Post Mortum

Time flies, eternity awaits.

- quoted from trailhead sign on the mountain that the Maori deemed "Intensely Sacred"

Raglan

Finally!  It has taken over two weeks to get here but finally we have arrived at the one of the most famous left hand point breaks in the world with great anticipation.  As the camper slowly climbs the final peak before dropping into the bay, anticipation is high , at least for Dad.   And.......wow!

Raglan, from a distance

Pealing shoulder high point break

The view is incredible, a huge bay with a right hand sand bar peals off in the distant North west, and to the left of the bay are 3 point breaks, unfortunately it was only shoulder high but pealing w/ perfection.

Happy Rob

It was already 6 pm so I paddled out quickly before sunset, the only one without a wet suit, mind you.  
Water temp was about 70, super friendly locals, something we aren't used to coming from California, and some clean lefts.  It was basically a left hand Rincon, really fun with a cobblestone bottom.  With sunset looming we left for the camp ground, another great site with a trampoline and playground.

Kai on the trampoline, in a downpour

What a difference a day makes.  Raglan, a day later.

Rob checking wave conditions while it rains outside

The forecast was sunshine for the rest of the week, however I was awakened in the middle of the night by rain pelting the camper.  The following morning it was heavy rain showers and lots of wind.  Surf was junk so we cruised downtown, had lunch, and rented the final Lord of the Rings, which we later found out was a mistake.  After watching the movie the weather calmed down, so we went to watch sunset and guess what , surf was going off.  Apparently around 1pm the wind switched and while we were watching Aragon fight orcs, the waves were great.

Both Jen and I paddled out to a  crowded line up.  The crowd was much different then the day before, more people and primarily younger short boarders absolutely tearing the place up!  Later we found out that there was a big surf contest being held here the next day so the contestants were out practicing.  Still, the vibe was good and even I snuck in a wave or two.  The highlight was Jen catching a great wave for 100 yds, one of the highlights of the trip.

Approaching the beach break, day 3

The swell was dying quickly.  The next day we checked out the contest, then opted for the beach break for ourselves.  The sun was out and the waves were good, if you liked closeout thumpers.  The inside was great for the kids though, and both kids caught some waves.  It was a great way to end the trip, and we had our last meal at a great cafe dining on some famous green lip mussels.  Depression has set in, we don't want to come back to reality!

Mia

Kai on a wave

Milk, the Other White Meat

This was the best unplanned stop of the trip.

Kai and Mia preparing for a ride on the 4-wheeler

Jen:  The hospitality of the Kiwi's is unparalleled in our book, due mainly to Greg.  Greg is the gregarious dairy farmer we met at a holiday park, earlier in our trip.  We decided to take him up on his offer to see the farm and rang him up. 

View from the farmhouse

He seemed delighted to host us still, and told us to come look for him, if he wasn't in the house when we arrived.  It sounded like a simple instruction until we pulled up to his place.  It was a rambling home set up on a vista, overlooking acres of green rolling hills.  There were shades of green I've never seen before.  Greg wasn't home.  Rob and I stared at each other, unsure where to find him, as it appeared he could be anywhere in a five mile radius of farmland. 

#132 and friends

Rob:  Well, it being a dairy farm we decided to start off to look for the cows.  After climbing the first hill we came across the first "herd".  200...300 pregnant cows standing around, loudly chewing the grass, staring at us.  They were as confused as us.  Kai asked if they had names, which was a great question but upon further inspection, each cow had a number tagged to its ear, so I introduced him to #132.

View of his farm and native bush

In the distance we saw what looked like a potential milking station so we started trekking towards it in our flip flops.  Now mind you, this farm is huge, 600 acres of rolling hills and trees.  Suddenly, in the distance we saw a puff of dirt and someone was on a 4 wheeler heading towards us, hopefully Greg, if not we might be in trouble.  With a big grin Greg pulled up and greeted us like we were family.  He insisted that we stay for tea (tea = happy hour), dinner, and the night and gave us the full tour of farm.  500 heads of cow, 600+ acres, 60 acres of preserved native bush, and the family compound, it was amazing place.  His family had farmed it for generations.  

Mia on the 4-wheeler with the whole valley behind her

Front row seats

Of course he had beautiful steaks out for dinner (his own farm raised beef, naturally)  accompanied by his partner Rebecca's famous twice baked potatoes.  Rebecca had kids the same age as ours, and our kids disappeared immediately to play with their new friends.  The whole experience was incredible, not to mention their hospitality.  It was our one true night of "freedom camping," in Greg's driveway.

