Tales from New Zealand

The final stretch

2011-06-05T00:47:00.000-07:00

What the… 5 days?! That’s all we have left?! Where oh where has the time gone…? I know time flies when you’re having fun but this is ridiculous! These past couple of weekends have been filled with a balance of general admin chores and general fun ‘n’ games! While we’ve got a lot of organizing to do to prep for our big trip home, we haven’t let it dampen our last days in this beautiful city.
Last weekend, I met the boys after work for a night on the town. We bounced around to various locations throughout the night and had a blast. There are some really lovely bars and restos in this city and we enjoyed about half a dozen that evening which is great because a number of them were on our “to do one last time before we leave” list. Tasting Room? Check. Havana? Check. Southern Cross? Check. Next…

Bromance

Havana bar

Hamming it up for the camerawoman

During the daytime, we went and picked up our bike boxes (walking those puppies back to our place in a headwind was most interesting….), grabbed a few last minute items, and packed up all of our belongings. Once that was knocked off our list, we changed into our party clothes and headed to some friends’ for an incredibly scrumptious Vietnamese dinner. Good food, great company, and lotsa laughs. The perfect recipe for a fabulous Saturday night.

A beautiful day along the water's edge

Stunner of a day

Sailboat silhouette

Dinner at Lee's

The WWF girls!

On sunny Sunday we set the chores list aside and grabbed our camera for an afternoon on the waterfront. We toured the beachfront, went for brunch, checked out the Sunday market, and had our first all black sighting! Very cool.

Wellington marina

Sunday morning fish market. Poisson anyone?

Head shots

Sunset from our window

My last morning run. Man, I'm gonna miss this...

Now we are enjoying our last weekend here and we’ve been embracing every moment. On Friday night, we enjoyed an incredible dinner at Logan Brown, a beautiful, 5 star resto with sustainably sourced fish, beef, and local produce. I think we took more pics of the food and atmosphere than anything else!

Logan Brown. Set in an old bank building. So beautiful.

Yum

Some of the best grub I've ever enjoyed.

Brunch at our fave spot. Taking it all in one last time.

Catching game 2 at the local sports bar. Lazy boy lounge seats, 18 screens. How every hockey game should be enjoyed!

Settling in for a great game.

The rest of the long weekend, we enjoyed time with friends, and made our final calls home. Next time we speak it will be in person!

So now as I type this, all of our flights are booked and our personal belongings are en route to Canada. Soon enough, we will be following behind them…

Booking our flights to Tibet, Nepal, and SE Asia!

The amazing Oz from land, sea, and sky

2011-05-21T22:40:00.000-07:00

I don’t remember the last time I swore that much! Seriously. I’m not one to throw out blasphemies like they’re going out of style, but as I fell through the sky at 120 mph, I can’t remember anything else that came out of my mouth other than the F-word, the S-word, and WOOOHOOOO!!

Perhaps I should start from the beginning. Last weekend was my birthday - my 30^th birthday to be precise - and as a gift to me, Pete whisked me off on a one-week trip to the great Oz! We spent a few days in a place called Port Douglas which is situated near the Great Barrier Reef and ended the week off with a couple of nights in beautiful Sydney.

We departed Wellington on the evening before my birthday and awoke in Cairns as the sun was beginning to peek out above the Tasman sea. A beautiful sunny day; perfect for jumping out of an airplane. And that’s exactly what we did! On the morning of my birthday, we boarded a tiny plane and rose to 11,000 feet above Cairns breaking through the clouds (and breaking a serious sweat in the process). I was the first to jump and the initial 5 seconds were a complete blur, but the rest…. The rest was magical! I literally felt like I was flying. And above the Great Barrier Reef, no less! If any of you have ever even toyed with the idea of sky diving, I strongly urge you to take the leap. It was the most exhilarating experience of my life and the best birthday present ever! What a way to ring in a new decade!

That afternoon we headed North to Port Douglas stopping at a wildlife centre along the way to cuddle koalas and feed kangaroos. Touristy, I know, but so much fun! Koalas are incredibly beautiful animals and they’re hilarious. Sleeping 22 hours a day and struggling to keep their eyes open during the other two – life for them is the eternal holiday. Sweet as!

Exploring the Aussie rainforest

Wallabies

Kanga awaiting some treats from the tourists

Candid shot

Working on an itch. I couldn't get enough.

Just waking from his nap

Like holding a living teddy bear

Some of the other not-so-friendly neighbours

Port Douglas was our final destination that day – a laid back tropical town with a 4 mile long white sand beach though not sure I could ever be convinced to venture in there... It is also the jumping off point for one of the natural Wonders of World – the Great Barrier Reef.

Fancy a dip?

Ooch!

For three days, we chillaxed to the max in this beautiful town, wandering in and out of shops, picnicking by the sea, and breakfasting with a beautiful bunch of native and exotic birds.

Lorikeet

Macaws

Australian owl

Spectacled flying fox

Southern cassowary - a native Australian bird

Profile shot

We even came across a dog shelter in town and had the chance to take two homeless pups for a walk down the beach. Buddy and Biscuit were only 7 months old and the coast was new territory for them so needless to say they were a little hesitant at first. But after an hour of sniffing and exploring, they slowly gained their confidence and were wagging their way down the coastline!

Sunset in Port Doug


Four Mile beach

Buddy 'n' Biscuit

Taking a break with the pups

Sand balls created by small beach crabs excavating their underground home

On our last day in town, we boarded a magnificent 52 foot long catamaran for a magnificent day at sea. Our sail took us to the Low Isles, an unspoilt coral cay along the Great Barrier Reef. This particular tour usually takes a max of 35-40 passengers. Luckily, we were only a party of 6 and as the Cat is so big, it really felt like we were on our own chartered yacht. By the time we anchored in the bay, I was chomping at the bit to get in the water and start exploring the reef. And I was not disappointed! We hopped aboard a small boat with a glass floor to take us into shore on this tiny white sand island and from there we began our exploration. As we were situated on the edge of the reef, the corals were softer, sea turtles were more plentiful and the small black tipped reef sharks were eager to say hello (which, thankfully, we enjoyed from the safety of our boat)! It was so incredible to explore one of the natural Wonders of the World. I’ve snorkeled many underwater worlds around the globe and this one certainly did not disappoint. Plus, the journey itself aboard an impressively beautiful catamaran was just as memorable.

Great Barrier Reef from above

Our stunning cruise for the day

Spent our day at this gorgeous beach

Chilling on the boat

A plethora of soft coral

Full of life

Sea turtle (sadly not the clearest shot due to sediment build up)

Black tipped reef sharks

A giant clam. Crazy.

A clam opening. Double crazy. Because they are found in shallow regions of the reef, they use their multiple green spots to photosynthesize at low tide.

Port Douglas is a beautiful, quiet, little town. It was the perfect place to while away a few days, enjoy a day at sea, and soak up a little much needed sun (Windy Welli is currently turning the seasonal corner).

A few days later, we were back on the plane and headed South to Sydney. What a city! A massive metropolis (compared to anything else we’ve visited this past year) surrounded by dozens of coastal inlets. I didn’t realize how much water surrounded this city. We spent an entire day just cruising the streets, wandering through the botanic gardens, walking across the harbour bridge and checking out the shopping scene (including Burberry, Tiffany’s, and Chanel). After one week of beach life, I didn’t quite realize how much I looked like an old hippy ‘till I wandered into these shops! Wait ‘till I’ve traveled for 8 weeks!

Downtown Sydney

Opera house and harbour bridge. And Pete!

Along the waterfront

Stunning view from the harbour bridge

A comfy seat in the botanic gardens

Visiting the Sydney Museum's exhibit on birds of paradise. This little guy is in an eternal state of shock!

Can you believe this guy used to exist? It was the largest marsupial in the world.

This crazy guy had only 6 huge teeth for tearing into its prey. But as its prey began to go extinct, so too did this creature.

On our last evening in Oz, we splurged and treated ourselves to a show at the Opera House. The space was stunning and the production was great. Not entirely what we expected – kind of some new age ballet. Not sure Pete thoroughly enjoyed it but it was still exciting to be enjoying this magnificent building for all that it is meant to do.

A night out on the town

Not a bad place to dine

Last day in Australia and pure sunshine was in the forecast. A perfect day for a short run followed by a scrumptious brekkie to celebrate Pete’s special day! Then we headed to the park and relaxed with our books in the afternoon sun before grabbing a cab to the airport for our flight home.

Chillaxing the afternoon away

A bottle tree

Bats in the park!

A sulphur crested cockatoo

Bamboo

Palm tree bark. Pretty.

It was an incredible journey through an absolutely stunning country. Australia has a unique set of vegetation and wildlife, entirely different from New Zealand’s. It’s incredible how environmentally exceptional these few islands are down here. It truly feels like we’re on the other side of the globe. Funny that.

A lot of littles.

2011-05-10T01:08:00.000-07:00

So I was flipping through my weekly calendar the other day and was stunned at how few pages were sitting in between current day and take off time. With only a handful of weeks remaining, each weekend is now two days that are yet to be filled with friends, fun, and fiestas!

Last weekend we celebrated 4 birthdays, one royal wedding, and the incredibly beautiful weather. On Saturday, we took a beautiful walk up Mt. Victoria before I joined some friends for a girls’ day at a posh resto downtown. An afternoon of bubbly shared with good company. Perfection.

