The Next Step

Within the space of a few days, we are going to hit the halfway mark on the span of our time here in New Zealand.  We've been here in this parallel universe for 6 months now, and over the course we've met a bunch of great people and become pretty well adjusted to our lives in New Zealand.  Our summer of freedom and discovery is just around the corner, and after putting away a hefty chunk of money Kayleigh and I are definitely ready to get the party started.  With all that excitement looming on the horizon,  we need to get one more thing out of the way so as to really free our minds for the fun ahead.  That is, what will our next step be when it comes time for us to leave New Zealand?   

Since arriving here, we have made plans, changed plans, and dropped plans about 624,567 times.  Suffice it to say we've spent a great deal of time in the brainstorming process.  Well, we have finally made up our minds and taken some concrete actions towards turning our plans into a reality.  Yesterday we received an e-mail from Australian immigration stating that our work and holiday visa applications had been accepted and our e-visas have been granted.  You heard it here folks, come April Kayleigh and I will be hopping the pond to the land of Oz to continue what has become a fantastic and redefining life experience abroad.  Only this time around, we'll be doing a fair chunk of traveling before settling down to recharge the wallet.  This will give us the opportunity to choose where we want to live after having been there, and we're excited at the chance to choose a new place to call home.  Kangaroos, endless sunshine and vegemite await.  

We hit the road on December 1st, and there will be plenty more to talk about.  We miss and love you all.  Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween.  

Spookers

With Halloween fast approaching Kayleigh and I are trying to iron out what we're going be and what we're going to do for one of our favorite holidays.  To get some inspiration for the former, last Saturday I joined another meetup, this time bound for the nighttime-only haunted amusement park infamously known as Spookers.  The site and buildings were part of an old insane asylum that have been brilliantly co-opted into a frightening attraction geared towards adults.  I happened to stumble across a description of the place in our guidebook shortly after we arrived in NZ, and I was resolved to test my courage with a visit.  There was just one problem…I couldn't find any willing victims to accompany me on my mad quest for terror!  Kayleigh wanted nothing to do with it, and soliciting the idea to my work mates likewise proved fruitless.  Everyone seemed to have been so frightened by their first visit that they had dropped their spines on their mad dash for the door, screaming for mum all the way home.  Even Ryan, our policeman roomy who deals with REAL dangers on a frequent basis, left me high and dry!  My interest was piqued by the confessions of these ninnies.  So you can imagine my delight when one of the women I'd met during laser tag mentioned that she was organizing a meetup to go.  I signed up the moment I got home.  

Then the night finally came.  Admittedly I was a little nervous.  I hopped into the van and began my 40 minute drive to the outskirts of town.  I was alone.  The drive itself seemed to build on the tension.  Once off the highway the country roads were dark and quiet.  I drove for 15 minutes down the unfamiliar road alone and in the dark to meet up with a group of strangers in an old building that once housed the clinically insane.  The grounds were plantation style, and you could hear the patrons screaming from the parking lot.  Just another satisfied customer.  After parking and grabbing my tickets, I met up with the group and the horror fest began.  

The first attraction was the Freaky Forest and our large group was split into small groups of 5, with 2 flashlights per group we were slowly let in.  I took the lead (and the light) upon nobody else's willingness to do so.  The forest pathway wasn't very well lit, forcing you to rely on your flashlight which was a good source of tension.  Just a few steps past the entry and I heard the roar of a chainsaw engine coming to life as a clown burst out from behind the structure we just walked through.  So far so good, I'm digging this place.  We continued down the pathway, walking through various scenes such as a swamp, an old shed, and a hillbilly's cabin.  Each scene was complete with a matching set of actors that usually revealed themselves suddenly with intent to startle you.  The thing is, being the leading member of the group, the actors would let me pass first and startle the members in the middle or target the tailing member.  To compound the issue, when they were positioning themselves for the party to pass through, I could hear them crunching on the leaves which gave away their positions.  I had also expected the forest to be more of a free roaming experience rather than an on rails one, but probably for the safety of the guests and the liability of the park, it was not.  Despite these shortcomings, I enjoyed myself, even if I had not peed myself as I had wanted.  

The next attraction was the haunted house set in the building that acted as the primary facility for the old insane asylum.  I again took the lead and we started our way through the twisting corridors of the building.  I quickly gained a preference for this setting over the forest due to the tight, claustrophobic nature of it.  The scenes were arranged in various rooms that you could peer into as you walked along the main corridor.  As we walked along we glimpsed a medical wing, a morgue, a bathroom and a nursery.  There was even a monster mash type scene with Rob Zombie and Disturbed blasting in the background, which of course made my heart happy.  The scenes just seemed more compelling.  There was one actress I remember being particularly great - a shower room in which a girl was picking at her wrists with a knife in a sort of dissociated mania.  When we came into the doorway she slowly looked up with a passive acknowledgment that made it unclear whether she was looking at us or through us.  I even got startled a few times.  Unfortunately due to the no pictures policy, you'll have to use your imagination to create their fiendish faces and places.  Come to think of it, it's better that way.  

