The City of Sails Part I

Many travelers will tell you that if you go to New Zealand, fly in and then get the hell out of Auckland as soon as possible. Having lived in the city for nearly 3 months now (crazy right?), I'm here to tell you that Auckland is much better than it's given credit for.  I have been taking every chance to get to know the city and its surrounds, and while it may not have the cultural opportunities of international cities, it most definitely has a healthy nightlife that is more focused on having a good time than the pretentious show that is common in more glitzy destinations.  There are also some amazing outdoor opportunities here.  There is a massive mountain range covered in native rain forest 30 minutes drive from the CBD for peat sake!  

Just last weekend I went for another trip to the Waitakeres and ended up at Whatipu Beach which lies at the mouth of the Manukau Harbour where it meets the Tasman Sea.  After driving over the pass the road descends into a beautiful valley before ending at the car park.  From there the walk to the water takes about fifteen minutes over cabbage tree and shrub covered black sand dunes and marshland.  Emerging onto the beach, I was floored at the sheer primeval look of it.  It was like stepping back in time, before man.  The blue waves were furiously crashing against the black sands that seemed to stretch forever down the coast before disappearing behind large dunes.  To my right stretched an endless marshland dotted with more shrubs and cabbage trees and permeated by streams that carved out pathways in the sand.  To my left, a large rock outcropping and some sandstone formations reaching out into the sea, and behind them you could see the cliffs of the Awhitu Peninsula disappear into the misty horizon.  The whole scale of it can't be described, only experienced, and I witnessed it alone.  To compliment it all, the dimming light and clouds created a sort of eerie, alien like ambiance.  It's a feeling you'll never experience so close to any other major city center. It was about this point when I realized that I just drove an hour into the mountains by myself, half of which was on unsealed roads, in a 18 year old minivan just a couple of hours before sunset, with no cell service and having told nobody where I was going.  I don't want to end up inspiring sequel to 27 Hours, so I probably won't do that again.  

Before I left I had to try a quick hike I had read about previously.  It's a quick but arduous hike to the top of one of the nearby mountains nestled against the valley.  It was projected to take 30 minutes to get to the overlook at the top, but given that it was already 5:00pm and sunset was at 5:22, I gritted my teeth and double timed and made it up in 15.  There was a bench at the top where I sat and soaked in 360 degree views of the valley and everything described above.   I made a peanut butter sandwich using the best peanut butter ever made (Pic's) and watched the sunset cast a red glow on everything before hustling back down.  I made it back to the car and out of the valley before dusk.  The whole day was magical, the hike was amazing, and since Kayleigh wasn't with me I have an excuse to go back.  Don't know if she'll like that hike as much as I did considering it's straight up hill, but if the pictures are any testament, it's totally worth it.  

To give you a sense of scale, that little spec in the water is a ship 

Um, Where's the Check?

Eating out is one of Auckland's favorite pastimes, with every major road being lined with a diverse array of cafes, bars, and restaurants.  Despite the sheer volume of choices, at the right time of the day (or night) most of these places are packed and lively places to be.  It reminds me of a college town, and like college students, kiwis have a voracious appetite for beer; it's not uncommon for an entire office to go out for a beer together on Friday nights, and bars are generally packed from Wednesday to Saturday night.  As such, in the spirit of (camaraderie( and making friends, I have decided to do as the Romans…ahem, Kiwis do.  Luckily for me, I have found New Zealand brews more agreeable than American beer (and Kayleigh loves the NZ ciders).  The NZ flagship brews are Lion Red and a variety of beers from a local microbrewery called Mac's, which to my surprise, I actually liked. 