En route up Mt. Vic

Presenting downtown Welli

Napping under my tree

Ladies who lunch

Some bubbly, great company, and scrumptious eats. Fantastic.

The weather was far too beautiful to spend indoors and so the very next day I joined some friends to explore the bays just to the East of downtown. It’s incredible – no matter what view of this city you’ve got, it’s always a stunner. Plus, it's always only a few minutes escape and before you know it, you're in yet another blissful surrounding. We biked our way to a café called Chocolate Fish where we enjoyed a yummy picnic and some lounging in the sun. A perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon and a perfect way to end a fab weekend!

Working up an appetite (with the opening to the city harbour waaay in the background)

Chocolate Fish - an artisan cafe specializing in an endless variety of BBQ treats

Loved the decor of this place

Ka-POW!

A picnic by the bay

Yum!

The global crew (1 Kiwi + 1 Canuck + 1 German)

Touring the harbour

Colourful wind towers (in windy Wellington, these bad boys are always spinning away!)

Lucky for us, we got one last visit from Jill who was in town prepping for the second half of her national tour with Regeneration. What an inspiration this crew is - touring the country and inspiring youth to get inspired and become more active in their communities. Plus it was Jill's birthday so we got to take her out on the town and celebrate in style!

Celebrating the birthday girl!

In our 30s now. Contemplating if we feel any wiser...

Happy Birthday Bean!

Regatta outside our front door.

Livin' for the city

2011-04-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

We’re now rounding the corner of our final moments in this fine country and I’m desperately willing time to slow down. The past few weeks have been fairly low key as we’ve been hanging with friends, enjoying this awesome city for all it has to offer, and putting the stepping stones in place for our journey home. Two weekends ago – clear skies and sunshine galore; perfect for an afternoon party and BBQ. Probably the last of the season as the cold is starting to settle in and the clock has officially fallen back an hour. So we made the most of it.

Happy chef

Catching the last of the sun

Deep post dinner discussion

Out on the town

Last week – WWF’s all-staff hui (* A Maori term meaning to congregate, or gather together). The quarterly meeting itself was… well… a meeting. But on the second day of the meeting we visited the Nga Manu Nature Reserve – 13 hectares of protected, preserved land sandwiched in between endless fields of farmland and urban centres. It is home to over 700 different species of native plant including grasses, ferns and 400 year old kahikatea tree. It is also home to over 56 different bird species including kiwi, tuatara, tuis, and fantails that come and go around the wetlands, bush, and surroundings.

Nga Manu Reserve visitors' centre

WWF-NZ team in the kaka bird enclosure

A kaka bird (a NZ parrot)

Fun educational tools throughout the woods

This lake used to be swamp land. After 30 years of protection and responsible management, it's good as gold!

checking out the view from the treehouse

The WWF-New Zealand crew

Beautiful flowers on a pohutukawa tree (one of NZ's best known and most loved trees)

This past weekend – grey and rainy days; but we still made the most of it. On Saturday, we joined some friends and headed to Petone. Located across the harbour from home, Petone was the first European settlement in the Wellington region. It’s cute shops and cafes are what attract many weekenders looking for some time away from the central city. It’s also home to the beautiful Dowse Gallery. I’d really wanted to check out YIELD: Making Fashion Without Making Waste. International designers from London, New York, Mexico City, Auckland, and San Francisco collaborated to create a zero-waste fashion exhibition (ie. garments that are created with zero or minimal fabric waste). It was quite surprising to learn just how much fabric gets wasted with everyday clothing design and production.Lots of people are starting to explore this idea of sustainable fashion and it seems to be catching on.

Possibly (nope. definitely) the strangest installation I've ever experienced

Say wha?

Thumbs up if you dig this installation (ps - 2nd strangest)

A fountain that sources fresh, clean water beneath the valley surface from a local aquifer. The sculpture represents a 'water oasis' and provides access to the free water supply for the town's inhabitants.

The rest of our time has been spent relaxing, going for bike rides, running along the bay, and booking flights. I can’t believe we’re at that point, already! While I’m starting to get really excited to see everyone back home, meet my new nephew, and pat my canine and feline on the heads, I’m still going to find it difficult to step on that plane in June. Good thing we’ve got one last kick at the can for adventure before we return home!
After some weeks of chatting and organizing, it looks like our travel plans are officially as follows:

NZ – Borneo – Thailand – Cambodia – Vietnam – Laos – Nepal – Tibet – Abu Dhabi - Home.

… If that doesn't help cure the farewell blues then I don’t know what will! In all seriousness, though, I am really going to miss this incredible place. And I am worried that if I blink, I’m going to miss it all.

So what am I doing typing away right now at this blog? I’m off to hit the beach!

A new member of the Piller clan

2011-04-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

Forget the barbecues and beautiful beaches we hit up over the past few days. This past weekend was all about BABIES!!

No no – not my own (!). My incredible brother and sis-in-law had a beautiful, healthy baby boy on Saturday, April 2. Matteus William Piller came into the world at 7 lbs 15 ounces and all legs. I couldn’t be prouder or happier for them.

So instead of regaling you with the events of my life here in New Zealand, I thought I would dedicate this post to them and simply let the stunning photos of the little man show off the most exciting thing that really happened this past weekend.

Yup. Five toes.

Lara was so excited to meet her baby cousin!

Pure gorgeousness.

A very proud papa. Not quite the type of marathons you're used to, eh big brother?!

Soaking it all in

Grandad meets the little one

Unsure

Ok fine. He's pretty cute. He can stay.

Into the woods and over the clouds

2011-03-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

It is said that in every walk with nature one receives far more than s/he seeks. This was none more true than our walk this past weekend. It was a tramp that we had been dying to check out all year but the few weekends that we had set aside for it always ended up with us staring out our apartment window watching the rain, wind, and clouds blow by.

Finally, after many failed attempts, the forecast for the weekend was clear skies ahead and so we loaded up the panda mobile and headed for the Tararua ranges. Situated just an hour North of Wellington, Tararua National Park was established in 1954 making it New Zealand’s oldest park. It holds an important role in conserving the native biodiversity of the lower North Island. It is also the most popular playground for Wellingtonians itching to get out of the city for a day or two.

On Saturday morning, we left the city before 6 am (after calling Kel to wish her a very happy 30th!) and were on the trail just as the sun was cresting the horizon.

The journey begins

...The starting line

...The route

...The long climb up

The first day’s tramp took us up to the tussock covered mountain top of Mount Holdsworth. Unfortunately (and not surprisingly), the weather forecast had not been entirely accurate and so our first day was fogged in. It made for some incredibly dramatic scenery but it was a bit of a mystery what surrounded us beyond 5 feet.

Like stepping into a Lord of the Rings set

Above the treeline and the fog starts to set in

Fog = in

Reaching Mt. Holdsworth

Taking a break

Such hearty vegetation up here

A spider waits patiently on his dew covered web

Still foggy but blissfully happy

Getting kinda steep...

It was a pretty tough climb but well worth the effort as walking the ridgeline was absolutely incredible. We were the first to arrive at our hut in the early afternoon and we wasted no time throwing on the booties and making ourselves a hot cuppa coffee with baileys. Yumm! Unfortunately, there wasn’t much of a view to enjoy but after the day’s climb, we were happy to just relax, enjoy the fresh air and the solitude. It wasn’t until this moment that I realized how quiet these mountains truly are; free of traffic, crowds. Fantastic. The bad news? They are also entirely free of birds. That’s right. Not a single chirp was heard. Sadly this is all due to the overpopulation of invasive species such as rats, possums, and stoats. Because of these four legged critters, the entire bird population has been literally wiped out of the area. Many local conservation groups have been working diligently to trap and kill as many invasive species as they can. In conjunction with this, they have also been trying to build natural corridors between Kapiti Island (a wildlife sanctuary off the coast of New Zealand) and the national park. In order for this to take shape, it will involve commitments from local conservation groups, Maori communities, and affected municipalities. The one key point that I think will ensure the success of this initiative is the very fact that New Zealanders pride themselves in the natural beauty of their land and seascapes (as they should!). As a result, their dedication to protecting native species such as kiwi birds and tuis is highly motivated and never seems to fade. New Zealand’s birds are lucky to have these folks in their corner. Hopefully, over time, these populations will return to the region and call it home once more.

By late afternoon a few other groups had arrived at the hut, including the hut wardens. By dinner time, we were 11-strong and having a blast! By the time we were headed to bed, we all stepped outside to catch a glimpse and were pleased to find out that Mother Nature had cut us a break and cleared the skies! The stars were out in full force and we spent some time enjoying the view before settling down for the night. By morning-time, we woke to a view that was unlike anything I had ever seen before…

Sun rising over Jumbo hut

Sun shining over a blanket of cloud. The best wake up call ever!

Jumbo hut (the hut we stayed in the night before) tucked into the mountain range

Due to the heavy fog we experienced the day before, I had no idea how high we really were and I was absolutely blown away to find a sea of cloud floating far below us and a glowing orange sun beginning to peak up behind the horizon. It was too beautiful for words. Clearly, there was no way we were going to let this day pass us by and so we decided to retrace our steps, head back up the mountain, and check out the ridgeline once more. Best decision of the weekend!

Clear skies and all smiles

Pete on the ridgeline

From this ridgeline we could see the ocean on both sides of the island!

Looking South toward Wellington

Looking back at the ridgeline we just crossed

Midday photo op

Taking it allll in

Creepy bridge. Didn't like.

