Once again, I made it through the night without having any issues! Maybe I do have a rock solid stomach! 😁💪🏼. Raw chicken? No problem for me! Or, I’m just VERY lucky. Also, it’s New Zealand, so I have far more faith in their food quality than in the States, AND, Hayden so kindly offered that being a frozen chicken tender, he doubted how much was actually chicken. I did check the box afterward, and chicken was the first ingredient. Thank you very much. 😂

My tour today left earlier than yesterday, but they picked up right from my lodging. Yay! Today would be spent kayaking in the Milford Sound, and the best part was that this tour only had 6 people on it! The Doubtful Sound cruise was loaded with people; we needed 3 big tour buses to take us from the first boat to the second. It was totally different today, and it would be a welcome change to have fewer people around and to get some exercise in while taking in the scenic views.

It was another overcast start to the day, and I had high hopes it would change as we got closer to the sound, as it did yesterday. Driving in, I could only imagine how beautiful the ride was, but it was too dark and foggy to see much. So it was time for a nap! Our guide did offer up some trivia on the drive and he stopped at a few key points for us to take pictures. Thank you, Olly!

One of the coolest parts of the road was the Homer Tunnel. At 1.2km long, it took 20 years to complete, and I’m not sure there would’ve been any other way around… These mountains are HUGE! I would love to see them in the winter covered in snow. 😍

Olly shared a fun fact about the tunnel: every year on April 1st, all the staff who work in Milford run the length of the tunnel at night, in the dark, completely naked. lol. What kind of strange tradition is that? I need to know more about how it got started, haha. I think the whole van was still half asleep because nobody thought to ask Olly if he had participated. Big missed opportunity there for a fun story, haha.

Before we knew it, we were at the starting point of our kayak adventure. It took us a hot minute to get situated with our thermal clothes and kayak gear. For the tour, I was paired up with another solo traveling woman, Sungwun. We rock, paper, scissored, and the loser was to take the back seat, which had the big responsibility of steering the kayak with foot pedals attached to the back rudder. I’ve never seen a kayak with that feature before. Is that what separates a sea kayak from a fresh water kayak? Thankfully I won and took my prize in the front of the kayak.

It took us a few minutes to get the hang of the double kayak, but we were cruising along in no time. We round the corner and get our first real glimpse of Milford Sound. There is a striking waterfall, which we will be getting closer to later on, and *the* instragamable shot right ahead of us. 😍 Although the tops of the mountains were obscured by the clouds, it was still beautiful; I always feel that misty clouds add a bit of mystique to the ambiance. Once again, it feels as though I’ve been transported into a fairytale land. I think that’s maybe the best way to describe the natural beauty of NZ… Think of your favorite fantasy book or movie setting, and that is NZ.

About halfway through, we paused for a moment in the middle of the water to have a snack and a drink of water. We just floated along with the rising tide, taking in the glorious mountain peaks all around us. I have to say, this may have been the most picturesque place I’ve ever eaten an Oreo. 🤣 And now I have a new mission: always bring Oreos for photo ops in fun places :). My newest friend, Sungwun, used the word “primordial” to describe the scenery, and I can’t think of a better word. It does feel like prehistoric, untouched land and brings to mind my favorite wild and mossy trees.

Something I learned on our tour was how the trees on the steep slopes survive. The exposed rock is first populated by moss, and soon, small things begin to take root and grow. But because the roots can not dig deep, they sprawl out to the sides, connecting and intertwining with other root systems. Essentially, the trees are holding each other up, and if one falls, they’re all at risk of destruction. And there is clear evidence of this on the hillside all around: giant “slips,” where the rock is nearly barren, with a small amount of moss beginning to grow. Other slips are further along in their regrowth, boasting small trees that will one day rise to the heights of their neighbors.

I loved hearing about this process and couldn’t help but think of what a beautiful metaphor that is for the world. We’re all incredibly interconnected, more so now than ever before, and an affront to one of us is an affront to all of us. We need each other to survive and thrive in this intricately globalized world. 🌏

Sooner than we wanted, it was time to head back to where we began and hang up our kayaking gear. But the day was far from over! We still had some time to spend in “town,” or rather, at the one information center/cafe in all of Milford, haha. Sungwun and I really wanted to put our bathing suits to good use. We both had brought them with us traveling and hadn’t gone swimming yet! Haha, so why not right now? We were already partially wet from kayaking… it’s now or never!

So we gear up and head towards the water’s edge. I dip my toes in, and brrrrr is it cold. I know I’m going to get in; I have a Polar Plunge reputation to uphold after all (Oktobellfest, anyone? :D). I make my way in, one slow step at a time, and get about halfway when Sungwun is ready to join me. She asks me if it’s cold, and I say noooooo while hugging myself and shivering 🤣. She howls with laughter but doesn’t get scared away. She comes right on in with me, and we stay what we deem was an appropriate amount of time, and not a second longer before quickly jumping out and drying off. We did it! Albeit brief, we went swimming!

Next up was the drive back to Te Anau, but again, Olly hooked us up with some stops along the way for excellent photo ops and a bathroom break. Overall, the tour was fabulous, and although I was tired after doing 2 day trips back to back, I wouldn’t have changed a thing!

The rest of the afternoon and evening were spent doing laundry and packing for my return trip to the North Island. I wanted to write for the blog, so I made myself some coffee, risking not being able to sleep, and got to work.

Sunset wasn’t until 9pm, and I realized I didn’t want to end my time on the South Island while being in my tiny room on my iPad. So, I ventured out for an evening walk around 8, hoping to catch the sun setting behind the mountains. I then decided I would walk down to the bird sanctuary. It was a 10-minute walk from where I was staying and had some pretty awesome birds to see, including one that nearly went extinct!

I made it to the bird sanctuary and saw the famous Takahē, a flightless bird whose population is being revived through conservation efforts. And that was about the only bird I saw at the sanctuary; most of them were already in their nests for the evening, hehe. Sleepy birds 😴. I was still happy with my evening stroll, and by the time I made it back to the lodge, the sun was minutes from setting behind the mountains. Success! What a perfect way to end my stay in Fjordland.

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I woke up earlier than I wanted today due to a loud German guy next door having a phone conversation with someone at 4am! I know the time difference is a thing, but it’s very obvious that the walls here are paper thin here. Have a little decency and go outside? At one point, I could even hear the person on the other end of the phone, lol. Grrreat. 🙄

I was able to fall back asleep for a brief while until my alarm went off and finished last minute packing for the trip back to Queenstown. The bus back was picking me up right at my lodge, and honestly, it can’t get better than that! 😄

I load onto the bus with a few others, and we all got window seats! Hooray! And off we went through the dense fog. I did my best to go through the multitudes of photos I took while also trying to absorb the views. The ride was great, and we stopped at a little cafe for a bathroom and some snacks, and back on the road we went. The day cleared up, and it was perfect for viewing the mountains surrounding the Wakatipu Lake.

I get dropped off downtown and consider asking the hostel if they’ll store my bag, but I decide to just keep it with me and hike up to the top of the gondola ride. It should take around 2.5 hours total to go up and back down again. But I like to challenge the published times, even with a larger pack on my back. I got this!

Well, this trail is VERY steep. I may have had instant regrets, but I shoved them deep down and carried on. The more you work for something, the more rewarding it is in the end. Right? 😅. 

The trail was a series of extra steep switchbacks, with only a few blessed sections of flat. Otherwise, it was straight up and up and up. I made it to the top in less than an hour and felt quite proud of that time. I wandered around the visitors center at the top, enjoying utterly spectacular views of Queenstown and the lake. So worth it! It’s always worth it! Apparently, there was another trail to catch to the summit. Do I have time? Nah… I don’t want to play with fire and end up missing my flight up to Wellington. So I take it all in and see how fast I can make it down. The sign said plan on an hour descent. No way is it taking me longer than it did to hike up. I went down in around 30-40 minutes… those extra steep bits? Extra hard on the down. But I hiked up and down in record time, totaling 1:27! Woohoo! I did it a whole hour faster!🥳 But I’m not competitive or anything…😅🤣

Hungry after my grueling hike, I went back to Beech Craft Beers and had a delicious chicken sandwich and another flight of beer. Well earned, I’d say. After I ate my fill, I went hunting for a particular set of postcards. I have only seen them a few times, and I got an idea in my head to grab 3 of them and put them in a frame together. I figured this would be my art souvenir until I stumbled across something I knew I had to have. Sometimes, you just know. And I know I was meant to have this thing. It’s gorgeous!

Soon, it was time to head back to the airport and say, “See you soon, Queenstown!” It was a bittersweet departure, as I was headed back to the North Island to be reunited with Dana and Hayden for the last few days of my time in NZ.

The first flight was easy and quick and had incredible views! I opted to pay extra to get a window seat because I did not want to miss out on that! And I’m happy to say it was 100% worth it! And I actually ended up with the whole row to myself! Amazing! When you know, you know! Haha.

My next flight to New Plymouth was delayed a bit, but I went and sat down in the waiting area to continue writing. That’s when I noticed a guy with a huge bouquet of roses head over to where people are exiting the arrival gates. The people sitting behind me notice him and start commentating, and I’m loving every minute of it! We’re all patiently waiting for this man’s partner to walk through the doors and see him. We want to see their expression! Hehe. Sooo many people walk past, and the three of us start to wonder where the heck is this other person? And we blink, and the man with the roses disappears. He hid himself from us behind a pillar. Stupid pillar! We need to see how this ends! Hehe.

After anxiously waiting and watching dozens of people exit, FINALLY, a beautiful woman walks through with a huge smile on her face and embraces the man with the roses. They start walking our way, and both are utterly beaming and walk arm and arm past their unknown fan club of supportive spectators. It was so cute and heartwarming! Happy Valentines Day! I want someone to bring me flowers at the airport! 🥹 So freaking adorable. 🤗🥰

I made it to New Plymouth and was again greeted by Dana and Hayden. I could get used to this! 😁 We make our way to the Airbnb for the night, which is more like a hotel/apartment? Odd, but it’ll do, haha. Time for a shower and bed and another round of adventures in the morning. 😁

Today, I embark on an epic side quest to Queenstown! I can’t believe this all worked out, and I’m actually going! 😁🤗. I sort of had it in mind as a possibility, but honestly, I didn’t think it would happen. Turns out, the universe had other plans in store for me, and who I am to deny the great unknown? Tee-hee 🤗🥰

Dana drove me to an airport about an hour away in Palmerston North, and from there, I flew back to Auckland, where I caught the flight to Queenstown. I arrived in the afternoon with plenty of sunlight to burn, so I checked into the hostel and set out to explore. Queenstown is breathtaking! And quite possibly the most idyllic and serene place I have ever seen. The city sits on a lake surrounded by towering mountains. It’s so surreal, and the water is super clear, and I just can’t stop taking photos and admiring the views. 😍🤩

I walked a good amount of time around the Queenstown Gardens, and then I found a watering hole to quench my thirst. Beech Craft Beer was nestled in the middle of a pedestrian only area. I ordered a flight of beer and enjoyed the variety of selections. Next up was a trip to Fergburger! Not only did Dana and Hayden make me promise to go, but another friend of mine, Jacinda, also suggested I wait in the super long line wrapped around the block to try the famous burgers.

