The World's Spiderman???

I have recently gotten into a number of conversations regarding the United States' current political state, as well as the war in Iraq and I have been surprised at the overwhelmingly popular opinion that the kiwis have on that. Then again, I may be just spending time with one type of people, but that remains to be seen as of yet.

Many nations have criticized us for the decision to enter Iraq and have refused to lend us support. There are also many nations, as well as many Americans that see the United States as a power-hungry bully, doing what they will, with who they wish because it is the most powerful nation in the world. I have found that many kiwis, in their small corner of the world, feel that the US is justified in what they have done...in this or ANY war (including dropping the A-bomgs). The statement most often received during a debate over the moral aspect of America's actions is "the US is the most powerful nation and it is their responsibility to take necessary actions." It is amazing how the US is perceived as a sort of superhero, one man even made the statement "with great power comes great responsibility." I was shocked. They feel that the US having sweatshops in foreign countries is ok because it still helps run these places economy. They've said that, even though the US is difficult with NZ bc of their nuclear ban, that they should appreciate whatever American is willing to give. It is this idea, not that the US has done anything wrong, not that George W. is a negative public figure, but that everything that is heinous and rather unpleasant to think about in this world,should be dealt with by us, because we have the power to do so. Like I said, there is no concern for the moral implications or consequences. It is baffling to me as I had preconceived notions of these kiwis, with their female prime minister and nuclear bans, their environmental conservation and all the rest, would look down upon the US and our dealings with the rest of the world. And like I said, maybe I've got to talk to more people.

I have also discovered that, should the US exhaust their supply of able-bodied soldiers, there are heaps of men here in NZ that wish they could join the army, the navy, the marines. It is quite an interesting situation.

-NMK

The Holy Grail

In my quest for entertainment here in Christchurch there really is no other place to look. Funny that I just finished the Da Vinci Code and this is where we go to party.

Yes the Holy Grail. It is quite the 'bar' if that's what you want to call it. It was an old movie theater they converted into a sweet as party hot spot. A giant screen up front, the entire thing is real open. There's a dance floor on the first floor right below the movie screen, then there are two other floors wtih more bars and tables to sit at, pool tables, dart boards, etc. It was quite packed too. And these crazy kiwis stay out until the sun rises. Because bars don't close here in New Zealand until dawn (if they close at all) people are out all night. I mean, we didn't even go out until midnight last night. Five o'clock rolled around and I was crashing hardcore. Guess I need to get used to the schedule if I'm going to be partying more. I doubt that will be a regular thing though as I hate wasting an entire Sunday to get back on track.

We basically bar-hopped all last night, I danced my feet into blisters, and my hair into tangles. It felt good to get out there, see the night life a little better. Legends...The Grumpy Mole...Shooters...The Viaduct...the Holy Grail. Yup that sounds about right. I met some more cool people who I hope to spend more time with. I'd still like to meet some people, well, not under the cover of alcohol and that will come with me getting more involved in the community.

It has been raining all weekend which I find simply annoying. It was beautiful allllll week and once we are free to enjoy the weather, it starts to rain. Oh well, sometimes it's nice to have rainy weekend days...it's fun to stay in, watch movies, eat soup, relax.

I started work at Jellie Park the other day and I really like it. It's fun to coach from the deck and not have to be in the water. Time absolutely flies too, which is always a must for any job. I think though, that between the coaching and the childcare job my desire to work with kids will either increase or be fullfilled. I'm leaning towards the latter. It's funny how even after a week, I find these jobs enjoyable, but not something I would want to do for the rest of my life. It definitely feels temporary and it makes me think even harder and more excitedly about film school. I think it may be a year until I get there from the time I return home since I should get a job and make some money to pay off loans. I'd like to get some paid off before I go aquiring more.

That is about all. This weekend has made me feel a lot better about life and being away from home. Although there is nothing here that will replace my life back in the states, I know that I am well on my way to developing something amazing that I will one day reminisce about and miss just as much.

-Nic

Outaskool!!!

Today I begin my first day of work at Outaskool, an afterschool childcare center that allows kids to play like normal kids instead of just cooping them up with lots of rules and strict regiments. I am very excited, but it is only an afternoon job. The hours are 2-6ish and will thus leave my mornings free to do other work. I met with the head coach at Jelli Park today and they said that they were very excited to have me working with them. I will probably be doing some work in the mornings on mondays and tuesdays with them, sometimes on weekends and then wed, thurs, fri going to Lincoln to work with Ruth and her husband on her farm and teaching aqua aerobics. I think that all of this piecing together of jobs will work fine for now, but once this term is over, if I'm still in Christchurch, I think I will probably try to minimize myself to one job...it will probably end up being work at Jellie park since I could easily obtain 40 hours there, but who knows. Maybe llama training will suit me better and become the next big thing in my life. :-)

I am very excited about the people I am working with on three accounts. The Outaskool couple seems very much like myself...wanting to work so they can play. That is why they developed the center. The people at Jellie Park seem amazing, they are lighthearted, funny, and totally not by the book which a lot of other swim centers have been like around here. The best part about working with Jellie park aside from the experience and the fantastic people, is the free gym membership that I will be getting with it. I can swim anywhere in the city council district with my employee pass. And once I work with Jellie Park they will pay for any certifications i need to obtain...so for future jobs I will be able to get my certs for free. Donna and Peter (the heads of JP) seem to be fully aware that I need a gig like that to help pay for stuff and they are happy to work around any sort of regulations to help me out. Woohoo! And then there is Ruth and her family who are amazing and remind me a lot of my own family as well as Rueckerts and Murphys from back at Hamilton. Which makes me miss all of them so very much.

