Indonesia's Nias, and its star attraction: Sorake Point!

October, 17 - KHH to KL to Medan to Genung Sitoli to Sorake Point.
Thus started the trip to Indo; long overdue for me (about 6 years later than expected) and traveling apart from Caila again. She used her airmiles to fly from Taipei to Singapore to KL, and there we hooked up. You can fly straight to Medan from Taiwan, but we wanted to see Cheryl and Chris in KL and hence the roundabout route.

We spent a night in Medan at a fairly decent hostel and left for Genung Sitoli early the next morning. From the chaotic little airport (for lack of a more accurate description) we caught a 3-hour bumpy ride for about US$40 (regardless of the amount of people in the van) with a local named Abilly, and so paying for a few other locals to get a ride home. At the first sight of Sorake Point I knew it was going to be a holiday made up of surfing and little else. The way it should be. Abilly introduced us to his "friend" Anni, who runs a Losman and we were bundled into the empty room next to a very amicable blonde from Mexico named Ana Scales. The lodgings were basic, but comfortable and affordable at US$5 a day. In retrospect we lucked out by getting dropped at Anni's losman, since its distance from the surf break (appr 5 min walk) makes it a bit less subject to local peddling of wares and trinkets and Ani and his family are all wonderful people. I got my dinged-up surfboard fixed for 5 bucks and Lares (Ani's cousin who speaks great English and does odds and ends around the place) helped Caila rent a MiniMal, which she claims improved her surfing by making things "easier".

5:30am - wake up and eat a banana before heading out to the wave
9:30am - come out of the water for ablutions, fresh fruit muesli and a nap
2:30pm - paddle back out to surf till the sun sets
6:30pm - come out for a beer and some BBQ or curry fish before passing out

We managed to watch SA take back the World Cup with Ani, his family and a SAFA named Leo Erlank one evening. Caila managed to get around to the local village and study some of their offerings. She even went for a quick snorkeling session. We read pages of our books, discussed religion and the advantages of regular yoga with Ana and avoided the boys-who-can't-stop-fiddling-with-their-toys both in and out of the water. But the rest was surfing. Surfing till your arms are spaghetti-like tendrils and it feels like there is a metal rod running between your shoulder blades and your neck. Good, clean, healthy fun.

Lagundri Bay and the island of Nias was heavily struck by the tsunami resulting from an underwater earthquake. More than a thousand people lost their lives and for many their means to make a living was swept away by the rush of slush. Leaving them with the mammoth task of rebuilding without proper means, implements or materials. Rocks are excavated from the sandstone sides of cliffs with tiny chisels or bamboo poles by elderly women. Children dry rice grains in the sun, while UN relief vehicles filled with newly-suited moral missionaries play otherwise-unavailable international radio stations and spread hope against Tuberculosis and poverty. (Check out the LEAP Project link under "The blogs we know" for more info.) Who knows what possibilities await there.

When it came time to leave, after a Sunday spent taking pics with the extended family of the family, we were anxious to get to a hot shower and our admin in Kuala Lumpur. Lares came with us to Genung Sitoli to get money, via the only ATM access to our dwindling account on the island, to cover our expenses (around US$120 for everything over 4 days). Hindsight helps in preparation. As things turned out we had no reason to rush. All flights to Nias were grounded due to weather and we were stuck for the evening, forfeiting our flights to Kuala Lumpur and worrying about our visas in KL. We joined up with Daisuke from Tokyo, who had similar hassles and tried to help each other by sharing the cost of accommodation and transport. After much fussing the three of us were fortunate enough to find Lisa Zebua from Tiara Tours & Travel Service - (0639)323538-7000150; Jl. Diponegoro No. 196, Genung Sitoli, Nias Island - North Sumatera, Indonesia(isa_zebua2005@yahoo.com (personal);niastour_@msn.com (work)), whose wonderfully helpful manner lifted our spirits. She took time out of her personal schedule to call our respective airline agencies and rearrange schedules, give us Internet access and arrange cheap reliable transport from our nearby hotel for the next morning's planned departure. If you're ever going to Nias or for a trip around the Mentawaii's, contact her.