Okay, I get it. I have to go! Haha. So I did! And it turns out I timed it amazingly because the line really wasn’t that long. I got the Southern Swine burger and waited. Soon, my number was up, and I collected my food and took it down to the beach to eat while I ogled the view. After eating the ENORMOUS burger, I decided to lay down and take a little snooze. 😴

After a solid cat nap, I decided I wasn’t ready to go back to the hostel, so I found another brewery called Atlas and decided it was fitting, being travel related and all, and therefore worth a visit. After indulging in a beer there, I walked over to Smiths; making my own little bar crawl in Queenstown:). I HAD to visit ‘Smiths’ because of Dana and Hayden… Smith. Not related, but still neat 🤗. I did plan to obscond with a few name-sake coasters for my dear friends, but alas, there were none to be had. Oh well. By the time I finished, I was done for the day and walked back to the hostel to relax and get ready for tomorrow’s adventure to Te Anau!

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I woke up early, trying to be as quiet as possible while I got ready in the hostel room. I had to leave in the dark to make it out to the bus pickup location on time, which was conveniently located directly in front of a cafe. Yay!  I ordered a coffee and some yogurt with granola. Perfect! 😊

On the bus ride to Te Anau, the driver gave us all sorts of commentary. I learned that New Zealand was one of the last places in the world to be inhabited, and that the untouched forests of New Zealand offer some of the best insight into what the mega continent, Gondawana, was like in terms of flora and fauna. Birds were pretty much the sole inhabitants of the islands before humans arrived and brought with them everything else and then some. That is why New Zealand has so many species of birds, especially flightless birds.

Another very practical tip the driver gave us was a safety one, applicable in all facets of life. He suggested that if one finds themself in need of emergency help or is lost, just take a photo! The phone will log the information of said photo, including where it was taken. So even if you have no clue where you are and no signs around, your phone will outsmart you! Then you’re able to let emergency services know where you are. Genius!

While I’m on my Southland adventure, Dana was asked to sing at a funeral. She summarized it so beautifully that this woman who passed had lived an extraordinary life. One well lived, one that we all could aspire to have. And yet, in the end, it’s all compiled and organized into speaking points for a one-time eulogy. The bigger picture here: no matter what you do in life, we all end up in the same place. So why not live life to the fullest right NOW? To take risks, to take that trip you’ve been dreaming of. In the end, money doesn’t matter, just memories and the experiences you took advantage of. So get out there! Have fun and be yourself, do what brings you joy, and spread the love! 🤗🥰

I arrived in Te Anau way too early to check in at the lodgings, so I headed to town, surely able to occupy myself for the morning and afternoon. Well, if you don’t know, Te Anau is VERY small, haha. You can walk the entirety of the main street in under 5 minutes. So, I decided to walk along the shore of the Te Anau Lake. It’s gorgeous! On the opposite side of the shore are impressive mountains nestled within the Fjordland National Park, and the beaches are covered in beautiful stones. Not easy to walk on, but beautiful.

My accommodations were about a 20 minute walk from town, so I began heading there around 1pm, hoping I could check in a tad early. I was in luck! I got to my single little room, and it was adorable! Once I was settled, I took a nap, organized my things, and then walked back to town for some refreshments and groceries. The place I was staying in had a shared kitchen, and you had to rent a kitchen basket with all the dishes and silverware one would require. I’m not sure why that couldn’t be included in the rate, lol, but all is good.

I bought some frozen veggies, some frozen chicken tenders, and some quick noodle packets. I thought I was golden! Until I was eating my dinner, hastily microwaved because the electric cook top was just taking too long, and I realized the chicken was raw! Omg. Haha. I had NO idea the breaded chicken tenders were raw! And they were frozen! I just assumed they’d be fully cooked. So weird. Serves me right for not really reading the box, and just looking at the pictures, 😅. So I’m obviously concerned I’ll get food poisoning and / or salmonella, and won’t be able to do my day trips in the Fjordland National Park (they weren’t exactly cheap!) Uggggghhh. But, on the other hand, I went through some serious bouts of stomach issues while living in El Salvador, so maybe this is a true test of my rock solid gut! I’m sure hopeful my body will rise to the challenge 😅🤣.

Well, time for bed. And here’s for hoping I don’t wake up in the middle of the night with a severe problem. 😬

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Sooooo happy to say I made it through the evening with no issues! I think I’ll be alright! I’m going for the day cruise and hoping I still manage to be okay because food poisoning on a boat does not sound like fun. Haha.

Today I’ll be headed to Doubtful Sound, and to get there, I’ll need to take a bus, to take a boat, to take another bus, to finally embark on the cruise. Very fun and adventurous, but daunting, when living with an ever ticking time bomb of potential food poisoning, lol. Wish me luck! Here I go!

The first bus ride is rather short, and once you arrive in Manapouri, you collect a picnic lunch if you ordered one, and it comes in the cutest metal bento box! I love the consideration for the environment. The little cafe here also allows you to take the ceramic cups onto the boat, as they do not have disposable cups. Amazing!

This first boat will take us through the Manapouri Lake to the other side, where we will again take a bus to the dock for the Doubtful Sound cruise. It was overcast, but the impressive mountains surrounding the lake were still visible. It was like getting a little teaser of what was to come. 🤗

Once we get to the second bus, we’re only 50 minutes away from our final stop. No wonder this is an all-day event, hehe. Our driver gave us some commentary on the way, and she pointed out a few things, one of them being one of my now favorite trees: the New Zealand Beech Tree. They look so old and are covered in moss that hangs low, and the limbs are gangly, and they give the impression they’ve been taken straight out of a fairytale. We passed one gigantic tree that was 650 years old! WOW!

Another point of interest was the peak of the road, which officially divides the East from the West, and as promised previously, the weather is usually significantly different across the divide. And sure enough, not a moment sooner, the overcast sky opened up to a crystal clear blue sky. Perfect weather for the cruise!

The cruise took us all the way out to the Tasman Sea, where we were hoping to spot some wildlife. And success! We were lucky to see some seals lounging on a big rock. Once we were all the way into the ocean, it was a marked difference from traveling within the safety of the sound. The waves were quite large and made for a fun yet perilous ride through. I didn’t know the cruise was taking us that far, and I was very pleased to wander out into the Tasman Sea!

On the way back to the dock, one of our guides on the boat asked us to observe a moment of silence. The captain turned off the boat engines while we picked a spot where we wouldn’t move from. We were asked not to speak, not to use our phones, but rather, just soak it all in. I LOVED this. And everybody abided! Nobody spoke. There were no noises besides some birds in the distance and the small waves crashing against the rocky shore. What a meditative moment in time, shared but a group of strangers. That may have been my favorite part of the whole cruise. How often do you just take a moment and live in the now? Just being, breathing, looking, listening, and feeling.

While on the cruise, I made a friend! Jack, from Arizona. He was also traveling alone, so we chatted a bit about our travels, as solo travelers do, haha. Once we made it back to Te Anau, we had dinner and a celebratory beverage after a wonderful day. Soon, it was my witching hour, and it was time to head home and get ready for the next adventure!

We began our day nice and early and with much needed coffee before quickly heading out the door to begin our next adventure! Today, we are driving towards Lake Taupō, an ancient supervolcano! But first, right in Rotorua, we are stopping by a redwood forest. How cool! I have seen redwoods before in California, but not the GIANT ones, and these redwoods were so gorgeous and tall! Some were pretttttttty thick! This redwoods park has a neat tree walk adventure you can pay for as well. At first, it didn’t look as enticing as it sounded, but then we saw a map of the entire circuit, and it looked lengthy and high up, so we decided it could be a lot of fun. THEN, we saw you could do it at nighttime, with lanterns hanging from the trees! Sold. For the next trip. 🙂

With the redwoods checked off on Hayden’s sheet of paper that listed all our potential activities, or as it was misheard and consequently renamed by Dana for the remainder of our trip, “shitty paper,” 🤣, we were onto the next: Orekei Karako, a geothermal area on the way to Taupō. We left Rotorua early enough to arrive at Orekei Karako as it opened. Even though we were about 10 minutes “late,” there were only 5 cars total in the parking lot. We guessed most were the staff, and one was a camper van that probably parked there overnight. So basically, we were the only group! We did see the boat head across the lake before we got our tickets, but we figured there would be enough space between us and them anyway.

Orekei Karako was stunning in a wild, dangerous, mystical sort of way. We were warned to stay on the boardwalk as we should assume the water all around to be boiling and capable of burning our skin. But other than a quick warning and safety briefing, they let us board the boat, and we sailed across the lake to guide ourselves through. I can’t believe they trust us! 😅🤪

Walking through the park is other-worldly and feels like mother nature’s science experiment. So many colors and designs and pools of bubbling, boiling water. To make things even better, we didn’t see another human until we came across a worker with a leaf blower. That must’ve been who came on the boat before us! Hehe. Literally, we are the only visitors here! Always go early! We took our time meandering through, giggling at all the danger signs. All I could think of was 🎵 “highway to the danger zone!”🎵🤣. As we finished up, we enjoyed some snacks and a coffee from the visitors center before hitting the road again.

Before reaching Taupō, Dana wanted to bring me to the “Bee Hive,” a large store that has, you guessed it, honey products! We got to sample some different honeys, and it was pretty impressive how different they each tasted. They had plenty of beauty products as well, including some with bee venom! Yikes! Haha. Don’t go near if you’re allergic! 🤪

Just outside of Taupō is the famed Huka Falls; both a must-see and an overwhelming tourist destination. It takes about 30 seconds to walk from the parking lot to the bridge that crosses the rushing blue water. And when I say blue, I mean cotton candy blue or maybe ice blue? I’ve seen pictures before and wondered how they compared to seeing it in real life. And I can say it is just as blue, if not more so than the photos. After fighting through the tourist hoards, we take it all in, pose for some photos, and back in the car we go to find out Airbnb.