I am trying to figure out what to do as of this coming spring. I know that I could potentially be here for a year, and if everything went perfectly as planned I probably will be, but there is also the possibility of continuing school and needing money to do so. If I am not making enough money here, coming home to work at the park is always the best option, but that would mean cutting my time here short. I know I have quite a lot of time to decide, but just throwing that out there for now...I think that whole "comfort zone" thing is a big problem for me, but at the same time, haven't I already really removed myself from my comfort zone in coming out there? I certainly think that I have. Who knows...like I said, lots of time to think

Well, this blog is getting entirely too predictable as it is filled with personal revelations, emotional interjections, and the like. I think I need to find some more humor and entertainment in my life again. Once I do, I promise these posts will be more amusing and worth reading. :-P I know that people can only take so much serious reflection. If there is one thing I am learning here, it is that we are on this earth once and we should enjoy every moment we have. That is the kiwi way of life and I think it's a damn good way to be living if I do say so myself.

-NMK

The Wild West...

...Or something like that. As I said before, we travelled west this weekend but unfortunately it was less than thrilling. Wait wait wait, let me back up a minute. Ok, the scenary to the west coast and even our campsite was breathtaking as everything is in this magnificent place, but I think I'm getting rather used to it! Haha. What I mean when I say "less than thrilling" is that we basically spent the entire trip hanging out at the site, doing nothing. In retrospect I suppose this was more appropriate for the type of trip we were going for. Since the weekend was a long weekend, it was really just a chance for everyone to get away and relax, not go climb mountains and glaciers. So yeah, there was no glacial action this weekend but we definitely plan on going back so no worries. That is the beauty of this place, everything is only a few hours away! We stopped in Hokitika where they have the nation's "Wild Foods" festival where they bring all sorts of restaurants and chefs and whatnot to this town and have booths with tons of different, experimental foods. I plan to attend this as it is one of the highlights of the South island.

So the West was quiet, peaceful, WARM (finally) and a nice trip out of the city. I wouldn't have minded staying in the city actually, but whatever. Rob took us off-roading and it was really great. The guys went hunting, they shot a goat (which smelled like vom coupled with rotten eggs). Thankfully they only brought the head back. I'm having a little trouble living with people who hunt some enthusiastically. The blood lust in this house can be a bit overwhelming, but again, this is all part of the experience. As long as I don't have to see the animal get shot or gutted I think I'll be fine.

So Friday of last week was a bit interesting and I completely failed to chronicle any of it here. Friday I treated myself to, not only another fantastic bike ride, but an amazing hour of swimming. Yes folks, I could hardly believe it myself...I willingly entered a competition pool and enjoyed a nice 2000 meter workout. I had a bit of trouble getting used to swimming on the left side, but the pool was beautiful. Reminded me a lot of the goodwill games pool down in Long Island. When I left the complex, I emerged into the cool evening air and it reminded me quite intensely of my high school swim seasons. Leaving the Forks' pool in the cold fall air, the smell of chlorine wafting off of me in all directions, wet hair, cold toes. It was lovely. I spoke with their coach a bit and he invited me to come swim with the team. I'm not sure what my plans will be, but it would be fun to swim on a team, with no one knowing any of my past swimming history...no pressure, no expectations. Simple fun. We'll see.

I also spoke with a woman about teaching aquasize classes before I left for teh camping trip. I drove out to her house, which ended up being nearly 40 minutes out of Christchurch. I had almost made up my mind to tell her it was too far to drive when I came upon their home...an enormous farm with every sort of animal one could think of. As I spoke with her and her husband, played with their new puppy, joked with her daughter Jasmine, dodged their pet sheep Steven, i decided that this was a place I would like to spend more time at, even if it meant such a long drive. Ruth showed me around the farm--I saw the cattle pens, the newly born calves, the lambs and their mums, the horses, the bulls (very angry young creatures!), the llamas, the sheepdogs (yes mom they have a border collie named jem!)--she also told me all about their lifestyle and it made me really curious. I asked her if, on top of teaching the swim classes at their (private!) indoor pool, if I could possibly work around the farm in my spare time. Ruth enthusiastically invited me to come help her train the llamas for the upcoming farm show in mid-November. I would then be able to show the llamas in the actual show!!! Ruth and her husband also told me that if I ever wanted to stay at their home I was more than welcome to and I'm sure I will take them up on that offer at one point or another. It felt good to be away from the city and see some real New Zealand life. Being here in a city, while fun and exciting, doesn't really show much of the cultural difference between the states and NZ. Thankfully I have fallen into this situation with Ruth and her husband. Which brings me to this thought...