I couldn't look down but Pete captured this midway

The one downside of this plan was the alternate route that we had to take to return to the valley. The route had us climbing (literally) down incredibly steep terrain for 2 ½ hours. By the time we touched down in the valley, my legs were shaking. But it was well worth the journey. For while the views from the mountain peaks were certainly incredible, it was the journey itself that was truly rewarding.

Awesome.

Daddy & Erinn tour New Zealand - Part II

2011-03-14T01:11:00.000-07:00

When last I left you Daddy Piller and I were leaving Wanaka in our trail of dust and headed South en route to the great Fiordland National Park.

Our full route from Wellington to Dunedin

Prior to my dad’s arrival, I had a heart to heart with Mother Nature and so far, it seemed that she had been keeping up her end of the bargain. We spent our first day on the outskirts of the park and spent the afternoon relaxing and getting caught up with family and friends via the local internet café. The next day we enjoyed the first leg of the Kepler Track. Unlike the mountainous terrain that we had traversed in the days prior, the Kepler took us along a winding path through rainforest to the glorious lake Manapouri.

Kepler Track

Swing bridge

Cruising the boardwalk

Red tree

Colourful fungi decorate the forest floor

Meandering the rainforest toward Lake Manapouri

Enjoying our reward

Lake Manapouri was a great first taste of the great Fiordland National Park. But it wasn’t until the next day that we truly got into the thick of the mountains. The following morning we made our way up to Milford Sound where we boarded a boat with 18 others and set sail deep into the sounds for an overnight cruise. The views - a symphony of waterfalls falling out of thousands (literally) of crevasses that time has created. The food – beautiful seafood, grilled veggies, roast beef. Yum! The company – Australians, Malaysians, fellow Canucks. So fun! Absolutely everything was spectacular. I truly cannot put into words the majestic power that these mountains have. So I guess I’ll stop trying and will simply let the pics tell the story…

The Milford Mariner

Our room

Milford Sound

To give you a little perspective - the waterfall in the middle is three times the height of Niagara

Misty mountains

Snow on the mountain tops

Mast

A double rainbow!

Out at the Tasman Sea looking into the mouth of Milford Sound

Homer's tunnel - a 1.27 km long tunnel that works its way through these spectacular cliffs

Next on the grand tour was a road trip to Dunedin through Central Otago. Dunedin is a town of about 132,000 people and is the home of much of the country’s arts and culture. It also has some stunning architecture, amazing cafes, and some killer surfing! Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to get some surfing in but we certainly didn’t waste the two days that we had left for our adventures.

Dunedin train station

Inside the station

Beautiful tile work

Dunedin graffiti

Dunners art gallery

Doorway in town

On our last full day, we hit the road again and made our way up the Otago Peninsula. This peninsula together with its 20 km long Otago Harbour is home to a huge colony of Royal Albatross and the endangered Yellow Eyed Penguin. The roads in this area are incredibly steep and the drive was incredibly rugged and yet the sharper the shoulders got and the higher up we drove, the more beautiful the views.

Yellow Eyed Penguin hospital. Where penguins go to get better before being released back into the wild

Happy feet!

Baby penguin waiting for its parents to return with some grub

Look closely and you'll see the underground bunkers from which we were able to get up close and personal looks at the beautiful penguins

The view from the penguins' homes. Pretty decent real estate!

Entering the tunnels

Profile

Exploring the tunnels

Penguin neighbours chilling by the bay

The royal albatross has a 3m wing span - the second largest albatross in the world

On our very last day in the South Island, we took a quick drive north of Dunedin to check out the Moeraki boulders. These boulders and basically huge spherical stones that look like they’ve been strewn along a stretch of Koekohe Beach near the town of Moeraki. Over millions of year these boulders have been exposed through shoreline erosion from black mudstone coastal cliffs that back the beach. It is here that our trip had come to an end. It was time for us to pack our bags and catch our flight back to Wellington where we had a day and a half left to make the most of daddy-daughter time.

Seagull takes a rest

Moeraki boulders

On Monday morning I took him to the Wellington Botanic Gardens to check out my office, meet my colleagues and get one final glimpse of beautiful windy Welly from above. It was really nice to be able to show him the place I’ve been calling home for the past 8 months and to give him to chance to put faces to names. That afternoon, he caught his flight to Auckland – San Fran – YYZ. As his plane was passing overhead and I was running along the waterfront, I saw a pod of orcas wandering into the Wellington harbour – an incredibly rare occurrence. I hope that he was able to see them from above as he bid farewell to this fantastic country. I miss him already but am so happy that he was able to visit while I was here. It was really great to see him and catch up. Now it’s only a matter of months before we see him once more and we start calling ‘The Big Smoke’ home again!

Daddy & Erinn tour New Zealand - Part I

2011-03-11T01:06:00.000-08:00

It has been an incredible 8 months thus far. We have met so many fabulous people, learned a ton, and thoroughly enjoyed soaking in all the sights and sounds of this great country. What made it even better, though, was having the opportunity to explore parts of it with Daddy Piller! For two weeks, he bid adieu to the bitter Canadian weather and traded it in for some father-daughter time! He arrived a few weeks ago peeling off his winter coat as he walked through the arrivals gate. It was a beautiful sunny day in Wellington – a perfect welcoming! The poor guy was probably a little tired from the long flight but we didn’t sit down too long to rest. For the next day and a half, we feasted on brunches and dinners, went for a glorious walk up Mount Victoria, visited Te Papa – New Zealand’s National Museum, and cruised the streets. By the time the weekend was over, we had thoroughly made our mark on the city!

On Monday morning, we caught the ferry across to the South Island – a three hour trip from Wellington through the Queen Charlotte Sounds and into Picton (where Pete and I gave‘er at the Queen Charlotte Classic back in November)! Not. A. Cloud. In. The. Sky. It was breathtaking!

Leaving the Wellington Harbour...

...And entering the Queen Charlotte Sound

Looking out for wildlife

From here we caught a water taxi to our first stop on the tour – the Portage Resort in Portage Bay. It was a beautiful hotel nestled away in a secluded bay right on the edge of the Queen Charlotte Track. It was too beautiful for words. And so, instead of throwing on our kickers and rushing off to hit the trails, we chose to stick around, go for a swim, and relax on the deck with a glass of vino (scotch for Daddy) and our books. A perfect way to spend our first afternoon!

The view from our room!

Portage bay

On the Queen Charlotte Track looking down into a beautiful bay

A wonderful end to a wonderful day

The next day - Tuesday, February 22nd. It was a pretty grim day in the sounds but we braved the weather and hit the trails nonetheless. While the tramp was still indeed spectacular and much enjoyed, we were completely unaware of the goings on only a few hundred kilometers south of us. At approximately 1 pm that afternoon, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Canterbury region, killing hundreds and leaving complete demolition in its wake. Buildings collapsed as though they were made of cards, roads split in half leaving trails of liquefaction and seepage where concrete once lived. People were confused, rattled, scared. It was like nothing I had ever experienced. I have a few friends who call Christchurch home. Luckily they and their families were all OK. But even today, three weeks later, the wounds are still fresh as rescue teams continue to search for bodies amongst the rubble. The rest of the day was a bit surreal. Our schedule was taking us through Christchurch the very next day. I guess it was lucky timing…

On Wednesday, we cruised back into Picton and picked up one car and one Pete (he had taken the morning ferry across to join us for a few days). Unfortunately we had no choice but to head through Christchurch as we had to swap vehicles with the rental company there. Luckily, we were able to bypass the downtown core where the bulk of the impact had been and avoid getting in anyone’s way. From Christchurch, our route took us through Arthur’s Pass – the link between the Canterbury region and the West Coast. The pass crosses the Southern Alps and on the three-hour journey, we were rewarded with stellar views of mountain peaks, deep valleys, and incredible gorges. It was so beautiful that we decided to stop halfway through and fit in a short walk to a stunning waterfall known as the Devil’s Punchbowl.

Sleepy seals

Exploring the Kaikoura peninsula

Moa statue (a giant flightless bird that is endemic to NZ. They weighed up to 510 lbs which made them incredibly appetizing to European settlers. As a result moas went extinct in the 1800's

The moa lays an Erinn!!

Pointing the way to Mt. Cook (New Zealand's highest mountain)

Arthur's Pass National Park

Arthur's Pass

Arhtur's at dusk

Family photo

pretty mountains

I'd pick the sheep

Devil's punchbowl waterfall

The very next day we decided to check out Fox Glacier. Tucked in between a series of magnificent mountains (including the highest peak in New Zealand), Fox Glacier is a 13 km long glacier and is one of few in the world to end among lush rainforest only 300 metres above sea level. It’s quite a sight to come across this massive hunk of ice after walking through lush, dewy forest. Not your typical day walk in High Park! It’s quite incredible that NZ literally has it all – rainforests, mountains, alpine ranges, and glaciers! Incredible!

Fox Glacier

Crossing a stream en route to the glacier

Lake Matheson

Afternoon espresso with one helluva view!

Stopping to pick up a copy of New Idea mag with one of the latest (and beautiful) WWF ads!

