What a year…

It has been just under a week since I left New Zealand and, as I grapple with the time zone change and a body clock that hates me, I have been thinking about what I have just undertaken. Without a doubt I am immensely proud of myself. To live on my own on the other side of the world was a feat I hadn’t really thought through properly and I’m impressed I pulled it off. When I think about it, throughout my whole time away not much really went to plan or was I expected, and yet I don’t think I would change any of it. I couldn’t have asked for any more than that.

I guess the only thing left to say now is: Where next?

Leaving on a jet plane

Today I fly away from New Zealand and head homeward. I’m leaving behind the land of spiralina smoothies, peanut slabs, hokey pokey, goody goody gum drops, lollies, paddlepops, corn fritters, Mac’s Gold and the best Sauvs and Pinot Noirs I have ever had. Apart from the food and the weather, I will miss the people most of all. I will be back though!!

R & R

After an emotional week of goodbyes and a couple of weeks travelling, I have a couple of days in Auckland to chill out before my flight. The summer weather has turned out for me and a last few days of hot sunshine and blue skies is very welcome before the winter at home!

I took the ferry out to Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf, just outside Auckland Harbour. It is an absolutely beautiful island surrounded by clear blue water. The village is filled with cute little seaside shops, which I mooched around until I decided to head for the beach. It was gorgeous, secluded and lots of golden sand.

 

 

 

 

The island is also pretty famous for wine, since it has excellent soil and an interesting climate. There are over 20 vineyards over the small island. I went to Cable Bay vineyard, on a hill overlooking Auckland in the distance. I went to the tasting room and had a try of seven of their wines. They were so good. If you get the chance, try the Cable Bay signature Five Hills. It symbolises a lot of NZ wines; young, modern and not afraid to blend wines in a break from tradition.

To relax just that little bit more, I headed to Mission Bay the next day, which is a bay to the east of the city. It too was gorgeous. Unfortunately, not that much shade so I had to migrate to the gardens a little back from the beach and sit under the Pohutakawas. It could have been worse really…

Northland

Back in New Zealand, it was raining. Really raining; there was a river running through the streets. Oddly enough, considering my last comments about rain, I really liked it. I was soaked but I had actually missed the rain in Australia. Even when it is raining there, they do not get rain like that.

I met up with my friend Katie and we drove to Kerikeri that night. It was a pretty long drive up into the northern tip of New Zealand. The next morning, we went futher north still and drove all the way to the very tip, to Cape Reinga. It was a beautiful drive and at some points we could see the sea on both sides. There is a lighthouse on the main outcrop of land made famous by it’s yellow AA signpost that marks the distance between the Cape and various cities around the world. Another reminder that New Zealand really is on its own out here. While there, I thought that perhaps The Correspondence School taught the lighthouse keeper’s children.

 

 

 

Jutting further out to sea are a few rocks that make up the true northern tip and hold deep spiritual meaning in the Maori culture. The outcrop forms a gradation of steps that enter the water where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet, forming incredible currents. This is thought to be the entrance to the afterlife. It is here that the spirits of the dead make their journey to the spiritual homeland of their ancestors, Hawaiki. A lone Pohutakawa grows on these rocks but has never flowered.

 

 

On the return journey, we stopped off at Cooper’s Beach. It is a gorgeous sandy beach that forms part of a w, along with Cable Bay. Pohutakawa trees, the flowering kind this time, line the beach. I staked my claim.

 

 

 

We also stopped at Manganui, a cute fishing town with lovely old buildings. There we stopped at the World Famous Manganui Fish and Chip shop. (Warning to my family: Please sit down and prepare to be very proud!) There I ate a whole piece of bluenose fish that had been caught that day and, you know, it wasn’t horrible. It didn’t taste that fishy, just meaty flakes. I think that perhaps because it was fresh it tasted better but either way I was very proud of myself!

 

 

The next day, we drove to Waitangi to see the place where the Treaty was signed. I have to say I was expecting more. There was a visitor centre and a shop, and totems of Maori carvings. From the beach, however, we could see across to the Bay of Islands, which was a gorgeous cluster of islands spread out across the turquoise sea.

 

 

 

 

 

On the long drive back, we decided to see a bit of the western coast. We drove across the Northland, east to west, and saw the massive sand dune mountains that make up the entrance to one of the harbours. We also saw a 2000 year old Kauri tree. The West coast of Northland is a bit like Northland California, in that the latter is the Redwood Coast and the former is the Kauri Coast. Kauri is a beautiful tree that is used for carving, shingles, flooring, beams and furniture; in short, just about everything. It has a gorgeous grain and a lovely caramely colour. The tree we saw is called the Lord of the Forest and is pretty mighty. Further down the coast, we made it in time to see the Kauri Museum, which we didn’t really have enough time to explore but was really interesting.