Our Airbnb was super cute, but a ways from town. So, we unloaded the car, connected to WiFi, and made a game plan for the afternoon. The forecast showed rain in the afternoon, so we wanted to make the most of the dry weather while we could.

We drove to town to a small restaurant called Fish Box to have some fish n’ chips. I didn’t really think anything of it, but little did I know, fish n’ chips are a BIG thing here in NZ. I was prepared for the British fish n chips with loads of vinegar and salt. No no no. Haha. NZ fish n chips are “crummed;” a light flaky batter as opposed to the thick oily beer batter. AND the fish is spectacular! We had gurnard, and when I tell you this fish was buttery and sweet and pure perfection, listen to me. Haha. There was ZERO need or want for vinegar or salt. By far, the best fish n chips I have ever had. I’m almost afraid to try it somewhere else in NZ in case it’s not the same. 😅

We ate this delectable meal right on the lake, and after we finished, we walked down the esplanade and sat a moment by the edge of this enormous lake. I wanted to go to town and walk around, hoping to find some souvenirs of some kind or another. AND to see this famous McDonalds I had been hearing about for days, haha. Now, I’m the least McDonalds-y person there is, but my curiosity was peaked. Hayden was sure I’d love it, but Dana became worried he was building it up too much. He was like a kid in a candy shop, full force giddy, and I was all for it. 🤣

We walked down one street, and Hayden knew it was around the corner and literally ran down to see it. Before I rounded the corner, he told me to close my eyes or to not look up. I tilted my hat down and stared at the ground as I walked. Soon, I was instructed to lift my gaze at the spectacle in front of me…

A PLANE. There was a PLANE parked right next to McDonalds, a part of it. OMG. SOOOOOO COOOOOOL. I couldn’t wait to check it out! We wanted to get some ice cream and settled on the classic McFlurry so we could sit INSIDE the airplane. Except it was way too hot to sit in an aluminum can, so we took pictures and ate where the AC was cranking.

After walking around the cute and touristy downtown, we drove back to Airbnb for a cozy night in. We showered, got our new favorite tv show set up, and snuggled on the couch. We made popcorn, and Dana and I shared some wine. THEN. It began to rain. Hard core. Thunder, Lightning, and even HAIL. What a show! It was the perfect addition to a cozy evening. 🤗

While we were vegging, I checked the possibilities of doing a quick trip down to the South Island, and Hayden put on his travel agent hat and was looking for flights, and I was checking out day trip availability and accommodations. Just a little while later, I was booking said flights, day trips, and hostels. It all just worked out so seamlessly, and even the weather forecast was looking favorable. So, why miss out on the opportunity? Hehe. Yay! Cheers to a surprise adventure! 😁🤗

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We woke up to head to our next Airbnb, right outside of the National Park in Okahune. But along the way, we stopped in the National Park to do some hiking. First up: Tawhai Falls, also known as Gollum’s pool. It’s a short hike with a great waterfall, perfect for a morning stroll.

Next up was a longer hike to see another, even larger waterfall, all while hiking with excellent views of Mt. Ngauruhoe, or “Mt. Doom.” Except for the clouds blocking all views of the perfect cinder cone. 😭 Waaahhh. I guess we can’t luck out every time. The hike was still super beautiful, passing through alpine prairies and then through small clusters of super dense forest with trees covered in moss! My favorite! “Oh, look! Another mossy tree!” Hehe. Eventually, we left the forested area to be greeted with a very rocky terrain, and just ahead, the Taranaki Waterfall. It was beautiful!

After soaking up the moment, we began the trek back to the car. While on our journey, Dana suffered from a blister incident, and combined with the clouds, we decided to bail on the last hike on the list, also for views of Ngauruhoe. We considered backtracking to some hot springs but realized they only had private ones available for rent. In the end, we all agreed we’d head to the Airbnb in the ski town and just relax. 🤗

Okahune has a super important and must-see spot for anyone nearby. A GIANT carrot, among other vegetables. Don’t believe me? Check out the picture! Haha. This is a whole park with these larger than life vegetables, some with oddly human looking limbs. Very strange, but Okahune is known for its carrots, so then again, maybe it’s just one big marketing scheme. 😂🥕

After grabbing some groceries, we head back to our “mountain chalet,” pig out, and watch an obscene amount of “Ghosts” episodes. I think the road trip has caught up to us, and having the afternoon to just chill and binge was exactly what we needed.

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Sunday started out with huge fail. We had our hearts set on doing the “Bridge to Nowhere,” but as it turns out, it’s in the middle of nowhere. Literally. 🤣. There are no roads there. The only ways to see it are a) to kayak up the river and then walk 40 minutes, or to start at the other end of a long cycling trail and walk for at least 2 or 3 days to get there. Sooooo…. We’re NOT doing the bridge to nowhere, haha. 😅🤣

No problem for us, though! Just a quick pivot, and we’re back in action. The sky appeared to be nearly cloudless, so we decided to do some more hiking in the National Park. First up was a trail head near our Airbnb, one that ended at another waterfall! This was probably the least impressive waterfall of all the ones we’ve seen so far… The viewpoint didn’t offer a good view, and it wasn’t much more than a trickle. It is, however, the highest altitude waterfall in the National Park. So that’s cool! And, the trail was actually gorgeous! My favorite part was the amazing view of Mt. Ruapheu, as we crossed the alpine prairie.

Next up was a trail I heard about when I offered to take someone’s picture the day before. It’s Mead’s Wall and is a very short hike from the ski resort, which is situated super close to the summit of Ruapheu. It was other-worldly up there, to say the least. It felt like driving through Mars with the volcanic landscape peppered with rough jagged rocky outcroppings. No life in sight.

I found it so unique to have a ski resort on a volcano! I couldn’t, and if I’m being honest, I still can’t wrap my head around it. When I think of ski resorts, I think of very lush, evergreen mountains covered in beautiful snow. There are most definitely no trees up on top of this volcano turned ski slope, haha.

Mead’s Wall turned out to be one of our favorite nuggets in the National Park and is apparently yet another site that was used in LOTR. Cool! The best part was the amazing view of “Mt. Doom!” 😍🤩

Next up was the ridge hike to see Ngauruhoe that we bailed on yesterday! Recovery! We could see her loud and proud on the horizon, but after seeing her from Mead’s Wall, we decided the view up there was better. And this hike was all uphill. The entire way. Haha. Good exercise, and I’m glad we crossed it off the list, but, truth be told, there’s no need to hike it. You’re welcome. 😄

After that, it was time to head home to Wanganui, ending our road trip. It was only a few days, but it felt like weeks. And it was amazing to have the trio back together for another adventure. I can’t wait to see where we go over the years! What will be next? Japan? A waffle in Belgium? South Africa? Your guess is as good as mine!

Back in Wanganui, we stopped for kebabs; a must have to kill off the oncoming “hanger.” If you don’t know already, it’s a thing in NZ to go barefoot everywhere. Even restaurants. So Dana and I lived it up and went in with no shoes! It felt so wrong to do since nearly everywhere in the states is the opposite: “No shoes, no shirt, no service.” I LOVED going barefoot, haha. It was odd, for sure, but it was such a neat experience, and I suppose now I can check that one off the list. 🤗

The rest of the evening was spent planning and packing for my surprise side-quest adventure to the South Island! Here we goooo! 😁

Today, we begin our epic NZ North Road trip! And, it also happens to be Waitangi Day; the day the Māori and the British signed the treaty, creating what we now know as New Zealand. #themoreyouknow! 🙂

First up: a drive through the perilous Paraparas. This road is small and super winding, with large trucks and an assortment of cars and campers traveling by. There is very little room for error and little to no opportunities to pass a slower vehicle; your passing game has to be strong here in NZ. This little road is a highway. Yup. A main road of egress and travel. So, if you’re caught behind a trailer, your trip can end up much longer than originally anticipated. 😅

As we wind our way through the Paraparas and towards the National Park, we begin to see a hazy view of the big mountain: Ruapheu. She certainly looks mighty in the distance, and I can’t wait to see her up close! 🤗🤩

Once we officially cross into the National Park, we look for a spot to take pictures of the beautiful volcanic skyline. There is Mt. Ruapheu, Mt. Ngauruhoe (also known as Mt. Doom, if you’re a LOTR fan), and Tongariro. My next trip to New Zealand must include a hike across the Tongariro Crossing… it looks absolutely epic! Our trio takes several selfies here, of course, and we jump back in the car and continue on our way to the Waitomo region.

Just beyond our Airbnb for the night are two side quests we need to see: a waterfall and a cave! The Marakopa waterfall was amazing! I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I wasn’t imagining anything grand; it was just a short stop off on the side of the road. Turns out, it’s quite impressive and well worth the side quest! The setting sun cast its golden glow along the falling water, and it made for a magical experience. This was also my first time walking through the woods (“bush”) in NZ, and I quickly identified my favorite tree: It’s a fern the size of a tree! Soooo cool! Hayden started looking for a silver fern to show me; a national symbol of New Zealand. It looks like a regular fern, but if you look underneath, the backside is a silvery white color instead of green.

The next side quest took us to the Piripiri Cave. Another short hike off the road, and we were staring at the cave entrance. The sun was setting, and it was pitch black inside. Too bad we didn’t bring head lamps. Oh wait, Hayden DID pack a head lamp in the 3 bags he brought with him, because “options,” haha. But did he bring it on the hike? Nope. 🙄. He left it in the car. So we amble down the steps into the cave with the flashlights on our phones, and Dana manages to snag some epic photos with her camera. I’m sorry to say my Samsung phone didn’t hold a candle to her pictures. Mine usually does really well, but not this time. 😬.

Next up was the biggest adventure of all: finding our way to our Airbnb located on an active farm. The list of directions the host provided us was the longest we’d ever seen, and they even provided a 4WD vehicle to make it all the way to the hut. Oh boy. Haha. We had to unlock a gate, close it behind us, drive past the main house to a barn, leave our car, transfer our stuff to the 4WD car, and continue down the path, through another gate, over a bridge, up a hill, and finally… our hut came into view. It was ADORABLE! If anyone wants a picturesque and quiet place while traveling in the Waitomo region, don’t sleep on this one, It’s amazing.  There was no light pollution, and the stars at night were breathtaking. We even saw the Milky Way and the Southern Cross!

