So this is basically Kat's Adventures Part Two (that's kind of a lie because I've had many adventures since South America, but no trip long enough worth blogging about; so this is the second long adventure; I promise, I'll finish the Argentina blog at some point-I have some posts started for it, just need to finish them, but let me catch up on the present first). I do recognize that my "year" off ended a year and a half ago, but it's too much time to start a new blog (I'm a little slow with creative titles and catchy descriptions), and I already have my hands full with catching up on my past 11 days in New Zealand. Despite the discrepancy with my description of this blog, I hope you enjoy following me along on my final semester of college (and hopefully beyond into the final hours of my internship) which I will enjoy in New Zealand. I promise not too bore you with the school work aspect (unless it's something super interesting).
Orientation Week with Australearn
Day 1: Wednesday June 29th, 2011
After about maybe 30 hours of traveling (if you count the 11 hours I got to enjoy in LA international airport) I arrived in Auckland, New Zealand 2 days after I left (so weird, a day of my life just disappeared). Upon arrival we were driven up to the top of the tallest mountain in Auckland (by one of the funniest coach bus drivers I've ever met, though it turns out just about every Kiwi is like this), Mount Eden (196 metres, a dormant volcano with a beautiful grassy crater 50 metres deep). There we got to look upon the super city of Auckland with its scattering of hills that are dormant/extinct volcanoes, and the Pacific Ocean.
Tyme and Paul, our Australearn guides and native Kiwis (I believe they both have some Maori blood) gave us lovely intros to the laid back (sometimes sarcastic) humour of the Kiwis. I should warn you now, I'm becoming tempted to move to New Zealand, just because of its people (the landscape is a big factor too of course, but I'm just adding to the top 5 list of reasons). Hopefully I'll be able to convey this to you throughout these following posts. Maybe I'll start a post just for Kiwi humour.
After admiring the vista, we headed down to check into the hotel, have our first session led by Paul to give us a run down about Kiwis, their weird English (ex: Scarfies=colleges students), and some other important things to know that I wont bore you with. We had the afternoon free and I went with some Australearners to Auckland's museum. It was immense, large four floor building with just about anything you can-the geological history of New Zealand (they actually had an earth quake simulator that demonstrated how things might go if a volcano blew up in Auckland-talk about blunt and so reassuring), Maori history/culture, the colonist history, girl/boy scouts of the past century, the wars NZ has been a part of, and so much more.
After two hours of exploring the museum and getting lost we made our meandering way back to the hotel with a stop at the police station to assist us in finding the hotel. We then had dinner at an Italian restaurant where I had a salmon pizza (it was local meat), which is ingenious idea by the way. I then struggled to stay awake until 9:00 before crashing (this was my challenge for the next 3 nights).
Friday, July 8, 2011
Friday, January 8, 2010
Valdivia and splitting ways
Thursday November 26th-Saturday November 28th
Valdivia is a neat little city with a college, casino (by far the largest building there), and easy access to the ocean. It was nice to spend time there, though we didn’t do anything overly exciting or extremely (that’s how normal people relax right?). This is partially because we didn’t really have time to go to this park nearby which apparently had sport climbing (well, climbing with a broken hand in a cast I suppose is not a smart thing to do).
Upon arriving in the early afternoon, we checked into a hospedaje (like a hotel and hostel combo), and then headed out to explore the town. The weather was gorgeous, warm and sunny (of course it is only when we’re riding on buses or don’t have the time to climb something). We had dinner at a small restaurant right by the water. I had the best salmon of my life and Tom had this fantastic white fish dish. We had dessert at a popular chocolate café place. That night, we split a bottle of wine while we planned our last day together.
Friday, we woke up early-ish, packed, showered and ate. We then headed to the bus terminal, bought our bus tickets-Tom for Santiago which left that night just after 9 and me to Bariloche, at 8:30 the next morning. We headed to the port to see if we could get tickets on a boat ride one way around the bay to the town of Corral, but found out there was only round trip, so we caught the bus to Neibla, hopped on the 20 min ferry to Corral where we walked around the town a little and explored the old fort there. We then caught the ferry back and took the bus to the Beer Museum with a hope of getting a tour of the brewery. Unfortunately they only allowed people in the museum which we checked out briefly and we ate lunch which was gigantic meat sandwiches that were delicious (yes, I did take pictures of them). Yes, I some how managed to eat mine in just one sitting. We also got their beer sampler so we could each try all the beers they produce there. Pity I haven’t really acquired a taste for beer as I have for wine. Though this honey one was kind of good.
