A Mystic Land Up North

Let me just begin by expressing my adoration for sand dunes. I know they are a strange thing to find super amusing, but I most certainly find them as such. I mean, how incredible is it that sand gets swept across an expanse of land and forms a beautiful mountain of messy, invasive, and gets-stuck-everywhere particles?! But really, quite amazing. And to speed down the giant hills on a dune board… even better!

And that was just the beginning of the weekend.



Welcome to Paihia!

Sarah, a friend from Germany, and I began on Saturday at about 6:50 AM to head north of Auckland. Finally got out of the city!! It was wonderful. Took the Stray Bus, a backpacker bus here in NZ. There are countless people of all ages that backpack for months on end around here… ridiculous! Regardless, we headed to the Bay of Islands for a short weekend. Planned to travel up on Saturday, returning to Auckland late Sunday evening. Then we heard about the tour that headed up to Cape Reinga! Needless to say, we returned to Auckland on Monday evening. And I’m very happy that we made the decision to do so! The Cape was well worth every minute!!



A view from the Cape!

Arrived in Paihia around 4 PM, booked tours, and then checked in at the hostel. Stayed at Pipi Patch, a Base Hostel. After check-in, Sarah and I took a walk up to Paihia Lookout. It was an unexpectedly nice walk through a winding jungle of green. A cute bridge, endless foliage, and a sweet lookout at the top! Then to dinner… took about 2 hours to get pasta. Ridiculous, but memorable, I guess! Home to hang out and then to sleep early.

Regarding the Cape trip: Drove along Ninety Mile Beach (which is actually 64 miles long, and they use the metric system anyway, so don’t know what Captain Cook was thinking!). Saw some wonderful sights on the way up, through foggy jungle-like terrain and numerous quaint villages, spotted with fishing boats, cafes, and cows. Sheep, also… even some PINK SHEEP at this crazy farm!! For pink jumpers, obviously.

Anyway… after arriving on the beach, we spent some time in the Tasman Sea, relaxed for a while, ran around, then jumped back on the bus. Oh, and I enjoyed a Fluffy on the way up! Basically like a cheap hot chocolate with froth, usually only for children. Tasty! On our way to the dunes, we enjoyed an incredible dark rye and salmon sandwich. Another tasty, healthy treat! We arrived at the dunes in just a short while, around mid-day. It was a super sunny, clear day by that time. Endured a brief introduction to “proper dune boarding” and then headed up the mountains of sand!! I must say I was quite excited, having had a lovely time at previous dunes. And these were no different! Well, we were at a lower latitude (sea level, namely), making it slightly nicer to climb the shifting sand. After taking a few breaks and making it to the top, we began our journey down! First time? A bit nervous, so I dug my feet in… next three times? Wanted to go as fast as possible and had a total blast!! Almost made it to the creek at the bottom, and the last time went in anyway. Too fun to pass up, eh?



Duning!!

After becoming sufficiently red-faced and sand-covered, we headed up to the Cape. Talk about beautiful overlooks! Wow. I’ve included a picture to try to capture the sheer wonder of the lighting. Wish it did it justice. This part of New Zealand is very important to the Maori people, being the location where the deceased spirits travel before leaving this land. Rich culture abounds, and the location is nothing short of miraculous to the local tribes. No food or drink is allowed on the track to ensure the purity of the sacred land. There is certainly an abundance of cultural understanding to grasp around the country.



Cape Reinga.

After Ninety Mile Beach, duning, and Cape Reinga, we headed south once again. Stopped along the way at a Gumdiggers Park where we toured the land. Kauri trees (giant) that fell several hundred thousand years ago were preserved in the peat layer of earth, preserving the wood in a natural state. There are examples in the park of 400,000 year old pieces of wood that are still workable, not petrified or fossilized. Quite interesting, really. Toured another location called “Kauri Kingdom” or something of the sort… These trees are literally so large that they have carved out the inside of one tree to form a rather large staircase! Second largest tree in the world, after the California Redwood. Then headed to the “best fish and chips in the country” at Maunganui Fish Market. Enjoyed the greasy meal, but it was definitely not my favorite thus far… We shall see! Back “home” to the hostel by 7:15 PM (over an hour late) and headed to shower immediately! So messy! Exhausted, but had a wonderful day.