It is amazing how differently farming is perceived here compared to the United States. And that is not to say the simple act of farming, it is to say, making of one's living by farming. In the United States we are often given the idea that farmers aren't as respectable as CEOs, educators, etc. And we truly do not recognize them as helpful to our country. However, here in NZ, to be a farmer is to be at the top. Farmers are so highly regarded here, for they run this country's economy! They are the wealthy, the well-off, the happy, comfortable people. They live such a carefree lifestyle and the government, as well as the citizens of NZ, recognize and thank them for it! It has truly been an eye-opening experience as far as this profession is concerned.

I have one last thought on my current journey through this world and this life. After speaking with a friend for a while we came to a conclusion that made me feel both silly and proud all at once. Before I secured these job opprotunities I was a bit upset about not having work, not having family, not having all the comforts of home at my fingertips. I was also a bit upset at the fact that I was not handling this discomfort very well. After our chat, I realized just how ridiculous it was for me to be disappointed with myself for being homesick or stressed! I am living 9000 miles away from home. I have never been more than two hours from home or at least some creature comfort. I have never lived in an apartment on my own. And I have certainly never lived in an apartment 9000 miles away from home all at once! Plus, I have never lived in a city, which in itself has proven quite overwhelming, even if Christchurch is only a few million people. That being said, I see now that I have taken such a huge leap that all I can be is proud of whatever I accomplish. I have gone from the ease of living at home in the rural outskirts of a smaller city to the ease of living in a dorm room in the rural outskirts of a small town; now I am in the middle of a big city in my own flat, fending for myself, further from home than I ever imagined being. I've concluded that that is a pretty big step to take all at once.

So those are my stories and interjections from this past weekend. I will find out tomorrow if I get this afterschool childcare job, then I can start working around it with coaching and aquasize classes. And once I have time I am going to try and get some pictures up for all to enjoy!!! I hope all is well...email me whenever any of you get the chance! It's always nice to read the words of a familiar friend!

-Nic

Bruised Bum

Good times yesterday evening up at Forest Lake Park (or whatever it was called). As I rode through the twisting trails, up and down the forest hills, dodging the tree branches hanging over the track, I couldn't help but smile. It was quite an amazing experience which made me realize there is much more to riding than just roads. To explore the narrow trails along the south pacific felt free and challenging in it's own right. We first started out at the carpark and road into a large forest road...finding a trail to our left we hopped on and enjoyed the well-kept tracks...mostly gravel, some hard dirt, but it was fun no matter what. We came out a half hour later at the south pacific and road a trail along the beach. The sea breeze felt amazing and the smell of salt was in the air. I am still in awe of my good fortune, to go mountain biking and find a trail as such that we could ride along the ocean and watch the surf come in. The highlight of the trip was the remarkably steep hill I rode down...being scared of heights and falling this was a big accomplishment and I know that if I had been clipped in properly I would have definitely been able to jump the small hill that followed. The lowlight was the spill I took on the beachside trail in which I flew over the handlebars with little grace. It was a pretty hard fall on the gravel and I hurt my ass a bit...there's a nice big purple bruise sitting there now. Good times.

I think we are going camping this weekend with Erin and Tom and some of their friends (meaning we will be making more friends!) over to the West Coast of the Southern Island. And yes Kennedy, we plan to take a trip to one of the glaciers. I will let you know how amazing it is when I return my dear.

That is all the news from the NZ front folks. I'll probably be back with more later or on Tuesday.

-Cole

Jobs everywhere!

So I've been job searching all week, interviewing and all that fun stuff that we get to do once we're in the "real world"...except this isn't the real world to me bc it's NZ and it's way sweet and there is no WAY the real world should be sweet. At least that's what the rumors are. Maybe I am in the "real world" and it's just better than most people say....maybe they lie to us so less people come join the real world bc it can be quite fun and they want the fun all to themselves. Hmm, now that's something to think about isn't it?

So yeah I think I've got a job...well maybe three. One is at an afterschool childcare type thing except it's way cooler bc they let the kids be kids instead of just little humans walking around not touching anthing and just watching tv. I've also got a potential swim lesson job coupled with some water aerobics classes which pays serious bank here in NZ. And then, after that I've got a real sweet gig with a local sports complex where i would essentially be a sort of swim teacher and coach...teaching techniques to people. When i went for my interview and actually told the woman what my swimming background was like, she was like 'oh, well, we will definitely be wanting you here". Plus if i work there i get free access to the gym and will then be able to resume my "gym rat" days when it's too hot to bike outside. I can also use any of the pools on my off hours. They are in meters and they swim up and down the left side of the lanes, so that may be a challenge at first. I can't help but think of Liz Kennedy when she told her tale of almost killing some guy in Australia bc she was swimming on the wrong side of the pool. Haha. But yeah i guess they have some really fast swimmers here...like the 13th fastest 50 flyer (i know it's just a 50 but that's a pretty cool thing still) and some commonwealth champ in the breastroke or something. Pretty sweet deal.

So between these jobs I'm sure I'll be able to scrounge enough money to survive. Woohoo survival. The cool thing about NZ is that you are supposed to be able to live off of min wage quite comfortably...and still be able to like put yourself through school or travel or anything like that. I think it is just so fabulous that min wage isn't shit here...kind of like it is in another country i know. Hmm....

