Orbita: The Next Frontier
How could I ever compete with Mike's last entry?... not that it's a competition ... I guess the news that I'm pregnant would certainly help. Except that it would be an utter lie (Mom(s), it was a joke, please don't call an emergency family meeting)! The engagement euphoria lingered for some time, but eventually we realized that we were still on our whirlwind adventure and wedding planning could wait until we got home (by the way, does anyone know of a beautiful outdoor wedding setting for say next June, not that I'm planning or anything:-).
A delay in Sydney, attributed to a fight with a pole in a parking lot that ripped off the ABBA van's driver side mirror, resulting in an unexpected visit to the Blue Mountains west of Sydney as we waited for a new part. The mountains were picturesque, with a blue haze surrounding the area due to evaporating eucalyptic oils. After a relaxing, and cost-free weekend, we returned to my favourite city in the world and the scene of the crime, aka the Opera House for a scrumptious breakfast overlooking the harbour with our good friends Karl and Petra. This would be the last time we would see the Austrian couple on this journey, which resulted in heart-felt goodbyes.

Engagement photo!
After a week's stay in Sydney, we were on our way back up the coast to spend the remainder of our time surfing in Byron Bay. We settled for a week in a campervan situated right off the main beach. It was heaven with only a 2 min walk to the sand and surf. I took a second lesson to learn how to paddle, read the waves, and get up without a "push". After some serious nose dives into the white water, I mastered the surf... on my 9 foot board that is. Mike and I rented boards for the rest of the week - I was upgraded to a 8 foot, semi-hard board, while Mike had the 7'10" hard fin board. With the assistance of Mr. Andy Wu (a good friend from uni days who was visiting Australia and a decent surfer), Mike ventured out into the bigger waves while I still trained on the rushing white water. The ocean was a cool 25 Deg C, so for the first couple of chilly, rainy days, our sessions were only for an hour before we were purple and shivering. At one point, I had to feel my toes with my hands because I was certain they weren't there any more. But did we pay the extra $5/day for a wetsuit, heck no! We're intrepid travelers, we hiked Mt. Kailash, so we could definatley handle the cold. Actually, the next day the weather improved dramatically and was blue skies and hot sun for the rest of the time. Sessions became twice a day with beach time inbetween. Mike and I improved quite a bit and know that future trips will now have to involve diving and surfing.

Mike and I on the beach at "The Wreck". Just our rashies, boards and the ocean.
Suddenly, it was November 8. We said goodbye to Byron Bay and then drove up the Gold Coast, with a quick stop in Surfer's Paradise, before returning to Brisbane for a fourth and final time. Debbie and Dom once again where the essence of hospitality and with champagne filled flutes, Mike's Uncle Ron offered us a toast on our engagement and welcomed me to the family. The next morning, we dropped off the ABBA van and as we walked away from Wicked Rentals, it felt like we were in mourning. The van had been our home for over 2.5 months. We had traveled 17,077 km with her and had learned every ABBA song (just ask Andy!). We had seen the center, the north, and all of the eastern coast of Australia and the van never failed us. Australia was an amazing country and a wonderful journey into the heart of indigenous people, a walk into their national parks, a sail through their reef and a beginning to a marriage. Australia will forever be in our heart and memories.
On Novemeber 10, after a 3 hour delay due to mechanical problems, our plane touched down in our 10th country of our trip, New Zealand. It was 4am and as the pilot welcomed us to the Northern Island and a city called Hamiliton, he stated the weather outside was a balmy 7 Deg. C and I commented "Mike, I don't think we're in Oz any more". We staggered into our dorm room at a cozy little house called J's Backpackers and slept for the next 10 hrs. The next day we took a bus to Auckland and settled into another hostel as we tried to organize our 6 week stint in New Zealand. We quickly realized that we missed the luxury of our own mode of transportation and looked into campervans. Unfortunatley Wicked had no rental vans available. Instead we found an outfit called "Spaceship" that had orange coloured vans that were "out of this world". ENTER ORBITA. This montrosity would be our home for the next 40 days. With a dvd player, 2 gas burner stove that swiveled out of the van, an extendable back with awning for more room, the van had potential. It wasn't ABBA, but the price was right. With transportation and accomodation arranged, we were finally able to relax and enjoy the wonder of New Zealand.

Our new home... Orbita

Mike loves NZ and no wonder, 1 day after stepping off the plane he got to see his first Rugby game in 10 months!
First of all, NZ is like no other country I have ever seen. The north island is covered in lucious green rolling hills, dotted with sheep. There are remenents of volcanos everywhere. The scenery is absolutely breath taking. Although the country is much smaller than Oz, the roads are narrow and winding, making for longer drives than excepted. Not to mention that we're stopping all the time for pictures!