Check out The Rimu Hut on Aibnb!:)

After exploring and enjoying our sweet, sweet home for the evening, we all curled up in bed for the night. I had my very own nook at the top of a very tiny bookshelf staircase! It doesn’t get any cuter than that, hehe. 🤗

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We woke up before dawn, and there was a beautiful yet spooky fog hanging around the farm. We packed our things and said our last-minute goodbyes to the most serene Airbnb we had ever stayed at. We have a big day ahead of us, but first, a trip to see a natural bridge!

This natural bridge was basically a two for one; the lookout point was on top of what appeared to be a natural bridge, and above it, there was also a natural rock bridge. We began this hike before the official sunrise, so hiking in was pretty dark. Do you think we brought the headlamp? Nope. Hah 🤣. The good news was that on our way out, we got to see everything in detail, as the sun had fully risen.

Our big excitement for the day was a cave tour with the Legendary Black Water Rafting! And we’d be seeing gloworms as well! The entire adventure would take about 3 hours. What an experience! We put on wetsuits, a first for me, and quite difficult, and we were taught a few things before driving out to the cave entrance. We did a practice jump into the little creek, as we’d have to jump a couple of times in the cave. In the dark. Hehe 🤗.

The water was pretty cold, but the wetsuit did help to keep us warm, and once we were inside, it was such a neat experience, I don’t even think I noticed the chill of the water. We crawled around in some places, had to float on our tubes to get through a narrow passage, and the big show of it was floating down the main area, with tons of glowworms above us, shining like stars. Amazing! I highly recommend this and would do it again. 😁

Our next stop was a surprise for me, but the trail we wanted turned out to be closed. So, we had to pivot slightly. We ended up driving to another trail head, and after nearly giving up on trying to find parking, we scored a spot in the parking lot! Not even on the street! Sweet!

So we begin a much shorter walk towards the Blue Spring Pools of Te Waihou. This was certainly an overcrowded touristy place, but I’d say it was totally worth it. We didn’t get the longer hike that we wanted, but we saw the beautiful and tranquil blue spring waters.

Soon, it was time to work our way to Rotorua for the evening. But not before stopping in to see some more waterfalls! We did the Okere Falls and hiked all around this area. It was an easy hike, and we were glad to get more of a walk in, since we didn’t get the one we wanted at the Blue Springs.

Next up to Rotorua for a hot minute! 🤗

Rotorua… smells like eggs…. It’s a huge area for geothermal activity, and thus, the smell is inescapable and undeniable, hehe.

I took the 6:50 AM Super Shuttle to the airport and arrived around 7:30. Very early for my 9:45 flight that boards at 9:30. lol. You can never be too sure, right?

Dana recommended I go to Best Ugly Bagel inside the domestic terminal, and it did not disappoint. Supposedly, I should’ve been able to use my Priority Pass for some freebies, but the machine didn’t accept my card? Interesting. Oh well, I was still going to purchase my bagel and coffee, hehe.

I checked in for the flight and was sure my bag would meet the maximum 7kg requirement… I had packed less than before, and it was all in the Cotopaxi bag, with plenty of room to spare! Surely it wouldn’t weigh very much, right? Wrong. It clocked in at 9.9kg… dang it! Haha. And it was a bit too wide to fit in the overhead bins. So I checked it.

When I got on the plane and saw just how tiny the overhead bins really were, I knew there was no way that bag was ever fitting. I’m surprised the “sample” bin at check-in was as big as it was because I saw rollaboards fitting in, but I doubt they could’ve really fit inside the cabin, haha.

The flight from Auckland to Wanganui was about an hour, and it was quite cloudy. Although, I did get to see some mountain peaks, which I can only assume belong to the National Park. This plane, a Saab 340, was officially the smallest commercial plane I have ever been on! Hehe. So cute!

After we landed and were taxiing to the terminal (no gate here, just walk out onto the tarmac, hehe), I saw Dana and Hayden waiting! And they even waved, and I caught it on camera! Haha. And they got a video of me! 🤗.

We take the long drive (a whopping 6 minutes) to Dana and Hayden’s house. It’s such a cute town! And their house is even cuter! It was surreal seeing it in person as opposed to via video chat and pictures.

We then took a quick trip to town for lunch and some errands, and we walked down the main avenue of town. Very picturesque art-deco buildings and a quaint small town feel for sure. The sushi place we had lunch at was a serve yourself, and the owner was so kind and cheerful. He gave us free mini spring rolls as my welcome to Wanganui. I love this place! Hehe

Back at the Smith homestead, we sat outside and planned a bit of our travels for my visit. Now, I’ve left all of this in their hands, as I trust them to know the best of the best, and with similar interests, I have no doubt whatever we do is going to be absolutely incredible! Hehe. But, I’m curious, so I ask what the plans are. Hayden cryptically asks me if I really want to know or to leave some of it a surprise? Of course, I want to know, but I do love the idea of not knowing every detail. So that’s where we left it. Haha. I did find out, however, we will be visiting some sort of famous McDonalds? … I know I know… McDonalds?! … I’ve been promised it’s worth the visit… and now I’m REALLY interested and want to google it, but I won’t. Lol.

Soon, it was time for Dana and Hayden to get ready for a wedding later that evening. And I would have the house to myself! WOW! Hehe. I planned to be productive but only managed about 45 minutes of busy work before I turned on Netflix, hehe. It’s time for bed and a new adventure tomorrow! 🙂

Sunday started with a lovely and relaxing breakfast at Hayden’s parent’s house. They set up the outdoor tables in the garden, and we enjoyed good conversation and the beauty of the flowers and bird song as we ate together. I heard the infamous “Tui” bird for the first time! I was able to spot him, too, but with the gorgeous sun casting shadows, he just looked to be all black. But in reality, the Tui has amazing blue hues on his front. Gorgeous!

After breakfast, Dana and Hayden took me to Virgina Lake, which has a lovely trail all around. This happened to be the place Hayden proposed to Dana! Awwww, hehe. We saw tons of birds and ducks, all anxiously awaiting the humans to pass by and offer up the toll of some bread crumbs or whatever other tasty morsel one is willing to part with. We saw another distinct bird, the pukeko, and was amazed by the colors, but after seeing a few more up close, I was slightly frightened by them. They’re feet are huge and spindly and remind me of what a bird-dinosaur’s feet would look like. 😅🤣

As if the birds and ducks around the small lake weren’t enough, we walked over to the small but mighty aviary in the park. Here, we got to see many smaller parakeets and some larger guinea fowl. One of the little parakeets was a lovely blue color! Amazing!

Once we finished taking in the beautiful colors of the birds, we hopped back into the car for some ice cream! But this wasn’t just any ice cream. It was berry ice cream, made with fresh, and just picked berries from the berry farm! They scoop some ice cream and put it into a big machine, then take a scoop of fresh berries, and the machine mashes it all together and then spits out a soft-serve look-a-like into a cone and voilà! You have freshly made berry ice cream. Boysenberry is a big deal around here, so naturally, I was recommended to try it. It did not disappoint, hehe.

On our way back, we stopped by the Kai Iwi beach! And guess what? It’s a black sand beach! Hehe. It was beautiful! And we saw some cliff-side houses that should be million dollar homes, but apparently, the cliff is eroding and the houses are no longer worth the investment and the liability if you know, the cliff with the houses happens to break off and plummet into the water. Hmmm… haha. Luxury or disaster?

We got back to the house with plenty of the afternoon left, so I went on my first run! It felt great, but it was hot out there. I suppose I know better than to run in the heat of the day. Lol. Hey, at least I went, right? Hehe

When I got back, we started a new tv show, “Ghosts,” cute, pretty stupid, but funny. We only made it a couple of episodes before we were ready for bed.

Dana has Monday’s off, so after a first round of coffee and my morning run, we head into town, and while she is getting her monthly massage, I relax at a beautiful cafe and read my book. Afterward, Dana swings around to pick me up so we can head over to the “Waimarie,” and historic paddle steamer, famous in Wanganui. We’re going to do a 2 hour cruise up and down the river! This will be awesome!

“Waimarie” means good fortune in the Māori language… and we’re beginning the trip with good fortune, so that must mean it’s going to be an epic trip! 🤗. It’s possible that this paddle steamer is the only one on this side of the world. It’s unique because it’s completely steam-powered, and it utilizes paddles as opposed to rudders. On the boat, there was a saloon that was the most picturesque little space, and my mind immediately started imagining it filled with people dressed for the 1920s. I wonder what this boat was like in its heyday…

We also learned back that when the boat was used as a mode of transportation, and not just for tourist cruises, carrier pigeons were used to send messages to and from different ports along the river. And guess what? The Waimarie had its very own carrier pigeon on board: Baxter! Dana and I were given the opportunity to write a message that would be sent back to the Waimarie docking station and museum. So cool! We were told the pigeon will always go back, but they don’t always make it into the coop, where the messages can be received. So we had a good chance of seeing our message, but it was no guarantee.

After cruising for exactly 2 hours, the Waimarie aligns with the dock at 1:00 PM sharp, and we excitedly scurry off and head into the museum to see if Baxter brought back our messages He did! How cool is that! Haha.

We head over to a local restaurant to grab a drink and a light snack. It’s a cute place called Mud Ducks and lies in the art sector of Wanganui. Right next to the bathrooms was a Makuna honey vending machine! Haha what? Never seen that before! My other strange vending machine sighting was one completely filled with sparkling wine in a hotel in Denver. Now I feel like I’ll have to keep my eye out for the weird and unique vending machines around the world, hehe.

Dana shows me around the art district, where all the buildings are old and in the art-deco style. It makes for a very lovely stroll, and we find ourselves heading into the glass blowing studio, where they were actually blowing glass! It was really fun to watch for a moment or two. Many of the pieces in there were thousands of dollars, so we were sure to keep our arms and hands tucked in tightly as to avoid any accidental purchases, lol.

We pick up Hayden from work and head back to the abode, and Hayden prepares a lovely dinner for us. We watched a few more episodes of our now favorite show, Ghosts, but we decided to head out to a “night market” while it is still very much light outside. 🤣. We walk in, and at first look, there isn’t much going on at all. A few food trucks, but that’s about it. We were hoping for some yummy dessert, but Dana and I opted for a beer instead.

