The Land of Oz

I have yet to see Lions, Tigers or Bears, but what I have seen here in The Land of Oz are Asians, Bats, "Suits" and Cockroaches (will explain further.) Although fairly prevalent in New Zealand, Sydney seems to have a very large Asian population and they make up a large percentage of the city's tourists. I got my foot stepped on two times by Asians trying to take pictures (once running in the park and another time on the ferry), and always seem to get caught up in some massive tour group. Between the 70 year old Chinese man who was jumping out of planes with us in New Zealand, and the consistent amount of Asians I have seen, I am amazed at the worldliness of those in their culture - they really are world travellers (who love to take pictures)!! In the heart of Sydney there are the most amazing Botanical Gardens which I've had the pleasure of jogging through twice since I've been here (Yes, I am still jogging because if I am going to do this travelling stuff for a full year, I can no longer consider it a "holiday".) Like a scene out of "The Birds", I looked up to see BOUS - bats of unusual size (Princess Bride reference for those who don't know it) swarming over my head. The Australian bats have it a lot better than the American bats though, they are about as big as seagulls, don't fly using radar (they can see), and of course, they get a view of the Opera House every morning. Granted I haven't gotten to the "outback" yet, but I imagined Sydney to be a little different, it is a real bustling city. Just like New York everything is moving fast and it seems everywhere I look there are people in suits. I was even at the beach today and saw a lady walking around in a suit!


The hostel I stayed at in Sydney is probably the grossest I have encountered so far on my journey. The other night as I hung up my bathing suit to dry, I saw something scurry on the wall next to me out of the corner of my eye. Fortunately there is a French girl in my room who basically lives here (because Sydney is so expensive, its cheaper to live in a hostel than rent a room), and I guess from past experiences has bought Cockroach spray which she left on the desk. At this point the battle ensued. I was spraying the critter with a crazed passion, like my life depended on it. It was running and jumping like an Olympic athlete. It ended up jumping into my bag, which I carried at an arms length away into the hallway and dumped out. I had sprayed him enough that I stood there and watched him die. After I had carried his corpse to the trash can I headed back into my room, and looked up at the wall. Apparently a death memo had gone out, and my dead friend's relative was there on my wall to avenge. At this point the stand-off started. I waited 20 minutes in the hallway (in my underwear) watching, waiting, and he did the same. Finally someone came along and climbed up on the bed, brushed him down, and threw him out the window. Turns out my hero was not only from Connecticut, but even went to my high school (although he is 10 years younger than me)!!!! I finally began to understand what they mean when they say "it's a small world!"


A couple more fun-filled days in Sydney included a 1 hour tour of the Sydney Opera House (which I was shocked to learn took 16 years to build), an evening trip to see a 3 hour Italian opera called Tosca where my friend Aliette and I sat behind the Governor of Australia (but couldn't stop giggling through the entire performance; I am pretty sure the Opera is not for me), a nighttime Harbor walk with Tim and Stef, and a day trip out to The Blue Mountains with Stef, Tim and Aliette. The landscape out to The Blue Mountains was beautiful, but the mountains were as blue as the purple mountains majesty are purple, which I hear aren't purple at all. With several Disneyesque characters explaining how they used to mine the area, a ride on the "steepest rail car in the world" (and a failed second ride, they caught on to our 'we left our camera at the bottom' ploy) and an attempt to speak like Ozzie's and not use the word "the" for the entire train ride home.


Last night I took an overnight Greyhound bus to Byron Bay (which is GREAT because I don't have to spend money on accommodation), where I rented a bike and rode around town, and met an awesome guy named rob and i... no we, decided to get married. No not really, but he did ask me, and he also wrote that last sentence. I have a surf lesson tomorrow morning and another night in Byron Bay before I head up north to Surfer's Paradise!

Single Serving Friendships

On the road, you rarely get a second helping of anyone. Most backapckers are so wrapped up in doing their own thing that the time you spend together is brief - planes to catch, buses are leaving, you're going this way and i'm going that way. I can't tell you how much time I have spent trying to get to know someone, only to find out they are hopping off at the next bus stop. One of the reasons I decided to plan this adventure was to be a little more interesting and to get away from the small talk of life. When friends and family asked me "so what are you up to these days? Got a boyfriend yet? Bought a home? How's the job?", I could shock everyone with my ingenious plan to travel the world, and cut through all the small talk. Little did I know that I would be wrapped up in the same chit-chat thousands of miles away; "where are you from? how long have you been travelling? where will you go next? how old are you?" After a single serving of each person, you both go on your merry way, and even if you want a second helping (lets say from a very hot guy) you can't have it because backpackers are made to be on the road.

