Sydney: Day 1

Scenes around the Sydney airport--Dozens of Asian men snap photos and smoke cigarettes while leaning against Vodaphone-emblazoned luggage carts. A woman with a cheetah print head covering talks with a tall, slender man in a white tunic that almost reaches his sandals. A takeaway cafe called "Go!" displays pumpkin-spinach pizza, various meat pies, and chocolate rope bread. A camera crew interviews a woman about security measures at the airport. Outside, people wrangle their bags toward the long line at the taxi stand. I watch as one taxi after another fills with people just a few seconds apart. I am definitely in a country bigger and busier than New Zealand! Laura and I are on different flights this time--she wont' arrive until later in the evening--and her friend Isaac has kindly agreed to meet me at the airport. I locate Isaac near the taxi stand and we head downstairs to buy train tickets. Laura befriended Isaac in San Diego and he moved to Sydney 2 years ago. He is relaxed and personable and we chat easily on our way to his place in Bondi Junction.

At his apartment, he introduces me to his roommate, Dave, as well as other friends visiting from the U.S., Nathan and his wife Courtney. It will be several hours until Laura's flight arrives so we decide to explore. We are all starving and Isaac leads us to East Ocean restaurant in Chinatown, which specializes in dim sum food. Dim sum means "little presents" and Isaac orders heaps of all kinds of these little dishes. Spinach balls, sticky rise encased in some type of large green leaf, egg tarts, duck with plum sauce, spicy sweet green beans, and jasmine tea. All five of us are feasting and passing the delicious, steaming dishes around the table. After we finish, we wander outside and hear the sounds of drumming. We move closer and see men dancing inside elaborate tiger costumes. Isaac explains that this is part of the Chinese New Year celebration. The costumes are amazing--the eyes, mouth, and ears move, making them incredibly animated and exciting to watch. The lions dance around doorways and scare the bad spirits from the shops in Chinatown. I see a man lowering a red envelope tied to a piece of lettuce from a second story window. The lions "eat" it and the money inside the envelope pays the dancers and drummers for their show. Isaac offers me an emperor puff --custard-filled dough balls--and we watch until the lions, the drummers, and the trail of people following them disappear around the corner.

We walk to Darling Harbor past rushing fountains, strolling people, and several ibis birds. Lounging on the wooden steps near the shore, we listen to a guy in white face and body paint play a digeridoo. Farther down, we notice an incredibly lifelike T-rex dinosaur with it's "trainer" playfully stalking people walking by. You can see the human legs underneath the costume, but the person controlling it moves so accurately like an animal that combined with the sound effects and realistic texture, it scares some kids (and a few adults! haha)

Next, we reach the botanical gardens. They are filled with beautiful plants---but I don't find them any more impressive than the ones in Christchurch and Dunedin--until I notice the bats scattered throughout the trees. Isaac explains they are actually a similar species called flying foxes. I watch in amazement. One hangs upside down, stretches his wings wide, and soars through the air toward another tree. They chatter loudly, it reminds me of cicadas. Their open mouths are like Scream costume masks--long and narrow. I already love this city--urban pleasures and animal-filled forests are within walking distance from one another!

I have just enough time to stroll past the opera house and sit in the shade before we collect Laura from the airport. The six of us while away the rest of the evening passing around the acoustic guitar and bottle of wine, cool summer air wafting in from an open window.

Last day in NZ

Today is my last day in New Zealand! It's hard to believe this segment of my trip is already over and I will be flying from Christchurch to Sydney tomorrow morning. Lately, whenever I sit down to write, it seems I am feeling one of two ways. Either I am so mellow in the moment that I simply want to experience the world around me rather than record it or such an abundance of thoughts, memories, and emotions are bubbling inside that choosing which to explore first is overwelming.

I left Dunedin on the Christchurch-bound Atomic Shuttle. We were caught in traffic south of Oamaru and switch buses in Timaru because the air conditioning broke in another bus needed to be returned to Christchurch (we had to ride in the one without). Despite the heat, the delays, for some reason I was utterly happy. I listened to my ipod, journaled, looked at the rolling hills out the window, and let my thoughts roam. One thing I am learning about long-term travel, is my moods do not necessaily correspond to the activity at hand. I may feel homesick during an amazing experience--such as my first sunset in Fiji and then completely content within a mundane one--such as when Laura and I were hanging laundry on the wire clothesline yesterday. And I think I'm starting to roll with those emotional changes more easily. Being on the road for almost half a year, I suppose I better!

