TravelStream™ news feed for member tkd_demon on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/tkd_demon en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:23:58 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1229640180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1229640180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1229640180/tpod.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:23:58 -0500 To Buenos Aires and beyond...

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Auckland, North Island, New Zealand

So we arrived in Nz on Fools day 2008. Why Auckland? Mainly because it's Nzs largest city thus giving us the hope of better job prospects. Naturally we have spent most of our time here especially during the miserable winter. I can't outline how each day was spent nor will I bore you with my daily routine but I can give a sample of the shenanigans. After the nightmare at our initial dwelling, life improved considerably. The house as expected has seen a fair share of faces pass through so we have been fortunate enough to make some good friends. It's our multicultural commune!We have seen the U17 Womens Football World Cup final made more memorable by the unlikely N.Korea edging out the US. We plodded along to a few rugby & cricket games. We saw the might All Blacks. National rugby competition crowds were much lower than expected but I'm told the game has reached the stage of overkill in Nz; you can't avoid it on tv. When the All Blacks play the passion returns. Kraftwerk, the godfathers of electronic music, came to town just before Xmas playing out a packed house in the Civic Theatre. Given Kraftwerk were a few years before my time it wasn't shocking to see some old school folks but I didn't expect OAPs. You could be forgiven for thinking you were at Tosca looking at the dress circle. I even missed someone tapping my shoulder asking if I was alright for yokes!  We've given salsa & Spookers (the scare attraction) a go. Phantom of the Opera also came to town. The winter weather has provided many house parties to balance the dullness. The photos paint a more colourful summary. 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1253070298/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1253070298/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1253070298/tpod.html Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:59:40 -0400 To Buenos Aires and beyond...

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Christening Christchurch I, South Island, New Zealand

Following another Jetstar gift ($120 return for 2) we took our first steps in the south island after an early morning flight. Descending into Nzs oldest city, Chch, after a 70 minute flight is a spectacle anytime but during winter & early spring it's accentuated with the snowcapped Southern Alps flanking the flight plan. Once on solid ground we navigated our way through its ongoing major facelift before the airport bus ($7 each) whipped us off to the epicentre, Cathedral Square, in 20 mins. Charlie Bs, our hostel was clean & basic as expected & only a few blocks away from the Square ($60 dbl/night). As always we spent the minimum time in the hostel during our stay. Once we regained our bearings we went searching for a full Irish to make us feel human. The forecast for once got it right so we made the most of the outdoor touristy things. After recharging the batteries we returned to the square to its focal point of Canterbury Cathedral. You can go to the top for $5/head. In the other corners of the Square there is an aquarium/kiwi-house, post office, various sculptures/monuments & the i-site. At weekends they have little markets there selling artisan crafts like whale bone, green stone, Maori designs, paintings etc.We were told it was the most English city in Nz before arriving & it added up after looking around. It's very clean with various monuments of famous names from years gone by like Captain Cook & Victoria I scattered through the city's green areas. The city is spread out considering its population is under 400k. Strolling along Worcester St we crossed the path of the city tram heading to the Square on its loop before hitting the artistic end of the city ending up in the Botanic Gardens & Hagley Park. Mingling amongst the holy show of newly weds taking photos under cherry blossoms you would swear you were in Kyoto. The grounds are immaculately maintained & so vast they hold a golf course which must be a compo magnet! Each genre of tree & flower has an area dedicated to it even Mr. Miyagis bonsais. Our afternoon was passed away wandering its entirety & relaxing with our long lost friend, the sunshine. Adjacent to it sits the museum which was worth a visit but once you have been to Te Papa in Wellington it's hard for others to compete.Just in time for happy hour we found a little pizzeria around the corner. The spring chill hit us while taking a gander at Chch by night. The shopping area around Colombo St which we breezed through earlier was small & quiet possibly because there was a lot of construction in the centre as they revamp the stonework in the streets. Contrary to what I had been told we didn't come across many boy racers. Mini cinemas  like the Kino in Cork are scattered around the city. The larger ones are a trudge from the centre. After a little searching we settled on a cozy one that reminded me of a 70s style Irish sitting room. The chick flick was not very memorable mainly as I nodded off shortly after sitting down. Day 2 was a little chillier but the farmers market was going down on Worcester Boulevard. The Arts Centre is where the crowds congregate. There's a decent number of stalls selling everything from leather belts to woodwork to homemade soaps to paua shells to paella & crêpes. Kids played musical instruments along the promenade, another duo were performing circus tricks for young children & a Planxty duo were in full swing at the market. It was all very animated & gay!The buildings previously formed the University of Canterbury and its greatest son is Ernest Rutherford who split the atom. There have areas dedicated to him, most predominantly his den where he carried out some of his studies. The grounds resemble those of UCC with a green in the centre quadrant. There are little wings off each building which hold numerous little stores selling more upmarket arty merchandise. One of our brochures advised taking a few historical walks around the centre so we obeyed. Like the UK they pride themselves on preserving their heritage & old monuments. We stumbled upon several jointed oriental restaurants at one end of the town which we opted to try. In true Chinese style it was called Joyful which reflected how cheap & cheerful it was! To crown the trip off we went to see The Ugly Truth which matched its title in quality! Nice while it lasted, Chch will be revisited in November when we tour the south island.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1252468658/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1252468658/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1252468658/tpod.html Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:30:22 -0400 To Buenos Aires and beyond...

