New Zealand

This is an unfinished piece that I wrote during my last few weeks in NZ…

I strolled down the city streets of touristy Wanaka on South Island, just up the road from Queenstown, one of the top tourist destinations in NZ. Wanaka is similar to Queenstown in many ways. It is also a top notch skiing destination and one can find all kinds of high adrenaline activities in which to partake. But it’s much smaller and more laid back than bustling Queenstown.

Wanaka seems like a typical NZ city…small, compact, mountainous, and close to the water. It was only 10:30, but everything was closed–surprising for such a touristy area in the high season, but typical for NZ. I could see the mountain profile behind the lake in the ambient light of the half moon. The mountains and clouds were reflected on the shiny lake surface.

As I wandered around, I realized how much Wanaka reminded me of Bay of Islands on North Island, another top tourist destination that I visited shortly after arriving in NZ. I began to think about my time in NZ and what an amazing experience it has been. My senses opened up and I tried to absorb and appreciate everything around me. My time here is winding down, and I have mixed feelings about going home. I am eager to get back to my life in CA; in particular, I am eager to see Susie. But I also really like it here and I want to stay longer.

New Zealand is a haven for an adventurous person—the Kiwis seem to love inventing crazy, high adrenaline activities and marketing them. Besides having stunning scenery and being a photographic playground, this is one of the reasons why I really like it here. It’s difficult to come up with a tangible explanation of why high adrenaline activities are so appealing and captivating to me, but I think part of it is that they allow me to be a kid again.

As I grow older, it becomes harder and harder to be truly impressed…I am “unimpressible” to a certain extent. As I experience more of what life has to offer, new experiences become more ordinary. For instance, growing up in Kansas, it was a huge treat to see the massive Rocky Mountains during family vacations. Now, living in California, I see mountainous scenery all the time and don’t think much of it. As I travel to more foreign countries and experience more of the world, international travel loses a bit of its allure.

But the high adrenaline, heart pumping activities that can be found all over New Zealand enable me to experience brand new sensations that I’ve never felt before, leaving me excited and energized. Plus, they are just downright fun!

Below is a summary of what I’ve done (most of them first experiences), in order:

Waitomo Cave Adventure ($160)

This was one of my favorite experiences in New Zealand. The excitement begins straight away as you enter the cave system by rappeling 150 feet into the Earth through a hole in the ground. Quite a rush, but it hurt like hell in my groin because of the swimsuit and wetsuit I was wearing underneath the harness. After a short walk, the guides instruct everyone to turn off their head lamps and you ride a flying fox down an incline, deeper into the cave. You have no idea how high it is, how long it will last, or anything else, because it is pitch dark. Pretty scary!

After enjoying a hot chocolate and candy bar, they give you an inner-tube and you jump off a 15-20 foot cliff into a freezing cold, 50 degree underground river. Then you gently float down the river, admiring 1000s of glowworms on the ceiling that resemble constellations in the night-time sky. The river isn’t always deep enough to float, so you also have to climb, walk, slide, and crawl through sometimes tight spaces to get through the cave. You can even exit the cave briefly through a couple side tunnels if you choose.

I never really like guided cave tours because it seems like you just walk down a boardwalk in a controlled environment, looking at the formations and listening to a boring guide. This was different though. I feel like I have finally experienced a “real” guided cave tour. I have no doubt that a tour like this would never operate in the states, due to fears about law suits. I cut my hand and nose on the trip.

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Zorbing ($40)

This is a kiwi invention where you roll down a hill in a giant plastic ball. You can choose the “wet” or “dry” option, or both, for a slightly discounted price. I wanted to try the dry version, but the dude working the counter talked me out of it, ensuring me that “if you only do one, do it wet!”

In the dry ball, they strap you in standing up, so you end up going updside down, sideways, etc. as the ball rolls down the hill. In the wet version, you sit in the ball instead, and they dump a few gallons of water in the ball with you. As the ball rolls down the zig zag course, you slide around alot, but you always stay on the bottom facing up. It was fun, but not particularly scary.

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Jet Boating ($40)

Another kiwi invention, jet boats were dreamed up by a farmer who wanted to access to his land, but was constrained by low water levels. The boats only need about 4 inches of water to operate, so they can go almost anywhere. The engine sucks up and spits out water through a nozzle at incredible speeds, rapidly propelling it forward and allowing it to turn sharply, including tight, 360-degree spins. Commercial jet boaters rely on this extreme maneuverability to rocket down narrow rivers, speeding toward canyon walls, trees, or river banks, and then nudging the steering wheel to avoid the objects at the last moment.