I'm here in Christchurch New Zealand, staying with my friend Torry who I have spent lots of time with over the last 10 years. The best part is that we don't have to small talk and I get my own room which has put Christchurch on the top of my list of places I've visisted. It's actually 11:00am on Thursday and I am still in bed - why not!? After smores and bonfires at Gunns Camp last week we headed to Invercargal. Since Metro, the bus driver, has become my oldest friend on this trip I took it upon myself to be his self-appointed co-pilot, which includes front seat driving privaledges, access to insider information and of course the rights to change the music. Although the rest of the bus wasn't into it, I instituted a "POWER BALLAD MORNING" and belted out such classics as Phil Collins Take a look at me now, and Starship's We Built this City on Rock and Roll. In the words of Metro, "I have never been so happy."


Invegargal is the New Jersey of New Zealand, so after a quick walk around and a couple freak-show sightings I decided to sit in the Hostel's TV room and watch the Lord of the Rings (One and Two.) That night we all headed to a comedy show at the local pub, which turned out to be pretty hysterical -anyone who puts rubber bands on their face and tries to talk should get their own show.


Catlin's way is the southern most coastal road that runs along New Zealand (and no, shockingly it wasn't named after yours truly.) We stopped and looked at petrified forrests, lighthouses, and beautiful beaches on our trek from Invecargal to Dunedin, and arrived in the city around 5:00pm. While some people went on a brewery tour (Timmy), I walked around the city and explored. After a bunch of us went out for the MOST amazing Indian food I have ever had we headed to a weird 70's disco club called Fever (which had 3 people in it, one of which had a full suit on and loved to disco dance), and then to a college bar called the Stock Exchange. The next morning I went on a 9:30am tour of the Dunedin Cadbury Chocolate Factory, which I would have slept through had I known that the factory was in fact closed on Sundays, but the tour guides outfit pretty much made up for the dissapointment. With a bright purple pair of overalls, he didn't appreciate my parting question of "does the purple teletubbie know you raided his wardrobe?"

Another two nights in Queenstown, which has been by far my favorite city along the way, meant another bungee jump (off The Nevis which is over 400ft!), another ferberger (collasal sized beef patty this time with pinneapple and tomatoe relish, soooo good) and more adrenaline pumping activites (I also went up to the top of the look out on a gondala and then lugeing down the mountain on these little go-karts passing people at high rates of speed.) I arrived in Christschurch after a 7 hour bus ride two days ago and Torry and I spent some time walking around the city yesterday. There is a beautiful cathedral in the center of town that we walked through, which prompted me to wonder why this town is called Christchurch, but then I bought some caramel chococlates and stopped caring. Today we are headed to the beaches although the weather is overcast and rainy. Tomorrow I fly to Auckland for a Valentines day flight to Sydney, Austraillia!

Adrenaline Junkie

Hi my name is Caitlin, I am an Adrenaline Junkie, and New Zealand is made for people like me. Although bungee jumping is derived from an ancient tribal ceremony (but then they used long reeds and attached them to their wieners, not their feet!), the way we know bungee jumping today was INVENTED in New Zealand back in the 80's. When I went skydiving in the USA there were two places close by, and by close by I mean about 2 hours away. In New Zealand you never have to drive far to skydive, there is a place to do it in every town. These islands offer white water rafting, jet boating, sledging (going down a river with a little floating device), para sailing, hang gliding, paragliding, zorbing (a huge ball half filled with water that you roll down a hill), helihiking, extreme karts, and soooooo much more AND I'm addicted to all of it. I can finally understand why my cousin Brendan has spent so many years out west mountain biking and snowboarding, fending off "real jobs" - I could make a career out of doing crazy stuff!!
After leaving Makarora we headed briefly to Wanaka, a small town right on the water surrounded by huge snow capped mountains (but that seems to be the way all the towns are here!) On the way from Wanaka to Queenstown we stopped at the first ever created AJ Hackett Bungee Jump at The Kawarau Bridge, 43 meters above a river. I wasn't going to jump because I wanted to spend my money on The Nevis a bungee jump in Queenstown that towers above the rest at 134 Meters, BUT after watching the "get pumped up promotional video" I couldn't say no. So instead of buying just the Nevis I bought The Thrilology (a 3-pack for the Kawarau Bridge, The Nevis and The Nevis Arc Swing) for a mere $450 New Zealand Dollars (about $375 American Dollars.) The wait time was 5 minutes, I got my feet all strapped in and headed out to the ledge. After posing for pictures they said "ok jump", so I did! My swan dive was so far out that I didn't touch the water at the bottom like I was supposed to, and I jumped so quickly that my videographer missed the first part of my jump!! Besides the overwhelming feeling that your eyeballs might pop right out of your head, the feeling is amazing. I jump The Nevis on February 8th - I can't wait!
Even though everyone described Queenstown as a tourist trap, I loved it. First off they have a place called Fergberger, known for the largest and most delicious burgers in New Zealand and I can't vouch for that!! Secondly, they have a beautiful lake surrounded by a running path and rocky beaches, so I got in a long run and a couple of swims. Lastly, they have an amazing night life with tons of bars and people out having fun. I stayed there one full day and then we headed south, took a ferry out into The Milford Sound (which is just plain gorgeous), and then back to our accommodation for the evening, a place called Gunns Camp. The metal huts that make up Gunns Camp were constructed back in the 1930's for the workers building the only tunnel to the sound, and although they have some historical significance, sleeping in them was another story. At first a sight for sore eyes, they turned out to be pretty comfortable (probably because I stole the only double bed in the whole place.) The only thing I could have done without were the millions of sand flies (they look like gnats but BITE) and the power going out at 10:00pm. After our meal of "bangers and mash" (sausage and mashed potatoes), I made our bus driver Metro get us all smores. The most hysterical thing I have seen so far on this trip are a bunch of foreigners trying to make smores and asking us Americans the perfect way to do it. I, of course, have my own style that comes from sheer lack of patience (I let my marshmallow burn, then melt my chocolate with the burning mallow), which most people didn't adopt. Even though we had to make them on biscuits (cookies) instead of graham crackers they were a hit here in New Zealand. Glad to know I can carry the tradition overseas!!

