I was a bit nervous for my first time traveling alone, but I was excited for 2 weeks of adventure and the freedom & ability to do and be where I wanted at any given time.
I arrived at my hostel in Nelson and kept my bags in their storage room until my dorm room would be ready later that day. I heard there was a market in town and two german girls from the hostel were heading there so I took a walk into town with them. We were wandering around the market together but then I decided I would rather wander alone and told the girls they could go on with out me. I wanted to make sure I took advantage of my alone time and really be free. I talked to the vendors, sampled and purchased amazing plums and peaches, and enjoyed the beautiful arts and crafts that locals made and sold. I also had some maori fried bread from a food cart for lunch!
I arrived at my hostel in Nelson and kept my bags in their storage room until my dorm room would be ready later that day. I heard there was a market in town and two german girls from the hostel were heading there so I took a walk into town with them. We were wandering around the market together but then I decided I would rather wander alone and told the girls they could go on with out me. I wanted to make sure I took advantage of my alone time and really be free. I talked to the vendors, sampled and purchased amazing plums and peaches, and enjoyed the beautiful arts and crafts that locals made and sold. I also had some maori fried bread from a food cart for lunch!
I then stopped by the i-site to see what they recommend I do with my time in Nelson. I was waiting in line for a while and made friends with two Israeli guys standing in front of me who recently finished their service in the IDF-- like most Israelis I met in NZ. At the i-site, the woman working said their was a national rugby game happening this afternoon at the stadium near by.
I went to my hostel, moved my things into my dorm room which was shared with 3 other girls, two from France, and one from Germany. I asked if any of them wanted to join me at the rugby game but it wasn't of interest to them, so I walked over by myself and got a ticket. I was told the game was at 3:00 and when I entered the stadium didn't seem nearly full. I walked around and asked a family which team was the Warriors- New Zealand's National Rugby League team. Rugby League is a little different than Rugby- which is what the All Blacks play.
The family said neither team was the Warriors, this was a pre-game with different teams and that the main game was at 5pm. So, I decided to exit the stadium and go on a walk until the next game began.
I got back to the stadium just before 5:00 and walked around to the grassy area where my ticket directed me to. I didn't know anything about Rugby or Rugby League for that matter, so I decided to awkwardly approach a father/daughter combo and ask them if I could sit with them and if they could teach me about Rugby League. They were very nice and said they would be happy to. The daughter was 17 and used to play rugby, which is the most popular sport in NZ. I learned that in Rugby League it takes 6 tackles for possession to switch and the clock never stops. Also, for the games at this stadium they always bring the ball in via a helicopter with a special guest inside- this time it was a famous New Zealand butcher. Another thing I found interesting was that the players usually go out to the local bars after they finish thee game-- something that definitely doesn't happen with pro sports in the states. The locals also loveee the athletes- in the grocery store the next day the lady in front of me was talking to the check-out lady about how she had the best night of her life because she met one of the Warrior players at the bar last night.
Anyways, the Warriors lost but it was still so fun to learn about Rugby League and chat with some locals.
I went back to the hostel and chatted with my roomies and then we went to the bars in town where we also met up with the Israelis who I met that day at the i-site. We hung out at a pool bar and played a couple of game before heading back.
On Sunday, I went to another market in the morning that was more of a flea market of previously used goods. I bought a couple of horse books for my host sisters because I would be going to my host sister's birthday later in the day. After roaming around the market, I made my way towards where the birthday party would be-- at Nature Land, a zoo about an hour walk away. I stopped at the beach on the way there and laid out for a bit and read my book. I stayed at the beach until it was time for the party.
At the party we had lunch and explored the grounds seeing all types of animals. I spent time with my host sisters and also chatted with my host mom and dad a bit. I also met my host sister's godmother who lives in Nelson. She was so kind to drive me back into town and she also invited me over for dinner. I got back to the hostel and played a couple of game of beach volleyball with a bunch of germans-- SO MANY GERMANS IN NEW ZEALAND! After playing some volleyball, swimming in the pool, and relaxing in the hot tub talking to people from the states, NZ, Europe, and Israel I got ready to go to dinner at Jayashrii's home.
