It's Christmas Eve here and we are living it up in Wanaka. It's a small but vibrant lake town that makes us reminisce about summers in Lake Arrowhead. We have had the privilege of spending the past few days with Mr. Loper, which has been really lovely. It's nice having someone from home, and it's nice to be with someone who is on vacation. Makes us feel more like we are vacationing (instead of the reality of the situation, which is that this is our life). We've been kayaking, having cook-outs and relaxing here in Wanaka, and will be off to Queenstown on Christmas to celebrate!
It's been a bit over ten days and we are still settling into this new lifestyle. It is certainly different from anything I have ever experienced. Six months of exploration, adventure, relaxation and self-fulfillment is a bit overwhelming. Even though it hasn't been long since we left, knowing how much time we have ahead makes it simply hard to comprehend. At least on the PCT there was a daily rhythm, a balance between the exertion and the reward; this is a bit like all reward all the time. Not that I'm complaining.
New Zealand is just beautiful. There really isn't another word to describe it. It is lush and green. It is jungle and forest and coastland and farmland all rolled up into one incredible landscape. The people are friendly, the weather is unpredictable, the coffee is superb and the sheep are numerous... and adorable.
Our days are simple: we wake up (usually somewhere beautiful, but sometimes at a truck stop along the motorway), cook breakfast on the back of Marge, run, then decide which outdoor activity we should occupy ourselves with that day. We hike, go to the beach, and spend a good deal of time reading. We have picnic lunches, and often find some grand spot to pull over with Marge to cook our dinner. Then we sleep, wake up and do it all over again.
I've never traveled quite like this. We have so much time that we really get to soak things up instead of jumping on to the next thing. There isn't a hurry to see it all. Instead, that feeling is replaced with a simple joy at whatever we do get to see. And we've been able to see quite a bit.
We've spent a few days now with Marge, and we are getting used to the life. As with our little tent in the woods, we are learning the proper set up and takedown procedures, and finding a proper place for everything.
We are exploring the variety of camping options New Zealand has to offer: There are the holiday parks which come with "luxuries" such as hot showers, power hookups, flush toilets and kitchens. They are delightful, but require you to pay (what!?). So, we have also explored some of the slightly more hidden gems: free camp sites. They are often in the midst of epic beauty, but you forego the basic amenities (i.e. power, nice toilets, showers...). But who needs to shower, right?
As I write this blog, I am watching the sun set over one of our free campsites and marveling at the fact that we get to be here, to dine with a sunset view, to sleep here, and all we have to give up is a shower.
We spent the past few days working our way down the North Island, mainly on the coast. We have slept in different spots most nights, so it is much like the PCT. From farmlands to coastal wonders, New Zealand has a lot to offer. We are just trying to soak it all up.
We aren't city people. Never have been, never will be. Why we live in LA and continue to do so is beyond me (some sort of weird LA inertia thing). But arriving in Auckland was a bit jarring because it was simply a city. It could have been LA. And I didn't travel for 18 hours, sleeping on airport benches, and eating strange food out of tiny plastic containers to arrive in a version of LA with cooler accents. All to say, it was a reality check that reminded us that we were not yet in the New Zealand that we traveled around the globe for. To get there, we would need to do a bit more work.
Which brings me to an important point: traveling is work. Adam and I are no longer retired. Our jobs are now logistically maneuvering through cities and mapping routes on unfamiliar roads. We do a lot of math (budgeting and converting currency in our heads), and we spend many afternoons planning for what is next... Which is sort of a job... sort of.
Our first task in Auckland was to find a van either to purchase or to rent for the next six weeks. This is easier said than done. After hearing horror stories about car markets, and realizing that it would cut off a significant portion of our 6 week trip to purchase and sell a legitimate van, we dug more and found a super cheap rental company that would provide a van to meet all of our needs. Enter Marge.
She is old, slow, and came with cobwebs. But she is beautiful. With 182,384 km we know that Marge has been places. She has seen things we can only dream of. And we hope she will guide us through this country and teach us what she knows. Driving out of the city was the moment that I really felt like we were off and away. We felt liberated. We now have a home, a mode of transportation, a kitchen, and (more or less) a plan for the next six weeks: cruise the country with Marge.
LA TO AUCKLAND After spending two months on the couches and in the spare rooms of our exceedingly gracious and wonderful family and friends, we are finally off to begin the next round of our adventure.
Waiting for the airport was far more anxiety inducing than I would have imagined. My stomach was churning at the realization that I was leaving for 6 months, and I had the familiar sensation that I was completely unprepared for what was to come. It's kind of my MO when traveling. I don't plan much at all, I research enough to have some vague idea of what I'll do when I get there, then I leave the rest to chance, and good luck. It usually works out, but man does it make me sweat.
Regardless of the lack of planning, we approached the airport check in counter confidently, with passports in hand. We stood ready to surrender our bags and walk freely and easily through to the security gate... Until we were told that with no flight booked out of New Zealand, we would not be flying into New Zealand... oh. We probably should have known that. Without much hesitation, we surmised that we needed to buy our next leg flight out of New Zealand in the next 15 minutes. We looked at each other, processing that information, and said, "Okay... that can be done..." but then we had to decide, "Where should we go?"
We huddled in a corner of the airport and began searching for flights out of New Zealand to our likely destinations. I was absolutely shaking with nerves. Something about being told you did something wrong at the airport really gives me the jitters.
We settled on a flight to Vietnam, giving ourselves 6 weeks in New Zealand. The man checking us in gave us only a little grief ("You should really go online and see what a country requires for entry," "...yeah... thanks"), and we felt only a little stupid, but then we were on our way.
I am a pretty average girl who finds joy in simple things, like when bubbles fly out of the soap bottle when you're washing dishes. I spent the past five years in Los Angeles working in education, and I am generally pretty stoked on life. Despite the fact that we really are living the good life, my husband Adam and I decided that we had a bit more exploring to do before getting too settled. Adam and I are high school sweet hearts, best friends, partners in crime, and teammates in life. Together, we have decided to venture out into the unknown to ensure that we achieve our dream of a life well lived because, well, it would be rude not to.