Surf and Stone

Classic Castle Hill

2009-06-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

Whale Watching

2009-06-10T21:38:00.001-07:00

Liz and I took a speedy little boat powered by some psyched Maori's out to view Sperm whales migrating. The coast of Kaikora is very special in that it drops down to far depths right off the coast. The wildlife you can see on this particular stretch of coastline is pretty rare.
Sperm whales, as we learned, hang out on the surface until it's time to hunt. At which time they float just under the waters surface then come up for one last blow before diving straight down as far as they need to. Because they are such careful and prepared divers, they make easy targets for whalers and are listed as vulnerable.

Travels with Mum

2009-06-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

The day Kyle's mom Liz flew into Christchurch there were gail force winds ripping through town. Flights were canceled going to or from Wellington (which is at the southern tip of the North Island) but she made it despite. She stepped off the plane ready to explore and take advantage of every day she had with us in this beautiful place. Ava immediately took her to her favorite animal park, Willowbank, to show off the kiwi birds, eels, and baby ducks.

I was up in Castle Hill climbing with another escapee mum...

Snake Eyes

Quantum Mechanics

... but I met up with them and we headed to a quaint little cottage called Sign of the Kiwi at the top of Summit Road and had proper tea and scones.

Sign of the Kiwi

The next day, we ventured to the Banks Peninsula for a beautiful lunch in the French city of Akaroa. It was a sort of pre-road trip for our big west coast road trip.

The next day, we piled into the New Jersey Devil (aka Greg's car) and were on the road again.
It felt great to embrace the freedom to adventure once more and head away from stability and comfort, strangely. We hadn't road tripped in almost a month and a half so it all felt new again.
In Christchurch, it was raining, snowing, and hailing all at the same time but the moment we got out of town it was sunny and the snow covered mountains glowed in the distance. We were headed to Mt. Cook first, then to Milford Sound and back up the coastal road. I put my iPod on shuffle and it seemed to echo the soul rebel vibe in the car playing more Bob Marley than I knew I had. Nothing says alpine road trip like Bob Marley.

Day One: Christchurch to Lake Tekapo then to Mt. Cook

The pace was set for our trip when we arrived at Lake Tekapo, we rolled in, ate an amazing sushi meal (best sushi in NZ cause they raise the fish just meters from the restaurant), and then walked down to the lake and nearly got blown away by the fierce winds that still lingured.

Suspension Bridge Walk in Aoraki/ Mt. Cook National Park

Day two: Twizel to Queenstown

On our way to Te Anau and Millford sound we made a stop in Queenstown which I had no idea was a ski town. We rolled in and I thought I was in Steam Boat Springs but it was prettier! Kyle and I got to have our first date in ages and Kyle and Liz went on a high speed jet boat ride through a tight tight canyon. They said that at times they were only inches from the canyon walls while the driver threw 360 degree loops at high speed!

Day Three: Queenstown to Te Anau

Eucalyptus Tree in Lake Te Anau

Day four we made reservations for a cruise down Milford Sound which was supposed to also drop us off at the underwater observatory but somebody wanted a day off...
Milford was overcast and overwhelming. The drive lead us through some amazing terrain. We stopped for a hike to see The Chasm, which in the midst of the alpine jungle was as green as a rainforest in spring.

The Chasm

Milford Sound

Day Five: Te Anau to Invercargill (latitude 46S) to Dunedin

Day Five was a big driving day. We took the "scenic highway" around the coast to Invercargill thinking that it would be scenic and coastal but all it was was long and arduous given that we didn't realize it was the hikers scenic highway. But we stopped in a great cafe established in 1893 in Riverton which broke the driveup nicely.

The rad metal sculpture of a bike and there was an even bigger man statue looking into the sunny horizon in front of it but we couldn't fit both in the picture! They were huge and in the middle of no-where-sheep layden- merino country. Just when I thought I was going to start getting sedan fever we saw a penguin colony sign.

We parked the car and I ran into the fray hoping to finally get to see a penguin which I had been hoping for all trip. I arrived at a concrete bunker perched on a bushy hill above the ocean just in time to see a yellow eyed penguin pop up out of the ocean and waddle itself to rocky safety. It was great. And it made the trip for me.