Hugging a giant Kauri tree!

Day two was spent in Paihia, exploring a bit, attempting to watch the sun that never rose, and enjoying a dolphin adventure. But first, we had amazing apricot and cream cheese muffins! Once again, quite enjoyable. Otherwise, it was nice and chilly all day… Not exactly ideal for a boat trip, eh? Saw a few playful dolphins, learned a bit of history, and headed to the Hole in the Rock. It was a bit too rough at sea to go through the hole, so just observed from a rather close distance! Saw some black layered rocks, learned a bit of geology, and headed back to Paihia. The rest of our day was spent wandering around, making noodles for lunch, and watching a bit of rugby on the tele. Jumped on the bus around 4:30 PM and arrived back in Auckland by 8 PM or so.

That’s about all for the fun-filled weekend! Now it is Wednesday late afternoon and I’m getting ready to head to a friend’s house for dinner. Turned in my first project at U of A today; a “lovely” GeoFlyer for my Geology of New Zealand course. Exciting! Or not really… haha!

Word of the day:
munted: controversy still stands about usage of this word, but most commonly it is used to mean “broken, useless, messed up”

Have a good one.

What a Wonderful Day!

So I just returned from a wonderful walk up Mount Hobson, which resides nearly 4 minutes from where I live. It was quite a nice hike up the footpath, past cows, trees, and craters. What a beautiful view, indeed!! Certainly more than I expected from a 7 minute walk up a semi-medium sized hill! We could see the city, Mount Eden, One Tree Hill (I think...), and the bay. Went just now, just before sunset. It was a sunny, calm day after the morning downpour; so, needless to say, a great time to do the short hike! Took several (ok, quite a few...) pictures from all around the top crater and then headed back down. At the bottom of the hill, we found a Golden Retriever!! I was super excited, and the dog came over, wagging her tail! :-) Yes, I asked the owner and got to pet the dog! Made my day! Nature, Golden Retrievers, and school. With several new friends. What a good one.

View of Rangitoto.

Touching the Sky Tower

Sweet stunt planes visible from atop Mt. Hobson!

Oh, and to top the day off, we talked about neurosurgery in Biopsych today. :-D You may well know how I feel about that kind of thing; if not, well... I find it absolutely fascinating! And then we talked about drugs and addiction, which was quite interesting as well. I must note that my professor is quite ridiculous for this class... I generally sit there and take note of the random, strange, and sometimes rather disturbing things that he says... and sometimes I even write them down! For instance, my notes read from today's class as follows: "I continue to persevere because, well, I am a rebel." In another instance, "I think I don't mind animal testing because I have become morally bankrupt." And numerous other references to locations of magic mushrooms and the such... He certainly keeps the class entertaining!

And... in Pacific Music and Dance! I actually shook my hips the right way today for the first time!! That's something to celebrate, let me tell you! We had to perform in small groups (mine being the smallest, go figure...) in front of the rest of the class (about 94 people in total). It was quite intimidating at first, but had fun! Then we worked on our chant to be performed prior to the dance. Sweet as!

Performing our Cook Islands Dance!

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As you can tell, it was quite an eventful day! Moving on...

My homestay mother has been away to Wellington with her work for the past few days. I've been out and about, so it hasn't been too bad. Actually, not bad at all. Missed home for a bit a few days ago, but it's super amazing to be able to SKYPE often!! :-) I also enjoy talking to you all back home via Facebook chat. Thanks for letting me know how things are going in your life as well as checking up on me! I love to hear from you!

That is all for now! The Brazilian couple is fixing dinner (fish filets!) and I am going to socialize with them. (*Note: The Brazilian girl showed me pictures of her dogs, family, and friends from back home! Very exciting, as she has been quiet since they arrived. She is super sweet, though!)

Bay of Islands this weekend with my friend, Sarah, from Germany! Certainly excited! Updates soon.