My trip went through the narrow chutes of Waikato River just north of Lake Taupo.

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Bungy Jump ($45)

I did a 150-foot bungy jump off the Kawarau River Bridge in Queenstown, which opened in 1988 and was the world’s first commercial bungy site. I chose the “fully immersed” option which means that they calibrate the cord to dunk you in the river from the waist up.

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Canyon Swing ($139)

The canyon swing is basically a giant rope swing with a jumping platform 360 feet above the Shotover River Canyon. After jumping, you freefall 200 feet into the canyon (at 90 MPH) before the ropes smoothly pendulum you into a giant 700 foot arc, 30 feet above the Shotover River below. After about 1-minute of swinging, you come to a rest, and a Mazda car engine lifts you back up to the platform.

It’s a completely different experience from a bungy jump, and I recommend trying both!

If you look closely in the accompanying photo, you will see a person diving off the platform and a white water raft in the river below for scale.

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Helihike ($320)

My first ride in a helicopter was an unforgettable experience. We arrived in Franz Joseph, a small town on the West coast of South Island, and it was pouring rain, so all helicopter trips were cancelled for the day. We decided to wait until the next morning and awoke to beautiful, blue skies!

The glacier is surprisingly close to town (and therefore the coast), meaning that it nearly reaches sea level, which is quite unique. They fly you over the glacial moraine (terminus), then up the glacially carved rain forest valley, and you land on the glacier about half way up. They drop you off with a guide, and you hike through the crevices and caves for a couple hours before the helicopter returns to fly you back to town.

Sky Dive ($150)

This was my second experience sky diving; I did it a few years back in California. However, sky diving at Lake Taupo in NZ is probably cheaper than anywhere in the world, and I knew the instant I landed my first jump in CA that I would want to try it again some day.

Lake Taupo, a caldera formed by one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, provides a beautiful backdrop. Unfortunately, there were low clouds and the view of the lake and surrounding volcanoes was not great, but I still enjoyed it.

I jumped from 12,000 feet out of a purpose-built sky diving plane, and experienced about 45 seconds of freefall at 125 MPH.

Landing Video (2.5 MB, requires Quicktime 7)

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Extreme Flying Fox ($99)

A flying fox is a ride that “zips” along a suspended cable from one end to other. They are found in children’s playgrounds all over New Zealand, but they’re usually only a few feet off the ground. This version, which is the only one of its kind in the world, starts out 575 feet above the Rangitikei River, and you “fly” a distance of 1 kilometer through the canyon at 100 MPH. It wasn’t as scary as I had imagined, but it was still a blast!

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Reverse Bungy ($40)

This is a an open air capsule that catapults you about 200 feet into the air at 100 MPH. You are strapped into the capsule, which is connected by bungy cords to two 125 foot towers.

I really liked the weightless feeling as the capsule transitioned from gaining altitude to being pulled down by gravity. Sometimes the capsule turns upside down, so you are facing the ground as gravity pulls you down. Unfortunately, the capsule never spun around when I was riding it.

Video of my ride (1 MB, requires Quicktime 7)

Canyoning ($195)

You start by hiking up a steep hill, then return to the valley floor via a river-carved canyon by any means necessary, including climbing, rappeling, jumping, swimming, hiking and sliding down water-polished rocks (natural water slides). My favorite parts were rappeling through a waterfall, which was a unique, exhilerating experience, and jumping off a 30 foot cliff over another waterfall and into a small pool below. The jump was quite technical since there was not much margin for error in hitting the correct landing spot. Apparently, it is quite rare that someone elects to attempt the jump, instead choosing the safer option to go down by rope.

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White Water Rafting ($129)

My first trip on the Rangitikei River was cancelled due to high water flows following a wet spring, but I was determined to go rafting, so I rescheduled the trip. Even though I went only 3-weeks later, water levels were relatively low this time, and we got stuck on the rocks several times.