Now that i may have a schedule and a bit of a niche i am feeling a lot better about being here. I am still sad when I reminisce about the past but I know that it's time to move on. I would have gotten really bored with college if it had lasted, oh let's say, 10 years! :-P I also would probably get bored with Bing, but in all truth, the Bing will always be a favorite place of mine.

Well, since I won't be getting any sort of work until next week, I'm going to just enjoy my last free weekend...biking, clubbing, seeing a bit of the south island. i just wish it would warm up a bit...it has been sooo cold here it's a little silly.

And I would like to wish my dear SARAH FITZPATRICK a very very happy 22nd birthday. I write that today on the 20th of oct here in NZ bc it is actually the 19th back home. So i'm not late, i'm right on time. I love you Sarah and I hope your 22nd is as great as you made mine (and what a night it was).

That's all for now kids! And remember, always look both ways before crossing the street...especially when you're in a country that drives on the left side of the road. It is way easy to die when you act like you're still in america.

-NMK

Sweet As

Well as most of you know I have a new addition to my little bike family...well there was really only one member other than myself before and now there are two. Oh whatever. Regardless, Brett and I went out to a park with a little course today so I could get the hang of this whole mountain biking nonsense and it was actually a lot of fun. He taught me how to go over jumps and get some good air, how to land them without killing myself, how to go up steep banks. I don't know if I'm going to like it as much as I like road biking but it is really cool. It is also really hard in a much different way than road biking is. Road biking calls for a lot endurance and intense repetition. Mountain biking calls for a lot of nerve and quick thinking and it is turning out to be a great challenge for me. It keeps me on my toes, it's making me less afraid to 'go for it' as Brett would say, and it's just a damn good workout also. I think I may still bike around the streets in the morning on it for an hour or so to get some good cardio and then retreat to the woods on the weekends or when I can on teh weekdays. Who knows.

So I still don't have a job. I'm close to getting one though. I have a few places that said I could get work with them. I have to meet with someone tomorrow and interview and see what the job is all about. I also have another interview on Thursday morning about an afterschool childcare center. Real great people...family run, at a house, sweet kids. Lots of kids actually and I would eventually be the supervisor at the new site they are building. Pretty cool, eh?

Christchurch continues to be a great place to live. It is a really pretty city. I went into the Cathedral in the middle of Cathedral Square in the center of town and it was quite interesting. It had a lot of historic artifacts and stories printed on the walls...and for some reason tonight i cannot write in anything except simple sentences.

Let's see, what else did I do today? I got up, took a shower, ate bfast, went to another interview, took my car to get fixed, walked home, had a spaz, biked back to get my car, went to the bike park with Brett, and now I sit here as Tom (one of my flatmates) prepares dinner. Sweet, eh?

I think we may be going camping this weekend...a lot depends on if i can get a job and when that job is. We are also going to a karaoke thing tomorrow...Erin is in the finals and could win 1000 bucks so we have to go cheer her on! Woohooo ERIN!

That is all for now, hope everyone is doing well back in the states. A big shout out to my Megasuite crew, I am missing you guys so very much right now. And all my love to Jackie, Kris and Hil out adventuring through the world. I hope you guys are kicking ass and taking names(metaphorically of course).
-Nic

The Scene

Well Christchurch is a pretty hoppin city as far as cities go and the fact that I live a mere five minutes from the downtown club scene, well, that speaks for itself. I also live ten minutes from the beach, ten minutes from some killer mountain bike trails, about an hour from the mountains and some good climbing. It's a pretty sweet location and it hasn't rained once since we've been here. Good stuff.

So I awoke this morning with some words for the girls of Babbit suite 34 (and the rest of the mega suite). It was a real sunny Sunday morning here, with a small chill in the air since it's spring now. And as the sun filtered in through the window, I thought of you guys...I thought of our little cozy common room, the tree outside our window that added a dash of color in the fall and spring (and even sometimes winter when the snow would settle on its branches). I thought of our kitchen and the phantom dirty dish maker (probably Zach). I thought of our in-suite dinners or trying to organize all 15 or so of us to go out to the movies. I remembered kicking back on a lazy day or night, shirking our responsibilities and acting like we hadn't a care in the world; wandering to McEwen or the Diner, or even sometimes commons in hopes of a feast. And of it all I think I miss Sundays the most, since we were typically all there on Sundays and that is why I write this today.

I could of course go on but we all know the great memories that come with our time in the Megasuite. I realized this morning how sad it is that we will never truly be able to have that again...I now understand a bit better what Justin realized much sooner...that those days were the closest we may come to an ideal. Living with your closest friends, having a shoulder close by if you needed one to cry on or a friend nearby to have a good laugh with. The feeling of security, support, love and family all rolled into one, just inches from our bedroom doors. I miss you guys terribly, and even though I know we'll never be able to relive those days, I hope you all remember them as fondly as I do.

Sooo enough sentimental...this country does rock. I hope Hil and Kris and Jackie are doing as well as I am. I am very lucky though to have a sweet as flatemate to have taken me under her wing, show me around town take me to her sweet pump class (which kicked my ass), introduce me to her friends, help me clean and decorate my room. So fantastic. Ah well, this blog really has nowhere to go so i'm out.