It's not very often you find a good, adult oriented haunted house.  Every Halloween I go on the lookout for one, and while I don't think Spookers was as scary as it was built up to be, it was certainly the most ambitious I've ever seen.  I had a great time and I will definitely be going back for the two attractions I missed, being Disturbia (evil carnival themed) and the Corn Maze which is only open during summer and fall.  Apparently they used to have a hospital attraction, but the building was allegedly really haunted and the actors and patrons became too frightened, so it was shut down.  Perhaps it was that attraction that stole the courage of all those didn't dare to return and gave Spookers its terrifying reputation.  Now I'll leave you with something that is truly terrifying...

my ugly mug!

  

Rubgy & Rangitoto

If there is one distinctive thing about Kiwis, it is their intense passion for sports.  They follow all the English rooted strange-but-familiar sports like cricket, netball, croquet and field hockey, as well as horse racing, yacht racing, and more.  It seems no sport is too insignificant to escape their enthusiasm.  For those of you watching America's Cup during the last two weeks (if you're an American and have no idea what this is, don't feel bad), know this: when the races begin each morning production comes to a grinding halt as the entire office flocks to the big screen to watch the race. But of all the sports kiwis love to play and watch, none is more dear to their hearts than rugby, and just as many people who visit America flock to see a baseball game, so we decided to attend a rugby match on Sep 14th when the All Blacks faced off against South Africa.  

South African cheerleaders doing a traditional dance

When we found our seats in the stadium I was sure that there had to have been a mix up, as they were far too good for the price we paid for them.  We were sitting right on the center line, almost field level, and perhaps four rows from the front.  After watching the pre game Hakka, the violence began with an intensity that took me off guard.  There is something about hearing the smack of two bodies colliding in mid air only a few meters from you that makes the whole experience so much more, I don't know…visceral.  I managed to get a few decent pictures of the action when it came towards our side of the field. 

The scrum!

In the end the All Blacks walked away victors by a comfortable margin.  They haven't lost a game this season, and apparently that's not uncommon!

The following day we decided to explore another of the Hauraki Gulf islands, Rangitoto.  This is the volcanic cone island that you can see from nearly every beach in Auckland - undoubtedly you've seen it if you've seen any of our photos.  After spending so much time staring at it, it would have been a shame not to check it out. So after disembarking from the ferry we started the trek and were treated to some nice views of the harbor and city along the way to the summit.  The views from the top were what we've come to expect from NZ: gorgeous water view panoramas.  After soaking them in we started a side trip to the lava caves which were pretty awesome, and as Kayleigh was stumbling through the darkness she found a pair of Ray Bans someone apparently without a flashlight had dropped.  No one reported them missing, so she claimed them as the "spoils of war".  

Land Ho!

Oh, and go Team New Zealand! 

Connected

Recently I discovered a new social networking site called Meetup.com that allows you to make and join groups catering to a particular demographic or interest and setup meet-ups where you can go and socialize and do some activity together.  It seemed like a pretty good tool to meet people in an area you're new to, so this weekend I decided to give it a shot.  

Saturday night I met up with one such group to go play a game of laser tag.  I don't remember ever having so much fun playing laser tag (probably attributed to the fact that we had the arena to ourselves and there were no children).  The arena itself was pretty cool, with two stories and plenty of areas to cover and snipe at people.  We played two games (of which my team won the 2nd, go blue team!) before heading over to feed at the Ponsonby food court and doing some socializing.  As it turns out the organizer of the event was an amateur comedian whose act I happened to see on an open mic night at the local comedy club.  Small world eh? Aside from that, my choice of dinner sparked a conversation about spicy foods and as it turns out another of the attendees also loves spicy dishes and has a family member who owns an Indian restaurant in Auckland.  He is going to organize an event for spicy food lovers at his family's restaurant with real authentic Indian food and real authentic Indian spice.  I can't wait! 