The next day, we hit the road again and made our way to Wanaka – my favourite town in New Zealand. It was so nice to be back there for a few days and I immediately headed to the lake to soak it all in. It was far busier than the last time we’d been here as it was peak season and everyone else had the bright idea of staying there too. Luckily, by the late afternoon it had quieted down considerably and we felt like we had the place to ourselves. We were lucky enough to fit in two big walks, lots of yummy dinners and a stop at our favourite burger joint in all of kiwi-land. This place has nothing but local, organic goodies and the burgers are the size of your face! I mean really – how much more could one ask for?!

Cruising down the West Coast

Wanaka!

The view from our room

Hiking up Roy's Peak

The view from the top

Taking a moment to soak it all in

Happiness is...

Spot Daddy Piller

After two days in Wanaka, we sadly had to bid adieu to the beautiful town, send Pete off on a 20 seater plane back to Welly-town, hop into our trusty “Peppersprint” (yup – we’d named her by this point), and hit the open road once more.

It is here that I will take my pause before carrying on. Stay tuned for updates on week 2 - more great adventures of Daddy and Erinn coming soon…

Daddy Piller!

2011-02-19T21:51:00.000-08:00

Daddy Piller is finally here! We've been exploring Welly-town and are all packed and ready to go for our grand tour of the South Island! Not much to write just yet but please stay tuned. More to come....

A weekend with Sting

2011-02-14T18:44:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I was stung by the green hornet. This weekend I was stung by the man himself. On Friday after work, we piled into Sally's "red rooster" and made our way over the Rimutakas toward Napier for the annual Mission Estates concert.

This year's musical guest was none other than Sting on his latest tour, Symphonicity. In Napier, at the Mission Estates winery, he performed to a sold out crowd with the support of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. It was absolutely incredible. We arrived at around 4 pm and parked ourselves close up and to stage left. There were no clouds in the sky and the moon was sitting high setting the perfect setting as the sun was slowly floating below the skyline. By the time Sting stepped on the stage, the sun had set and the stars were starting to appear. I will never forget the moment he started into one of my favourite tunes - Roxanne - while a star shot across the night sky. I had died and gone to sting heaven. He closed the night with an accoustic version of Message in a Bottle - a perfect fit for me and my Ocean:Views campaign :)

Sipping on Mission Estates sauvignon blanc at the Mission Estates shindig

Some folks really got in the Sting-y spirit

People gather

More 'n' more people gather...

Sally 'n I enjoying the afternoon sun and waiting for the man himself to do what he does best!

Cheers!

Panorama crowd

Dancing the night away

My favourite Police tune performed at a stunning outdoor concert with a 50 piece orchestral band. It blew me away!

Wine glasses by night

The next day we took our time making our way back to Welly-town, stopping at farmers' markets, outlets, and Sally's fantastic mum's on the way. the sun was shining, the windows were down, and the red rooster was blazing its way across the beautiful hills and mountains carrying us home after a fantastic weekend in wine country!

Farmers' market

Yummy mushrooms from the mushroom farm

Buggy-mobile

Pit stop at the Tui brewery

Great ad campaign!

This one is for you, Chris!

The brewery

The house where beer lives (until it moves to our fridge!)

Ode to a field of kegs...

The rugby sevens: letting it all out!

2011-02-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

I have heard many words used to describe the rugby sevens tournament in Wellington: fun, debauchery, costumes, parties... Funnily enough, no one ever commented on the rugby! And so when a friend offered us tickets to the two day shindig, we jumped at the chance to see for ourselves what all the commotion was about. Turned out that an old and dear friend was coming to town that weekend and so we snatched a ticket for her to join us. This is how we found ourselves outfitted in green hornet and kato outfits with 16 other people cruising the streets of Wellington (and enjoying a game or two of rugby).

On Thursday, part of our team had their pic taken for the paper (Pete was quoted!). It was quite hilarious since we had only just decided to go that morning. Funny how quickly plans can change sometimes :D

Green hornets and katos in the Dominion Post

The tournament started on Friday but the day before, the town hosted a parade of the nations through its city streets. Each country was rolled through the streets throwing out candy and high fives to the cheering crowd. Everyone stepped out of their office buildings to cheer on their teams and get a glimpse of the sevens trophy.

The parade begins

Team Canada!

The Argentinian cheerleading squad

Tonga's cheerleading squad - the Tongan Ninjas

The town comes out to show their support

The giant Air NZ rugby ball (with candy tossing flight attendants)

By midday Friday, we were all gathered at a local pub, geared up for the walk over to the stadium. There we were clustered together amongst chickens, trolls, teenage mutant ninja turtles, and a bunch of really jolly santa clauses! The walk was more like a parade as the rest of the town came down to point, laugh, and cheer us on. En route to the stadium was a giant screen television next to a village of bars and we stopped to quench our thirst and catch the Canada – South Africa game. Canada got smoked. Ah well. It’s not like we lost a hockey game. Onward and upward!

The green hornets and their trusty sidekicks

Hats off to the Wellington police for putting up with all the craziness!

Crayons

National leapfrog champions (mid tumble)

The Jagermeister tent

Giant screen en route to the stadium where we stopped to have a drink and catch the Canada - South Africa game

The (not so) Jamaican bobsled team

The dude from the Hangover (baby in tow)

Pre game bevvie

Road trip to the sevens

Enjoying the festivities from their pirate ship

Galloping to the games

Natives on cell phones

Our walk took us past another series of bars where people were gathering and trying to get others to jump off the wharf and into the water. Poor Amanda got nabbed and everyone was cheering for her to jump. Luckily, she managed to free herself and escape. I wanted to help her out but feared that I too would be forced to take the plunge.

The crowd gathers at the Foxglove (a bar downtown). This is where they tried to convince Amanda that jumping in the water was a great idea! Fortunately for Amanda, they got tired of trying to convince her!

The crowd just kept growing

Costume First Aid station

Enjoying the view from their boat

Approaching the stadium

Oompa Loompas!!

When we arrived at the stadium, it was still pretty quiet (ie. most people had yet to arrive) so I actually got to sit and enjoy a couple of matches. The sevens are like a different sport altogether. With fewer players on the field, the ball moves much more quickly and the players along with it. They are only 7 minute halves and so the games are like speed rounds. Canada played in Pool D and played three other teams, losing two but beating France (which was amazing!)

Can't remember who was playing here

Half time show

Canada vs. France (Canada wins!)

Team Canada cheering zone

Canada supporters

More Canadian fans

Team Canada exits the stadium post final loss. Good on ya for representing, guys!

The end of day 1.

The Friday evening was a relatively calm one for us. We left the stadium before the end of the games and headed to a yummy Mexican resto to grab some food and chat. Having not seen Mandy in over 5 years, we were due for a good ol’ catch up. This also meant that our Saturday morning wasn’t spent nursing our bodies back to health. We were raring to go once again!

On Saturday afternoon, we joined the group again for a big group photo and another parade to the stadium. This time, the crowd was a bigger as it was officially the weekend and everyone was off work. On Saturday, we stayed until the very end to watch New Zealand take the cup! It was pretty amazing standing in the stadium while the crowd belted out “We Are the Champions” at the top of their lungs. At that moment I felt like a very proud kiwi!

Railroad crossing (flashing lights included)

Slash

Saturday Night Beaver

Camel jockey racers

The most revealing costume without revealing a single thing. Brilliant!

Dunno.

Trolls.

The crowd


Amanda and I in the thick of it.


Erinn having fun.

Mandy having fun!

Big Bird

The girls

Cheering on NZ!

Some katos posing for a pic (and forgetting that there's a rugby match going on!)

Enjoying the final match: New Zealand vs. England

The kiwi team receiving the cup!

The crowd sings "We Are the Champions" as the NZ team is handed the winning trophy!

Raising the cup to a cheering crowd!

The final haka of the evening

Post tournament, we headed back downtown where we explored the Wellington street party and danced the night away. What a weekend of fun, debauchery, costumes, parties... And the rugby was great too!

Leaving the stadium

Teenage mutant ninja turtle sharing the love

Dancing the night away

Wellington street party

Big weekend in the City of Sails

2011-02-02T18:29:00.000-08:00

It was a busy weekend for the panda family here in New Zealand. The campaign that I am currently running – Ocean:Views – launched on December 1st (first day of spring here!) and wraps up on World Oceans Day, June 8, 2011. As part of the promotion for this competition, we organized a stunt up in Auckland using a beautiful giant gilt picture frame. It was the same one that we used for the campaign launch in Wellington. It was Auckland Anniversary weekend and everyone was out along the waterfront, enjoying the time with family and friends. The giant frame was the focal point for the campaign and was intended to invite people to get creative and enter the competition by producing a creative work celebrating New Zealand’s oceans and New Zealanders’ unique connection to New Zealand’s seas.

The weekend started with a pile of meetings with various museums and galleries. By Friday evening, Pete had joined me at the hotel and we feasted the evening away at a yummy Italian eatery with some of my colleagues. The calm before the storm.

Team dinner

Cool painting in local bar

Saturday was spent cruising the town and soaking up the scenery. We chose to avoid the museums for the day and instead walked along the beautiful waterfront and checked out the incredible boats anchored in the marina.

Auckland's Big Little City

View of sky tower

Veggie building

Clock tower

One of the tall ships

The 'Spirit of New Zealand'

Waterfront sculpture

Auckland harbour

Massive cat for team Vodafone

Beautiful marina with sky tower in the background

Auckland ferry terminal with the WWF frame in the foreground

Wandering the streets of Auckland

There were tons of sailboats as the big regatta was coming up. In honour of the anniversary weekend, the town was hosting more festivals and concerts than I could count! There was the seafood festival, which we got to check out that evening and taste some delicious, sustainably caught fish. There was the buskers festival which featured about a dozen performers peppered all around the city centre (including one Canadian talent whom you could spot from about a mile away!).