We picked a little beer truck and started asking the guy what his favorites are. He tells us his favorite isn’t here at all! Lol. Womp womp. But he lets us try each of the 3 beers he has on tap, and he pours generously. By the time we’re done “tasting,” we’ve likely already had an entire beer, lol. We make our selections and try to pay, but it turns out, since this market is attached to a larger event called the Masters Games, and in order to purchase anything at all, you first needed to purchase a card and upload money on the card, and THIS is what you pay with. No cash, no credit cards, only this extra card for the event. What? Haha

We were surprised and saw no signage explaining you needed this in order to purchase within the market. Strange. We were wrapping our heads around how to accomplish this, and the beer guy asks if we’re planning to buy anything else while we’re here, more food, beer, etc. And we say no, we just wanted to come and check out the place, have “dessert” and go home. So, he let us have the beer for free! Woohooo! Haha. Best beer ever!

On the way home, I learned speed bumps are called “jutter-bars,” because when you go over them, they “jutter” you, lol. I suppose it makes sense, but it also sounds made up to me 🤪.

Tuesday morning on my run, I seemingly tripped over nothing and skinned up both my knees. Whoops! 🤣. I also apparently broke the brand new sunglasses I had just purchased the day before. What is going on? lol. I keep joking that my friend Heather is with me in spirit because this is the sort of thing that would happen to her. 🤪 Hehe. Anyway, I kept on running and made it back without any other issues.

After Dana finished working, we FaceTimed the other part of our trio, Kelsea, and we chatted the afternoon away. Usually, it’s Kelsea and I together, but this time, I got to be on screen with Dana!

When Hayden came home from work, we went over to the big tower in town to get a Birds Eye view of Wanganui and to hopefully see the mountain! Ruapehu! We climbed the many stairs to the top and were greeted with beautiful views! The river Dana and I had taken the river cruise on was a totally different color. It boasted a greenish blue hue as opposed to the quite muddy brown we saw just a couple of days before. We also were just able to make out the mountain, shrouded in clouds and mystery.

We had one more stop in the national park: a gorgeous viewpoint looking out over a river valley. What a beautiful spot for a picnic!

Now, back to the house to pack for the road trip! 🙂

I’m doing it! Finally going to New Zealand to visit my two travel buddies, Dana and Hayden! They live in Wanganui, towards the south of the North Island. To get all the way there, I’ll fly from Boston to LA, wait around several hours, then take the 13 hour flight to Auckland… officially my longest flight ever! Yikes! Haha, here we go! Oh, and then another hour flight down to their town a day or two later. So much travel time! 

I’m happy to say, the 13-hour flight wasn’t that bad! I mean, it was long, and my ankles were swollen by the end, but I actually slept, and I fared much better than I thought I would. I guessed I would be very restless and annoyed and just dying to get off the plane, but I suppose I was so tired that I knocked out, and that was that. In total, I flew for about 19 hours before arriving in Auckland. 

While waiting in the immigration and customs line, a woman walking near me, also sporting a Cotopaxi Allpa 35L bag (is that the international symbol for a backpacker? Haha). She asked if I was a solo traveler as well! I said yes, and we shared snippets of what we’d be doing in New Zealand, and we realized we are staying at the same hostel! What a coincidence! Although, it IS the first hostel that pops up when searching for Auckland. 🤣 She offered to share an Uber with me, but before leaving the US, I booked the “Super Shuttle” from the airport into town. A great service for around $20 USD; a shared van ride with hotel drop-offs! Perfect! So my new friend, Julia and I, parted ways for now, but hoped to meet up back at the hostel. 

I arrived at the Lylo Hostel too early to check in, but they had a luggage room for my backpack while I left to explore the city! Nothing like starting the adventure immediately, hehe. First up on my list was to buy sunscreen and other small toiletries I didn’t want to travel with. The sun here, I was warned, “just hits different,” haha. On my weather app, it also showed the UV index at a 10. So, yeah, I want the sunscreen, hehe. 

On my walk, I quickly realized just how hilly Auckland is! I had no idea and was quite surprised by that, haha. It felt good, though, after sitting for so long, to walk around and move my legs. I quickly decided I needed a coffee for both caffeination and planning; perfect excuse for a pit stop. Hehe

I ultimately decided to go up to the Sky Tower to see Auckland from above. I debated, but I was right next door, so it was an easy thing to check off the list. It was nice; the views were fabulous, but unless you wanted to buy refreshments or do the Sky Walk or Sky Jump, there wasn’t much to do once you were up there. 

Something Hayden recommended I do was check out Mt. Eden, a volcanic hill right in Auckland. Turns out there are several of these scattered around the city. And you know I love a good volcano, hehe. No matter the size. This was easily my favorite part of the city, and it confirmed my realization that I prefer nature to cities. Auckland is lovely: clean, tons of places to eat, the people are friendly, but, send me out into the woods, please. lol. 

I discovered a long “city trail” on All Trails that included three of these volcanic peaks. I ended up doing a second peak, Mt. Hobson, and it was beautiful from the top, but after a 40-minute walk to get there, I felt more impressed by Mt. Eden. Although, I witnessed the strangest thing: two young girls “sledding” down tall grass on the hill. Hahaha. Is this a thing here in Auckland? 

At this point, I decided it was time to try out the public transit. I checked online to see if you could tap to pay, and you can! I may be behind the times, but I don’t think that’s totally universal yet? 🤔 However, not needing to find a transit card kiosk to purchase the card and load money on said card, is SO AMAZING. I feel like I can go anywhere! Haha. The bus I took was a double decker, and you betcha I was on the top, enjoying some city views. 

By the time I got back to the hostel, I was able to check in, and this was done at little iPad stations. I opted to stay in a dorm room with “pods.” The pods are nearly enclosed/built-in bunk beds. They offer more privacy than typical bunks with no curtains or anything to close yourself off. I will say it feels like a cozy little cocoon! Hehe, I love it! 🤗 Except that the rooms are hot, and if you close the sliding door of the pod, it’s even hotter, haha. Oh well, I guess my New England blood will have to adapt. 😅.

Overall, the Lylo hostel is awesome! It was recommended to me by a co-worker, and I am super pleased with it. It was easily one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed in. And the largest. The room network is crazy! 

I ran into my new friend Julia, and she didn’t have any dinner plans for the evening, and I happened to have made a reservation at a restaurant called Ahi for a tasting menu experience. Julia was interested in joining me, and I was able to have them add her to my reservation! Yay! So after I had a MUCH needed shower after traveling for nearly 24 hours and hiking and walking around the city… we met up and walked down to the Queenswharf neighborhood right by the water. It was a beautiful walk down hill… That return walk is gonna be rough, haha 😅.

The tasting experience was incredible! Not super cheap, but it was worth a splurge, and I never wanted it to end. I highly recommend that restaurant… each dish was such a perfect combination of flavors. I also tried an orange wine for the first time. It gets its orange hue from the grape skins that are left on during the fermentation of the wine. 

On our walk back to the hostel, we saw the Sky Tower all lit up for Chinese New Year. The tower changes it colors for different holidays and charities. So neat! 

Rangitoto Island:

I woke up pretty early today, perhaps due to the jet lag… hehe. The breakfast at the hostel doesn’t start until 7:30 AM, which feels so late! lol. I eventually made my way down and enjoyed my coffee and a delicious eggs benedict and worked on writing from the first day of adventures in Auckland. 

As I was trying to write the blog, I was also attempting to plan my day. Turns out, I waited too long the day before to book a day tour for today. Whoops! 😅 I had been heavily considering a day tour to the Coromandel Peninusla. However, I had been told this area of the North Island is amazing and should be visited with plenty of time to enjoy it, and it should not be rushed. Well, chances are, on a day tour, it would be rushed. So I debated and debated until it was too late, lol. Which was honestly fine for me. One less decision to make. 😅🤣 So, that left me with a wide open day to fill. 

I ultimately decided to take the ferry over to Rangitoto Island. It’s a prominent sight across the bay when looking out from the city. I saw it many times yesterday when walking around the city, and especially from atop the small volcanic peaks. 

I took the 10:30 AM ferry and opted for the 2:30 PM ferry back to Auckland. It didn’t seem like I’d need more time than that, but once I got there, I realized how long each “track” (trail) would take. I asked the park ranger if it was possible to take the last ferry at 3:30, even though I had purchased my ticket for the hour prior. She told me it was highly likely I would be able to and recommended a loop that should take about 3.5 hours to complete. 

I started off fast, thinking I could probably walk the entirety much faster than the suggested times, and if I had to, I could run a bit, and maybe accomplish that distance before the 2:30 PM ferry. 

Back on course to the summit, I was hustling uphill, my calves screaming, hehe. I’ve recently learned that I am a stair person, not a gradual incline person. Give me stairs all day long! Haha. Before I knew it, I made it to the crater viewpoint. It immediately reminded me of “El Boqueron” in El Salvador. A fully vegetated crater, it is almost difficult to see the iconic shape of the crater, but a volcanic crater nonetheless. I scurried up to the summit viewpoint and took in the beautiful turquoise waters of the bay surrounding Auckland. 

The hike up was through a lot of lava fields, and I was so excited to see the black porous lava rock! Hehe. Anything that has to do with volcanoes… Sign me up! 😁🌋 One of the off-shoot tracks was to see some lava caves. I’ve had the fortune of seeing these before and actually being able to walk through them. The ones I encountered on Rangitoto Island were less susceptible for people walking into them and, rather, truly, looked like simple cave entrances rather than full-on tunnels. I was a little disappointed but would have regretted not taking the side route to check them out. 

I originally anticipated going around the loop the park ranger had originally suggested, but I ended up back on the summit trail, headed back to the wharf. While realizing my mistake, I decided I didn’t want to hike for the full 3.5 hours, and it would be lovely to find a cozy spot and just enjoy the scenery. And that is exactly what I did. Well, after walking even more. Hehe. 