Sunday I ended up going indoor rock climbing with another fella I met from the meet-up.  He's an interesting guy with an obvious passion adventure.  He had just finished hiking the Kepler Track a week before in the dead of winter, battling the snow and wind on a high mountain ridge for the sheer challenge and love of solitude.  His enthusiasm was sort of contagious.  The way he spoke about rock climbing painted it as a mental exercise of will and courage, and after giving it a shot I'd have to say that that is a pretty apt description.  I had never tried it before, but it is definitely a sport that requires 100% focus and constantly redefining your limits.  There are some moves that there is no easy way to make and it forces you to reach a little farther (and sometimes a lot farther) than you thought you could.  If you lose focus even for a moment, you'll slip have to start over.  If you do it right, it's an addictive feeling.

Let's face it, breaking into pre-existing social circles can be tough, if not near impossible.  Even if you can manage getting your foot in the door, finding someone who shares a similar interest or passion can be rare, and making lasting connections is like panning for gold.  While I can't say for sure if any connections I made last weekend will stand the test of time, it was nice getting out there and sharing something with new people.  Meetup.com has turned out to be an awesome opportunity to connect with people and I'll definitely be attending more events in the weeks to come.  

Working and Waterfalls

It's been a while.  A while since I have last blogged, a while since we have touched American soil, and far too long since our last summer.  I'm glad that the last month of what has turned out to be nearly a yearlong winter has finally come to a close.  August has flown by and we have been working our butts off to save enough cash for our epic road trip.  Come December the sun will be shining and we will be living it up in backpacker style, i.e. absolute freedom.  It'll be amazing to finally have a birthday on the beach instead of indoors running from rain and cold.  In the meantime, here's the lowdown on what we've been up to in this relatively uneventful month.  

My position working for the Unitary Plan Feedback Team of the Auckland Council has come to an end last week and before I even had finished Friday out I was offered a role with another branch of the AC processing building consents.  Not the most thrilling of jobs, but hey, that's data entry for ya.  The office is across the street from my old high-rise and the view doesn't match the magnificent one of the former, but overall it's the same deal.  

August has been a dreary and grey month with plenty of rain, so hiking hasn't always been an option on the weekends.  By the latter half of the month I was quite cabin bound and decided I was going out anyways.  I ended up at Fairy Falls in the Waitakeres and it made me question why I  don't know why I don't go out in the rain more often, as the waterfalls are flowing heavily and you often have them all to yourself.  

The only downside is a little bit of mud, but it didn't bug me when I was 6, so why should it bug me now?  Getting to the falls was all downhill, and I did run into one odd couple and their dog once I reached the main fall.  The dog was friendly enough, but the man was pretty creepy and looked about with what seemed to be barely contained disgust and contempt.  He sang a song to the waterfall, made some angry comment about the pollution in the water and walked off.  I waited around to put some space between us before slogging back up to the car.  

Today Kayleigh and I shared a mutual day of leisure for a change, and it just so happened to be one of the only beautiful sunny days this month.  We loaded up the car and headed west, back to the Waitaks.  When we first arrived in New Zealand we met an Irish couple in the hostel who gave us a book called NZ Frenzy which is an outdoor guide to some of the North Island's off the beaten track destinations.  After flipping through the book we decided to head back to Bethell's Beach in order to find Lake Wainamu, and find it we did.  Lake Wainamu is a beautiful lake created by the natural damming of Wainamu Stream by some massive black sand dunes.  

Once we found the trail head we followed the stream to the lake and after coming to the conclusion that the water was too cold for a swim without the towels we left at home, we relaxed on the dunes for a while before venturing onto the track around the lake perimeter.  Given all the rain from the week, it was a muddy disaster of a trail.  Luckily I had chosen to wear my water shoes to the lake, while Kayleigh had, more regrettably, chosen to wear her running shoes.  She is a trooper and we pushed on anyway.  I'm glad we did because as we rounded the far end of the lake we were pleasantly surprised by the presence of a waterfall.  After washing off our feet and shoes we headed back down the other side of the lake, and when we came upon the dunes again there was a group of people body boarding down the steep side of the dunes into the stream.  While we had originally planned to camp out, we decided to head back home due to the dubious legality of staying in the carpark overnight.  It was an absolutely fantastic day, so thanks for the book Ryan and Laura.  We'll definitely be putting it to good use come December.  

Between the rain, the work, and our gradual acclimation to life in New Zealand there hasn't been very much to report on.  As it turns out, the daily grind is pretty much the same regardless of where you're doing it, but having so much natural splendor all around sure as hell makes every weekend feel like a vacation.  