The trip left from the gorgeous River Valley Lodge, an awesome backpackers and resort lodge and bar set in an isolated valley about 30-minutes from Taihape, the nearest (small) town. At the end of the trip, the guide was fooling around and instructed all 6 of us to pile up in the front of the boat. He joined us, and with us fighting against him, he tipped the raft. As we were hitting the water, the guide landed right on my back, and I was quite worried about the repercussions. The guide could sense that I was disgusted, and asked if I was ok. “Can you feel your tows?” “Yes.” “And your fingers?” “Yeah.” “Ok, you’re fine then.” Huh? That only made me madder. It kinda hurt then, but gave me quite a bit more trouble a week later. It’s fine now. Luckily, he landed on my upper back, which did not seem to affect my chronic low back ailment.

Was it worth it?

Yes! I realized that I’ve spent loads of money on adventure and adrenaline. I don’t really want to know how much, but my curiousity got the best of me, and I couldn’t resist adding it up. It comes to NZ $1357, or US $940. Actually, that’s less than I thought it would be…

My car is nearly packed, and soon I’ll be leaving Wellington, my home for the past 4 months. This is the first tangible step in returning home, so it’s really starting to hit me that this amazing experience is coming to a close. I said my goodbyes to everyone last night, following a veggie-friendly BBQ at Amanda’s place. It was more emotional than I thought it would be, perhaps because there were so many people, all at once. It was especially hard to say goodbye to Rachel and Nick, who are old friends that I met in CA several years ago. They’re British, but they settled in Wellington a couple years ago and intend to stay here.

I am going to drive towards Auckland, perhaps stopping for the night in Whakatane, a town recommended by fellow travelers in a youth hostel last week. Otherwise, I don’t really have a plan for the next 10-days, except for last minute site-seeing in and around Auckland. Oh, and I need to find a way to get rid of my car…

I included the attached photo, because, to me, it is very “Wellington-esque.” You see these zig zagging, white-fenced walkways all over the place, traversing the characteristic steep hills of many neighborhoods, including mine in Kelburn.

Sadly, my time in NZ is coming to an end. I certainly have mixed feelings about coming home. I am really eager to see Susie; the long distance relationship has been very difficult to say the least. On the other hand, I have an ideal situation here: I travel often and whenever I want, and I work from home when I have “free” time. It’s the opposite of what most of us are used to, but it certainly begs the question of where our priorities are in our day-to-day lives.

My Car

Earlier this week, I closed my bank account and got my car ready to sell. You are required to have a current “Warrant of Fitness” (WOF) which is basically a certificate that says your car has passed a checklist of (mostly) basic things like tires, brakes, etc. to ensure that it is safe to drive. The shop phoned me up earlier than expected, which was good because I was waiting to leave town. But they had bad news. Apparently, the car has structural rust, and it costs more than it’s worth to fix it. My only choice is to scrap the car by selling it to a wrecker for, say, $50. Not great news when I was hoping to recover ~$1000.

However, I am not that upset about it. I am certainly disappointed, but it still wasn’t a bad deal overall. I spent $1150 on the car, and it provided reliable transportation for my entire 6-month stay, never leaving me stranded. Even if I had hired a car for just a few weeks, it would have cost nearly as much as I paid for the car. And buying a Kiwi Experience bus pass, for instance, to tour NZ could have cost as much or more and would not have offered nearly the same flexibility.

In fact, it’s actually a relief in a way because I don’t have to stress about selling it. I can keep traveling up ’til the last minute instead of spending my last week in NZ trying to find a buyer. I really want to go back to Bay of Islands in the summertime when I can swim w/ the dolphins, etc, and I’ll the have time (and transportation) to do that now.

Road Trip

The ironic thing is that after learning that I would have to scrap my car, I picked it up from the shop and left for a 3-day road trip! I had a white water rafting trip scheduled on the Rangitikei River, a beautiful, unspoilt river winding it’s way through bush, volcanic cliffs, gorges, and waterfalls. The trip was more technical (ie we got stuck a lot) than my rafting experience on the American River in California last year, but the numerous class IV/V waves were still fun. And the scenery was definitely better!

After that, I drove up to Rotorua and Taupo. I wanted to KAP the famous Champagne Pool at Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland and hike the Tongariro Crossing, dubbed as “New Zealand’s best one day hike.” Unfortunately, I destroyed my expensive Rokkaku kite when it crashed into the thermal pool and the hike was miserable.