With sad farewells, it was time to get Rob to the ocean in search of that perfect wave at Raglan, which happened to only be 1/2 hour away.......O by the way there are no predators in NZ, let alone poisonous snakes or bugs.  The only thing that bites are sand flea's and mosquitos.........no tigers, lions, bears, mountain lions, t rex..........what a great place.

Glowing Worms

After Rotorua, we were aiming to do some black water rafting in the caves, complete with rappelling down and jumping into underground waterfalls, in search of glow-in-the-dark worms.  Or so, that's what the brochures promised.

We missed the small print "If your children are 12 years old or weigh as much as a 12 year old."  

We stared longingly at the adventure spots (or maybe just I did) on the way to our much more tame, but still enchanting cave tour.  The photos they sent us do the tour more justice than my descriptions.  The glowworms were very cool.  I thought they were so magical until the guide told us that technically, they are maggots.  I much prefer the glowworm description.

It felt a little bit like one of the old rides at Disneyland - the Peter Pan ride or Alice in Wonderland, old world magic versus new world adrenaline.

We also went into other limestone caves and were 20+ meters underground.  I don't know what that is in feet, but it was deep.  The guide described the topography of the area, a fault line with lots of limestone, as "swiss cheese," and riddled with caves all over.  The formations were estimated to be ten million years old.  How is that even possible?  There is something so surreal about being that far underground, witness to something unfathomably old.

Off to the Dairy Farm.

Boiling Mud, Commitment and other Tourist Oddities

We left the beaches of eastern New Zealand and began to traverse towards the famous surf break on the West Coast, Raglan.  Along the way, we decided to put back on our tourist shoes and hit a couple destinations en route.  We had long debated a stop in Rotorua, a top tourist destination for its geo-thermal activity.  Given the rainy weather, we figured it would be a great day to see boiling mud pits, geysers, and traditional Maori culture.  As we arrived at Rotorua, we found the main town and its attractions all clustered along a beautiful lake, and overrun with large tour buses. 

We learned a good travel lesson here.  It's never a good idea to head to a place, half-committed.  I stopped at the information kiosk and was offered the low deal of roughly $150 US to enter a Maori Village, see a geyser, and a dance performance if we stuck around for three hours.   I plopped down about the same amount of money to jump off a bridge without hesitation, but couldn't quite bring myself to do the same here.  We weren't all in.  We debated it for awhile, as it felt obligatory to see some Maori culture, but then the kids reminded us of our first day in Auckland, when we flipped the channels on the TV and sat mesmerized in front a station featuring a Maori performance.  We had sat there, commenting on the outfits, the facial tattoos and the music for a half an hour, easy.  Once we realized we had covered our "cultural segment" of the trip, Rob and I nixed the village trip without any guilt. 

That said, we still felt obligated to see something, since we had made the detour to the area.  We settled on Indian food (does that count as cultural?), a walk in the park - plenty of sulphur smells and boiling mud for free, bonus! - and found thermal heated pools and hot tubs to dunk in for a couple hours.

Mission Success, though not a picture taken.  We checked Rotorua off the list.

On to the Waitomo Caves to see glow-in-the-dark worms. 

Test gear before you go

I bought a pair of flip flops before we left. The bottoms were made from yoga mats, so I thought they would be really comfortable. They are. What I did not consider is that they were made from used yoga mats, so they really had to clean the mats well. So well, in fact, that they still soap up every time they touch water.

It's rained a lot here. I flop around campgrounds with a trail of soap in my wake. Even 3 weeks later.

Paradise found...again

Heading south on the east coast again, in search of a new camp spot we stumble upon the holiday park of all holiday parks just below Mt. Manganui in papamoa. On the beach, with a big play ground, decent surf and great Turkish food across the street. Unfortunately it rained and rained and.... U get the picture. However when the dust settled it was a magnificent view w several islands off the coast and the mountain to the left. We had a blast, surfed, played, ate good food and even rented a movie. This has been fun but off to rotorua and The glow worm caves.
Almost forgot, dads famous bacon, grilled onion (in bacon grease) and bacon burgers for dinner.

Not all holiday parks are created equal.....

So we found out, not to complain or anything but we were spoiled at the places we have stayed at until now. After checking out the two holiday parks in town, which looked more like Alabama redneck trailer parks, we opted for the park up the road in the bush. Well that is what it was , in the bush. It was actually quite beautiful,however the hot water showers had just broke and we couldn't get the BBQ to work. I know poor us......we were out of there first thing in the am.

Mia sees her glory

Guest blogger Mia:

The glorious campervan. When we got our campervan, it was amazing. I had to go in. It's a two story with a ladder to the small little bed up on top. It's my favorite place. There's a mini kitchen and two rows of seats. They can make a bed. There's a bathroom and a dining area. The dining area turns into a bed, too.

