New Zealand so far...

So, after 24 hours, I have done sooooooo much! I'm now on my 3rd day as I type this and it's been a non-stop rush! Let me type up what I can now, and I'll likely post this in the evening!

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Journal entry 29Oct07 7a
My trip started in typical 6Q fashion, with the adventure beginning before I even set foot on a plane. I'm on Kiwi Experience's airport shuttle to catch an Intercity Bus to Rotorua. That will be my 7th mode of transportation since I've left home.

(1) CAR - Piled into Cindy's car (a little late of course). Traffic was medium until BAM! The sign 3 miles from the Bay Bridge said 57 minutes to SF! I called my dad for directions and weaved to a BART station at Ashby, where their service to SFO stopped an hour earlier at 6p. So (2) onto the FREMONT BART TRAIN to the (3) DALY CITY TRAIN to (finally) the (4) SFO/MILLBRAE train where I arrive as the plane starts boarding! Somersault through security and to the gate just as my row is called! Onto my (5) Air New Zealand flight! 12 hours, 2 meals, 1 TV show, almost 2 movies, 1 glass of wine and 1 subsequent nap later, I'm seeing the tips of land as we close in on Auckland. Customs, baggage, ATM, very helpful info desk and I'm booked on the 7a (6) AIRBUS to Sky Tower and the 9.30a (7) INTERCITY BUS to Rotorua! So far, so good!

Journal entry 29Oct07 11a
After arriving at Sky Tower 1.5 hours early and failing to talk myself onto the earlier bus, I set off, hauling my heavy bag, to kill an hour in Auckland. Completely clueless as to where I was, I popped into a visitor centre and eyeballed a few maps until I had a vague idea of the neighborhood. Then I set off to find the Base Backpacker where I'll be staying tomorrow and the Fat Camel where I'm hoping to stay on the 2nd of November.

Found both and was out of time, so I raced back to the bus, discovering along the way just how out of shape I am. I also notice the street names seem so industrious compared to the shop names and signs around. We just drove past a rural street called Factory Lane, and there's Commercial and Federal Street in Auckland, where I spotted signs like a church soliciting donations for repair ("Fix our holy roof!") and an anti-smoking ad ("You look a bit like a monkey, standing there sucking on it.")

Anyway, onto a lovely coach and off I go to Rotorua! This ain't no Greyhound; it's a comfy bs traveling in a relaxed NZ style. We just stopped for 20 minutes at the Tea Room in Ragiriri for a quick bite! Mind you, this is a public bus, not a tour bus!

Though I dozed in and out of consciousness along the way (5a start hurts!), the landscape is GORGEOUS! Everywhere is lush green, spotted with mini lakes and rivers, with rolling hills and small wooded mountains cropping up. (Side note: In the middle of nowhere, we just passed what appeared to be a mosque with a golden onion roof, a pet motel, and a factory all side by side. Weird combo!) Pictures form a moving bus won't do justice! I'm in the Waikato area now, in Hamilton. The towns are interesting. I'm just staring at things...

Journal entry 31Oct07 12p
Wow, so far behind already! I'm about to load up on my Contiki Bay of Islands tour, so let's catch up a bit!

Rotorua - so brief, but action-packed! Checked into the Base Backpackers around 1p and found the girl at the counter super-friendly and knowledgeable. By the time I was checked in, I had 20 minutes to drop my stuff before I was picked up by a shuttle to the Agrodome. Shuttle driver Jay was awesome - we talked music and traded drinking stories and he gave me a free ride home later! Met Haylee, the marketing manager at Zorb who hooked me up! I suited up, rode up the hill and Superman dived into the puddle-filled Zorb! With a push I was off, shooting video while splashing about, tumbling and laughing out loud whilst my Zorb zig-zagged down the hill. [See my flickr photos, tagged Zorbing, and my MySpace video in the previous blog entry.)

I toweled off and realized that my reckoning that going commando in borrowed clothes was a bad idea meant that my boxers were completely soaked! I headed off and hoped that the Sky Swoop wasn't as scary as it looked, cuz I had already wet my (under)pants! Walking along the road, I couldn't find the turnoff to get to the Swoop. It was 4.20p, the last shuttle was coming, the Swoop was closing, and I had a 5.30p appointment already. Shrugging, I climbed down under the road overpass and found a low point on a fence to jump to cut through a field to the Swoop. With one leg over I brushed agains the fence and was shocked to discover it was ELECTRIC! I hopped quickly over, shook it off and hiked to the Swoop! You don't get shocked by an electric fence every day I reckon!

They hooked me up and raced me onto the Swoop, strapped me up, tucked in my feet and hoisted me as I hung facing down and watching the ground slip away fast! Soon I was suspended 40 meters up, all by myself! 3-2-1 and I pulled the rip cord before I had time to freak out! A moment of panic as the ground rushes up, then the cable catches and whooshes me past the ground and swinging back into the air! The dropping sensations hits once or twice more, but I swung gracefully back and forth to a stop. Thrilling!

Climbed out of that and caught the shuttle back to Base to grab some dry boxers and head straight to my Maori dinner!

We were picked up and shuttled to the Mitai family Maori land, where we shuffled into a big tented banquet hall. I made quick friends with Lorna, a girl from Glasgow and we split a bottle of wine. Our host was a very funny man who asked around how many country were represented that night. We had about 18, and he greeted each one with something in their native tongue! I was impressed! He then asked for a volunteer to be tribal leader and the group went silent. What the hell, I figured, and raised my hand. I was introduced to the group and they applauded, so I toasted them, and the leader said, "you might want to drink that wine; here's the bad news..." I downed my glass and he said I have to represent the group, accept a peace offering from the tribal leader and touch noses twice in a traditional ceremony. I shrugged and refilled my wine glass. "Sounds like fun," I said. Then he continued, "Next you will have to give a speech in front of all 150 people here from 18 nations, representing them and thanking the chief for his hospitality..." I emptied my new wine glass. Everyone laughed.

We walked outside to see the traditional ground-cooked meal of chickens, lamb, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. It looked sooooooo yummy, and the guide told us we had 1 hour to go! We walked down a pathway to a stream where the Maori warriors in traditional garb paddled a traditional canoe in while chanting traditional war chants. It was mesmerizing! We then filed into an amphitheater where we were taught about the culture, shown some songs and dances and learned about the history of the Maori people. But first... I had to do my ceremony! I stood at the side of the stage, watching the Maori and the audience. Then the chief came out and did a war dance where we never broke eye contact. He placed a leaf on the ground and I solemnly stepped out to receive it, never breaking eye contact still. I backed away and he acknowledged my acceptance of his peace offering. Then he drew me close and intensely pressed noses twice with me, inhaling deeply each time. He stepped back and I gave my speech, thanking me for inviting us all, our tribe of 18 nations, into their world and their culture, for showing us their customs, dress and tools, and for dinner that looks unbelievably delicious! He accepted my thankfulness and my work was done! It was scary though!

After the presentation we wolfed down the food that was every bit as good as it looked! We ate until we could barely walk, and then we stumbled at night back into the woods by the creek to learn about the local trees and how they were used, and we even saw some glow worms and some cold springs spewing silt at the bottom of the creek. It was cold and we headed back then to our shuttle to our hotel. Lorna and I had a peek at the local pubs, and opted instead for a final glass of wine in the hostel rec room where we found a ping pong table and played (badly). We said our goodnights and I repacked my bag a bit in prep for my 6a wake-up to catch a shuttle to Waitomo!

ALL THAT... WAS DAY ONE !!!!! I'm on Day 5 now I think. I better get writing again to tell you everything that's happened since!