G'Night, friends! <3>

Snapshots

Someday I would like to call a spot like this "home."

Our crew at Long Bay.

Cook Islands Dancing!

Mmm... a fresh doughnut and a Crunchie Bar.... wonderful and extremely unhealthy!

Pasifica Festival.

Only a few pictures!

At the Blues vs. Sharks Rugby game!

Some sweet gold metallic pants that I found... :-)

Fun on Long Bay!

And a view of Auckland Central from atop Mount Eden!!

The Beauty of the Island

I thoroughly enjoyed my first Flamenco class today!! Taking the class as part of the Uni Rec Center Programs option, and it’s quite exciting! We are going to have a fiesta on the last day of class. Yay! I figure this is a better option than the Monday Night Salsa at Mission Bay… last time I had a rather scary experience, seeing as I went alone and the place was loaded with 40-year-old men… Not the best environment, so needless to say, this Flamenco class is only girls and is also something new and fresh to me!

Now I’m watching “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days" while typing. What a lovely movie, eh?! Speaking of movies, several friends came over to my homestay to enjoy a study and movie party yesterday! Watched parts of Dirty Dancing, August Rush, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. And the girls cooked dinner! Tasty, sort of… hahaha! It made me feel like such a local… having friends over to “my house.” Strange.

Otherwise, we are planning on going to the Bay of Islands this weekend! (up north of Auckland, fyi) Very excited!! May try to take a cruise for dolphin watching and to see the infamous “Hole in the Rock” as well as visiting a remote island of sorts. There is also a tramping trail to this supposedly beautiful waterfall. Sweet as! Excited to get out of the city for a bit, so it should be a great time whatever we decide to do. There is always something to do around New Zealand; I only wish I had limitless time and no homework! Camping in Coromandel sounds wonderful right now… Cook Islands. April 6. Here I come! Mid-semester break is sneaking up quickly!!

And with regards to homework… it’s a bit different than Mizzou. There are not the typical “mid-terms” with a test before and after to balance your class points. Rather, we generally have a large paper, perhaps one test, and a final exam mid-June. Should probably get on my essay writing early! Finished my Pacific Music and Dance journal for this section, and need to be working on my GeoFlyer for Geology! That is the new course that I picked up, after freaking out about Spanish and settling for switching classes. Geology of New Zealand: Half a Billion Years on the Edge! We even have a day field trip! Hooray!

Pacifica Festival! I mentioned it previously, but can’t say enough about it! I felt as though I visited eight different islands in one morning. It was incredible! What a lovely and rich culture each of the islands possess. Marvelous.

A taste of New Zealand:
"Ta" --- thank you
Feijoa cereal --- amazing!!
Rubbish bins, lollies, Hokey Pokey, and rugby aplenty!

That’s all for now! Time for sleeping. G’night and love to you.

<3

Dancing and Singing

The following is an excerpt from my "Pacific Music and Dance Journal Assignment." I believe it is a nice representation of the class so far. Enjoy!!

And more "real updates" to come in the near future!

Thursday, 5 March 2009
We had our first day of Pacific Studies 110 today! I get the feeling that it’s going to be a wonderful class and I’m very excited to learn a few Pacific Island dances! Although I can’t shake my hips very well… I am missing choir already, so hope that the music and artistic side of this course will satisfy my desire to be surrounded by music. In fact, adding a cultural aspect is even more exciting! Looking forward to seeing how the course works in a practical manner. Starting with Cook Islands Dance tomorrow, though I don’t have a sarong at this point! No worries, as I will talk with Marg, my host mother, to see if she has one that I can borrow during our first dance sequence. The videos that we watched about Pacific Dance were wonderful and they give me inspiration to learn more about the culture behind the movements. I do believe that reading and writing about various islands will assist in this venture. It was a bit confusing when we were discussing the so-called “Course Reader”, but will hopefully get clarification on our expected assignments soon!