Next came Kuala Lumpur and a much-treasured day spent with C&C, where we walked and talked and laughed and cried and ate and drank and applied for and received visas. It made us well knowing they are well, and working well and well...working. It was with bleary red eyes that I begged the taxi driver to take me the 18km to the domestic terminal to get the surfboards we had stored upon arrival, and back just in time to get everything on the plane before passing out before the first movie.

Immigration, frustration and wedding summation.

Yup, back to the beauty of immigration and application. We have to get visas to come back to Taiwan from Nias. I have to get yet another Canadian Multiple-entry visitor's visa (hopefully the last). We have to start my Canadian Residency Application, complete with DNA tests and clan background and then in December it all start over again as we try and get Piet and Drien over to Canada for the wedding. Maybe even Jannie and Cindy, if they can tear themselves away from the "home loan wolves" knocking at their brand new door (congrats to my little brother and his lovely lady for owning a home before I even know where I am going to look for one). At least we have proper Internet over here in Taiwan...and I can now get onto something more pleasant.

WEDDING/TROUE/CELEBRATION OF LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP/PARTY
Date: 08/08/2008 - August 8th, write it down in your book, paint it on your wall or record it as the ringtone of your cellphone. That will be the day that Princess C and Super P stand in front of each other, and those they love most, and promise to keep doing what it is they are already doing for a long, long time.



Venue: Paul's House in Lund, B.C. (Canada for the uninformed) where we spent most of June and July working on getting the place into shape for a kick-ass, casual and ever-memorable "nuptuals" party. Lund is about a 5-hour journey from Vancouver, including 2 scenic ferry rides and some driving through spectacular coastal areas. There are buses or flights to Powell River (the town before the settlement that is Lund, yup it is in the true boonies) and we and some of the "free labourers" will be doing several trips from Vancouver to Lund (but please note that these trips from Vancouver will be subject to when it is the "free labourers" will be coming to Lund and we won't have complete control over it, so let us know early).
Time: Yes, I guess it is about time we stop renting and take the option to buy. But formally things will start early afternoon and end when the last people (hopefully Caila and I) succumb to our bodies' demand for rest. Most of the attendees will have already arrived and most will be staying at the venue, so unless Sherisse wants to make an even more dramatic entrance than Caila, we shouldn't have any delays.
Dress code: Comfy shoes and comfy clothes don't mean you have to wear rags; the party will be outside in the forest and I think that is the perfect venue for "smart and practical", although I suspect Caila might wear a dress made from flower petals and pixie wishes. No complaints from my side. (Hint: Bring swim gear and towels too.)
Accommodation: We're trying to organise things so that everybody can stay either on the property in tents or in the house, or in nearby rented accommodation. Those with young kids will get first option on the house and rented accommodation and we hope that the "free labourers" and other well-practised parents will occasionally provide the still-adapting parents with some grand goochi-goo-goo relief. This is not a 1-night affair, but rather an opportunity for reunion of old friends, meeting of new friends and coming together of families. We sincerely hope that our guests will stay with us for a few days preceding the 8th and a long time afterwards (by which I mean at least a week or two).
Costs: Apart from the substantial travel costs involved in reaching Lund and the house from their varied corners of the globe, we hope to be able to provide all our guests with basic accommodation, transportation, food and drink for $10 a day(that's Canadian Dollars).
(Note for Kennedy, Sebastian and any other "special needs" friends: We have to cater to the majority here. Although we will try and have vegetarian/meat-rice-and-potatoes options with every meal, there may be times that you will have to make do on your own. For these times we are trying to provide Kennedy with a bow-and-arrow for some humane hunting and Thomas with a little trowel for digging up the last few carrots from the greenhouse.)
Considerations and tips: The coastal temperate forests of B.C. are both magnificent to behold and explore and very finicky about their interaction with us messy humans. Fire is a constant danger during the summer months and can never be far from our minds, especially when it gets a bit later in the evening and we all start swinging from the trees! PLEASE BE EVER-MINDFUL OF OUR ENVIRONMENT! The forests are also filled with animals, who tend to shy away from us boisterous folk, but may become a wee bit jealous of the fun we're having and come look for their drinks and food. Please help us in keeping the area free of open rubbish (especially foods) and don't stray off on your own or without letting someone know where you're going. Along with the animals, the forests do kind of belong to the bugs. Bring adequate insect repellent (mosquito nets may not be necessary, but do help a lot when living in a tent) and prepare yourself for a bite or two every day. And lastly - despite the load of trained doctors, dentists, emergency first responders and retired nurses and pathologists - we highly recommend you bring any and all medicines you or yours may need and err on the side of caution in all your actions and travels around the area. The closest medical facility is 30min away and the very last thing we want is to be adding to the work of the swamped clinic staff.