P.S. The well has been running dry on original kiwisms, so I'm going to introduce a new way to close out each post, I just haven't thought of it yet :)  

The Sound of Muzack Part I

This is a post I have been looking forward to for a while now.  I'm going to tell you guys a little about kiwi music.  I have been listening to a lot of it ever since a friend from work hooked me up with a full thumb drive, and I'm completely blown away by how amazing it is.  With that said, let's begin…

First and foremost, stop reading this and listen to Shapeshifter immediately.  This is arguably the biggest kiwi band and is beloved by virtually the entire youth population.  They are a very interesting group from Christchurch, with a mix of reggae, hip hop, and rock undertones fueling their huge, synth based electronic sound.  What really makes the group unique is their vocalist, whose soulful melodies and inspired lyrics bring everything together in a remarkable way.  What's more is that they've pushed themselves into new territory with each album, reinventing themselves each time.  Their latest album, Delta, was released May 31st, 2013 and I absolutely cannot wait to see this band live.  I'm hoping to catch them at an outdoor festival on New Years Eve.  Here are a few YouTube links to get you started:

In Colour - Delta - This is their latest hit off of what, in my opinion, is their best album

Dutchies - The System Is A Vampire - This is the song that originally grabbed my attention before throwing me down the wormhole

In The Rain - Solstice - This showcases their more mellow side, and is a good representative of Solstice as an album

Next in line to be mentioned is Six60.  Six60 was incubated in the legendary Dunedin Uni scene before reaching international fame with the release of their debut self titled album in 2011.  This band sits comfortably somewhere between Incubus, 311 and Shapeshifter for their rock/reggae influenced good times sound with an occasional synth swelling at just the right moment.  This band shows a lot of promise, and I'm really looking forward to their sophomore release.  To get you started:

Forever - Six60

Run For It - Six60

This last artist for today is a bit more underground than the previous two, but that is part of their appeal.  @Peace is an emerging Auckland based hip hop group with an incredible MC.  This isn't the sort of hip hop you dance to, as the groups self titled debut album deals with some somber topics ranging from homelessness to death.  The lyrics are clever, poetic, and at times deeply profound, leading you to walk away from the experience with a fresh perspective and an odd sense of zen.  They remind me of q-tip and The Living Legends with their enlightened, boutique style rap.  The group is currently working on their first major release and it's bound to be evocative if not anything else.  Unfortunately due to their obscurity there aren't many YouTube videos containing their music.  I encourage you to just spend the $9 on their self titled album, as I can promise it will be worth your while.  

Nothing - @Peace - This song is sheer poetry

The City of Sails Part II

As Kayleigh can attest, much to her displeasure, I'm not the biggest beach person.  I love a beautiful beach as much as the next person, but when it comes to lazing and sunbathing all day long I just can't sit still.  I prefer more active pastimes, and Auckland seems like the perfect place to pick up a new water sport.  I've seen tons of people out on stand up paddle boards and kayaks, and New Zealand has a pretty big surf culture and some killer waves.  I'm quite partial to kayaking, and just seeing all the bays, beaches, islands and mangroves has really got me in the mood to give it a shot. If you find the idea of self-propulsion repulsive however, there is the ever-present motorboats, sailboats, and yachts.  Auckland is known as the City of Sails, and I can't think of a better place to own a boat.  The Hauraki Gulf is loaded with islands giving you endless destination options (I think I should start asking Tourism New Zealand for a check), or you could just lay anchor in the middle of the sky blue gulf and drop a line or go for a dip.  Either way, just make sure to get out on the water and enjoy the scenery and the sunshine.

Given the plethora of bays and points along Auckland's pock marked coastline, I've been doing a lot of shoreline walks lately (if you haven't noticed).  For city beaches, they're shockingly clean and uncrowded.  Mission Bay puts San Francisco's Ocean Beach to shame, and a lot of the suburbs adjacent to the beaches have a quaint village feel.  I've actually seen a few older people whose trip to the grocery store is walking along the beach.  Lucky them.  During a recent walk along the north shore, I happened across an awesome man made soaking pool carved into the lava rock.  When the tide comes in, the pool is filled with water and a "natural" pool is created.     

Mission Bay

I may be one of the only people to say Auckland makes a good tourist destination, but certainly not the only one to claim it's a fantastic place to live (Aussies might find this to be contentious, but they're wrong).  At 1.5 million people, it offers many of the advantages of a big city without the crowds.  Combine that with the amazing natural amenities and mild climate and it should be no surprise why Auckland is consistently ranked amongst the ten most livable cities in the world.  Kayleigh and I like it so much that we've decided to stay put until November and lump all of our travels into one wonderful summer.  This will give us a chance to crystallize some budding friendships and avoid the hassle and cost of finding new jobs and a new place to stay elsewhere.  After what has essentially been a yearlong winter (we flew south just as it was getting warm), I can't wait for spring.  And this summer is going to be epic.  

Kiwisms:

gobby = blow job

lost the plot = gone crazy

tea = dinner/snack/lunch/breakfast

vivid = highlighter

gutted = upset