New Zealand is also surprisingly devoid of the slew of fast food chain restaurants from America.  Don't get me wrong, they have McDonald's, KFC (coincidentally nicknamed K Fry), and a few others, but their market penetration and is low and people generally don't support them.  What with kiwis being raised on less processed foods combined with having no shortage of better options, it doesn't surprise me.  In their place, many New Zealand chains have arisen which is much less boring for a traveling American :).  The Noodle Canteen (variety of Asian cuisines) has been our go to cheap takeaway when we don't want to cook.  Casa Del Gelato has amazing and unique flavors of ice cream.  Hollywood Bakery makes an excellent mocha (yes, I'm a sellout and have started drinking coffee as well).  There is also a sushi chain here called St. Pierre's that I haven't tried because it is owned by a Greek guy with a french name selling Japanese food.  Also, as mentioned before, Mac's has some awesome beers, and the Doolan Brothers (Kayleigh's company) has a great atmosphere and good food, especially the meat pies.  

Unfortunately our three favorite types of take out from back home aren't well represented here.  Chinese food is done differently here and is looked at sideways by kiwis similarly to how Indian food is (unfairly) looked at back home.  Pizza is pretty popular, but so far we haven't found a place that makes a good one.  Most places offer gourmet style and make pizzas with all different kinds of sauces and loads of toppings.  There is a high end chain here, Sal's, that sells American style pizza, but it is unpalatably greasy.  And then of course, there is Mexican food.  We have searched high and low, tried many of the popular "Mexican" restaurants and come away with only one place that sells legitimate Mexican food.  It's called Mexican Specialties and only serves food from 11am-3pm Thursday-Saturday.  Outside of those hours it functions as a shop selling various food products and novelties from Mexico, so at the very least we've been able to get some authentic ingredients to make home cooking.  Other than that we've just had to make due with the California Burrito Company that does their best to imitate a California style burrito, and our stand in Mexican substitute, Indian food.  Nite Spice is quite a good little franchise and we've been slowly working our way through the menu.  

One more subtle difference between eating out in NZ and back home is that the service is a bit more hands off.  Your waiter isn't hovering around checking in on you at all times; you pour your own water form a pitcher, and if you are expecting them to bring you your check at the end of the meal then you'll be waiting for a long time.  It may be because NZ doesn't have a tipping culture or it may just be that they kiwis view that sort of behavior as pushy.  I'm willing to bet it's the latter given that retail service similarly hands off.  So here's your warning: if you're finished eating and you intend of leaving, ask for the check.  

Kiwisms:

arvo = evening

manky = raunchy (this one may be used in America, but I've never heard it)  

wees = pee

bumwees = diarrhea (These two I think are more likely unique to Ryan and Eden's vocabulary)

Bringing Home the Bacon

Now I know I don't look the part but food is one of the my great loves, and I have to admit that before coming to New Zealand I didn't know what to expect of kiwi cuisine.  I had never heard of any kiwi specialties, and as it turns out that is because there really aren't any.  It may sound like a grim start to a blog about food, but one of the great things about travel is there are surprises around every turn.  

One of the first surprises to greet us was the discovery of a previously unknown fruit: the feijoa.  These delicious little wonders are native to South America, but given the prolific rate at which they grow around here it seems as though they like New Zealand better (and I can't blame them!)  Feijoas also go by another name - Pineapple Guava (also Guavasteen) -  which is a pretty good description of their taste. They are contending with grapes and oranges for the best non-tropical fruit as far as I'm concerned.  Apparently they are also grown in northern California and other parts of the US, so if you ever see one at your local farmer's market or grocery store be sure to try it.

Aside from the excitement of trying an exotic new fruit (which New Zealand can't even claim as its own), it would be easy to come to the conclusion that NZ doesn't have much to offer in the realm of food, and honestly it wouldn't be totally unfounded (unless you live and die by Marmite).  If there is one thing that is New Zealand's saving grace however (I'll give you a hint, it's not Marmite), it is the ability to do the simple things right.  In fact, that fits perfectly with New Zealand's self-imaging and is one of the most attractive and unique things about the country.  It doesn't have the in-your-face glitz of many other international destinations, but it makes up for it with an organic, down-to-earth rawness.  The same is true for kiwi food, it is the basics where New Zealand really shines: meat, bread and dairy.  It is just less processed than what we Americans get.  Take for example that my first meal in NZ was a hamburger, an American classic. After the first bite I was floored to discover that NZ does it better than we do.  There is just no arguing with the quality of the beef (which undoubtedly comes from grass fed free range cattle), it was arguably the best hamburger I'd ever had.  I know my European friends may find this contentious, but I found plain store bought cheese, bread, milk, and eggs, to be delicious, and don't even get me started on the ice cream, lamb or bacon. Bacon was already just about the best food on the planet, how kiwis have improved perfection is a mystery for the ages.