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Waiheke Island, North Island, New Zealand

Not long after arriving in Nz we boated to Waiheke Island, the 2nd largest of the Hauraki Gulf islands. Spotting a last minute deal with our French flatmates we took Betsy for a look-see. It was known as a hippy location decades back to escape the rat race of Auckland. Nowadays it is reputed for its vineyards, olive gardens, nature walks, superb views & extreme wealth. After our 40 min crossing to Kennedy Point we took a spin to Surfdale, the "downtown" area. It has the bare essentials & there is a Woolworths in the neighbouring suburb. Given our good fortune catching one of the few dry autumn days we cruised to the passenger ferry point at Half Moon Bay to start a coastal walk around the south west. The views overlooking the port & bays were sensational as can be seen in the photos. Our walk brought us through native bush overlooking pristine beaches, up rolling hills, past Church Bay, beyond Cable Bay vineyard & hugged the boundaries of multi million dollar properties. Some mansions contained more glass than concrete. Some had monuments in their back gardens. Most had a football pitch area. The signposts skedaddled long enough to encourage a few wrong turns so we ended up back in the town like Starvin' Marvin. Pretty much the only eatery open & serving was the award winning fish n' chips which were greasily good but drastically overpriced. We took a gander at some of the easternmost beaches but dusk fell a little sooner than hoped & 7pm marked the final sailing back.Not doing anything in halves we recently ventured for a second helping. After a brief gallop across the CBD we just made the 10am sailing ($32 each). On this occasion with a troop we opted to rent some wheels on the other side & have more freedom on the island. With 7 of us we took the biggest they had, a Mitsubishi Chariot ($130 unlimited kms). With the majority of the island having a 50kph limit it was like Driving Miss Daisy. Our first stop was Stony Ridge winery. The grounds were idyllic covered in olive trees, palm trees & grapevines. Unlike other countries sampling is not free. At $15 a taster for their best wine we nodded, smiled & departed fairly lively. The island roads wind & narrow continuously with few places to stop but at every opportunity there were photo stops so short drives invariably become prolonged. We stocked up on food beforehand & lunched at Rocky Bay while some Chinese tourists, industrious to the core, battered oysters off rocks. We turned off at a couple of other wineries en route but fortune did not favour us as we were met with closed gates. Moving on we took in the east coast passing Cowes Bay. Most bays are speckled with yachts/boats & many properties have their own jetties. I would have liked to stop at Stony Batter, the old World War 2 defence installment but the $8 entry swayed my compadres to push on. We managed to return to the port just before sundown as the temperature dropped. Patience not being one of our strong points we skimmed stones rather than joining the ferry queue & typically when we eventually did, we were refused entry as it was deemed full. Only an hour wait, kudos Fullers! 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1250128255/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1250128255/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1250128255/tpod.html Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:04:34 -0400 To Buenos Aires and beyond...