Dunedin

I arrive in Dunedin feeling a few pangs of homesickness. This has happened a couple times since I left at the beginning of January--I will have an hour of so where I feel out of sorts and glum. But it always passes and this time was no different. Tanya and Ted pick me up from the train station and instantly my mood lifts. Laura arrives shortly after and we drive back to their house in Sawyer's Bay, just outside of Dunedin. Tanya used to work with Laura at the San Diego hostel but moved to Dunedin with her husband Ted and their two children a few years ago. They have kindly agreed to host us for three days. Their house is a bit small for guests, so they have set us up with warm sleeping bags and pillows in their camper just outside the house. We pull up to their lovely little cottage and I am amazed to learn that the property was completely trashsed when they first acquired it. They perservered through many renovations (which they completed themselves) and transformed it into a cozy, open floor plan full of warm color. Even more impressive are the vegetable gardens and chicken coop surrounding the house which their children, Palin (11) and Taia (6) help maintain as part of their daily chores. Our first night is spent talking over homemade bread and apricot jam. I learn how Tanya and Ted met thirteen years ago at a hostel in Europe. After they married, they lived in the U.S. for several years. While they enjoyed some aspects of it, they ultimately decided New Zealand was a more appropriate fit for the lifestyle they want to live. Over the years they have alternated between one parent working while the other homeschooled Palin and Taia, interspersed with some long term travel experiences along the way. As I snuggle into my sleeping bag, I think about how much I already respect this family that breathes life into the notion of "working to live" rather than living to work. The next day is my birthday. We wake up early and begin a hike up Mount Cargill--the highest point in Dunedin. When we reach the top--Butter's Point--we eat homemade veggie-filled buns while admiring the view of Otago Peninsula below. This particular hike eventually meanders into downtown Dunedin and our first point of interest is Baldwin street. Baldwin street is the steepest street in the world so of course we have to climb it! Next we stroll the Dunedin Botanical Gardens which feature at least a dozen different types of roses. In the Octogan, which is the name for Dunedin's town center, we find a shady spot in the grass to lounge for a bit then take in the art gallery. At home, dinner is a crisp salad of mixed greens that Ted plucked from the garden an hour beforehand and a stew of potatoes, vegan sausage, and sage. My new friends even celebrate my birthday! Tayna pairs chocolate muffins with I-can't-believe-it's-vegan rhubard ice cream. I blow out the candles and feel loved and cared for despite being halfway around the world.

Christchurch

Rain, rain, rain. My first full day in Christchurch is so rainy the busker acts are cancelled. So I ended up spending much of my day in the hostel, library, and at the art gallery. The Frauenreisenhaus is a women's hostel with free bikes to borrow, an herb garden, and a lovely cottage setting. The quirky owner, Sandra, has two guinea pigs (Duchess and Princess) and can speak bits of 0ver 30 languages. The first room she shows me smells like stinky shoes (I suspect from the room's occupant). "Umm...do you have any air freshner?" I ask as politely as possible. She catches my drift and shows me the upstairs "Japanese" room which is airy and much better!

At the art gallery, I enjoy the new exhibit "The Naked and the Nude" which is a collection of pieces ranging from beautiful impressionistic nudes to sculptures of grotesque creatures, to strange such as a painting of a human body with a monkey's head. Afterwards, I ride in the rain to Perry's Cafe and inhale a vegetarian fritter. Yummy.

Back at the library, someone named Rory has responded to my couchsurfing request for tomorrow. I'm psyched! For those of you that are unfamiliar with it, Couchsurfing.org is an organization of people willing to host travelers in their homes. Members create an online profile (I'm Runnergirl1980 if you want to check mine out!) describing themselves, their place, and whether they are able to host a paticular day or couple of days. A surfer emails a potential host and if the host agrees, directions and details are swapped. Both surfers and hosts leave Ebay-like feedback about the experience so if someone had a very negative experience that host or surfer would likely be ostracized from the community. Rory had a long list of positive references so I was pretty confident we would get along.

