New Zealand's rollercoaster *by Ward*

Ok as asked and promised I’ll write something on Roland’s block as well. Don’t know if I can come close to Roland’s writing skills but I‘ll give it my best shot. I mean when they have streets, islands and towns named after me…

As Roland wrote I was very tired on the beginning of our trip and every plan seemed a to big effort to me. As well Roland tried every time to persuade me to come along. And when I said “no I rather stay here and do noting” his basic reaction was like a puppy who can’t play with its favorite toy. But that’s all in the past and eventually the moment is there and I say “well let’s do something active”. At this point I’m not quite prepared what comes next…

From roturora we drive Taupo to do a skydive. Unluckily the weather is not on our side.

So we deside to head straight on to Mt Ruapehu to a place called Whakapapa (pronounced f***apapa) here we spend the night at the highest hotel in New Zealand. ( Funny anyway that in every country u go to there are always places which are like here, the highest, the lowest, the oldest, the best, the we are so unique and for u it’s so special that you’re here kind of places).

After a tranquillo sleep Roland wakes up early and we’re on our way Mammen’s rollercoaster. First we’re biking down a hill on a great mountain bike path with extraordinary views.

Unluckily both our bikes brake down, and we have to walk on, luckily we’re picked up by the guy, jumping straight in our car and racing back to Taupo to catch the last skydive flight of the day booked on the spot by Roland.

Arriving in Taupo there I’m immediately squished into a suit, pushed in to a plane, flew up to 4,6 km height (For those still using medieval measurements: 15.000 ft) and pushed out with a guy on my back.

Ok must be said it’s great to freefall. Not scary at all, spectacular great views.

W: ‘ Ok that was cool Roland what’s up next?

R:“well we haven’t seen the other side off mt Ruapehu so let’s go there’
w: huh? Well ok I’ll drive then
R: Aargh. Not you again! Please

Ok this is why: roland is a bit scared with my driving style. When I just drive very smoothly (my revenge hehe)

We’re just passing the 3rd corner and roland says go left here. We arrive at a natural hotspring. Just before I have to jump in “nice for the photo” I hear Roland say.

And the water feels very nicely warm. It’s so hot as you making your own bathtub, just warm enough to stay in for 15 min. very special that this hot water just comes straight out of the earth at 40 degrees Celsius.

Moving on

This night we stay in a backpackers and we sleep in a dormitory. After a quick sleep we’re off again. Now we’re going for a mountain walk with more scenic views of the highest waterfall of Tongariro National Park (here we go again).

And just when I think now I’ve had it all… There comes the Flyinng Fox. We’re strapped into some kind of back-to-the-future suit, attached with our back to a cable face down, roland smiling next to me, so it’s ok.

The fence which was first securely in front ofus slides away and we’re going down with 160km/hour into a fantastic gorge for a 2km long ride, YIHAAAA

Ok now it’s time to relax, we arrive in Wellington. Solid grounds city environment. I feel save, time to party!

New Zealand: Aaaarrrghhh

I’m quite excited about New Zealand. NZ is supposed to have alien nature settings and unbeatable adrenaline adventures, things so crazy you would only do them once in a lifetime and only here in NZ. I intend to do them all.

For this trip I will bring 3 main travel components, the 3 T’s:
- Travel bag: on wheels of course, a bag pack is sooo 1990
- Travel companion: Ward, my loud friend from Amsterdam
- Travel transport: a Nissan rental car, a model categorized as ‘El Cheapo’ by our rental company.

It’s good to see Ward after such a long time, we meet up in Auckland for a uniting beer.

Brugklas mates Ward and me catching up

I’ve got a busy schedule lined up for racing through the amazing nature of New Zealand in the timeframe we have, and I picture myself screaming along the way while jumping from planes, bridges and cliffs.

Ward, however, is yet-lagged, overworked (haha) and very tired. His über-priority is sleep, rest and slumber. We agree to first spend a few days on Waiheke, a small island off Auckland’s coast, to chill out and relax before we jump on the rollercoaster of Nouvau Pays de Marine magnifique.

