Relaxing in Auckland

Made it to Auckland. I usually fall asleep, out cold, on buses and planes. But here I can't do it. The vibrant greens sweeping past the windows are impossible to not admire. You would be hard pressed to find such a variety of shades of green anywhere else in the world, I think. The rolling hills with ridges on most hills that look like the waves on the ocean shore are brilliant! The vegetation is so foreign. I don't know the names of most of what I am looking at but I don't recognize them. It's like another world. Going through forested areas makes me imagine I am Jurassic Park. Surely there are dinosaurs hiding out still in this country, right?!

So I made it to Auckland. The city that doesn't feel like a city to me. I hated NYC with a passion, but here there is no rush. The hustle has a bit less bustle here I guess. So I explored some more, stretching my muscles and favoring my knee. I am nearly walking on it normally (until you throw a hill or some stairs in front of me and I want to cry). I got a massage, got my Internet on my phone fixed, chatted with the gals I roomed with at the hostel last week... 

Now I am waiting for a comedy show. I found a little comedy club in my wandering around today and the tickets for the show were cheaper than a movie ticket here so I decided to go for it. Then I will be off for a good night's rest and some early morning planning for the day tomorrow. Might see an island I can't remember the name of, or see if I can make it up Mt. Eden. Who knows what the next day will bring my way?

Cheers to everyone still reading my blog even after the trek disappointment. I don't have any regrets. 

Day 3 - The Bluff to... Somewhere on 90 Mile Beach

I woke up quite stiff this morning. After a 20+Km day that was to be expected. I shuffled a bit until I massaged my muscles and stretched out. And I woke up to a herd of wild horses grazing not 30 feet from my tent. They watched casually as I packed up. As I began walking back to the beach they followed me. It was quite a sight. Then a new group of horses came running across my path and ran down the shore. It was like a scene from a dream. 

So off I went, into the misty morning, feeling a bit better than the day before had ended. Despite the aches and pains, I felt stronger than the day before and the day before that. My body was already adjusting to the lifestyle of trekking. 

But within a half hour of starting the knee shifted from the normal ache to the sharp pain under the kneecap... The pain I learned to recognize in the Army when I could no longer run. 

I continued walking while I made my decision. I have loved the walking! Even though its been just the beach so far, I enjoyed my time. I was appreciating the gift of God's creation. But I also knew that even as my body grew stronger my knee would only get worse and would surely soon be followed by the left knee. I knew from experience that it wasn't something to be pushed through. 

So I decided that when I could stop and get back to a town with bus service, I would stop. As much as I want to do this trip, it's not worth breaking myself. Luckily, my tour guide from a couple days before who had dropped me off at Cape Reinga pulled up on the beach and saved me from walking 2 more days to Ahipara to find a ride. So I finished my tour back to Paihia to rest and ice my knee and replan my entire New Zealand experience.  

I am frustrated, of course, at this turn of events. As I said before, I had considered how I would feel if I didn't like it and chose to stop. I had not seriously considered how I would feel if I found that I ADORED it, and that I simply couldn't go. It isn't little heart syndrome, but little knee syndrome in this case, I suppose. But in everything there is a lesson... Never have I gone for something big in my life and not completed or achieved it. Now I must learn how to deal with failure, with extreme disappointment.  I can still grow from this experience... And I can still explore this gorgeous country! All the things I thought I would see, I probably won't. But as Derek, the tour guide, pointed out, I will get to see other things I would not have experienced had I stuck to the trail. 

So with disappointed hopes, I bed down for the night under a roof instead of a tent, after a hot shower, with a television on, ice on the knee, and dream about making new plans. 

I also apologize to everyone following my progress... Very little of it was made, indeed. But keep tuning in as I post about other adventures in New Zealand. Thanks to all of you for your support and belief in me. Not a soul ever told me they didn't think I could do it. That belief allowed me to dream so big and believe in my own abilities. The confidence you all have in me is appreciated. I hope no one will think it was misplaced.  

Day 2 - Twilight Beach to The Bluff

Today was the first whole day of trekking.  Started off with a beautiful morning. 

I had a lovely view and unlike my prediction the night before, my body felt pretty good. There were some sore spots and I did a good bit of stretching before I took off. 

I had to go over Scott's Point. Tons of ups and downs. It was overwhelming to see a hill ahead of me after I had just topped one. (And we won't even get into the terrible lack of posts to tell you which trail was the right one.) But I told myself to focus on the hill at hand. One thing at a time, the next hills would be reached in their own due time. I finally got to the epic stairs that take you down to 90 Mile Beach (only 55 miles though). 

