Change of Address

Hey all, sorry I didn't finish blogging NZ. Hopefully I'll get around to in the near future (starting in January because I left my computer with all my pictures in Denver.)

To follow up on where I'm at you can go here: http://fishheadineurope.blogspot.com/



Cheers,
Carson

Finished Painting

Here's my final project for Exploring Visual Arts through Painting and Drawing:

And the artist statement to go along:

Maori Performance

Check out my Haka from the final performance for my Maori class. Here


Here's a pic to give you an idea first:

The Kepler Track

So I have been lazy about blogging/preoccupied with enjoying my last month in NZ.

I promise to do a wrap up in the future but for now here are a ton of

photos taken by my good friend Tommy DeLitto. He is an awesome

photographer, and is way more dedicated to getting the shot than I

am. Clark took tons of photos amazing as well, but I have yet to grab

them from him. I on the other hand chose not to bring my camera, mostly

because it looks silly when 3 out of 4 guys are shooting with massive

DSLRs but also because I occasionally enjoy using my own personal

lenses (my eyeballs) to capture "the moment". Enjoy!

Starting the hike below tree line:

Exiting the tree line less than four hours later:

Happy campers, beautiful day:

The Luxmore hut, sleeps about fifty people, it's massive:

View from the deck:

Dinning/lounge area:

Entrance to a deep dark cave:

We must go deeper...

You probably already know this, but I'm a sorcerer:

Chillin

Driving back to Dunedin:

Well, there you have it. A handful of awesome pictures from yet another incredible

weekend in New Zealand. Thanks Tommy!

Auckland Trip

About six years ago I was on a cruise ship traveling around the Great Barrier Reef with Dad and family. One dinner on the boat we were assigned to a table with another family who happened to be from Auckland, NZ. After a really fun night with the other family we traded contact info, thinking that maybe at some point in time our paths may cross again. Well, six years later we managed to make that happen. Several weeks before shipping off Beth e-mailed Janet Pardoe asking if they were still around and Janet answered with much enthusiasm that I was welcome to come visit, and so I did.

Last Wednesday I flew into Auckland where Janet met me at the airport. During the forty-five minute drive back to her house she asked me what I would like to do within the five days that I was there. Everything I mentioned was accomplished, so here are some photos with stories attached.

After getting settled at their house in Milford, we drove down to the pier where I bought a round trip ferry ticket to the island of Rangitoto. Rangitoto is dead volcano that was formed 600 to 700 years ago, once used as a war stationary point, now contains a handful of hiking trails that lead to beautiful views and interesting adventures.

Downtown Auckland, mid afternoon:

Hiking up the mountain there were tons of volcanic rocks everywhere. The paths were generally three to four feet wide which allowed for people to walk side by side. I even saw a group of people with three strollers hiking with their kids, needless to say, they did have to drop the strollers off halfway up.

Inside an abandoned military building:

These were the lava caves. A series of tunnels formed with that hard sharp lava rock. The caves were cool and moist, so this opening above allowed for the warm air outside to come rushing into the tunnels.

A washed up pole and the last ferry from the island of Rangitoto in the background, you don't want to miss this guy...

Here's a shot taken four days later of the island from the sky tower, but that story is for later.

And another shot of Rangitoto from the Pardoe's back yard. Look how strong I am, I can move mountains with my fingers.

After getting back to Auckland I met up with some DU friends at the pier and we caught up on how our NZ experiences had been so far. We parted ways and I caught a bus back to Smale's Farm (a business area) and walked about twenty minutes to their house in Milford.

The next day Janet drove me down to Rotarua and Wai Taupo springs. It was an excellent day of sight seeing, exploring, and learning. The hot springs were absolutely incredible, colors and sights beyond this world. Pictures can barely do it justice.

I think this is moss, but I really couldn't tell.

Looking south at the panhandle hot spring. We had came from the path below, towards the bottom of the picture.

A crazy colored pool at the end of the path. I promise to look up what causes this intense lime green.

Layers of sediment built up:

Mud holes with boiling sulfur explosions, awesome!