*Saturday, 14 March 2009
I went to Pasifica Festival today with a few friends!! Amazing! Although the rain cut our time a bit short, we had an absolutely wonderful experience. I especially enjoyed watching the Cook Islands dancing, music, and other presentations. The way that the women felt the music was incredible. Very similar to the DVD that we watched the first day of class, but right in front of my eyes. The colors were stunning and the friends and family entirely supportive. Chanting, cheering, and laughter were all a part of the celebration of a rich culture. What a treat!

If you would like to see the purchase that I made at the Festival, check out my Facebook Profile Picture! Hope you have a lovely day. I would love to hear from you!!

Uni Week One: Check!

Finished the first week of Uni in Auckland a few days ago! Switched my Egyptian History class to the History of Medicine (mainly in Britain), which is pretty sweet! Loving the classes, especially Pacific Music and Dance! Wow!! It's going to be an amazing class and we learn three big dances that we then have to perform for credit! Yikes! (Cook Islands Dance, Tongan Dance, and Somoan Dance) Had a lovely time and even met up with another friend from Illinois (that I met here).

Absolutely loved the week of courses, which is exciting! Spanish is going to be very difficult, but meeting with the professor tomorrow to work through things. :-/ We shall see! Otherwise, Biopsychology is sweet (crazy-fun prof!!) and beginning the lab this week, Friday. We are learning about the anatomy of the brain, so totally loving the class. :-) As for the medicine course, we are currently learning about the debates between medicine as a detriment to health versus medicine as an opportunity for improving health. This mainly occurred in the 1970s, but much of it continues today around the world. Quite interesting, really. Pacific Music and Dance... Working on the Cook Islands Dance at the moment, sarong and all! It's lovely and even enjoyed the Queen St. Sing Sing this weekend (which included dances and singing from the Pacific Islands. Super fun! On Friday, I went to a "Tertiary Student Christian Fellowship" gathering, which was quite interesting. The diversity on campus is stunning to me, but I adore that aspect of Auckland! They say that would be different if I were actually a Kiwi, but for now, it's lovely. :-)

Indeed, this weekend was full of beaches, rugby, and touring Waiheke Island! Began by studying for a while, reviewing Spanish, and then looking over my weekend options. Ended up going to meet some new friends for Friday evening and then planned to attend the International Orientation event for Saturday. We took 5 buses to Long Bay, a beautiful stretch of beach FULL of flies and mosquitoes! Annoying, eh?! Then we rushed back and headed to the Globe to meet friends for my first-ever rugby game! It was amazing!! Eden Park, home to many sporting events, is quite awesome and we had a great group of people cheering for both teams. Regardless, South Africa (the Sharks) won the game! People singing, cheering, flags waving, and all! Reminded me of the World Cup game in Berlin... Then around town to enjoy the Auckland Festival and the Queen Street celebrations. Amazing music and dancing in celebration of New Zealand and other Pacific Islands. Home after a bit, then to awake early for a venture to Waiheke Island.

Woke a bit later than expected, the bus was late, so we decided to take the Link Bus (leaves every 10-15 minutes) to the ferry wharf. Arrived at the University (about a 15-20 minute walk from the wharf) at 8:05 AM with the ferry to leave at 8:15 and no ticket in hand... needless to say, we ran the whole way to the ferry, stopping along the way at an ATM, and got on just after they had pulled the walkway to board! Sooo close! Definitely an adventure. Met up with some friends, worked on plans for the day, and arrived on the island around 9 AM. We decided to split into two groups, with the group I was a part of deciding to rent a van for 8 of us. We basically drove from beach to beach and vineyard to beautiful lookout spot all day long! It was a glorious, sun- and rain-filled day of relaxation. I especially liked Oneroa Beach and Palm Beach. Beautiful and calm. Enjoyed some of the best grapes that I've ever tasted at a little vineyard along the way. Mmm... Headed back on the 6 PM ferry after enjoying the beautiful day. Dinner back in Newmarket, nearby my home, at a place on Nuffield Street. Home to get some sleep early!

Today, Monday, I have no classes. I'm planning on studying for a while at Albert Park and then have a few brief meetings to attend mid-day. It's a bit overcast and such, but just wait for a few hours and that will change. Similar to Missouri, eh?!

That's all for now. Peace. Enjoy your day!