Crazy Canuck busker!

Another incredible performer

The break dancers were the best and we caught one of their shows mid afternoon. It’s just amazing what they can make their bodies do!

Breaker #1 flips breaker #2

Breaker #2 spins on head for what seems like forever.

Breaker #1 bends/flips/tricks body in crazy ways.

There was Laneway – an annual concert in a downtown park, which featured one of the supporters of the Oceans campaign! – a well known kiwi artist called Ladyhawke. And then there was supposed to be the Jimi Buffet concert. How excited I was that he was coming into town only to find out that he had fallen off the stage in Australia the night before and knocked himself out! Luckily, his head is fine though I’m sure his ego took a bit of a bruising. As a result, the Auckland show was sadly canceled. No 'cheeseburgers in this paradise'!

When Sunday morning rolled around, we were all ready to spend the day greeting passersby, taking pics of people with the panda, and handing out flyers (printed on FSC certified paper, of course!) Tourists and kiwis alike flocked to the panda like moths to a flame and we were incredibly pleased with the amount of attention we were getting. At one point the city’s new mayor paid us a visit and had his picture taken with me in the frame. Yup - that’s me standing next to him in the big fluffy panda suit ;)

Not what you typically see 'crossing' the street. We definitely got lots of attention!

Ahoy boys!

Halfway through day 1 of promotion stunt and already sunburned

WWF frame with tall ship in the background

Auckland Anniversary air show!

One of these things is not like the other...

The WWF panda (yours truly) and the Auckland Mayor share their Ocean:View!

A well deserved celebratory bevvie post crazy long weekend!

I’m not entirely sure how clearly the competition message got through but I guess we’ll find out when we monitor the WWF website traffic over the next few weeks. Hopefully we’ll have tons of new entries coming in. Fingers crossed!

A new panda in the family.

2011-01-17T01:27:00.000-08:00

One thing I have found really amazing about the WWF-New Zealand family is that it is one big smorgasbord of International faces. Our team is currently represented by the UK, kiwis, Sri Lanka, Canada (yours truly), Australia. And now, we are lucky enough to add Germany to the mix. On Saturday we welcomed Annika - a member from the WWF-Germany team - to New Zealand’s panda headquarters. She is joining us for 6 months to work with the marcomm team and help us out with our campaigns. I’m really looking forward to having another fantastic team member in the office! We spent the weekend cruising the city, exploring the sites and getting her settled.

While we were checking out the waterfront on Sunday morning, the lead boat of the Velux Oceans 5 race rolled in to the harbour. The Velux 5 is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race. The leader – Brad Van Liew from the US – had been at sea for more than 30 days straight! He had been living off of dehydrated food, sleeping on the floor, and trying to enjoy the pleasure of his own company without slowly going insane. I can’t imagine what was rushing through his mind when he was greeted by his family and the Wellington welcoming committee.

First place!

An amazing set of sails

On Sunday evening we made our way to the botanic gardens where we celebrated Jen (my colleague)’s birthday by enjoying a fabulous concert under the sunny skies. We set up blankets in the grass and wined and dined ourselves to the beautiful music of Bella Kalolo. She has such an amazing sultry voice. Melodic and beautiful. It was a fabulous evening under the clear blue skies with great company. A perfect way to end a glorious weekend.

Pete and Annika waiting for the band to start

Opening band. An acoustic trio + bongos. Awesome.

Picnic feast!

Brilliant (and oh-so stylish) cup holders!

Bella!

Panoramic crowd.

The audience grows.

Jen's homemade birthday cupcakes!

Where has this invention been all of my life?!!!

Now. Back to work.

From Northland with love

2011-01-08T23:11:00.000-08:00

(A million pictures say a thousand words. You may want to make yourself a cuppa tea before settling in to read this one. We took so many pics that I had trouble narrowing them down! I've done my best to break them up in between the text. Enjoy! PS - my apologies for the awkward formatting...)

New Zealand is a world of many worlds. In one corner you find cascading waterfalls through lush rainforest; in another, alpine ranges that extend as far as the eye can see; and again another, white sand beaches tucked up against crystal blue waters. For the past two weeks we have found ourselves surrounded by these magnificent worlds enjoying all that they have to offer.

Having explored the South Island on our first trip here, we had heard that Northern New Zealand was just as, “if not more” beautiful than the rest of the country. And so, with excitement and curiosity tucked away in our bags, we set off Northbound to check out what all the fuss was about.

We rented another campervan similar to our last romp around the country though this one was slightly “classier” than the first. You could stand up in this one and I didn’t find myself needing to mumble a little prayer under my breath every time we encountered a hill! Our first stop was Northland – home to 90 mile beach, The Poor Knight’s Islands marine reserve, and the setting where the country’s founding document – the Treaty of Waitangi – was first signed. Our first few days were somewhat soggy but the weather was so warm that we hardly noticed it. Highlights included witnessing the converging of two oceans at the top of the country (Cape Reinga), surfing the day away at the beach in Ahipara, quad biking up NZ’s infamous 90 mile beach and coming across 80-90 wild peacocks and a herd of wild horses. I even got to try my hand at paddleboarding on New Year’s Eve!

Enjoying the sunset at our first campsite

A hidden beach tucked along the shore - a truly amazing find

Cape Reinga, where the Tasman and Pacific seas collide

This point marks the place where Maori believe that the spirits of their ancestors leave our world and enter the underworld

Looking down the coast from Cape Reinga

The beach at our first campsite

A stairwell carved out of the centre of a kauri tree, New Zealand's largest and oldest trees

The beautiful little lighthouse at Cape Reinga

Sandboarding at 90 mile beach

Pete taking a running running leap!

Yup. Our campsite had it all!

A day of sun and surfing in Ahipara (at the start of 90 mile beach)

Another day, another gorgeous sunset

Beautious!

Cruisin' up 90 mile beach

Flying through the woods

Paddleboarding around the beautiful bay in Kerikeri (so much fun!)

Yummy New Year's feast by the water

Organic, grass fed beef with the worx. Yummm!!

New Year's in the booming town of Whangarei...

More paddleboarding. Couldn't get enough.

Not too sure how I feel about this marketing stunt. It did get our attention - I'll give them that!

We were also very fortunate to have the opportunity to go diving for a day out to the Poor Knight’s Islands – a series of islands situated off the east coast of northland. These islands and their surrounding waters are a marine reserve and pending World Heritage Site and are home to incredible volcanic surroundings, huge drop offs, walls, caves, arches, and tunnels. As a result of its environmental protection, this area is full of unique and incredibly beautiful plant, animal, and fish life. Plus, the visibility is up to 30 metres so it truly is a diver’s dream! Throughout the day we came across huge schools of demoiselles, hundreds of beautiful gannets camped out on the sides of the cliffs, a pod of dolphins, and an incredibly colourful underwater world.

Poor Knight's Islands marine reserve

A pod of dolphins come say hello

Exploring the magnificent archways by yak

Say blrrpp!

Diving with the fishies. Pure heaven

Sooo beautiful

Sting ray!

Petey diving down to get a closer look!

Sun rays piercing through the water

A huge school of fish feeding on a pod of flying shrimp. It was amazing to watch them at work, leaping out into the air and shooting through the water like lightening

The world's largest marine cave

Our boat was huge and yet we fit inside no problemo! Looking out from inside the cave

The Coromandel is another arm of the country that stretches out just to the east of Northland. This is THE holiday destination for kiwis and the moment we reached the threshold to the region, we were suddenly surrounded by thousands of cars, motorhomes, trailers, boats. It was festive chaos. We attempted a trip to the supermarket to get some groceries but the linups were literally wrapping around the entire shop. At one point, they had to stop letting customers in as the building had reached its capacity and had become a fire hazard. Later on, we heard that they had to close it a second time so that the staff could restock the shelves! Coming from the quiet towns of Northland, it was certainly a shock to come across this madness. Luckily, as we made our way further north and deeper into the Coramandel, the crowds began to trickle away and eventually we ended up having complete white sand beaches to ourselves. It was absolutely stunning and we instantly understood why this magnificent area is so popular with the locals. Highlights of this region included watching the hours roll by while rotating between reading, floating in the warm shores, and tossing the disc around, hiking up Castle Rock where we were rewarded with incredible panoramic views of both coasts, hiking into a beautiful beach tucked away amongst the forests and rocky cliffs.

En route to Coromandel

Finished my book. Now for a dip. Yup. Life is tough.

Yummy dinner at our amazing campsite

Castle Rock. To the top we are headed!

Climbing up Castle Rock

The view of both coasts from above. What a reward!

Fish and chips. Yummm!

The third and final region we passed through was Rotorua, known for its volcanic and geothermal activity. We smelled it far before we reached the town but that didn’t deter us from enjoying it thoroughly. We spent the last two days of our journey exploring this volcanic zone and learning more about its volatility and thermal properties. While in Coromandel, a local told us about a thermal swimming hole that we should check out. It’s not mentioned in any guide books and very few people know about it. We spent some time trying to find it, but once we did, the experience was, by far, one of the highlights of our trip. It was incredibly tranquil and breathtakingly beautiful. Other highlights of our time in Rotorua include checking out the horse races which were in town that day, enjoying a fabulous traditional hangi meal and performance from a Maori group and learning about their culture and traditions (thanks Court for the reco!), and coming face to face with Koanga - a male kiwi bird living at Rainbow Falls Sanctuary.