So I trucked along, shifting the pack constantly for some relief. Of course aches and pains are to be expected. I stopped at Te Paki Stream, refilled some water, strolled down the stream to the ocean to cool my feet and take a break. I was feeling pretty good! Right after I crossed Butler Stream a bus pulled up... It was the tour guide from yesterday! He gave me a cold bottle of water and let me dump my rubbish. He told me if he worked the next day he would stop again and if he wasn't there he would tell the others to be on the lookout for me. Super nice!!! 

The bottle became a lifesaver. At the time I didn't want to put my pack down and stuff the bottle in, so I stuck it between my waist belt and tummy. Low and behold, the weight was redistributed on my back. My shoulders were no longer bearing all the weight; some had moved to my hips. 

What a discovery! But after all that great stuff came the bad. Around 2pm my right knee started to hurt. Not the ache of load-bearing and walking, but the sharp pain that ended my running in the military. I carried on of course - what else is there to do? Around 6 I finally made it to the campsite at The Bluff. And by made it, I mean I was hobbling. My feet hurt terribly of course - that sand is exactly like walking on concrete just like they said. That on its own is bearable. I have walked further in a day and have had more blisters than the measly 3 honkin' big ones I have now. But that in addition to a knee that hurts with every bend? I had tears in my eyes when I finally threw my pack down to set up camp. 

Now I lay here and realize that although I made it to paradise, I might not get to enjoy it the way I planned. When I planned this endeavor, I thought, "what if I don't like it? Find out I hate walking/hiking that way?" Turns out, I love it. I appreciate being in the moment, each one lived in its own turn. I can apply things I have told myself walking the last 2 days to my life. I have talked candidly with God. Imagine what more lessons are to be learned along the way? I don't mind the heavy pack... Ok, that's a lie. I mind it, of course. It's heavy. But it's not unmanageable. 

But never once in my planning did I consider - what if I can't do it? Not from lack of desire or stamina, lack of determination, etc. but because my body simply wouldn't hold up. I have hiked further in a day before but never with such a pack or such terrain. My knees have always ached after a weekend hiking trip, but nothing a little rest, ice and Mobic couldn't fix. Now I see that perhaps my knees are a bigger issue than I cared to admit. It's only day 2 and one knee is excruciatingly painful unless absolute straight or bent to my chest. And when favoring one knee, the other will soon follow. 

I felt led by God to come here. It felt absolutely right. But it would seem my journey in this form will be cut short. I know this knee pain won't get better. I tried that before. I will have no choice but to quit after I have barely begun, unless there is a miracle. 

Day 1 - Cape Reinga to Twilight Beach

Short day, starting off at the Cape around noon. Had a great tour guide on the way. He is doing the trail himself in sections so he gave me tips and even taught me how to catch tuatua (a mollusk of some kind) and eat them. Pretty tasty. Saves me some cooking! 

Anyway, it was a short day of walking but it sure felt long. My shoulders ached and I got pretty good at balancing my bag on the sign posts to give them a break. Other times, I just plopped myself down in the middle of the trail to rest and lean on the heavy pack. I won't lie - I felt very out of shape. But I kept telling myself I can only get stronger from here. (And unlike rucking in the Army, I can stop and rest when I please.) I know I am not on a timeline so I took as many breaks as I needed. This pack has a great set up except it is heavy and the straps are too wide and not made to contour around lady bumps. But my body will get stronger and in a few weeks I hope it won't be any issue. 

I set up camp early. The guide thought I could make it at least to Scott's Point, but I know not to push too hard at the start. So I stopped at the campsite on Twilight Beach. I am glad I gave myself the extra time, just to see how long my evening routine will take. I successfully made a fire (my biggest worry) for my dinner, some New Zealand kind of Ramen. But I learned some lessons about how to do my routine better. Made some mistakes. But hey, the Army taught me how to do an AAR, so I sat down and evaluated my day. Tomorrow my routine will be better. 

Now I am cozy in my sleeping bag (actually need one here unlike Texas), listening to the waves of the Tasman Sea crashing on the shore below, with the sun finally starting to go down. I hope to be asleep soon and praying to God that my body doesn't betray me tomorrow... Which I am sure it will. But, all I have to do is put one foot in front of the other. The journey of a thousand miles (or about 1,800 miles in this case) begins with a single step...

Planning in Paihia

Well, no longer a trekking blog exactly... But I will keep posting about plans and events and review some of my gear along the way. 

Laid in bed for quite awhile, watched the news. I just didn't want to get up and go. I took my time. Finally got up and hobbled around. After resting for so long my feet could hardly bear my weight and my right knee was feeling better but was in much better shape if I kept movement to a minimum. 

I spent a couple hours on the hotel computer picking things in New Zealand I wanted to see and do. It was like starting from scratch. 