Then we drove down the coast a bit to "Kaka Point and the Nuggets (which sounds like a Kiwi rock band) and ran down the mile trail to see a rainbow arching across the ocean as the sun went down, seals playing in the pools below. What a way to complete that leg of our journey! The day that started out dull, finished with a BANG.

Kaka Point and The Nuggets

We stopped in Dunedin hoping to meet up with our friend Bill Hatcher but somehow through every means of communication on both sides, we failed to connect. We stayed in this run down holiday park and Ava and Granny Liz snuggled and we all slept like babies, take that back, over traveled adults.

Dunedin

St Kilda Beach

Carrie photo...my view finder broke three months ago, but I like the pictures I make haphazzardly!

I finally dress Ava like a girl with a skirt and tights and she felt so comfortable in them that she rolled in the sand and made "snowman".

While in Dunedin we visited the Larnarch Castle which was medieval and Baroque at the same time. And then we traversed a high ridge to visit the Otago Universities Marine Studies Center. Ava is obsessed with sea life. So we hung out in the coolest, albeit tiny of aquarium centers. One of the grad students who was from Florida was there to answer any questions and Ava got to play with crabs and star fish, limpetts and urchins, and they even had an octopus. We got Ava an application for early admission.

That night we stayed in the ultra plush holiday park in Moeraki and had a decadent dinner at Fleur's, one of the best restaurants in New Zealand. Right on te water they serve up some succulant seafood dishes with a French flair. The bacon wrapped Blue Cod and the sticky date pudding with poached pears and homemade ice cream are still haunting my dreams.

Fleur's Restaurant

Day six: Moeraki to Christchurch

Carrie photo

Moeraki Boulders

The Moeraki Bouders are a wonder of nature. They are perfectly sphericle and look like they were dropped from space. No one knows the nature or how these boulders came to rest on this beautiful southern beach. It was a treat to play on them as the sun rose above the sea at low tide.

The New Jersey Devil

2009-05-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

At the ripe age of 30, I learned how to drive a manual automobile.
Applause rings in my ears every time I say that to myself.

My good friend Greg Locker had been in Castle Hill for two months when we arrived. He had bought the first cheap car he saw at the backpackers car lot in Christchurch and had lived next to it in his tent for his entire stay. When we rolled in, Greg was more than ready to end his trip abroad and wanted the fastest departure he could manage. So, he gave us his car.
I tried to pay for it on multiple occasions.
"I don't make money exchanges with friends." He replied with an air of: Just take it. Please.
The car is a mid-eighties Toyota Corona. I'd never even heard of it. Maybe it's the Corolla of the rest of the world. Who knows? In any case, it was a durable beater with at least three different paint colors and a license plate that would scare any respectable church goer. This rig was to be mine.
With a hearty thanks I remarked to Greg that I finally had a reason to learn how to drive stick. Before, knowing how to operate a manual car would have been just another trick under my sleeve and so I felt no pressing urge to learn. But now, this was my only way to get from our home base in Christchurch up to the boulders. I simply had to learn or not climb, often.
Knowing that this was the case, I made a trade with Greg: If I cut his hair, he'd teach me to drive a manual transmission.

And so it was. With my left hand on the joy stick and the pedals in their usual place, I looked right before left and shifted my way to a bachelors from the Greg School of Driving. I could now drive myself through the city, and into the mountains. I was a step ahead of Miss Daisy.
How liberating.

My self portrait driving home from Castle Hill. I got stopped not by the cops but by 200 cows walking up the road followed by men on horseback, and dogs nipping at their heels.

It wasn't until I had to park in my friend Christina's driveway that I achieved my Masters. I had to use the parking brake as a catapult lever so that I wouldn't reverse into her house at a 45 degree angle. (I was so nervous.)
The New Jersey Devil is now for sale for $300. A scream'in deal for a sturdy car that Ava still refers to as, "Greg's car." I can't say though, that I'll be sad to see it go.

