road trippin'

What have I been up to since my last post? We had our fall break here a couple weeks ago. Yup, fall is in full swing. I took an amazing road trip around the South Island starting with my pal Ellie and then finishing off with two of our other friends Capucine and Emily.

From Dunedin, we drove all the way up the east coast to Picton for our first stop. The weather was far from perfect that first day but Ellie and I managed to cope by drowning our sorrows in a bottle or three of wine while on a tour of the nearby Blenheim vineyards. Everything about the day was delicious- the wine, the food, and yes even the bottle of chocolate gin that we felt compelled to buy on our last stop of the tour. Note to self: avoid drunken impulse purchases.

at the vineyard

The weather wasn’t through giving us a run for our money the next day. We had plans to take a boat across the Marlborough Sounds to walk part of the Queen Charlotte Track. These plans did not include rain or mud puddles but they managed to make a guest appearance anyway. After a solid 5-minute effort was made to avoid getting wet, we decided to embrace (a term I’m using very loosely) the torrential downpour and make the most of our day on the track. A few soaking wet hours later we arrived at our endpoint, a hut where we waited until the ferryboat came to our rescue. Ellie and I earned a couple of stares as we walked into the hut, which turned out to be not your typical hut after all, but rather quite a fancy little lodge full of people cozily sipping wine by the fire. Somehow we were the only people in the whole place whose image reflected that of the weather conditions outside. Riddle me this.

Things were looking up by Sunday night. We got the hell out of Picton and into a hot tub at our hostel with a bottle of wine by nightfall. Besides out of our drenched clothes, this was the best sort of quick change we could have asked for. Monday morning we drove a little ways west to Abel Tasman National Park- a destination I’ve found appealing from the first time I opened a New Zealand travel book. This place is absolutely stunning with its gold sand beaches and blue green water. We packed up our backpacks and camping gear and set out on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, another one of NZ’s ‘Great Walks.’ We hiked along the coast all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, feeling mighty successful minus a couple bumps in the road including a mouse in the tent, picnic bench set on fire, and a possum eating our nutella, you know the drill.

Abel Tasman Coastal Track

                                                                            

Thursday we drove out to Takaka, one of the more charming towns I’ve encountered in New Zealand. The only reason we stumbled upon this funky little hippie haven was because it was the gateway to Golden Bay’s Wharariki Beach, a pit stop we felt compelled to make. What drew us to this beach in particular were the magnificent rock formations that line the coast. There’s one photograph on the front of the Golden Bay brochure (so what if I’m a product of advertisement?) that is especially amazing and we made it our mission to find this tunnel-shaped rock and take a picture of it. However, when we got to the beach the famous rock we were expecting was nowhere to be seen. Just as we were about to let disappointment get the best of us, we paused on our walk back to the car to take in the beauty of the beach one last time and realized that we had been looking at the rock all along but simply from the wrong angle. How silly of us.

Wharariki Beach

The same rock, this time from the right angle ;)

The rest of Thursday and part of Friday were consumed with driving down the west coast to Queenstown with a quick stop at the glaciers and lovely Lake Matheson.

Lake Matheson

Driving in New Zealand deserves its own tangent. Let it be known that a day spent in the car in New Zealand is neither your average day spent in the car, nor your average day in general. In fact, I’m willing to wager that it trumps most people’s ordinary days in other parts of the world spent out of the car. The scenery that is so readily available seems way too good to be true. No matter how long I stare, the combination of the beauty of the lakes, the majestic hills, and the vast sea are enough to make me feel unfairly privileged.

oh you know, just the view from the road

The final weekend of the trip was spent in the Queenstown area with the girls. There we filled the time between soaking in the sights of gorgeous Glenorchy by indulging in all sorts of treats including the infamous Fergburger and ice cream at this heavenly shop down by the lake, with the excuse being “it’s okay, we’re on holiday.”

Glenorchy at sunset

Another successful adventure in New Zealand? Check.

Feeling like a lucky girl. Loving this place, loving this life.