I got to her home and helped her finish up cooking and set the table. She had made a delicious veggie dinner and we chatted for a couple of hours with her roomie Chauney as well. They were both such inspiring women! I really enjoyed talking to them and learning about their lives. They were both Buddhists and Jayashrii had experience working with global artisans in Nepal so we really bonded over our similar experiences.
After dinner I helped with the dishes and went back to my hostel. I went out with some girls from the hostel and we had a really fun night.
Monday morning, I went on a hike to the center of NZ. It was a lovely hike with nice views and a great way to start my day. I then did some more walking and stopped in some of Nelson's famous art galleries and parks. It was a chill day because I had to catch my bus to my next stop: Takaka.
I asked the bus driver if he would be able to drop me off at my camp site and he was so nice and did. I would be staying at Hang Dog-- which is a campsite for rock climbers. Did I like rock climbing? Yes. Would I consider myself a climber? No. I heard about this place from a few people when I talked about my interests, so I decided to call up the camp and see what they were all about. I called and said I have no equipment and very little climbing experience but that I was eager to learn. I also said I didn't have a tent. The guy who owned the place said there was a bunk house I could stay in, that I could rent equipment, and that he's sure that people would be willing to teach me. So I decided I'd stay there for 2 nights.
I arrived and walked with my pack to the site where someone directed me to the bunk house where I'd stay. I wandered around the camp site and got my bearings for what the vibe of this place was like-- if I could describe it in a word it would be hippy. Lots of hippies, lots of climbers, I felt good vibes. Like I said, I had little climbing experience, I actually had never climbed on real rocks before so I definitely needed to make friends who would show me the ropes.
I saw a group of people chilling out by a slack line (flat rope you try to walk across). I went up and started chatting noticing a women with her ankle all wrapped up- she had just injured it that day climbing. Yikes- I was getting a bit nervous! I met a girl from Chicago and a few other people from all over: Italy, Germany, Argentina, North Carolina, Israel, Chile, and more.
After hanging out, watching some people impressively walk across the entire length of the slack line, my new friend from Israel offered to take me climbing the next morning.
I then caught a ride into town and got some groceries to make dinners and lunches for the next couple of days. That evening, there was a camp fire. It was so lovely! People were playing guitar and I got to talk to people from all over and everyone was so friendly. There was a guy playing with fire which was cool to see as well. We then aa took a nighttime stroll to the rock wall and wandered into a glow worm cave. Similar to the one I visited on the north island, but this one was a bit smaller- still had a ton of glow worms which we could see once we all turned off our headlamps. Someone brought their guitar into the cave, which had great acoustics, and 2 very talented people sang. It was such a lovely first night at hang dog!
I woke up early and went to the crag (climbers lingo for rock wall) at Paynes Ford (the nearby climbing walls) with my Israeli friend, Stav. He taught me the basics and safety checks and we got climbing. There are hundreds of routes at the 5 crags and the routes all have different ratings based on difficulty. The ratings go from 12 to 30-something. I started on a 12 and also did a 14 that morning. It was my first time climbing on real rocks and I loved it. The biggest difference from climbing in a gym was that you can't see where the holds will be, you have to feel around, and that it's completely natural.
After climbing we went back to the camp site for food and then a group of people from camp went to the river. We brought a slack line and the guys set up the slack line from one side of the river to the other. We attempted to walk across it but most of us fell in the water after a step or two. A few people managed to get pretty far though! The water was freezing cold but it felt so good under the sun.
Then we went over to the other side of the river where there were some rope swings set up. We climbed up some rocks and got to where we could grab the higher rope swing. IT WAS AMAZING. From where you hop off holing onto the rope swing there is an amazing view of the river and a mountain- and the ride on the rope swing got a great momentum that I flew pretty high and had a fun drop down. Again, the water was super cold but I had such a great adrenaline rush it didn't matter at all. and then I climbed up and went on the swing again.
