Spring Break Chronicles: Surf, Taranaki, Surf

28-August-2010: Clear Skies

Ahh today was gorgeous! Woke up on the beach around 7:30 am (yes, we get up early here! It happens when you’re sleeping in a van and don’t dread a school day J) and went for ‘a run’. Ok, Ruth actually went and I just tried.. the sand wasn’t hard yet so it was really tough to run. Then we landed at a BackPackers to take a shower for 3 dollars which was really nice of them... we are so lucky that it is off-season. All of these people keep telling us that they don’t normally allow people to shower there haha. Talked to the older couple that was watching over the place for winter for awhile and then after that we left for Tairua for the Puketuni Valley to go on a gold mining tramp. It was a 3-hour track and we did it in two... crazyyyy! It was a really fun walk with mine tunnels (3 short ones) and climbed uphill forever on our way to the Collins Drive track. It was a 500 meter gold mine tunnel and not going to lie it was pretty creepy. Ruth got freaked out as soon as we hit pitch black so I had to be brave and continue on with our lantern, singing songs.

It was really awesome! After our tramp we were really gross so we thought it’d be a good idea to jump into the river that was by where we parked the van... Yeah.. FREEZING COLD. Let’s just compare it to jumping into Lake Superior in fall. Haha, oh dear it was funny...but really refreshing! And then it was my turn to drive the van... yes, I now know how to drive not only a cool minivan but also on the left side of the road. It actually wasn’t as scary as I thought it was going to be... the most complicated thing is mixing up the windshield wipers and blinkers because they are on the opposite side of the wheel. I think biking has helped me to get used to staying to the left though because not once did I start to go right. Good news, ay? It was great to drive though through the mountains and such. I miss driving.

First place I ventured to in the van was Hot Water Beach and wow! Is it cool! It’s a Geothermal area (go figure) and when it’s low tide you can go there, dig your own hole, and it becomes a hot pool! There was a lot of tourists there today.. the most we’ve seen anywhere on our trip. I couldn’t help but think how weird it would be to someone that isn’t familiar with the concept. You arrive at this beach to see a ton of people.. but rather than swimming in the ocean, they are all sitting in this one area of the beach in sand holes. Haha.. so great. Occasionally, our pool got a little TOO hot and i burned my tush but then you just dig in a cold spot and you can balance it out.

After that we went a little more North on the Coromandel Peninsula to Whitiangi and took the passenger ferry to ‘Scallop Fest!’ We were super excited to experience this popular occasion but apparently you needed tickets ahead of time and by the time we got there the festival was almost over anyway. However, we did go to Snapper Jack’s to eat and I got Seafood Chowder for the first time since I’ve been in New Zealand. Mmmm! It was really good and came with buttered bread.

We currently are at a new campground near Cathedral Cove hanging out in the lounge, eating chips, chocolate, lollies, and watching some rugby on a big screen tv. The lady that was working here thought we were crazy for being so excited about the TV and kitchen... What! We never watch Tv, ok?! It’s pretty exciting. Well, I still don’t really understand the rules of rugby.. It’s kinda like football but really continuous.. after a tackle they just keep passing the ball.

Cathedral Cove

30-August-2010: Losing track of the days..

We are in RAGLAN!  Yesterday we ended up in Tauranga and Mount Manganui. Ate at Zeithyn’s for dinner and it was so absolutely delicious. Kind of a Turkish, Indian style restaurant. Slept near the beach in some rando boat landing and woke up this morning to about 20 high school boys running past our van at 7:30 am...haha...awkwarddd. Not much going on in Tauranga right now, plus there was no surf and we are itching to try it so that’s how we ended up in Rags. Which I love so its all good. J

Rented wetsuits/surfboards from the Raglan Backpacker’s for 25 dollars today and went for about 3 and a half hours. So tiring but SO.MUCH.FUN! Starting to think I taught myself how to snowboard wrong... considering I longboard and now surf with my RIGHT foot forward and snowboarding with my LEFT forward. Weird as...But! I DID stand up today, which is awesome. Got it about 4 times really good. I’d say the board kind of owned me though... considering it’s about 8 ft. Talk and I’m a whopping 5’ 3” AND it was really windy, ha! It was a struggle to walk my board to the water... let’s just say that.

1-September-2010

Went surfing again yesterday for FOUR hours! It was a lot of fun and I was up for a whole wave a few times. It’s just a fun experience to learn. It’s understandable how snowboarding helps you to surf but then at the same time, it’s a much different experience. It’s fun to be in the water instead of cold snow too! Afterwards I was starving so we got Fish N’ Chips from Nannie’s in Raglan.. I looooveeeee that place.

Headed off to New Plymouth for the day because Raglan was rainy so surf wouldn’t be fun today. Think we went to sleep by 9pm because we were so burnt out from surfing. Went to the museum in New Plymouth this morning and that had lots of awesome Maori artefacts. Also, stopped by a second hand bookstore today where I got ‘Stuff on my cat’ (made me think of andrea.. don’t ask) and this book in the NZ’s favourite books called ‘Tully’ and so far its been really good!

Visited Mount Taranaki, some gardens and a children’s zoo...it was excellent ;). Then we stopped at  Mike’s Organic Brewery for some tasting on our way back north.