Cheers for now, more to come. 

on & on

Time flies when you’re having fun. It’s hard to believe I’m already at the halfway point of my time abroad. It’s been awhile so let me catch you guys up to speed…

It’s always nice to see family. But it’s even nicer to see family when they come and meet you in New Zealand. A couple weeks ago I met up with my sister Jamie and her friends Marta and Liz at my uncle’s house in Wanaka. It was so surreal to walk outside and greet their car as it pulled into the driveway, knowing that someone I’ve shared an address with for almost my whole life was now meeting me at another address on the other side of the world. I think we plugged the phrase “I can’t believe you’re here!” into just about every other sentence. It was Friday night (homemade pizza night) at Uncle Pete’s. To set the scene, this entails outrageously yummy pizzas that my aunt and uncle make with homemade dough and fresh, delicious toppings. There is often wine and lots of laughter. It’s basically the best way to end the week: in the presence of friends, family, and food.

We spent the weekend catching up and enjoying all the beauty Wanaka has to offer. Did some walking down by the lake, relaxed at the vineyard, and introduced the girls to meat pies, obviously. That Sunday we parted ways and I drove my new whip back to Dunedin while the girls continued on their tour of the South Island. The separation anxiety didn’t last too long though; they came to my flat in Dunedin on Tuesday and stayed until Friday. The days were filled with a mixture of activities including St. Clair beach for some sun between classes, a trip to Baldwin Street (the steepest street in the world), and a tour of the Speight’s Brewery, our ‘pride of the south’ beer. Overall, amazing time had by all. It was so great to see family (Marta and Liz included! xo). One of the reoccurring thoughts that I always have here is how much I wish that I could share everything I’m doing and seeing with all of the people I care about the most. Having the girls here helped make my wish come true. My mama has always taught me to share with my siblings, but this was sharing of a whole new kind- the most special kind.

Lake Wanaka

The following weekend was pretty jam-packed with schoolwork but I managed to escape for the day on Saturday and road trip down to Slope Point in the Catlins region. Slope Point is the southernmost tip of the South Island, marking my official span from the tippy top of the North Island all the way down the country. From Slope Point you can look out across the vast ocean to Stewart Island (Rakiura- the more commonly used Maori name), where I ventured last weekend. It’s the third largest island of the country that lies about 30 kilometers off the coast of the South Island. Being there made me feel like I was about to fall off the edge of the earth, so far removed from civilization to my standards. Its permanent population is only about 400 people so the main town of Oban is just a wee little place. Although the town itself is small, the island is 85% national park. The island is home to Rakiura National Park, the country’s newest one, where you can find the Rakiura Track. I guess it wasn’t deemed one of the ‘Great Walks’ for nothing- the track is simply stunning. Even though the only place further south from there is Antarctica, the climate is surprisingly tropical. The walk leads you through lush, green rainforest and gorgeous uninhabited beaches. Another fond New Zealand memory gained.

Slope Point

Rakiura Track

                                  
                                            

This weekend I went to Mt. Cook, the highest mountain in the country, with the intention of hiking up to Mueller Hut. From the hut you’re supposed to be able to see amazing panoramic views of Mt. Cook and some of the other tall peaks, but the weather unfortunately had other plans so the hike is currently on hold. I did get to see the Tasman Glacier though (biggest glacier in the country) and that was a pretty fair consolation prize if you ask me. While driving out of town yesterday past Lake Tekapo, suddenly it was so clear to me how quickly the season has changed to fall here. All the colors of the leaves reflected so beautifully in the lake. My kind of April.

I thought six months in another country would help calm my urge to travel, at least for a little bit. However, the more I see, the more I want to see. Having a car here has helped me conquer this country bit by bit, which has been unreal, but I still can’t keep from scoping out which country I want to conquer next. And although I’m only at the halfway mark of my trip, it’s so sad to think I’m already at the halfway mark! It’s amazing how you can feel so content in one place but also be so eager to go places in the future at the same time. Either way, at the end of the day, it all just goes. 

Just like the days and the wheels of my kiwi car, I just want to go and go.

define yourself

I am many things. A daughter, a sister, a niece, a cousin, a granddaughter, a friend. All of the people who fall at the other end of these ties have been very much missed in my everyday New Zealand life. Before my trip, there were days that I borderline despised time I spent on my phone, emails were usually a nuisance, and every time I logged onto facebook I would feel slight regret, knowing that there are much better ways to make use of my time. I would much rather be making moves than making plans. I don’t mind going to what some people would deem ‘great lengths’ just to be with all my special people. It’s worth it to me.

