Auckland, the beginning

11.15.2009.

he said:

Ohhhhhhhhh....to be on the road at last! Auckland was challenging (to say the least). After touching down, we took a bus journey to a ferry which took us to a quaint little town called Devonport. Think moms with strollers, and business men with cappuccino's. We stayed with a very sweet couple named Gwenda and Peter at a bed and breakfast called Duck’s Crossing. We were able to use their home as our base to explore Auckland and FIND A VAN! My god...I had no idea what was in store for us.
I should say that Auckland (despite contrary reputation), is beautiful. To compare I would say it is a combination of San Francisco, Seattle and Portland. But with many more bays, sailboats and Maori. But it was interesting to explore. Unfortunately, we did not explore in a tourist capacity. The need to find a van and get out was intense. It felt hopeless and labored. I started to feel like we should just buy the next clunker we saw just so we could make some progress.
After four days of no success with Gwenda and Peter, we moved to our next spot. Our friend Debra and her two daughters were kind enough to let us invade their house for a few days. The first day at their house we went to a car market where we FOUND A VAN! Much to Summer’s chagrin, I convinced her to buy an overly small van...in fact, the smallest van we could find (see pics). We then spent the next three days outfitting and shopping for said van until we wanted to kill each other. We frequented this store THE WAREHOUSE which is the equivalent of Target at least two to three times per day. And when I say it’s like Target it is exactly the same. Except for the complete and utter lack of organization. Other than the categories like “sporting goods” or “automotive”, good luck.
But alas after four days of this business, we were outfitted. With foldable bed made in the back, tons of crap we probably don’t need, and near total exhaustion and frustration, we set out. We escaped Auckland (after initially heading 180 degrees the wrong way), and headed for the small beach community of Piha. This is an Oregon surf town if it wasn’t so dangerous and if the Cascades dove directly down into the ocean. The roads are a new definition of windy and we tested Gloria (our new van) by driving and hiking as much of the area as we could.
It amazes me how here more than anywhere I have ever been, I find myself saying: “This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen”...only to repeat the exact same sentiment fifteen minutes later. Each gargantuan curve our exaggerated grade brings not only more beautiful landscapes, but also totally different views. The first day was hours of hiking through a stream that we crossed at least twenty times through what was, with the exception of no bugs or excessive heat what I would imagine hiking through Brazil would be like. It was super cool...Dorky as this sounds, that’s the only way I can describe it. Nothing like I expected and everything I have been looking forward to.
Today we traveled across the the width of the north island (no more than 100km, to the east coast and an area called the Coromandel. We hiked through a gorge that was famous in New Zealand history for the gold mining that took place there in the late 1800’s. Over a billion ounces of gold were removed from this area and many of the remnants remain including a vast tunnel system. These are tunnels that would not operate in the states. It’s sad the way we are conditioned to think of the litigious aspects of something that it can sometimes supersede the experience. But this was not the case here. As earlier referred, I had to repeat how amazing everything was enough that it became pointless before we finished. I suppose that’s what I have taken so far. It’s not the hobit’ses that have made the journey so far, but instead the amazing geography and the trees. I guess the homogeneity or just the familiarity of the plant life in Oregon has built up my immunity for what it has to offer. But more than that is the total difference and lack of comparison I have for the trees here. Kauri and ferns, they’re all so green and bright! I’m so excited for each new thing we see.
Which leads to tomorrow. We are deep in the Coromandel’s west side now, and will head further north to a large ranch with hundreds of sheep and cow for our first Woofing experience. I have great trepidation as we do this. We have no real idea of where we are going or what we will be doing when we get there. But I do have a great deal of faith for I know what I will have learned buy the end of tomorrow will far outweigh what I know about farming today...

she said:

As our plane touched down in Auckland excitement consumed me as I awoke from the deep slumber of island life to a world I know. The city. The noise, the sounds, the stimuli. I felt content to be frantically finding our way in a new city again. With our atrocious huge bags Jesse and I found our way through Auckland to the ferry that took us across the bay to the North Shore and the quaint village of Devonport, our home for the next four days. Our home was the lovely B&B of Peter and Gwenda. Little did we realize that their gentle encouragement, sound advice, and comforts of home would quickly become our reprieve from the desperate and aggravating searches for a campervan. Every morning Jesse and I would awake to a hearty and delightful breakfast and then set off into the city in search of a campervan. We soon discovered that we were entering the high-season for traveling New Zealand and our “original” idea of driving through NZ with a campervan was well, unoriginal. Old clunkers and beat up vans were abundant and sold in masses by shady characters. We walked through these parking lots in haste as our hearts sank. The search had to continue and our overly ambitious quest of getting out of Auckland in a few days was squandered. With thoughts and hopes of “everything happens for a reason,” we met Deborah and the rumors of the generosity and friendliness of the Kiwis came into fruition. We stayed with Deborah and her family for 4 nights and again their warmth and home became our reprieve from the frustrating, painful days in search for a van, getting lost in the suburbs, and then finally outfitting our van at the inescapable infinity of the Warehouse. In less then a weeks time we were finally ready to embark on our journey. With graciousness in our hearts and our sprits high we were “on the road.” The road headed west, curvy and stomach turning to the low-key surf community of Piha. Piha gave us our first experience of staying in a camp ground, setting up our van, sleeping in the van and the realization that this was all part of what I going to be doing the next year! With a momentary freak out, slight emotional breakdown and surprisingly good night sleep in the van I woke to a readiness and willingness to accept what this year was going to bring. (Kind of!) The next four days flew by as we finally ventured out into nature and the splendor of New Zealand. The scenic contrasts of the dense sub-tropical vegetation to the rolling vibrant green hills spotted with sheep and cows to the black sand beaches are breathtaking and we were only 45 minutes outside Auckland! Our “tramps” in those four days were equally breathtaking and unique; from the black sands and jagged shoreline cliffs of Whatipu Beach, to the “lite canyoneering” trek of Goldie Bush, criss-crossing for hours in ankle deep streams to the Karangahake Gorge where we found ourselves hiking through cliffs full of tunnels created in the late 1800’s for gold mining. Everyday we have found ourselves in awe of the beauty and the diversity of this country.
As quickly as the weather changes in NZ so has my emotions. Extreme highs to extreme lows. I am realizing that the struggles and challenges that lay ahead of me are what I make of them and should make for an interesting year!! Off for our first WOOFing adventure tomorrow on a remote farm in the Coromandel.....wish me luck!!