-Cole

Christchurch

Here I am. In my little two bedroom flat. It is weird to have a place to call my own finally. That's right folks I am living in Christchurch for the time being. It's a cute little place and I've decided that I like it a lot already. I heard a lot of mixed things from people about it...that it's not that interesting, that there are better places to be, but to me it's very interesting since it's the biggest city I've ever lived in. And I am living in the thick of the city too. I am probably four blocks from the city center...the hub of everything and it is so cool to be here. Just over the bridge is a little beach town called Sumner, really an outter region of Christchurch (ChCh). Just outside the city are great hills and trails to ride on and the city itself is great for riding. Oh I suppose I should update you all on that.

So as you all know I didn't bring my roadie with me. I planned on buying one here but that has also gone down the tubes as I have just recently purchased a new mountain bike! Yeah I can't believe it either. So yes, I just bought a killer mnt bike for a real good deal...and I think I will be better served. There are great trails and NZ is known for its mnt biking. I'm going on a ride this tuesday with a group from the shop i bought my bike at. I am pretty pumped. but no worries kids, my parents are sending my road bike over so i'll stil have a fantastic time.

So I'm going with my flatmate erin today to her gym to check and see if there are any jobs available. They pay real well and since I"m a fitness freak it would suit me well.

Alright not much more...this place is real cool and rugby is a sweet game to watch once you know what is going on. Hehe.

Peace out kiddies.
-Nic

The Black Abyss

As expected, things here continue to be exciting and breathtaking. I am currently in Taranaki at my future flatmate's parent's home for the night. We are on our way down to Christchurch tomorrow and they invited us to rest at their house. Such hospitality.

Here is the recent activity that has been going on in my life:

We left Whangerei on Monday and headed to Goat Island, home of NZ's first Marine reserve. We planned to snorkel in the reserve, but due to high winds and an off season the snorkeling wasn't so good. Thus we passed and just walked around the reserve, trying to explore it as much as possible from land. It was truly beautiful: blue waters, a lovely gust from out at sea, a semi-black sand beach, a cliff of rocks that had been hollowed and shaped by years of seawater rushing up against its walls. We stayed at a fun little hippie-backpacker's camping/hostel area. It was rather funny actually, to walk out to the tent after cooking dinner in the kitchen and see a cow standing right next to our tent. Turns out, some cows had escaped their pen and felt it necessary to graze right where we were staying. Go figure. Actually, I have found it very common to see stray animals who have fled their pens grazing on the side of the road. To me it is rather tragic, and Brett cannot for some reason comprehend why it bothers me that these animals are out making themselves vulnerable to every passing car. Oh well, NZ has plenty of sheep and cattle...I really shouldn't worry all too much.

We woke from a night with the cows to a mediocre day, not at all promising for snorkeling so instead we went horseback riding on the beach with a local touring company. It was only Brett and myself and definitely a fantastic experience to get back on a horse. Happily the sun decided to shine for us and it turned out to be a fantastic time.

We travelled then on Tuesday to Waitomo, the place I decided that I wanted to go to the most before I even left the US. In short, Waitomo is filled with underground caves in which you can take any number of interesting tours and adventures. So after we woke this morning (wed) we made our way to The Legendary Blackwater Rafting Company to begin our five hour excursion.

THe first hour was spent getting into our gear and practicing abseiling. We got into some really attractive wetsuits, undershirts, booties and overcoats. I really wanted to take these items home with me but they wouldn't let me because then they would have to let everyone. They we got out helmets fully equipped with a little miner's light on top. After we got all of our hot underground clothes we put on our harnesses and made our way to the caves.

Before we got into the caves we practice some abseiling on some little makeshift course the company had put together. For those of you who don't know, abseiling is kind of like rapelling except you are kind of just dangling in midair and letting yourself down slowing into a hole, there is not really any pushing off of walls unless you need to adjust yourself. So we practiced how to stop ourselves with the tension of the ropes against our hips and then headed to the hole.

The hole into the Ruakuri caves was about 35m deep and as dark as a hole that deep into the ground can get. They took us out onto a metal walkway that hovered over the hole, attached us to the abseiling rope and let us fly. Well, not really, they let us fall...slowly...using ropes. So one by one we lowered ourselves into this cave. It started out really wide but as I got deeper, it became so narrow I had to scrunch myself up to fit through it. I had no idea just how much foreshadowing this little experience was.

Once we all made it to the bottom we started walking the caves...and these my friends, are real caves. None of that Howe Caverns nonsense (for those of you in upstate NY), these are real, dripping all over the place, limestone crazy caves. Our guides Tim and Ben did a great job in teaching all about the unique features of these underground tunnels.

After walking a short while and learning a bit more we came to a dark drop off with the sound of rushing water beneath it. Here Tim informed us to turn off our headlamps. One by one he harnessed us each to what seemed like a sort of zip-line and on the count of three would launch us in complete darkess into a larger cavern. As we flew down through the air we got our first good sight at the stars of the cavern: gloworms. Gloworms are little larvae that, when hungry, light up to attrack prey. They they catch their prey in little strings that dangle from their bums. These light up the cavern ceiling like a clear night sky and the zip line reminded me much of Space mountain only cooler.