Wai-o-tapu

Wai-o-tapu is a difficult place to fly a kite. I’ve visited on several occasions because I really wanted to shoot some aerial photos of the impressive pool. Last time I was there, the weather was alternating between rain and sunny, blue skies, and I got caught with my kite in the air during a downpour. I packed my rig and camera safely in my bag, but before I could retrieve the kite, the sun made another appearance. I decided to keep flying to dry out my soaked kite, which was a mistake. As dark clouds began approached from behind, I could feel electrical current passing through my damp line. It was just enough to feel uncomfortable (it didn’t hurt), but I got a bit scared. After discussing the incident with various people, I now realize that the plastic spool would not have shielded me, and I suspect I was possibly on the verge of being struck by lightning. I think the fact that my kite was acting like a lightening rod and carrying a current means that the potential was nearly enough to attract a lightning bolt.

On this particular day, the winds were quite turbulent and I experienced numerous thermals. But I was determined because I probably would not get another opportunity to KAP the pool. I managed to get a few good photos, but the camera was bouncing around a lot, and it wasn’t very manageable. At one point, I was forced to reel in the kite line as fast as possible, but it wasn’t enough. The camera continued to steadily and quickly lose altitude, dropping down to just a few feet above a large pool of water. I had pretty much written off the camera, but miraculously, the altitude leveled off just before it landed in the pool, and it skirted along the surface of the water for probably 15 feet before finally stabilizing. Relieved, I retrieved the camera and decided to call it a day. Then the kite turned in the sky and crashed next to the pool, in an area that is not safe to walk. I managed to get the kite flying from a distance, but then it turned upside down and dropped like a rock into the boiling thermal pool. I have never seen the kite behave this way—I suspect that it was damaged from the previous crash. I succeeded in fishing the kite out of the water, but it had a huge gash, and several carbon spars were cracked.

Tongariro Crossing

After packing up, I returned to Taupo via my favorite thermal swimming hole to hike the popular Tongariro Crossing track. I had already attempted to sign up on two different occasions (the previous day and during another trip), but both trips were canceled due to rain or high winds. The weather forecast for the next day called for clearing by dawn, and sunny the remainder of the day. Perfect! But when I awoke at 5:30 AM that morning, I heard a steady rain from my bunk bed in the hostel. I learned that the trip was still on and I was optimistic that skies would clear and become fine.

It never cleared, however. Instead, I hiked the 11 mile track (2600 ft. elevation gradient) in strong, gale-force winds and driving rains. I was completely drenched shortly after beginning the hike, and I literally had to hike sideways when the wind was not at my back because the rain was stinging my face! Luckily I wasn’t wearing any cotton and I had packed a hat and gloves, but I still found myself shivering at times, despite staying active and wearing several layers.

I never saw any of the awesome views of both coasts, the volcanoes, or pretty much anything else that was more than 100 feet away from me. In short, the hike was less than spectacular since I couldn’t see anything. After resting at a back country hut and eating a snack, I completed the last third of the hike. Finally, the heavy rains subsided, but the sun never came out.

Other Travels

I am ending my time in NZ just as I began it: traveling. Since the beginning of the month, I’ve only been home for a couple days. I went to Mount Taranaki with friends for New Year’s, and we stayed at Will’s childhood home in a pleasant, dairy-based milking town called Eltham. On New Year’s Day, we hiked out to a hut in Egmont National Park and spent the night. New Zealand has an awe-inspiring array of huts spread out in the back country for spending the night on extended hikes. They are very nicely kept and mostly found in remote places, offering a warm, dry alternative to hiking a tent and other camping gear long distances.

The day after returning from Taranaki, I flew down to Queenstown for a week. I planned to do the 440-foot bungy jump at Nevis, but I chickened out. However, I did go canyoning near Wanaka, which was awesome. It involved hiking up a steep hill, then climbing, swimming, rappelling down waterfalls, sliding down water polished rocks, and jumping off cliffs to get back to the starting point. I also visited Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound. Milford is much more popular and touristy, but I much preferred kayaking in Doubtful Sound over the large ferry ride through Milford Sound to the Tasman Sea. The Doubtful Sound tour lasted all day, because it is quite remote with no road access. It requires traveling across Lake Manapouri by boat, then catching a bus (which was brought over by ferry before we arrived) over the summit and into the sound. Even though the region gets 25-30 feet of rain per year (the wettest region in NZ), it was a very nice day with quite a bit of sun!