The Northland is an odd region. It stays reasonably temperate in winter and that gives the region a laidback feel. The small towns really are small and there is a weird feeling of the forgotten and impoverished in some parts. They certainly aren’t lacking any riches in the scenery, however.

 

 

Marvellous Melbourne

There is some controversy over who exactly founded Melbourne but what is clear is that all agreed this was a fantastic spot. With a great harbour and the Yarra river running just inland, it reamins a pretty great place.

The gold rush in the 1850s then sent the city into overdrive. It is visible everywhere but no more so than in the state Victoria Parliament, the interior of which is lavishily decorated with 23 carat gold leaf.  The Federated Parliament actually sat their until 1927, when it finally moved to Canberra. The amount of gold discovered was massive; I saw 0.08% at the City Museum which is now worth a cool $25 million. The largest nugget ever found was discovered in Victoria and is known as the ‘Welcome Nugget’, weighing in at just under 69kgs.

The city was originally formed out of tents and wooden shacks. The grid was made during the ‘Golden Era’ to make it more like a city. Outside of the grid is still important and interesting though.

The cities older dockland industry is situated to the west of the city grid and has recently undergone a massive refurbishment and is filled with shops and recreational areas. These are also on the eastern side of the grid at the Olympic Park, where the Australian Open is played and the Cricket/AFL grounds. There is a huge amount of stadium space.

This leads into the Botanical Gardens, which border the river. The Shrine of Remembrance, a classical building of pillars dedicated to those who have fallen, stands in the gardens.

South of the grid across the river is the Southbank. This area has the Crown complex of the casino, cinema and shops. There are lots of bars and restaurants along the waterfront. Further out from the river there are lots of art galleries and the Eureka Tower. This is one of the tallest buildings and the 88th floor is a 360 degree panorama. It has a spectular view of the whole of Melbourne, which I didn’t realise was so big. The lift up is pretty head spinning too – 9 metres per second (the fastest in the Southern Hemisphere).

The Queen Victoria Markets are just outside the grid in the northwesterly corner. They are massive undercover markets selling fruit, veg, meat, fish, deli goods and a whole variety of other goods.

There is still so much to see not only within Melbourne city but also in the hills, Great Ocean Road, gold rush towns and vineyards outside of the city. Definitely a must to come back for a longer trip!

I heart Penguins

It is a well known fact in my family that I love penguins. I am not really sure when it all started but, well, they rock. I have always wanted to see them in the wild and, although I had a couple of sightings in New Zealand, I really felt like I hadn’t done that yet. For my Christmas present this year, my wonderful Grandparents gave me the opportunity, for which I am extremely grateful.

Leaving Melbourne, I hopped on a bus and took the 90 minute drive to Philip Island, to the east of Mornington Peninsula, on the south coast of Australia. It is a haven of nature and a plethora of animals. I was staying in Cowes, the main township on the island. I hired a bike and went out to see the Koala bears. They are far cuter than I imagined; they look like a cuddly toy they are that fluffy. (Actually I should confess here that I thought they looked like naked Ewoks.) I discovered, though, that they are not the most interesting of animals; due to their pathetically low energy diet, they need to sleep for 20 hours a day. Most of the koalas I saw were fast asleep in the oddest positions, rammed between branches that they clearly can’t fit between. I saw one who woke up, made a sound rather like a pig being prodded and then fell back to sleep. Cute but rather an odd animal.

I cycled back through the nature reserve and past the seaside town of Rhyll (I mention this simply because my Grandparents took me to Rhyll when I was little and I thought that was a cute coincidence).  I went to the beach too-very yellow sand.

That evening, I went over to the peninsula, the whole of which is a penguin colony with around 20,000 Little Penguins (also known as Fairy or Little Blue Penguins). Since the 1920s, people have been watching these little guys come in from the sea to their burrows at night. There is now a Penguin Parade set up, with lights and a stand and a huge amount of tourists pointing. I decided to opt for a tour which took me to a beach on the other side of the peninsula (which, incidentally, was also sheltered from the wind), where there were fewer people and lights. There were 9 of us, a ranger and about 80 penguins!

