Paihia, you have been a pleasure!

So after being in Paihia for 4 months Rachel and I are now on the move again! Who would have thought after arriving in mid October we would have worked several jobs between us, lived in a hostel and made some great friends along the way! Here are just a few photos and memories of our time in the Bay of Islands!

Waitangi Treaty Grounds

The time Elias and I Cleaned the staff bathroom and mopped the ceiling

 

The time we went camping on Urupukapuka

 

My morning coffee stop

 

 

My commute to work

 

 

 



That time we went parasailing



 

 

The mountain of laundry I had to fold for accommodation

 

 To see ourselves off before we left Paihia, Rachel, Sam and I went on a dolphin sailing cruise! Absolute one of the best days and highly recommended!

 

We went on a boat called the Camino and saw wild dolphins. The pod was about 20 dolphins who were mostly friends rather than family.

 

 

 

 

 It was amazing to see dolphins in their own habitat! They were really playful and enjoyed playing in the waves of the boat!

 

After we went to Robertson Island which is also known as the Island of Love, which was very appropriate as it was Valentines day! Check out the view of the bay form the op of the island

 

 

 

 

We hoped back on the boat and after a BBQ lunch we sailed the afternoon away!

Such a good day followed by quite a crazy night which was followed by a horrendous morning!!!

Thank you Paihia!

 

Ciao for now

Jess

xx

The Festive Season: Kiwi Style

So Christmas and New Year are over for another year and summer is in full swing over here in NZ! It's really busy and so Christmas and New Year passed while I spent most of the time working. Not too bad when you get paid time and half though.

On Christmas eve me and Rachel were approached t work Christmas day at $25 an hour (how could we say no) including a free Christmas dinner. It was a nice as everyone was in high spirits and the work wasn't too hard. Good job considering Rachel was severely hung over. We finished at 4pm and headed over to our friends house where we ate too much and watched movies (just like Christmas at home).

Between then and new year it was all go go go at work and the week passed in the blink of an eye. Before knew it, it was New Years eve. I worked at Swordfish club and at midnight went to watch the fire works with some adopted family. It was very beautiful and a lovely way to bring in the new year.

We're now in to January and work is still busy! No rest for the wicked!

Ciao For Now

Jess

xxx 

The Daily Grind

So it's peak season here and both Rachel and I are working a lot. Some dread their morning commute but I must say mine is the highlight of my day! I usually start work at 9.30 so get up at 8. I stop by El Café (they do the best Burritos IN THE WORLD!) for a cheeky coffee and begin my half hour journey. I get to along the beach which is beautiful..... check it out!

 

 

You can see Māori culture around the Bay of Island as I pass the Marae - Māori meeting house.

These are designed to look like the well know intimidating pose tut Maori warriors used. You might recognise it form the haka performed by the All Blacks.

 

My Second job is over in Russell which used to be called the Hell Hole of the Pacific as it was full of Brothels and Pubs. Now it is a quaint little town that appeals to a lot of tourists. I work at the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club which is 100 Years old this year and is the oldest fishing club in the country. To get there is have to take the ferry which is always a nice bit of down time.

 

That's how my days are at the moment! Not too bad :p hope England is nice and sunny for you too!

 

Ciao For Now

Jess

xxx

30 long hours......

At the weekend I travelled from Paihia which is at the top of the North Island down to the Windy City, Wellington. I left the beautiful Bay of Islands at 130pm on Friday and arrived in Wellington at 630 am on Saturday. After getting off the coach I was met by wind and rain and I was simply not in the mood. There had been some right characters on the overnight bus from Auckland to Wellington and all the seats were taken the whole way because the final of the four nations was on in Wellington on Saturday night. So I had not slept much! Once I had found a strong cup of coffee and eaten  3 slices of bread and peanut butter I was ready to face the day! 

 

I was actually in Wellington for an audition which was super fun and I met some cool people. It felt like I was just back at uni in a new class!

 

After the audition I made my way back to the station and found a McDonald's with free WiFi and a plug point to charge my gadgets. Before I knew it, it was time to get back on the bus and make my way back to Auckland. Back on the bus but it was a much nicer ride this time as I had two seats to myself and could actually fall asleep.

 

Once in Auckland, at 630am, I found another strong cup of coffee and some more free WiFi (as a traveller you get good at spotting free WiFi) and had some breakfast before heading off to another audition. Luckily enough I managed to find the right bus (this is nothing short of a small miracle) and met a girl who was also heading to the audition. Thankfully she knew the way as I'm not sure I would have found it.

 

After the audition it was time to head back to the station and get back on a bus to Paihia. I was away from the Bay for no more than 60 hours and I spent 30 of these on buses. It's safe to say I'm using my feet to get around for the foreseeable future!

 

Ciao for Now!

Jess

xx

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot: Kiwi Style

We are now well and truly settled in to the Kiwi lifestyle in the Bay of Islands and it is now no biggy to walk to town with no shoes on, think you've had a tiring day if you walk further than the shop, or end up on the beach after a night out.

