A Ticket to Ride

This morning, Jay and I get up bright and early, slather on the sunscreen (I think I've learned my lesson!) and scarf down our breakfast on one of the benches just outside the hostel as we wait for the Stray bus to arrive. We see Ian standing out front, chatting it up with the other Strays, so we join them. Just on time, the bus pulls up and the Maori bus driver (who is a very nice guy with a welcoming smile - though you probably wouldn't want to pick a fight with him at a bar) takes our names and tells us to hop on. 

From Shared New Zealand Album 1

After picking up our fellow passengers, we fetch our guide for the day - another instantly likeable and lively guy named Chucky. He greets us with a rousing "KIA ORA!" (a Maori word - pronounced "key-or-ah" - which literally translated means "be well" or "be healthy," but is more commonly used by Kiwis to say "Hi!" or "G'day!"), and then the bus driver and the young boy sitting up front (who I think is the driver's son) each take their turns. We all yell greetings back and roll along. Chucky is actually an Englishman who made New Zealand his permanent home several years ago, but he sounds pretty much like a native Kiwi. He gives us the lowdown on how things are going to go for the day, and fills us in on some Kiwi history and culture. He also gives us a new word to add to our Kiwi vocab - "JAFA." It's a rather nasty term applied to those who live in Auckland and stands for "Just another fucking Aucklander," or, as Chucky says in his Kiwi accent, "Just anotha fuck-ing Aucklanda." Aucklanders, he says, have a reputation as being a somewhat unfriendly, "all about business" bunch. However, all the Aucklanders I've met thus far have been nothing but lovely, friendly people. (I think I'll just strike that word from the list - at least until someone gives me a good reason to use it!). Soon, we hit our first stop - Auckland's iconic Sky Tower.

From Shared New Zealand Album 1

Chucky reminds us that we should be donning closed toe shoes today - no jandals allowed! - for an activity that will be happening a little later on. I look down upon my feet and frown as my toes smile back up at me - dammit! (Apparently, I also didn't read the slip of paper that we were given yesterday when we booked this trip, which reads, "BRING: Closed toe shoes and money for lunch.") I look around and notice that everyone else's smelly feet are hidden from view, except for one other girl, so I start to feel a little better that there's someone else to share in my misfortune. Chucky tells us that if our hostel is nearby (which ours is), now would be a good opportunity to run back to fetch more appropriate footwear. But since I don't want to miss any of the action, I decide to grin and bear it and stay put. At the base of the tower Chucky requests a coin, and since those on the bus are from all over the globe, he hopes for a rare or interesting one. Someone tosses him one and we start to play heads or tails. We stand in a big circle and put our hands on either or heads or our butts while Chucky tosses the coin. Whoever's hands matches up with what the coins shows moves ahead a few steps, while the others step out of the circle. I manage to make it ahead a few more times before I'm ultimately booted out. Finally, a young German girl is the last one left standing, and Chucky informs her that she's just won a jump from the 328-metre tall Sky Tower (not really sure if this is supposed to be a prize or punishment!). While we wait for the lucky winner to go up to the top of the tower and get suited up, Chucky tells the rest of us to turn, walk on over to the person directly in front of us and introduce ourselves. (Stray likes to do lots of these "getting to know you" type of activities, which are quite awesome, as they really do help to break the ice and get everyone chatting with each other.) The person standing in front of Jay and I turns out to be Heather - a lovely girl from Winnipeg who is here on vacation with her fellow Winnipegian friend Christa. Soon, Christa strolls on over and we all chat 'er up a bit and get acquainted while we wait for the German to fall (which she does - with much hearty screaming). 

Click the image below to watch the video: 

From NZ 6 - Day 4

Soon, we hop back on the bus and roll right along to our next stop - the lovely Michael Joseph Savage Memorial, which honours the first Labour prime minister of New Zealand. 

From NZ 8 - iPhone photos from week 1

Chucky tells us we have about 15 minutes or so to explore. To make sure we all get back to the bus on time, he threatens if anyone is late, they will have to stand at the front and sing their national anthem. I jump off the bus, head straight for the green grass and flowers and drink in their intoxicating aroma, all the while saying a silent thank you that I'm here instead of back home in the dead of winter, trying to shovel myself out of the house. I stand in the middle of a big green meadow and take in the view of the palm trees framing the Sky Tower in the distance. 

From NZ 6 - Day 4

After meandering around for a bit, we all pile back on the bus - but there are a few empty seats. As we sit and stare out the window, we see a group of Germans running frantically for the bus. Chucky, however, doesn't make idle threats, so the trio is forced to give an impromptu performance. 