I took the McKenzie Bay Road to Flax Point, which boasted a beautiful view of Auckland. Along the way, I found a lovely little bench and stopped there to lay down on my way back, soaking up the warm weather and the sound of the water crashing on the lava rocks. I waited here until I saw the 2:30 ferry arriving, and I knew I had my fill. I was eager to find some local beer to sample. 😁🍻

There was a brewery right near the wharf, and it happened to be a rooftop location, so that was the easy winner right there. I tried their rotating hazy IPA on tap, and it was quite nice! I don’t usually gravitate towards the IPAs, but I liked this one. And I ordered a ceviche to start. And it was made with coconut cream! Oh. My. God. Was it delicious. I immediately asked my friends who live in NZ if this was normal. It was not confirmed, and now the challenge is on: order ceviche wherever I can while traveling here, and see what it’s like. I will say, so far, my favorite food in NZ has been the seafood. Lots of raw fish. Yum! Hehe. While doing the dinner tasting with my newest solo traveler friend, Julia, I realized I prefer to eat raw fish to cooked fish! #themoreyouknow

After enjoying a margarita pizza to replenish the energy spent on hiking, I walked back up to the hostel, where I quickly gathered my iPad and headphones, as I KNEW, if I dawdled too long in the room, I’d end up staying and napping, lol. I wanted to be sure to write about today to keep up to date with the blog since, apparently, that escapes me sometimes. 😅

Tonight, I have no plans but to… relax? Does that ever happen on vacation? Lol. Tomorrow will be an early start for the Hobbiton Tour! Hooray! 😁

April 26th: Lima

I woke up early and showered, then took all my stuff out of the dorm room and tried my best to organize it. I bought two bottles of Pisco at the vineyard in Ica, and now had to expertly pack them so they wouldn’t break since I had to check my bag. Never my first choice, but one of the bottles I bought was a Pisco Cream of Cacao, so rich and choclately, I didn’t want to risk not finding it again, hehe. I spent the better part of an hour trying to organize my things and make sure I had what I needed for the travel day in my daypack and everything else in the soon-to-be-checked bag.

Once I was satisfied with my packing, I headed down to breakfast and to check-out. I’d be out and about from 9am until 6:30ish, when I needed to be back at the hostel to catch my ride to the airport.

The first task of the day would be to walk to the ocean! Well, pretty close to it, hehe. Turns out the neighboordhood I was in, Miraflores, is right by the water, but also on a pretty large cliff. I wanted to stroll along through some of the parks and chose this over walking all the way down to the actual shore. It was really foggy, and only I was only able to make out the water in a few places.

As I continued walking, the fog began to lift, and pops of blueish green came through the grey fog. I’m so glad I stuck around and waited! Hehe. I now had to make my way to the meeting place for the walking tour I signed myself and Kim up for. We would be doing the historic center, which was a good bit of distance from Miraflores. Our guide would help us take the bus into town and begin the tour once we got there.

On my way to the meeting place, I decided I needed just a bit more cash. I was wondering if a money change place would exchange a $20 bill for me, so I walked into one attached to a tourist information office. I was pretty sure they wouldn’t, but I went in anyways. And then I realized why….there was a gorgeous mural of Starry Night, but it had llamas, and it was set a Machu Picchu! Omg! Hehe Soooo coool! I never even asked if they’d change my $20, as I knew the world conspired for me to get there just to see this image. So I went around the corner to the ATM and pulled out $20 worth of the local currency, soles, for the day.

The walking tour was nice, primarily walking from one large plaza to the main plaza, learning a bit about the history on the way. The most interesting thing I learned was that although many of the buildings looked colonial, they were fairly recent, from the 1940’s! Hehe. There was a mix of colonial style with art deco and art nouveau, including one building that appeared to be influenced by Gaudi. Overall, the historic center was beautiful, and we got to witness the changing of the guards, which our guide said was pretty much just for show. Either way, still pretty cool to see.

After the walking tour, Kim and I decided to take the bus back to Miraflores, as we had noted earlier that the buses seemed way faster than the car traffic. This bus line went directly down the middle of the highway and bypassed many of the congested areas. Genius! We did have some trouble trying to get on the bus, as you need a bus card, and as we were trying to buy one to put money on, a local accepted some money from us and tapped us in. Cool!

We split ways here for a few hours while I went to a cooking class. I was a bit late, as the bus we wanted took a little bit of time to arrive, and when it looked as though I had reached tge cooking class location, I couldn’t see a sign for this place anywhere in sight! I did notice that there was a restaurant/bar called “Saha,” and we were given a coupon for a free pisco sour for this place, so I made a mental note. I also went in and looked around for someone to ask directions, but nobody was there. I headed back outside and asked some construction workers, but I’m not hopeful they’ll be able to help. One thinks he’s seen the place I’m looking for, “Luchitos,” on the previous block. So I run over there, can’t find anything, and it looks like I’m moving in the opposite direction on the GPS. Nooo! Haha. I really want to do this! Not to mention I’ve already paid, hehe. So I go into another store and ask if they know, and the guy working has no idea. Haha. Grrrreat. So I follow my GPS again, to the same spot by Saha. I wonder if I missed an alley entrance or something. This time, I went in, and there were people inside, so I asked them, and they happily ushered me upstairs. That was it. The cooking class was upstairs above Saha. Omg. Lol. You think there could’ve been a sign?! Nothing. I’m wondering how the others found the place, lol. I shoudl’ve asked them, but I never got around to it.

When I arrived, they had a spot saved for me with an apron and a name tag already laid out. I quickly washed my hands and took my place at the table. This was my first cooking class ever, and it was quite fun. Although we didn’t actually “cook” anything, we mostly just assembled ingredients, lol. We crafted “causa,” a traditional Peruvian dish made with mashed potatoes and shredded chicken and avocado layered in between. I hadn’t tried this yet, so I was extra excited to make it and taste it. Delicious!

Next up was a pisco sour…Pretty sure I can make this drink by memory now, lol. Seems like everywhere you go, there is a free pisco sample or a Pisco Sour making class. I guess that’s a good thing? Hehe I’m excited to try making one at home. See if it’s the same….lol

After we had fun with our pisco, the last dish we’d be creating was the infamous ceviche. Made with white fish, sweet potato, choclo (a large variety of corn), and small, almost popped corn kernels. This was so yummy, too. I added some extra spice to mine. Apparently, in Peru, there is a saying, “If it’s not spicy, it’s not ceviche.” Hehe. I love it! Haha

Overall, I had a lovely time at the cooking class. I wanted to do something culinary related while in Lima. Ideally, I would’ve gone on a food tour, but they were so expensive! I was quite surprised by this, and the cooking class ended up being less money than the majority of the food tours. I may not have tried as many things as I would’ve on the food tour, but I actually got to make them! I loved it!

My friend Kim found her way to Saha for her free Pisco Sour, and once I wrapped up with the cooking class, I met her below and we took advantage of one last Peru Hop ammentiy: the free drink hehe. We then headed to the market to do some last-minute shopping.

Afterward, we walk toward the park where we know we can find a famous Peruvian desert: picarones. A donut like desert made from sweet potatoes and served with a sweet honey. The woman in this park who sells these is actually Netflix famous! There was a documentary about Latin American street food, and she was on it! Hehe. So we had to go to Mary’s Picarones. And they were sooo good! The documentary is called “Street Food: Latin America” and the episode is Lima. Guess I know what I’ll be watching later! Hehe.

We enjoyed eating our picarones in a park filled with cats that the locals feed. It was like a cat cafe, but park edition. Lol. It was so relaxing, and a great way to finish off the day, and well, my whole trip to Peru. Kim and I said our goodbyes as she headed back to her hotel, and I went to my hostel and eventually to the airport.

I make it back to the hostel and grab my bags from storage, and end up waiting around a while before my ride comes. I’ve paid for a communal van ride to the airport, and I was picturing a bigger bus like the Peru Hop ones I’ve been enjoying the last several days, but this is one of those smaller, 15 passenger vans. Ahhh, yes, should’ve realized, haha. It was about 15 minutes late, and it took us around an hour and a half to finally make it to the airport. Phew! Glad I didn’t have to pee! Haha.

Check-in was smooth, and I stopped in a lounge for one last pisco sour and to sort through my bag, making sure what I’d need was handy. It was almost time to head to the flight, so I went to the gate and patiently awaited a seat assignment. The odds were looking somewhat iffy, but I could see 1 seat left in first class. It’s mine! Hehe. Unless it’s blocked off for some reason. I kept the faith, and soon, I was rewarded with a boarding pass for that very last first class seat! Woooohoooo! The best way to end the trip, hehe. I had a little dinner and threw my eye mask on, and I was out cold until the breakfast service began. What a beautiful way to travel, hehe. I’m so grateful!

I thought I’d have an issue getting onto the next flight to Bosotn, but that also went smoothly, and before I could process the fact I was saying goodbye to Peru, I was waiting curbside in Boston for the bus. And just like that, my Peruvian Adventure came to a close.

I wonder where my next adventure will take me? 🤗

The drive to Paracas was the shortest bus ride I’ve experienced yet. As soon as I got to my hostel, I got ready for a shower, prepared an outfit for the next day, and was in bed. I was more tired than I realized and fell asleep rather quickly.

My bed wasn’t the most comfortable, and I learned that when in a multi-bed dorm with no bed assignments, ALWAYS check the beds to see which is the most comfortable, hehe. I already had the bed fluffed and ready, all my belongings set up before I realized my grave error. Oh well, lol. Love goes on, and it was still better than sleeping on the overnight bus, hehe.

The next morning, I met a group of Peru Hop people to do a boat tour of the Ballestas Islands, the “Galapagos of Peru.” We were hoping to see a variety of wildlife and another Nazca line.

First up was the Candelabria Nazca line, and it was awesome! I’m so glad I got to see some of these amazing creations. Essentially just carved into the earth, they have withstood years of weather and humans, and have seen the passing of time. I find it amazing they’ve survived for so long!

Next up was the islands…along the way we were greeted by several sea lions. Once we arrived to the islands, they were swarms of birds everywhere! And even more sitting up on the rocky island. The smell of bird poop was strong, and the sandy brown rocks were turned a yellowish white from all their droppings. Apparently Peru is one of the largest exporters of guano. Who knew? Haha. 💩

We were so fortunate that our guide pointed out two penguins! They were a couple, and penguins are also monogamous. One was walking toward the other, and it looked like a sweet little reunion for the two. This was my first time seeing wild penguins! Hehe. I’ve seen them in aquariums and in a little pen at a resort in Hawaii…lol. But THIS was far better to see them in the wild. We would end up seeing a couple more inviduals, but this first sighting was made better by the pair.

The boat captain took us into a couple of the arches that the islands are famous for, and we spotted several species of birds, some crabs, and just about before we were to return to the port, we saw a momma and a baby sea lion! Soooo cute! The mom was teaching the baby how to swim. Apparently, when born, the baby sea lions do not know how to swim and must be taught. Both the momma and baby were sort of growling/barking at each other, and it was the cutest thing! I kept imagining a conversation going some like this: “Mooooooooooommmmm, I’m drowning, help me!” And the mom replying, “You’re a sea lion dammnit, either learn to swim or die!” Haha. Guess you had to be there, but it was quite entertaining.