Home Is Where Your Passport Is

2009-05-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

Could Christchurch be home?
When we embarked on this trip we did it in part as a test run for a possible temporary relocation. Being that surfing and rock climbing are soul sports for Kyle and I, respectively, Christchurch was the most likely city in the world that we could imagine being suitable for our family collectively. As we began to roll through town and familiarize ourselves with its sub-neighborhoods, coast line, and downtown, we were immediately taken by three things:

The beach and it's surf,

the Avon River that runs down the middle of the city like a zipper,

and the cities quaint, contemporary attitudes.

There is something about this city that feels like home to me. I grew up primarily in Louisville, KY home of the Kentucky Derby horse race. I love Louisville. It is an affluent and cultural city in an unlikely state. When I tell people I'm from Kentucky they size me up and check to see if I have all my teeth and am wearing shoes. I believe in the warm area of my big red heart that if there were rock in Louisville I would move there. Well, it would have to have surf too of course. When we drove down from Castle Hill into Christchurch we drove through horse country. It even felt like Kentucky: rolling green hills, race horses, tall tree fence lines. There was even a business called Kentuckian Racing. Helloooo!
And that is only the area outside of town!! To get into the city center we drove through one of the nicest public parks I've seen, ever. I wanted to go and lay in the grass and let Ava run through the botanical gardens. But for Kyle, it was the surf that inspired his longing. He's been so inspired that I was finally able to pry him out of the water before sunset to take some photos!!!!

New Brighton Beach is 10 minutes from city center.

Kyle is a lover of nice things, especially nice old buildings. No matter where we are he is the first to point out a slate roof, or beautiful stained glass window. Christchurch has an abundance of cute houses and well maintained old buildings. I think Kyle has mentioned about 7 times how much he loves the slate roof on the cathedral on Cathedral Square.

A beautiful door that Ava discovered on a walk down the Avon one sunny cold day.

I have to mention the library at New Brighton because it's a place I want to visit every day. It has single serving couches with desk tops that face the surf breaks at New Brighton. Ava and I go there to read books and watch daddy surf. And if we need a break from sitting and watching we just walk down the pier that comes out of the library and hover over Kyle as he paddles to catch his next wave. It's brilliant. It makes me want to study in it. It makes me want to study here. Have I mentioned Castle Hill yet?

Flock Hill

2009-05-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

If you don't plan, things will still happen. Amazing. We have been staying at the Craigeburn camp ground which is just 10 minutes drive from the boulder fields, less if you are going to Flock. We've met all sorts of characters here at the camp but it wasn't until my friend Justin Wood arrived that we met Derek Thatcher and the strongmen of Castle Hill. We met the boys at the Flock Hill parking and zoomed up to the boulders. It was still early, 9 am maybe, and there was slippery frost covering the ground. People kept disappearing into the tall grass with a yelp and someone would yell, "Boom-agata!" Which to me sounds like a line from a Tribe Called Quest rhyme.

Lady Killer v3

We warmed up on a beautiful slabby, runnel problem and on many others whose names I know not. There is no formal guide for Flock Hill. But that's why we have Derek. There is something to be said however for heading up there without a clue because there are so many boulders, moderate problems, easy obvious warm-ups, and projects to be cleaned so fresh eyes are appreciated here!

Justin working on an FA.

The vibe was buoyant. The guys were sending their long standing projects, cleaning new ones, and sending those too. It was impressive and it set the scene for our trip here.

Pete "The Radness" on Mullet Arete v6

My project Mobeous v8

Even Ava was inspired!

Zac on Vapor Trail

James Morris working a project just before getting the second ascent of Derek Thatcher's Vapor Trail v10.

Captain Contact
Justin's 10th v8 of the day, his first day in Castle Hill.

The sun set behind the mountains and we were still climbing, the flash from Kyle's camera gave us just enough light to see the holds.

We descended the hill as the stars woke up. Sliding into thorny plants and falling over rocks, it would have been very helpful if we had brought our head lamps! We found ourselves running downhill trying to descend the 25 minute trek to flat land before we hit total darkness for the remaining 20 minute walk. When can we go to Flock Hill next!

Castle Hill!!! Finally!

2009-05-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

I've been so wrapped up in Castle Hill I all but forgot to update the blog (also our internet connection is patchy at best). My apologies. Let me start from the beginning as best I can...
We were driving in our little red van. Driving, driving, driving. We drove from Napier to Wellington, had a lovely lunch, drove around the beautiful and dense coastal city.