Taking a pit stop en route to Rotorua. Pete soaking up the view.

Black swans

Takahe - a flightless bird that is endemic to NZ

An evening dip in the thermal pool

What Rotorua is known for - geysers, boiling pools, and sulphur deposits. Can't believe they built a city on top of this!

Enjoying the scenery...

But not the stench!

Fancy a dip?

Naturally occuring neon green pool. Insane!

This area is known as "the artist's palette". The colours were outstanding.

Lady Knox guyser. Goes off every day at the same time from pressure build up underground

Boiling mud. So cool.

Boiling mud pools

The most magical place on the planet. A natural, beautiful hot spring.

We couldn't get enough

An afternoon at the races

Rotorua's redwood forest

A little game of frolf

A performance at the Mitai marae

After 14 days of gallivanting around the top of the country, it was sadly time to make our way back to Auckland to return our van and catch our flight.


Auckland

We are now back home getting life sorted and back to normal before we return to our desks on Monday morning. The Christmas tree is the last thing to be put away. The holidays have officially come to a close. I can’t believe that it is 2011! We are now officially halfway through our time in the beautiful country. Before we know it, it will be time to pack up our things and make our way back to the Great White North. I’m afraid to blink in case I miss anything between now and then. We are just going to make the most of every moment and constantly express our gratitude for being given the opportunity to call this wonderful country home for the year.

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and New Years with family and friends and may 2011 be the best year yet!

A very merry merry to one and all!

2010-12-25T10:27:00.000-08:00

What a sunny, beachy, holiday this has been! Christmas eve was incredibly quiet in the office as everyone was already off on holiday so I "festivized" the day and put on Q107 to keep me company as I worked - lots of 'rockin' christmas tunes which got me in the spirit! Pete had the day off and surprised me with an amazing roast beef dinner. Just like home! Right before dinner, I went for a quick run along the water to stretch the legs and enjoy the beautiful day. At one point, I saw a small group of people gathered (the only remaining people in this city over the holidays!) and noticed that there were 7 stingrays all gathered right up at the shore cruising for grub! It was incredible. They're such beautiful animals and I always love watching them glide through the water (from afar!). Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me so you will just have to take my word for it!

The dinner was scrumptious. Pete outdid himself as always! After dinner, we headed down to the giant Chrstmas tree to check out the lights. It was packed with (again) the remaining people who stuck around Wellington for the holidays and we grabbed a beanbag chair and watched the amazing light show.

Christmas morning, we awoke to gorgeous sunshine and clear skies. A truly perfect day! Spent the morning opening gifties, enjoying a yummy brekkie, and relaxing. We were truly spoiled by friends and family who sent us such sweet and thoughtful gifts!

We spent the rest of the day cycling along the waterfront and tossing the disc around. At one point, we plunked ourselves down on a beach and went for a dip - something we had to do on Christmas day! :D

In the evening we enjoyed a wonderful feast with our neighbour and her lovely family. It was truly a magical and beautiful day.

It's now your turn to celebrate Santa's day back home and we are thinking of you all while you sip egg nog, open presies, and dine on feasts! We are headed to Northland for the next two weeks and look forward to reporting back upon our return.

After work drink!

Looking through the amazing calendar from Erika!

The biggest cracker ever!

Pete's Christmas presie!

Holidays spent at the beach!

Biking along the bay!

Taking a dip on Christmas day. A first for me!

Merry Christmas to one and all and may 2011 be the best year yet!
xo

Santa comes to town!

2010-12-19T00:19:00.000-08:00

Christmas time brings many traditions – decorating trees and tucking presies underneath them, setting up stockings by the fireplace and singing carols. And while we have traded scarves for sunglasses, and donned jandals instead of boots, no holiday is complete without a visit from the big man in red himself. And so, this is how we found ourselves amongst hundreds of kids and families on Wednesday evening in Waitangi Park – Wellington’s central park – singing carols and dancing the evening away to Christmas tunes.

The crowd gathering in Waitangi Park

I felt like a kid again, surrounded by all the youngsters belting their hearts out. There was a live band, treats galore, and a headbanging donkey mascot (…not entirely sure what he had to do with Christmas but he was the most entertaining of them all).

This is the Christmas tree which lights up every night. You can donate to the Children's Wish Foundation and select a colour sequence and they'll display it for you. They also have giant bean bag chairs under the tree so you can enjoy the view all evening long!

Kids lining up at the phone booth to call Santa

Then, in the middle of Feliz Navidad santa appeared waving from a red helicopter which circled the applauding crowd a few times before settling down to let him hop up on stage. The kids went wild (and the donkey went nuts). It was amazing (and the donkey was hilarious)! It still doesn’t feel like Christmas all that much but it was certainly entertaining, and a great way to spend an evening.

Feliz Navidad to one and all!

Santa's here (and the crowd goes wild!)

Santa (and his donkey) welcome the applause

Christmas time by the bay.

I didn't know the Griswolds moved to New Zealand!

Only 12 more sleeps...

2010-12-13T00:16:00.000-08:00

Well, we’re only twelve sleeps away until Santa pays us all a visit and while I continue to hear stories from home of people donning their winter sweaters, pulling their toques tighter over their heads, and cradling their never empty cuppa hot anything in their hands, it’s not really ‘beginning to feel a lot like Christmas’ over here. This past weekend we did the routine holiday rituals of getting a tree, decorating it and hanging the stockings by the non-existent chimney with care.

Pete’s present doesn’t exactly fit under the tree but it looks pretty great next to it! Thank you to all the fabulous family and friends who have sent holiday packages our way. ‘Tis so thoughtful of you!

After decorating the tree, we went for a walk along the waterfront. It was a beautiful day and the town was out in full force. A local fisherman had pulled his boat right up to the city dock and was selling fish right off of his boat!

Further down the way, the regional water polo team was practicing right off the warf and a crowd gathered to watch them play. What an amazing and incredibly challenging sport!

We eventually found ourselves at another Kowtow sale. I’m sorry but I just can’t resist fair trade, organic clothing hand made by locals. As you know, I enjoyed a kowtow sale on one of my first week’s here. Their stuff is a-may-zing, the owner/designer is so talented and the kowtow philosophy is the icing on the cake!

So now I head to bed with only 12 sleeps till big guy in red comes to town. I am thinking of you all back home and sending a jolliest of Christmas wishes your way. Yes, that’s right. I mean YOU!

ps - sorry for the low quality pics. Camera died :(

The Mighty Whanganui

2010-12-05T01:26:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was a weekend like no other. It was a weekend that I had been waiting for since we arrived here last June. I had been counting down the days until we were able to paddle the Whanganui River. It is the 3rd longest river in New Zealand and is the only river to be considered one of New Zealand’s Great Walks.

Sunset at our first campsite.

Self portrait on Day 1 - pre sunburn

Happy campers!

The river is of special and spiritual importance for Maori, who regard is as taonga – a special treasure – and as soon as we dipped our paddles into the water, we instantly understood their connection. Plus, with many stretches of white water and over 200 rapids, it was the journey of a lifetime!

The Whanganui River begins at the top of a volcanic mountain called Mt. Tongariro (where Kate and Nige got engaged!). It then travels North towards Taumarunui before heading South for about 260km towards Whanganui. The river is typically paddled in kayaks but we opted for "traditional Canadian canoes". For the first couple of days, we passed through the native tree and fern clad hills of the Whanganui National Park which lead to incredible deeply incised gorges that reached over 200 feet high on either side. For four days, we were blessed with sun filled, cloudless days and we found ourselves needing to fall into the river every hour on the hour to keep ourselves cooled off.

Luckily, we threw ourselves down the river before the peak season hit and so we were virtually on our own the whole time. We rented gear from an outfitters and chose campsites over huts. Nothing beat lying in the grass hills under blissfully starry night skies!

The four days flew by but they were absolutely some of the best days I’ve had here thus far. The region was simply too breathtaking for words and so, on that note, I will stop my typing here and share some more photos with you.

Another tremendous weekend spent in the NZ wilderness…

A little frisbee action to go with our morning coffee before hitting the river.

You can practice yoga anywhere...

... Anytime.

A room with (one heck of) a view.

Taking a break to enjoy the view (and rest the arms).

Pretty.

Low water levels at certain points.

Sunshine all the time!

Peter!

Meandering our way through the gorge.

One of the many caves along the route. It's amazing how strong the power of water can be.

mini waterfall.

Pete takes a dip Post 8 hour paddle (in headwind).

Morning on the river in between rapids. Calm as glass.

Bad day for that guy!

Happy

A forest canopy as our rooftop.

The stunning view from my nap.

Another breathtaking morning on the water

The 'organ pipes' (grooves in the stone gorge walls)

Bliss.

The mother of all caves near the end of our journey (where's the Peter?!).

Mother Nature's spa!

My last dip before callin 'er a day.