Gears have turned slightly in response to putting something called the Pacific Ocean between me and all of my favorites. Because of this, I have embraced the advantages that technology presents like never before. Since seeing all of these special people is not really an option these days (except for my sissy in a few weeks!), technology has been the next best thing for maintaining all of my relationships, this time shame free. We do what we have to do to make ourselves happy and nothing makes me happier than my friends and family.

 I do many things. For anyone who knows me, they know that I am notorious for loading up my plate with as many activities, jobs, classes, and events as my schedule will permit. As far back as I can remember, I’ve always maintained a routine of shuffling from one extracurricular to the next (pulling a quick change in the back seat of the car from soccer shin guards to ballet tights was not out of the ordinary for me). As much as it has the ability to completely stress me out at times, I secretly love being involved; constantly growing and learning. Give me free time and I’ll love you for it. Give me too much free time, however, and I’ll throw it right back at you, quickly finding something new to fit into that empty space in my day.

Now that I’ve had about a month to settle into Dunedin and my classes here, I am finally starting to feel more myself. This past week I’ve been in search of more involvement and I was on the prowl to fulfill this yearning. So I did what I do best. I loaded up my plate, naturally. Massage classes and guitar lessons are on the menu for my time here. I figured that both classes are going to provide me with exactly what I’ve been looking for: an opportunity to learn two more skills that I’ve always admired, one for my body and one for my soul, a venue to meet new friends with similar interests, and a way to fill the void in my life that has been a consequence of my longing for more involvement. I want to establish a connection with this country in as many way as possible and I think these two classes will be a great addition to my experience.

Tuesday was my first massage class and all it took was five minutes of listening to my teacher talk about the benefits of relaxation massage to feel completely relaxed myself. It was one of those instances where you just feel like you’re in the exact spot you’re supposed to be in. When what you’re wanting and what you’re getting are in equilibrium. This is a feeling that has shadowed me the whole time I’ve been here in New Zealand, this week being the exception. I was in a total funk until I pinpointed that my desire to join an activity and make more friends was precisely what was clouding my contentment. A prime example of the ‘if it’s broke, fix it’ phenomenon.

I know many things. Especially about myself and what makes me tick. Among them are my family, friends, and the feel-good activities that make up my routine. Not so coincidentally, all three are things that I’ve been fighting to keep in check while I’ve been away. All three have the power to greatly enhance my days and to help me appreciate all that I have.

I feel many things. We all do. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what it is that’s occupying our minds. But last night after a dose of unfair insomnia kicked in, keeping me up until the wee hour of 5:30 in the morning, this is what I was able to come up with. I guess the key is recognizing it. And then once you’ve discovered what you’re unhappy with, making the change is the easy part. When you’re feeling unsettled, define yourself. Your wants and your needs. What fuels you? Once you’ve got that down, you’ll quickly get back on track and realize that no matter where you find yourself in the world, anything you could possibly want or need is all accessible as long as you make the effort to keep it in your life.

the art of being alone

Being alone is not the same as being lonely. I have always been a firm believer of this but the distinction between the two has become even more evident in my life since I’ve been living in New Zealand, far removed from family and friends. I came across this quote in my bedtime book last night and felt it applied, “loneliness is something that exists only in the mind, not in the world, and, like a virus, is unable to survive without a willing host.” Alright, so maybe it’s a bit deep. But what I’m trying to say is that just because you’re alone, it doesn’t mean you are lonely; it’s a state of mind rather than a ‘given’ in the absence of company. The two do not go hand-in-hand. Further, you do not need another person by your side to make an experience any more special or memorable, contrary to societal beliefs. There’s a lot to be said for taking comfort in your own presence. I believe that the most important relationship you could ever invest in and foster is the relationship you have with yourself. Afterall, the way you conduct your relationship with yourself is the gateway for all of the other relationships in your life, isn’t it? Sometimes the best times are spent alone. Prime example? My trip to Queenstown last Friday with none other than myself. Allow me to explain.  