Then we drove onto a ferry that was supposed to only be a four hour tour that would deliver us to the south island. It turned out to be seven hours because the ferry broke down in the middle of the harbor. sweet. We arrived on the south island and headed in the direction of Castle Hill. With perfect weather we were completely entranced by the ocean and it's rocky wonderland of sea life.

Carrie photo

Ava and I hung out at the beach while Kyle surfed. I wish I had photos of him surfing!!!
We camped just off the beach and woke up to a seal about 20 feet away basking in the morning sun. It was beautiful.

Ava has the best bed head complete with dread locks. Every morning.
Then we drove some more, down the coast and headed inland through hilly farmland and up into the mountains. By this time we were all a bit road weary, and I was aching to rock climb. I hadn't done much research on the area. I've learned through years of traveling that plans are best left unmade until you have a realistic idea of what a place is about. So, we looked on the map, saw a peak called Castle Hill and headed in that direction, hoping it was the right area!
As we drove round the twists and turns that lead up the slope my heart was beating faster in anticipation of the first glimpse of rock. I'd been waiting for what seemed like months to reach this place and now we were almost there...

Quantum Hill

The easiest area to get to is Quantum. It is reached easily by all manner of tourist and athlete alike. We ran around our first day like giddy school children. We left the pad in the car and went on a reconiscence mission to find out what this place was about. It's like a candy shop of boulders that attract even the most novice of climbers.

This is Ava's favorite climb and it's actually in the guide book! Ava's first established rock climb.

Because this area is so easily accessible it gets the most traffic making it pretty slippery and glassy. Many of the classic problems you can barely climb because they are so slick. The first day we spent our time on easy climbs that we could do barefoot. Climbers were stopping to ask if we needed to use their pads and we would thank then but decline their offer as the problems we were spending our time on had the most perfect grassy landings, who needed a pad! We would soon find out why.
The climbing in Quantum is really smeary with lots of mantels and slabs and reachy high balls.

Monkey and the Magic Peach (v8), still a goal. Apparently to gain purchase on that runnel you have to knee bar on your hand reach up with your left hand, tilt your head to the left then rock over your foot. Seriously.

Carrie photo...check out the manly beard!

Dominatrix v6 with a "technical knee bar" sit start. Flashed it.

Project

It was sunny but cold and even so we had no idea that it was going to dump snow on us in the middle of the night!

Jason Myer and I having a snow ball fight! That day we left for Christchurch to find a home. A place to live in winter, inside.

Hokitika

2009-04-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

Our impetus for journeying to Hokitika and the west coast was a shoot Kyle had for Canoe and Kayak Magazine. He was commissioned to do portraits of two bad ass Kiwi kayakers:

Graham Charles

AND

Paul Caffyn

Both of whose kayaking endeavors are well worth a Google.

It felt great to leave a place feeling like we saw all the good stuff (though naively). Hokitika is a small town south of Greymouth and is the bounty center for the New Zealand Greenstone (jade) known as pounamu. The river that empties into the ocean at Hokitika carries with it huge chunks of pounamu that local carvers turn into beautiful jewlery pieces and other carved works of art. The greenstone is rare and the art is an age old practice of the Maori. We met up with a local carver at Te Waipounamu and he gave us the full tour. During which Ava picked up a pounamu necklace and threw it at the carver, who later gave it to her as a gift. Kyle and I picked piece for each other and have not removed them since.

Cultural experience, check.

After downing some delicious fish and chips we headed to Hokitika Gorge to see the fabled majestic turquoise river.

It was so ravishing that I wanted to leap off the 40 foot high swing bridge into its swirling waters.

The hues of blue were not so mesmerizing as to block out the apocolyptic swarms of sand flies that bite on any area of exposed skin.

We escaped them by staying on the bridge - apparently they are afraid of heights.

Before dusk we took a trip to the ocean.

We taunted the sea gulls.

We stacked rocks,

and played with the waves.