The next day, Rory and I schedule to meet at 2pm outside the library. With 3 hours until then, I walk down Worchester and see the yellow and white striped tents of a craft market. Vendors hawk sheepskin lined boots, handmade jewelry, and wool scarves. A tarot card reader's sign offers to reveal the "Next 3 months of your future!" I smell carmelized nuts and someone is selling "pizzillas" but I can't tell how they differ from regular pizzas. I make my way to Columbo St. under a gray, drizzling sky and see the orange The Original $10 Haircut Bar. I've been wanting to cut my hair for weeks. I duck inside and announce I want to cut several inches. My hairdresser Cheri (pronounced "Sure-ee") is an enormous woman with bright purple hair and sweet disposition. I put my complete trust in her hands and she cuts my mop into a spunky, piece-y style just above my shoulders. Other attempts at going this short have made my hair poofy and afro-like but this time I love it!

I head to Cathedral Square and see the buskers are back on! I spend the next half hour watching "Mulletman" ride around the square on an extremely tall unicycle while catching flaming batons. Nearby, a woman dressed in a flight attendant outfit with laquered hair swivels back and forth on a platform robotically, pantomiming various flight attendant tasks.

I spend the rest of the day with Rory. We visit his friends Stu and Jenny and coo over their new baby girl, Ella. At another friend's, I play peek a boo with their 9 month old daughter, Tallulah and eat crumbly peanut butter cookies. Rory shows me some surrounding areas of Christchurch including Cave Rock in Sumner which you can underneath and on top of! I enjoy looking at the various mussels clinging to the lower section of rock. Back at Rory's, I have the cozy all-blue spare room which contains a super comfy bed. We play guitar, talk, and drink Mill Road Merlot before heading to his friend Michael's house. I attempt to hit a ball with a cricket paddle half as well as Michael's son does! The remainder of the day is spent laughing and enjoying new friends.

Tranzalpine to Christchurch

It is grey and rainy as I board the Tranzalpine train at the Greymouth station but I'm told the opposite coast will yield better weather. I am happy to be seated in the carriage J, which is attached to the viewing platform at the very back of the train. I go to it immediately after the train pulls away from the station. The wind whips water throughout the connecting vestibule--dousing anyone that comes through it with water. The upside is I don't have to share the viewing area with many people! The conductor announces points of interest over the speakers but it's difficult to hear him over the rumbling train. Suddenly, a tunnel! The stony walls are so close I could touch them. We pass Lake Brunner but only a hint of the southern alps can be seen--it's so misty. I see wooly sheep, weather-worn houses, and plastic-wrapped bales of hay that look like giant marshmallows. My hair is a wet mop atop my head! We have to take our seats before entering the 15 minute long Orita tunnel due to the fumes in a tight space. As we enter it, I chuckle to myself as a man photographs the utter darkness out the window. Does he see something I don't? We exit the tunnel and pull into Arthur's Pass for a brief stop. Legs are stretched, photos snapped, and cigarettes smoked. The train continues through the rain until finally it seems we have outrun it. The mountains are closer and unobscured now. We are told the next 40 minutes are the highlight of the journey. What luck! We pass mountains colored in four shades of green rising above an ice blue river. Tunnel after tunnel (16 in all) engulf the train for 30 seconds at a time. I smell diesel and feel gritty but invigorated by the warm wind on my face and lush landscape rushing by. I am a happy, free vagabond eager to explore my next destination.

Nelson to Greymouth

The journey from Nelson to Greymouth was a 6 hour Intercity bus ride through winding roads and blink-and-you'll-miss-it towns. Our driver, Glenn, was a wiry Auckland native with bad teeth but great stories. Once while he was hitchhiking and the driver started acting strangely, he escaped by pulling the hand brake then making a run for it on foot when the car finally stopped swerving. Intense!

The Truman Track between Westport and Punakaki is the most dramatic scenery of the drive featuring the "pancake rocks." These thin, stacked rocks got that way from a layering and weathering process called "Stylobedding." Check out the photo gallery section of the blog; I have added a few.