I went back to camp, played frisbee with some people, and had dinner. Then a couple of people were going out on a late night rock climb because there was a full moon and they asked if I wanted to join. I first asked if there were kidding- I didn't realize climbing at night was a thing, but they were completely serious so I grabbed my headlamp and jumped in their van. We drove to a different wall at Pohara. We set up tea light candles at the base of the wall and had a speaker blasting tunes. Troy, who owns Hangdog and another guy, Jerry, who stays at the camp every year, led the routes/set them up for us. I climbed one of them which was about 100 ft. up and a 17 grade. It was an exhausting climb and I actually loved climbing in the dark, I really had to use my senses and feel around for good holds. It definitely took me a while to get to the top, but once up there, I had the most GORGEOUS view of the full moon reflecting on the ocean- a sight I will always remember. Everyone else climbed 2 routes, but I was dead tired after the one climb so I just cheered everyone else on. After everyone was finished climbing we went for a swim in the ocean under the moon and then headed back to camp around 2am.
I woke up in the morning and could barely get out of bed because I was so sore. I knew I wouldn't be able to climb today. Troy's parents were in town and were going out to do some touristy things and invited me along. They were so sweet to take me with them! We went to Pupu springs which was a reserve where the water springs are so clear you can see all the amazing colors and plants under the water- no swimming there though! We then went for a drive by the ocean and I was able to see the wall that I climbed the night before (in the daylight!) We then went into the town of Takaka, which is down the street from the campsite. The mom and I enjoyed browsing the different art shops and stores and then they took me to lunch at a yummy cafe!
We went back to the camp site and I went straight to the river for a swim and a swing on the rope! In the afternoon I went to a free acro-yoga class in a field which was really fun! I learned some awesome moves and it was a great way to stretch out my body after a lot of climbing. In the evening there was another campfire :)
The next couple of days consisted of similar routines. Climbing during the day, taking breaks at the river, working on my slack lining, swinging on the ropes, doing acro yoga, and enjoying camp fires at night. After a couple of days my legs were torn up with bruises, bug bites, and scratches- but it didn't bother me enough to keep me off the rocks.
On Saturday, I went to the market in Takaka with a few people from camp. We had some coffee, and I got a small basket of cherry tomatoes which were the best tomatoes I've ever had in my entire life. There were also some vendors selling crafts which I enjoyed browsing. Everyone went back to camp but I decided to stay in town and look around the shops before going to acro yoga. I ran into a few other guys from camp in town and got them to come along with me to yoga. After yoga we went back to camp and then went climbing. I finally mastered an 18, which I had practiced earlier in the week but couldn't get to the top. After we finished climbing I went to the river with the guys who insisted we do a 45 ft. cliff jump. I have a hard time saying no, so I climbed up with them, and when I got to the top I was definitely terrified to jump. But, it would have been harder to climb down than to jump, so I leaped and screamed and took them most exhilarating jump of my life- even more exhilarating than sky diving! I had bruised on my thigh from hitting the water but still totally worth it.
There was another campfire that evening, I made cous cous with the dudes, people were making pizzas, I had some amazing fresh made cheesy garlic bread, and some of Allie's plum pie.
Then we went over to the other side of the river where there were some rope swings set up. We climbed up some rocks and got to where we could grab the higher rope swing. IT WAS AMAZING. From where you hop off holing onto the rope swing there is an amazing view of the river and a mountain- and the ride on the rope swing got a great momentum that I flew pretty high and had a fun drop down. Again, the water was super cold but I had such a great adrenaline rush it didn't matter at all. and then I climbed up and went on the swing again.
I went back to camp, played frisbee with some people, and had dinner. Then a couple of people were going out on a late night rock climb because there was a full moon and they asked if I wanted to join. I first asked if there were kidding- I didn't realize climbing at night was a thing, but they were completely serious so I grabbed my headlamp and jumped in their van. We drove to a different wall at Pohara. We set up tea light candles at the base of the wall and had a speaker blasting tunes. Troy, who owns Hangdog and another guy, Jerry, who stays at the camp every year, led the routes/set them up for us. I climbed one of them which was about 100 ft. up and a 17 grade. It was an exhausting climb and I actually loved climbing in the dark, I really had to use my senses and feel around for good holds. It definitely took me a while to get to the top, but once up there, I had the most GORGEOUS view of the full moon reflecting on the ocean- a sight I will always remember. Everyone else climbed 2 routes, but I was dead tired after the one climb so I just cheered everyone else on. After everyone was finished climbing we went for a swim in the ocean under the moon and then headed back to camp around 2am.