The Pass

2009-04-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

After spending time in Christchurch we headed up and over the mountains to the west coast. The winding pass from Christchurch to Arthur's Pass is, to put it simply, intimidating. The road itself is narrow and the beauty that surrounds it is imposing.
The sheer faces of the 1587m high mountains seem to rise vertically and with little slope into the heavens. The valley floor is wide and cut with meandering streams and rivers that slow to pause at clear lakes that sit like mirrors for the vanity of the mountains. It is nothing short of breathtaking.
As the road begins its descent into Greymouth you get to experience Kiwi ingenuity at it's finest.
Water is funneled from great heights by concrete shoots that extend, like an awning, over the highway. The highway is truely that. A narrow winding bridge that hovers in space above the turmoil of rocks and water below.

Just as you begin to zone into a peaceful state of humbleness the landscape changes to forest covered hills with enormous fern trees that seem almost tropical. Lush and green the climate becomes wetter and warmer as you approach the coast.

Napier to Wellington

2009-04-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Napier, art deco capital of New Zealand, expecting to be transported to the 1930's. Being a fan of the Great Gatsby and an even bigger fan of Art Nouveaux, my expectations were set high.
In 1931, Napier experienced an earthquake that rated 7.9 on the Richter scale and it leveled the city. They decided to rebuild in the architectural style of the day: Art Deco. We found the city to be quaint and a little quiet so no need to turn on all those florescent lights that would have added some color to the town. The stained glass was impressive. It seemed every house, even the shanties were adorned with it.
I fell for this statue on the waterfront that absolutely deserves a name.

This area of New Zealand is called Hawkes Bay and it's known for producing very nice Sauvignon Blancs and Syrahs. We thought we should probably go sample some for ourselves. We visited New Zealand's oldest vineyard, The Mission Estate Winery, for a leisurely Sunday brunch.

Carrie photo

We sat in the courtyard overlooking the vineyard and all the while I felt like I should be dressed as in a Monet or Cezanne painting. It felt a little odd to step out of our hippy van and into a refined lifestyle. One which we happily played along with for a few hours.

Carrie photo

Near to Napier is a special place with an even more special name: Blow Hard Bush. A bush reserve with many beautiful species of NZ birds. It is also the home to some of the most unusual bouldering I've ever seen.

Reactor (v7)

Down in the dark of the jungle are horizontal roofs with perfect hand sized tufas. The rck is dark, the tufas light. It is an artistic contrast that even a non climber could appreciate.

Utopia (v5)

just a shorty clip

Sonic the Hedgehog (v6)

Napier was a full palette: architecture, ocean, art, wine, climbing, nature. It was definitely time to leave the north island and head south.
On our drive down to the ferry terminal city of Wellington, we had to make a few stops...

New Zealand has the best playgrounds in the world!

From the North island to the South Island

The four hour ferry ride was beautiful!

a SOuLs eSCAPE

2009-03-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

There is something about Raglan that keeps drawing us to it. We've been traversing the same latitudinal line for a month now. Raglan to Whangamata, Whangamata to Raglan. West coast to east coast and back again. It's been somewhat of a habit. We do two things when we arrive in Raglan: Check the surf and head to Solscape.

The surf was midget sized so I was excited to surf it; Kyle was psyched to take photos. It's really hard for him to get a photo of me surfing as I'm only vertical on my board for about 5 seconds. I'm proud to say that I made my first turn and had my first battle for a wave. Unfortunately that battle was unwarranted because I actually took off on someone elses wave. For any other newbies out there, that means that I spoke out of turn. Needless to say, the tattooed Maori cut me off and I found myself apologizing my way towards a timeout on the beach. Sorry surfer dude.

Ava loves Solscape. Maybe that's one reason we keep ending up there. It has the feel of a rejuvination center except you have to separate all your own trash. We park our van so we can see the ocean swell, plug in, and chill out. The grounds are full of animals for Ava to chase. I'm only guessing that she is painting her love of chasing chickens or rabbits or perhaps snuggling the kitties that roam the grounds. She first took her shoes off here and hasn't worn them since. That was three weeks ago. She decidedly threw one flip flop behind a washing machine and made it clear she was going shoeless: Kiwi Style. No one here wears shoes. You see entire ball teams running down the sidewalk for their evening warm-up. All barefoot. A beautiful and striking sight.
Solscape is as close as you get to off the grid without actually being off the grid. All the water, including the gray water, is filtered on the property. You separate your trash into about 20 different categories so the only thing you actually throw away is dirty diapers. It's pretty organized.

