Author: easylivingfive@gmail.com

Australia Bound

AUSTRALIA

January 31, 2011

I’m on a flight from Sydney to Cairns, watched the sunrise from the plane at 6:00am and am listening to my “Travel’ CD (thank you Michele and Jordan!)! Life is good! I love traveling and seeing the world and all it’s charm!

We arrived in Sydney yesterday morning and met up with Nick at the airport. Once again, we arrived in a foreign country, with no reservations for travel, no map, or plan of how to get to the hostel. We checked costs of public transportation and it turned out that it was cheaper to rent a car for the night; we were leaving again at 6:00 this morning. We drove straight to the hostel; checked in, and took the free bus around the city. What a cool city! Old, character, charm, artsy, café’s, bars, people everywhere. The waterfront was happening and looks like a great place to be. In the evening, at the park across from our Hostel we saw bats everywhere with a wingspan of about 15 inches! There were three large Magnolia trees in a row and they were flying all around them and feeding on the seed pods; sometimes fighting over one. They were very cool to observe. One would land on a branch, and use the little hand like things to grab hold and pull itself around the branch. We will be back here at the end of the trip and have time to tour around.

This morning we’re flying to Cairns, which is at the northern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. From Cairns we’ll visit the Rain Forest and have an Outback experience. We’ve heard a lot about this part of Australia and are looking forward to being there! Our plan is to rent a car In Cairns, spend time there and then take our time visiting little towns along the coast as we work our way back to Sydney; we’ll have 30 days to do it in.

90 Mile Beach/Farming/Sand Boarding

January 28, 2011

Two more days and we’re headed to Australia! At this point, it just feels like “life”, and not traveling. I guess we’re used to being on the road and it feels very natural and normal.

We worked the last four days on a farm. The farmers, Peter and Suze, had contacted me through a website I was signed up on; helpex.com. They have farmed for 30 years (relocated here from Germany) and rely on farm workers from around the world that are traveling through and looking for work, to help them run the place. It’s a good deal for them and for the traveler. They feed you all your meals and give you a bed to sleep in and you help out with the farm work. But more than that, you’re forming relationships and life time memories. I feel like they’re the “relatives” and I sense they feel the same way. They rented a hydrolic log splitter the day before we arrived. We all worked together on and off for 2-3 hours at a stretch for two days, getting fire wood for the winter split. This wood will sit for two years and then be ready for the fire. We also tagged along on four wheelers for the herding of the livestock, to move then around different paddocks. They have Border Collies to do the job, and it’s great fun to watch. I rode on the back of Peter’s bike to help the dogs move the bulls and man (!) I just about feared for my life! The quick turns, stopping, pealing out, I think he forgot that I was on the back. They gave Eliot little jobs that required the four wheelers because they knew he loved riding on them and felt he was very responsible. Yesterday the kids stabilized fencing in a back paddock and Suze and I did felting. She has a workshop in the loft of the garage and creates the most beautiful felted pieces. Her goal was to teach me all she could and help me create what I wanted. I love her! We also learned a lot about farm animals and their behaviors. Suze is a teacher at heart and loves sharing/teaching about what she knows.

Before getting to the farm, we went to the northern most point of New Zealand and I think we really felt like we were in the most beautiful place in the world. It was the picture we’ve seen on so many postcards that don’t seem real. The Tasman Sea and the South Pacific meet at the tip and it looks like a giant whirlpool. Just before the tip, along “90 mile beach”, there are giant sand dunes, they stand out in the distance looking like white mountains. We rented boogie boards and went “sand boarding”! It was such a hike getting to the top of the dunes, and what a scene! I felt like I was in the desert in Egypt. So, then you get on your board and ride down the dune. It was very scary for me! I did it twice and that was enough to satisfy my curiosity. We got the boys doing it on tape and Julian wiped out at the bottom; it was hilarious to observe! Lol! We also swam, at a different beach close by, and the water is/was so amazing. The South Pacific is such a beautiful shade of blue, it’s very clear, the white water in the surf is snowy white and clean looking, and of course, it’s very cold! That was a good day.

I met a man from the states traveling by motorcycle. He said he has worked very hard and long all his life, had a minor heart attack recently, and decided it was time to make his health and life a top priority and travel to parts of the world he had always wanted to see.