Laura and I split up for a few days. She's headed further south towards Wanaka. We plan to meet up again in Dunedin. I'm heading to Christchurch via the Transalpine--it's supposed to be one of the best rail journeys in the world! I will let you know how it goes!

Top 10 Favorite Songs while Traveling (at the moment)

1. The wind (Cat Stevens)
2. Places to go (Hey Monea)
3. Wagon wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show)
4. Anything Donovan
5. Laundry room (Avett Brothers)
6. Society (Eddie Veddar)
7. This must be the place (Talking Heads)
8. You belong to me (Carla Bruni)
9. True love way (Kings of Leon)
10. In an aeroplane over the sea (as sung by Jenn Grinels)

#1 song I could never hear again and be happy--Party in the U.S.A. (Miley Cyrus) which all the kids in Viseisei, Fiji could not get enough of! This insidious song still gets stuck in my brain!

Nelson & Abel Tasman hike

We originally intended to depart Neslon for Greymouth this morning but decided the 7:15am bus could wait one more day. This town itself is so pleasant. On our first day here, I wandered to the Christ Church Cathedral and climbed a gigantic tree in the surrounding gardens and proceeded to read in it for the next hour. That evening we played guitar with some other travelers at the Tasman Bay hostel. Yesterday we hiked to Appletree Bay along the picturesque coastal trail of Abel Tasman National Park. It was so unique to trek through a forest and find several beach access points! I believe the coastal trail is the largest preserved forest surrounding a beach in the whole country.

I am quickly realizing 3 weeks was not nearly enough time in this lush country. But rather than rushing around on buses trying to see "everything" I have made a conscious decision to do less but truly experience more. We really wanted to explore the Milford Sound area but with only 10 days remaining, we would have to make a mad dash for Christchurcht to fly out to Sydney. No thanks. Instead, I will take my time on the upper half of the North Island and luxuriate in a slower pace of life.

Seasick Crossing Cook's Strait!

Laura and I boarded the Bluebridge ferry this morning at the misty Wellington Harbor. The journey to Picton Harbor is expected to take about 3 hours and be a bit bumpy today. We find two free seats together and decide to take turns exploring the massive ship while the other saves the seats. The seating looks very similar to that of a large airplane with 4 seat rows but also has lounge areas interspersed throughout the area. There are a few small cafes selling the standard snacks and beverages. There are even private cabins equipped with 2 beds which people must book for long journeys. Most people are getting ready to watch the movie on the big screen T.V. in the general seating area but I stand on the ship deck watching the Wellington buildings fade out of sight. Then I return to my seat so Laura can explore. The boat begins bobbing up and down as we encounter large waves and I clam up with nausea. I try to relax and focus on the movie but my soon my head hurts and my stomach is churning. Panicked, I grab a complimentary white barf bag and sprint back outside. Leaning against the wall I try to think happy, non-barf thoughts. Then, I look to my left and see the German girl from a few rows back barfing in her bag. On my right an old woman barfs into hers. The undulating boat, this barf-fest around me, it's too much. I succumb to the seasickness and fill my own bag; miserable amid islands of gorgeous green hills. A kind crew member brings me a blanket, ice cubes (sucking on them is supposed to help), and more white bags. I try to remain as still as possible and suck on my ice cube. Eventually, the seas calm and so does my body. I am able to enjoy the rest of the ride and talk with the (now recovered) German girl and the Belgium guy she's traveling with. As we near Picton Harbor on the South Island even the weather has improved. The rain and grey skies of Wellington have given way to warmth and sunshine in Picton. Yay! We board the Naked Bus bound for Nelson, our final destination for today. Naked Bus isn't what it sounds, rather it is a bare bones bus company outfit that runs to many NZ locations for reasonable prices. Apparently, even bathroom breaks are considered a luxury because when we stop to let one guy off, I tell the driver I'm going to pee while he retrieves the guy's pack from the back. "No you're not, no stops"he returns. I REALLY have to go so I run to the edge of the woods and relieve myself in a not-so-private spot, driver honking. He shoots me an annoyed glance as I climb back on the bus. I shrug, "Better out there than on your bus." We arrive in Nelson and jump on the free bikes the Tasman Bay hostel provides to explore an adorable town with hanging baskets at every turn. I see a kid busking outside the grocery store with a sign that says "Happy go lucky traveler saving money to cross NZ" I toss a few coins in his guitar case and he strums a mellow tune. I like this place already.