We look forward to seeing all of you, our FFs, and understand that life may not cross all of our paths on this day. That's what the RSVP form (to be sent out soon) is for...

9 months later we are back in Taiwan...

After a long absence, Internet access is a blessing. We are sitting in an apartment in Long Young Village, Niaosong, Taiwan...again. It is raining. It is hot. It is weird to be back, both in Taiwan and in the place where I first lived when I got here.

It has been an interesting year so far. There were adventures and mis-adventures. There were lonely evenings spent on unfamiliar beaches and crowded mornings spent at all-too-familiar homes. There have been sandflies and flying sands and we have surfed and slept and cooked and cried and laughed and lounged in more places than I can remember right now. But that's the idea of this blog, isn't it. To help us remember those times that otherwise would creep out of our heads and become lost amongst the multitude of memories.

I should start at the end of our New Zealand trip. We spent 2 days in Auckland and managed to sell Hauwie without any hassle. This German boy walked into the Backpacker's Car Market and coughed up the cash - thereby ending our worries and reconfirming the belief that when you keep a positive attitude, good things will come your way. After that it was a farewell-to-NZ-dinner at a nice little Turkish restaurant and the next morning we left the bunch of expatriated people at the backackers behind and I flew off to Hawaii.



Honolulu is a tourist trap with nasty-ass young ladies manning the counters at the few backpacker establishments available. After almost 2 days of sleepless traveling my nerves were frayed and I may have been less than my normal polite self, but I still cannot accept that the threat to call the police on me was justified. I ended up staying at a seedy-looking, but clean and safe, backpackers and went to surf Waikiki Beach the next morning. The waves were small and weak, but even so it was a wonderful feeling being out there in one of the most renowned surf spots in the world. Shortly after I set out for the North Shore and as soon as the 4-lane highway was behind us I could see the appeal that Hawaii holds for tourists. It is clean and the people are filled with a pride that is sadly lacking in other places we have been to. I spent my time on the North Shore surfing, eating, sleeping and making new friends. Most notably among them a fellow SAFA named Gavin Binder - a man filled with love, respect and all manner of good things. We drank a beer or two, braai-ed some meat and discussed like-minded topics. And so the two short days available to me sped by faster than they should have.

From there it was onwards to meet Caila in Canada - again. The time we spent in Canada deserves a page of its own. Between renovations and preparations and expectations and vocations it currently feels like it was as influential a time as our entire tenure in Taiwan - crammed into a very full 2 months.

North North North - The best of NZ I've seen so far.

Breaker Bay, Wellington - A mean-spirited fast-as-fuck breaking-around-an-island-and-reforming-a-peak-over-shallow-boilers wave I surfed with fellow charger Fraser Pease; after first surfing a windy, cold and mucky Lyall Bay for 1,5hours, after 4 hours of sleep in the van in a residential area, after a crazy taxi ride home, after semi-stoned shopping trolley surfing in the road, after club-hopping with friends and strangers, after watching the All Blacks cream the French at WestPac Stadium, after pre-game beers at the Thistle Inn, after pre-bar drinks at the Haddon home, after a late lunch and a lazy morning on the Internet when I should have been surfing Island Bay...