What an adventure it was when we left the northern peninsula. We needed to get to the car ferry by 8:00 because that’s when the last ferry runs. We took our time at first, and when we realized we had an hour to go we buckled down and focused on getting there. It was the windiest road through the mountains and we just couldn’t imagine any rivers or lakes up so high and saw no signs. If we missed the ferry, it would add three hours to the trip and we did not want to have to find this farm after dark. We finally came around a corner, saw the ferry, and pulled right on with six minutes to spare! It was exhilarating! Lol! I reminded the kids about always having faith and how everything always works out.

So, we’re on the road again. Today we have a four hour drive to Auckland. I am so grateful to Julian for doing all the driving. Eliot has “shot gun” today, so he’s up front with Julian. I love watching the chemistry between the two of them. Julian loves talking about history with Eliot and teaches him so much. Eliot loves the attention; it’s a symbiotic relationship.

We stopped in a little town along the road and Sadie and Julian grocery shopped while I took Eliot in to a Physiotherapist. He pulled a muscle in his back and it was painful. The next time I blog will be from Australia. We’re all excited about meeting up with Nick there!

Cape Regina, New Zealand

January 23, 1011

On the road again! We’re headed to the northern most point of the north island, to Cape Regina. We have a hostel reserved for tonight and tomorrow we go to a farm to work until Friday, then we go to Auckland and get ready to fly out to Australia. This is the final leg of our time in New Zealand.

We have been rained in for the last two days! It was a bit of a disappointment since we were at a good beach for enjoying water sports and had plans. The cruise that Sadie and Julian went on was exciting. It was warm and clear for the afternoon and early night and the storm blew in in the night. They did snorkeling, fishing, shooting sports and night time kayaking. They connected all the kayaks together and layed back and identified constellations in the southern hemisphere. They saw the Southern Cross and I guess the little dipper faces the opposite direction here. They were pumped up when they got back; filled up with the energy of other young adults enjoying life. Hey, water drains in the opposite direction here too!

I love meeting travelers in the hostels. A few days ago I met a nice young couple from England who are doing a world tour. They saved their money, quit their jobs, and wanted to travel a year before they get married and have a family. It’s really very possible for anyone to do this if they set their sights on it. An older couple I met at the last hostel were from Holland. Five years ago they went on a three month walk along a trail that begins in Holland and ends in Spain. They borrowed a trained donkey from a friend and used it to carry their supplies. She said there were times when they were cold, wet and hungry but could still find the beauty in life and were happy to be where they were. The husband has always had the attitude that they will never put off what they want to do. If they have a dream, or idea, they will make plans to do it now. They were inspiring. They were a reminder to me about my own philosophy about life and living every moment to the fullest.

Eliot is such a cool person! I think people are surprised, and entertained by him. We see travelers with small children and we see young adults but not very many people his age. He is very observant and aware of his surroundings. When someone needs something at the hostels, Eliot is very often able to tell them just where to find it, eg, the free food basket and what’s in it! I got a chocolate sample at the candy store yesterday and the woman behind the counter told me my son kept her company on her lunch hour at the outside bench. He takes the laptop and sits on the sidewalk, or bench if it’s available, outside the global gossip store and gets on the internet. He seems to enjoy meeting travelers and sharing stories.

New Zealand Beaches (North Island)

January 20, 2011

The coastal town of Whitianga was relaxing and quiet. While we were there we went to Cathedral Cove. I have been looking at Cathedral Cove on the internet since we decided to come here two years ago. I wasn’t necessarily attached to the idea of seeing it, and had actually put it out of my mind, and when the opportunity came up to see it, it sure was a nice surprise! Cathedral Cove is a gigantic arched cavern passing through a white rock headland to join two secluded coves. It is all from ancient volcanic action and is very grandeur.

On the windy walk around the mountainside to Cathedral Cove (30 minute walk), there are two other beaches you can stop at. One is “Stingray Beach”. We heard this was a good beach to snorkel at and rented snorkel gear ahead of time. We snorkeled but didn’t see very much, and no Stingrays. The other beach is “Gemstone Beach” and is covered with rocks and boulders and it’s supposed to be good for snorkeling also but we didn’t try.