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National Park Village, North Island, New Zealand

The countdown had begun months ago. We were as desperate as Stevie Wonder clay pigeon shooting. Having booked a cottage for the band 20 mins from the slopes we again made the lengthy trek south to National Park after work on Friday only stopping at the golden arches for some grease & a mcturd. Blurry eyed & yawning we made it through the freezing fog in our kilns on wheels until we struck gold in some backroad off SH1 otherwise known as Raurimu.On entering our adopted home at midnight, the temperature plummet ensured I adopted the nether regions of a bodybuilder. Inside it was fairly bare & compact but had a cozy looking modern fireplace which we set a ablaze faster than an arsonist in the Californian summer. It was very county council like; one lit while 9 supervised. After whipping up sandwiches for the day ahead we shuddered into our sleeping bags.Fortunately somebody took one for the team & fed the fire through the night so resurrecting ourselves wasn't a big ordeal next day. We had an annual supply of firewood which helped. Locked & loaded we joined the mob. The steward directed us towards carpark 8 as the upper parks had filled. The forecast had been pretty epic so naturally word had got round. Once we deciphered the best deal ($300 each for boots, skis & lift pass for 3 days) & survived the bedlam of the rental area which was the most arduous task all weekend we set off like lambs to the slaughter. Having boarded last year I apparently had lost all ability to ski. My first day stunts were all X-games worthy, none intentional but the falls left their stamp. Apart from a little fog near the end & the odd close call with the locals we were halfway between nirvana & a pint of Murphys. Again the apres ski atmosphere matched the vibrancy of a Vatican confession so after the stampede for the showers we sampled the local cerveza a-la-supermarket-slab in our toasty crib. Not even a game of Uno could keep us from our forty winks as the previous 24 hours took its toll. Typically everyones standard climbed on day two & the falls grew fewer. Kiwis notably still came out in their droves visible in the mornings as they continued shuttles from the more distant carparks to the top. With 7 of us skiing together it might appear choosing a run would lead to conflict. Besides the incessant profanity it was quite diplomatic. We even had time for a kick about in the evening before proceeding with the perpetual feast of pasta & tomato sauce combined with the sacred Tui.The final day stuttered to a start as the upper mountain closed due to the gusting wind & fog. Many absconded & although tempted to take the high road we stuck around roaring The power of Christ compels you. Lo & behold in under an hour we were singing Summer Is Icumin In as our blue sky returned, everything opened & we had an empty mountain virtually to ourselves. The mouthwatering scenery as always took the full brunt of our camera flashes. If the blagards had not denied us one more run we would still be there. 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1246378361/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1246378361/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1246378361/tpod.html Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:32:55 -0400 To Buenos Aires and beyond...

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Wellington, North Island, New Zealand