Back on shore, my new friend, Kim and I, decided to meet up after checking out of our accommodations. We walked around the small seaside town and did a little bit of souvenir shopping and found ourselves having a snack at a restaurant. I ordered “tequeños” which are sort of like a mozzarella stick meets a folded spring roll. Inside there was a piece of ham wrapped around a cylindrical cheese. They were quite tasty, and to help wash them down, Kim and I enjoyed a delcious beer. What could be better? Hehe

Soon, it was time to meet up with the Peru Hop bus again, and this time, we were headed to the Paracas National Reserve to visit a few key sights. The reserve is all desert, and it was once submerged below the ocean. There are many fossils here, and tons of natural salt left behind from when it was part of the ocean. We saw some cliffs and formations just off the shore and a red beach. The red isn’t as brilliant as it once was, but the deep reddish hue was still present. Nothing will beat the Red Beach in Hana, though, that’s for sure, hehe.

Back to Paracas, we went to pick up some more people who were joining us on the way to Lima. I thought it would be a straight shot into the capital, but we had a stop at a historic Hacienda. It was built by slaves that were taken from Africa, and we learned about the sordid history of slavery in Peru. I didn’t realize they had slaves, and although it was heavy, I was glad to have learned about it.

The ride to Lima wasn’t terrible, but it was a bit long. We got in around 9:30pm, and I checked into my hostel and essentially went straight to bed, lol. Tomorrow would be my last day in Peru, and my only day in Lima, so I wanted to get started early before embarking on the journey back to Boston.

Another long day on a bus. Haha. This time though, the AC was on! Thank all the gods! Haha. Leaving Arequipa, the landscape was just rocks. And more rocks on top of rocks. Rocks for as far as I could see, lol. I suppose we really are in the desert climate of Peru, haha. Eventually, we make it close enough to the ocean to have a lovely view of where the desert meets the water. Some parts of the road were at sea-level, and other areas were up high on the desert cliffs…it was quite a beautiful ride.

We’re cruising along, making good time, but we soon slow down and come to standstill. Apparently, the locals in this community have blocked the road in a strike, trying to get the attention of the mayor, and demanding a water service be brought to their town. Fair enough, I’d want to strike for the same reason. Our driver tries to take a shortcut, an almost off-road adventure to get around the massive traffic jam. We were almost out of it when we were stopped again and were thwarted from making any more progress by the locals.

Our guide told us it could be as long as 4 hours before they cleared the roads! Yikes, haha. As if our bus ride wasn’t long enough already, haha. We waited almost an hour and began moving again. Then we stopped. Uffff! I thought we were clear, lol. It didn’t take much longer after that to get started once again, and this time, we were free! Hooorah! We initially thought that due to the potential 4 hour delay, we’d be missing the Nazca Lines, but now we had enough time to make it there! Yay!

We grabbed some lunch to eat on the bus in order to maximize our time, and we made it to the Nazca viewing tower just as the sun was setting. It was beautiful! And I was more impressed with the Nazca lines than I thought I would be. Hehe. Maybe it’s the anthropology/archaeology in me, but they were soooo neat! Having seen just a few of them, now I DO want to take the flight over them. Next time! Hehe. I plan on visiting Peru again….it’s been so wonderful!

After we had our fill of the mysterious and elegant Nazca lines, back in the bus, we go on our way to Huacachina, the desert oasis.

I make it to my hostel, check-in, and decide to sit at the bar to work on some pictures and my blog. Nobody comes to take my order….haha. It’s so strange, not even eye-contact! Lol. Just as I’m about to give up, someone asks if I want a water. Ummm….no, I’d like a beer! Lol. But, it was getting chilly, so I leave and grab a sweater, and come back out. This time, though, I walk up to where they are cashing people out, and order my beer. Aha! I guess this is the way its done here, lol. I sit by the pool, going through pictures, but each sip of the beer is putting me one step closer to my bedtime, haha.

Before I know it, I’m crawling into my top bunk, trying to fall asleep listening to all the music and commotion outside. Surprisingly, I fall asleep quickly and don’t wake until the morning.

…

I wake up after attempting to sleep in, as this morning, I don’t have any real plans. As I try to silently get out of the top bunk, a near impossible task, I hear a gravely whisper say my name, and I know it’s my friend, Julia! Hehe. She and I are in the same dorm room, and after waking up so early for the last bits of our trip, sleeping in until 7 is about the best we got, haha.

So we get up and have some breakfast, and decide to go walk around the town. I bring my laundry and drop it off, and we start exploring the very small oasis. We find the water, and it’s quite beautiful, and surrounding the tiny pond are many restaurants. We quickly see all there is to see and decide to hike up the biggest dune to get some views. Wow, that was a tough hike, lol. I mean, being a sandy desert, you sink down with every step, and I’d say every other step is a slip back or to the side, so it took us quite a while, and worked our calves to their limits. Uggghhhh…so worth it! Hehe.

The views from the top were incredible, and on one side, it was desert dunes as far as we could see. Amazing! The bus ride here showed tons of rocky cliffs and desert, but this was like something out of the Sahara…just tons of sand. Hehe.

On our way down, I was trailing behind after taking extra pictures, so I began to run. So. Much. Fun! Hehe. It’s almost like skiing with your feet, and I guess I looked like I was having fun because before long, Julia was also running down, hehe. When we got to the bottom of the dune, we realized just how hot the sand was becoming. Ouch! Hehe. We’re very glad we decided to hike the dune in the morning because it would surely be impossible in the middle of the day, lol.

Back at the hostel, we sit by the pool, getting in and out leisurely and joining a few volleyball games. They were so fun! I’ve never done pool volleyball, and it’s much harder than it looks, haha. Your movements are so restricted by the water resistance, and the bottom of the pool was slippery, so when you did try to lunge for the ball, you’d just slip and fall, almost in slow motion. Haha. It was hysterical to watch, and we had way too much fun, hehe.

An official game broke out in the afternoon, and the winning team would all get free shots. As soon as the stakes changed, the game became 10 times more intense and catty. Self-decided team captains were ordering people to stand in certain places, and now it was a strict 3 touches only per side. I’m just here to have fun, lol. In the end, the hostel hostess gave everybody free shots; rewarded for participation, hehe. The shot was more passion fruit juice than vodka and was delicious, lol.

After drying off, it was time to get ready to go for a ride on the dune-buggy and go sand boarding! Wooohoo! I was super excited for this! Hehe. The dune-buggy fit 10 people, and I ended up on an outer edge. The driver told us to take off our hats and to make sure our rollercoaster style harness seatbelts were as tight as they’d go. Oh boy, haha. I have a feeling this is gonna be a bumpy ride, hehe.

We start off very slow and calm, and I think our whole group was thinking, “oh, okay, we got the old slow guy,” haha. Well, that must be his little technique because once we were feeling comfortable, he steps on it, and we’re off in a bumpy whirlwind flash of sand and dust, lol. We are CRUISING through the dunes, and we’d climb up a tall one and careen down the other side, our stomachs being turned upside down, lol. It was EPIC! We’re all screaming and laughing and holding on for dear life, lol. We’d been going fast, and the driver would whip us around a tight turn, and it felt like the whole buggy could flip over, but we never did.

Soon, we are stopped, and the driver gets the sand boards ready. We’re each given a piece of wax and told to give the boards a nice covering. Then he instructs the first person to lie on their belly, face forward, and gives her a push over the dune!

We’re going face first on our bellies?? Haha, Oh boy. The first person did it successfully, so we’re all a bit more confident now. Oh. My. God. Was it exhilarating! Hehehe. I’m guessing my first board was one of the best, and I had made sure to put a ton of wax on it, and I was FLYING! Haha. It was amazing! On my first run, I went farther than anybody else. Hehe. We got to do this several more times on different dunes of varying heights. The last one was the tallest, and you couldn’t even see the whole dune. It was so steep, the second half of it disappeared, like it was turning in on itself, lol. We saved the best for last, that was for sure, hehe.

I head down this one, and it’s again, magical! It’s amazing how fast you get going, lol. And towards the end, it got bumpy, and it was probably a good thing, as it acted like a breaking system, haha. It did make it difficult to stay on course and not fall off the board….hehe. Soon we’re all finished with the long run, and it’s time to pile back in the dune buggy and ride to a sunset spot.

The sunset was gorgeous, setting over the golden sand desert. We had a perfect view, as our driver took us closer than the others, so there were no obstructions and no people in our pictures. Thank you! Hehe.

Back at the hostel, it was a time for a much needed shower to cleanse ourselves of the loads of sand that covered our bodies. It was comical watching some people empty out their shoes, a pure stream of sand falling down like a waterfall. Haha. After my long and wonderful shower, it was time for some dinner. Julia and I made quick friends with two Canadian guys, and we shared dinner with them.

After dinner, the hostel hosted a bachata/salsa dancing class, so we all joined! It was pretty fun, and we learned more than just the basic steps, and I was excited to continue practicing my new skills after the class, but, rather than continue to play salsa music, they reverted back to the more party-like reggaeton. Oh, well. Haha. At that point, nobody was dancing anymore, and I decided to head to bed shortly there after.

…

Huacahina and Pisco Tour:

I woke up REALLY early today, as I wanted to hike the big sand dune again for sunrise. As I was trying to leave the hostel, I noticed the giant entry doors were closed…. okay….. maybe I can’t leave? Haha. Then, a guy wakes up in the lobby area, where he must’ve been sleeping, and he asks if I want to leave. I say yes, for the sunrise, and I ask him what time the doors are opened. He said around 7. Yikes, that’s 2 hours from now, haha. But, I’m giving myself an hour to make it up for the sunrise around 6, and I’m expecting to spend some time up there enjoying the peacefulness, so I guess that’s not too bad.

So out I go! Officially locked out until 7. Hehe. I start walking towards the dune, and it’s cold outside. I’m glad I brought my sweater! However, it didn’t take long climbing the dune before the sweater was off, and I was covered in sweat, and now sand. Every time the wind blew, a fresh layer of sand was plastered onto my sweaty skin, lol.

This second hike up was far more difficult and strenuous than the previous morning. After a night of being untouched, the dunes were glazed over by the wind, and there were barely any footprints or tracks leading to the top. I was walking on fresh sand, sinking in deeper, and sliding farther to either side. It took me probably 50 minutes to get up. There were many moments I thought I’d just quit and wait where I was for the sunrise. But then I thought, “I’m so close! I can do this!” And I continued on.