Down the street from here, there is a beach we heard of called “Hot Water Beach”, so we just had to go there too! We actually went there first, as you have to get there at low tide in order to enjoy the hot water springs. The hot mineral pools are actually a legacy of an exciting geothermal past. There are tiny hot water springs all over the beach and the water bubbling up is boiling hot! It is hilarious to watch people walking around, not knowing what to expect and suddenly they are jumping and dancing all around trying to escape the boiling water! Lol! You might find a hot spring and next to it a foot away, the sand and water is ice cold. We brought spades with us from the hostel to dig out a pool of hot water to soak in. We ended up taking over an existing one that someone else was finished with and dug each time we wanted more hot water. It is so bizarre! And the beach at this particular place is the local surfing beach. The water was crystal clear and ice cold. It was invigorating to swim and then go sit in the hot pool!

After all that excitement, we got up early this morning and were on the road by 7:00 am to head to the Bay of Islands. The Bay of Islands is at the northern tip of the north island. It is the birth place of New Zealand history. Sadie and Julian had a reservation to go out on a 24 hour cruise that was leaving at 4:45. We got here in plenty of time. Eliot and I are at the Mouse Trap Hostel. It is in a very large, about nine bedrooms, house and is probably 80 years old and in beautiful shape. I was beginning to think the night was going to be a disappointment to Eliot and then he went to talk to the owner about games they might have and came back with “lawn bowling”. We had a great time playing and occasionally fighting over the balls, very playfully, of course. Then we decided to go out for ice cream and walk along the water front. The tide was in too far and was all the way up to the boulders that line the beach. We challenged ourselves to climb down the boulders and run along the beach each time the waves went out, which gave us about 8 seconds of running each time before the waves came crashing back up! Lol! We would then have to scramble up the boulders as fast as we could before getting caught in the wave. It was adrenaline pumping stuff! We made it pretty far, him farther than me, before we were just getting too wet and banged up! We shared a ice cream sundae, walked around town, and came home for a shower and now we’re going to look at the board games. It has turned out to be a fun time after all.

New Zealand Beach Towns (North Island)

January 18, 2011

We spent the 15th and 16th in a lovely little beach town that I could easily see myself living in long term! It was quaint, lots of cute little shops, on the water, and overall had a very good feeling to it. While we were there we hiked Mt. Maunganui, which is a cone shaped mountain that takes 90 minutes to hike up and back down. It’s at the tip of a peninsula and you have unobstructed views up and down the coast of white sandy beaches and clear blue water. While on the way up, we watched a pod of Orca Whales swimming along the coast. We saw them from various levels of the mountain. We even ran down the hill side to get a closer view! I have wanted to run down a hillside since we got here! It was fun. The hike up was tough at times. It was very steep and a hot day. It was fun, as a mom, to see the chemistry of the family. At times, either Sadie or I would decide that “maybe we don’t need to go to the summit, the view is great at every level”, and Julian would encourage us to keep going; “we’ll be there soon”, and “going just 75% of the way is like living just 75% of your life”! I love traveling with my kids! So, yesterday we headed further north along the coast and now we’re at yet another quaint little coastal town and staying at the Beachside Backpackers Hostel, across the street from the ocean (south pacific!). We’re going to be here for three nights. Today a storm is blowing through, so we’re taking the day off! Hanging out, reading, cooking, talking to other travelers, and enjoying 24 hours of unlimited internet!

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Wwoof’ing and Yurts

January 15, 2011

Last night we spent the night at a wwoof home. We slept in a Yurt! I have been wondering about Yurts for three years and I slept in a very beautiful hand made one. The family we did wwoof’ing for was a youngish couple with a five year old, a two year old, and mama is eight months pregnant. They “sort of” live “off the grid”. He is a circus performer and a craftsmen and hand made the Yurt we slept in. He also makes primitive weapons and is a wonderful husband to Hannah. Hannah home births (lotus births) the babies, she organic gardens, grinds her own grains, preserves food, makes her own yogurt, makes waldorf style toys for her children, and is a most wonderful woman to be with! Some of what we did to help them was: scrub and paint the outside of their caravan, move the wood pile, and make batches of sourcrout .

After working all day with Daniel and Hannah, we came to a hostel in a lovely little beach town. We are aching for the beach! It has been pretty chilly everywhere we’ve been and now that we’re in the northern part of the north island and summer has really set in, we’re getting warmth! The kids were happy to be back at a hostel where life is busy and there are interesting travelers all around.

