Oh, wow. I'm pretty overwhelmed at the task of updating about my 16-day road trip around the South Island. It was an absolutely epic, once-in-a-lifetime adventure that I can barely begin to sum up. I also have two papers due this week that I've barely thought about, so I should get down to work. But, you're more important.
Two BU girls Ashley and Michelle and I flew into Christchurch on Friday morning, September 5. We picked up our rental car (some kind of Mazda; we never quite figured out its make) and hit the city. We didn't do much; had dinner at our new favorite restaurant Winnie Bagoes, and talked about how excited we were!
We had plans to stay with Kirsten, a Canadian-Kiwi who Ashley met in the airport (?!) on her trip to NZ. The girl and Ashley hit it off and Kirsten said if she ever needed a place to stay in Chch to call her up. So, we did.
Kirsten and her roommates live in a farmhouse in Darfield, which is a very rural suburb about a half hour outside Christchurch. Trying to find the house in the dark without knowing we're actually looking for a 1920s farmhouse-- complete with a dilapidated silo and three sheep (!) in the yard-- was quite a task, but we succeeded, and our trip started off with a bang in rural New Zealand.
Since we arrived in the dark, we didn't realize Kirsten's Canterbury Plains residence had an epic view of the Southern Alps-- our first glimpse of those beauts was in the morning.
First round of photos
From Darfield the next morning, we hit Route 1 and traveled south all the way to Dunedin, home of The Speight's Brewery, Cadbury Chocolates NZ, and the University of Otago. Read: college-girls' PARADISE. Though I didn't find Dunedin to be an especially aesthetically pleasing city, it was tons of fun and had a great atmosphere. Loved it! If I didn't have such a fantastic internship here in Auckland, I think I would have liked to study at Otago. Oh, well. Next time.
Pictures from Dunedin
From Dunedin, we went to the Otago Peninsula for some prime beach-wildlife viewing in the rain. We saw sea lions just lounging on the beach! So cool. They're massive, docile creatures and it was lovely sharing the beach with them. Though we trudged up a dune to the penguin hide, we didn't see any penguins, but that's not surprising, because they're apparently very shy. We did see one albatross (spotted by me!) at the Tairaoa Head Albatross Reserve, which was cool. Huge birds! It was raining while in Otago, though, so that put a little dampness-- I mean, damper on our day. We survived, though.
From Otago, we drove through the Catlins, but it was still raining heavily, so we pretty much viewed the beach scenery from the car. Visited Porpoise Bay but saw neither porpoises nor dolphins. Sigh.
See some photos here.
Then we caught the ferry to Stewart Island, the small island just south of New Zealand's South Island. It's the furthest point south you can go before Antarctica! (When Michelle told her dad that, he then went ahead and told all his friends that his daughter was traveling to Antarctica... No, Mr. R, but close. So close.)
The Foveaux Strait is one of the top three choppiest straits in the world, a crew member told my friends, as I was vomiting into a small paper bag she handed me. I have never been seasick in my entire life. I am a sailor, for chrissakes! It was ridiculous. Having not had a very difficult life thus far, I think seasickness is absolutely the worst feeling in the world. So gross. So, that was fun.
When the hour-long eternity of a ferry ride finally let us off, Stewart Island was a grey little bubble of cold rain. And it stayed that way as long as we were there. To exacerbate the situation, we had to walk outside our bedroom to get not only to the kitchen and lounge, but also to the toilet and showers. Ugh. I was damp and cold for our entire two-day sojourn to Stewart, and nauseous for a good part of it.
We hiked for a day on the island, though, which was great, despite the unrelenting rain. A nice man gave us a ride to the trail (four kilometres away from our hostel) in his utility van that morning (good idea, taking rides from strangers, I know), but unfortunately, after our 6k hike, we had to trek back to the hostel. In the rain. Seriously damp and cold. But worth it, for sure. Helped the nausea pass.
Soggy photos.
After Stewart Island, we began driving up the West Coast toward Queenstown via the Fiordland. Seriously, of all the magnificent natural beauty I saw over these two weeks, the Fiordland took the cake. Mountains and lakes are just so freakin' pretty. As much as I love salt air and crashing waves, I'm a mountain girl at heart.
Pictures that can't possibly do it justice can be seen here.