Auckland by boat

Peaceful settings of Waiheke

Waiheke is a small boring island mainly known for its wine. While I do the necessary nose picking and ball scratching, Ward keeps up his promise and sleeps on every possible occasion.

Afternoon nap

But then it’s time we hit the road in our lovely Nissan El Cheapo. We pick up our vehicle in Auckland and the trip will take us all across both main islands that make up New Zealand and hopefully we will end up in Queenstown, from where we fly back to Auckland.

Our new 4-wheeled friend will bring us to viewpoints like these. Road adventure coming up.

Destination numero uno is Rotorua, an area known for its numerous hot springs and geysers, as well as its Maori villages. As a bonus there are various sporty activities along the rivers and forests.

Looking over Lake Rotorua and its central island

On the first day I go on a full day of Sledging and White Water rafting. For now Ward prefers the sleep-in option and stays at the hotel.
When you go Sledging you swim on a sort of body-board with flippers on your feet and you speed down a powerful streaming river. The highest rapids in this sledge are grade 3 (the highest being grade 5, grade 6 means 'not raftable').
Back in the days Sledging was considered one of the most extreme activities for visitors, because any participant is completely in control and responsible for his own actions. After a few accident, it got more regulated.
We get thorough safety instructions and we hit the cool river along with 3 instructors. Although I understand how this can be very dangerous, it is so well organized it feels comfortably safe all the time.

Sledging action on the lower part of Kaituna river

Then the main dish follows, a white water raft is on the menu. In this raft on the upper part of the Kaituna river we go down the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world, a heart stopping drop of 7 meters… obviously a grade 5 rapid. Chances are 50-50 the raft will flip over at this part of the raft, instructions we get are mainly about what one should do in case we flip over…

The Kaituna river 7 meter waterfall in all its glory

Some fools in a rubber raft going down the fall (sound: ‘AAAAAAAA…’ to be continued in the next pic)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Will we make it without flipping over? Enlarge picture by clicking on the photo, the facial expressions are fantastic. (Sound continued: ‘…AAARRRGGGHHH’)

Made it! Again, our ecstatic expressions say it all.

The second Rotorua day Ward seems to come alive and together we explore the area.
A Cultural visit to Maori village Whakarewarewa (que?) is easily digested. All modern Maori are as Western as any of you reading this blog. Still to keep in touch with their history and for tourism purposes I reckon villages like these are kept alive.


Masters lodge

Maori performance

We see the necessary exploding Geysers around the area.

Mysterious boiling mud, that stinks of rotten eggs. The whole area has this smell btw hmmm

The day ends in action when we hire mountain bikes and speed through tracks in the Whakarewarewa forest. This is sometimes more challenging than we thought, but perhaps our daily 10km bike ride to school from back in the days gave us enough experience to return the bicycles without any damage done.

Ward awake (!) and in action.

It looks like Ward is now permanently back in the land of the living and we head on south for more new experiences. One of them involves jumping from an airplane….
Ward will update you in the next post, if all his bones are still in tact, that is :-)

Australia: family catch up

Next stop is Australia, all passengers for Australia please get off here and don’t forget your luggage, sense or other valuables. Next stop is… Australia!

Damn! I love Australia. Pretty much everybody I know who has visited Australia says they could potentially live there. Me too! Australia has something je-ne-sais-quoi, a sort of friendly glow. And it’s an English speaking country in a pleasant climate, imagine that! OK, there is the US too, but who would want to live in the states?

I am in the land of Oz, Melbourne to be precise, only short this time with a specific purpose:
catch up with my Mammen’s side of the family, who I see only once every so many years, besides Rohan that is, who moved to London recently.

The whole XXX bunch including the latest member: Oscar. 

Being in Melbourne means also being back in the Western world and although I’m further away from home than ever it feels somehow homey.

Melbourne City, shops with price tags! 

