Kia Ora!!!

Kia Ora and welcome to my travel blog!

Kia Ora means “Greetings” basically in Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. I decided to start an online journal of my New Zealand trip. I figured it would help me to remember all the amazing stuff I’ll get to do and will help the time to fly by faster during any down-time. Enjoy!

Day 1: Orientation in Auckland Saturday, July 4^th

We got into Auckland around 6 a.m. After we collected our bags and all our people, we got on buses and rode to the Kiwi International Hotel near downtown Auckland. We were assigned roommates and rooms for the night. My roommate’s name was Katie, and she and I clicked really well. After we had time to shower and call home, we had tea-time with muffins and then walked around Auckland. We are in a group of about 50 students, going to three different universities (uni’s) in New Zealand. So we had the Otago group, the Victoria (Vic) group, and my group of Canterbury students, of which I was the only girl. A lot of the time they split us up to make it easier, and the Canterbury and Vic students were together since there were so many Otago kids. However, the weather was rainy and cold, so we didn’t get split up on this day at all. After walking around downtown and grabbing lunch, we hopped on buses and walked around an old WWII site and dormant volcanoes. It was tiring, but still beautiful and semi-interesting. After that, we went up in the SkyTower at Auckland where we ran into the National Junior 19-and-under Basketball team. It was cool to see other Americans, and we were able to talk to them and hang out with them, which we would not have gotten to do in the States. After seeing some people “jump” of the building, we went out for pizza, and then Katie and I went to bed around 7:30.

Day 2: Orientation in Rotorua Sunday, July 5^th

We all woke up between 8 and 8:30 and headed downstairs for breakfast (breakkie). We then got on a bus and drove to Rotorua, which was about 3 hours away. On the way we stopped in Hobbitown, around the area where they filmed Lord of the Rings. They still have the Shire that was used on the set around and take tour buses out there, which some of us will hopefully get to do while here. I had an American favorite for lunch; Subway. It tasted pretty much the same. On the drive to Rotorua, the landscape was breathtaking. Some of the students said it looked just like Ireland, with rolling hills and sheep making small, white dots all over. It was semi-cloudy and absolutely beautiful to watch. On the trip there, we also got a run-down about New Zealand, its politics, and our separate schools, and information about “tramping” (hiking). It was fun but we were definitely filled to the brim with info. Outside of Rotorua, we stopped and watched the Agrodome farm show, which was really cool actually. They brought out all the different types of sheep and explained what each one’s main purpose is. They sheared a sheep while we were there too, in about 2 minutes flat. Then the sheep dogs come out, and they actually use two separate types. One is used to bark and notify the farmer where the sheep are, while the other uses his eye/glare to round them up. It’s quite funny to watch. Afterwards, we got to see some of the puppies and hold the baby lambs. I even got to feed one with a bottle!

We also stopped at Rainbow Springs, which is a little national park where we saw trout, kiwi, and tuatara (the oldest known reptile on Earth).

We finally arrived in Rotorua and had a 2 hour break for dinner after checking into another hotel (the Sudima Hotel), which was on a lake, and being assigned different roommates. I went with a big group of people and we all ended up in this little German or Swedish bar. I had something I couldn’t pronounce right, but it was three pieces of toast topped with ham and eggs…delicious. After dinner, we all went to the Polynesian Spa which was right next to our hotel and soaked in natural hot springs. All of Rotorua actually smells like rotten eggs because of the natural sulfur found in the water there. The natural springs were/are actually believed to have healing powers, and we got to soak in them til 11. After that, it was off to bed after another long day!

Day 3: Orientation in Rotorua Monday, July 6^th

After a huge breakkie, we drove to Waiotapu, which is a national geothermal park. We saw the Lady Knox geyser erupt, looked at some boiling mud pools (which reminded me of The Land Before Time), and then toured the park. It was pretty and laid back, but it also smelled awful. We got a lunch break, and then went zorbing, which was by far the most fun ever! Basically, you and one other person climb into this huge plastic, hamster ball, they throw in some warm water, and then they push you down a hill. It was AWESOME! And, the only other place on Earth where they have one is in Tennessee, America. I am going again for sure. You just laugh the entire way down, and are thrown in these completely ridiculous and awkward positions but can’t move. It’s so fun. Anyways, after that we had a few hours to chill, and then went to the Tamaki Maori Village for a traditional Maori welcome. Our bus chose a chief (who was chosen because it was his birthday), and we were given the name “Tribe of the Four Winds” since we’re from all over America. On the way there, our bus driver, Aotura (which means “love” in Maori), forgot to put on her lights, so we drove for about 10 minutes without them on. Upon arrival, we all waited outside the village while the warriors came and “checked us out” to make sure we weren’t enemies. They did their traditional dance known as the “Kaka” and then we were welcomed into the village by the old women in the tribe, who sang for us. We got to walk around and ask questions, take pictures, etc. Before they served us a traditional dinner, they performed some ritual dances and songs, which were all amazing. They used traditional musical instruments only as well. We then had dinner, and Paul (our Chief) was made a birthday cake. On the ride home, Aotura encouraged us all to sing for her, since her tribe sang for us, and it was a mixture of Disney songs to Grease to Sweet Caroline. It was a fun time. Then I went out with a big group of people to a local bar known as the Lava Bar. I hung out with people, watched a rugby game (sort of), and then walked home with Katie around 1:30. We went straight to bed after that.