After handing in her final papers and selling as much as our stuff as possible for very little money, Caila and I set out for the North Island of NZ. Our first day took us past Kaikoura, which (by now) we have come to know fairly well. After a long drive from Christchurch to Picton (6hrs) we got to the ferry and boarded, balking at the $200 it took off our credit card. At least you are able to change ferries, depending on availability. And it turned out to be quite a pleasant journey. I convinced the crew to let me back down to the car under the pretense that Caila was cold and came back with blankets and food and a drink or two. And so we settled in directly outside the 2 TV rooms - Caila watching Shrek in the one room and me watching the All Blacks play France in the other room, while holding hands! Once we got off the ferry we drove out to the closest beach we could find (Te Horo Beach, appr. 1 hrs from Wellington) and camped for the night, enjoying some bedtime fireworks.

The next morning we set out for Surf Highway 45 and I ended up surfing on my ace at a break that can only be reached by crossing a farmer's land. We camped within viewing distance of Stent Road's low-tide boulder beach break that evening and woke up to a couple of beans surfing in the wee hours the next day, prompting me to suit up and go out for a solid 3-hour session. Caila was disappointed at my indulgence in a spliff afterwards, but we made up on the way to Murupara via Rotorua. That evening we camped ever so coldly outside the DOC (Department of Conservation) offices where Caila was to start her internship the next day. The aforementioned kicked off on a high note when we got to accompany 2 of the rangers as they released a Kiwi chick back into the wild! That evening we occupied the volunteer house and enjoyed our first hot shower in a while, did some laundry, made a nice fire and promptly fell asleep in front of it.

The next morning I set out on my own for the Mahia Peninsula and then the trip to Wellington to meet up with G&C to watch the All Blacks. The drive from Murupara to Wairoa would have challenged most 4x4s and Hau-we had a rough time of the winding, muddy 100km mountain pass. Took me about 4 hours and I lost 3 wheels just before arriving in civilization again. I also picked up a hitch-hiking lad called Tim, who looked rather dubious as the van swerved across the road at 30km/h, trying desperately to keep traction on 3 flat tyres. Luckily NZ's rural areas have a no-cost-if-they-don't-have-to-be-replaced policy on fixing tyres and I made it to a 3-foot Annihilation Point around 4. Surfed and the made a spiffy camp on the beach - blissful in the silence and solitude that preceded a night of introspection and epiphanies. Despite another swell-lull the next day I camped at the same spot, exploring the peninsula and marveling at the quality of available properties in the area. I did paddle out at Blacks Beach, but mostly to appease my conscience.

The next morning I set out on the 8-hour drive through sleet and storm to Wellington, stopping only to buy a new car radio and oil. I met up with Greg and Cecile at the ferry station in the nick of time and went with to Dan Haddon's home for a hot shower and sleeping out in the van in front of the house. And then, the next day, we went for the Big Night Out, which brings us back to the start of this posting...

Kiwi-surfin' according to Pieter.

First off, go and have a look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagundri_Bay
This is where we should all be, and just to enforce this opinion as fact, I have attached a pic of a friend surfing the wave. GO NEIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Note the attire worn, ease of paddling and swell size needed for it to work.)

OK, NZ surfing.
I have been confined to Christchurch and the occasional trip to Kaikoura (about 3hrs drive north of Christchurch). The best way to get your head around surfing in NZ is to go to www.surf2surf.co.nz .This is where I get my daily surf reports, and guide to spots, from. I also went to the public library and took out a book on NZ surf spots.