Click the image below to watch the video:

From NZ 6 - Day 4

After a good laugh, we head a little further down from the memorial where we all get out and stroll around while Chucky tells us about some of NZ's native trees. Birds would eat the fermented berries on one of them, he says, and fall to the ground drunk (even our feathered friends down here like having a good time!), where the Maori would collect them. Chucky also shares with us the tale of how Aotearora (the Maori word for New Zealand) came to be. The country wasn't formed by colliding plates and volcanic activity, he says, as most of us have been lead to believe. Rather, the Land of the Long White Cloud came about when a young boy named Maui, who wanted to go fishing with his older brothers, snuck into their boat. Eventually, Maui dropped his fishhook over the boat, got a mighty tug and hauled up the North Island. Maui's brothers got into an argument over who owned the "catch," began pounding at it, and that's why there are so many hills and valleys on the North Island today. The South Island is actually the brothers' overturned boat, and Stewart Island (which lies at the bottom of the country) is the boat's anchor. (A slightly abridged version of the story - but whoomp, there it is!) If you look at a map of the North Island sideways, Chucky adds, it kind of looks like a dolphin. Of course, Auckland is the dolphin's ass. (Those poor Aucklanders never seem to catch a break!) 

Next, we head to a local pub for lunch where, lucky for us, they have created a special discounted backpacker's menu. Before we chow down, we get to sample some local brew. I try a cider, (which tastes a lot like Strongbow) and it's quite refreshing and delicious. The "sample" is actually in a regular-sized glass, so I have a nice, free beverage to go with my meal - bonus! (Sometimes, I feel pretty thankful that I don't drink that much - really! - since that's where you tend to spend most of your money.)  Christa and Heather invite us to sit with them, so we enjoy some good ol' Canadian conversation over our potato wedges (complete with a large dollop of sour cream…Mmmmmm). After lunch we head to the Auckland Harbour Bridge, where Chucky reminds us that those who aren't wearing appropriate footwear must stay behind. He also says that if anyone wants to do a bungy, now's the time, adding that we won't actually be allowed to leave the country until we do one (pretty sure he's lying, but with those crazy Kiwis, you never know!). It seems that a couple of brave souls have taken him up on the offer, including our new buddy Ian (who, it turns out, has a two for one coupon, so him and another girl split the price of the jump - some smart financial planning at work there). The Auckland Bridge bungy is actually the world's first harbour bridge bungy jump and is the only place in New Zealand where you can jump and dunk yourself in the ocean. On the wall inside the office are photos of celebrities that have come here to take their big, flying leap - everyone from Katy Perry and Justin Bieber to David Beckham. Jay feels bad that I won't be able to join the group and offers to stay back with me, but, of course, I tell him to go on (after cursing at my toes a little more). He and the others get fitted with hard hats, go outside to get some group photos and eventually, head across the street to climb the bridge. I also make my way over to the other side of the road and plank down by the ocean. There are a bunch of fishing rods set up, some attended, some not, and people sitting in plastic chairs waiting to get a bite. The one other girl that is wearing sandals (who was sitting at the front of the bus) comes over and sits next to me. I find out that she's doing a sort of internship and is studying tourism at school. We watch the group as they make their way across the bridge and the talk turns to bungy jumping and how she's afraid to do one. I mention my past skydiving adventure in the Annapolis Valley and she tells me I'm the first person she's met that has actually skydived. I find this very strange, coming from a native Kiwi, since they practically invented adventure sports! We have a grand chat for the next 40 minutes or so, and I actually start to feel kind of happy that I left my sneakers back at the hostel. The warm sun shines down on us, sparkling against the water, and I smile as she flicks her toes and says, "I really want to take my jandals off!" (I love the Kiwi language.) After a while, the group makes their way back and Jay and I vow to come here again (no friggin' jandals for me next time) to jump off the bridge.

Chucky reminds us that we can sign up for another Stray day trip to Piha Beach tomorrow, just outside of the city. Christa and Heather say they're game and at just 60 bucks a head, the price is right, so Jay and I decide to go for it too. When we reach our stop, we say bye to our new friends and make a mad dash to the IEP office, where Craig reserves two seats for us on the bus tomorrow. We chat with him about our day, and somewhere along the way, the conversation turns to weta bugs. Craig tells us about a "game" he and a friend used to play with their roommate involving these creepy crawlies called "There's a weta in John's shoe," which later graduated to "There's a weta in John's bed," etc. etc. I silently tell myself to never become roommates with Craig Jack. But hey - at least they never played the game with a giant weta!  

© Mark Moffett/Minden Pictures/Solent

To see more pictures and video, click here.