We decided to ditch our van for a night and head up to the TeePee Sanctuary on the property. You walk past all the tents and cabins, the garden and chicken coup then head into the forest. After crossing the water reclamation area, which poses as a lotus pond, you feel like you really are leaving somewhere and entering nowhere.

Our friends Lindsay and Ben from Whangamata hadn't arrived yet, so we picked flowers and read books until it was time to make dinner. Ava and Ben are best buds so they disappeared into the fray once they arrived.

Kyle and I joined another teepee dweller, Keith, in the kitchen to try out the wood stove. A beautiful structure with shells and stones worked into the molding. That night was full of laughter, wine, candles, UNO, and dueling matches of cowboy-ninja-bear.

The morning sun was warming, the company was gentle, and so was Ben's attempt at the guitar.

We are on our way South finally, done with navigating the same thoroughfare. We are headed to Napier: Art deco capital of the world, and wine region to boot. See you there!

Van Life

2009-03-15T00:31:00.000-07:00

This next entry is mostly dedicated to our little red van.

LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas i.e. Propane) conversions are becoming more popular here much as conversions to Bio-Diesel are in the States because LPG, like bio-diesel, runs cleaner and more efficiently than gasoline. Environment aside, our machine gets 14 miles to the gallon. Ya'll ready for some conversions? Gasoline runs $1.70NZ/liter and LPG is $1.30NZ/liter. That .40 cent per liter saved really matters when you are on a budget.

We were reveling in the youthful engine-lift our 27 year old van had recently received when we pulled up to the liquor store for a swappa-crate*. Kyle had just returned with our vittles and set them in the van, and closed the door. CRASH!
The door fell off.
The liquor store attendant quickly came out to see what all the commotion was about and offered her assistance in setting the door back on its hinges. She then pointed us in the direction of the local panel beater (body shop).

We had thankfully landed ourselves in Te Kuiti, a very small town known to NZed as the "Sheep Shearing Capital of the World".

Two salty Kiwi's and their young assistant (whom neither one of us reckon actual assists in anything) came to our aid. As we waited while the right parts were located (in some unseen magical hobbit hole of 25 year old parts) the youngster regaled us with his stories of small town party life. After his tales we decided to stay off the roads after dark.
30 minutes and a crate of beer ($15US) later our door was back in line and we were on our way!
Our story doesn't end here though.
We were off to the airstrip for a bit of evening climbing. We ended up missing our turn and decided to go the extra 15 minutes to get gas. We were camping on the same land we were climbing on so we had stocked up on groceries earlier.
In addition to being hungry, we had arrived at the area as the sun was setting so we started making dinner. The rice was bubbling, the silver beet was stewing, and the propane ran OUT! The moon was rising as we drove yet another 30 minutes to the nearest town.
Did I mention it was Friday the 13th?
We did get to climb the next day. Here are some pics.

Swing and a Miss (v6)

The ultra rad tufa pooping, "Good Form".

The down climb is a slot cave and you pop out of this seam on the side of the boulder! This area has more than 300 mapped caves. If you ever get here check out the glow worm cave.

"Frantic" (v8)

*Swappa-crate is the fantastic invention of the Kiwi's. Buy 12- 750ml bottles of beer in a crate. Return the crate and the empty bottles, get your next crate for half the price. It's beautiful and cheap.

p.s. Ava is having a great time. Hanging at the ocean, looking out for sheep poop, she's even become a very patient van traveler! If you notice in our first photo of van life she is sitting on her potty. She loves the book Once upon a Potty by Alona Frankel and hopes to be like Prudence some day.

Wh is pronounced as F

2009-03-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Whangamata with the Billabong Pro Surf Contest in full swing. Bummed to see the crowds, but inspired by the surfers, we decided to stay on the beach to have a splash.

Ava and I discovered about 50 or so hermit crabs that had washed up on the beach. One of which was particullarly ready to leave it's shell and we picked it up just as it jumped ship!!! This odd sight was accompanied by small, brown, round starfish and little clear blobs that looked like legless jellies. No one could tell us why this sudden appearance of shellfish and sea life had made their way to the exposed sand.

