"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road and if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might be swept off to."
J.R.R Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings
Where are you most excited for?
What are you looking forward to?
Where do you think you'll settle?
Where do you most want to work?
New Zealand. Maybe because it's so like home. Maybe I knew I'd be comfortable here.
That isn't to say that all the countries and all the countless activities before this point haven't been incredible, or life changing or awe inspiring, because they absolutely were.
Climbing Mount Fuji. Kayaking the Yangtze River. Gazing on the Terracotta Warriors. Sunrise at Angkor Wat. Sailing Halong Bay. Tubing in Laos. Sunbathing on Koh Tao. Meeting Orang-utans in the Bornean Jungle. Drinking Singapore Slings in Singapore. Partying on a boat in Sydney Harbour.
Who is blessed enough to have a list that includes all of that and so, so much more? I can't quite believe it myself. In fact, you experience so many incredible things that they almost start to eclipse one another. It isn't until something someone says triggers a memory that you jump in saying "Oh, I've done that!" It's not that I've forgotten, it's just that so much more has happened since. I love that I have those triggers. I believe I'm a different person for having all those memories. Not a better person, just a different person.
I mean look at me, I've settled on the other side of the world, got myself a job, a tax number and a bank account. That is definitely different. Even if I have a can of Irn-Bru sat on the table in front of me as I write this.
So it's been a while since I updated! It's been a whirlwind and someday I will definitely get to writing it all down. Between The Philippines and now I have spent time in Borneo visiting Orang-utans, a beautiful week in Bali with a wonderful friend and an incredible four weeks in Sydney with family.
But three weeks ago it was time for a new adventure. And maybe the hardest. I haven't been alone since those very first weeks in Japan and South Korea, with tours, teams, friends and family filling the time in between.
I won't lie, I sat in Sydney International Departure lounge and genuinely thought about paying for a flight home. I was so almost done. I had lulled myself into living like a normal person again whilst in Sydney. I had a room rather than a bunk in a dorm. We went out for breakfasts and lunches and dinners, to the cinema, I even shopped for new clothes. I was adopted into a giant friend group, almost entirely Glaswegian, making it even sound like home.
And then bam, I was sat by myself in a departure lounge awaiting a flight to a place I'd never been. I spent my first twenty four hours in Auckland feeling sorry for myself. Barely speaking, hardly ate and spent way too much time sleeping.
I woke the next morning, said hello to two girls in my dorm room, did a food shop and got over myself. The rain clouds cleared, the sun came out and I had a good talking to myself.
I was in New Zealand. The country I'd been excited for, for years. The land of Tolkien and volcanoes and snow capped mountains and lakes and scenery like nothing before. I'd already paid for my 12 month working visa, and because it hadn't been issued in time also paid for a flight to Fiji as my "proof of onward ticket" just so I could get into the country. I wasn't backing out now.
Also, I have a ticket to Fiji if anyone wants it.
I got myself a New Zealand phone number, booked myself onto the Kiwi Experience bus leaving Auckland sometime that week and contacted friends dotted around the country. I had wobbled, but I definitely had this.
Monday morning came around and I said goodbye to four friends I'd made in my hostel, one of which was celebrating her birthday by picking up a car with her friend. I made my way to the bus stop and someone must have been smiling on me because I made it onto a packed Kiwi Experience bus despite being told the odds weren't great.
A bus packed with incredible people; solo travellers, couples, friends and spouses. I picked the best seat beside a wonderful gal and off we set!
On the East coast of the North Island, south of Auckland, is a tourist hot-spot called Hot Water Beach. The cold Pacific Ocean rolls in, but underneath the sand is a not-so-well-kept secret. Take a shovel and you can dig your own hot water pool. Between the rocks (if you go you'll know the ones) and the encroaching tide you'll find everyone crowded into homemade holes. We dig for ages, coming up with nothing, but the further we move in towards the crowds, the hotter it gets. Before long the water is too hot to even dip your toes in, a harmful 60 degrees centigrade according to the signs! The sun comes out, a few of us get sunburn and the whole afternoon has been a great way to get to know each other!
We take a hike along Comorandel Peninsula to Cathedral Cove this same day; a stunning secluded beach and bay and sit and soak up some rays.
Twenty of us are lucky enough to glamp on this first evening, setting up for the night in a giant teepee with camp-beds, tables, lamps, electricity and wine (supplied by us.) That first night, two English gals, this Scot and two Australians share stories over a competitive game of cards.
We leave Hot Water Beach for Waitomo. Home of the indigenous glow worm! And don't knock it, it was actually an incredible sight to see. Some of the group went caving, cliff diving, ziplining etc in these caves, but as I'd done it before in Laos (for much cheaper) I decided with some others just to do the guided walk and boat ride of the cave.
Thousands upon thousands of glowowrms moulded to the cave ceilings make for spectacular viewing. It's like lying underneath the stars, but being a thousand times closer.
Suddenly, it's HOBBITON DAY!
I'm almost certain the girls I shared a room with wanted to suffocate me just to stop me being like a kid on Christmas. I cannot exaggerate the excitement.
Half the group (one coach) drive straight to Rotorua this day, but my half (the cool half) make a pit stop at the Alexander Farm...more commonly known now as Hobbiton. Nestled in a 1200 acre sheep and dairy farm, the heart of The Shire is incredible.
It's not just a movie set, it's everything combined to make something so magical. It's the little hobbit holes, the moss on the little fences, the signposts, the lamp posts, the washing lines, the smoke curling out of the chimneys, and the paths deliberately walked in the grass every morning by set makers to make it look so so real. The amount of detail poured in with so much love and care is breathtaking.