Queenstown is the adventure capital of the world, so that was fun. It's a mountain town and a tourist haven, offering absolutely any adrenalin rush one can imagine. My friends bungy jumped from a height of 50 metres; I took photos. It's just not my thing. We did have a great hike, though, and we rode horses in Glenorchy, a town just outside of Queenstown, where lots of scenes from Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia were filmed! So cool.
I also finally bought Canterbury sheepskin boots; they're the new loves of my life. I really wanted to buy yarn, but of the two yarn stores in Queenstown, the one that was open didn't have what I'm looking for (anything chunky). For a country with such a preposterous number of sheep (45 million), there is a really disappointing yarn selection.
Photos from Queenstown and a few surrounding tiny towns
After a long stint in Queenstown, we headed back to the land without radio reception and skied Treble Cone, a resort in Wanaka. Skiing in New Zealand is so different from any North American skiing I've done! There are no native tress that grow mountainside here, so trails aren't defined that way. I suppose I've never really given thought to how necessary it is to have my trails defined, but Michelle and I definitely had to sidestep up a few slopes we realized were unskiable just a little too late. Also, it's spring here, so the snow was so slushy and heavy-- I definitely felt it in my legs for the next few days! Such an incredible experience; definitely a highlight of the entire trip.
See some nerdy pictures of me in my ski helmet here.
From Wanaka we headed along the coast to a small town called Okarito, which has a permanent population of 30. All of my classes in Auckland are bigger than that. Keri Hulme, author of The Bone People, is a resident! Ash and Michelle wouldn't let me knock on her door, though. Fair enough. Okarito was very relaxing and we had a nice kayak paddle in a lagoon of the wild Tasman Sea; that was another trip highlight.
From Okarito, we went to Punakaiki, a beach town famous for the Pancake Rocks and blowholes. The Pancake Rocks are huge limestone boulders getting eroded by the waves of the Tasman Sea... and are eroding into layers. Science doesn't know exactly why-- there are many theories, all of which sound probable enough to me-- but it sure does look cool. The blowholes happen when high tide waves crash into crevices formed by erosion, causing huge mists of water to blow out. Since we visited on a sunny day, we saw tons of rainbows!
Though it's not confirmed, I think Punakaiki is Te Reo (the Maori language) for pancakes. "Kai" means "food," so it could be... I hope it is. That would please me very much.
We changed our itinerary last minute to incorporate a visit to the Hanmer Springs thermal pools, some natural sulfurous hot pools. Though we stank of boiled eggs for a few hours, it was a fantastic decision.
Final round of photos.
We ended full-circle with dinner at Winnie Bagoes. We were very exhausted and fairly poor. I've been up since 4:30 this morning, to catch my 7 am flight out of Chch. Though I'm overwhelmed with work, I'm kind of glad to be back in Auckland. Kind of.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Bikram yoga is not okay.
I just came from the Tuesday Challenge! astanga yoga class at the Loft, and it was fanastic. I love yoga so much. It just makes me feel so much better about myself.
Also, the Loft follows all sessions with delicious, hearty, eat-til-you're-uncomfortable soulfood. So. Good.
I haven't been to the Loft in a week because last week, I decided to give eastwest Bikram Yoga a try. BIG MISTAKE. Bikram yoga is seriously, like, the exact opposite of what I want out of my yoga class. For those who don't know, the idea behind Bikram yoga is that the heat in the room is turned up to 105 degrees so you don't have to "work as hard," but you still like, burn as much... whatever it is you "burn." Or something.
WHATEVER.
I go to yoga to help focus my mind, body and soul. I like to surround myself with nice, down-to-earth people who know their own limits. I do not wish to be YELLED AT by a fake-looking yuppie who's sweating all over the sticky, 100-degree floor in the trendy, newly built, expensive-looking, faux-Eastern yoga studio. And he was yelling the entire time. Moreover, he was telling us to "PUSH! LOCK YOUR KNEES! IF YOU'RE NOT HURTING, YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!!!!!" It was unpleasant.
I got two classes for $10 (the price of classes individually), though I'm fairly certain I'm not (read: most definitely not) going again. I left that yoga class more stressed than I was when I walked in. And excessively sweaty.
Most unfortunately, though, the studio is on my way home from work, and I saw the fake-looking yelling man while I was walking home the other day, and he asked me when I was coming in again. I sort of laughed and murmured something while shaking my head, but I think he took that as a "oh, soon, right." Whatever. I hope I don't run into him again.