Auckland, New Zealand

I shiver with excitement as we make our final decent into Auckland. The aerial view of New Zealand is stunning--jagged fingers of mountainous land surrounded by shimmering ocean!

After drawing some NZ money from the ATM, a man approached us inquiring if we needed a ride to town. Christopher looked like the Winne the Pooh character "Christopher Robin" all grown up. His slight build was dressed in a striped tee, brown linen shorts, and blue socks. He topped off this look with a rumpled rainbow shouler bag. He had been waiting for some couchsurfers to arrive but they didn't show. Normally, I am skeptical of such offers but my intuition and previous experience with members of the Couchsurfing organization have been overwelmingly positive. Exiting the airport, I relished the crisp Auckland summer air--a refreshing change from the sweltering heat of Fiji!

Pentlands Hostel is located about 20 minutes from Auckland but a world away from it's hustle and bustle in a suburb called Mount Eden. The white trimmed pewter house was impossibly cute with potted succulents on its wooden deck. It also had a large kitchen, computers, laundry facilities, and immaculate bathrooms with hot water. All for a $20 NZ (or about $16 USD) a night. Hooray!

We spent our first day in Auckland walking, walking everywhere. The "City of Sails" is New Zealand's largest city inhabited by over a million people but with its abundance of trees and parks it feels more homey. We strolled past tree-lined Victoria Park where people were sprawled out reading, playing, relaxing. Viaduct Harbor is filled with shops, chic restaurants, and upscale apartments. Laura suggests a little turkish cafe on nearby K Rd. for dinner that proves to be delicious.

The next day, a fellow hosteller, Caitlan offers to take us in her car to hike to Fairy Falls in the Waitakere Ranges. Caitlan has been living in NZ for several months and is a wealth of knowledge about local plants and the Maori words for them. She pointed out Kauri the largest trees in NZ and their girth reminds me of redwoods. Mamaku are black ferns whose trunks are "normal" looking on the bottom but turn into a kind of hexagonal pattern higher up. Kawakawa (don't you love these Maori names?) are edible, minty, and medical for a host of ailments. Kaikomaka is bushman's tolietpaper! Caitlan also helped me realize I have been butchering the names of most towns and titles in NZ. Maori words are spoken with equal emphasis on each part of the word and usually phonetically. Also, "Wh" is pronounced as "F" So, for example, Whakatane is "Fock-a-tawny." Caitlan also doesn't wear shoes--even hiking! Nevertheless, she easily kept us with us as we hiked through the forest. We spent the rest of the afternoon drinking in the beauty of our surroundings at the base of Fairy Falls--sharing our thoughts, opinions, and dreams on everything. We finished our day with a hike up Mount Eden. Looking out upon this beautiful city at dusk, I could not have asked for a more idyllic day.

Our last day in Auckland we decide we need a car for further travels south. I have looked into other options--buses, rideshares, etc.--but after researching the rental options we find Budget Rental is actually cheaper. New Zealand drives on the left and it took me a good hour to get used to it while simultaneously trying to negotiate the roads of this huge city. Eventually we escape the confines of the city and it's all open road and renewed excitement. We are headed for the Eastern Cape!

P.S. "Hokey Pokey" is vanilla ice cream embedded with balls of honey and it is the best thing to ever happen to me.

Fiji

Laura and I arrively safely in Nadi, Fiji early yesterday morning. We were met at the airport by Jit, a friend of the family who agreed to host us during our two-day layover here. I found Fi and Api through the Couchsurfing organization (http://www.couchsurfing.org/). I read on their profile that they had hosted over 100 travelers and they had areceived nothing but positive reviews!

Fi and Api live in the village of Viseisei, which was the first one established on the Viti Levu island. Despite arriving around 6am, the couple greeted us warmly. Inside, I noticed a small girl of about one-year old sleeping peacefully on a mattress on the floor. I learned that "Lessi" was not Fi and Api's daughter but the daughter of one of their neighbors. Api explained that everyone in the village is related and therefore it was expected for children to roam between the homes. Everything is shared and Lessi will be cared for by everyone in the village. I enjoyed spending time with Lessi and she quickly became comfortable with climbing on my lap to cuddle whenever I was around!