After arriving back in Wellington, I left again the following day to spend a night at Castle Point with Rachel. We had a tiny cabin that was just big enough to fit two twin beds (a surprise), but it was comfortable and near the beach. Castle Point is a popular destination for Kiwis because it is close to Welllington and it’s one the most scenic coastlines in the region. Castle Pt. Lighthouse, the tallest on N. Island, sits on a thin, limstone reef that extends out into the ocean. After photographing the lighthouse in the early morning light, we made the 530-foot ascent to the top of Castle Rock for impressive views of the lagoon, lighthouse, and ocean.

Location Maps

Brad had an excellent idea to include location maps to visualize where all these places are located.

After Bangkok, I made brief, few-day stops in Bali and Singapore on the way back to Wellington. I got sick in Bali and then really sick in Singapore. In hindsight, I think I was just worn down. I had been traveling for four weeks straight, and I had already made 3 long, 10-hour international flights. More importantly, it was so hot and humid in Thailand (with no air conditioning) that I hardly slept the previous week—only about 4-hours per night, on average.

At the time I was worried I might have Malaria or Dengue Fever, partly because the symptoms were so severe, but also because they were different than anything I’ve experienced before. It started with a sore throat in Bali, but in Singapore, I was achy and completely drained of energy. I was so lethargic, I could hardly move. I was getting light headed alot; sometimes it would last for hours at a time; I felt like I was alternating between a state of conciousness and unconsciousness. It was really weird. I think I also had a high fever, but I never got a headache or congestion, which is uncharacteristic. I was getting ear aches though.

I slept for 20-hours in Singapore one day! I didn’t start feeling better until the last day, so I didn’t see much there. I went to the Botannic Gardens and Sentosa Island, and met a new friend, Meng, who contacted me via email after he found my web site. He is interested in KAP. He drove me around and I met his family. His kids called me “Uncle” because youngsters don’t usually address elders by name in Asian culture. It was strange being in an English-speaking Asian country.

Bali was terrific—the people are amazing (except for the corrupt cops), the scenery stunning, and it just seemed to have a good feeling, although intangible. I wanna go back. I asked Susie if she would ever want to move back to Indonesia! She’s not sure about that one…

I rented a car in Bali. Driving there was challenging to say the least. Not only do they drive on the left, but there are motorbikes everywhere—behind you, in front of you, beside you, and in your blindspot. Plus the signs are not in English, for the most part. Luckily, I’ve had plenty of practice driving on the left in NZ; otherwise I think I would have been completely overwhelmed.

There were very few tourists following the second, recent bombing. One night, I was the only guest at a huge resort on the north coast. I hung out with the staff on the patio as the sun went down. They cooked me dinner and all spoke good English, so it was very nice. The next day, I went snorkeling with the guy who was running the resort.

I went to Ubud Monkey Sanctuary and also spotted wild monkeys wandering around next to the roadside. The monkeys I found near the road were quite wary of humans, but in the sanctuary, they were very used to humans. I made the mistake of eating a snack as I approached the sanctuary entrance. In the car park, a monkey approached me from behind, and leaped up on me! I was startled, because I had not seen him! I also toured the Besakih Mother Temple, an impressive sight consisting of 6 temples used by Hindu followers. I had to dress in a sarong to enter.

When I arrived in Bangkok at 2:30 PM local time, I withdrew 2000 baht (US $50) at the airport to cover initial expenses, like cab fares. The ATM dispensed two 1000 baht notes. As advised, I picked a cab driver with a “Taxi Meter” lamp on the roof to avoid getting ripped off. The idea is that they have a meter with the price and that’s what you pay. However, I still had to bargain for a decent price, and he never even turned on the meter. I got a fare of 350 baht, slightly more than my outdated guidebook suggests for the 25-minute journey, in traffic.

When the driver dropped me off at Khao San road, a popular destination for backpackers in downtown Bangkok, he informed me that he didn’t have change for a 1000 baht note. I asked several people on the streets, but nobody could (or was willing to) make change. The driver was illegally parked and getting impatient, and another cab driver in a Tuk-tuk noticed. Without really asking, he paid the fare for me, and asked me where I was headed. I showed him the Peachy Guest House in my guidebook, and he said no problem, I’ll take you there. I transferred all 100 pounds of gear—two backpacks, a laptop, and a tube containing a Dopero and Rokkaku kite—into the 3-wheeled, lawnmower-engine-powered gocart with a roof.