Hiking Tangorior Crossing (Think ‘Lord of the Rings – Mt. Doom’)

January 14, 2011

We spent the last two days with the most wonderful retired couple! David and Cath are their names. They are neighbors of the family we house sat for in Wellington. They invited us to spend time with them at their vacation home. They have a nice, compact cabin on the property and that’s where we slept. Before arriving at their home, they had all the neighbors hang different flags from the states outside their homes! It was to welcome us.

They prepared delicious meals for us, introduced us to all the neighbors, spent lots of time playing with the kids, and geared us up for the big hike (6 ½ hours) over the Tongariro Crossing. The Tongariro Crossing covers 10 miles of varied and spectacular volcanic terrain and is described as the best one-day walk in New Zealand. It consists of three active volcanic mountains and has a maze of craters, many of which are filled with beautiful mineral tinted emerald water. It was the most awe inspiring place I have ever experienced. A lot of the Lord of the Rings was filmed here and from the top of the crossing, you can see Mt. Doom. Our host, David, dropped us off at the starting point at 8:00 am and Cath picked us up at the end. She greeted us with hot and cold drinks and biscuits! We were the envy of all the other tired, hungry hikers I’m sure!

This morning Cath and I went for an early walk so she could show me all around the village and we stopped at the “Spiral Café” for coffee and muffin. We then went home, got the kids, and went blueberry picking to a local organic blue berry farm.

We’re back on the road now. The change in chemistry was very welcoming. We’re all fulfilled and “full” with blueberries! I’ve decided I “must” have a vacation home in Asheville and surround myself with fun, life loving people like myself!

Leaving Wellington, New Zealand

January 12, 2011

Today was our last day of house sitting in Wellington. We are ready to move on. Staying put for three weeks was a good break but was also a long time. The house was very accommodating. We saved a lot of money by being there and we got to experience living like the New Zealanders live!

From what I gathered by some of the books in the bedroom, the woman of the house, Mandy, has/had breast cancer. In the beginning of our stay there, I felt like I could feel her energy and the sadness of the disease; it was heavy at times. It subsided at some point. She and I have a lot of similar interest. I read four books from her book shelf (which is a lot for me in a short amount of time), her jewelry looks just like mine, and she has my favorite cd’s on her shelf! I also love her kitchen and all that goes along with it!

We have had numerous day trips into Wellington and are feeling pretty at home wondering the streets. Joe, Sadie, and I went to Martinbourgh last week and worked on a vineyard for the day. We did it with the WWOOF organization. There were other wwoofers there working and staying. We were just day workers since we were staying so close by. Learned a lot about growing grapes and it was very interesting. Had a delicious meal with everyone. On the day we worked, Julian and Eliot went to a park called “Adrenalin Forest”. It is a forest full of rope ladders, pulleys, zip lines and all sorts of “balancing” type things to walk across, each level getting higher than the last. It took them about three hours to complete. There were areas that made Julian think twice about his abilities; some were a challenge to Eliot but for the most part, he had no fear. In Welliington yesterday, I filmed Eliot doing Parkour in various places. He also went down last week end and met up with a local group that does Parkour. I tried my hand at driving again yesterday. As long as I have someone with me helping me navigate round abouts, I’m pretty confidant. They have very few traffic lights and stop signs here. For the most part everything is either yield or a round about. There are a lot of funny little differences here. I’m going to try to start a list of them. We play Rummy every single night! Seems like it could get old, but we’re still having fun at it!

Being with the same people 24/7 for three months is going to be the experience of a lifetime! I laugh sometimes at the dynamics of it all. And sometimes I get very irritated, bothered, pissed off, the whole gamut of feelings have surfaced at some point in time. Today I realize that we are all so much alike and what bothers one bothers the other in the same way. Like, Sadie has this thing where she says “stop looking at me” (lol!) and I realize sometimes I glance at her and she’s staring at me and I feel the same way, like “stop looking at me!” (lol!) We all have our very sweet moments and then moments where nothing is tolerable. Julian is so much like me. He has a lot of patience (like extremely patient!), is very accommodating, always ready to help out and is just down right “nice”. However, he is also quite sarcastic at times and I hope I don’t have so much of sarcasm anymore; I used to.

Kids are so smart and have such excellent memories that sometimes they can tend to make me feel like I’m losing my mind. They remember every little detail of everything seen, read, or heard, and I have to be reminded of details. Sometimes I don’t even remember a movie Eliot says I watched!