New Zealand Part 3: Te Mutunga

It is true what people say about the South Island: it is beautiful.

The drive into Kaikoura from Picton was immense: towering cliffs, blue, blue water and an array of seals sprawled here, there and everywhere. Literally EVERYWHERE.

The town is quaint with local pubs, cute cafés and boutique shops, the locals friendly. We travelled to Kaikoura to go dolphin and whale watching and it was wonderful: we saw hundreds of dusky dolphins and also humpback whales.

Personally, I was on the lookout for orcas…a huge passion of mine and it is my dream to see them in the wild. This dream did not happen in New Zealand but fortunately it happened in San Juan Islands, Washington in the summer of this year- that blog will follow…it was a once in a lifetime experience.

Back to Kaikoura…other than dolphin and whale watching, we did a variety of things from a lone sunrise walk on the rustic beach to silly sunset jumping:

We continued our adventure as we headed towards Franz Josef Glacier. It was a long drive but boy was it worth it. Naturally, we broke up the drive with some more ridiculous jumping shots:

We managed to grab food in a pub next to our accommodation, this took some begging as they were about to close…I think it was the first time I’ve had a roast at 10pm!

The next day we prayed for good weather and we were lucky enough to get some and so our helicopter and trek on Franz Josef continued. If you don’t have this on your bucket list then I suggest you do: the helicopter ride was such a thrill and the views were wonderful. The glacier is retreating so it is even more important to see this natural phenomenon before it disappears.

My school Geography lessons came flooding back to me: scree, crevasse, fissure, moraine, blue ice and so on…oh the blue ice!

They say that there’s no rest for the wicked so we must be very wicked as it was on to Wanaka we drove that afternoon. We slept well that night and explored Wanaka the next day. This exploration involved obligatory lake jumping shots and a free wine tasting session in Rippon vineyard.

The designated driver then drove us to maginificent Queenstown where we met up with a good friend of mine from home who had recently moved to New Zealand. We stayed in her  home overlooking Lake Hayes. Everywhere you look in New Zealand is breathtaking.

That night we had delicious tapas in a lovely Spanish restaurant in Arrowtown and then went into Queenstown for a few drinks. Queenstown has lots of cute bars and intricate streets. It is quiet, well to me anyway, but that’s coming from Bangkok, it was a refreshing change. We even drank cocktails from teapots!

The next day is something I like to call “The Best Day of my Life!” Well, one of them anyway. I turn thirty in December and I am following my friend’s great idea of making a ‘Thirty Before 30’ list. The biggest- and one of the most challenging- things on my list was to JUMP OUT OF A PLANE! I say challenging because I’m afraid of heights so what better way to overcome this fear and expand my consciousness than by jumping from a plane 15’000 feet in the air?

I became invincible: I donned my brightest pink lipstick and Batman pants and I was more than ready to take on this challenge. For the sake of not boring you with all of the details (as I’m aware this blog may be dragging on) I’ll sum my experience up in one picture:

And the experience in one word? Exhilarating.

We then stuffed our faces with a famous Fergburger and mmmm was it delicious…more delicious than the underrated but potentially more scrumptious Devil Burger? I’m still undecided.

That evening was spent chilling in, well you know, the HOT TUB! Our wonderful friend and hostess popped some bubbly and we relaxed and laughed and reminisced in the hot tub under the vast, vast sky of bright, bright stars. Pure bliss.

Milford Sound was the plan for the next day and the drive down there was the best part about this trip- the sound itself was a little underwhelming but we had a great day nonetheless. We watched “Whale Rider” on the long journey back and I recommend you give it a watch if you get a chance.

Queenstown was ended by reliving our youth with the Skyline Luge: think go-carts and zooming down a hill to this amazing view!

Leaving behind the amazing time that was Queenstown was eased by the breathtaking drive to Akaroa. I have never seen such blue lakes, the azure of the water is unforgettable.

Not to mention seeing Mount Cook in all its glory:

Akaroa itself is a beautiful seaside town with cute shops and restaurants, with some wonderful sunsets:

It is also home to the smallest species of dolphin in the world: Hector dolphins. The calves are the size of a rugby ball and we managed to see one on our dolphin tour. The tour guide was very informative and the experience was amazing. The boat allows the dolphins to approach and play with it before the guests can get in the water with the dolphins (with many rules as to when and how we can get in.) We were given explicit instructions so as not to disturb the dolphins in the water. We had a dip with Hector dolphins rather than a swim as they are a lot more timid than the dusky dolphins of Kaikoura but still it was an amazing experience…even in the freezing waters!

Oh, and I mustn’t forget our alpaca watching:

After another amazing experience in another amazing place, we headed to our final stop: Christchurch. Christchurch is still obviously hugely affected from the 2011 earthquake, you can see restoration and building work everywhere you look. However, it still has so much character.

We met up with a friend from Christchurch who brought us to a few local bars that night: Strange & Co and Dux Central so it was good to see Christchurch through a local’s eyes.

The next- and final day- of our adventure was spent exploring the street art of Christchurch and, like the restoration works, it is around every corner, literally.

