Kiwi Dreams

Rangitoto Station was a great preseve in the hills/mountains. It is recovering farmland that is being allowed to return to bush. We helped it along by planting flax and harvesting some seeds for later planting. We went on several walks, unfortunately the weather was not cooperative. We also went on a kiwi survey (Emily and I went on two) but didn't hear any. I guess they haven't heard any for about four years there. This morning Emily, Susie and I went along on a kokako survey and heard two but didn't see them. We also heard or saw three other endangered species of birds. It was about a three hour tramp that set out by 5:30 am. Chris wanted to come but he was dead to the world and Susie's kick didn't even elicit a noise. It was fun even though we lost the trail a few times and recrossed the same stream three times!

I'm off this afternoon to Rangitoto Station for a weekend of volunteering. The people who volunteered in the Waitomo Region two weeks ago said it was great so I'm expecting a good weekend! It's been a short week since I only got back on Tuesday but I've been being productive, mainly so I can travel again next weekend. Anyway, I thought I'd share a couple photos from Australia. One is at South Bend, Brisbane and was a great little park in the city. The other is the cute koala I pet.

I'm back after braving ferocious wild animals of the outback. Not all safely behind bars at the Australia Zoo either! The kangaroos and koalas had habitats where you could walk through without any barriers between you and the animals. I pet the koalas and kangaroos! They're so soft and cuddly! I also saw the crocodile show (of course), poisonous snakes, dingoes, tasmanian devils and more. No Crocodile Hunter, though. I also saw a nasty looking big spider on a lamp post and snorkeled in the ocean. The snorkeling was cool but we didn't see the baby sting rays, dolphins or anything unusual. Just a variety of fish. My kayaking partner and I had some coordination problems in the first half but we got on much better when I switched to the back. Something about going too fast? Anyway, it was fun. One of the guys on the trip goes to Concordia College in Moorhead! I also met the uncle of an old classmate of mine. Definately a small world.

Besides all the wild and exciting things I did, I also spent a couple days on the beach trying to get a tan or watching people. The surf was pretty big so it was fun to watch the surfers as well as play in the surf. I saw a cool version of wake boarding. People harnessed themselves to a kite/parachute and used it to pull them along the water. They caught some huge air off some of those waves! It looked fun but I'm not quite at that level of capability yet. I also wandered around Surfers Paradise and Brisbane in the markets and just around town. I called Nick's girlfriend in Brisbane but we couldn't connect. That's too bad because it would have been fun. I met tons of English people and was asked several times if I was Canadian, American and once even a Kiwi! Of course, I hadn't spoken yet when the guy thought I was Kiwi, I was just standing patiently in line! Then again I can't put too much in what everybody thinks along those lines because some thought I was only maybe 20 and I apparently gave Toni's friend an evil look that scared him into leaving the room. Honestly, I think that was just a ruse to reopen their conversation after a fight.

My parents requested that I name the girls in the photo with me so they know who I'm talking about! The standing picture from left is Denise, me obviously, Deirdre and Annie.

I'm a little disappointed that St. Patrick's Day isn't really celebrated here but there are enough Americans around to where it should still be fun! I can't stay out too late, though, since I have to catch the 4:50 am bus to Auckland (Australia here I come!) Nick gave me his grilfriend's contact info so I'll try to hook up with her in Brisbane on Sunday. At any rate, it will be lots of fun and I have plans to visit the Crocodile Hunter at the zoo!

Deirdre got her pictures back so I thought I would share some of the surfing ones! Of course, I'm posting the ones where I'm doing well instead of the others standing up while I'm tipped over! It was a lot of fun and I would encourage everyone to try surfing if they get the chance! These pictures should be a little clearer than the last ones since I've adjusted them better.

Well, Edgefest was different. It took forever and a day to get there so we missed a few of the bands but saw quite a few of the more popular ones. Have I mentioned that bands here do a lot of covers? Some extremes are rock n' roll covers of '50s songs. Interesting. Others were really good, though. I enjoyed Alien Ant Farm in your typical concert atmosphere under a large circus tent but I felt a little out of place when Pacifier came on and every person could sing every word to every song when I had never even heard of them. I was also one of the tall people there as well as a member of the older part of the crowd. Sound like fun? It was. Later we went back to the hostel and then down to the club next door. A lot of people from all over the world in town for only a short while. A poor young kiwi whose friends finally gave him the courage to talk to Deirdre slid along the bench right into a spilled glass of beer. Poor kid! We felt bad and politely disguised our laughter as a result of one of my jokes (Denise and I did while Deirdre held hers back and talked to the kid).