Thanks to Jetstar, kiwis Ryanair equivalent, we got to visit the worlds southernmost capital city. The landing approach is memorable even with the poor lighting at 8am as the runway is located literally metres form the waters edge so the descent appears imbecilic. Without our faithful Betsy we were reliant on public transport but Wellington reputedly has the country's best. The Airport Flyer bus carried us to the centre in 15 mins ($8). It has WiFi & onboard screens displaying route info as well as news headlines. After finding our bearings we searched for breakfast which is no easy feat as Wellington has the highest ratio of restaurants per head of population in the world. Our hostel (80$/night), located across from the supermarket & within sneezing distance of the nightlife hub, was spacious, clean & loaded with tourist leaflets...bob's your uncle.Mount Victoria was our first port of call. We managed to avoid the rain & walk up through the forested mountain bike track. The panoramic view overlooking the city is spectacular. The city is radially surrounded by hills on one side & the Kapiti coastline on the other. The Wellington Fault runs right through the city itself. Hundreds of houses sit on the hills availing of the view. As per usual we took a slight detour on the path back to the city & ended up close to the airport...spot the tourists. With the weather holding we took the scenic route back along Oriental Bay passing starfish & tens of Victoria Uni students jogging. Despite its name, the oriental population is much smaller than Auckland.On reaching downtown we took a mosy around before wandering to the parliament buildings for a free hour long tour. Covering everything from members to design to strengthening & modern day politics we were kept interested. The buildings were renovated back in 1992 to withstand earthquakes up to 7.0-7.5 on the Richter Scale. Scientists reckon that one of these bad boys will hit Wellington every 600 years so given the last one was 400 years ago they applied the boy scout motto. They positioned 417 base isolators under the building each designed to withhold a weight of 150 tonnes after digging out part of the foundation. These allow the buildings to move 30cm horizontally during an earthquake...nifty.The city came to life when we emerged as people started to leave work & fill shops. Friday evening company drinks were in full swing & as cold as it was there were throngs outside each bar. After rambling along Cuba St we stumbled upon a gem in KK Malaysian which was just what the doctor ordered. Hoping to end the night on a high note we plodded along to Terminator 4 & regrettably they will be 2 hours of my life I will never regain. Following a gloomy start to the day we got Wholly Bagled up before arriving at the Botannical gardens which were pretty weather beaten although the greenhouses were worthy of Amazonic landscape. After feeding the ducks & tramping every which way we returned to Lambton Quay. The CBD is smaller than Auckland but much more densely populated making it feel more vibrant. We had forgotten how relaxing it was not to be worrying about parking & as bad as Auckland is, here would be a million times worse.Tricolores were draped all over the town with the All Blacks in action versus the French that night. Virtually every store had a sale & every second building displayed a "for lease/sale" signs ensuring we didn't get too carried away with the credit card! After heaving our empty bellies around long enough we sniffed out an Indian before seeking out the ruggers game & a pint of the black stuff in Molly Malones. Kiwis are conservative at the best of times but they were left totally silenced by Les Bleus. That's karma for looking down on Euro rugby!After checking out the farmers market we couldn't avoid Nzs biggest attraction any longer, Te Papa museum. The place regularly hosts exhibitions from Formula 1 to Monet. It's a 6 floored jam packed tourist magnet with its biggest lure being the 500kg colossal squid caught off Antarctica in 2007. Every element of Nz including geothermal activity & earthquakes, early settlers, flora, artwork, Maori culture, marine, fauna & immigration is covered. You iterally lose the day there. Before we knew it closing time was upon us & we didn't even get to see the top floor. With the freezing cold we weren't too keen to stay outdoors either. Starving we were drawn back to KK before heading to the flicks to see State of Play. And so ended our trip to the windy city of the southern hemisphere, roll on more...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1239359820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1239359820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1239359820/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:59:01 -0400 To Buenos Aires and beyond...

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Taupo, North Island, New Zealand