After a bit I needed to do something. I had to enjoy Paihia. The tour guide had mentioned that the start of New Zealand was in Waitangi. So I headed out. Grabbed some chicken saag at an Indian joint along the way. I embarked on the 20 minute walk to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. (For me it ended up being more like a 30-35 minute walk.) 

It was worth the trip, knee or no. It was the place where the Maori chiefs and British signed a treaty that basically began New Zealand in 1840. Look it up! They had the actual site marked by their Navy cross, you could explore the house where the treaty was drafted. A huge, world record setting Maori war canoe was on display with the stump of the gigantic Kauri tree that the bow and stern were made from. There was also a meeting house with an awesome Maori cultural performance. They did a welcome ceremony, performed some traditional song and dance things. Lots of big eyes, foot stomping, mad gesturing, yelling, and sticking out tongues. An awesome experience! 

Then I took another nice slooooow walk back to Paihia. Ate some fish and chips, hopped back on the computer and planned, researched and booked my travel for the next few days. 

Today it's back to Auckland, then to Matamata for camping and Hobbiton, then Rotorua for zorbing and nearby is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing - a day hike with a trip up Mount Doom if I can manage it. From there I will work on planning the next leg of my trip. I will enjoy New Zealand, even if it isn't in the way I planned. It will probably be my last big vacation, as upon my return I will have to be a grown-up again and find a job. 

Off for more adventure. Throwing off those bow lines Mark Twain mentioned once... Living life as it ought to be lived. 

-2 Days

If all goes well I should start walking sometime on the 10th (which is the 9th for those of you in the States). I go to Paihia tomorrow, spend the day and night there, get my food, enjoy one last hot shower, then head on a tour to Cape Reinga the next day. No other way to get there. 

Auckland doesn't feel like a city. The buildings aren't as tall as we expect in U.S. cities. The traffic isn't dense. Everyone waits for the signal to cross the street (must have some strict jay-walking laws or something). There is Asian influence everywhere, which I was surprised by. Where in the U.S. we have Spanish as the most common sub culture, here it is some Asian background.  I wish I knew more to know if it is Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, etc. 

It's been an interesting day so far. Just hanging out, walking around, ate some pho (there is SOOOO much food variety here, it's amazing!) I have to remind myself to not freak out when I see cars that look like they have no driver; they are on the other side. It's that, more than the opposite side of the road, that gets me. Movie tickets here are ridiculously expensive. Enjoy your cinemas stateside folks! As a westernized country speaking English, I was expecting much to be the same as home. But there is as much if a culture shock coming to New Zealand as there would be anywhere. 

Also met another dorm mate today. She is originally from the Czech Republic (my mom's side of the family comes from there) who lives in London now. She has been here for 6 months, working, backpacking, and now getting into acting. It is amazing to me how easily people talk to one another here, a freedom about it. I often keep to myself, but world travelers are so open its hard to resist. 

So far all has been well. I am enjoying the experience but it will be a different ball game when I start walking. It is coming soon enough!

On the Way...

Started this post off sitting in the Fiji airport with one leg of flying left to go. That place was beautiful! Arrived as the sun was coming up... Forested mountains, gorgeous green grass, palm trees, and humidity. I was sticky on the walk from the plane to the terminal. Who knows? Maybe on my way back after this trip I will make a stop in Fiji for longer than 3 hours. It would definitely be worth checking out. 

I have already been blessed again with trail magic and I have not even started walking yet. I met a lovely Samoan lady on my flight from LAX (an absolute nightmare there, by the way) to Fiji. She has 7 children and 16 grand kids, all over the place. She lives alone in Seattle now but is on her way to her son's graduation from seminary in Fiji. (Gee, that was an option for school? A paradise island?) When she found out I was hiking in New Zealand alone she gave me her phone number and she gave me her other son's number. He lives in Auckland, not far from the airport. She said to call him if anything happened while I was in New Zealand or if I just needed a ride or anything. He would understand if I told him his mother sent me (she must do it a lot). After we landed in Fiji we split up. But she said if I ever wanted to go to her homeland Samoa to give her a call and she would come too. She said we could stay with her family so I would have no need for a hotel or food, just the money for the flight. And I genuinely believe Iva meant it! What generosity from a stranger on a plane!

I made it to Auckland finally. My dad was right; they talk funny here. (Jokes!) So I am in a hostel, paying for wifi, chatting with a nice  gal from Dublin, wondering why there are 2 buttons to flush the toilet, and ready to get my bus pass and food tomorrow so I can be on my way shortly. 

I can already feel that this trip is going to change me. And with the kindness I have experienced from multiple people before I have even begun, I suspect that the changes will be for the better.