From friends and acquaintances I've heard that on the South island:
- Magnet Bay (70km from Christchurch, on the Banks Peninsula) gets good, but found it flat as a lake the day I went there.
- Dunedin gets the best, and most frequent, swell and there are a multitude of spots to choose from. But it is cold and they say the sharks tend to go there (which I don't believe for a second).
- The West Coast (which is a bit less civilized) often gets wild, heavier breaks that the locals describe as "grunty". I take this to mean "moderately dangerous" or in surf terms - solid and heavy. Greymouth and Westport are the two names of towns that have popped up - but I haven't been to either.
- Christchurch itself gets tiny, weak waves that tend to disappoint more than stoke any surfer who has actually stood up on a wave - but it is good for keeping the shoulders loose and staying fit.
- Kaikoura features a place called Mangamanu Point, a right-hand point break with super-easy entry that picks up most South swell and becomes epic when it reaches anything above 4 ft. Also ideal for the grommits (Caila enjoyed a few waves there) and floormats not into dumping beach breaks. (Pics of a small day at the point can be found on our blog). Also, while in Kaikoura, do yourself the favour of going for a dolphin experience, where you get to swim with a huge pod of wild Dusky dolphins. We found it to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I have no idea about things on the North Island, and will only be able to comment on that at a later time.

Generally on the East coast of the South island you want Southerly swells and North - NE winds (warm and offshore). The best time of year for surfing is autumn (now), but winter is close and it will become very, very cold outside of the water. The water temp itself varies between 10 and 13 degrees, which is similar to Cape Town, SA. Tolerable, but you need a decent steamer - booties also help.

From the waves I've surfed so far I would say that a smaller (but buoyant) board will suit the conditions best. I've been getting the final legs out of my 6'6 2001 Birthday pressie - shaped by Anton Butler! She's been snapped clean a few times, but still handles well. Some of the locals ride thick-railed fish, with 4 skegs at the back, and swear by them. If you have a boat (mini-mal or longboard), bring it for those tiny, weak days.

This is the extent of my current knowledge of NZ surfing (well, kind of).

Kaikoura - Surfing in view of snow

Come Friday afternoon (27/04) and the van has been packed (mostly), the board's been waxed and the heart is full of hope - anxiously anticipating waves to be surfed and memories of times long gone to be rekindled. Kaikoura promises crayfish, 3 closely located surf breaks and another escape from the confines of city living. 2 of these promises would be kept this weekend.

After an initial squabble, Caila and I set out in Hau-we up the Eastern coastline. My eagerness caused us to make a silly detour looking at the Northshore-community - which turned out to be little more than a huge cul-de-sac. Next we pulled into Waikuku Beach for a peek at the wind-blown beach break there. "Better waves to be had further on" was the consensus. And from there we travelled on into the night until we got to Kaikoura. We parked near the public recycling bins (always doing our part) and made a quick meal in the drizzle and cold. Then we found a secluded little spot to park for the night and get some sleep. Turns out that we were about 300m from Meatworks (one of the breaks).

Saturday morning and the conditions are miserable. Mild offshore winds didn't do that much to help a peaky beach/reef break that reminded me of 3de Steen in SA. Watched 2 locals paddle out, and at least 5 go searching for something a bit more calm and sheltered, before suiting up and paddling out. Not bad, as far as messy waves go. Been too long since I've had to paddle through a shifting backline, as my sore shoulders would have confirmed, but once you're on the wave it has loads of power and sweet sections. Out of nowhere a surf competition started up and I paddled out as the first 4 boys came paddling in. Tried to warm up next to Caila (who was doing some study work on her laptop - more like lap of luxury if you ask me) and lay watching the comp before dozing off in the horrid conditions. Woke up later and checked out Mangamanu Point, which just so happened to be breaking at 3-5 foot with walls that go on for hundreds of meters and the easiest paddle since Harold's Bay. I surfed until I couldn't raise my arms anymore and then went back to look if our camping spot from the previous night was still available. It was and we made food and had some drinks and spent the night chatting about life, love and why my surfboard cannot stay on the roof of the van.



