Completing the final few blog posts while distracted by the comforts of home and attempting to transition back to “real life” has been slow-going. We find ourselves lingering over photos and journal entries, reminiscing and daydreaming instead of making progress on posts…
…so, without further delay…
We left Ubud on November 3rd, trading the sticky heavy heat of Bali for New Zealand’s brisk biting wind. We dug to the bottoms of our bags for additional layers to warm our tropics-acclimatized bodies.
After a bus and a ferry journey we arrived on Waiheke Island, a small island off the coast of Auckland known for delectable wine and beautiful landscapes. Exhausted from 24 hours of travel, we were happy for a cozy comfortable room to shake off the jet lag. Especially welcome was the genuinely kind greeting of our B&B hostess – trademark Kiwi hospitality that we consistently experienced throughout our time in New Zealand.
The morning greeted us with perfect wine tasting weather… we reveled in the sunshine, sampled some world-class wines, and brought home a commemorative bottle that we plan to enjoy on our 5-year anniversary.
The following day we boarded the ferry for Auckland, trekked to the rental car terminal and set off on another marathon road trip. With muscle-memory still intact for driving on the left from our time spent in Scotland, getting comfortable on the modern wide roads of New Zealand was relatively easy.
While most of the advice we received for touring New Zealand included some variation of “skip the North Island – the South Island is where you should go”, there were a few stops in the north that we found too tempting to pass up. Our first planned destination was Rotorua, an area rich in geothermal activity.
As we approached the town, its distinctive volcanic odors became more prominent. The landscapes in this area are prehistoric and wild. Growing in abundance is the iconic ponga, endemic silver fern trees with slender black trunks and silver-backed fronds. It wouldn’t seem at all shocking if a stegosaurus ambled by, grazing its way through the exotic flora alongside the road.
While the whole area surrounding the town of Rotorua boasts evidence of geothermal and volcanic activity, the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland reserve offers an incredibly diverse and colorful collection of geothermal features in one relatively small area.
[An interesting bit of etymology we learned: “wai” means “water” in the native Maori language, which explains why so many place names in New Zealand start with Wai.]
The park is well laid out, with boardwalks spanning boiling mud puddles, steaming caves and cracks in the earth oozing plumes of sulphur-scented vapor, opaque ponds colored toxic green or lemon yellow. The most celebrated feature in the reserve is the Champagne Pool, a terrestrial hot spring with a rust-colored rim and bubbling effervescent waters – just like a glass of champagne.
Unfortunately for us, it rained – hard – the entire 2 hours we explored the park; at some point, we simply gave in to the weather and accepted that we would be soaked. Luckily, we had all our luggage locked in the car – easy access to dry clothes!
Next up on our self-guided tour of the North Island was the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. We were enchanted by the idea of caves so filled with tiny glowworms that their light illuminates the underground caverns, like a candle-lit cathedral or grotto.
Our limited research led us to The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. as the outfit of choice; we opted for the Black Labyrinth option, billed as the “original classic adventure”.
Orientation for the 3-hour subterranean adventure was delivered by several burly, bearded Kiwis. We were kitted out in extra-thick wet suits, weighted boots, helmets and headlamps, and marched off to a 12 ft high ladder at the edge of the river to practice the required “leap of faith over a cascading waterfall” — which basically involved jumping backwards from the top with your inner-tube strategic positioned around your bum.
From the cave entrance, the fast-moving current whisked us down the underground river, immediately surfing through rapids and clambering over rocks in rushing water. In between the turbulent stretches were moments of calm, where we could float and gaze up at the blue-lit glowworm colonies above us. By the end, we’d experienced a bit more cave water up our noses than anticipated, but the adventure was as exhilarating as promised.
Wellington, the funky capital city of New Zealand, was the final stop of our North Island tour; timing meant that it would also be where we watched the final showdown between Clinton & Trump.
The US presidential election had been such a presence during our travels. It dominated news coverage in every country we visited, we overheard so many conversations between non-Americans discussing the candidates, and we had numerous direct exchanges with fellow travelers and locals about it. We were optimistic and hopeful – and so anxious about the outcome. It was important to us to honor the historic moment and experience it real time with people who were equally vested in the results, even if they were all strangers.
We found a “Democrats Abroad” expatriate group that was hosting an election party at an Irish pub in Wellington. We arrived at 1pm, when the first polls were expected to close. The mood was festive, and we ordered ourselves a pint before settling in to watch history in the making.
Of course, we all know the outcome of the election. As the realization of what was happening sank in, the mood of the party shifted into decidedly grim territory. It was strange to experience such profound disappointment away from home. If there was ever a point during our travels that we felt homesick, this was it. Texts and emails from home jokingly urged us “don’t come home!” But our instincts were the exact opposite; we wanted to mourn with our friends, to commiserate with our fellow citizens, to console each other.
Now reading…
Lindsay: Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
Chad: Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
A Forever of Nows 