Day 64, Long Ride Home, Melbourne, Australia

Arts student studying the Arts

Left Kuta the night before at 11pm, arrived Melbourne 7am (local time), went to art galleries to escape the cold, ate lunch with bro, back to airport, left Melbourne 5.50pm, arrived Christchurch 11pm (local time).

After a lengthy bit of sitting in airports/planes you would really just like to go home because you feel rather wasted. But I must have looked a bit wasted as I got pulled up by customs and had all my bags emptied and searched, and swabbed and tested for drugs. Gutted for them they couldn't find any, because I'm not stupid and stuffed them up my butt.

Thank You, and see you next travels
Shades of Invisible...

Day 8, The Ka Pai Koru, Tauranga, NZ

The Koru

In Maori, an unfolding fern is called a Koru, it has become somewhat of a national symbol made popular by the AirNZ logo. Coming up to the sunny Bay of Plenty has lead me to find lots of these out in the wild. Whenever I come across one something is stirred inside me. I feel proud of being a Kiwi and almost want to perform a haka or a waiata.

Pokarekare ana
Nga wai o waiapu
Whiti atu koe hine
Marino ana e

E hine e
Hoki maira
Kamate au
-i te aroha e

Even better than this is watching Hayley Westenra perform Pokarekare Ana....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6k3iXyDWEg

Day 7, Raining, Tauranga, NZ

The Tauranga Alternative To Walking In The Rain

So it was raining. Seems to be raining every other day round the top of the North Island. But never fear, playstation is here. And with a game like Call of Duty, with the ultimate extension of Nazi Zombies, there is never a need to go outside again.

In this game you are basically trapped inside a small room with some boarded up windows and there is a constant stream of Nazi Zombies which break in and try to attack you. You luckily have a large amount of weaponry available and so can blast them all to hell. We made it to level ten yesterday, was pretty stoked about that.

The funny thing is, is that there is a German flatmate living here. We try and not mention the name of the game when she is nearby...

Day 6, More Walking, Tauranga, NZ

A Lovely Shade Of Green

If it wasn't for the DOC pamphlet that outlines all the bush walks around Tauranga, then I'd have probably walked around the township way too many times by now. Fortunately the book has saved me and I've had some nice strolls through native bush. This is from Puketoki Reserve, a piece of bush set up to be conserved forever.... ahhhh conservation!

Day 4, The Town Of Murals, Katikati, NZ

Mural Example

There is a town in the Bay of Plenty named Katikati. Currently there are 44 murals in total in the town which has a population of 3579. That means that for every mural there are 81 people. This either means that a few people are doing all the work for the slack/not talented townsfolk or that murals take 81 people to do.

And if murals don't tickle your pickle, maybe the haiku walkway will. With numerous short verses inscribed upon small boulders along the peaceful riverside path.

Day 3, Very Late At Night, Auckland, NZ

Outrageously Scared

Staying at someone else's house is terrifying enough, but when at 2am there is a unfamiliar sound coming from outside your room, which is exactly how you'd imagine a person breaking into the house to sound, things get rather beyond just terrifying.

Not wanting to risk my life in return for a few stolen goods, I stay in bed, yet still ready to kill if the intruder comes in to my room to get whatever they are after.

Yet eventually I hear footsteps walking away to exit the house.

In the morning I'm embarrassed to find out that it was just an intruding rat and a flatmate trying to kill it with a rolling pin...

I'm glad I didn't confront them.

Day 2, Rain Rain Go Away, Auckland, NZ

Why does it rain?

When it rains you can't go outside. When you are on holiday you want to go outside and experience the world as it is. So not being able to go outside means there is no holiday activities to do. I sit inside waiting for something to happen.

Day 1, North Head, Auckland, New Zealand

The right way to North Head

In Auckland there is a place called North Head which is some old army fortifications. There is a couple of guns and turrets, a few tunnels and some nice views.

What I'm wondering is though, is how come there are no lights in the tunnels? Like surely in WW2 there was light bulbs, and it isn't like light is going to be radiating from these darks tunnels during the day if there was a light bulb fitted in them.

It seemed like the perfect place for a murderer or rapist to hide out in, waiting for some unsuspecting victim to walk past. Luckily I was suspecting murderers and rapists so I didn't come to no harm.