This is quite a compelling argument...

Food Related Kiwisms:

delicious = yum

thin cake = slice

powdered sugar = icing sugar

non-chocolate candy = lollies

capsicum = bell pepper

RE: cheddar cheese - it isn't orange and apparently isn't suppose to be (is my yank showing again?)

RE: eggs - it is completely unnecessary to refrigerate them (and again??)

RE: bacon - legendary is the only apt word to describe it 

RE: marmite - New Zealand's alternative to Australia's vegemite. A yeast spread - stay far, far away from it

Checking In

I would just like to take a moment to thank you all for your feedback about the blog, I truly wasn't expecting so many compliments about the writing and it is really encouraging to hear.  I am excited to hear you're enjoying the ride.  You can be sure that we are too.  If you haven't already, be sure to like our Facebook page so you can get teasers for upcoming posts and updates when the posts go live. There are also tons more photos on the Facebook page for your viewing pleasure, so think of it as a sort of companion page to the blog.  You can find it here - https://www.facebook.com/SamKayleighsEscapeFromTheBay

I have also had a few people ask me how they can comment directly onto the blog page.  In order to do this you have to have an account with Google, AIM, TypePad, OpenID, LiveJournal, or WordPress and sign in prior to commenting.  So if you use Gmail or you have an AIM account sitting on your virtual shelf collecting dust, then you're already halfway there.  Type your comment and select your account type (from the drop down bar containing those listed above) and click post and it will prompt you to log in.  From there it may ask you to enter a CAPTCHA and after that your comment should be live.  I know it's a bit more convoluted than it needs to be, but give it a shot.  Perhaps if enough of you demand that Kayleigh blog on the comments here it may be enough to actually inspire her to write one.  Let's start a dialogue so it doesn't look like I'm talking to myself here! (Did you just hear an echo?) 

I would also like to thank a certain German friend of mine for pointing out that some of the particularities of New Zealand that I have featured aren't exclusive to the country.  Many of them extend to the commonwealth and some to every other country (save the US of course, I guess we just like being different).  What can I say other than I guess I'm just another unworldly yank.  Just trying to stay true to my roots :p.  It does bring up an exciting fact however, that American's aren't the only ones reading this blog (according to the stats on Google, we get a couple hits a week from numerous countries around the world).  It is a fact I will try to keep in mind with regard to future posts.  

Lastly, work has started to calm down a bit for Kayleigh and I during the past week or so which means more time to work on blogs, and I have been sitting on a few good ones.  I have been biding time and gathering information about New Zealand food, music, fashion and nightlife for some big posts and I think I have just about enough, so all my music lovin' peeps get prepared for a flood of amazing stuff.  If you look forward to reading this blog and you know of anyone else who might enjoy it as well, let them know where to find us.  I'm curious to see if we can grow this thing together.

Good night!  

A Weekend in Waiheke

After a month of 50+ hour work weeks, Kayleigh and I finally found the opportunity to escape for the weekend to do some more exploring.  We decided to go to the island of Waiheke in the Hauraki Gulf which is about a thirty minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland.  Waiheke is a revered summer getaway for Aucklanders due to its lovely beachside villages, wineries, and dry sunny climate.  As it turns out, it's not so bad in winter either.  

Would you believe this picture was taken in winter?