The visit feels very familiar, staying in XXX house, making cheese sandwiches for breakfast, a powerful hot shower, a reliable wireless connection, missing the tram, going out to pubs and restaurants, winning playing pool (ok Andre, it was a tie)….it’s like being home, and I like it.
So why then this travelling thing, you might ask. Good question. I guess being outside the usual comfort zone can a give similar sort of satisfaction on a different level, if you catch my drift. But travelling forever? No way, José! 4 months will be plenty to satisfy my current unidentified travel desires and I will crave for cheese sandwiches soon again I’m afraid.

On the last of my 5 day visit we go for a hike in Mornington Penisula National Park. Nature in this area of Australia is very different from what I’ve seen so far in Asia.

Obviously it has different road signing

And matching wildlife, though demonstrating not to be injured.

xxx and Andre taking in the far stretching views

South coast rocks

Nearly soaked

  Actually soaked?

Lunch time

 Andre high in the sky

But perhaps I am higher in the sky?

 

Before you know it the travel-train blows its whistle and call passengers to leave their loved ones and hop on board for departure to a New destination, a New country, a New experience. I’m on my way to New Zealand.
In New Zealand I will travel with Ward who will arrive from Amsterdam at the same day. We will be there for nearly 4 weeks and I’ll try to persuade Ward to write a few words on this blog as well. Don’t expect too much, he is not the brightest fellow :)

Thailand: the end...

The last few days in Thailand we spend our time in Hua Hin in a homey environment with Tuk, Sarah and Rogier. I also spend some time kiting, my first kiting this ‘holiday’, hurrah!!

Immy showing off with Sarah

Tuk and Immy being pretty

Having our first lobster ever

But then... after all these good times the sun went down, Holland lost 2-1 of Germany and Miss Universe is nowhere in sight. The day has come for me and Immy to part.
We successfully passed the ultimate relationship test by travelling 30 days 24/7 with each other without either of us ending up in jail. She is heading West, back to the UK and I am heading East, towards Australia to visit family. I already miss you, babe!

The Thai army organized a formal farewell.

Chiang Mai Part Two: animals galore *by Immy*

Chiang Mai offers so much in the way of activities that we decide to extend our stay by another night. It is still far too little time to manage to do everything we want, so we discard the idea of watching Muay Thai Boxing and going on a night safari. We push Ro’s cultural tolerance to the limit by venturing to yet another temple. The Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple is reputed to be beautiful, and an attractive pilgrimage for many Thai’s to worship at, as well as admire its beauty. Unfortunately the temple is undergoing major construction work, and is shrouded by scaffolding, so it looks somewhat less majestic than we had anticipated.
Structural work detracts from the splendor of Wat Suthep.

Thai pilgrims at Wat Suthep.

Cultural expeditions well and truly exhausted (Ro breathes a long sigh of relief), an afternoon of zip-lining ensues. For the uninitiated, that comprises of being harnessed to wires/ ziplines and gliding between platforms in the treetops at the highest point of a forest, some 45 meters above solid ground. It is exhilarating, and quite a rush, though perhaps a bit tame for the most seasoned adrenaline junkies.

An interesting mode of transport, 45 meters above ground.

I think we deserve some sort of recognition for the amount of waterfalls we’ve visited… by now we must be somewhere near double figures. Now some of these supposed waterfalls are in fact more like bubbling streams masquerading as waterfalls, while others are crashing cascading waterfalls that belong on postcards. Keeping up with our regular waterfall slot, we pay a visit to Mae Sa Waterfall. This is an impressive beast of a waterfall, comprising of ten separate falls which we reach via a pleasant secluded walk. Most people congregate by the 1st to 4th falls, perhaps put off by the length of the walk to get to the 10th fall. Having completed a three hour uphill mountain trek only days earlier, we feel invincible, so a few paltry steps is no mean feat for us. We are compelled to get to the 10th fall, and are rewarded accordingly by a breath-taking sight.

One of Mae Sa’s ten falls.