Last week I made a little getaway to Wanaka, where my aunt, uncle and cousins live. It was my last hoorah before classes started. Wanaka is simply beautiful and I can’t believe that my family is lucky enough to call that town their home. It’s a perfect combination of mountains and lakes; an outdoor lover’s paradise. When I wasn’t busy turning that paradise into my playground (biking, hiking, boating, water skiing, etc.), I stepped out for the day to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. Queenstown is where you can find the thrillers of all thrills, and you don’t need to look very far at that. Proof? Let’s just say that my first sight as I walked through the town to the beachfront of Lake Wakatipu was of a man jumping out of a helicopter and parachuting down to a boat moving at full speed. Whatever you would call what that man was doing, combined with bungy jumping, paragliding, white water rafting and skydiving, equals Queenstown. The adventure was not limited to the town itself though, seeing as I first had to tackle the task of driving on the right side of the car/left side of the road. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, as long as I kept repeating in my head “stay to the left, stay to the left…” It did the trick and I made it there with only one honk and one middle finger sent my way. Success.

When I got to Queenstown I parked the car and then found myself with one of those “now what?” sort of moments. There I was in a town that presented adrenaline-rushing activities to its guests as if they were being served on a silver platter and yet there I sat, not sure what to do or where to start because I was…alone. Since I knew that it would not be my last time in Queenstown, I decided to curb my appetite for jumping out of or off of something really high and save it for when I return with friends. Because let’s face it, although I value the importance of time spent by yourself, some things are without a doubt much better when you’re with people you enjoy as much as the activity itself.

What I did do, however, in order to maximize my day with myself, was map out the perfect ‘Ashley Itinerary.’  This started with a hike up Queenstown Hill, formerly known as Te Tapu Nui, or ‘very sacred’ in Maori. It’s a popular climb ending in breath taking views of the town, Lake Wakatipu, and the mountains. The weather could not have been any better. The cool breeze and sunshine were in perfect equilibrium my whole merry way. When I reached the top, my feelings of amazement towards the intense beauty surrounding me were accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness that I was taking in this sight all by myself, in perfect peace, with nobody else around me at the summit. It was such a gift.

Speaking of ‘gifts,’ when I got back down to the town, I rewarded myself with possibly the best chocolate gelato I’ve ever tasted. I can’t tell if it was naturally that delicious or if it tasted that heavenly because I went without lunch? Or maybe because I was enjoying it beachfront with my toes in the sand? I’m gonna take a gamble and go with all three. My gelato was followed by a short nap in the sun, and then topped off by great conversation with fellow travelers on the beach. All things brought immense happiness. And who knew that one could enjoy a day so much that was simply spent in the presence of their own company? In retrospect, it makes total sense. Nobody else’s schedule to adhere to or opinions to take into account? Being alone rocks.

Though it may seem like this world is designed for company, don’t be afraid to spend time alone. I think we all need to find something that is just ours sometimes. Not just to help us keep our sanity but to help keep us ‘us.’ Whether it be that run in the morning while everyone else is still asleep or driving alone with all the windows down, playing your favorite jams. Whatever makes you the happiest. Just remember to always take time for you, just like I was able to do in Queenstown last Friday. And once you embrace the solitude, what you’ll probably find is that you’ve never felt further from alone, further from lonely, closer to balance.

this is what my youth is for

A wise man once told me that most things in life are replaceable, but time is not one of them. This little tidbit of “daddy advice” has been resounding in my head repeatedly for some time now, practically in sync with the beat of my heart. So what did I do to fulfill these frustrated feelings towards my seemingly stagnant New York life? I decided to move just about as far away as I could for six months. And that, in a nutshell, is how I landed in New Zealand.

I’ve been here for three weeks now and thinking about that fact alone makes me all the more grateful that I decided to take this opportunity. Time flies and if you don’t take advantage of it, it will take advantage of you. So in case you were to ask my advice on the matter, and maybe this is just simply because it’s been ingrained in me by both of my parents, I would tell you time and time again to take advantage of any and every adventure. No doubt about it.