Easter was the perfect excuse to hit the road again. Taupo, the adventure capital of the north island, tickled our fancy. With 4 free days Auckland was emptied like a trailer full of scrap metal at a traveller convention & we said Right Boss. Huka Falls marked out first stop on the Waikato river just outside Taupo. Being the bright sparks they are, kiwis have made use of the natural attraction for hydroelectric power. The flow can reach 270 m3/s & it powers up to 65% of the north island. We wandered along a pathway upstream crossing a natural spa & shoals of trout before motoring to the Craters of the Moon track ($5 each). The path leads you through natural vegetation around a volcanic area full of fumaroles, minerals & stinking sulphur. With the hot gas & cold air we felt worthy of extras in a dodgy Wham video.After booking into our lodge we took a peek around the town. During weekends & holiday season the town comes to life as it's a tourist haven. Accommodation had been booked out over a week in advance but many bars were shut as they are not allowed to sell alcohol during Easter without a special license. The town sits on the lake front which makes for sweet views although most premises overlooking it are fast food joints! Again for Easter they were out to roger tourists with surcharges, even Burger Fuel .... oh sweet capitalism. With little else to do we mosied along to see a flick, ''The boat that rocked'' which rocked as much as constipation.Being so close to Hawkes Bay, the Merlot capital of Nz, we took the 2 hour drive to Napier. The city itself was flattened by an earthquake back in the 1930s & rebuilt in art deco style. The city really had a buzz about it. The main streets were thronged & cafes were jointed. After a stroll around the CBD & its bell chiming park we headed to the Te Mata cheese factory. There was no tour available nor samples unless you desired to empty your pockets & bend over. Rebellious as ever we did a U-turn & drove to the nearby Zeppelin winery. It made up for the disappointment mainly because we were offered free alcohol but it did taste good too. Another thing to tick off our list was the lookout point in Te Mata which gives 360 views of Hawkes Bay. The walking tracks from the peak are not directed so needless to say we strayed into the unknown longer than desired yet again. Cape Kidnappers requires a full day tramping so that was ruled out. The affluent towns of Havelock & Hastings are all within a ~30km radius so we took a sconce. Everything appeared meticulously clean. It's an area that will be revisited in summer I'm sure. After a thai in Napier we headed back knackered from all the driving. Easter Sunday we opted to probe the hidden wonders of Taupo starting with an early stroll around the lake. The periphery is layered in holiday homes, dotted with early morning fitness fanatics & uber clean. As pleasant as the biting wind was, I fancied the idea of not freezing my nether regions so after a pick me up we checked out the Honey Hive on the outskirts. The facility is a shop & borderline museum for bee-keeping. It's a bit like Neverland, ideal for kids & you leave full of sugar! Being no different, we wobbled out 12 samples later...buzzing!A dose of prawn fishing seemed like a good remedy. With an advertised 30,000 prawns varying in size in each of their ponds I was thinking this is the Ritz. Once we had our rods & bait ($20pp) we were set to haul in prize sized prawns all day & feast like kings. Andrew had us champing at the bit catching one within a minute but then the rub of the green faded. I might as well have bottlefed my bait to the miserable runts after that & saved them the hassle of having to tug it off the hook constantly for the next 4 hours. We caught 3 more before taking the hint & leaving. A glass blowing facility, Lava Glass, sits around the corner so we stopped in for a behind the scenes peak ($5pp). The whole process is striking & you especially appreciate the speed at which they finish an item & how simple they make the designs look. Some of the larger pieces take up to a month to cool. All the products in the giftshop cost a fortune as expected when you have energy bills of $7k a month. As a result, there are few artists who practise the art form. In case I needed any reassurance on how bad my short game was before light faded, a game of mini golf reinstated it fortunately not at the loss of a putter! After stuffing ourselves with the single prawn each from earlier, a Pizza Hut buffet sounded like music to our ears. Again the nightlife was non existant so we met up with our flatmate Chris & returned to the faithful cinema for the awe inspiring ''Transporter 3''. I'm not sure I cried as much during Schindlers List. After a weekend of culture, some non thumb twiddling activity was needed the last day. Mountain biking in the Redwoods of Rotorua fitted the bill. We rented some wheels from Planet Bike & hit the Whakarewarewa Forest ($45pp for the day). In a nutshell the runs were mental. I never knew whether I was going to be unseated or barely hang on. It wasn't until we were at the top of a climb I realised my brakes were dodgy, but I felt it added to the Evil Knievelness of the occasion ... despite white knuckles on every bend. Kids were overtaking us on the narrow tracks pedal to the metal. On some level 2 runs I had heart palpitations so level 6 would have been V-fib but we were hooked. A trip to the golden arches brought the escapade to an end & aided us on the long & winding road....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1234145580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1234145580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1234145580/tpod.html Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:55:29 -0400 To Buenos Aires and beyond...

