A month ago I followed the Department of Conservation for an entire day in Franz Josef, a small village at the West Coast of New Zealand.
At 7am the team was up and about to check the health of 50 kiwi. Making sure they were strong and hydrated enough for their big release in the wild. After being monitored and raised safely on a crèche-island, without predators, they’re finally big enough to go back to their natural habitat.
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Yes this is an article about a tree, I’m not kidding. But before you judge me, know that it is a special tree. I’ve resisted it for about a year, but I finally gave in..
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Flash back to last week: there I am putting my head in dark holes in the New Zealand bush. My hair is getting stuck in branches, but I am focused on finding dark nests for the kiwi. We are about to release 50 of them back into the wild.
Wait, what??
Picture this: You have a good job that you’ve being doing for a couple of years. You live a happy life and have lovely friends. But something has been nagging in your head for a while. A little devil whispering every day in your ear: “travel, traaaaavel” (imagine this in a creepy voice).
New Zealand is a land with many outdoor possibilities. Mountain biking, skiing, climbing, surfing, hiking, rafting, diving and so much more. When you’re visiting this country, there will always be something you like. And even if you’re not into outdoor activities, the nature is still pretty mind blowing. I call it the perfect destination! One of the outdoor things I like is bouldering.
Have you ever been bouldering? A year and a half ago I had never done it, I had never even heard of it. Bouldering? I didn’t have a single clue what that word meant. Sorry for all the climbing fans out there – I know I sound like a retard.
About a year and a half ago I got (happily) dragged along by my couch surfer hosts in Christchurch. We jumped in the car, drove 1,5 hours and arrived in Flock Hill.
Every day I wake up and think: YES! I have more time to explore and get lost in New Zealand. At the moment I’m in a great-visa-place, as you could read in my last happy blogpost.
But I think it is time to show you WHY I want to be in here and why YOU definitely should come and visit this gorgeous country.
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7.36am, my phone rings. With my sleepy head I try to reach for it. Too late. Someone left a voicemail. Immigration. My heart skips a beat. I’ve only handed in my dossier last Friday, why are they already calling me? It usually takes up to a month to process. Is something wrong?
First: if you like spa and wellness, great! You’re in the right spot, Rotorua is known as a spa town. And of course, it is THE place to be for geothermal activity and geysers.
You would like to see a geyser erupt? Check!
You’d like to see hot steam escaping out of gardens and cracks in the road? Check!
You love the penetrating smell of sulphur in your nostrils? Check!
These are all awesome (and smelly) things to experience, but there is so much more around!
You know how I’ve talked before about how travelling is like a roller coaster. Well, I’m going FULL speed right now, with the hairs wild in the wind.
Why? Because of the threat of deportation. Ok, that’s a bit too dramatic, but I have to face the facts. In a month I have to leave New Zealand. My visa expires, the nightmare of every traveller who doesn’t want to leave yet.
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