Penguins come ashore in groups, to distract and fool any animals who prey on them. In the water they huck (quack like a duck) to form rafts (groups of penguins who swim in together) and then cross the beach to the dunes. I was trying to think back to what it was that I liked about penguins when I was younger and it came to me as I watched the first lone penguin come in on his own. They are really intelligent and really underestimated. People make fun of the way they waddle without appreciating that they are actually really quick when they walk. I think that is part of it for me though: they start at a disadvantage but then put them in the water and they blow everyone away. They are so elegant, fast and agile. They have evolved so that where the black and white feathers meet is the exact line of the water when they are floating – how awesome is that? The first penguin that came in sat in the waves for ages and then plucked up the courage to walk up by himself. He reminded me of Kronk (Emperor’s New Groove) singing his own theme tune while constantly looking about. That is a dis-service though, since Kronk is pretty dumb and these penguins exude intelligence.  3/4 of the way up the beach he freaked and slided all the way back to the safety of the waves. On his second attempt, he went a different route which took him within a metre and a half of where I was sat. It was incredibly special to see a wild penguin that close up. They really are amazing.

Most penguins came up in big groups but there were the occasional lone stars and those who came back out to collect shell grit to give them calcium for the breeding season. It was really funny to see them struggle up the dunes.  The moon was nearly full and so we could see pretty clearly but we had night scopes too.

After a while, we headed back along the beach but this was hindered by more penguins crossing. A big group went up the stairs from the beach before us and we headed up behind them. They were adorable. We got to see them pretty close too as they lined the pathway.

It was such a fantastic night. To actually sit on the beach with the penguins all around was just incredible. I would recommend it to absolutely everyone. Thank you Nana and Granddad!

Melbourne CBD

After a day in Melbourne, I have decided that were I to live here, I would end up very fat and poor but fabulously well dressed. There are so many fantastic rastaurants and cafes, not to mention a wealth of shops that Wellington can only dream of. Melbourne really is the big brother Wellington aims to be.

The centre of Melbourne is divided up into a grid of nine by nine. These broad avenues are lined with leafy trees and are carved up by tramlines. While these streets form the main thoroughfare, Melbourne’s real character is found in the lanes that run in between these blocks. Crammed in are cafes and bars that spill out onto the pathways that are covered in street art. They are lively, bustling and they show Melbourne’s true charm. I stopped for lunch in one of these cafes and was met by a waitstaff of friendly people and an atmosphere that buzzed. The food was also fantastic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a free tram that runs around the outside of the grid, which I hopped on in the morning and I got off at the Exhibition Centre. This was built for the Melbourne World Exhibition, whihch first showcased Melbourne to the world. Behind it stands the Melbourne Musuem. The museum is the first I have seen in Australia that really attacks the issues between the Aboriginal people and the people who came to Australia. There were stories that shocked me, like a child being taken from her mother on a public street and adopted away. I was impressed by this and the way they dealt with the issues, without causing offence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the museum, I walked up to Lygon Street, which is the Italian quarter. There are lots of pizzarias and Italian restaurants – the air thick with the dough smell. I then went to the Victoria State Library and marvelled at the books. The Greek district is around the corner. It’s street’s are lined with shops filled with blue and white flags, sports kits and tacky ornaments, and restaurants. I stopped at a bakery and had the best baklava I have had outside of Greece. Not far from there is the Chinese district. Here red and yellow replace the blue and white.

 

 

 

 

The Town Hall stands in the middle of the grid and is typical of Melbourne’s juxapositions. Along the grid there are beautiful 19th century buildings with elaborate doorways, cornices, towers and roof lines. These stone buildings stand shoulder to shoulder with tall highrises of glass and metal. The architecture changes again in Federation Square, the ‘culture centre’ of the city. Here the Flinder’s Street Station, an old yellow stone building, faces the box building of the ACMI (the Australian Centre of Moving Images – an awesome museum) with it’s odd, angular metal features. This is all part of Melbourne’s charm for me though; it’s the new without neglecting the old, unabashedly mixing the old and new with all kinds of results.

 

 

 

 

South Melbourne

I have been told by many people before I came to Melbourne that I would love it. With a lot of pressure in that statement I was nervous as I landed into Melbourne (however, that was also due to the extremely turbulant flight). I will admit that I am often a fair weather traveller, and my first impression is extremely altered by weather the sun is shining. It was raining hard when I came into Melbourne. The sun did  come out in fits and starts  mixed in with heavy rain showers all day. Luckily for Melbourne, it was very well timed; as soon as I sat down in a cafe or stepped onto the tram it began to chuck it down.