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Auckland, North Island, New Zealand

...And part 2 of Nz continued, the visa saga. 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1237801200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1237801200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1237801200/tpod.html Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:41:02 -0400 To Buenos Aires and beyond...

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Rarotonga, Southern Cook Islands, Cook Islands

How many chances do you get to chill on a tropical island sipping pina coladas in the middle of the pacific? With that in mind we opted for Rarotonga, the largest of the Cook Islands. Continuing as my voyage started, we missed our flight out but were fortunate to jump on a slightly later one. I kept myself upbeat watching Leaving Las Vegas & listening to Radiohead over the 4 hour flight.  Greeted with Kia Orana & a guy strumming a ukelele singing island songs in the airport, safe to say at 4am we felt welcomed in humid Rarotonga. Varas staff collected us & whisked us off to our beachfront studio 20 mins away where we befriended Pedro, the resident gecko. First impressions ..... scooters wizzing by, a gravestone in most front gardens, ubiquitous palm trees ... yep, it was like Cork alright! Our first morning drew us to the Punanga Nui markets in the main town/capital of Avarua. As the island is reliant on tourism souvenirs are generally overpriced. Each stand was selling exotic fruits, black pearls, woodcrafts, pate drums & the sacred coconut. It's so multifunctional they use it in cosmetics, ashtrays, drinks & even bras. Despite the rainfall, a cultural show was running as we looked on beating drums, throwing shapes & unhusking coconuts.  Locals are completely laid back & very friendly. As large as islander guys are, the ladies almost outdo them complete with a gardenia, in their hair. It's apparently a result of the cheaper meat alternative, tinned corned beef & spam. Due to it's location, everything is exported so supermarket prices are double those of Auckland. Avarua itself is a sleepy town. Virtually nothing is open Sunday. Shops close at 4pm otherwise. Every second shop sells black pearls. The Empire cinema shows the latest 3 month old movies. Internet rates are $6-7/hr. Raviz is the best & only indian. It takes an intense 15 minutes of walking to see its entirety.  Unfortunately the rain persisted heavily the first few days so beach time was non existant which helped me finally lay the Count of Monte Cristo to rest. Island life is slow moving literally. There are 2 buses that transport folk round the 32km island for $7 return, aptly termed clockwise & anitclockwise. If you want to drive, you will need a Cook Islands driver licence for $10. The local currency is the Nz dollar so it saved us converting.  When the sun eventually appeared we were treated to a spectacular sunrise. We didn't need any alarm clock during our stay as the cocks congregating outside our window woke us on cue every morning at 6am and crowed for an hour despite me chucking coconuts at them. Many families keep poultry so it's commonplace to see them strutting around. Our sunnier days were spent snorkelling & kayaking along Muri lagoon or walking the majestic white sands. You can rent the gear for $10-20 a day. The coral reef is stunning almost resembling Finding Nemo; all we were short was David Attenborough's voice-over. This clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRy4P9_-Q-A gives a taster. In the lagoon there are several idyllic islands where the water is so shallow you can walk to them. As you paddle along the shoreline you can't help noticing schools of fish swimming at the waters edge an inch deep. Additionally you can't miss the amount of holes in the sand dug by sand crabs who camouflage in. I was quite taken with the array of crabs either rocketing along the beach or congregating in groups.  Eating out is a fraction more expensive than supermarkets but we did sample the local cuisine at Sails, The Point & The Flame Tree which average $25-30 a main. Some island resorts offer a buffet dinner with an island show pretty much replicating what we saw at the market for $40-60. We dropped in to the Pacific Resort the last night to catch one. The majority of those frequenting the island are honeymoorners, attending a wedding or celebrating their anniversaries so going there as Billy-no-mates is a cry for the lethal injection. For me a week was more than enough. I had got an adequate fix of paradise, isolation & my faithful compadre, sunburn.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1234055940/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1234055940/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1234055940/tpod.html Sun, 15 Mar 2009 08:54:44 -0400 To Buenos Aires and beyond...

