wet lol! And we made the drive home.
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mall country music festival sort of thing going on and we witnessed a man singing in the street while his band played from the safely of the sidewalk. We walked in and out of some cool little art shops and Nate and I grabbed a delicious smokey and bun from a street vendor. We then drove to the end of Long Beach Road to check out a spot a very close friend of mine told me to see while I was here. Alison said it was one of her favorite spots in NZ and I knew it had to be a must see. When we got there it didn't look like much, just a small beach. We got out of the car and went exploring. We climbed some rocks on the shore...the tide was out and there were lots of little pools teaming with life. And the water here was so clear. We all wished it wasn't so cold so we could go snorkeling. After the beach we made our way back to the car Ferry and started the drive back to Auckland. It was a very Windey road and I ended up getting really car sick. Being squished in the back of the car didn't help so I switched someone for the front seat. We continued the drive, wanting to stop and an old Kauri forest but we couldn't find the one we were looking for. we found a different one and the others left me in the car to recover while they checked it out. That's when it started raining really hard again and there was a bit of thunder. I started thinking about what would happen if they didn't come back. Nate had the car keys and my cell phone was dead so I had no way of contacting them or anyone else...luckily they finally showed up soaking wet lol! And we made the drive home.This past wee.jpg)
kend I caught my second NZ cold...not fun! I went to work on Friday anyway since that night was one of my co-workers going away party. Lily is heading back home to Germany and I wanted to see her before she left. I told her I would only come for a drink or two but ended up being out till 2 in the morning lol! She was fun to work with and will be missed. Hopefully someday we'll go to Germany and visit all the ppl we know there lol!
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kend I caught my second NZ cold...not fun! I went to work on Friday anyway since that night was one of my co-workers going away party. Lily is heading back home to Germany and I wanted to see her before she left. I told her I would only come for a drink or two but ended up being out till 2 in the morning lol! She was fun to work with and will be missed. Hopefully someday we'll go to Germany and visit all the ppl we know there lol!Anywho, now all my blogger fans are up to date...until next time :)