Craft Beer, Snow-Capped Mountaintops, and a Leaky Van

We chugged along in our little home-on-wheels up to the famous Milford Sound. There was so much to be seen on the drive, we made several stops along the way to take it all in. We found a day walk that sounded nice, up to Lake Marian, and since the weather was beautiful, we took advantage of it. That was definitely worth the hike!! A 400m ascent lead us to a pristine lake filled by waterfalls flowing down the steep cliffs and snow-capped mountains in the background. Some of you might recognize my facebook photo. It was breathtaking.
As it was late when we got back to the van, we decided to find a place to camp for the night. We were awoken to heavy rains and thunderstorms on the outside (and inside!) of the van. Everything was soaked by morning and the rain was not letting up! All we could do was continue our journey up to Milford Sound. It poured the whole way, but one amazing aspect was that all the waterfalls were in full force and the drive in the alpine environment was just incredible. There was fresh show on the mountain tops, from what we could see between the clouds, and keas (alpine parrots) were hanging around the tourists waiting for some food scraps. We had done a cruise of Doubtful Sound several days before (which was just amazing – see the pics of the double rainbows with dolphins swimming beneath), so we left tourist-packed Milford Sound in search of some sunshine. It took a 4 hour drive to Queenstown to find some, but we were able to dry out our van and bedding!
Finally in civilization again, we decided to check out the nightlife in Queenstown. Walking around, we stumbled upon something right up our alley – Dux de Lux, a microbrew pub, with a reggae band playing that night! After 2 nights in Queenstown, and an unsuccessful search for free wifi, we headed to Arrowtown, a quaint little historic village, where we spent a night, and then it was off to Wanaka. Desley had gotten in touch with her brother who lives in Wanaka, and we went to visit Dale and Cherie and their family when we got there. They were just wonderful, offering their guest room and meals, and giving us local advice on things to do in the area. The best day was when we did the walk to see the Rob Roy hanging glacier. It wasn’t the best of weather, but we got as prepared as we could, and set off. It was definitely worth walking 3 hours in the rain! The first glacier I ever saw! It was still quite high and far, and since the sky was cloudy, the pictures didn’t come out as well as I wanted, but it was a great walk. We were soaked, cold, and tired when we got back to the van, but we changed into dry clothes and set back into town. We had a reservation at the theatre! You may be thinking, you went to a movie in NZ? Why, you can do that at home! This was a special theatre and we went on the advice of Caitlin! We saw Sherlock Holmes, but we sat in a couch like in our living room, and during intermission, snacked on freshly made cookies! Totally the best thing to do after a long cold walk in an alpine forest. The movie was good too =)

Memories of Monowai

Our new found friends, Desley & Tama, invited us to spend the holidays with them at their holiday home, or crib as the locals say, in a town called Monowai, near Fiordland National Park. Definitely off the beaten path, or in Deliverance Country, as Tama calls it, the crib in Monowai fronts on a small lagoon that’s part of Lake Monowai. We were fortunate enough to spend the holidays with loved ones and enjoyed an amazing Christmas feast of lamb roast, pork roast, chicken, potato salad, slaw, stuffing, and veggies, and (amongst others) a traditional kiwi dessert, pavlova, an egg white and sugar whipped cake of deliciousness. The next day, we began our trek called the HumpRidge Track. Kent, Desley, and I set off on a rainy cold morning to climb 900 meters to the first hut. We walked for 7 hours on the beach and through the beautiful wet moss- covered rainforests. It was a 19 mile trek that day, and all the uphill was after lunch, so we were dead tired by the time we reached the hut. The 2nd day was not much easier, although it was downhill, because it was just as steep. We finished the 55km trek in three days of walking. It was beautiful and rewarding, but when we finished, it would have been heavenly to have a spa or a masseuse waiting!! I really give props to Desley, who discovered she had been sold 2 different sized boots after 2 days of walking. That would explain the foot pain!!
New Years Eve in Monowai was another great time. Along with about 20 others, a bonfire was made. It was a chilly night, but the fire was toasty. It was a blue moon, and very windy. The wind was a bit scary when it was making the huge bonfire blow completely sideways, but everything was ok in the end, most likely thanks to the rainfall the day before. Beers, cheers, and loved ones made it a memorable way to ring in 2010.
Eventually, it was time to make our departure to explore the rest of the South Island. We packed up and loaded the van for more adventures.

Roadtrip to the deep South

After two weeks in Christchurch and thanks to a couple good connections, we got ourselves a big ol’ van! A 1997 white Ford Econovan that runs on pure Diesel. We packed up our gear, threw a mattress in the back and we were on our way. The plan was to head south along the coast with several stops along the way. Our first stop was Oamaru, but we didn’t stay long because everything was closed due to how late we arrived. Just enough time to see a penguin or two! We spent the night in Moeraki at a little camp ground run by a cranky Swiss lady in a bathrobe. She yelled at me because we arrived after she was already in bed, but we still managed to secure a sweet spot for the night. In the morning, we made a stop at the Moeraki boulders and then had a fresh caught seafood brunch at Fleur’s right on the coast. Then it was back on the road towards Dunedin. Dunedin is a beautiful city, but our favorite was the Speight’s brewery tour with unlimited samples at the end! The next day we made our way down to the Catlins and stayed at a holiday park in Pounawea and decided our next move. It’s hard to believe that it doesn’t get dark until aroun 11pm this close to the Antarctic. In the morning, we headed down the Catlins coast with a big day planned. Our stops included Nugget Point, Jacks Bay Blowhole, Purakauhui Falls and Curio Bay. The petrified forest in Curio Bay was by far the best for wildlife. We saw yellow-eyed penguins and a sea lion up close and got some good pics and video. The weather is crazy right now, as we are sitting in the van getting pelted by hail and strong winds. A massive “friendly” sea lion came right up to the office at the campsite, but while trying to take a picture Alison was charged at and managed to escape with her life. Invercargill was our next stop way at the bottom of the south island. It’s one of the bigger towns along our route, but it was rather quiet when we arrived. We had a very nice kiwi-style meal at the Speight’s Ale House and had the rare opportunity to watch some good old fashioned AMERICAN football on TV (I believe Green Bay was playing the Steelers in Pittsburgh). Before leaving town, we treated ourselves to some delicious Blue Cod fish & chips and continued on our way. The key is, dip everything in lots of mayo…. I’m sure you can tell that Kent wrote this post since the main highlights are beer and food….