Anyway, tonight's yoga class was perfect, and then delicious, and I feel good. Huzzah!
We leave Friday for the South Island. SO STOKED!!!
Also, the Loft follows all sessions with delicious, hearty, eat-til-you're-uncomfortable soulfood. So. Good.
I haven't been to the Loft in a week because last week, I decided to give eastwest Bikram Yoga a try. BIG MISTAKE. Bikram yoga is seriously, like, the exact opposite of what I want out of my yoga class. For those who don't know, the idea behind Bikram yoga is that the heat in the room is turned up to 105 degrees so you don't have to "work as hard," but you still like, burn as much... whatever it is you "burn." Or something.
WHATEVER.
I go to yoga to help focus my mind, body and soul. I like to surround myself with nice, down-to-earth people who know their own limits. I do not wish to be YELLED AT by a fake-looking yuppie who's sweating all over the sticky, 100-degree floor in the trendy, newly built, expensive-looking, faux-Eastern yoga studio. And he was yelling the entire time. Moreover, he was telling us to "PUSH! LOCK YOUR KNEES! IF YOU'RE NOT HURTING, YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!!!!!" It was unpleasant.
I got two classes for $10 (the price of classes individually), though I'm fairly certain I'm not (read: most definitely not) going again. I left that yoga class more stressed than I was when I walked in. And excessively sweaty.
Most unfortunately, though, the studio is on my way home from work, and I saw the fake-looking yelling man while I was walking home the other day, and he asked me when I was coming in again. I sort of laughed and murmured something while shaking my head, but I think he took that as a "oh, soon, right." Whatever. I hope I don't run into him again.
Anyway, tonight's yoga class was perfect, and then delicious, and I feel good. Huzzah!
We leave Friday for the South Island. SO STOKED!!!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Aaand this is why I love this industry.
So, yesterday, I interviewed two members of the Kiwi band Crashpolitic and after a very successful discussion, if I may say so myself, they added me + 1 to the guest list of their CD release party.
I had kind of already decided to go, but I thought I maybe should check with my boss (the editor of Rip It Up) to make sure it's not like, journalistically unethical to take free beer from a band before I publish a story about them. (You know, memories of all that delicious free beer could affect the bias of my story.)
He said, "Yeah, that's totally cool."
And then DJ Sir-Vere, who works for Satellite Media's other publication Back2Basics when he's not dropping rhymes, said, "Yeah, actually, if you get really drunk and spew all over everyone, it gives the magazine a badass reputation."
I had kind of already decided to go, but I thought I maybe should check with my boss (the editor of Rip It Up) to make sure it's not like, journalistically unethical to take free beer from a band before I publish a story about them. (You know, memories of all that delicious free beer could affect the bias of my story.)
He said, "Yeah, that's totally cool."
And then DJ Sir-Vere, who works for Satellite Media's other publication Back2Basics when he's not dropping rhymes, said, "Yeah, actually, if you get really drunk and spew all over everyone, it gives the magazine a badass reputation."
Monday, August 25, 2008
Muffins: Successful
Huzzah, I just produced six banana muffins and five banana nut muffins, from scratch! And they cooked thoroughly in the tiny, weird oven in UniLodge!
The last time I baked with the UniLodge oven, I made oatmeal raisin cookies. The oven is half-sized, so the cookie sheet I had didn't fit, so I fashioned cookie sheets out of tinfoil. Therefore, I could only bake nine cookies at a time, and the heat wasn't conducting properly through the tinfoil, so each batch took about 20 minutes instead of the usual 9-11. I was afraid the cookie sheets weren't the only reason each batch took so long; I thought it might have something to do with the tiny, weird oven, too. But the muffins cooked up evenly, 20 minutes a batch, just like they're supposed to. Hooray! (For some reason, the muffin tin was already in my apartment when I moved in, which is why I decided to make muffins in the first place.)
I was mixing my dry and wet ingredients while this older guy was cooking dinner in the communal kitchen. He watched me for a while and then said, condescendingly, "Hm, muffins, how domestic."
I really, really enjoy baking. Whatever, it's "domestic." Who the frig cares. I can be a strong, independent woman of the 21st century and enjoy baking for no particular reason. I wish people wouldn't give me a hard time for baking. (Everyone who walked by the kitchen while I was making the cookies had some two cents to throw at me.) You like eating muffins, don't you? Do you think muffins spontaneously generate? No. Someone has to bake them. So lay off.
