Morere Springs

The air is back to normal, crisp and chilly. It's steadily getting colder every night as fall comes in full force, but I love it. So naturally we took another walk on the beach at Wainui. 

I like this one especially because it looks kind of like an arial view of a landscape, instead of a small rock formation at my feet.

At first I thought it was the same day, but then realized it was the next day...we headed to the hot springs! This venture included (lil) Sarah, Susie and Enrique, Ali, Barb, and Sarah and me. It's about 40 minutes out of town. And we came across this tractor thing on the way!

We had a picnic in the area first. So much good food. We've come across this pumpkin and kumera hummus that's divine.

Now sorry, I didn't take any pictures of the actual springs because there were other people there as well, and that would have been rude, I think. But hot springs are hot springs. There are probably some on Google if you're curious.

After this very hot soak, we went on a little walk in the bush to loop around back to the car. So here are some more tree pictures. Don't worry, I have way more coming. ;) And Sarah is looking glamorous in the green, here.

The path was very well maintained.

On our way back through the winding roads, I noticed with fresh eyes the cut down trees. Before I would have been sad about it, but now (if you've read my other Makihoi post) I know that's normal and even in this rather bad and blurry picture you can see little recently planted trees on the right of the mountain.

Leah

The Cyclone Pam That Wasn't

The I'm not sure how much news coverage cyclone Pam got outside of the South Pacific, but that was all we heard about for four days straight. After everything, it didn't turn out so awful or crazy. We think the newscasters just wanted it to be really dramatic. So I did wake up to crazy torrential rain and wind, but it was cozy inside so we had a rather calm day.

(This is in Celsius because I forgot to change it. 16c is 60f.) oh and about 80 mi winds throughout the course of the storm. The problem was that in pictures though, it doesn't look too bad. Trust me, it was pretty horrible out.

But a rainy day didn't stop Brian, nothing does. So he worked on a bucket of honey. Massive yummy bucket. You'll see what we did with it later below.

In the afternoon we went on an adventure to check on Susie and Enrique's place on the beach, but since they're up high, it wasn't dangerous for them, they just had to take their porch items inside. Mainly the surf was huge and up to the stairs. Allegedly 8 meter swells from the newscasters, but like I said, they tended to be on the dramatic side. It was rough looking, and I'd  estimate maybe 5 meters. (After all I am the expert on measuring waves. Super qualified.) (Brian and Enrique were weirdos for wearing shorts and barefoot.)

Interlude! 

Weird supermarket items: Gizzy is a nickname for Gisborne, and apparently this milk is supposed to be the best.

We confused the hell out of supermarket stockers, when we tried to explain sharp cheese. "I've never heard of this 'sharp' cheese before, you sure that's what it's called?" Eventually we found 'tasty' cheese! Which is sort of the same thing, from what we gathered in the description. They still thought we were awfully weird.

End interlude.

I tried a second new fruit! It's freaking delicious and unlike anything I've tried before: a feijoa! Has a sort of grainy consistency of a pear, but may be related to guava or something.  

Then we went to town and found a funny sign. Yes these toilets actually *were* a bit unsavoury...hehe. But hey they were free.

Okay meanwhile back at 202, Brian finally had the honey warmed up enough (the vat sat in front of the heater for about two days) to jar it! There were enough small jars to fill the laundry basket. It was pretty fun to observe. I helped by taking pictures.

Supposed to be sunny and cool for the next week!

Leah

Makihoi walking about

Woke up to a darker sky...today was threatening rain but mostly just cloudy cloudy. 

Brian wanted to go mill some of the lumber left from his planted forest, so that was our road trip for the day. These trees were planted about 20 years ago, mostly pines, and were recently all cut down and sold. He also had some blackwood logs left, so that's what was going to be milled. This blackwood was going to be used to refloor the kitchen at 202, but after many labyrinth hours consisting of much technical wood related speak, it turns out the wood isn't good enough and will probably be used for firewood or shed flooring. This coming winter the land will be planted again, to be harvested (again) in about 50 years. 

Makihoi is the name of the hill we were on, mostly not in front of the camera, but where we walked and milled.

Sarah and I weren't much help besides moral support, so we took a walk up the hillside while they worked.

Sarah got really adventurous, since she is one prone to taking dares, and decides to hike up to the very top. 

And up. And up. It took me about ten minutes to convince her the trail wasn't really a trail anymore, and we were walking more in a crop of nightshade, than some so called "path" so we turned around here.

Ali drove up from Panui to gather some pinecones for burning, and Barb was looking extra spiffy in her worker clothes while assisting Brian with the milling.

This mill is designed so pretty much one person can use it, if need be. It's very collapsible. Unfortunately the wood itself was the problem today.

With hours to go, Sarah and I went back with Ali to Panui to watch some sheep shearing and have some tea.

Mike and his shearing crew were on full speed trying to get the last few hundred sheep before the rains came, because you can't do it once they're wet. 

For the technique this time, they were shearing it so the fleece came off in all once huge piece, then had other people checking for icky bits stuck to it, before sticking it in the hydraulic press for packaging up. There was some serious sheep wrangling going on.

While inside I saw a weka hopping around the back yard. Flightless bird, and I think it looks sort of similar to the kiwi. Adorable, and then the cat had fun chasing it away.