That, my friends, is South Island and it sums up my experiences in New Zealand: azure lakes, snowcapped mountains, huge whales, tiny dolphins, naughty alpacas, lazy seals, breathtaking sunsets, towering glaciers, wild white water rafting, geyser exploring, hobbit hunting, plane jumping, helicopter riding, bar hopping, street art finding, hot tub dipping, burger eating New Zealand.

Peace x

Bangkok Shopping: Bags of Bluntness

Bangkok is a great city and the people- for the most part- are wonderful. But *beware* they are honest, and not the good kind of honest (hence the warning.) Maybe honest isn’t the right word. Blunt. Yes that’s the word. Blunt. Brutally so. Shopping is definitely one thing that highlights this brutal ‘honesty’.

I love shopping. Fashion is my thing. I like to have my own style and I revel in the shopping experience. Thailand, however, has changed that.

The dread that creeps in when my wardrobe needs a sprucing up is now too familiar…Heaven forbid I need a new pair of shoes!

I’m a size 10…just about. And 5 foot 7 and a 1/2 inches tall. My feet? A size 7, so all in all I’m in proportion. In the Western World I feel comfortable with that, and feel confident shopping for my size. How do I feel when shopping in Thailand? Like an oversized green giant with whale fin feet to match!

As this green giant waddles into a shop, more often than not I turn right back on my heels as I am greeted with shouts of: “No have big size”, “We have big size!” and most irritating of all, “Look stretch!” As I’m staring at the widest pair of trousers I have ever seen sprawling from arm to arm of this matchstick sales woman I shake my head and sigh: clearly she’d rather hand out an insult than have me hand her my money.

I know what you’re thinking, “Poor self conscious girl, unable to carry out her shopping excursion.” Maybe once. Maybe once I hung my head and stared down at my fictional green giant, whale finned body; maybe once I apologised for the intrusion into a shop that was clearly not meant for ‘people like me’; maybe once I thought I should take that trip to the ladyboy shop for my obese feet. Maybe once. But those days are long gone.

No longer do I shy away from these comments, or make excuses that I’m looking in this shop for my much younger, much thinner, small footed, make-believe sister. Now? Now I wear my thick skin, laugh at their ignorance, and walk out of the shop with that tight, sequenced dress that I hope fits me one day.

South East Asia Is My Oyster

Feeling refreshed as I laze by the beautiful, blue pool in my condominium I begin to reflect on my life here in Thailand. I don’t do it very often- reflect that is- but life in Thailand is most certainly worth reflecting on. Today I’m remembering the places I’ve explored: Cambodia, Laos, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand, from North to South.

Initially, I intended to stay in Thailand for one year, however, almost three years on, I am still here and I am still LOVING it. In the beginning, I escaped to an island or the countryside almost every weekend. Being only a couple of hours away, a weekend on a tropical island or swimming in a waterfall is hard to turn down.

Exploring Thailand is a real treat: I have hiked the mountains in the north and lazed on the islands in the south. This month, I will once again stroll through the temples of Chiang Mai and raft down the rivers of Pai. The rich and diverse culture of this colourful country never fails to amaze me.

Although neighbouring countries, I was surprised at how different Cambodia is to Thailand. Different but equally as wonderful. I have been fortunate to see the sun rise at Angkor Wat and humbled to learn more about the painful history in Phnom Pehn. The experiences and knowledge given to me by Cambodia will never be forgotten.

Laos was another unforgettable trip. This charming country offers such beauty; the mountainous landscape, the humble villages and the picturesque towns are well worth a visit.

The vibrant Hong Kong was next on my vacation hit list. The bright lights of the city contrast beautifully with the beach- lined coast. Although afraid of (some) heights, I could appreciate the breathtaking views of both city and beach from (in my mind) terrifying heights!

Vietnam. Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam. My dad has always wanted to explore Vietnam: he loves history and has read every book about Vietnam (be it fiction or non- fiction) EVER. Being influenced by his enthusiasm, I developed a desire to visit this country so steeped in history. Vietnam was never top on my list of countries to visit, but it was definitely on a list. Having now been to Vietnam, I can say it is most definitely top on my list of COUNTRIES I MUST EXPLORE MORE. I had just over a week in Vietnam and travelled to Hanoi and Hoi An, similar names but unbelievably contrasting places. I navigated a map to find my way through the fiercely intertwining streets of Hanoi; educated myself in the city’s war museums; drank the deliciously cheap beer; squatted on the tiny chairs as I devoured the tantalizing street food and enjoyed every minute. Then there was Hoi An. The beauty of Hoi An is indescribable. I spent every night ‘ooing’ and ‘awwing’ the colourful lanterns that line the petite streets, and every day ‘ooing’ and ‘awwing’ the beautiful, mustard yellow, French architecture that the lights cling to. Relaxing boat rides, strolling and cycling was how I lazed away my days in Hoi An, as well as exploring the history that this town has to offer. At night I tried tasty food, drank smooth beer, listened to soothing music, waltzed through the colourful markets and ‘ooed’ and ‘awed’ at the lanterns some more. My disappointment at leaving Hoi An was somewhat eased as my anticipated return to Hanoi loomed. By the time I boarded the return plane to Bangkok my map of the city was well and truly worn.

So here I am, back in Bangkok with memories of Cambodia, Laos, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand flooding my mind. And where to next? I have set my sights on Japan and The Philippines. The world is my oyster, and South East Asia is a great place to have begun.