Traveling Lesson #1

The problem: How can I make the most of my travels? Books? Web sites? Word of mouth? These sources offer a wide range of options to keep you busy, but some things are missing. Have you ever read a guide book about the place you live? Chances are your favorite hole-in-the-wall pub or place to see the sunset has been left out.

The answer: It is truly a great thing to get to know the local people wherever your travels take you! Weather you go to visit family, friends of friends, or total strangers, there is no better alternative to learning about an area than from the people who live there. There are even online communities designed to facilitate this, i.e. HelpX.net, WOOF, and CouchSurfing.

We had an awesome start visiting family in California. We spent several days in Lodi with Aunt Kay... saw the delta, took a day trip to Napa, made lemonade out of lemons from Kay's backyard citrus trees. Ate at a local brewery, had our first taste of Carl's Jr., and found a persimmon tree during a walk in the nature reserve at Lodi Park. Kent and I then made our way down to Los Angeles with Brian and Tara. We ate at a wonderful Korean BBQ restaurant, took a stroll down City Walk, and saw an indie movie being filmed. Chances are we would have had a different experience if we were visiting these places on our own.

Now in Christchurch, NZ, we are staying with a wonderful couple we met through HelpX.net. Coincidentally, they own the best burger joint in town (Burgers and Beers), and we have already tried several of their gourmet burgers with a side of chips (fries) and local beer! Delicious! We had our first adventure when they took us abseiling (rappelling), and we have already met several of their amazing friends who all have travel tips and stories to share with us. Through these friendly people, we are putting together, piece by piece, our travel itinerary. It is constantly being remodeled, but we are taking in all of the advice given to us by people who have been there before. The information in priceless and the company is irreplaceable!

The Sweet Sounds of Samoa

Samoa is one of those places that gets lost in the shadow of the South Pacific. We decided to begin our adventure here only a couple months after the tsunami struck. It's hard to say what we expected upon our arrival, but can honestly say the experience exceded our expectations. From the moment we arrived, the friendly nature of the Samoan people was overwhelming. The capital city of Apia was our first stop. Hundreds of taxi cabs and buses packed to the ceiling with people filled the streets. We tried to rest, but the constant echoing of dogs barking and roosters crowing kept us awake well into the early hours of the morning. It was unlike anything we've ever experienced, but somehow the people and animals manage to co-exist. Our next stop was the larger more cultural island of Savaii (also in Samoa). This is where we discovered the true meaning of Samoan culture. We spent our time at Tanu Beach Fales in the village of Manase living in a tiny beach fale only a mere 30 feet from the turquoise water. We were treated to a fiafia event our second night there, which was incredible! This was basically an hour or so of authentic Samoan singing and dancing peformed by all members of the Tanu family. On Sunday, we attended church and listened to the beautiful singing voices of the church-goers as hymns accounted for well over half of the service. We're not really sure what any of the words meant, but the perfect harmony was very joyful. After a week at Tanu, we ventured back to the main island of Upolu and spent a couple nights at Virgin Cove on the edge of the rain forest. A portion of the resort had been destroyed by the tsunami, but not nearly to the extent of other places closer to the southeast side of the island. We were again kept awake by chickens and roosters lurking somewhere in the jungle. Oh, and there were also the heavy rains along with the pitter patter of lizards and geckos climbing all over our fale! At dinner, we were serenaded by a very talented string band, composed of young boys from the village. They seemed to love American music as we heard several renditions of familiar songs revamped in Samoan style. Our trip was soon coming to an end and we ventured back to Apia for our last few nights. While relaxing by the pool on the morning of our "second to last day", Alison looked at her watch and commented on how it was the last day of November....wait a minute....our flight is today and we're supposed to be on our way to the airport! Stay tuned to see what happened next...

It tastes good, but something is missing from this recipe...

It's an itch that won't go away. A craving that isn't satisfied. A dream not fulfilled. To experience living away from the city and suburbs of Philadelphia has been something I always knew I would do. As someone who explores all options before making an informed decision, choosing to take a year off from "life as I know it" to travel has been an evolving process. I am lucky enough to have a best friend and significant other who, from day 1, dealt with my ramblings of the experiences to be had away from home, and I suppose it grew on him too. Kent decided this was a way we could see the world, grow individually as well as together, and have stories to tell future generations. In his words, he's "ready for an adventure" so count him in!

Initially, we were not attracted to the idea of "backpacking," the word conjuring up images of college kids lugging packs big enough to hide another human, partying all night in European clubs, and passing out too drunk to care that the hostel bed has no linens. We definitely enjoyed our time in college, but having "real" jobs and the necessary funds, we became acquainted with the joys of sharing a bottle of wine while enjoying a three-course dinner at a four-star restaurant, or sleeping in one's own bed surrounded by down pillows and 600 thread count sheets. How could we ever survive without a whole closet of clothes to choose from and the rest of our worldly possessions? I guess you can conclude that after months of hearing stories from traveling friends and researching possibilities to no end, the idea grew on us. Here begin our adventures searching for that missing ingredient.