But last night was Bonfire night and in the UK we are made well aware of the dangers of fireworks. At any UK firework event there are countless members of staff in hi-vis jackets and a million and one barriers keeping you away from the fire. NOT HERE! Oh no! We heard some fireworks were going happen down on the beach so we took a stroll down there and there were several groups just setting fireworks off and a couple of bonfires. Not a hi-vis jacket in sight! Even kids were setting the fireworks off and it was no big deal.

It's interesting how health and safety have different in different cultures. No one was hurt here and everyone just had a good time!

 

In other news I've started learning French with DuoLingo. When it rains here there is very little to do so this passes the time. (Rachel's trying to learn Spanish too)

 

We now both have jobs. Rachel works in Russell (she has to get a boat to work) and I work at 35 Degrees south (which is The Waterfront in NZ).

 

We went to play Mini Golf yesterday and it was the hardest mini golf course ever!!!!!!! ( we'll bring the course plans back and enlighten the UK with a tricky course)

 

I'll Keep you posted

 

Ciao for Now

Jess

xx

A day at the Bay of Islands

It's rainy here today and so that is a good reason to write a new blog for you all. We are currently staying in Paihia which is small seaside town that is full of tourists. Most of the people who visit only stay for a few days as there isn't that much to do. Most people go on a dolphin cruise or go skydiving or parasailing. But for us, and all the other 'longtimers', we spend a lot of time just chilling out.

 

A typical day for me starts with getting up (always a good start) at 9 -930am and having a black coffee (saves on buying milk) and a kiwi. Then from 10-12 we clean the hostel and change all the beds that need to be done. (we are working for our accommodation at Bay Adventurer Hostel and Resort which means we are spending very little money!!) Then I'll have some food. Maybe some toast or noodles. After going in the shower I usually go for a walk and find a nice quiet  spot on the beach. I stayed for hours ready and playing Ukulele here the other day.....

 

 

... and I was the only person there.

 

I also  sat here.....

the views are pretty cool!

 

After a few hard hours of doing nothing I'd usually head back to the hostel and cook some dinner. Maybe some pasta or noodles (nodes are good). And then chill out with the guys with a few beers (even Rachel has started drinking beer). If it's a nice evening we'll all sit outside  and chat the night away and if it's a bit cold we'll chill whilst watching a movie. Unfortunately the hostel only has about 30 movies on their hard drive so I've seen Superbad about 20 times since being here.

 

As I said the weather is rubbish here today so everyone is just chilling in their rooms or playing board games.

 

Ciao for Now

Jess

xxxx

The Meeting of Two Seas

As part of our Kiwi Experience pass we had trip up to Cape Reinga. Cape Reinga is the most northerly point in New Zealand and holds huge spiritual value to the Māori people. Many of the guys we were traveling on the Kiwi bus with were going up to the cape and so the bus picked us up from outside our hostel at 7 something am. It is a fairly long drive from the Bay of Islands but it is made a hell of lot better by the fact you get to travel along 90 mile beach.

 

The coach we travelled on is specially designed to travel on the beach and our driver played some wicked tunes as we cruised along.

 

Norman thought it was pretty cool.

 

Despites it's name 90 Mile Beach isn't actually 90 miles long. It is only 55 miles which is 90 km. One theory as to why it is called 90MB is because old traveller beloved they walked at a 30 mile a day pace and it took them 3 days to walk the length of it.

 

As we came off the beach we stopped by some sand dunes and went sand boarding which was EPIC!!!!!! It was bloody hard work getting up there though as the sand just slipped back when you stood on it.

 

Look at that bad boy:

 

From here we travelled up a stream, back inland and towards the cape. Once in side the gates of the cape we were asked not to eat or drink as it such a spiritual place of Māori's. The Māori people believe that once someone has died, their spirit travels up to the cape and then flows off of the land and in to a peaceful resting place.

 

The views from the end of Cape Reina are beautiful.......

 

 

 The Tasman Sea

 The Pacific Ocean

 

.......But it is along way from everywhere.

 

 

 

In this picture ^^^^ you can see the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meeting. The came together at the head of the cape and you can sea the difference in colour. I must admit the Tasman Sea looks a lot more appealing.

 

Our time at the cape drew to an end and to all hopped back on to the bus and went to a quiet local beach for a picnic lunch. It was beautiful and it was only our coach there. I even went in the sea (because Rachel bet me $20).

 

After lunch we headed south again and back towards the Bay of Islands. On the way we stopped at a Kauri Forrest. These are the huge native trees that the Māori's built their canoes out of. Many houses if NZ are actually built of the wood. The trees now are protected as 97% of the trees were cut down and there is no way they can be replenished at the rate they were being torn down. Apparently the biggest tree in NZ could fit two coaches in length ways.

 

Here's one, but it's only small in comparison

 

We then went to see a staircases that had be carved out of the trunk of one of these huge trees! - Pretty Impressive- and then headed back to the hostel and after a busy day we were knackered so had a hot chocolate and went to bed.

 

Ciao for Now

Jess

xxxx