Too much blogging?

I was recently told by someone that I am "blogging the sh*t out of my trip", so much so that they didn't actually read the text, but at least looked at the 3 pictures. To be honest, keeping an electronic diary has become quite a burden. I have never been the correspondence type, nor the person who whips out a camera everywhere I go to take pictures - BUT I am trying. My sister keeps reminding me that this is my journal that I'll read years later, so for those out there who can't swallow all the text, I'm sorry, I'll start posting more pictures.
New Zealand is made for backpackers. As we travel along the country side in our bright orange STRAY bus, we pass at least 10 other similar buses (Kiwi Experience - "The Green Drunken Sex Wagon", filled with 18-24 year olds looking to get drunk and score; The Flying Kiwi - designed for the more outdoorsy types as they have mountain bikes attached to the back; South Island Tours - filled with people 50+, except for that one young person who wants to kill their travel agent) and at least 30 small camper vans (designed for those who want to explore the country without a guide and 40 other people.) Each town has at least 5 hostels; I have yet to see a nice hotel. Everywhere I go I see people tramping (not what you think I mean - in NZ this means hiking), with huge backpacks and hiking boots. Cafes and restaurants have signs for "backpackers welcome". You're probably wondering what kind of people are backpacking. In my bus right now (its a hop on/ hop off bus so the people are ever-changing), there are lots of Germans, Dutch, Canadians, and English - there is one other American guy from Oregon. About 75% are under 25, and about 50% are travelling alone. 100% have bigger bags than me. One of the girls today told me she was dreaming about poopies last night. Everyone is always asking for help with their English, and since she didn't ask, I figured she was actually dreaming about poopies. Turned out she meant puppies, but I had a good laugh.
After Abel Tasman we headed to a "nowhere town" called Barrytown. Since there is nothing to do there, each night (except Mondays and Thursdays) a Stray bus rolls in with people ready to get drunk. Two local teenagers actually walk 7 miles each night to hopefully hook up with some drunken Strays. Our theme party was "anything but clothes" which of course made for some scandalous outfits (ace bandages seemed like a good idea hours earlier when I was at the dollar store.) The next morning our hungover bus (except me, of course, I was bright eyed and bushy tailed) headed south to Franz Josef and spent the night at the Rainforrest hostel where I had to do laundry, again! The next morning at 8:15 I hiked the Franz Josef glacier, and discovered the ONLY word that rhymes with Tampon, a CRAMPON! I want to have these things in my everyday life, not just on large hunks of ice. They are spikes that attach to your shoes, I called them "Spidey Shoes", because you could walk on ice, snow and rocks and never slip. After 8 hours of climbing and digging into the ice, I came off the glacier and went right to the hot pools to sit and relax. This morning we headed out to where we are now, Makarora. We made a couple of stops to look at waterfalls, the fox glacier, and the southern alps. Basically watch The Lord of the Rings and you will see what I am seeing everyday. When we got into town (I say town, but it is a hostel on a hill, and thats it) we hopped on some JetBoats and rode about 50mph on this shallow river doing spins and turns and getting wet. Just another adrenaline pumping day here in New Zealand!!