Sunday we went back to Mangamanu Point and I surfed a solid 2&1/2 hours in dropping swell. Then I (happily/proudly) conceded the board and wet wettie to Caila, who paddled out and stood up on wave (or so she claims, I was busy making hot food and drinks for when she came out). Afterwards we went into town for some money and to find out about swimming with dolphins!

Suffice to say that I could see myself possibly living in and around Kaikoura, surfing daily and spending my free time doing something silly - like work. Caila seems to feel the same, but we've got other internships to finish first.

Considering staying on n NZ for an extra month so PrincessC can do part of the 12 weeks of internship she need to complete. At least we have been offered a position by the DOC to help out with some projects on the North Island, meaning we could live for free!

I am also (once again) impressed with the NZ Immigration department and their helpful, friendly service regarding our request for Visa and Work permit extensions. Good on ya mate!

Christchurch is rainy and miserable and already I am wishing myself back into the waters up the coast. BONG!

Sheep-cows and Southland adventures.

We named our van Hau-we Hong Long. The Taiwan friends will get it. The rest will have to make do with the facts that it is red, has dragons on the seats and it is all good. This was the argument as we gave a decent Irish couple NZ$1600: "Renting a backpacker van will cost around $700 for the time we want it. With some elbow-grease and effort we can make Hau-we a home on wheels (H.O.W.-ie, if you pease) and sell it for almost the same amount we bought it. For all the rest, refer to Alfred E. Neuman's classic quote."

What, me worry? Nope, no worries. None at all. Hau-we performed above and beyond the 20 odd years that have passed beneath it's chassis. We never had a false start, dead battery, oil shortage, brake fluid problem or anything mechanically go wrong. Can't say the same for the bed in the back though. That almost lasted the first night. Almost. Paul would have been shocked at the workmanship of the bed and most likely would have had me sandpapering and hammering and forcing in long screws for days. (Which I ended up doing anyways after we got home. Thanks to Gary for the use of his tools and some helpful hints.)

Caila soon sorted out the order of things food-wise and managed to prepare meals as yummy and nutritious as those at home - if not more so. Loads of veggies and the decadence of garnish and viola! Instant healthy yummy grub from the camping stove. She also kept a journal (kind of) and excelled at navigating our way around the South Island.

I did the driving and continually shouted unheard obscenities at the maniacal drivers that crawl out of New Zealand's back parts. No seriously, one lady overtook me (Hau-we can only do about 95km/h if you wanna keep the fuel low) in the opposite lane - and stayed there while a car coming from the front had to swerve onto the gravel shoulder to aviod the head-on. Bonkers!

For the sake of brevity I will conclude by saying it was a magical trip, with memories that will stay forever and a few new catchphrases to match i.e. exceptional hospitality will evermore be known as a "Dave 'n Fay" (after the friendly folks who invited us into their home while they were gone to use their shower - and sometimes a shower is worth its weight in gold people!)

From the pages of Caila:
Monday, 16 April: Trippin in with Howie, south Chch on scenic route. Dead animals spotted = 32. Darwin Drivers Awards = 1Female. Stopped at Lake Pukaki for night in hayfield under starry cloudy skies.

Tuesday, 17 April: Sick of the Road morning muesli & yoghurt. Morning stroll around the base of mount Cook & other glaciers. Pieter is itchy. Too itchy. Discussed money-makin g schemes amongst talk of future dreams. Lunched in golden glade by sparkly stream & cleansed ourselves in Nature's beauty (went for a dip in Clutha River). Stoner survey and a night on the beach with bangers & spinach. Cloudless starry sky. Spotted a few shooting stars before bed.

Wednesday, 18 April: Searched for surf but only found sandflies and calm seas. Reststop toilet showers as bus pulled up - of course. Survey Day. All handed out!! Back to our beach spot for dinner by fireside.