From suburban mouse to city mouse

2010-11-20T21:40:00.000-08:00

After 6 months in this amazing country, we have made the move from one home to a new one. Yesterday morning, we borrowed the panda-mobile and made the move to an apartment much closer to downtown and right near the beach. We didn’t have much to move –a few backpacks and some bikes. The new place is amazing! We’ve lost the stellar view but the one we’ve got now still beats the one we had out of our window back home… Not that I don’t appreciate littered alleyways and noisy subway tracks…

We’re now in a two bedroom, fully furnished flat in a neighbourhood called Mt. Victoria. What was once a 30 minute bus ride into town is now a 5 minute walk to the farmer’s market, to my yoga studio, to the beach. Now seriously, what else does one really need?!

Our new home!

Where the chef will now perform his work

View to the left...

And to the right...

A giant Christmas tree has been set up in one of the central parkettes right by the water. Not a real one, mind you, but rather a beautiful one made up of dozens of strands of Christmas lights. Very pretty and oh-so festive. Still finding it hard to get into the Christmas spirit here. The manufactured snow flakes just aren’t quite the same. While everyone back home is swapping their summer clothes for scarves and toques, I’m grabbing my shades and throwing on my ‘jandals’ before heading out the door. Hmmmm… I think I could get used to this!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

After the move, Pete and I headed straight for the beach and just watched the world go by. There was a sailing regatta going on and we just caught the last stretch of the race. The boats had their spinnakers out which was really cool and quite beautiful. Sadly no camera was in hand and so you will just have to take my word for it and imagine it for yourself.

An afternoon by the beach.

Whale tail!

Early to bed and early to rise. A fantastic yoga class followed by brunch with a dear old friend. A short jaunt through the botanic gardens and along the waterfront to stretch the legs then home to write this note to you all. Yup – I think I’m going to like our new digs…

Brunch with Beaner = perfection!

A view from the treetops

Butterflies by the bay

A merry tui christmas to all!

A quiet and tasty weekend among friends

2010-11-15T01:03:00.000-08:00

After a weekend spent amongst the mountains, it was time for a weekend spent amongst friends and yummy food! On Saturday eve, we invited a bunch of my colleagues over for some cocktails and appies. It was nice to hang out outside of the office and get to know them a little bit better. Such nice folks. The panda family really does reach worldwide!

The rest of the weekend was spent running errands and sticking my nose in my book. A quiet weekend sandwiched between two crazies. Next weekend is the launch of our national oceans campaign followed by the big move to our new apartment (a two bedroom flat by the beach – yeah!) The weekend after that we’re blowing this pop-stand for a 5-day canoe trip down the Whanganui river. Oh how I love these summer days in November!

Beautiful Peonies!

Pete prepping the goodies

Baked brie two ways: 1) With pesto and parmesan and 2) with roasted garlic. Yummmm!

A full fridge is a happy fridge!

From the fridge to our bellies

Run an adventure race in New Zealand... CHECK!

2010-11-07T23:20:00.000-08:00

Imagine, if you will, a lobster fresh out of the pot – rosy pink to perfection. Although I am far from perfect, I am about as pink as they come! This past weekend was filled with everything I could ask for: fun, adventure, the great outdoors. Unfortunately it was missing one key ingredient – sunscreen!

This past weekend, Pete and I participated in the Queen Charlotte Classic – an adventure race that took us along the Queen Charlotte Track and through the Queen Charlotte Sound. The race included a 14 km run up and over a mountain range (me), a 50 km bike ride along the beautiful (and steep) coastline (Pete), finishing off with an 8 km paddle (tandem). On race day we woke at 5:30 in the morning and psyched ourselves up with some oatmeal and positive thoughts.

Pete ready for action!

The walk to the start line at 6 am in the bustling town of Picton

I think there were over 350 competitors all lined up along the beach ready to go. The first leg of the race was the run and we hopped on to a water taxi for the 30 minute boat ride to the starting line, in a spectacular place called mistletoe bay. On the ride a couple of veteran racers warned me that the first leg of the run was ‘steep as’. For those of you still learning the kiwi lingo, that means a few degrees short of a cliff. Good times.

Luckily, I had been training on hills for the past few months and, for the first time in years, I was actually able to tackle it without feeling the need to pass out or throw up! Plus, I managed to finish the run under an hour and a half which was a personal best for a single track mountain run! Yay me!

And we're off!

Pete took this shot from the boat after they had dropped off the runners at the starting line. The run took me over this mountain range.

A loyal companion waiting for his chauffeur

Pete killed the bike portion of the race even though virtually the entire 50 km route was uphill. Good thing the view was so spectacular. It provided a wonderful distraction from the task at hand. I was so proud of him!

Pete pulling in to the transition area. 50 kms and still smiling!

Sadly by the time we were ready to take on the paddle section of the race, the wind had picked up so much that they canceled it altogether. Apparently the majority of the lead racers who had gotten out on the water ahead of us were all capsizing. The rescue team couldn’t keep up with all the flipped boats and so they had no choice but to cancel the paddle portion. Sad news. But this did mean that we got to hit the pub even earlier. A decent compromise ☺

The afternoon was spent wandering the town (which didn’t take long) and enjoying the scenery. The Queen Charlotte Sound is definitely one of the most beautiful parts of New Zealand. They also, as we discovered, have the best fish and chips I have ever had! Nothing beats a cold beer and some tasty fish ‘n’ chips after a long day of fun in the sun!

Captain Cook was here!

Picton harbour

Mmmm... Fish 'n' chips.

Luckily, in lieu of missing out on the Saturday paddle, the kayak rental guys let us have the boat on Sunday for a day of paddling and beach hopping. We explored the many bays that make this area so truly stunning. We puttered around in the shoals and enjoyed a yummy nap on a secluded beach.

Shags soaking up the sun.

Beach stop #3. Too beautiful for words.

Peter in deep thought. Trying to come up with a cunning plan that would let us stay in this moment forever.

Crystal clear waters

At one point, we came across thousands – yes, thousands – of jellyfish. It was quite incredible!

First there was one...

...And then they were everywhere you looked. All those blurry white spots... Yup. Jellyfish...

Back to the harbour to wait for our ferry. Two hours late, but we didn’t mind. We just sat on the beach, fed the ducks, and watched the sun slowly fall behind the majestic mountain range.

She was my friend. I was her "bread dispenser"!

The ferry ride home was a bit of a blur as we were completely wiped from the weekend of fresh air and fierce sunshine. The term ‘sun kissed’ is an under-statement. We’re more like ‘sun smacked’. But oh, it was allll worth it!

Sun, surf, and a party load of rally cars.

2010-10-31T00:40:00.000-07:00

My legs ache, my back aches, my shoulders ache. But it’s all from good stuff so I can’t really complain. Decent weather, good times, great outdoor activities and stories to share. And so I type…

Spent my Saturday morning on the trails trying to get the legs ready for our race next weekend. I can’t believe we’re only a week away! I normally wouldn’t be too nervous about these distances, but it’s not the distance that has me biting my lip. It’s those darn mountains that get in the way! Any marathons I have ever run in the past have always met my number one criteria – that they must be flat! As many of you know, I am no friend to the hill! That being said, I’ve been diligently training on a few for the past couple of months and I’m feeling a bit more confident. Ah well – we’re just going to have a good time, right? So there’s no need to worry (too much). I just can’t wait to check out the Queen Charlotte Track. We have yet to explore this region and it’s been on our to-do list ever since we landed in this fine country!

Saturday afternoon found us roaming around town hitting a few shops to look for Christmas presents. Can you believe it? I just typed the word ‘Chrismas’! Yes – it’s getting to be that time of year again. But being on the other side of the world requires us to be ahead of the game in terms of gift purchasing as mail can take anywhere from a few days to (apparently) a month to reach the Great White North. While we were downtown we came across a mosh pit of rally racing cars all arriving and parking themselves right outside of the Te Papa museum. Turns out we had stumbled across the finish line of the Targa car rally in New Zealand. Who knew?! People had come from across the globe to race, including some fellow Canucks. Dunno who ended up winning and quite frankly we didn’t really care. But some of the cars were pretty cool.

Bad day.

Canada represents! (...but doesn't win)

Loved this car. Loved the bottles of bubbly sitting on the roof even more!

The Targa NZ Rally finish line. Drivers lining up for the interviews.

Lining up post race.

Hello luvr...

Afternoon drinks before catching the All Blacks match (not live... I wish!)

Beanbags on the bar patio by the beach = brilliant!

Our Sunday was also spent out and about tho this time the bike was our transportation of choice. We biked along the coast out to an area called Lyall Bay. It’s where all the watersport enthusiasts go to play. We sat on the beach and watched as surfers caught waves, kite boarders caught air, and windsurfers flew past us at a frenzied pace. Pete was in heaven!

Kiters catching the waves

Pete enjoying the view and wishing he'd brought his wetsuit.

Hataitai Beach

One of the many boathouses peppering this stretch of Wellington coast. A band was rehearsing inside as we biked past and we could hear the drummer working away on his solo. What a cool place to call home!

Along the waterfront one can find poems among the rocks. part of Wellington's "writers' walk". Beautiful and inspirational.

3 and a half hours later, we rolled through our front door and flopped down for the rest of the afternoon. Am now taking a break from reading my book to write to you all. Not a bad weekend, I must say!

Thinking of everyone at home as you don your witch hats, devil ears, and tiaras.

Wishing you all a festive and happy Halloween! May both your tricks and treats be sweet!

PS – If you haven’t yet, please check out my fundraising page for the race online:
https://www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/saveouroceans
Pete and I will be running, biking, and paddling our little hearts out to raise awareness and support for WWF's campaign to protect our oceans. Support an important cause, give generously and tell your friends! Thx so much!