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National Park Village, North Island, New Zealand

The Waitangi Treaty gave us the good fortune of a day off & the chance to do the Tongariro Crossing. It's reputedly the best 1 day scenic walk in Nz located in National Park. Though not quite at Messners level, we had read enough in advance to know that we should be prepared for all conditions so armed to the teeth with sandwiches, empanadas & water we made the journey southbound over 4+ slow moving hours with a botched car radio - delightful. Our backpackers in National Park was adjacent to Whakapapa village (& village I use loosely). There is a huge climbing wall in the hostel as well as a fully equipped kitchen. Behind lies a cafe, in front a bar & just around the corner a petrol station with a little supermarket. Other than that, pickings are slim with your only company being mountains & solitude. Only 15 minutes drive from our base lay the trail car parks which are reputed theft havens so some hostels offer to drop you off & pick you up for ~$30pp. After dumping some baggage off we headed out to the scenic Tawhai falls nearby before attacking the Silica rapids track. Like most walks around Nz they are well signed & you are given a ballpark time for completing it even if it's OAP orientated. The path didn't require too much effort & as can be seen from photos you cross mineral deposits, various vegetation, rivers & forestry. We stocked up on breakfast provisions afterwards before indulging in a proper meal at Schnapps bar. They couldn't have been more welcoming for the occasion upping the price 20% & serving average food to cement the rearing. After tuning in to the final of the rugby 7s tournament in Wellington we hit the hay.Waking up to a plate of pasta didn't seem all that strange as the mountain view gave us appetite enough. Following the brief bus ride we joined the throngs on the trail at Mangatepopo. The first hour to be fair was quite flat. All ages could be seen amidst the long tail of hikers. Our layers peeled off as we progressed & the weather remained calm. The main incline of 200m, Devils staircase, started after the 1st toilet stop. This is the hardest part of the crossing. It continued steeply until we reached the saddle between Mount's Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. We opted not to climb the former as we were dependant on making the bus but it supposedly takes 45 minutes. The hike was broken up by regular photo stops. We plodded along the south crater until we reached the peak point at red crater which greeted us with a waft of sulphur almost strong enough to make us reproduce the tagliatelle. The views made up for the stench especially that overlooking emerald lakes. The pictures paint a thousand words. After the almost vertical drop to get down to the lakes we moved on towards the visible blue lake in the distance. As the lakes are believed to be sacred you aren't supposed to eat in the vicinity not that it perturbed the majority. The path levelled out beyond this before declining to Ketetahi hut, where we stumbled upon a porter-loo to remember. The swarm of giant sized insects hovering above it made us give it a wide berth. Septic is the word that came to mind. We still had an hour of walking left; all downhill & non-intensive through the deafening secatas & along side gushing waterfalls. Fortunately we finished just as the heat became intense & shortly before our bus arrived. Needless to say the evening was pretty much a write off. After much debate between tiddly winks & hop scotch, our final day was spent rafting along the Whakapapa river. To term it 'white water' would be like calling Mother Theresa promiscuous but it was foamier than expected. For $95 each we got all the gear, about 2 hours of rafting & even a cookie break. The sun was out, the scenery was incredible, nobody asked us to squeal like a pig so arguably it was my highlight of Nz thus far. My fifth year secondary school canoeing experience paid dividends as we flipped the raft a few times, the last time plum onto a rock which tickled a little. That said I can now appreciate why rafting is such a rush & would be up for trying it again despite the painful return journey.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1225509600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1225509600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tkd_demon/1/1225509600/tpod.html Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:59:56 -0500 To Buenos Aires and beyond...