I woke up in the morning and could barely get out of bed because I was so sore. I knew I wouldn't be able to climb today. Troy's parents were in town and were going out to do some touristy things and invited me along. They were so sweet to take me with them! We went to Pupu springs which was a reserve where the water springs are so clear you can see all the amazing colors and plants under the water- no swimming there though! We then went for a drive by the ocean and I was able to see the wall that I climbed the night before (in the daylight!) We then went into the town of Takaka, which is down the street from the campsite. The mom and I enjoyed browsing the different art shops and stores and then they took me to lunch at a yummy cafe!
We went back to the camp site and I went straight to the river for a swim and a swing on the rope! In the afternoon I went to a free acro-yoga class in a field which was really fun! I learned some awesome moves and it was a great way to stretch out my body after a lot of climbing. In the evening there was another campfire :)
The next couple of days consisted of similar routines. Climbing during the day, taking breaks at the river, working on my slack lining, swinging on the ropes, doing acro yoga, and enjoying camp fires at night. After a couple of days my legs were torn up with bruises, bug bites, and scratches- but it didn't bother me enough to keep me off the rocks.
On Saturday, I went to the market in Takaka with a few people from camp. We had some coffee, and I got a small basket of cherry tomatoes which were the best tomatoes I've ever had in my entire life. There were also some vendors selling crafts which I enjoyed browsing. Everyone went back to camp but I decided to stay in town and look around the shops before going to acro yoga. I ran into a few other guys from camp in town and got them to come along with me to yoga. After yoga we went back to camp and then went climbing. I finally mastered an 18, which I had practiced earlier in the week but couldn't get to the top. After we finished climbing I went to the river with the guys who insisted we do a 45 ft. cliff jump. I have a hard time saying no, so I climbed up with them, and when I got to the top I was definitely terrified to jump. But, it would have been harder to climb down than to jump, so I leaped and screamed and took them most exhilarating jump of my life- even more exhilarating than sky diving! I had bruised on my thigh from hitting the water but still totally worth it.
There was another campfire that evening, I made cous cous with the dudes, people were making pizzas, I had some amazing fresh made cheesy garlic bread, and some of Allie's plum pie.
I woke up Sunday morning and went on a walk to my fave spot where the swing rope is and I took a little swim. Then I went to Wharariki beach with Nick, Scott and Toby. We hung out on the beautiful beach and explored through the caves and sand dunes. Then we went to a cafe for a shake and then to cape farewell for a nice lookout. At the lookout I stepped on a metal thing and was bleeding a lot!! My sandal was covered in blood. I foot hurt pretty badly so one of the guys carried me down the hill. We were sitting by the van and washing off my foot when a guy in a van next to us got out of his car and offered me band aids and disinfectant. I said I already had some but then he pulled out a bottle of vodka, orange juice, and a bottle of baileys and asked if I wanted any. He seemed nice & harmless so I had a glass of baileys on the rocks and it was so delicious and exactly what I needed. Even though my foot hurt a lot I really wanted to walk along farewell spit, which is a small piece of land the juts out into the ocean. I dragged the guys along and we walked for about 3 hours, got lost a couple times in the sand dunes, saw the most AMAZING sun set I have ever seen in my life, and then made it back to the car just after dark. We stopped for some food on the way home and made it back to sit by the fire for a bit!
My last full day at Hang-dog I climbed in the morning with Phil and Ayla and we did a 14 & 16. Then we went back to camp and I hopped in the river for a quick swim! I grabbed a ride into town with Phil and Ayla. I saw Amy and we got frozen yogurt at a local cafe and then we chatted for a while before going to acro yoga. Then we stopped at the grocery store to get food to make a nice pasta dish for dinner. When we got back to camp we walked to the river will Allie and chatted there for a while before going back to camp to cook our pasta and veggies. At the store I bought a cake and wrote a card for everyone who belayed me the past week and they all seemed to really appreciate it. Then we had wine and sat around the fire. After the fire, we went to the glow worm cave that we went to on my first night. I will definitely miss nighttime wanders around such a magical place.
In the morning I climbed again with Phil and Ayla and Shymal. I did a 16 and then I attempted another 18 but after spending way too much time up there I had no energy left. Now, I have a reason to go back to Paynes Ford to finish that climb :) As you see, even though I planned on staying at hang dog for 2 nights, I ended up staying for 8, I loved the vibes, the people, and all the climbing, swimming, and swinging.
