New Zealand, Part I

Our trip to New Zealand began with several bus rides.  First, we took the bus (with all of our luggage) from campus to downtown.  Then we had the bright idea that walking would clearly be the best way to get from downtown to the bus station.  After walking for a half hour in the sweltering heat, we came to realize that this was actually not the best option and we vowed to never do it again. Next, we took a five hour bus ride from Townsville to Cairns.  About halfway through the bus ride, we stopped for a lunch break.  However, due to the copious amounts of snacks that we had eaten up to that point and our natural curiosity for the ocean, we decided to head down to the beach. 


It was low tide and there were so many treasures on the beach that it was difficult to decide where to begin!  First, we found a sea turtle shell.  Not just part of the shell, but the entire thing!  We wanted to take it with us to look at it further, but the sheer size of it prohibited us from doing so.  However, we did find a vertebrae from a cetacean that we have yet to identify and we put it in a special hiding place so that we could recover it later (after all, New Zealand Customs and Boarder Patrol would NOT be impressed with us if we tried to bring that into their country...).  We also found tons of amazing shells and tiny crab skeletons which was a dream come true for a couple of marine science nerds like ourselves.

We eventually boarded the bus and when we got to Cairns we had another amazing idea.  Cairns is a beautiful, touristy city with many different shops, so we explored the scene for a while and then decided to WALK the 7 kilometers to the airport (since we hadn't learned our lesson...).  After more than an hour of walking and a path that was quickly disappearing, we decided to call for a taxi to take us the rest of the way.


Although Cairns Airport is a huge hub for international flights entering and leaving Australia, there was nothing to do and only one tiny cafe open.  After Kelley and I each waited for a half hour in line for incredibly dissatisfying sandwiches, we both decided that it was best to just grab some candy and call it a night.  Since our flight was so late (11 PM) immediately upon boarding the plane we both passed out for the majority of the trip. 


When we arrived in Auckland, at 5:30 AM, we were subjected to screenings by Customs and Boarder Control and promptly earned another stamp in our passports!  Because we are classic Americans, we found out just days before departing that the Rugby World Cup was going on in Auckland, which explained why there were so many families pouring into the airport at such an early hour.


Upon arrival at the hotel we found that it was...quaint.  The man working behind the desk insisted that our room was not ready yet, so we sat down on some couches in the lobby and waited...and waited.  At one point, I swear that he was sleeping behind the desk!  A woman walked up to the desk and said "hello?" several times before he popped up looking tired and confused.


The waiting eventually paid off and we were able to put our bags down in the room, take a hot shower, and head to downtown Auckland for the day.  To me, Auckland was a city like I've never seen before: it was modern, but not "in your face" contemporary; it was Western, but had a distinct Japanese and Eastern influence.  We roamed the city for several hours to see what it had to offer and found out that there was a beautiful island nearby that was accessible by ferry which we decided that we would go to the next day.  As for that night, we grabbed dinner at a local restaurant and bought a box of cookies for dessert.  We came back to the hotel, had a few cookies, and headed to sleep early since we had been up so early and were still trying to adjust to our new time zone. 


I awoke to a disturbing scene in the morning.  I am an animal lover, but there are two animals in this world that I'm not particularly fond of: mosquitoes and ants.  To my horror, there were 50-60 extremely large ants crawling all over our night stand and eating our delicious cookies.  It was one thing for them to be in our room, out of sight.  It was an entirely different thing for them to be in my room, right by my head, and eating my cookies.  They had crossed a line, and it was time to pay the price.  I bolted to the bathroom and grabbed as much toilet paper as possible.  I proceeded to run it under the sink, and then I began my assault.  They were dying by the tens and I felt no remorse.  I take my sweets very seriously, and it was utterly rude of them to eat my cookies!  By the time I was done with them, bodies were scattered everywhere.  I then did a final sweep of their carcasses and threw them all to their watery grave.


On a happier note, we did end up taking the ferry to Waiheke Island that day and we were not at all disappointed.  We opted to take a bus tour of the island so that we could ensure that we would see the entire island in one day.  There were a plethora of vineyards, gorgeous beaches, and rolling hills that made the island breathtaking.  

The bird Kelley chased.

The sea star Kelley saved.

[]_ _[] (I love my 'Canes...so I just had to!)

HI BIRD.

Instead of heading back to Auckland after the tour, we decided to walk/hike along one of the rocky beaches.  The hike took about an hour and we were able to find plenty of organisms to keep our interest.  

After a day of exploration, we finally headed back to the mainland to grab a late lunch/early dinner.


Since Kelley loves Mexican food, I agreed to go to a Mexican restaurant for food.  Much to my delight, the TVs were on ESPN and the Steelers game was on.  I was in Heaven.  As Kelley ordered her food, I stood in front of the TV watching every move.  A voice finally snapped my out of my football trance and I looked around, confused.  "So...are you going to order?" asked the man at the counter.  With my eyes moving spastically between this man and the game, I finally managed to say "Uhh...yeah...umm...sure...uhh, how about a cheese quesadilla?" 


After paying for my quesadilla, I sat down with Kelley who was carefully perched by the nearest TV.  At one point, I stood up and yelled "COME ON BEN!!!!!!" before realizing that I was in a restaurant full of people who know nothing about American football.  That did not discourage me from ranting further (as any Steelers fan would understand), but after my team clinched a victory, I happily ate my mediocre quesadilla, sipped a Margarita, and shut my mouth.

Due to the fact that the next morning was going to be an early one, Kelley and I did a quick sweep of the city before heading back to the hotel for another early bed time.  We noticed that there were still some ants lingering in the room, so we asked to change rooms and our wish was granted, much to our delight.