Ich war hier, die Presse auch

Ein Freund im Nachbarort Hastings, der wie ich auch Couchsurfer ist, hat für mich sehr kurzfristig ein Zeitungsinterview eingefädelt, das sah so aus: Am Mittwochabend kam der Fotograf im Laden
vorbei (Chef gab ok) und knipste mich - mangels Couch - im Einkaufswagen vor einer Tonne aufgestapelter Kartoffelsäcke, mit Kürbis als Kissen (kreative Gemeinschaftsleistung, aber bequem war das nicht, und ohne die Katoffeln wär die Couchpointe völlig dahin gewesen - aber sie wurde im Untertitel dann eh nicht aufgegriffen). Na super. So ein Zirkus. Dachten sich die paar sporadisch eintrudelnden Kunden wahrscheinlich auch. Da soll sich nochmal einer wundern, warum ich Medien skeptisch betrachte. Am Donnerstagmorgen interviewte mich der eigentliche Reporter dann etwa zehn Minuten übers Telefon. Das Ergebnis dieser Arbeitsteilung stand dann am Nachmittag in der Lokalzeitung "Hawke's Bay Today" und parallel allem Anschein nach auch im NZ Herald. Nicht 100% akkurat, aber das kann man alles so stehen lassen. Übersetzung kann ich mir hoffentlich sparen, Foto ist recht drollig.

So. Jetzt ist es also amtlich, ich war hier. Dann kann ich ja mal bald wieder heimkommen.

Bis dahin... tschau!!!

sum-up-flashlight

Where hve I been...

uh, where do I start...

From christchurch 'round almost the complete South Island, Ferry Picton-Wellington and rather straight up to Auckland. All that in one month, with my Sweetheart. For place-name-dropping refer to his post (in German). I won't even try to recall it all here. It was great, amazing, beautiful, intense... And now I'm on my own again. Gave him back at Auckland Airport.

Didn't exactly love Auckland City, but Rangitoto Island was a blast. Insread of the last ferry, I was invited on a private sailboat back to Auckland. Two days later, I
slept over on a marae (Maori meeting house) and helped out in the zero waste policy on the Orakei Domain during Waitangi Day Festival with some sixty other volunteers. (Even met some friends friend Kim again by the main stage - by pure chance in that crowd...) More strange names: Ngati Whatua O Orakei - Kaimahi. Am now part of the Orakei 'family' for a lifetime. Cool, huh?


The very next day, I rolled on to Hawke's Bay by Intercity Coach, and that's where I am now, for the apple season. Got sheltered in a workers' sleepout in a Taradale Orchard (next to Napier), though my friendly host can't offer me work at the moment. Should be looking for jobs, but It looks like I won't hasten it. Just came back from a doctor, because my knee's acquaintance with the volcanic gravel on beautiful Rangitoto Island turned out fouly after a week. But nothing too serious. Just glad I'm not in a jungle or in the 18th century and there are pharmacists around every other corner... brave new world. I'll be alright. Even gonna ride home by bike. So please no worries on my behalf.

Have yourselves a good one, I gotta go. Online time is good money here ;)

cheers!

Frohes Fest / Happy Holidays

To all friends: I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. This very tiny pretty poor-pixeled video is a snap from the Christmas Market in New Brighton, yesterday at noon. Europeans: look closely at the palm tree and the short skirts of the little girls. It's summer, of course. spot the tinsel scarves and belts if you can. Have yourself a good time, wherever you are.

Hallo Ihr Freunde all', ich wünsch Euch frohe Weihnachten und ein gesegnetes neues Jahr. Obiges Mini-Video ist ein Schnappschuß vom Adventssingen auf dem Weihnachts-Flohmarkt in New Brighton. Wer genau hinsieht, wird zumindest die Palme und die sommerlichen Röckchen der kleinen Mädels erkennen. Die "Schals" etc sind in Wirklichkeit grüne und rote Lametta-Girlanden.

Für die Kölner noch folgendes Special:
Nä nä Marie, is dat nit schön...
mal andersrum. Down under eben.


Domspitzen (das war in Melbourne auf der Abstell-Etage eines Shoppingtempels).

Get Pissed With the Possum Posse

Mates, I just had my initiation. Now I'm a member of the clan. What was planned to be a fine dining experience tonight ended up with some of those party animals getting me pissed so as to take on the gang flavour. Well, yeah, it wasn't actually that bad, but it came a bit unexpected and even uncalled for. Maybe it's their way to say "thank you" or "welcome", but it wasn't really good style to do it over my head.

How will it feel to be one of them? I used to be good friends with the watchdogs. Tomorrow these are going to sense the difference and hate me. I can't take that. I feel reasonably honored, but I think I'll have to decline. There's a life I have to lead, and for now I cannot spend it on the wild side. I'll have to remove the traces of this night.

So I'm gonna go to the shower now and grab the shampoo.

...Guys, if you feed a pack of possums under a tree, watch out for the ones above you.




They won't give you a warning when they urinate.
That's my knee after the assault. But the main part went down on head and shoulders, and on the screen of my camera.

...Have a good one! And wear hats ;)

Itinerary Vol 1

In response to a Canadian friend's mailed question, what I'll be doing this summer and where, I just happened to finish my itinerary.
Okay, Australia I'm coming... Here's the plan:

This year, it's going to be Australia and New Zealand; I've got these two Working Holiday Maker Visa. How about meeting there? I can stay for a year whith each visa, so I could in theory sum it up to 15 months at most, but the flight ticket l booked limits my stay to 12 months. Anyways, I feel like 10 months is enough.

After a few days stopover in Singapore, I'll start in Melbourne on the 17th of September and acclimatize there for ten weeks or so.
By December 10th, I'll have to have a foot on NewZealandic ground lest my visa with the work-permit go bye-bye.
The rest is variable. The return flight for next year is from Melbourne again, but the date isn't fixed yet because pre-booking only works for 350 days ahead, so it's nominally in May, and I'll change the date for 100 € in April, when I'll know much better . I decided to organize the internal flights or any other ways of transport in situ, with the help of local insiders.

• I want to see platypi and echidnae (definitely. period. Lost mission without. But they are said to be in several places),
• national parks and wild life in general,
  
• some NZ (my boyfriend says it's worth as much travel time as the big AUS),
• some Tasmania (no idea when and where to fit it into a route, so it seems like a complete extra tour, because from Tassie, I cannot find any direct flights to NZ, like the map would have suggested),
• some outback (possibly including Coober Pedy and, once I'm close, the inevitable Uluru, in case I make enough money, some rail miles via Ghan...),
• the Great ocean road later on around May 2008 (QLD rainforest, bush tucker, koalas, coastline til you drop) northwards, as far as I can get, with the southern winter in my back (either hiring or buying a campervan or even hitch-hiking)
  
• ideally flying home out of Cairns in July 2008.
  
  Along my way, I'm interested in any kind of budget and shoestring goodies, work, WWOFing, ride- and flatshares, travelmates, insider tips... hosts of course! I would also like to make it a musical discovery trip. Busking is an option I'd also give a try.
  
  

That's it for now. Welcome to the English section of this blog :)
Your comments are highly welcome! Thanks in advance.

--xoni