After we all descended on the zip line we were treated to tea and biscuit, a seemingly snobbish thing, but we later found completely justified since the next part of our adventure involved us jumping off a ten foot cliff into the freezing cold water of the Ruakari caves. From there, on inner tubes, we pulled ourselves up the cave, against the current. Once reaching a certain point, Tim formed us all into a sort of long boat and let us float with the current in the darkness to enjoy the faux night sky. Once we reached our original starting point we abandonned our tubes and began to swim. And by swim, I mean float quickly with the current feet first. It was amazingly cold, but amazingly fantastic. This part, we later discovered, is normally walked, but due to the extreme rainfall lately, the water was much MUCH higher than normal. It was so high in fact, they weren't even supposed to take us into the section of the caves that they did!

From there we went down a waterfall-slide and continued to float and boulder where we could. At one point Tim had us turn our lights off and navigate the narrow crevases in complete darkness. Needless to say I nearly spazed and thanked my lucky stars (or gloworms!) that Brett was with me. We found our way back into the water and continued to float, finally coming to a ledge where they stopped us and fed us more hot liquid and some chocolate. Much needed by this time.

After eating we continued on and came to the portion which involved more caving than anything. Here we squeezed ourselves in and out of narrow straights, crawled along the bottom of the caves, through holes, over bridges. There was one portion where, if desired, we could go beneath and remarkably low pass in which you actually had to hold your breath and pull yourself along underwater. Although it was only two meters long, it was rather scary. But of course I did it. We were then sent through some more holes on our own with the challenge to find our own ways out. After a bit of panic and finally discovering the exit, we found ourselves waiting at the natural doorway (ie a small hole) of the first of three waterfalls. Here they took us, one at a time, and assisted us in climbing UP these raging rapids. But rather than physically asist us, they told us how to climb, the best places to put our feet and then spotted us. And when I say waterfall people, remember what I said about the rainfall. These waterfalls, typically a trickle, were huge, and we were not really supposed to be climbing them. But hey, this is NZ and we looked like a tough crew so they let us.

I climbed the first waterfall with little problem though it is scary to work against the rapids in which every footstep the falls try to push you back. After reaching the top we continued on to a smaller waterfall that just required a bit of effort walking. Then the final waterfall, the one that led us out of the cave and into a little oasis, I did completely alone, with no advice, and received a compliment about my toughness. Figures. Ha.

After emerging from the black abyss and looking back at the hole we came out of, I was astonished. There is no way in hell I would have ever gone down a hole like that, and it made me realize just the intrigue that caves really present. Imagine walking by this hole and seeing a group of people emerge. There was no indication that any sort of realm existed below this little waterfall running into the ground, but in fact there was, and we had seen it all.

So that was my day at Waitomo...and now I sit in Taranaki, after seeing Mt Taranaki (only on the road while driving here) where The Last Samurai was filmed. What a day. I am exhausted from driving and ready for bed. I need to get to Chch so I can start making some money. Until then.

-Nic

Fun in Whangerei

Still working on the pictures...probably won't have any up until we get to Christchurch, I have a job, and I've bought a new bike. In other words, it'll be a while.

So we had another fantastic night in Whangerei with Stu and Jo. To put it mildly, these Kiwis know how to party. But man, even two recent college grads from the states can't keep up...it's pretty pathetic actually. They take us to lunch and offer us drinks; we get ready to go out to dinner/clubs and they feed us wine before we leave; we drink before our meals, during our meals, after our meals and then at the clubs too. It is insane. I think I have had more to drink in the past three nights than I have in the past three months...and those of you who knew my schedule this summer can attest to the truth in that.

All in all it is still an amazing time. Last night we went back to the Killer Prawn (the restaurant that had the special pub opening the first night we were here) and had a delicious dinner of Bluenose (a local catch), prawns (which i couldn't eat bc i'm allergic to shellfish but Brett said they were great) an exceptional wine and a few other bits and pieces, appetizers, desserts, etc. There was a Blues band, The Darcy Percy Band, who rocked pretty hard. It was fun to go and relax, meet ANOTHER couple that Stu and Jo liked to party with, Brett and I danced, tossed back rum and cokes all night (Brett's taken to drinking scotch and I have to hand it to him, though it is rather tasty.) Then we went over to Bacio, the little bar that we have gone to every night since we've been here for the 'afterhours' fun. It was really bumpin last night as it was Saturday. There were a lot of kids our age...if not younger, so Brett and I danced there, gained lots of attention (mostly bc of his crazy hair, but partially because we are Americans). It reminded me of a bundy party really, except drinks were way better and we were surrounded by kiwis. good times. at 2:30 we headed home and passed out as expected.

so yeah we have really been roughing it. You know this lifestyle, it's very tough. To put it in perspective, everyone knows Stu and Jo. We've been treated like VIP everywhere we go in this town...the best seats, the best service, the best of everything. So yeah, judge for yourselves. But in all fairness I think we earned a weekend in high society...sleeping on the hard ground, in the pourring rain, making eggs in a pot. But those times were equally fantastic. I think it's all about what you want at the moment and honestly I think both I and Brett are ready to be on the road again. Not to say that I haven't fallen in love with Stu and Jo, but now that we've seen this aspect of Kiwi life we are ready to start camping again. I think it'll be funny though, after being so spoiled, to see how we handle setting up camp, dealing with rain, sleeping everywhere but in a soft warm bed, and cooking our eggs in a pot again.