We arrived at the ferry terminal just before sunrise and our weekend kicked off with a dawn ferry ride to the island, which provided some beautiful views of numerous Hauraki Gulf islands as well as the Auckland coastline.  After a much needed cup of coffee, our first stop on the island was Oneroa, an idyllic little beachside village on the shores of Oneroa Bay. It became immediately apparent why Waiheke is such a beloved vacation destination.  The bay is picture perfect, with azure waters gently lapping onto a sandy, sea shell strewn beach which is bordered by sandstone cliffs, painted green with trees and shrubs. As we walked along the beach we happened across a makeshift swing hanging from one of the large pohutakawa trees overhanging from the bluff and after a brief romp (followed by a complete wipeout upon dismount) I was sold.  If we ever decide to emigrate to New Zealand permanently, Oneroa will be a strong contender.  

Oneroa Bay Overlook

After soaking in the scenery of the bay (and some sun on this most beautiful of winter days) we set off to do some wine tasting.  Waiheke is known for its red wines, particularly its Syrahs, and while I admit to knowing virtually nothing about wine, Kayleigh and I did enjoy every single wine we tasted.  In fact, I found the wines to be more agreeable than those we tasted in Napa Valley.  Both the red and white wines of the island are bursting with fruity flavors and go down very smoothly.  In addition, since we went on a weekday in mid winter we were often the only people in the winery at any given time, which means we got lots of personal attention and learned a lot about wine in the process.  We ended up tasting about twenty different wines across five wineries and walking away with 3 bottles of wine, 2 smiles, and a pleasant buzz.

Amongst the vines

We closed out the day with a picnic on the romantic Palm Beach while we watched the sunset.  Wine and cheese on a romantic beach with your favorite person? Doesn't get any better than that does it?  We retired to our campground on Rocky Bay and were pleasantly surprised to discover that we had the whole place to ourselves as we spent the remainder of the night watching through Velma's moon roof as satellites sailed across the southern hemisphere before drifting off to sleep.  

Kayleigh is setting sail

Kiwisms:

vacation home = bach

exhausted = knackered

Kayleigh says: fish and chips on Waiheke = awesome :)

Mo' Money Mo' Problems

Hello again all! Another two weeks have gone by, and it's hard to believe that we have already been here for almost 2 months.  For those of you who haven't already heard, Kayleigh found a job! She is working as a waitress in a busy Irish pub kicking ass and taking names. (Still trying to convince her to blog about it, but she's apparently built quite a tolerance to my undeniable charm)    

If you couldn't tell from the title, today I'm going to be talking to you about money, so if numbers aren't your thing then consider yourself warned.  Now that we've gotten into a day to day rhythem, we've been able to get a feel for the true cost of living here in Auckland and it turns out things are not as they seem.  It is quite easy to get sticker shock when coming to Auckland for the first time, what with gas at about $2.15* per liter (1 gallon ~ 4 liters), milk at $2.50 per liter, and a couple of burgers with a soda from a local joint coming in at $25.  That's not even considering the absolutely outrageous prices on clothing and consumer electronics.  Compared with the low, low prices in America I thought we'd blow through our cash in no time.  Then something unusual happened.  While Kayleigh was still looking for a job, I was able to cover all of our daily living expenses as well as put away a few hundred dollars a week on my income alone!** That was something that would have been totally impossible for us while living back home (Just imagine, a couple being able to live on one income.  What is this, the 1950's!?)

Now me being me, I had to figure out why this was.  Last Friday night I was invited to a friend's house where I met a guy hailing from good ol' Danville, CA.  Would you believe, he also turned out to be an economist? He has been working in New Zealand for the last 5 years and confessed that he was similarly confused when his girlfriend had been out of work for a short time.  Needless to say, we got right to work trying to sort this problem out, and what we (mostly he I admit) worked out was this: The pricing structure in New Zealand is very transparent, whereas in the US it isn't.  For example: In the US when you walk into a restaurant to buy a meal, the sticker price is very low which leads you to believe that the food is cheaper than it truly turns out to be.  When you go to pay your bill you need to pay an additional (8-10%) tax on what was advertised AND a (10-20%) tip to your server making the total cost about 20-30% more than the advertised price.  This would put prices more in line with what you'd pay in New Zealand (if not higher), only in New Zealand there is no tip and tax is included in the advertised price, thus, more transparency.  

