after traveling here for quite a while, I got familiar with few kiwi social ground "rules". For example, you should always have small - midsize talk with people you make contact with along your day (cashiers, drivers etc.). It's considered rude if you don't. For a proud rush-all-day israeli guy like me it's difficult to adapt to such customs. Good thing I'm friendly :)
one other thing is working hours. All the stores here closes at 5pm. Even restaurants and coffee shops. The big supermarket chains are open until 8pm but that's it! They got so much free time!
now for the news:
after the lake Waikaremoana track, I traveled to Taupo. Taupo is a small city situated by New Zealand's largest lake. Standing on the other side of the lake, snowy Mt. Tongariro provides a picture-like view.
Taupo considered one of the best places in the world for skydiving. As you've already seen, I took the challenge and jumped from an airplane 15000 meters up in the skies (felt like out of space!). The weird thing was, it wasn't even scary. I was the first one to jump. When they told me, I just walked to the door and jumped!
the free fall lasted 1:05 minutes and felt like nothing I've ever experienced. You see the ground getting closer at unbelievable speed!!
when the guide opened the parachute, I got to see the breathtaking view of the lake, huge mountains and green fields by the city.
this ride was totally awesome.
on the next day I had the Tongariro crossing. Ranked as the most intense one day track in NZ, I can now say it's probably one the best scenery as well.
the Tongariro is 2000m high active volcano located on the southern end of the Taupo lake. The weather over there is crazy!! constant 2-8 degrees wind of 40-80 kilometers per hour!! so you have to keep walking almost constantly to keep your body warmth. In fact, it was so cold that speaking or just breathing through your mouth made your teeth start frosting and you sometimes loose the fealing in your palms!
as always, the girls lagged behind with some israeli people we met on the way. So I joined a group of Dutch people, which where very nice. The wind on the peak was so strong everybody had to lay on the ground so the ground so it won't blow us of the cliff!! The views were astonishing! It was a clear day with the most unusual clouds. There were hot colorful sulfur lakes on top of the mountain, snowy peaks, vast craters and brilliant lookouts.
7 hours later I arrived the parking lot on the other side of this huge rock - tired and full of sand and small stones (which were carried by the wind on the peak).
Mt Tongariro
climbing the mountain
sulfur lakes and crazy clouds!
next stop - Napier. A small harbor city on the east coast. This city has charming relaxed atmosphere but nothing much to do for an on budget traveler. It is located in a district called hawkes bay, which is full of vineyards and host some of New Zealand's best wineries. So we visited one of them for tastings - the wines were splendid. :)
on the way south to Wellington we spent three nights at HIT houses (christian families). One was in woodville. A 80 hackers farm of sweet old couple who adopt many bandoned children. They currently have 8 of them - all polite and charming.
the other house was in Paraparaumu. A fancy beach house of very nice couple. They put alot of effort on making us feel at home and it really felt like it.
it's really hard leaving these amazing people when I go on my way.
the farm in woodville
our hosting family in woodville
Wellington is a pretty cool city. We visited their zoo and museum, been to some impressive buildings and nice viewpoints. Then, we took the ferry to the southern island.
Wellington
3.5 hours on the ferry brought us to Picton. It's a tiny harbor town in the northern side of the southern island (sorry for being complicated :) )
we did some hiking to see the famous sounds and I have to say god was very creative when he made this area! great green hills coming out of the ocean, forming narrow path of water (looks like a calm river), beautiful bays and small islands.
hiking is about all you can do in Picton and we didn't like our hosting family, so left to Kaikoura after two nights.
Picton sounds
Kaikoura looks like a scene from lord of the rings. Huge snowy mountains coming down steep slopes to turquoise water bay. In the middle, they built this town.
this bay is the capital of all the marine life in NZ and host many seals, dolphins, whales, albatrosses and special fishes.
we went on seal colonies hike, which was beautiful, though the seals were pretty far.
now it's raining hard so we stay indoors...
photos taken from the front porch of our hosting family house:
tomorrow I'll be leaving to Nelson (back to the northern shore) and hopefully have christmass eve with a christian family.
happy Hanukkah everyone! :)
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