After putting ourselves in a food coma, we headed back to Valdivia, walked around town, looked for a fort, found it and were disappointed. We walked through the fish market which was pretty neat and an artisans market. We found the mall as well, and contemplated watching a movie in Spanish there but decided we didn’t have time. We then headed to this large park there, explored this random craft fair there and wondered around on a bunch of trails (again finding ourselves being follow by some dogs-I don’t get it). The park had a couple huge ponds with hundreds of lily pads and some really neat abstract sculptures of wood, stone and wire in one area.
After the park, we headed back to the hostel, grabbed our stuff, and headed to a bus station. I found a cheaper hostel right outside. The host was this crazy old woman and got angry at us for some reasoned and lectured us on who knows what in Spanish. Tom and I then said our good byes and he got on his bus to eventually head home and I headed back to my odd hostel.
The next morning, I was on the bus at 8:30, not realizing that my trip which was to end at the farm in El Bolson, was not going to finish until about nine O’clock that night. At least the bus rides went through beautiful areas
Valdivia is a neat little city with a college, casino (by far the largest building there), and easy access to the ocean. It was nice to spend time there, though we didn’t do anything overly exciting or extremely (that’s how normal people relax right?). This is partially because we didn’t really have time to go to this park nearby which apparently had sport climbing (well, climbing with a broken hand in a cast I suppose is not a smart thing to do).
Upon arriving in the early afternoon, we checked into a hospedaje (like a hotel and hostel combo), and then headed out to explore the town. The weather was gorgeous, warm and sunny (of course it is only when we’re riding on buses or don’t have the time to climb something). We had dinner at a small restaurant right by the water. I had the best salmon of my life and Tom had this fantastic white fish dish. We had dessert at a popular chocolate café place. That night, we split a bottle of wine while we planned our last day together.
Friday, we woke up early-ish, packed, showered and ate. We then headed to the bus terminal, bought our bus tickets-Tom for Santiago which left that night just after 9 and me to Bariloche, at 8:30 the next morning. We headed to the port to see if we could get tickets on a boat ride one way around the bay to the town of Corral, but found out there was only round trip, so we caught the bus to Neibla, hopped on the 20 min ferry to Corral where we walked around the town a little and explored the old fort there. We then caught the ferry back and took the bus to the Beer Museum with a hope of getting a tour of the brewery. Unfortunately they only allowed people in the museum which we checked out briefly and we ate lunch which was gigantic meat sandwiches that were delicious (yes, I did take pictures of them). Yes, I some how managed to eat mine in just one sitting. We also got their beer sampler so we could each try all the beers they produce there. Pity I haven’t really acquired a taste for beer as I have for wine. Though this honey one was kind of good.
After putting ourselves in a food coma, we headed back to Valdivia, walked around town, looked for a fort, found it and were disappointed. We walked through the fish market which was pretty neat and an artisans market. We found the mall as well, and contemplated watching a movie in Spanish there but decided we didn’t have time. We then headed to this large park there, explored this random craft fair there and wondered around on a bunch of trails (again finding ourselves being follow by some dogs-I don’t get it). The park had a couple huge ponds with hundreds of lily pads and some really neat abstract sculptures of wood, stone and wire in one area.
After the park, we headed back to the hostel, grabbed our stuff, and headed to a bus station. I found a cheaper hostel right outside. The host was this crazy old woman and got angry at us for some reasoned and lectured us on who knows what in Spanish. Tom and I then said our good byes and he got on his bus to eventually head home and I headed back to my odd hostel.
The next morning, I was on the bus at 8:30, not realizing that my trip which was to end at the farm in El Bolson, was not going to finish until about nine O’clock that night. At least the bus rides went through beautiful areas
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