September 2, 1998
Hey everyone! So much has happened over the past week, I'm not even sure where to start! And let me just give fair warning, I'm going to be absolutely raving about this boy I met who is the most incredible man I've ever known. So just get ready. I'll keep it as brief as possible.
Last Thursday I jumped on the Kiwi Experience bus which takes backpackers all over the country. My bus driver is a guy named Gish (well, actually, his name is Grant Gichard but, go figure). Over the past week we have become exceptional friends and I feel really blessed to have met him. He's an absolute madman with a contagious, warm personality and a great laugh. He will be 30 at the end of this month and has done the most amazing things! He was a molecular biologist in England, quit his job to cycle (read that, as in on a bike!) from London to India for a charity that he organized to help Tibetan orphans, or some such thing. Had a root canal in a scary Russian dentist office with NO ANESTHESIA! Has a rock-climbing company. Been in prison in Kazykhstan for visa violations. Cycled from Canada down the west coast of the States. Will begin working on his PhD in January of this next year. And, has a girlfriend from Canada who is moving over here in January. Damn! Just my luck. No, but seriously, he's not the man of my dreams, but he does come pretty darn close. And he's truly an exceptional and beautiful person! But, enough about Gish. He was my bus driver for the past week and absolutely made my trip ever so much fun!
We left Auckland and headed for Whitianga. Stopped along the way at a beautiful beach called Cathedral Cove and then stopped at hot-water beach, so named because at low tide you can dig a hole in the sand and it fills up with, you guessed it, hot water. Instant spa! It was so excellent even though the weather was crappy and rainy.
The next day we headed to Rotorua, a highly thermal area, and scoped out bubbling mud pools and boiling waters just randomly emerging from the ground all over the place! Very smelly thanks to all the sulphur. Went to a Maori Marae that evening and ate some native foods cooked in a Hangi which is an underground oven, saw some pretty cool dancing and I got to participate in the stick dance which was pretty hilarious! Stayed at the Hot Rock Backpackers where everybody from the bus put on PJ's and headed to the bar for a night of sheer debauchery!
Next day we were off to Waitomo Caves which are known for their glowworms. Some of us went blackwater rafting which is basically tubing through caves and looked like excellent fun, but as I've already spent too much money I gave it a pass. Did some nice hiking that day, however, and went to a farm show that afternoon where I got to help saw a log in half and shear a sheep! Woo-hoo!
Went into Taupo that evening and headed out to do some bowling and air hockey. Gish and I dominated the air hockey table! Rock on!
After Taupo, we went to River Valley, an incredibly beautiful place, which, according to Gish, is out in the Wops (that's kiwi for middle of nowhere) and went white-water rafting down the Rangitikei, a grade 5 river with some pretty wicked rapids. (Check out where we stayed!) Stopped along the way and jumped off a 30 ft cliff into the river. You tend to do some pretty nutty things over here as Kiwis are really into cheating death on a regular basis and you suddenly find yourself all caught up in the moment. Hence, I find myself doing crazy things like jumping off cliffs into rapidly flowing, ice-cold water just for grins!
Yesterday, we crossed from the North Island to the South Island and arrived in Nelson, a very cool artsy-fartsy sort of town with a very groovy feel to it. Gish introduced me to a friend of his who needs a roommate temporarily so I'll be staying for a couple of weeks enjoying a real bed and everything! May also end up tending bar at the Shark Club for some extra cash which would be a bonus.
Well, It's been an exciting and life-changing week for me. I'm still trying to absorb it all and take it all in. Will let you know where life takes me from here. Until then, take care all!
Much love,
Kodie