I really do look foward to getting to Christchurch. We have a while, a few stops on the way. We must stop in Auckland to pick up some paperwork, we'll stop a few places in the North Island, obviously Wellington, and then probably move right on to the South. We'd like to be in Crch by this coming Saturday. Also, I really think that Brett and I need to detox...seriously. We have eaten out for all but one meal since we've been here and that can get slightly taxing on one's body. Plus we need to get away from the alcohol, but I have a feeling that it may be hard to do in this country. Oh well, when in Rome (kidding).

I've been talking extensively with Jo about the university system in place here in NZ and the more I hear the more I like. I am going to check out some of the schools here and some of the different programs offered, because I am very interested to see how possible it would be for me to attend grad school here. I know they have fantastic Anthro depts at Otago and they have education programs everywhere in the country. Plus, teachers are in huge demand here and it would make it terribly easy for me to get citizenship if I were to become a teacher. I love it how I've been here only two weeks and I'm already trying to figure out ways to come back once I'm gone. One step at a time Knappster.

One last though: Brett and I have been talking about how interesting it is to think that if either he or I had done one tiny thing differently up until this point in our lives, we would not be here right now. If I had not gotten stuck in an elevator I would not have met the kid Brett roomed with in the youth hostel in Aucks, thus he and I would not have met. If we had not gone to the club the night before we left and then decided to leave early, I would never have decided that I wanted pizza and we would never have met Stu and Jo's son Neil. If we had decided to stay in the Bay of Islands we would have missed Jo and Stu by a day and probably still be on the road. I love it how everything in life is such chance and that each little decision we make helps in determining our destiny. And here I sit with Neil's cat on my lap while I type away on Stu's computer. Fancy that.

Ok so that is it for now. You may not hear from me for a while since we leave tomorrow and we'll be on the road for the next week or so. Until then, I hope all is well back in the states.

-NMK

So much to say

First things first..i have many amazing pictures that will be coming soon but i can't yet get them onto the computer. once i do though, i promise you will not be disappointed.

Wow so a lot has happened since I last posted. Basically I have had little access to any sort of electricity or running water the past week, let alone a connection to the world via the web, so here is a quick summary of how my life has been going since I peaced from Auckland.

I met Brett...we bought a car...a sweet beater from 1989...yeah subaru legacy. he bought some camp gear, we took off from auckland last saturday morning. oh but wait...that friday night we went out and got pretty sloshed in good NZ fashion, met a guy named Neil who rang his mum for us and gave us her number so we could call her when we neared their town. (more to come on that later).

so we took off North to the Waipoua Kauri forest...essentially a rainforest with some of the last great Kauri trees on earth. The biggest tree we saw was 15 meters in diameter and simply breathtaking. I have photos that I will upload eventually, but until then, I can't even begin to describe the majesty of these trees. So Brett and I camped out at Waipoua, in this rainforest for two nights. And of course it rained the entire time. But we suffered through because hey, this is NZ and that is what you do. Besides, things are so amazing you don't really realize it's raining. You just realize that it's the coolest place you have ever been and it's a little wet. oh well.

So after Waipoua we took off towards 90 mile beach...a long stretch of straight sand along the western coast of the nothern peninsula. our goal was to reach cape Reinga, the Northmost point of New Zealand where the Tasman sea and the Pacific Ocean meet. Rumor was that one could see the two colors of the different oceans mixing together at the point. So that was our main goal, but we decided to take our time and stop in Ahipara, this tiny little town with nothing but a post office, a school and a little takeaway restaurant. So we set up camp at this lovely little spot which had the most fantastic view of the surrounding mountains (again pics will come later.) so we stayed there for a night and then headed up to Cape Reinga the next morning. We were going to drive right on 90 mile beach bc it is ok to do that, but the tide wasn't out far enough and it is very common for cars to get caught in quicksand, so we opted against that one. the last thing i needed was to lose my beater car in the surf. i guess one can still see the roofs of unfortunate cars sticking out from the sand.

so we reached Cape Reinga along highway 1 (we'll call it a highway but this is the furthest thing from a highway.) yes, highway one is nothing more than a two-lane, twisty road that took us all the way to Cape Reinga. Funny that this 'major highway' turned into a dirt road the last 20km. this is totally nz baby. so we get to the cape and it is just awe-inspiring. we climbed to the top and looked out over the sea...and it was better than anything i could ever have imagined. In Maori myth, it is said that the spirits of dead Maori leave the Island at this point so it was a very sacred spot as well. we stood, breathing in the beauty of this magnificent place for a good long time and then set out for our camp site at Topotuputu Bay, 10km south of the Cape. We got to the bay and realized that we were basically staying on a deserted beach for two nights as there was really no one there. so we set up tent and fell asleep to the sounds of waves crashing against the sand. we also woke to these sounds the next morning, laid out in what little sun we had, tramped up a nearby mountain to get a better view, brett swam in the ocean while i tanned on the beach a little more. we made dinner, read books, did nothing except exist in this paradise that life had afforded us.