Thursday, 19 April: Leftovers. Mornig German interrupted my pee, but dolphins brightened our day in the early morning sun. Picked up surveys. Showered & Scrubbed ourselves clean thanks to Fay & Dave behind 27 Haast. Lunched & munched with sandflies and sun. Germans are almost as common as sandflies in this place. Roadside camp beside Lake Wakatipu. Watched the stars rise & played n the cold.

Friday, 20 April: Early morning nukie as the sky exploded in color. Love is life is beautiful. Fiordland visit & small great walk along the lake at Te'Anua. A nap for me. Some honey purchased and sampled! Through Invercargill to the Southeast coast. Dirt road drive & camp at top of cliff - admiring the oceanview along with our sheepish company.

Saturday, 21 April: Morning muflzels. Petrified forest. Spotted a sheepcow - weird!! Dirt road driving again. Nugget Point. No waves at Kaka Point! Drove through Dunedin. Discovered there would be no shagging at Shag Point, but found a nice beachside campsite with precut firewood. Built a fire & skinny-dipped in the big blue. Enjoyed our beans & fire, then crawled in big red for sleepy time.

Sunday, 22 April: Picked up Andy hitchhiker from Huston and drove straight back to Christchburch.

And that's all folks.

Red, with dragons on the seats...

We bought a car today. A backpaker van to be PC. It's red (in a hand-painted way)and has a bed and camping gear in the back and dragon-emblazed seat covers in the front. Thomas would approve. I have wonderful visions of my surfboard travelling in style, on a soft mattrass under some blankets (no more Taiwanese airlines to torture it), as we make our way along the coastlines of New Zealand.

On our way to Copland Track on the West Coast over Easter weekend, we passed some beaches. We stopped at one for a while and I saw some small swell pushing through. I figure that if you could find a reef or a point along the coast somewhere... And if you can't, well, our hike over the long weekend was a stunning way to see how New Zealand is still untouched in some places. With hot springs to boot.

Copland Track on the West Coast (past Fox Glacier) is a 17km tramp. "Tramp" is the NZ word for hiking in the wild for those not in the know. Greg's brother, Craig, organised the adventure and treated us to tramping in style, with a hot meal waiting at the end of a long afternoon's walk. Kudos. But I should start at the start - with the car giving hassles and Greg and Cecile heading out to get it fixed. We stayed at Wildside backpackers and on the morning we were meant to start our hike the car needed new brake pads and Caila, Juliane and myself were left to find a car willing to pick us up and take us to the start of the trail. He he he. Turned out that car would be G&C returning with new pads and a hitchhiker of their own! He was dumped, we were loaded and off we went. We arrived late (12-ish) and set off on the 7-hour walk, with heavy packs and happy hearts. Thinking ourselves semi-superhuman we thought we would do it in less than the stated 7 hours. HA! We arrived at the Welcome Flat Hut exactly 7 hours later, footsore and famished and desperately clinging to the last rays of refracted sunlight. This is where Craig comes in. Soon enough we were relaxing in hot springs with some cocktails and full tummies. Thanks also to Nicola and Monet for that one.

The next day was spent skinny-dipping, rock-lounging, people-dodging and enjoying the calmness of an almost-empty hut - which would soon enough be packed with Easter Weekend Trampers once more. I was happy to rest my knees, which were painfully stiff after the walk. Stupid assualt-ers. Caila spent some time in the stress-recesses of her own mind, and gave me a tour of the area while we were lazing about on the rocks. But the overall mood was one of wonderment and well-being. The Southern Alps are as majestic as they are foreign to me. Snow-capped peaks surrounded by jungle-like forests (or is it forest-like jungles?), with crisp, clear air that does for the nostrils what chocolate does for the tastebuds. Freezing river water that must be the product source of all those nauseating "bottled spring water" blurbs the media throws at us each day. And a sense of peace that you can only find when far from civilization. I was impressed by the decency of the people in the overcrowded hut that evening.