Then, Paul the UniLodge maintenance man (probably my favorite person I've met in Auckland so far) came in and said, "Wow, muffins! Is the oven working?"
And I said, "Um, I don't know? I didn't think to make sure?" I had turned it on to preheat, so I opened it and felt for heat.
It wasn't hot.
I had a pot (because I have no mixing bowls) of muffin batter, and a cold oven.
So, Paul the maintenance man began fiddling with the oven dial while I looked behind it to make sure it was plugged in. It was, but the switch that gives power through the outlet was switched off. So, I switched it on, and the little red light turned on. So, crisis averted, but it was almost really bad.
Anyway, Paul was still fiddling with the dial, the knob of which does not stay on, no matter what. He didn't know what condition the oven was in-- he never uses it, I guess-- but now he does (read: poor), and he said he'll let the front desk know that they should replace it. Yay Paul!!
Anyway, I put the muffins in the freezer so I can bring them on my spring break road trip. Yum!
The last time I baked with the UniLodge oven, I made oatmeal raisin cookies. The oven is half-sized, so the cookie sheet I had didn't fit, so I fashioned cookie sheets out of tinfoil. Therefore, I could only bake nine cookies at a time, and the heat wasn't conducting properly through the tinfoil, so each batch took about 20 minutes instead of the usual 9-11. I was afraid the cookie sheets weren't the only reason each batch took so long; I thought it might have something to do with the tiny, weird oven, too. But the muffins cooked up evenly, 20 minutes a batch, just like they're supposed to. Hooray! (For some reason, the muffin tin was already in my apartment when I moved in, which is why I decided to make muffins in the first place.)
I was mixing my dry and wet ingredients while this older guy was cooking dinner in the communal kitchen. He watched me for a while and then said, condescendingly, "Hm, muffins, how domestic."
I really, really enjoy baking. Whatever, it's "domestic." Who the frig cares. I can be a strong, independent woman of the 21st century and enjoy baking for no particular reason. I wish people wouldn't give me a hard time for baking. (Everyone who walked by the kitchen while I was making the cookies had some two cents to throw at me.) You like eating muffins, don't you? Do you think muffins spontaneously generate? No. Someone has to bake them. So lay off.
Then, Paul the UniLodge maintenance man (probably my favorite person I've met in Auckland so far) came in and said, "Wow, muffins! Is the oven working?"
And I said, "Um, I don't know? I didn't think to make sure?" I had turned it on to preheat, so I opened it and felt for heat.
It wasn't hot.
I had a pot (because I have no mixing bowls) of muffin batter, and a cold oven.
So, Paul the maintenance man began fiddling with the oven dial while I looked behind it to make sure it was plugged in. It was, but the switch that gives power through the outlet was switched off. So, I switched it on, and the little red light turned on. So, crisis averted, but it was almost really bad.
Anyway, Paul was still fiddling with the dial, the knob of which does not stay on, no matter what. He didn't know what condition the oven was in-- he never uses it, I guess-- but now he does (read: poor), and he said he'll let the front desk know that they should replace it. Yay Paul!!
Anyway, I put the muffins in the freezer so I can bring them on my spring break road trip. Yum!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Also, I made banana pancakes. Big on banana-flavored things today.
So, I wish I had anything of merit to post, but I don't. I'm sorry. I thought being abroad would be exciting moment after exciting moment, but really. All I do is go to work and class.
Yesterday we did go to the Otara Marketplace, though, which was kind of exciting. It was a large parking lot-like area of little tents selling oddities and produce. Most booths sold ridiculous knock-off designer wear (Leva's jeans, anyone?), "Polynesian souveniers," Maori pride shirts, things with marijuana leaves in their decoration, produce and carnival food.
There were some beautiful arts booths, though, and I bought myself a black leather belt that the nice Polynesian fellow cut and sized for me right there! I also bought a little gift for an undisclosed recipient. I also bought potatoes.
Yesterday afternoon, UniLodge hosted us for a barbecue. Even though I had little desire for barbecue food, I definitely want dinner on UniLodge, as this building absolutely nickels and dimes me in every regard. We started the evening with a New Zealand trivia contest, and the one Maori boy in my group and knowledge learned from my Aotearoa New Zealand class helped propel us to the top! We kicked ass. Though in the end, every participant won a package of questionably delicious banoffee-flavored cookies.