The past 22 days have already provided me with countless stories about how I’ve been able to make the most of my time here. Aside from the last week (which I’ve been using to settle into my new flat, navigate my way around the city, and get caught up to speed with the drinking culture that overwhelmingly defines Dunedin), I’ve been on the move. Just the way I like it. I’ve been lucky enough to experience some beautiful, remote beaches up north in the Bay of Islands, the faster-paced energy of Wellington’s artsy city center, and New Zealand’s best one-day hike, The Tongariro Alpine Crossing (the scene of Mt. Doom for all of you Lord of the Rings fans out there). This probably goes without saying, but I’m a pretty happy camper, or rather I’m a pretty happy tramper (easy there, a tramp is the kiwi equivalent to a hike). I’m thrilled enough to be in a new place, but to be able to live in essentially the outdoor Mecca of the world, is a dream come true.

Don’t get me wrong, seizing the day and taking advantage of opportunities is not exclusively related to uprooting oneself, moving to another country, and taking part in world-class outdoor adventures. I’ve been making sure to reap the benefits of everything New Zealand has to offer. Mainly, its incredible selection of lollies, pineapple lumps in particular. Don’t worry Mom and Kim, I may not have much room left in my suitcase to pack goodies for the way home, but you can rest assured that whatever nooks and crannies I have left in my luggage will be filled with these amazing charleston-chew-like treats that we’re going to put in the fridge and eat while watching the Bachelor. Talk about the best of both worlds colliding. Additionally, I’ve been giving the lingo here my best ‘go.’ That’s right, my friends are now my ‘mates,’ the garbage is nothing but ‘rubbish,’ and cool or sweet is happily being replaced in my vocabulary by ‘sweet as.’ Consider yourselves warned and feel free to jump on the kiwi train.

Although I was convinced that it wouldn’t happen in a fellow English-speaking country, yesterday was the first day I experienced feeling like a token foreign exchange student. Until this past week at school, my time in New Zealand has felt like a mini vacation: site-seeing, beach lounging, living out of a suitcase, etc. Feelings changed yesterday as I stood in line for course approval (an extremely chaotic process where you need a professor to sign off on each course you’ve registered for in a large room with hundreds of other people in your major). Standing in line, I was surrounded by heaps of friends getting reacquainted after summer vacation, decorating their conversations with tons of unfamiliar words and phrases that sounded fun but held no significant meaning to me or my life. Almost immediately and very definitely, I became the outsider. Starting in that hot, smelly room, I was suddenly witnessing my surroundings from a completely different perspective.

I’m not just a tourist anymore. This is my home and school for the time being. And even if I were a tourist, there’s so much importance in respecting the place you’re visiting and the people that live there. Don’t be afraid to mold to a new way of life. This goes for anyone, not just people in their travels. Change is good, normal, necessary, revealing, and ultimately unavoidable. And for people on some sort of journey like myself (both literally and figuratively), even if you don’t always agree with certain philosophies toward life in the place you’re visiting, at least take the time to learn about it and gain an understanding of the culture. Because isn’t that one of the main purposes of travel anyway?

A friend I met a couple weeks ago left me with this thought and I think it’s worth leaving you with…

Often times when we go away, whether it be for a day or for years, we wonder what is going on back home; we wonder ‘what’s new.’ What we usually find, however, is that after our travels take us to places both near or far away, when we return, it is not home that has changed, but us. We’re ‘what’s new.’ I don’t believe that anybody can force someone else to change. Places, however, have a certain, unique power over us. I like to think that all the places I’ve experienced have left their impression on me in the most positive way. This fact, and possibly this fact alone, is why I’m in love with traveling. There’s so much more to being in a new place than simply seeing its sites. Whether we realize it or not, we’re gradually absorbing more than just the visual side of our surroundings. For whatever reason, we as humans either refuse to/are incapable of change when another person asks us to do it. But when it comes to a new place, we are much more capable of welcoming the usual challenge of change with open arms. Being someone who very much struggles with change in my normal everyday life, I can already feel this process of change beginning and it should not only be scaring me but I should be trying to resist it at all costs. But this time I feel no need. And to think it all started yesterday, practically on its own, while I was just standing in line.