One of the many view points of rolling hills on the North Island.
After touring the city of Auckland for a few days, we started to make our way south. We visited Coromandel Penisula and attempted to dig a spa at Hot Water Beach, but to no avail. Next up was a cultural trip to Rotorua, where we participated in a traditional Hangi meal and Maori concert. Although quite commercialized, it was a real treat. In accord with the Maori people tradition, a "chief" was chosen from our group and then was approached by a maori member who was dressed in tribal wear with wooden weapons, war paint and a tounge flicking, eye rolling expression. In order to be allowed access to their village, our chief had to respond appropriately, or our "tribe" would have been attacked and destroyed (if it was 100 years ago). Of course everything went smoothly and we entered the village and learned about how their skirts were made from blades of grass, stick games were played to strengthen eye-hand coordination, and weapons were used in battle. There was an hour long concert performance where the Haka was done (a challenge to opposing sides performed prior to a battle), and a love story was sang about Hinemoa and Tutanekai. Then there was the Hangi (meal cooked in the ground). An amazing feast of food. For $92 per entry, I wanted to make sure I got my food worth, so I filled my plate full with potatos, carrots, fish, chicken, lamb, buns, salad and then had dessert. A meal that would normally equal 3 days worth of suppers, I was stuffed for the entire next day, but completely satisfied.

View of the city line of Auckland.

Mike testing the supposedly hot spa like water at "hot water Beach". It wasn't!

The Maori warrior challenge at the start of our cultural visit.

The Hangi Feast.
In Roturua, the next morning was spent observing the thermal activity of the region. The sulphur smell was a little overwhelming, but the view of the bubbling mud baths, steaming rocks and spewing Pohutu geyser - an active geyser that erupts 10 times a day up to 20 m high of steaming water, was worth the rotten egg oder. We were fortunate enough to see another Maori concert before leaving Roturua.
On our way to Waitomo Caves for some "Extreme Junky" activities, we came across a bus with a sign saying "Hobbiton" on it. Intruiged we decided to follow it to a town called Matamata. At the visitors center we learned that 10 km away was the only remaining set from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. When in Rome... right? We signed up for the tour that took us to the 1200 acre sheep farm of the Alexander family where Peter Jackson directed the first 20 minutes of the film. As the set was being demolished, heavy rains prevented the complete destruction and after a 2 year battle, the family won the rights to show the remaining set to tourists. Of the 40 hobbit holes built into the green hills, 16 remained, including the home of Bilbo Baggins. Enough of the set remains coupled with pictures of the film, to give you an incredible idea of what the complete set looked like at the time of filming. The anecdotes from our tour guide also made the tour fun. Not to mention that Mike and I were the only ones on the last tour of the day, so it felt like a private tour for us.

View looking out of Biblo's home onto the Party Tree.
Now on to the extreme, Kiwi tried and true, adventure. Waitomo caves are an impressive underground water system that is known for their glow worms; or the larvae of the gungus gnat. In the dark caverns, the glow from the luminescent bugs looks like a canopy of stars. Our day adventure started with abseiling 30 m down the shaft of the cavern, into a undergroud river. Except for the guide having to push me off the cliff - seriously, who wants to leave the firm footing ground to have 30 m into the abyss supported only by a harness and ropes that may or may not slip - the decent was successful. Then our group of 6 people waded into the cool, strong current river, hopped into our tubes and raced down the river. This activity is also known as black water rafting. Very cool. We entered a large chamber, turned off our headlamps and were silenced with the beauty of the glow worms. After some more tubing, then some cave exploration, our 5 hour adventure ended with rock climbing up a steep, wet cliff to return us from our subterrainian haven. It was my first time rock climbing and with a very insulated wetsuit, I think it went really well. Not very graceful, but I got up. Mike of course was stellar!

Me dangling into nothingness, before abseiling down into the cavern.

View from the bottom of the cave.

Mike and I caving at Waitoma Caves.
So in a country where rugby is life, where places are named "Whakatane" and pronouced "Fuk-a-tan-e", where bungy jumping, abseiling, and zorbing are a mantra of sorts, where Middle Earth is not just a nickname but a ideology, Mike and I will journey on and discover the Kiwi life.
Kia ora,
Kendra & Mike
3 Comments:
Hey Mike and Kendra
Holy shit, a nine to five workday is going to be such a bore. Your adventure gets better and better. What's left? Have a great time.
Love Dad
Hey Guys!
Wow...it just keeps getting better and better! Can't wait to see you!
Love Carrie, Jeremy and Kylie
Hey Kenny,
When I first starting reading your newest blog, I thought I was gonna be blamed for something ;) Phew....
Glad you guys are having a great time!
x Lacie
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