Then it finally began to rain! Drizzled for hours, then finally in the evening (when we were driving back to Gisborne) it was full on pouring. Hello cyclone Pam, we've heard so much about you.

Wainui day

Here in Gisborne! Lovely sunny warm weather for the time being, but some storms are due soon, from cyclone Pam heading in this direction. Still not sure how much will actually hit the island, but we'll see by tomorrow afternoon. We enjoyed the sunshine today,

Backing up a little, here's our arrival into Auckland, and our Skycouch worked out pretty well. It was nice to see land after crossing the Pacific. So much water.

We had a small layover until we boarded our domestic flight to Gisborne, so we stopped for some tea in the airport while we waited. Right before this we also bought some NZ SIM cards for our phones. I have minimal data and phone and text, but I do actually have it! Good for communicating with everyone here and back home.

At Brian and Barb's I was introduced to the passion fruit. I didn't realize it was actually a thing until now; I thought passion was like food-slang for mixed fruit or something. This is absolutely delicious, despite its odd appearance. You scoop the seeds out with a spoon and eat them. Crunchy!

My little cousin Safi came over in the evening, and this morning she wanted another reading of the book we brought her, There Was a Coyote Who Swollowed a Flea, while we had our tea this morning.

Then Sarah and I went to town to check out the market. Lots of pretty houses and GREEN GROWING things. Like these flowers. No cactus here.

At the market Sarah succumbed to buying an apricot Danish from a bakery stand. (Their bread was also yummy.)

And we saw a nice bunch of "Not so Perfect" roses at the next booth. I don't know how clear the sign is in the pic. But they were cheaper than the perfect bunches. Poor imperfect roses.

After that we visited Susie and Enrique's abode at the beach at Wainui. Stunning view and breeze. Had some tea and snacks.

And then walked up the hill a ways, where it got hotter away from the breeze. 

Now late afternoon, we went with Sarah (other Sarah) to her and Zach's place back near town, and then headed back to home base. Picked up some avocados off the driveway that fell from the tree. Because I've only had them in every single meal so far. (I can live off of these.) One split on landing, so that'll have to be devoured right away.

And I almost forgot, I bought a jar of organic macadamia butter at the market because oh my gods why wouldn't I???

Leaving LAX

Is it just me, or has airport security gotten a bit weird? The last flight I took was only two months ago, but with the different measures in security lines and general airport-ness...it feels like a five year gap. I don't know exactly how to explain it to someone who doesn't constantly travel, just trust me on this. Bad line communication within the officers directing people, and mixed messages. (Take your shoes off. Don't take your shoes off. Why haven't you taken your shoes off yet??)

We have left Phoenix and are in LAX. Because our next flight (to Auckland) is international, they were not able to check our bags all the way through to Gisborne. So we joined the baggage claim clamor to the carousels, waited for our bags to the tune of Centerfold playing softly in the background, and then walked the 15 minutes over to the Bradley International Terminal.

See above for yet again, the same security line kerfuffle. ^ 

Checked-in and with four hours till take off, we decided to eat some money--I mean airport food.

(It was actually not too bad for $15.)

Then we walked another mile through the airport to our gate. I stopped to take a picture of a lonesome Oreo on the ground, because why not. Sarah questioned my weirdness, and now I think I'll have to write a poem about it. Poem to come after the jet lag has worn off. (Or maybe it'll be better while I'm jet lagged.)

After another mile of following signs, we come to a balcony overlooking this:

Terrified for a moment, thinking this some mass holding area for *something* sinister, we figure out it is just a chair holding center. To the right are our more normal looking gate waiting areas.

Now there's another hour till boarding, so I'm going to charge my phone, and prepare for this 13 hour flight across the Pacific. We will have a Skycouch, so there will most likely be a desperate post for that experience. 

My hope is to get a SIM card once in the airport there. If so, you will get regular updates on my travels. If not, you will get infrequent updates on my travels.

-Leah

One Last Thing Before I Go...

Leaving tomorrow on our 22 hour plane hop across the hemisphere. Yesterday night we attended a 2cellos concert at the Mesa Arts Centre. It was incredible! I only wish it was two hours longer. With this last AC/DC, Muse, Michael Jackson, rockin' out evening...it sure felt like an exciting send-off.

And now, I should probably finish up my packing.

Okay okay I'm packing!

Heading to Middle Earth to see some dragons

Hi all! It's been a pretty quiet year, working at my bookstore. I've traveled to many lands in the books I've read, but it's time for some real life travel again. 

Sarah (my grandma) and I are heading to the Southern Hemisphere to the lovely land of Middle Earth, or, New Zealand to non-nerds. We'll be staying with our extended family all around Gisborne, and past that I'm not exactly sure what's in store, but it'll definitely be adventurous. In the next month, there will be lots of pictures, and maybe some words to go along with them if I'm feeling inspired.

But before all the dragon-seeking, we have just under 20 hours of travel (with airplane pillows and sleeping drugs,) possibly an eventual SIM card change, and...packing. We leave Wednesday evening, March 11th, and will arrive in Gisborne on Friday the 13th. 

If you're interested in my upcoming month of journeying, and you want to see more pictures of me eating a lot (like in Europe,) stay tuned my friends.