Day 4: Final Day of Orientation and Arrival in Christchurch Tuesday, July 7^th

I had time to “sleep in” this morning finally, but the Otago students left really early, so I woke up to say goodbye. Then I went for a run around Lake Rotorua, which was beautiful and something I could do every morning if I lived there. The sun was just coming up as I started my run, and the scenery was gorgeous. After that I went and had another large breakkie with most of the Vic students and my Canterbury boys. I then repacked and we flew out of Rotorua around noon after saying goodbye to our Vic friends. On the plane, we flew over the Southern Alps, and I was completely in awe. Christchurch is literally between the beach and the mountains, and the joke is that it’s the only flat city in New Zealand. We got our keys and headed up to our flats by about 3:30. I walked into mine and went to go explore, only to be immensely disappointed. There were old dishes in the sink, hair all over the bathroom, and the place was generally a pigsty. I was disgusted, so I called Amy to come get me haha. She picked me up around 7 and we went and ate at a little café and then chilled at her place and caught up. I went to bed around 11.

Day 5: Christchurch Wednesday, July 8^th

I woke up at Amy’s around 6 and couldn’t go back to sleep. Her and I then drove to a grocery store, and I did my first shop in Christchurch, which was ridiculously expensive. I spent around $120 American dollars, which is $200 NZD. Anyways, we rushed back to my apartment, where I threw everything in the door and then ran to find the Science building for my international orientation. It was extremely boring and everything I’d already heard. We did get free food though, and I’ve had a free meal every single day since I’ve been in New Zealand, which is awesome. After that, I came back to my apartment and cleaned, hard core. It was disgusting and there was no way I was going to be able to live with it as dirty as it was. I stopped to eat dinner and talk to Joshua on Skype, and then cleaned again after he got off. It took me over 5 hours to get it presentable…I won’t even say the horrific things I found in the fridge. But trust me, Strat is NOTHING compared to this place. So Stratties, if you read this, don’t complain. I promise you, it’s not that bad. I really have never had to clean a place so disgusting in my entire life. Yuck. Anyways, after I was done it was 11:30, so I took a much needed shower and then fell asleep. I was woken up throughout the night by loud techno music blaring from the floor below me, so I didn’t get good sleep.

Day 6: Christchurch Thursday, July 9^th

Today I went to registration at 10, got my Canterbury card, ate a free lunch, and then went with Daniel (a friend in my program) to downtown Christchurch. We rode the bus system and got our Metro cards, and then walked around for 2 hours. The city is beautiful, but I definitely got lost. Daniel had to ride back to register at 2, but I wasn’t done yet, so I stayed and got all disoriented. I rode the wrong bus in the completely wrong direction, and this old man with a THICK accent helped me out. He was Scottish too, so his accent was unbelievably hard to understand. However, after listening to him talk for awhile, I figured it out (thankfully), and he told me about his grandkids and nephew, etc. He was really sweet. I was supposed to try to find my way to the mall, but after I got back to the city center I just rode the bus home. I stopped at a K-mart (which everyone here loves I guess) and picked up a few more things I needed for the flat, and then skyped Joshua again. At around 8, I was beyond exhausted, and it gets dark here around 5, so I fell asleep. I was woken up again by loud music, but put played music on my phone to drown it out.

Day 7: Christchurch Friday, July 10^th

Today Joshua skyped me at 5:30 a.m. my time, so I woke up to talk to him. We talked for 4 hours, and it was great. Skype is so amazing. I got to talk to John and Tonya too, which was fun. After that convo, I went running around Ilam (which is the suburb where my apartment complex, Ilam apartments, is). I got totally turned around and ended up running completely around the Uni, which took me 45 minutes to get back. So at least I got some exercise! The setup of the city is so different than what I’m used to. Everything is organized around the city center, so it goes out in circles, like Rome. But then each “suburb” is organized the same way, so the circles overlap and make weird, curvy rows and such. Oh well. I’ll figure it out eventually. Anyways, after my run I got free food again and then downloaded a program that’s supposed to allow me to watch TV and movies whenever I want, without using my internet. I haven’t figured it out yet, but oh well. Then I had some quiet time, and then started this thing, which I’ve been doing for awhile now. I’m going to organize my pictures, and open an account somehow online to put everything up. K, that’s all for today I think. Goodnight!