after our second night at the bay we packed up and drove to the bay of islands. things were getting a bit shaky as many of our contacts had bailed on us, making us nervous about spending too much money, etc. the bay turned out to be nice..for a tourist trap type of town...and much too expensive for a couple of backpackers. so just as we were about to give up hope and go find a crappy place to stay, my lovely little nokia phone rang and surprise surprise it was neil's parents asking us to come stay with them that night. they also wanted to take us to a little 'function' which turned out to be the opening of a bar/restaurant. we arrived in their town (Whangerei) and showered (finally) and left for the bar. we spent the evening with a group of lovely people, tossing back rum and cokes, scotch and waters, and tasting some of the most gourmet pizzas you can imagine (pizza here is not just cheese and sauce, you cannot in fact get just 'plain' pizza. it has to be complex and it is mighty tasty in...for example: i had pizza last night with cashews, spiced chicken, bananas and mint yogurt on it and it was fantastic.)

so we drank the night away with neil's parents, stuart and jo, and had a lovely evening. it was wonderful to sleep in a soft, warm bed, take a hot shower, eat some good food cooked on a stove instead of over a random little gas flame under a tent flap. and jo and stu have invited us to stay until monday, when we plan to get back into aucks before heading south, so that looks to be the plan. jo and i plan to go shopping tomorrow for warmer clothes as it is much colder here than i anticipated, brett may go fishing with stuart, we are going to cook dinner together on sunday night...it is like having a little kiwi family. And Whangerei really reminds me of Binghamton for Jo and Stu live very removed from town in a lovely house on a hill with a huge stone wall at the end of their drive. But town is only a ten or fifteen minute drive and it is not so big as to be overwhelming, but just big enough to be perfect. Much like the Bing.

So here I sit, in this amazing home, of these amazing people, simply dumbfounded at this country. I have learned so much already...I have realized how small we are in the face of nature's beauty (and wrath for that matter). i have seen that this world is full of decent, kind, trusting people who want only to make life wonderful for even the most random of strangers. I am humbled by this country, by the sights, the culture, the people...I am realizing just how lucky i am to be here and i could not imagine being anywhere else right now. i have realized that in life, we need to love life for the things we have, instead of worrying about life for the things we don't have. and right now i have this kiwi life...and i couldn't be more deeply in love with it.

-Nic

American girl

New little details...not a lot of time here:

bought a car, its name is Butch. we are not being gender specific here bc we don't know. it is a subaru wagon and it is old and fantastic.

Brett and i are taking off for the northland today...we are hungover but optomistic.

Partying in auckland is amazing and being an american (esp a girl) is even better. the kiwi men are gorgeous, out to please, and are just such gentlement. we accidentally ended up at a semi-private party last night with a local football team and they took us in, fed us booze, found us places to stay when we go north and showed us a damn good time. then we on our way home we partied it up at another bar that we had eaten at earlier and the waiter recognized us and invited us to the after party baby. good times.

we are off to backpack, camp, tramp, etc today for the next 2 weeks. i miss riding but i'll have to wait. i have a flat reserved in christchurch in two or three weeks and i'll get going with biking when i get down there(must buy new bike though). i need to get a job too! eek!

k gg..brett is waiting. i'll be back w/ more info when we get back from the wild!

-Nic

Flat and happy

haha that is the best title ever...it's like 'fat and happy' only it's flat and happy...ok i'm dumb.

so last night i stayed outside of the city with this great guy i met a few months ago online. yes i'm sketchy i know. but he was awesome and i met his flatties and they were awesome and gave me tons of great advice. woohoo.

but i'm staying in the city tonight bc i made a friend (yes i did, i did). his name is brett and he is from cali. he is awesome and i will hear nothing said bad about him ever. we're going to travel south together after doing a mini-trip of the north island. i am very excited. we are going car shopping today (i am buying the car to have and he is paying all gas and expenses until we part ways). it will be pricey and a crap-shoot but whatever. life's short, i need a car to get to cool places and it ends up jsut being way cheaper over a year's time. i've also been in touch with a very nice grad student down in christchurch who has a flat available (hence teh title). she sounds completely amazing and the rent is relatively reasonable. it would just be her and i and i am very excited that i will probably be living with her. the bedroom is fully furnished with sheets and everything so no worries with that area. christchurch is also great for training cycling..which is my big thing as most of you know now. i have to get a bike, and i met a man named "chickenman" yesterday in a bike shop and he recommended me to some places. also said that if i was interested in work, the one place may be interested in hiring me to show me the ropes bc they need girls to work there to attract more female (and male i suppose) cyclists, and they are just cool guys. so how sweet is that? i also applied to work at a local pool basically as the manager/events coordinator. and then, i will waitress and bartend and lick people's feet for money too if necessary.

so today is to be spent searching for a car. once i have that, i can leave my life in there and have no thoughts about letting my pack explode. i don't liek going into it to get things out bc it is packed so tightly. so i have been wearing teh same pair of socks since i got here...four days exactly ewwww. i have changed my undies and my friend let me wash my towels and clothes from the planed at his place last night. so i'm not too dirty, just my feet, but feet are supposed to be dirty, so no worries.

alright then, i don't have much more to say and i think my time is running out on thie interenet cafe nonsense. i am much more happy than i was two days ago and i appreciate all the amazing help that everyone has sent my way. i'll be back soon!

-cole

ps they have this amazing smell here in NZ. i think it is like a common room spray deoderizer or something and it makes me want to make out with the wall.