The next day we set out to get back to the car, down the track and away from the nudists lounging in the hot springs. This time the walk took us a mere 5.5 hours and we had a much better time of it. Stopped for lunch and jumped into the river to refresh a bit. Brrrrr! We dropped Juliane off with friends on the way to Christchurch and spent most of the journey back staring out at the countryside through windows reflecting tired, but pleased faces.

NZ Tramping...try it.

36 hours of traveling later

Could it be we're tired of sending out group mails to all the folks who make up the footsteps of our thoughts (they probably are too)? Could it be we want to remember the paths we have walked and the things we have done (and save some paper in the process)?. Could it be a deep-seated, long-nurtured need to be extroverted to the extreme? Who knows? Well, you probably do, since you're reading this.

To save a semblance of being cool and catchy I'll stick to the simplest reason for starting our blog - I CAN!

After arriving in NZ a week or so ago, I have done most of the tasks required of a Non-Immigrant visitor looking for a partner-sponsored work permit under the "Family" Stream. Completed the forms and attached the documents and added the pics to prove we are actually "loving partners in a committed relationship" and sent them the 250m across Cathedral Square by registered post for a mere NZ$10 (= R50)! I have also applied for a few jobs, only to be told that I should wait for my permit to be approved. So, in the meantime, I have gone surfing, twice, travelled to the airport by bus (via the looooong way) to pick up newspapers and see a bit of the city, watched some flicks (Amelie most noteable amongst them), made a little food and ate a lot, gotten too drunk and sobered up too fast and fell asleep in my rugby socks one evening.

We are living with Greg and Cecile, who became engaged the Friday after I arrived (23/03/2007), at 81 Retreat Road, Avonside. It's a sweet little house and I can see why Caila was so grateful for the opportunity of living there. I doubt one could do much better; both location-wise and price-range. In our "House of Engeagments" we share the responsibilities of cooking, cleaning, buying groceries and trying to outdo each other in silent snogging (thin, thin walls).

I wrote somewhere (else) that the guilty disappointment of my ill-fated familial farewell from SA was contrasted by my fiancee's wacky welcome. After living together for more than a year, and then not seeing each other for almost 5 months, it takes some time pushing the straws into their rightful spots in the nest again - especially when it is not your own nest. Ironically I was pre-warned about (and therefore pre-pared for) some head-butting in the beginning, and even though Caila managed not to target my broken bits this time, she DID redo my whole MS Word document (the horror). In pre-emtive reply to said outrage I made her breakfast and accused her of not hanging out her gym clothes (double the horror). But we kissed and made up and the last 15 minutes of typing this has been great...

Many of our "catching up" conversations have involved our ideas for the future. Where to go? What to do? Who to blame for not having any money? Serious reality checks seem to set in around 30 seconds after these chats start, when we recognize the futility and insecurities of "keeping our options open" vs. the "not having real plans". The one thing we both agree on wholeheartedly is that, no matter what we do, time is not going to wait for either of us (stupid time) and we have to therefore accept it and try to act care-free, cool and catchy (it's not so easy, you know).

"ONE DAY AT A TIME." Our communal catchphrase. Learn it. Love it. Live it.

On that note...

Today was a good day...

...to blog.

It's not about being superstitious; or being smart-assed for that matter. Neither is it about productivity or practice. It's about setting your mind to something and doing it. As best you can.

Looking for reasons in all the wrong places again. You see, what actually led to this was the following:

We shared a cab to D.N.A., then danced together at Overtime and then fell in thrall at The Lighthouse. We moved from DingFu Lu to Fujien too and took off to Bali with the Holbrook-crew. She stopped over in Gottingen, while I visited the Vorster-clan in Bloemfontein and then we laughed all the way up the East Coast to Kei Mouth, newly engaged. From there she set sail for Kiwi-land and I followed soon after. So no jokes this April 1st, just new things, people and laughter.