The food they served, too, was not what I was expecting: sausage, potato salad, cole slaw, and, inexplicably, buttered bread. I also tried L&P for the first time, which was an interesting experience that I mostly enjoyed.
Today a BU girl and I were going to go to the Erotica Lifestyles Expo (seriously), until I found out it's $25 (or $45 together if we told them we're a couple), which is really just too much to spend on something I'm mildly ashamed to admit I'm actually interested in. (All interest stemming from this preceding event, of course.) Anyway, I wanted to be back in time for KrishnaFest at The Loft anyway... I'm feeling a little spiritually lacking. Then I'm going to bake some banana muffins in the silly little UniLodge oven.
This is my life, seriously.
Oh. I'm interviewing Crashpolitic on Tuesday, for Rip It Up's Ones2Watch section. That's cool, I guess.
Yesterday we did go to the Otara Marketplace, though, which was kind of exciting. It was a large parking lot-like area of little tents selling oddities and produce. Most booths sold ridiculous knock-off designer wear (Leva's jeans, anyone?), "Polynesian souveniers," Maori pride shirts, things with marijuana leaves in their decoration, produce and carnival food.
There were some beautiful arts booths, though, and I bought myself a black leather belt that the nice Polynesian fellow cut and sized for me right there! I also bought a little gift for an undisclosed recipient. I also bought potatoes.
Yesterday afternoon, UniLodge hosted us for a barbecue. Even though I had little desire for barbecue food, I definitely want dinner on UniLodge, as this building absolutely nickels and dimes me in every regard. We started the evening with a New Zealand trivia contest, and the one Maori boy in my group and knowledge learned from my Aotearoa New Zealand class helped propel us to the top! We kicked ass. Though in the end, every participant won a package of questionably delicious banoffee-flavored cookies.
The food they served, too, was not what I was expecting: sausage, potato salad, cole slaw, and, inexplicably, buttered bread. I also tried L&P for the first time, which was an interesting experience that I mostly enjoyed.
Today a BU girl and I were going to go to the Erotica Lifestyles Expo (seriously), until I found out it's $25 (or $45 together if we told them we're a couple), which is really just too much to spend on something I'm mildly ashamed to admit I'm actually interested in. (All interest stemming from this preceding event, of course.) Anyway, I wanted to be back in time for KrishnaFest at The Loft anyway... I'm feeling a little spiritually lacking. Then I'm going to bake some banana muffins in the silly little UniLodge oven.
This is my life, seriously.
Oh. I'm interviewing Crashpolitic on Tuesday, for Rip It Up's Ones2Watch section. That's cool, I guess.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Yeah Monday!
Yesterday was just all-around fantastic. I woke up late (10 am), not because I necessarily needed to, but because I could. It was raining when I woke up, but after only a few minutes, the sky blued up and I opened my window and the beautiful day shone in. I was energized and in an all-around good mood... one of those mornings, you know?
I checked class times at The Loft and planned on going to yoga, so that jazzed me for the rest of the day.
I had the lecture for my Magazine Journalism class at noon. Each lecture is by a different guest, so they're always interesting. Yesterday's was by Suzanne McFadden, a prolific NZ profile and feature writer who had lots of wisdom and experience to pass on.
Then I was back in my apartment to knit and Skype my family, a good way to spend an afternoon.
I had class again at four, which was boring (New Zealand Political Studies), but I have friends in the class so it wasn't so bad.
I headed back to UniLodge and Kevin was in the lobby to give back our Maori tests... I got an A-! Seeing as though I had C-range hopes, that was pleasing.
I left for yoga shortly thereafter, and the class was faaantaaaastic. For $14, I got a 75-minute hatha yoga class, plus all-I-could-eat vegetarian dinner and dessert. Plus, new friends. Definitely going to make that part of my regular routine.
Afterwards, I talked with Michelle and Ashley about our Spring Break plans. I'm glad I hitched on with them; Ashley is so organized and we're going to have a much more rewarding itinerary than if I were to try and plan a trip on my own. Excited about THAT. I'll give more details as they're set in stone.
Now I'm at Rip It Up, getting some background on Nathan King in preparation for interviewing him at 2 pm! I have 900 words to play around with once I talk to him. Talk about good for my portfolio...