We sped through a maze of streets and alleys, and I snapped my first photos in Bangkok from the taxi. After many turns and 5-10 minutes later, we arrived at the hotel. I was disoriented, partly because I was in a new city and he didn’t seem to take a direct route, but also because it’s impossible to see the surroundings in a Tuk-tuk—the roof is so low that I can’t see out without ducking. Anyway, I knew the location of the hotel on the map in my guidebook, so I wasn’t too concerned.

I checked into my room, organized things a bit, and brushed my teeth. When I got back to the hotel lobby, the driver was waiting for me. “Where do you want to go next? I’ll take you on a tour of Bangkok…” I told him I was happy to show myself around, thank you very much. Then he offered to take me to the tourist office. I agreed, because I wanted to go there anyway. Again, we sped around the city streets, and he dropped me at the tourist office. I paid him a small fee plus the fee for the other cab, and I insisted that I would be ok on my own now. He sped away.

I booked a trip to Koh Chang Island, off the coast of Thailand southeast of Bangkok (where I am writing this journal entry). I was hungry, so I asked the girl that booked my trip where to find vegetarian food. She asked someone else to accompany me to a restaurant a couple doors down. With his help, I got an excellent vegetarian Thai stirfry and Pepsi for about US $1. I had to ask several times for extra spicy…they kept saying, “ok, not spicy, no problem.” Finally the waiter asked me how spicy, “1, 2, 3, or 4?”, and I responded “4.” After watching me eat the dish without hesitation, he brought me a bowl of Thai chilis. I dumped them all on and observed the waiter and his friend watching me and laughing. I think they were surprised to see a “white boy” eating such spicy food!

After eating my first meal since lunch in France nearly 24-hours ago, I walked around Khoa San road, and asked another Tuk-tuk driver take me to Pat Pong, the red light district. I looked around and watched a show, then decided I should get some rest. When I went back outside, I was surprised that my driver had been waiting for me. He happily took me back to Khao San Road. With the help of a gay Thai dude who approached me and seemed to like me, I found the Peachy Guest House at about 1AM. I was eager to climb into bed.

As my new friend left me, I walked into Peachy Guest House, but it wasn’t the right hotel. I realized that the Tuk-tuk driver hadn’t dropped me off at Peachy Guest House earlier that afternoon as I requested; he had taken me to another hotel somewhere else in Bangkok. I could easily find another place to sleep, but all of my gear, including my paper airline tickets, was stored in the room I had checked into. Assuming it might be an honest mistake, I desperately walked around the streets peeking into guesthouses nearby. No luck. A couple hours passed and I started getting really worried. I paid cash for the room (so I couldn’t get the address from my credit card company), and only one cab driver (of 100s or 1000s) knew where I had been dropped off. What the hell am I going to do, I wondered?

I called Susie and then my parents for advice. They recommended calling the U.S. Embassy and the Police. I didn’t see how they could help me in this situation, but Susie had a good idea. I had given my passport number to the hotel staff…maybe the Embassy could track it? I was doubtful, but at least it was a little encouraging. I called the Embassy, but they basically said “There’s nothing we can do, consider it a lesson learned.” “What about tracking my passport number?”, I asked. “They don’t log it, for your own protection.” So much for that idea. I called the Police, but they couldn’t help me either, besides filing a report. However, I would have to go in person to one particular office (who knows where in Bangkok) where they speak fluent English. Scratch that idea.

By this time, it was going on 6AM, and I hadn’t slept in a bed since I was in France, prior to a 1-hour flight, 7-hour layover in Germany, and another 10-hour flight to Bangkok. I was tired. But I was also desperate. I had about $10,000 worth of gear in the room, and I had no clue where the hotel was. It could be anywhere in Bangkok. I didn’t even have a mental picture of the hotel environs, because I couldn’t see out of the Tuk-tuk. I never saw a hotel sign either; presumably it was posted in the alley before he turned into the entrance. Because the Tuk-tuk driver also drove me away from the hotel, I never saw a sign.

$10,000 might sound ridiculous or impossible, but it adds up quickly with loads of photography equipment. Just my laptop, SLR camera, and one lens quickly add up to $5000. I also had all of my KAPing gear with me since I had just come from a KAP conference in Paris. More importantly, I had hundreds of irreplaceable digital photos stored on my laptop, including photos from the conference and a weeklong roadtrip with Thomas. The only backup was on my iPod, but it was also in the room.