Now I don't mean to say that nothing in New Zealand is more expensive than it is back home (you still can't explain the ludicrous price on name brand clothing and electronics this way) and a restaurant is a rather special example because of the tip, but there are a few other factors that come into play here:

-While the things you have to deal with on a daily basis are pricey, monthly costs like cell phone service are surprisingly affordable.  For unlimited calling, texting, and 200MB of data on our iPhones we were paying $70USD per month per phone back home, where here for roughly the same deal we pay only $20 per phone per month.  Another example is car insurance, which is roughly $20/mo for basic liability for people under 25.   

-Minimum wage is higher, at $13.75/hour

-Sporadic costs like bank fees or parking tickets (yes…we've gotten one) are astronomically lower ($15 as opposed to >$60USD)

-Rents are cheaper.  We live in the biggest city in the country within a 30 minute walk to downtown and pay $1000/mo for a bedroom in a two bedroom house with a yard.  (Compare this to say, San Francisco or New York)

It can be a bit hard to pinpoint exactly where, but there is no doubt that at some point the balance DOES get tipped in New Zealand's favor, and that's no problem for me at all.    

Kiwisms:

poncy = stuck up, snobbish

twink = white out

eraser = rubber

to erase something = to rub it out (I laughed uncontrollably for several minutes the first time I heard this)  

*All prices in New Zealand Dollars unless otherwise specified.  Current exchange rate at about $1 NZ = $0.77 US

**With the caveat that I was making marginally more money here than I was back home (something to the tune of about $0.50USD/hr more). 

Rugby Romp

Before coming to New Zealand, I remember reading a guide saying that there were really only three essential things necessary to survive in New Zealand.  First and foremost was an enthusiasm for rugby, or the ability to fake enthusiasm for rugby.  Last Saturday marked the first game of the 2013 Rugby Union season when New Zealand's team the All Blacks faced off against their rival, France at Eden Park Stadium just a short drive from where we live.  To give you a little background, this was the very team and stadium where France and the All Blacks faced off in the final game of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the largest sporting event ever held in New Zealand.  The All Blacks emerged victorious and it was a proud day for all kiwis.  The parties must have been epic.  

This comparably insignificant game still had the stadium packed nearly to capacity and brought with it all the rambunctious fandom you would expect from a high stakes football game in the States.  But if you think American football makes people go bonkers, hear this:  Our roommate Ryan who is a policeman informed us that when the All Blacks lose a game domestic violence calls increase by 60%! As we settled into the living room drinks in hand to watch the game, something unusual happened.  A lady began to sing the French national anthem.  Naturally, I inquired about this and it was explained that here in New Zealand the other team is allowed to sing their national anthem first out of respect.  I guess the sport isn't as uncivil as it first appears. After both anthems were sung the All Blacks performed a Haka dance which is a Maori dance traditionally used to intimidate a rival tribe before battle.  This really seemed to rial up the French and the game commenced.

It quickly became apparent to me that while similar to American football, it is much faster paced and therefore much more compelling to watch.  Sorry football fans.  Rugby Union games are 80 minutes long with no clock stops and no real stopping between plays.  There are 15 players on each team and it is played on a field almost exactly the same as a football field.  There are no quarterback or receivers.  Instead you can only pass the ball laterally or backward while rushing towards the end zone.  A play is over when the man with the ball is tackled or brought down by the opposing team whereby a sort of dog pile is formed on top of the player with the ball in an attempt the wretch the ball from his hands. Once the ball is taken or he successfully rolls it to one of his teammates the game continues.  It really is just as brutal as it sounds; even more so because they do not wear any pads.  Not even cups.  Ryan was telling me stories of a few guys who had testicles smashed and still went out to finish the game.  

By about thirty minutes into the game it wasn't looking good for the All Blacks, who were performing sloppily and trailed by 4.  Luckily for women across New Zealand, they came back and soundly defeated France 23 to 13.

Kiwisms:

keen = committed/eager/into it/down (e.g. I'm keen to go snowboarding this weekend)

camp = a really polite word for gay

hori = ghetto/rough/unsophisticated (roughly equivalent to trailer trash)