I finally finished A Short History Of Paradise, which was quite boring. But for some reason, I felt compelled to finish it. I'm going to the library tonight to grab something else to absorb. Having finished the Bilbrough book, I feel relieved and like I have the literary world at my fingertips.
I should figure out a way to get my headphone hair to subside before I meet NZ rock royalty this afternoon. Hmm...
I checked class times at The Loft and planned on going to yoga, so that jazzed me for the rest of the day.
I had the lecture for my Magazine Journalism class at noon. Each lecture is by a different guest, so they're always interesting. Yesterday's was by Suzanne McFadden, a prolific NZ profile and feature writer who had lots of wisdom and experience to pass on.
Then I was back in my apartment to knit and Skype my family, a good way to spend an afternoon.
I had class again at four, which was boring (New Zealand Political Studies), but I have friends in the class so it wasn't so bad.
I headed back to UniLodge and Kevin was in the lobby to give back our Maori tests... I got an A-! Seeing as though I had C-range hopes, that was pleasing.
I left for yoga shortly thereafter, and the class was faaantaaaastic. For $14, I got a 75-minute hatha yoga class, plus all-I-could-eat vegetarian dinner and dessert. Plus, new friends. Definitely going to make that part of my regular routine.
Afterwards, I talked with Michelle and Ashley about our Spring Break plans. I'm glad I hitched on with them; Ashley is so organized and we're going to have a much more rewarding itinerary than if I were to try and plan a trip on my own. Excited about THAT. I'll give more details as they're set in stone.
Now I'm at Rip It Up, getting some background on Nathan King in preparation for interviewing him at 2 pm! I have 900 words to play around with once I talk to him. Talk about good for my portfolio...
I finally finished A Short History Of Paradise, which was quite boring. But for some reason, I felt compelled to finish it. I'm going to the library tonight to grab something else to absorb. Having finished the Bilbrough book, I feel relieved and like I have the literary world at my fingertips.
I should figure out a way to get my headphone hair to subside before I meet NZ rock royalty this afternoon. Hmm...
Sunday, August 17, 2008
What are baby sheep called?
Yesterday Ashley, Kathy, Bonnie, Kathrynn, Jasmine, Ning and I rented a Previa from one of the car hires on Beach Road and I got behind the wheel and we headed north to SHEEPWORLD.
SheepWorld is about a 50 minute drive up Highway 1, and driving really wasn't so bad. After I realized the parking break was on, it was pretty much smooth sailing. We had to rely on New Zealand radio because no one has one of those connect-your-mp3-player devices, but even that wasn't so bad. I'm secretly a huge fan of Chris Brown and the new Weezer song.
We got to SheepWorld about four minutes after the "eel feeding" was scheduled to begin, but it was cancelled anyway so Kathy's disappointment wasn't the fault of my old-lady driving tendencies. I really wish we got to see the eel feeding, though, because I'm so confused. Eels? At SheepWorld? Why? I would really like a little context there.
We asked the old lady who sold us our tickets whether we could have a group rate for the seven of us, and she said that unfortunately, they only do group rates for groups of 10 or more, but she would give us some bags of feed for the animals! Usually you have to pay a buck for that stuff. So, that was cool. We got to feed all the animals on the grounds. It was like a petting zoo-- there were all these farm animals are kind of penned but kind of just hanging out, and they come up in your face and eat out of your hand... it was fun.
After our little self-guided tour of the grounds, we went into the barn for the sheep & dog show, where this Kiwi shepherd Rob showed us how his two dogs help him round up sheep. It was kind of cool... I kind of felt like the dogs were just running around, but I guess that's what they're there for.
Then Rob had an audience volunteer help herd them into different pens (based on a color stripe on their fleece), and Bonnie was that volunteer! She did a pretty good job. I think she might have a career in shepherding.
Then Rob showed us how to shear a sheep, which looks pretty inhumane. The sheep he was shearing had never had a haircut before and was pretty uncomfortable with it, so that was awkward. I understand that sheep get sheared for the own health, so knowing that helped. And the sheep looked quite nice after his haircut. And there was no blood.
After the shearing, all these five-to-ten day old BABY LAMBS came out and we got to bottle-feed them! Sooo cuuuuuute. I called them "baby sheep" and like, four Kiwis called me out on it. I guess in a country where sheep outnumber people four to one, you should know how to call them at any age.