This is a portrait of Kyle's surf buddy and our campground neighbor Ben. In the morning Ben and his girlfriend Lindsay took us to one of their favorite spots with the promise of smaller crowds and good waves. The place was Paunui Bar

I took this photo of one of the boys surfing at Paunui Bar.

The next day we went out searching for hidden rocks along the beach. After descending a steep and slippery trail we came upon a perfect beach break, hidden from sight, with four friends playing in the waves. As we passed quietly by (not wanting to bum out the locals) one of them had only enough time to do a 180 then leap off his board onto the sandy beach just next to me. We looked at each other and as he gave out a huge laugh, I knew we were cool to play on the rocks surrounding them.

On our way to Lake Taupo we stopped in Rotorua, the capital of thermal activity in New Zealand. The entire city smells like sulfur due to all of the boiling mud pools and hot geysers the city is built around. It is also the Maori cultural hub. This is a park we visited in the middle of town.Ava is our avid bug hunter. She even gives them kisses when she says goodbye.

The Airstrip

2009-03-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

We were able to meet up with Waikato Region local Bevan Jenkins who came out of his office midday to give us the lowdown on the region. (Thank you Bevan!) We were destined for "The Airstrip" bouldering area which is situated on the Stubbs' farm near the Waitomo Caves. A unique point about bouldering on the north island is that most of it is on farmland under private ownership so permission must be obtained.
After contacting the owner, we arrived in time to find him elbow deep in lamb guts after having to slaughter the 6 month old due to a broken leg. A special occasion for a poor farmer, a special occasion for three grocery shoppers.
After a long walk around the property, we set out for a short evening bouldering session. In order to reach the climbs we had to carefully meander our way through adolescent bulls and sheep.
We arrived with the setting sun on the rock, perfect grassy landings, and smeary open-handed climbs. Unfortunately only the most classic problems of the area were over 10 feet tall but each one was well worth it.
"Wazzup" V8

That evening we parked our little red van on a hill overlooking the hilly region. As sheep filled in around us we nested in for a good nights sleep.
The next morning we visited Grot View Cave which is a large overhanging limestone roof with many fun climbs on it. I was able to peace out the classic thirteen move V7 "Franks Route" first try which left an entire day for falling off smeary sloping problems!

I continued my climbing day solo while Kyle and Ava ventured through yet another patch of sheep (which Ava happily chased away) towards a wetter part of the property.

We plan to head back to the region soon to check out the glow worm caves ad I suspect we'll probably be doing some more climbing while we're there!

Auckland: Be Forewarned

2009-02-27T17:20:00.000-08:00

We arrived in the Auckland Int'l Airport itching to get going on our trip. After talking our way out of paying extra fees for our oversized and overweight baggage (Voodoo crash pad and camera gear respectively) we arrived to face unforeseen adversity. After all our research we neglected to learn about New Zealand's harsh laws on incoming plants, food, and even dirt.
I had no idea I had a banana in my climbing bag which was in my crash pad. Even at 5am the customs officials took me aside like a criminal, held up the banana and asked, "What is this?" I thought to myself, "You're nuts, it's a banana, duh." But I politely and with a bit of innocence replied, "A banana?" And my fate was sealed. I was fined $200NZ , no arguing.
That being our introduction to Kiwi's, all the experiences since have been very cordial and sweet. We nestled in to our apartment in the middle of the Central Business District (CBD) with a view of the entire city and the harbor out our windows and balcony. It was beautiful and very reminiscent of Vancouver, BC. In any case, Kyle took this photo out of our bedroom window while it was raining. It is of the Sky Needle which you can take tours of tethered to its outer rim wearing bright orange suits and harnesses.

Little Red Van

2009-02-27T16:38:00.001-08:00

Kyle did months of fishing on the web to find the right home for us. He found a 1982 Toyota Hiace that would be our home during our four and a half month trip through the beautiful and hilly country of New Zealand. We discovered that New Zealand has more models of camper vans than anywhere else in the world, but ours is still the perfect one for us. It runs on normal gas and LPG (liquid petroleum gas) and has plug ins for electric and water.