Today we went to the Pasifika Festival. As usual, group efforts were not on time and it took the others 45 minutes to even get out of bed! We also took a more scenic route to the bus stop. Only partly on purpose. We wanted to walk along a new street to see what we could see and ended up going a little too far and having to backtrack. We happened to end up on the same bus as some girls from our floor who left the hostel 30 minutes after us. Ooops! We did have a few planned detours, though. The Festival was set up in villages according to the Island location and I did very well. I only bought food. I drank from a coconut, had lamb kabobs with bread and garlic sauce, fresh pineapple with mint chip ice cream, a pineapple fruit popsicle, as well as a taste of everything Denise had boughten. She wasn't all that fond of her spicy chicken, raw fish, weird vegetable thing or coconut thing. All the better for me! Of course, by the time we got back to campus dinner was a disappointment but my memories should last me awhile!

That word sounds familiar, but...? Actually they seem really easy so far. They are lower level classes because I'm taking things outside my major but definately nothing hard so far. I'm taking Resources and Environment, Rethinking Women, Sex and Gender, and Intro to Tourism and Hospitality. Lectures are once (2 classes) or twice (one class) a week and tutorials (I only have 2) are once a week. I have a lot of free time. I think it's meant for studying? I have Fridays free so I'm going to Auckland for Edgefest tomorrow. Alien Ant Farm, Yellowcard and I've heard Good Charlotte along with numerous local bands will be there. Then Saturday is the Pasifika Festival and Sunday we may go watch some cricket and try to figure it out. Should be an exciting weekend!

Hey Lorna, some of us are wondering if you have any, like, CLASSES there in Hamilton?

Friday was a fun but really late night that ended with a long, cold walk back to the dorms (ah, freshman year). Of course we had plans to get up early and take a bus to the flea market. It was decent but we didn't try any of the delicious looking food since we had just eaten and also had a packed lunch with us. We were done early so thought we would take the early bus to Raglan. Nope, the lady told me the wrong time the day before. So we went to the mall. Again. Annie was hungry and without a packed lunch so we said we'd sit with her as she ate. That didn't last long since I had been hearing good things about sushi and there was a bar there. I tried fish eggs, urchin, shrimp, raw salmon, and a raw white fish. It was all very good but I didn't really care for the ginger.

Deirdre and I sat there for two hours because we didn't want to pay for two more half-hour bus rides. We talked and people watched. We think we may have seen a guy doing some kind of candid reaction stunt because his attire was definately not typical! We saw a few friends and then caught the afternoon bus to Raglan. We ended up at a campground with a bunch of people we knew. Deirdre and I froze all night because we ended up in the bunks by the door without sleeping bags. Darn group decisions! It was fun talking and walking along the beach even though it was really cloudy when the sun set. I found lots of whole shells and sand dollars and then proceeded to break four of them while I was showing others.

Then this morning we walked into town and set up a time for surfing lessons. We had two hours to kill so we visited a few shops and then laid on the beach. We were carefully trying not to burn. Our surfing lessons were very fun even though I never stood up fully (I always had at least one hand still on the board). Nose dives, wheelies, a few tip overs and lots of partial rides later, it was time to go. Luckily, Deirdre had an underwater camera so I should be able to show you some of our attempts! Our lessons lasted roughly three hours. Of course, being in the water for that duration, the skin that wasn't covered by the wetsuit got a little pink. We'll see what I look like tomorrow!

I've just boughten my second pair of shoes here. I bought two necklaces for myself in the first week, too. It's so hard to resist these things! I must have been in a shopping mood because I also bought an outfit, sunglasses, and a trip to Australia. I'm also planning on going to a flea market and the beach at Raglan to learn how to surf this weekend. I'm sure I'll find some treasures along the way. I'm really going to have to behave myself each night to keep up with my vices! Tonight doesn't count, though, it's Deirdre's birthday. Adrienne's is Sunday. Mine's in less than two weeks...hmmm, I can name a few others coming up, too. Guess I'm only buying one drink for each of them!

I have most of my weekends through the beginning of May planned already. Some are just Saturday day-trips, while the longest one is two weeks. Today, I went to the STA Travel branch on campus and booked my train and ferry tickets for Easter Holiday. While I was there, I looked at the specials board and I can get get a trip to Brisbane, Australia for a really good price! The funny thing is that I leave the day after my birthday but it will still be my birthday back home. Call it a present to myself! One of the Americans I met here has a girlfriend studying in Brisbane now and he offered to get me loads of information so my trip should be really cool! I'm so excited! The weather there is hot now but I think I can still find a way to enjoy myself at the beach or in town...in Australia.

I decided to get my pictures developed here so that I could share some of them. That was the easy part. Scanning them here took awhile because the software is not what I am used to and there are restrictions on the computers as well as different rules for saving photos. Luckily, I had time to spare.

Classes started this week and they don't sound like they'll be too bad. Normally on the first day I wonder what I got myself into and how I'll possibly get it all done with all the projects, readings, and tests scheduled. So far, though, each class has less reading than I'm used to and fewer assignments (they're just worth more).

Anyway, I'm putting in a photo of my zorbing experience (I'm in the Zorb with two other girls) and of the beach on the day of the cyclone. The other photo is of the hot mineral springs park in Rotorua and you can see smoke rising behind the bridge. photos.doc