The first place we went to was waihi. It had a pool and a waterslide and a hot tub. There was a stream full of eels., which was pretty deadly. This was my favorite campground. It had a playground, a laundry room and a kitchen. There was a dining room and next to the dining room was a place for five year olds and younger. The campground was a pretty sweet place.

We went to a bunch of beaches that were pretty good. I played in the waves a lot. I went surfing at one of the beaches. It was really fun but then I got hit right on the forehead. Man, did that hurt.

I like all the driving because we get to listen to the Percy Jackson books.

We went to a dairy farm that was very pleasant. Greg was the owner of the dairy farm. He gave us a tour of the whole dairy farm. Well, not the whole farm because it was 600 acres long.

Mia out

Photos of me at different places we went

First sight of the glorious campervan

Catch up

Here are some photos from our last day in Queenstown. We were total tourists and meandered along a stream in a nearby town. Rob and I were still sore from our strenuous 30 min hike the day before, so a flat, short walk was perfect.

We then had lunch along the river where we learned that mini-hot dogs were actually corn-sausage dogs. Yep, looked like a normal corn dog, but with sausage on the inside. I don't blame Mia for only eating the fries.

We also learned, because we were eating at a pub and restaurant that they are not allowed to serve people who are drunk. In fact, all bartenders must take a course on how to identify someone intoxicated. It is pretty tricky to identify. Just think if they had that rule in the U.S., bars would lose half their business.

We got back to the condo at three and thought we were done for the day. By 5pm, the kids were driving us nuts and we had to find a place to let them blow off steam. Our last day in Queenstown and we find the mother lode of parks right on the water. The kids were thrilled.

Out to dinner for pizza on our last night. They put weird things on pizza, like pumpkin and nuts, but it was delicious and no dishes.

Fickle in Love

I've fallen in and out of love with the campervan a dozen times, but I've loved all the places it has taken us. The weather has been unpredictable and it has rained quite a bit, but it doesn't seem to stop the good times.

After we left the group of school kids, we explored the Cathedral Cove, a beautiful beach, with a rock tunnel. It's so stunning, it was featured in the Narnia movies, to depict going from one world to the next. It felt that way. It was our first sunny ocean day. Rob took one look at the rolling waves and ran for the water, Mia right behind. After a week in the mountains, they were anxious for the ocean.

We spent the afternoon lounging on the beach there and back near HaHei, the closest town. The town reminded us of small hippy towns in coastal California - Stinson beach on a sunny day or Leucadia 20 years ago.

Locals tell us the Coremandal Peninisula was almost empty 30 years ago, except for a few hippies growing pot and living off the land. You can see remnants of it in HaHei, Inbetween the luxury homes. But the area was far too beautiful to avoid human encroachment for too long. It's now dotted with surf and sailing towns up and down the rugged coastline. It feels like rainforest meeting rocky cliffs and white beaches (without any poisonous snakes or bugs - I love this country).

We debated spending the night again or heading south an hour to break-up the drive. We decided to leave paradise for the next adventure.

Campervan

I'm writing on our second evening in the campervan. The kids and Rob are outside. We pulled into a holiday camp a few meters from the beach in a huge grassy area surrounded by tropical forest. It's occupied largely by a school group of ten year olds and parents. They welcomed our kids into the fold with a game of rugby. They are now all outside playing flashlight tag. The dads are dairy framers and have invited us to visit their dairy farm on the way to Raglan. These guys are the nicest people in the world.

Before pulling into the holiday park, I was debating with Rob whether to "freedom camp," meaning pull over somewhere on our own, which I wanted to do because I was feeling frugal, or pull into a holiday park for $50, where they have communal areas of kitchens, showers and bbq's, which is what Rob wanted to do. It's more luxurious, though we are self contained with all of the above, except the BBQ.

Had we freedom camped, we would not have met new friends, learned rugby, or been invited anywhere. I am learning there are more ways to open to this experience than I had imagined.

Bring your life jackets

I'm now writing this, sitting in our camper-van, waiting out the rain, in my running shorts.

It is a far cry from our three bedroom penthouse. The kids couldn't be happier. I am already nostalgic for the first half of the trip.

That said, we are 10 steps from the beach. Rob went surfing last night while the kids and I played in the pool at the Holiday park.

It feels almost tropical here. This half of the trip is going to be a whole different experience.

The Doubtful Sound

We had a ton of recommendations to visit the Milford Sound, but we got scared. We didn't want to overnight near there, which meant a windy, five hour drive each way with children that catch motion sickness just looking at a car. Rob and I decided we weren't that brave.