Once on the top, I sit down down and attempt to cool off, hehe. The wind is cold, but I’m sweating profusely. Within 10 minutes or so, it’s time to put my sweater back on and await the sunrise. I was hoping for something magical, but as luck would have it, it was a cloudy morning. The best views were right as I made it to the top, in the pre-dawn glow of the full moon. While not the sunrise I had hoped for, it was serene sitting at the top. There is something quiet and beautiful about being awake and present before the majority of the world begins to stir. Before the hustle and bustle of the daily grind distracts us from the peacefulness and the beauty of what it means to be alive in this world.

It was quite cold on top of the dune with the wind blowing, and my sweat-dampened skin was a constant reminder. So after taking in my beautiful surroundings and quietly reflecting on how lucky I am to be here, I start my journey back down the dune, stopping often for more photos. When I’m towards the bottom, I sit down for about half an hour, as the hostel doors won’t be open yet, hehe. By now I’m freezing and counting down the minutes until I can go back.

I make it back a tad early, but the doors are open! Score! So I head in and find a seat near the pool. I figure I could nap out here rather than be noisy in the dorm room again. I only sleep about half an hour, as I’m still quite cold, and now the hostel is beginning to stir. The employees are cleaning up the pool area and getting ready for breakfast.

I take advantage and grab a cup of hot coffee….easily the best coffee I had all trip, lol. Much needed to wam my ice-cold hands and to warm me from the inside out. As I’m finishing my first cup of coffee, I look up, and Julia is  walking towards me. We decided to order some breakfast and secure a shaded seat by the pool. You gotta grab these early, or they’re occupied for the whole day, lol.

We enjoy a delicious breakfast, and I run out to gather my laundry. I need to pack everything today and check-out before 10:30. I have an included tour to a Pisco vineyard with Peru Hop, and I’ve decided to check it out.

There were about 7 people on the tour, and our host at the vineyard did the shortest explanation of how the Pisco is produced and hurried us to the tasting area. I think we must’ve tried 10 different types of Pisco or pisco mixes. So many! Hehe. We were all definitely buzzed leaving there, haha.

The host asked for volunteers, and nobody was quick to raise their hands. One guy did, and after another pause, I raised mine as well. We were to do the “pisco challenge.” We had to take a shot of pisco, and not leave a single drop in the cup. If any liquid came out at all when the cup was turned upside down, we were to have another shot as punishment, lol. So, we take the shot, and the host stops us and said we’ve done it wrong. Huh? He says we didn’t cheers, and you can’t do a shot with saying cheers. Lol. So he pours us another one. Grrreat. Hehe. So again, we do the shot, and now he tests our cups. My counterpart did an excellent job, and nothing came from his shot glass. Now my turn. Drip, Drop. Oh no!! Haha. I failed. So I was given another shot to try again. This time, I made sure there couldn’t be anything left, making sure to lick the rim of the cup and tap the bottom, to get everything in one go. The host checks it, and I’m safe! Haha. Phew!

And for the record, these “shots” were quite small, I’d say ⅓ of a full shot, or even less. Still, after 10+, that adds up quite quickly, lol. Let’s just say I was feeling pretty good and relaxed by the time we left. Haha.

Back at the hostel, I arrived in time to catch the end of the competitive volleyball game, all attempting to win the free shots, hehe. Once the official game ended, more people joined in, and a casual game began. I wasn’t going to play again, but I got suckered in and had so much fun! I really enjoyed playing…and had some pretty good plays, if I do say so myself :).

Julia and I would be parting ways today, so we had an early dinner together, and before I knew it, she was walking me to the pick-up point for my next bus. We had been traveling in the same direction now for so many days, it would be strange not to see her anymore. We wished each other safe travels and said goodbye. Hopefully we’ll meet again in the Netherlands…I’m sure I’ll have many trips there this summer, hehe.

Stay tuned for the next adventures in Paracas and Lima 🤗.

April 20th: Arequipa

After spending some quality time in the hammock, I head downstairs to see if I can check in. After a bit of conversation with another staff member, the font desk person says I can take a bed in “x’ room. Okay, great! It’s RIGHT opposite the front door, lol. Gonna be a noisy one, but after the lack of sleep I got on the bus last night, I’m sure I won’t have a problem, lol.

It’s a room with only 3 beds, and there is only one other person in it. Thank goodness too, because I’ve only found 1 wall outlet, haha. The first thing I did when I got in was shower….it felt oh so nice and was much needed after the hot and sticky bus ride. This shower felt better than the post-hike shower, lol. It’s hard to believe, but it really did.

I was told by the front desk that I could also have breakfast this morning, which was excellent, because I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it the next two mornings. I decided to do the full day Colca Canyon Tour, which begins at 3am! Yikes! Haha. Guess I’ll be getting up at 2:30….uuggghhh. It’ll be worth it! Hehe.

I wish I had done some more research for Arequipa, because there are a couple of volcanoes you can hike, and I would’ve LOVED to do that, and add a few more volcanoes to my list. Oh well, I’ll save that for next time, hehe.

After breakfast, I walked towards the center to find my friend, Julia. We had booked a free walking tour, and she was having her own breakfast. The walking tour was quite good, our guide was very funny, and we learned a nice bit about the city. He seemed to take us to several “shopping” places, but his tour was still filled with some good history lessons.

Arequipa was built by the Spanish and earned the nickname, “The White City,” because of the color of the volcanic stones used for the buildings, but also because it was a hub for European immigrants at the time of contact. It’s a beautiful city and very different from Cusco. It became the perfect spot to rest while traveling to and from the ocean and the Andean mountains.

After our tour, Julia and I decided to try a recommendation for lunch: a local dish, “rocoto relleno,” or a stuffed pepper with meat and veggies, smothered in cheese. Ohhhhh yeah, lol. This particular restaurant offered a vegetarian option as well, so both Julia and I tried it. So delicious! I think that was my favorite meal so far. It’s up there with the salmon ceviche I had the first day, and of course, the guinea pig, because that was so fun and different. 😋

When I booked my Colca Canyon Tour with Peru Hop, they told me that because it was within 24 hours, I’d need to let them know in order to confirm my reservation. I sent a message via WhatsApp and didnt’ get a response for a while, but when I finally did, they told me I had to email them. Haha, okay. Not quite as simple as some of the other tours I booked the day before, but alright. I guess I better book the other tours I’d like to do in the next town.

When I go to do that, I realize that the tour ends 15 minutes before the bus pickup to then go on to the next place. Uh-oh. I don’t think that is going to work, hehe. So I half scramble, as I’m still fighting the drowsiness of the overnight bus and decide to add an extra day in Huacahina.

Meanwhile, Julia and I decided to go visit the museum where the infamous ice maiden, Juanita, sleeps eternally. If you don’t already know, Juanita is a young girl who was sacrificed by the Inca and left atop the Ampato volcano, and discovered in 1995. She was the first, but many other adolescents were discovered on that volcano and surrounding mountains. Not technically a mummy, she was killed and left in the freezing temperatures. It’s believed she was sacrificed to ask the gods to ask for favor with the crops as they were facing an El Niño season. It was quite amazing to see her and to see the condition the clothing that was found in other burial sites. It looks as though it could’ve been made yesterday, but that goes to show the power of cold preservation.

After our visit with Juanita, we head to a place our guide took us earlier and got some coffee and tea. We’re both drained, and I have an early wake-up for the tour tomorrow…but, I need to resolve my Huacachina plans before I stress out, haha. So with the energy of the coffee, I finish that and begin looking ahead to the next planned travel and wonder if I’ve missed anything else. But that will have to wait. One thing at a time, hehe.

Before heading back to our hostels, we run to the grocery store for some snacks and food. Apparently I’m not the only one who overspent in Cusco, hehe. I grabbed some peanut butter, which was kept in the dairy cooler, and some jam and bread. Time to make a good ‘ole PB&J! The tour tomorrow is somewhat pricey and doesn’t include the entry fee nor lunch. So, I plan to eat my sandwich apart from the group. We’ll see how that goes, lol.

Back at my hostel, I go up to the breakfast/bar area to catch the sunset. The clouds blocked most of the sun, and it wasn’t quite the picturesque view I had hoped, but the volcanoes were still there, looking mighty and threatening and I loved it!

Time for bed!

Colca Canyon

Today was another long day tour….my earliest yet with a pickup time of 3am!!! Ahahaha. Overall, it was a successful day, and we got to see many condors! It was surreal! We could see them from far away, and they just looked like any other bird, but as we got closer to them, and at times, when they’d fly just overhead, you really got the impressive image of just how big they are. The best we saw was right as we were about to leave the spot, and they were swarming all around us overhead.

I learned that the condor can live up to 70 years and is a monogamous bird. They also glide through the air, utizling the air currents, as opposed to actually flying. Our guide told us how they are scavengers, and when food is scarce, they have been known to scare sheep passing by on a cliff, so much so, the sheep end up falling to their demise, where the condors begin a feast, hehe. So wild!

After the condors, we stopped by a small town, Maca, to try the “Colca Sour,” a slight variation on the traditional Pisco Sour. Rather than being made with lime, the Colca sour is made from cactus fruit! Obviously, I had to try one, haha. It was also my cheapest drink at only 8 soles! Done deal.

Next up, we stopped by some hot springs, literally for a hot minute, haha. Honestly, it was kind of weird this was part of the day tour, and we had to pay the entry fee. But, who’s gonna say no to sitting in a natural hot spring pool? Haha. There was a guy from my group who didn’t realize, and hadn’t brought a bathing suit, and just went in in his shorts! Lol. Gotta make do!

After the hot springs, we had a quick lunch, and began our arduous jounrey back to Arequipa. We did stop a handful of times to get photos of the volcanic chain that surrounds Arequipa, I honestly think the views from the city are better.

Overall, I’d call this tour a bust. I mean, the condors were spectacular, but I would’ve preferred to stay there longer and skip the hot springs. But hey, you win some, you lose some, lol.

On my way back to the hotel, I decided on a whim to enter one of the alpaca sweater shops, and there it was! The sweater I was destined to bring home! It was beautiful! I tried it on and knew this was the one! Hehe. I’m so glad I waited, and thank you, Tony, for buying it for me!

I come back to the hostel and find my dorm room empty, besides me! Wooohoo! Haha, thats so awesome! Someone could still come before I leave tomorrow morning, but maybe I’ll luck out with a single! Haha. Time to get settled and head up to the rooftop bar for a drink and a sunset. This hostel was okay, overall, but their biggest advantage is the killer view they have of the volcanoes, hehe. And that’s exactly the reason I chose them. Off to bed and up early for an all day bus to Huacachina!