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

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!