I had just about given up any hope of ever finding my stuff. I was even wondering if I could finish my time in New Zealand. Without a computer, I wouldn’t be able to work for USGS, something I promised to do in exchange for taking 6-months off. I also wondered if I would have the energy or motivation to build another custom KAP rig (let alone two, one for my Coolpix 8400 and another for my D70s).

After leaving the police station, I was dejected as I wandered down the street. I had one last idea. I could wait until morning, and hope that I would stumble upon the same cab driver near the area where I was picked up. It would be a long shot, but I didn’t have any other ideas. But how would I recognize him? For me it’s more difficult to discern the physical differences between Asian people than say, white people. I didn’t remember what he looked like. Then I remembered as I was snapping photos earlier, he had turned around and smiled. Sure enough, I could make out his face when I reviewed the photo on my digital camera. So I could recognize him, but could I find him?

Then, like always, a pushy Tuk-tuk driver called out, “need a ride?” “No thanks.” Wait! I turned around and went back to the driver. I explained my case to him and asked if he was aware of any deal (a kickback) for bringing foreigners to a certain hotel in the area. He told me he knew the hotel. I was ecstatic! As we drove around, I recognized the area (I ducked over to me knees to be able to see). Then he slowed down and stopped in front of Peachy Guest House, the hotel where I originally asked the driver to take me the previous afternoon.

I realized he didn’t understand my English very well, but he heard me say “Peachy” when I was explaining the situation. I tried again to explain, but he didn’t understand. So he drove me back to where we started and called his friend over. He understood English better, and seemed to genuinely understand what had happened. I realized they might be able to help me find the original cab driver, so I showed them the picture on my camera. Sure enough, they knew him! But they informed me that his shift didn’t begin until 10 AM…by that time, the hotel staff might find my stuff (and not me) and who knows what they might do with it?

Then the driver asked how much I had paid for the room. Puzzled, I replied “550 Baht.” I know the hotel, he told me. I had just been through this routine a few minutes earlier, but I asked him to take me there anyway. We drove down the streets, making several turns. The route wasn’t familiar since I had not seen the surroundings on the original ride to the hotel. But then he made an abrupt U-turn in the middle of the road, just like the first Tuk-tuk driver did the previous afternoon when he dropped me at the hotel! We drove down an alley, made a turn, then another before arriving at a hotel. I walked up to the door, and sure enough, it was my hotel!!! Relieved, I told him thank you and gave him all the Thai money I had (120 Baht). It was around 7AM when I finally fell asleep.

I am at the airport in Frankfurt waiting for my connecting flight to Bangkok. I had a short, one hour flight from Paris, where it was starting to snow, even though the sun was still out! I watched the snow from my table at the airport as I ate my lunch.

November 21 – 25

It turned cold and snowy today, so the timing of the weather was perfect. Two of the three days that we took field trips at KAPiFrance were gorgeous, autumn days—sunny, with good winds for flying our kites, and a relatively warm 45 – 50 degrees for November. The conference itself was excellent. I learned loads of new information, made new friends and caught up with old ones, and even made a couple new professional contacts. In particular, I met Nicolas Chourier, whom I think is unique in the KAP world because he makes his living flying kites with cameras attached! And he travels the world doing this. He is very inspirational, and a great guy. I had admired his stunning photography on his web site in the past.

November 13 – 20

For a week before KAPiFrance began, Thomas and I traveled around southern France on a photography roadtrip. It’s been over a year since I last saw him, so it was great to catch up. I think our combined energy and passion for photography drives and inspires each other, so I always enjoy photography more when we’re together. We have different styles, so it’s interesting to compare pictures of the same subjects in the evenings.

The weather changes quickly as you approach the Mediterranean Sea in S. France, so it was generally quite warm and pleasant. I was a bit surprised because I remember how cold Paris was when I visited in 1997. Despite being only a few hundred miles south of Paris, the weather is noticeably warmer, on average. I met Thomas’ Dad and wife, and we also stayed with friends of his in Tolouse. Some hightlights include the many historic villages we visited, a spectacular limestone cave, Carcassone World Heritage Site (pictured), and the Catacombs in Paris.

It’s weird being in SF for just a week and a half as a “tourist.” I am still based here, but I don’t have an apartment to come home to…just a storage shed at Uhaul with all of my junk in it.

As a tourist, I rode on a cable car for the first time with Susie! We went from Market St. to Fisherman’s Wharf via Nob Hill and Russian Hill, the route recommended by the “Explore SF” movie I saw on the plane. As a tourist, I had her take me to Ghirardelli Square for ice cream, a single-scoop of Cookies and Cream in a chocolate covered waffle cone.