As we explored other options, the Doubtful Sound was heralded as the wilder, more remote cousin to the Milford Sound, with much less traffic and grander views. More importantly, Doubtful Sound was only a two hour drive. Sold!!

We arrived at the starting point the next morning, taking a boat across a glacial lake that looked like it was part of a fjord. It was gorgeous. We were the only family with children. Most folks were empty nesters. It's the same group that lines up 30-60 minutes ahead of schedule to ensure the best seating possible, wherever they go. Needless to say, we were usually the last ones onboard the variety of vessels, lugging our huge cooler amid stares. At $25 per person for a boxed lunch, I personally think they were stares of envy.

Our ferry ride was followed by a 45 minute bus ride (last ones on board) through a temperate rain forest. It was the only road within hundreds of miles. It was also the most expensive road ever built in New Zealand, costing $5 an inch and taking two years to build. The foliage surrounding the road was dense and ancient. The guide said some of the trees were up to 1,000 years old.

We arrived at the start of the Doubtful Sound and boarded another ferry. Yep, last ones on again. It was a breathtaking three hour journey out to the Tasman sea. The pictures do not do it justice.

At one point, we entered a cove, cut the engines and sat in silence for ten minutes. We got to experience the peace and quiet of such a remote place. We could hear all sorts of birds and trees rustling. It was magical and my personal highlight.

The kids did not appreciate the majesty of the tour in quite the same way. As we rounded an island by the Tasman sea, signaling the halfway mark of our tour, Kai came out to the bow with a petulant look. He had been inside at a table for most of the trip, eating, sleeping and bugging his sister. With the best quote of the day, he looked at me and demanded, " When are we going to get to the Doubtful Sound and start the tour?" He demanded. Classic.

The tour finished with a pod of dolphins and a penguin sighting. The penguin looked like a duck. Then back to the bus for a ...power station tour? We didn't realize we had booked a tour of a power station. The kids slept in our laps as the bus drove a mile underground through a dark tunnel to the "viewing station". We piled out of the bus in the damp tunnel to look at.... I'm not quite sure. It was loud. We basically looked at a chamber out of a James bond movie for 10 min, then got back on the bus. The most exciting bit of the tour was watching the bus driver make a 10 point turn in a tunnel a mile underground to get us in the right direction. He had less than an in on either side. It was remarkable.

We arrived home around 8 in the evening, exhausted. Rob and I thought it well worth the effort, the kids much less enthusiastic.

We decided to skip the glaciers and stay in Queenstown for the rest of our stay.

Photos of the Doubtful sound and the power station.

We Should Travel this Journey Together

"We should travel this journey together"

Rob and I hiked up the Queenstown hill this morning.  I was struck by this quote, translated from the local Maowri tribe.  It felt like what I want to pass to my kids.  Traveling through the journey of life together.  Rob then reminded me that the Maowri's killed and literally ate the previous inhabitants of the area when they arrived, so the quote took on a whole new meaning. 

Down Time

In between all the adrenaline rushes, we have managed a bit of down time.  We did have a day of kicking it around Queenstown, and touring the local attractions, including the kiwi bird sanctuary, the candy shop and the knick-knack fair.  We learned some interesting facts.

1.  Prior to European arrival, there were no mammals in New Zealand.  The Kiwi bird was the closest they had.  So once rats, weasels, stoats and dogs arrived, entire populations of birds and other wildlife that had no natural predators soon became extinct, with the Kiwi on the verge.

2.  Jade is found all around Queenstown and has been sought after for centuries.  You can buy it all over the knick-knack fair.

3.  Mia likes butterscotch candies.  Rob likes Mia's butterscotch candies too.  Mia doesn't like to share.

Boating and Bungy Part II

Here are some pictures from the Shotover boat.  It was a thrilling experience.

Also, Rob gave me WAY too much credit on the bungy.  It was the scariest thing I've ever done.  I knew I couldn't look down from the ledge or I would never jump, so I kept my chin up.  I was then told to do a swan dive off the ledge.  I looked back at the instructor like he was mad. 

All I could think was "I'm paying money to throw myself off a bridge???"

In the end, I'd like to think I did a swan dive, but I saw the video after and it was more of a chicken dive.  As I dove, mentally I patted myself on the back. Then I realized I was still falling.  I choked out a chicken squawk.  It's amazing how many thoughts can go through your head in a 5-8 second free fall.  My train of thoughts went something like this:

"Why did I jump off a perfectly good bridge?" 
"I take it back!"
"What the )(#%&$*!!!" 
"350 feet is really really far down!"
"Wow, that water is blue." 
"Holy Mother of God!"
"I may poop myself"
"I'm still falling??!!!"

I was still shaking from the adrenaline surge 10 minutes after they scooped me out of the river.