I’m keen to see the Sunday Walking Street, in which a road becomes pedestrianized from 4pm to midnight with the sole purpose of enabling hawkers to sell their wares. I am not disappointed by the vast array of crafts, and am determined to find a pretty bracelet, but end up buying several, as each one is more colourful and beautiful than the last. They currently all sit at the bottom of my suitcase alongside the abandoned camera.
We’re pleased to discover most products display a clearly marked price tag, which is rare for markets typically frequented by tourists, where the venders tend to double if not treble the price for non Thai folk, and ask for as much baht as they think they can get, regardless of the items’ actual value. The onus is on the buyer to negotiate a more reasonable price, something that Ro is far more proficient at than I.

Dancers entertain the crowds on Sunday Walking Street.

Mae Sa offers much entertainment for the tourist who is not shy about parting with their money. We are riveted by a snake show and sit in a near trance watching the snake handlers dance skillfully past a Python’s darting forked tongue. I quickly realize that Ro appears not to be quite as entranced as I am, when a snake comes flying in our direction. Ro vanishes from his seat in an instant. There’s a puff of dust from his departing shoes, and he beats a hasty retreat to the safety of a seat several rows back. The snake turns out to be a twisted length of rope, but I must draw attention to Ro’s considerate efforts to protect his poor girlfriend from the venom of the Python, leaving me alone in the front row, frozen in shock! He won’t be nominated for any awards for bravery…

Ro is uncertain about his new friend

I’m definitely a cat person, and will always make time to coo over a fluffy long-haired cat, or blue-eyed kitten. However this is the first time big cats have entered the equation. I’m fond of cute cuddly kittens who purr contentedly while having their tummies rubbed, but I have never previously experienced this with a feline who doesn’t fit in my arms. Enter the tiger! Ro and I sign away our lives by entering a tigers’ cage to stroke three large cats. There is a surreal moment beforehand when we are required to sign a disclaimer confirming we will not sue the Tiger Kingdom in the event of injury (mauling by a ferocious cat?) and we take full responsibility for choosing to go into the tigers’ cage. Somehow I can’t imagine our travel insurance paying our medical bills if we get savaged.
We creep hesitantly into the lions’ den so to speak, both trying to stand behind the other lest the tigers feel hungry at that very instant. We’re flanked by three staff from the Tiger Kingdom, who approach the tigers first, and then encourage us to stroke these beautiful creatures. I’m enthralled – I’ve found my perfect Christmas present! Within minutes my fear has evaporated and I’m hugging these giant cats, confident that they’re too busy ripping coconuts to shreds to have time for an Immy sandwich.
Ro is far less comfortable however, and although he touches the cats, he prefers to maintain a safe distance. I’m reminded of his quick reaction to the flying snake, and am under no illusion that I’m on my own if the tiger turns in our direction.

My new pet?

A monkey school is located beside the snake and tiger establishments, so we trot along for a look. It is a horrible experience, and I feel quite upset by the treatment of the monkeys. They are all chained to stakes in the ground and can only move a foot in either direction. The staff at the monkey school assure us they are unchained after 5pm, but I can’t think beyond their daytime confinement. A monkey show comprises of a monkey riding a bicycle and a tuk tuk, pushing a small cart etc, all the time being led around on a chain by its handler. I’m far from impressed. If the monkey were really so well trained there should be no need for these heavy chains. The treatment of a tiny 2 year old monkey who is just undergoing training is abhorrent – the monkey is clearly terrified, and I suspect some pain is being inflicted by the handler. I want to cuddle the monkey, and ensure it has a better quality of life. Can I add a monkey to my Christmas wish list too?

Monkey enduring very restricted movement range

We are going to Hua Hin to relax by the coast with Ro’s friends for a few days before we must part company. My time in Thailand is running out and I will be returning far too soon to the cold winds and rain of London. I have loved my month in the sun with Ro, and I wonder how I will manage without him and the sunshine for the next few weeks. I hope you have enjoyed the brief interlude from Ro’s writing, he will be back with the Hua Hin update and will resume full responsibility for all future blog updates!

Ro continues his adventures alone.