A spoonful of Canadiana

2010-10-24T17:55:00.000-07:00

It’s labour day weekend over here and what a glorious weekend it has been! For the last 48 hours, I have been catching up and cruising this grand city with one of my oldest and dearest friends - Courtney Wotherspoon!

We had to make the most of the 48 hours we had available and so we immediately headed to a nearby pub for a few. Man, it was great to see her smiling face! Lots of catching up on the homefront and showing off this fantastic city to her! The weekend was filled with superb brunches, a tour of Te Papa (and a few shops to Pete’s great delight!) and several bevvie bars where we were able to quench our many thirsts throughout each afternoon.

☺☺☺

Cool structures outside Te Papa

With the World Cup. "Touristy"? Yes. But the pics were free!

An afternoon of brewskies and scrabble

Mac's brewery (like a 50's living room)

On the second evening, we caught the NZ vs. England rugby match at the stadium. Great times and awesome atmosphere. Oh ya – and the game was great too (NZ crushed England)!

Excited for the game!

No I'm not giving the finger - I'm holding the bottle cap! :P

Kiwis score!

The waterboy (aka rehydration facilitator - the dude in yellow) takes his job very seriously!

The two days absolutely flew by but it was so great to see a friendly face from home.

Miss you already Court!!!

A very merry thanksgiving

2010-10-12T00:22:00.000-07:00

Traditional thanksgiving is not recognized over here among the kiwis (plus it’s springtime so there’s not much harvest to feast over!) Nonetheless, for me this past weekend was about giving thanks to everything and everyone I have in my life. I sit here with a lovely glass of vino after a day at work overlooking the Wellington harbour and I can’t help think about how unexpected this course of events has been. I could not have predicted a year ago that things would have turned out this way. It has been one helluva year but in many ways, I am grateful for all that I have experienced and everyone from whom I have learned so much – family members, friends, and even many strangers.

While this past weekend was a quiet one it was just perfect. Pete and I spent Sunday afternoon wandering through the botanic gardens, which, ironically, I have seldom done. We walked the trails, visited the community herb garden and sat and watched a family of ducks maneuver their way from the local fountain to their home – a quiet little pond nestled next to a waterfall. We watched the mother and father shuffle 6 little ducklings through the rose garden, across a path, and into the safety of their pond. The little ducklings stayed out of mischief and followed their mother in step. Adorable! All this in downtown Welli – amazing!

Path through the fragrant garden.

The community herb garden

Tulip garden

Lady Norwood rose garden sans roses (yet to bloom)

Manufactured landscapes.

Mother duck with her little ones.

How did the ducklings cross the road? With mama closely by their side :)

On the edge of the garden we came across a cemetery nestled away amongst the flowers. This was the first cemetery of Wellington, which was created in 1840 on what was, at the time, the outskirts of town. We walked the trail through the cemetery, which gave a glimpse into the life and times of this growing colony. Stories told on the headstones reflected the struggles that many people at that time faced – poor sanitation, fire, earthquakes, racial tensions, injuries from wars. By 1892 due to limited space and concerns around sanitation (by this point the cemetery was in the centre of town) the cemetery was closed and new ones were created that were further out of town. It’s quite a peaceful place with vibrant flowers growing everywhere and massive trees protected the headstones from the weather.

It was a truly lovely afternoon spent giving thanks, relaxing away the hours and touring one of the capital city’s most amazing sights.

Happy thanksgiving to all!

Follow the flower petals through the garden.

A mural of native wildlife painted by a WWF supporter (on the side of the treehouse)

Spot the panda!

Do Wellingtonians ever get bored of all this amazing-ness?!

2010-10-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

Finally – some seriously stupendous springtime sunshine! This weekend brought with it, by far, the best weather we have had to date. Not only was there an endless blue sky free of clouds, but the wind was nowhere to be found! And a day in Wellington without wind is like a day in Toronto without the subway breaking down - it doesn’t happen very often!

Friday night was spent de-stressing after a long week. Some drinks out with friends, dinner at an amazing Indian resto, then home. For those of you who know Pete well, you will know that he claims to “hate” curry. I have made it my personal mission to make him like it and on Friday, he actually stated that the meal was “the best meal he has had since arriving in New Zealand”!!! Point for Erinn!

Saturday morning I awoke to sun streaming through our windows. Pete wasn’t up for a day of walking so I headed out on my own and grabbed a coffee by the beach. I then hit a trail to Mount Victoria, which has one of the best views in the city. It was truly amazing.

On my way up, looking back at the city.

Imagine calling those amazing places 'home'!

City shot with Mother Nature's picture frame.

Can you believe this is literally 5 minutes from downtown Welli?!

View from the top

Looking south to Lyall Bay (Picton ferry in the distance making its way to the South Island)

Maori statue

I worked my way up the trails to the top, took some pics with all of the other tourists and then plunked myself down with my water, snacks and light reading (just a bio on Ernesto Guevera – a real knee slapper…!)

Saw tons of birds including bellbirds, tuis, and this little critter who was quite inquisitive. He kept hopping closer and closer to where I was sitting. We were buds by the end of the day. I'm really not much of a birder but since arriving here, I have definitely developed a greater level of respect and admiration for our feathered friends, especially since so many of them are endangered over here due to the introduction of invasive species like rats, stoats, and possums.

My avian friend!

I fought the puddle but the puddle won :(

Headed back down the trail to the waterfront where a street performer was attempting to wow the crowd. He asked how many people were from out of town and about half of the audience raised their hands. I guess we’re starting to get into tourist season…

An early dinner with Pete and back home for a rompous Saturday night curled up on the sofa with a cuppa tea watching movies.

It’s now Sunday afternoon and as I type, I am sitting on our deck watching the last of the sun go down. Pete’s in the kitchen baking bread (yum!) and I’m writing to you. Not a bad way to end a perfectly perfect weekend!

Your feel-good story of the week!

2010-10-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

This past Monday evening was our usual puppy squad. We met the group at 6 downtown and wandered along the waterfront with about a dozen puppies from the SPCA shelter, exploring the streets, chasing the birds, and discovering the beach (my pup tried to go swimming!).

I was telling my colleague about the puppy squad and she asked if she might be able to interview the organizer. she hosts a local radio show and wanted to feature the puppy squad as the feel good story piece for that evening's show! So exciting! The interview went well and over the next few days, the squad organizer received three inquiries to volunteer!! Hopefully we'll have even more people (and therefore more hands) to walk puppies next Monday!

But the most exciting story that I want to share is about one of the lovely canines that joins us on our regular walks. Percy, a friendly little guy, has found a home! ...But not just any old home.

This one is quite special!

It's so great when animals find great places to call home and this one is certainly amazing! An amazing feel-good story of the week!

My pup Oolla (sp?) with her stylish 'find me a home' vest on.

Exploring the water fountain. Some are always a little nervous by the flying water. Others leap right in!

Benji paying no attention to Pete!
(ps - for those interested, that's the National Museum - Te Papa - in the background. Very cool place and it's free entry. Amazing!)

An urban playground (with one helluva view!)

2010-09-26T01:42:00.001-07:00

Still sore from another weekend on the bike! After a fantastic evening out on the town Friday (yummy dinner, live music, good company), we woke early (and in rough shape!) and hit the hills with our friend, Pete**

We spent about 2 hours climbing Makara Peak and while the uphill battle was pretty grueling, the rewarding view was pretty spectacular! The best reward of all - the sky was clear enough to see the South Island from where we were resting. I’m such a sucker for a good view!

Wind turbines (North Island) and Kaikoura mountains in the distance (South Island)

Makara Peak with Windy Welli in the distance

Which way to Canada?!

Pete x 2 deciding the best route down. They picked something called the North Face... We weren't riding down Everest but it felt pretty close!

The trip down the mountain was pretty rough on me but Pete (squared) enjoyed it thoroughly.

The view on the way down.

By the time we walked through our front door, my legs could barely carry me. The next morning, I was still too sore to do much so we settled for a day of walking through the gardens, reading on the deck, and cooking and baking yummy treats.

All set for another week in kiwi land!

** Not sure why, but there are so many people named Pete over here!

Spring has sprung and all of the flowers are coming into bloom. A tui making the tree its home!

Team Panda rolls up its sleeves!

2010-09-21T01:09:00.000-07:00

Last week was Conservation Week in New Zealand and community groups all across the country took part in various initiatives to “show New Zealand how much they love it”!

On Friday, a group of WWF’ers threw on their outdoor gear and rolled up their sleeves to help out at a local conservation project that WWF has helped fund. Five of the WWF panda crew headed to Newlands where we spent the morning planting native plants in the Kentwood Drive Reserve. Peter Gillberd, the project manager provided us with everything we needed – plants, spades, organic compost. All we needed to bring was our rain gear, our gum boots (rubber boots), and our beanies (toques)!

The weather was relatively decent and luckily held off until the afternoon. The ground was a fiesta of rocks ad clay but we managed to put 91 trees in the ground. Not quite the equivalent to my old planting days but hey – different soil, different trees, different story. Besides, it was nice to just get out of the office and give a little bit back to the local community.

Team Panda hard at work!

Taking a break

Peter - Project Manager and dedicated conservationist

Done and done. 91 plants in the ground!

A little patch of green in the middle of suburbia.