We hit up the gift store after washing our hands (of course), which is really the reason wanted to go to SheepWorld. Yarn.
They actually didn't have a great selection. I was disappointed. I wanted something chunky, but they only had sportweight, and they didn't have many color selections. I made a purchase, though. I mean, you can never have too much yarn. It's still NZ wool. It's actually quite beautiful, in shades of purple.
I considered some Canterbury boots, too, New Zealand's answer to Uggs. They were beeeaaaauuutiful, but $225 NZD. I just couldn't justify it. I might buy them at a later date, though. They're so gorgeous.
After SheepWorld, we headed south, but stopped a few places on the way home just because we could. We stopped at the New Zealand Honey Centre, which was really a nice place and I would like to officially tour it some day. We also stopped at a beautiful beach because I'm in New Zealand and you can just pull off the road at any given place and dip your toes into the Pacific.
In all, it was a beautiful little day trip. We were going to go to the Auckland Zoo today, but it's gross-raining and no one wants to traipse around the zoo in spitting rain. Gag. So... I'll probably clean the bathrooms in my apartment and go to FoodTown. Such is life.
Photos of farm animals for you to enjoy!
SheepWorld is about a 50 minute drive up Highway 1, and driving really wasn't so bad. After I realized the parking break was on, it was pretty much smooth sailing. We had to rely on New Zealand radio because no one has one of those connect-your-mp3-player devices, but even that wasn't so bad. I'm secretly a huge fan of Chris Brown and the new Weezer song.
We got to SheepWorld about four minutes after the "eel feeding" was scheduled to begin, but it was cancelled anyway so Kathy's disappointment wasn't the fault of my old-lady driving tendencies. I really wish we got to see the eel feeding, though, because I'm so confused. Eels? At SheepWorld? Why? I would really like a little context there.
We asked the old lady who sold us our tickets whether we could have a group rate for the seven of us, and she said that unfortunately, they only do group rates for groups of 10 or more, but she would give us some bags of feed for the animals! Usually you have to pay a buck for that stuff. So, that was cool. We got to feed all the animals on the grounds. It was like a petting zoo-- there were all these farm animals are kind of penned but kind of just hanging out, and they come up in your face and eat out of your hand... it was fun.
After our little self-guided tour of the grounds, we went into the barn for the sheep & dog show, where this Kiwi shepherd Rob showed us how his two dogs help him round up sheep. It was kind of cool... I kind of felt like the dogs were just running around, but I guess that's what they're there for.
Then Rob had an audience volunteer help herd them into different pens (based on a color stripe on their fleece), and Bonnie was that volunteer! She did a pretty good job. I think she might have a career in shepherding.
Then Rob showed us how to shear a sheep, which looks pretty inhumane. The sheep he was shearing had never had a haircut before and was pretty uncomfortable with it, so that was awkward. I understand that sheep get sheared for the own health, so knowing that helped. And the sheep looked quite nice after his haircut. And there was no blood.
After the shearing, all these five-to-ten day old BABY LAMBS came out and we got to bottle-feed them! Sooo cuuuuuute. I called them "baby sheep" and like, four Kiwis called me out on it. I guess in a country where sheep outnumber people four to one, you should know how to call them at any age.
We hit up the gift store after washing our hands (of course), which is really the reason wanted to go to SheepWorld. Yarn.
They actually didn't have a great selection. I was disappointed. I wanted something chunky, but they only had sportweight, and they didn't have many color selections. I made a purchase, though. I mean, you can never have too much yarn. It's still NZ wool. It's actually quite beautiful, in shades of purple.
I considered some Canterbury boots, too, New Zealand's answer to Uggs. They were beeeaaaauuutiful, but $225 NZD. I just couldn't justify it. I might buy them at a later date, though. They're so gorgeous.
After SheepWorld, we headed south, but stopped a few places on the way home just because we could. We stopped at the New Zealand Honey Centre, which was really a nice place and I would like to officially tour it some day. We also stopped at a beautiful beach because I'm in New Zealand and you can just pull off the road at any given place and dip your toes into the Pacific.
In all, it was a beautiful little day trip. We were going to go to the Auckland Zoo today, but it's gross-raining and no one wants to traipse around the zoo in spitting rain. Gag. So... I'll probably clean the bathrooms in my apartment and go to FoodTown. Such is life.
Photos of farm animals for you to enjoy!
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