I then took a quick swim in the river and a swing on the rope swing, went back to camp, packed up and got a ride to Nelson with David- an Israeli from the camp heading to Picton. It was a nice drive and we stopped for a little hike to a lookout point along the way!
I got to Nelson and got dropped at Jayashrii's home. I had dinner with her my last time I was in Nelson and she invited me to stay with her while I was in Nelson. She told me she would leave the door open for me so when I got there, I layed on her couch until she got home. When she got home we made cauliflower rice and veggies for dinner with Sue and Sieger who also live there and own the Green Grocer downstairs. Then I helped with some chores, we had hot cocoa, watched a movie and went to sleep.
In the morning, Jayashrii made me an amazing protein shake and then dropped me off at the bus stop where I headed towards Renwick. I was headed to Renwick to stay with another family I was connected with through the wwoof-ing website. My new host mom, Brenna, picked me up at the bus stop and I did some laundry when I got to her house. When she got back from work, we went out to town, Blenheim, ran some errands with Brenna's mom and got lunch at a cafe. We picked up the kids from school and when we got home and I made rice krispie treats with the kids- they are ages 5, 6, and 9. The kids really loved the treats, I mean what's not to love, rice krispies, marshmallows, and butter!
I spent time with the other wwoofers living there, from the Czech Republic. Terka, her boyfriend, Brenna and I spent the evening chatting, having wine, and amazing New Zealand chocolate, and some great Czech chocolate that they brought from her home country.
The next day I got up and did a lot of yoga, stretching, and chakras with Terka, as that is her morning routine. We then went on a walk to a huge plum tree where we picked lots of plums for us and the kids. When we got back from our walk we made lunch and then Breanna came by and picked us up. We went to a Field Hockey game that Andrew's brother was playing in- so that was neat to see!
In the evening, Brenna and Andrew had a reunion to go to, so Terka and I watched the kids. When Brenna and Andrew got home, their neighbor Will came over and we all had wine together and chatted for my last night with the Nation family!
I spent time with the other wwoofers living there, from the Czech Republic. Terka, her boyfriend, Brenna and I spent the evening chatting, having wine, and amazing New Zealand chocolate, and some great Czech chocolate that they brought from her home country.
The next day I got up and did a lot of yoga, stretching, and chakras with Terka, as that is her morning routine. We then went on a walk to a huge plum tree where we picked lots of plums for us and the kids. When we got back from our walk we made lunch and then Breanna came by and picked us up. We went to a Field Hockey game that Andrew's brother was playing in- so that was neat to see!
In the evening, Brenna and Andrew had a reunion to go to, so Terka and I watched the kids. When Brenna and Andrew got home, their neighbor Will came over and we all had wine together and chatted for my last night with the Nation family!
In the morning I had breakfast, signed their guest book, said goodbyes and Brenna dropped me off at the bus stop. We had a bus stop in Kaikoura where I got lunch & sat on the beach. Then I arrived to Christchurch and wandered around a bit through the restart mall where I visited last time I was there. Then I dropped my stuff off at Ally's place, which is where I stayed last time I was in Christchurch. She had work, so I took a bus to sumner village/ beach. I overshot where I was supposed to get off so I had a nice walk along the beach to make it back to the village. The reflections in the sandy water were amazing, so I got to take some nice photos of the waves, reflections, and adorable dogs on the beach. I then wandered around, got Mexican food, ate on a rock and journaled. I caught the bus back, showered at Ally's and then went to the bar where she works. She got me beers and I enjoyed them while talking to some of her friends. I walked back to her place, and got up in the morning and caught my taxi to the airport.
My time in NZ had finally come to an end. I had an amazing time in such a beautiful country. From the campervan adventures with Sara, to learning about vineyards and an organic self-sustaining lifestyle while WWOOF-ing, to traveling on my own, learning to climb, meeting new people, and reflecting on everything-- IT WAS ALL INCREDIBLE. Thank you, NZ, I'll be back one day!
Sending smiles from Auckland,
Rebecca
Farewell spit sunset
The nation family!
Wharariki beach
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