Some people only come to New Zealand because of The Lord of the Rings - and now The Hobbit - and I guess I get it. It's not a bad reason to get you here, just make sure it's not the only thing you do. Hobbiton is well worth it, it might even be up there with one of the best things I've ever done. I could have stayed there forever. In fact, I might look and see if there's any jobs going!
The excitement continues. My bus arrives in Rotorua, famous for its natural geysers and distinctive sulphur smell, but I don't stay. I have signed up for a Maori experience, inclusive of a nights accommodation in an authentic Maori village.
We are welcomed with a ceremony and a song, which we have to reciprocate. We have chosen a chief for the duration of our stay, and our song is Wannabe by the Spice Girls. No joke. We own it too. The men fall to the back of the group, because in Maori culture the women are the bringers of life and thus the most important, and the men must protect them. After our song we are treated to afternoon tea and cakes, all homemade, before we are taught some group games and activities. Such simple things, but so much fun as a group. We are also taught the Maori vowels in a song that has the same tune as "Stupid Cupid" that we are told we must perform to everyone after dinner. A dining hall full of around 200 people to be precise. We own that one too.
The rest of the night is spent learning about the culture of the Maori, complete with real welcome ceremonies, crafts and of course, The Haka. The original Haka, which is still to this day used by the All Black rugby team. It's sends chills through you to watch it in person.
The excitement doesn't end there. The following day is the big one. My stomach churns even thinking about it now. Who did we think we were, throwing ourselves out of aeroplanes? The rush, the adrenaline, the wind, the cold, the views, the perfect weather...not to mention landing back on Terra Firma afterwards. What a thrill. It might terrify you but honestly, it is the best thing you will ever do. Congrats to all the wonderful people on my bus that conquered their fears of flying and heights and all other manner of phobias. What a thing to be able to report!
Skydive. Tick.
We spend two nights in Taupo, on the edge of the largest crater lake in the Southern Hemisphere, big enough to swallow the country of Singpore whole. Surrounded by magnificent mountain ranges and active volcanoes, the backdrop to this little town is unbelievable. We skydived from 15,000 feet over this unbelievable setting.
Mount Doom (Lord of the Rings again) formerly known as Mount Ngauruhoe sits sleepily in the background, snow capped and majestic, ringed by mountains and smaller volcanoes spitting out steam and sulphur.
We tackle the Tongariro Alpine Crossing the next day. A 19 kilometer walk over rugged terrain and up over one of these volcanoes takes the quickest of us 5.5 hours, and my group 6 hours up and down. The cloud is low and it's cold at the start, by the time we reach the summit the wind has picked up to a hairy 45 kilometres an hour and most of us fear for our lives at some point. I'm pretty sure there were "last" photos and videos being taken in case our bodies were never found (and somehow the cameras were.)
However, the clouds clear and the sun breaks through spectacularly by the time we get into our descent. I won't pretend it wasn't incredibly difficult, but it was so so worth it. Much alcohol is consumed in congratulation that night.
Climbed a volcano. Tick.
Our last full day and night together as a team sees us traveling to a place called River Valley.
On our way we stop off at Taranaki Falls, included in New Zealand's Must See Waterfalls list.
It's a beautiful walk through a beech forest and back over the hilltops with incredible views of Mt Ruapehu, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Tongariro (from the range we tackled the day before.) It was hard going on sore muscles but hey, worse things have happened!
We sat and enjoyed a picnic lunch by the base of the waterfall - a perfect way to split up a day spent travelling on a bus.
River Valley is three hours from Taupo and four hours from Wellington, I am not exaggerating when I say this place is in the middle of nowhere. Our driver even wakes us up and tells us to open our eyes as we round the side of a cliff before we descend into the valley. Surely hundreds of miles in every direction is just lush green rolling hills, straight out of a Lord of the rings panoramic sweep. We all gasp as we soak it all in, and we drive deeper into the uninhabited valley.
We stay at a holiday lodge on the banks of a river. It's serene, picturesque and so calmly beautiful. White water rafting and horse trekking are on offer during our stay here, and it's voted the best place to do either in New Zealand. It cannot be described in words. You have to see this place. We sunbathe by and swim in the river, cliff jump and relax together, recuperating after a lot of walking, hiking and adrenaline in the previous few days. We celebrating one of the girls birthdays, enjoy an all you can eat buffet, many drinks and party games that give everyone a great night and great memories!
Our final day together we spend on our way to Wellington. We don't leave until the afternoon to give us time to enjoy the tranquility and peace (and nurse our hangovers) and arrive in the capital just after dinner. Unfortunately some of the bus only have the one night in Wellington before moving on to the South Island, and everyone is going the same way at some point so I spend the next few nights catching up with and saying goodbye to everyone as they come and go!
A moody looking Wellington. January 2016. Summer.
So, you see, I get it. It's bigger and scarier than anything you can imagine, but it's also the best thing you'll ever do. It still continues to be the best thing I've ever done. You just need to pick yourself up and remind yourself of why.
I wobbled, and if I'd given in to the wobble, look at all I wouldn't have accomplished or done? No sky dive, no volcano, no sore muscles (in a good way) less wonderful people I'm lucky enough to call friends.
So when you're doubting yourself, remember we've all been there - or are nearly there - and if you were brave enough to come away in the first place, you're brave enough to do it again.
I wish all the people on my bus all the best in the South, I hope you have a fabulous time and I'll see some of you on your trips back up!
This backpacker turned working professional is logging out, for now.
Next update will be all about my new city!
S x
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