Our room was simple yet comfortable with two twin mattresses on either side, a wooden dresser piled high with Fiji travel information, and a piec of fabric hanging from the entryway for privacy. Despite the long plane ride (which Laura slept during but I could not) we were eager to explore, so Api gave us a quick tour of the village. As we walked, locals called out "Bula!" to us, which means "Welcome!"

The day grew hot and sticky so we decided to go swimming. Api works as a musician at a local resort, The Anchorage Hotel, where they have an amazing pool. He said the hotel would probably let us have a "day pass" to the pool is we asked and sure enough $5 Fijan dollars later (the equivalent of about $2.50 USD) we were happy and refreshed relaxing in the water. Api arrived later and we enjoyed listening to him strum Fijan tunes on the guitar as the sun began to set over the ocean.

By the time we returned to the house, we were exhausted from the previous day's travel and promptly fell asleep. A few hours later, I woke up to the sounds of music and laughter. Laura looked so peaceful sleeping I decided not to wake her. Outside, I learned that the chief was allowing the villagers to celebrate the New Year for a few more days and during that time they were permitted to listen to loud music. Indeed, all around me I heard the sounds of children chasing each other, women singing along with acoustic guitar, and young adults dancing to American rap/reggae music. And Fi was about to prepare kava for us all to drink.

Kava is the Fijan drink of choice. The kava root had already been pounded into a fine powder by some of the men in the village and I helped her pour 4 small bags of it into a bowl filled with water. Fi mixed the two together using a special cloth and within a few minutes the muddy looking liquid was ready. Fi and Api explained how I was to take the kava in the traditional way. You clap either once or twice with the "hollows of your hands," and a small bowl of kava will be handed to you. With an enthusiatic "Bula!" you drink the entire contents of the bowl before returning it to your host and clapping once again. I enjoyed a few more cups with Fi and Api before spending the rest of the evening meeting, talking, and laughing with other people in the village.

Packing List

Below is a list of what I am carrying in my North Face 55L backpack and a small shoulder bag for the next 5 months:

LED mini-flashlight
universal plug adapter
ziploc bags
Nikon digital camera + charger
sunglasses usb cord
journal
3 4gb camera memory cards
padlock
cell phone + charger
water bottle
glue stick
tape
stuff sack (to squash down clothing)
ipod + charger
travel towel
2 long sleeve shirts
4 tank tops
3 t-shirts
2 long skirts
2 pairs shorts
black yoga pants
3 sports bras
Marmot rain jacket
poncho
fleece
swimsuit
2 sarongs
3 regular bras
running shoes
Teva sandals
flip flops
3 pairs socks
moneybelt
driver's license
2 credit cards
passport
cash
Hostelling card
list of important phone #s
photocopies of documents
travel insurance policy
pens
extra passport photos
bug spray
toothbrush + toothpaste
shampoo + conditioner
Neosporin
band-aids
Ibuprofen
Pepto-bismal tablets
sunscreen
tampons
foot file
bar soap
Malarone (malaria meds)
comb
hand sanitizer
lip balm
floss
mascara

Here we go!

Tonight I fly from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles where my around the world trip begins. For this trip, there were basically two ways I considered doing it---either through a series of one-way tickets or using a reputable ticket consolidator such as Airtreks or Airbrokers. Given that I am pretty much winging every other aspect of my trip (where I will stay, what I will do, ground transportation, etc.) I decided to plan my overall flight route in advance and purchased an itinerary through Airbrokers. This still gives me some flexibility in how long I decide to stay in a particular city as long as I keep moving in the same general direction. I also intend to use regional airlines to move between shorter distances. Jan 5 L.A. to Nadi, Fiji Jan 9 Nadi, Fiji to Auckland, New Zealand Jan 30 Christchurch, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia Feb 20 Melbourne, Australia to Kuala Lumpur, Malyasia Mar 6 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Phuket, Thailand April 10 Bangkok, Thailand to Athens, Greece May 20 Prague, Czech Republic to Amsterdam, Netherlands June 3 Amsterdam, Netherlands to Boston, USA Time to catch the bus to the SLC airport! -Allie