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Coromandel, North Island, New Zealand

Only 2 hours east of us lies the paradaisical peninsula of the Coromandel so with Betsy loaded we hit the road early december with our extended family. Our first port of call was the little town of Paeroa, home of the quintessential kiwi drink, L&P (Lemon & Paeroa), which to be fair impacted me as much as the stiffy by the Liffey does a dub. Once off SH2 our route lead us over one lane bridges at 10 to the dozen & despite the incredible sunshine we had the road virtually to ourselves with little or no boys in blue staining the horizon. After our token pie in the little town of Kopu we followed our noses to Whangemata. It's a one street town packed with pricy holiday baches overlooking the crystal waters along the coast. We had a picturesque empty white sand beach almost to ourselves overlooking Hauturu Island just off the shore & Donut Island a little further out. After showering in sun protector & soaking up some sun mixed in with a few games of patonk, we decided to head for greener pastures but not before sampling the local delicacy i.e more pies.Distances are deceptive on maps as roads zigzag along the coastal routes & around forested hills much to the vomit inducing displeasure of those in the back. Hotwater beach is a short distance north & famous for its rising hot water during low tide (hence the name). Unfortunately we arrived too early for low tide so we didn't dwell long. After enquiring about accommodation in the morgue-like Hahei nearby we opted to try the larger Whitianga further north. Luckily we got the last unit in a motorcamp made for 6 heads. After sampling the local thai, we endured a marathon uno session over a few brews before calling it a night. Our second day drew us to Cathedral Cove right beside Hahei, which without doubt is the most beautiful beach I've ever seen. It features in the opening scene of the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. It's not big by any means but with white sands, a number of island-like white rocks scattered by the shore combined with the arch separating the 2 beaches, it's kodak heaven. The public toilet alone is worth a trip there, just not in the George Michael sense. With the cameras on overdrive we moved to Cooks beach closeby which again was a desolate white sand beach. After a little snooze on the sand we were beached as (bro) so homeward bound we sped.For the Auckland anniversary weekend, Jan 24-26, we made hay & returned to the sunny Coromandel to take a peak at what we missed. All the ghost towns that we had previously passed through en route were now bustling with atmosphere as the long weekend attracted numbers. We took the same route but ventured further south to Waihi beach which was a family spot. After a kick about & a dip under the searing heat, we were magnetised back to Whangemata. We had booked a holiday camp just north of Coromandel town beforehand anticipating the high volume of travellers. With time pushing on we decided to head there via the west coast which literally hugged the coastline. It was extremely narrow & we faced a 4x4 hauling a boat around every corner to make it more of a challenge. The route was dotted with tiny villages all with exquisite views from mansion holiday homes. Arriving well over an hour later than check in with our sides meeting with the hunger, we dumped the bags only for Chris to go on a kamikaze mission & KO himself on the window. A pint of blood spilt & ambulance later, Chris was receiving medical attention so a mini group headed back to silent Coromandel town for a grub run. In typical kiwi style restaurants & supermarkets shut early. So in the realms of the movie Alive minus the plane crash, 7 hungry adults sat around a table with about 4 sandwiches, a scanty portion of quiche & a samosa to divide among themselves. To term the scenario awkward would be like calling the facts of life speech an exhilarating experience. A full Irish the next morning in Coromandel town managed to make up for the previous nights misery. We were expecting to head east & see more of the unexplored but a brief stop at Matarangi beach proved our undoing. A glimpse of the area was enough to glue us there for the day. It was easily the wealthiest spot of the peninsula. Houses for the majority were all valued well over a million dollars. Each had a boat in the drive, at least one 4WD & one of the countries top golf courses was across the way from the strand. We bodyboarded the day away until the munchies set in. Menus all along the peninsula offer little else other than battered or fried cuisine so in Whitianga we indulged in the standard platter of the day, fish n'chips. Our final day started in the idyllic Hahei beach which had really come to life since our last visit but the intense heat was peaking & following the 2 prior days I felt I was on a rotisserie. It's located around the corner from Cathedral Cove so those who hadn't ventured there took the opportunity to go. After my siesta in the shade we headed back to Whangemata for one last stint. It was virtually skin cancer weather so we took an extended lunch watching the Oz open while chomping on some grease. One last kickabout drained the tank completely so salted, burnt & beached as, we made tracks for Auckland.
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