We also rented a car and spent a couple days in Monterey. She had a free night in a hotel, so we got a room close to the beach and downtown. We walked around the wharf, and went to the renowned aquarium. It was her first time, and I wanted to see the Jelly Fish again.

I met up with Ali from Drachen Foundation while I was home. She flew down from Seattle so we can begin sorting out the logistics on our plan to recreate George Lawrence’s kite aerial photo of the aftermath of the Great 1906 SF Earthquake. April 18, 2006 marks the centennial of the quake, and this is one of 100s of activities and events which will commemorate the devestating earthquake.

I also worked a couple days at USGS while I was home. It was weird being in the office after so long (4 months). I certainly didn’t miss my windowless office; it’s definitley quite a contrast to working from my flat in the hills of Wellington and various remote locations in NZ over the past 3 months.

In just a few hours, I am off to Paris to meet up with Thomas…

On Oct. 4th, I flew one-way from Wellington to Dunedin, a vibrant college town on the southeast coast of S. Island. After arriving, I picked up my Holden Barina rental car from Avis and explored the area for a few days while I waited for Trina to arrive. The plan was to gradually make our way up to Picton, the ferry port at the northern tip of S. Island, drop the car off, and embark on the short ride across the channel to Wellington. We planned the trip this way because it’s bloody expensive (NZ $500) to bring a car on the ferry, compared to only NZ $45 to bring just yourself. The rental car was only NZ $350 for two weeks–quite a bargain. This turned out to be a great way to see as much as possible in a short amount of time, because we didn’t have to backtrack.

After picking up Trina on the 7th, we drove to Queenstown, often referred to as the “adventure capital of the world.” Besides being the site of the original bungy jump, there is also the awesome canyon swing, jet boating, sky diving, rafting, etc., etc. I was quite eager to try a bungy jump, so we enquired at the local Beyond Travel Office (which books travel and activities at slightly discounted rates) about bargains. Turns out it was our lucky day! It was October 8th, “National Nude Day” in NZ, and the Kawarau River Bungy Site (the first commercial bungy site in the world) was offering a special deal: jump naked and it’s only NZ $45, less than half price. With no hesitation, I was stoked, but disappointed to find out the bus had already left. However, this wasn’t a problem since we had our own car–we hopped in the car and 20-minutes later we found the site and lots of half-naked people! Half naked because the girls only had to go topless to get the same deal as the guys who had to go naked. If a female opted for the “full on” (actually “full off”) option, it was free. I cried discrimination, but it fell on deaf ears…

We both did the canyon swing as well, which is just as (or more) exhilarating, but totally different. I definitely recommend both. I was quite surprised that Trina did the canyon swing, especially after standing on the 200-ft high ledge and momentarily hesitating myself.

Other highlights of the trip:

1. The “helihike” on the Franz Josef Glacier, which is unique because it nearly reaches sea level on the West Coast, and it’s also carving out a valley in a temperate rainforest. This was my first time in a helicopter, and it would be difficult to find a better place to experience it (well maybe Kilihau Volcano in Hawaii would be better). After a 20-minute ride from town and a few minutes hovering over the glacier and rainforest, we were dropped off midway up the glacier, and left with our guides to explore the crevices and tunnels for a couple hours.
2. Pancake Rocks and the awesome beach-side hostel in Punakaiki.
3. Exploring Dunedin and the Catlins.

We didn’t have time to see Milford Sound, one of the top tourist destinations in all of NZ. Geographically, it’s quite close to Queenstown, but you have to loop around and it’s a 4-hour drive, with little choice but to backtrack after visiting. Also very high on my list to see was Lake Tekapo, but it was also a 4-hour drive from Queenstown in the opposite direction. Again, there is little choice but to backtrack given that we both wanted to see the glaciers. I still really want to see both, so I intend to fly back to Queenstown and spend a week exploring just Queenstown and vicinity after returning to NZ in December…

I participated in another worldwide panorama day. Photographers around the globe shoot a Virtual Reality Panorama on the same day every soltice and equinox. This time around the theme was “Energy” so I shot the Brooklyn Wind Turbine, an experimental wind generator installed in 1993 in the hills of Wellington. It’s practically in my back yard, so it was an obvious choice.

I was the only person in NZ to participate! Check out the result.