 

 

 

St Kilda is a suburb of Melbourne in the south that is on the harbour. There is a lovely beach, Luna Park (theme park) and a cute seaside town vibe to the place. I walked along the esplanade looking at the Sunday market stalls and then along the pier. There is a famous kiosk at the end of the pier that is a landmark of St Kilda. It was built in the early 1900s and, when it burnt down in 2003, it was rebuilt in exactly the same way.

 

 

 

 

 

The main street runs slightly down the bay and is a crazy road of shops and cafes filled with laughter. There are loads of cake shops and after passing five or six, I succombed and had a marzipan roll covered in chocolate. The place is really vibrant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canberra

There are not many people who go to visit Canberra, unless they are in a school trip. I, however, had two very good reasons: my second cousin Courtney lives there; and my family have a competition to collect capital cities. My Mum is well ahead so it is nice to know that when I go home, I will have two she doesn’t have (not that it gets competitive or anything!).

I caught the (very comfy) train to Canberra and watched the yellow countryside fly by. It amazed me how much I take green countryside for granted. New Zealand is so green it looks fake. New South Wales is yellow and dry. Watching the cracked earth, the silver trees with empty branches and the yellow grass, made me so thirsty. It was good to see small town Australia though; lots of cute Victorian stations. Canberra emerges out of pretty much nothing. Courtney picked me up from the station. When I went to Brisbane, I stayed with Barbara and Ray (my Dad’s cousins) and Courtney is their younger daughter.

 

I was dropped off at the Parliament Building. It is a wierd building; the two wings built into the hill and then a large flagpost structure on the top. I took a tour, which turned out to be a woman just telling me I should go to Question Time and little else. I decided that I should probably go to Question Time. It was really cool. Kevin Rudd was there and is a really good speaker. They were a bit fiesty too; at one point the Deputy Prime Minister and the front bench of the Opposition were just yelling at each other. The Speaker was recently accused on Twitter of favouritism to the PM and he cut them down neatly too.

After the Parliament building, I went to the Old Parliament building which is now a Museum. It was supposed to be a temporary building for 50 years and at the end of that time was full to bursting. A lot of the old rooms are kept in their original state and then there are lots of exhibitions. Quite a good museum.

That night we went out for dinner in the city. The Parliamentary Triangle is the area from the Parliamentary building to the lake, which includes the old building, the art galleries and various ministry buildings. The “city” part of the city is a little bit further away and essentially consists of a big shopping precinct/mall, with shops, restaurants and a cinema.

Canberra is hot (hence the dryness) but the next day when I went out with wet hair, I was still shocked that it was fully dry in about 3 minutes! It is a dry heat that just sucks the moisture out of you.

I went to the Australian War Memorial, which sits on a hill across from the Parliamentary Building on the other side of the lake, with a wide boulevard leading up to it. It is a beautiful, temple-like building, with a reflection pool and a Hall of Memory. The latter is beautiful and full of symbolism; from the black swans who always return home to the pillars representing the elements that killed all those people. There are four large mosaics of a sailor, soldier, pilot and female servicewoman accompanied by stained glass showing the characteristics of those who fought. The tomb of the unknown soldier is in the middle. Along the sides of the pool before the Hall of Memory is the Roll of Honour listing all the names of those who died. They are organised by section and name, not by rank as the British do. I was surprised at how many Coopers there were; I normally look and don’t find that many. I even found one with the same initials as my grandfather.

Underneath the memorial section is a great museum divided up into the two World Wars and conflicts since then. As a bit of a history geek, I really like seeing how different countries discuss the wars. I actually learnt quite a lot – I never knew that Darwin was bombed. The focus was naturally more onto the Pacific regions, which I had not known were so brutal and caused so many casualties.

After the War Memorial, I walked down the boulevard and saw all of the individual memorials to the battles. It was blisteringly hot so was annoyed when I got a bit lost and had to walk half way around the lake. I headed to the art galleries. I was unimpressed by the National Art Gallery – it was really dark and gloomy, and there were only three paintings I liked. The National Portrait Gallery was much better and I got to see the original Obama ‘Hope’ poster.

Just as I got out of the gallery, a drop of rain fell. Now Courtney’s partner had told me it never rains in Canberra, but it rained! A very short sharp shower.

That night, we went to a Thanksgiving dinner with some Americans my cousins work with. Funny that I went all the way to Australia for a Thanksgiving meal. It was really good and we even had yams with marshmallows!

I would recommend Canberra if you are interested in the culture and history of a country. Make it a short trip though; I was there for a day and a half and that was enough.

Overwhelmed

This has been a tough weekend of goodbyes.  I am completely overwhelmed with love and sadness. Enough said.