After the hot springs, Janet and I drove to the Rotarua Museum where I learned a lot about the history of the local Maori's and the recent volcanic activity in that area. Basically what it comes down to, is that no matter how beautiful New Zealand is, there will always be a possibility of the island going up in flames due to the superfluous amounts of volcanos around(especially the North Island).

The next day will be one to remember for years and years. I had booked a trip through Greyline Tours in Auckland where I took a tour bus to Waiatomo (approx. 2.5 hours away) and then the bus with forty people dropped solely me off and continued their day long tour. Unfortunately upon arrival I discovered the caves I was meant to explore were closed due to flooding. After a bit of patience and standing up for myself on the phone, Greyline arranged for me to be picked up by a different caving tour group. I thanked the lady on the phone and walked outside to be immediately greeted by a big goofy smiling character named Brewser. It was a quick drive to Waiatomo Adventures, where the rest of the group was waiting. After I signed some health related documents we quickly packed up and drove out twenty minutes through a bunch of farmland to a shed full of caving gear.

Brewser and Chris suited us up and taught us how to use their system for rappelling, or what it's referred to as abseiling in NZ. We proceeded to hike down through sheep fields into a little opening in the hill where you had to climb down a ladder and then a rock wall. The tour guides were the only ones allowed with cameras as to preserve "the quality of the experience" but they took a couple great shots none the less.

The entire trip lasted about two hours, during that time we rappelled down one larger rock cliff and one medium sized waterfall, then we were then dropped blindly (everyone's headlights were turned off so it was pitch black) into another small gap in the rocks with a waterfall rushing through it, then hiked slowly out of the cave system partially floating, partially rock-climbing/using ladders, and partly walking. Overall the experience was nuts, and the tours guides were awesome!

Chris in the background:

Saturday the family and I went sailing on their yacht. I have been sailing maybe twice before, and this was the first time I've ever actually sailed the boat myself. It was so much fun and came so naturally that it made me want to go again.

A shot of the whole family from left to right: Hayley (Janet's daughter) wrapped up and ready for Antarctica, Barry in the back with a sweet as brimmed hat, Janet front and center and smiling as always, and Rich (Haley's boyfriend) on the right getting the fishing line ready.

We stopped in a beautiful cove for lunch and afterwards Hayley, Rich and I explored the nearby island

An island where peacocks roam free:

The furthest point we got before heading back. Before heading to Auckland I had not realized how many little islands were along the coast. The waters and vegetation were incredibly breathtaking and soothing, I very much enjoyed being one-hundred percent in the present here.

Mast shot:

A sunken ship we sailed past:

The next day I was set to fly home at 7 pm so I had a bit more time to explore and the one last thing I hadn't really done was exploring Auckland itself. There's no better way to do that than going up the Sky Tower downtown.

Janet, Hayley, Rich and I first drove down the coast checking out local spots such as beachs, lakes, and the Auckland Navy (consisting of three ships). This is a picture of a beach overtaken by lava where massive trees once stood. Unfortunately for us only the hole in which the rotted away tree that was there left, but still cool none the less. The diameter of this hole was over a meter by far.

And then the glorious Sky Tower, again, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. But man, what a way to end a fun fulfilling five day trip.

Rich and Hayley look out on Auckland:

All smiles the whole trip!

Looking down through the glass floor, you can see a target where people attempt hit when jumping off...nah....but you can jump from outside and glide down between two cables. It's like a super mellow 190 meter bungee jump. I would've done it had it actually been bungee jumping.

Looking up at the tippity top, although the mid-section kind of got in the way.

Leaving the city of Auckland and heading back to Dunnerz:

After passing out on the plane before take off I managed to wake up and hour later just in time to catch the sunset. Truly one of my top three favorites sunsets I have ever experienced, looking out the window you could see the curvature of the earth, some stars, and the West Coast of the South Island. I can see why the sun was once considered a god.

Thank for reading this long winded adventure, I'm off to a four day hike tomorrow, and I hope you all enjoy my writing.

Cheers,

Carson

A little something extraaa (panoramas and artwork):

Top and bottom shot are from Wai Taupo hot springs, the middle panorama is after caving in Waiatomo.

I was rushing to catch up with Janet and the gang causing this panorama to turn out a bit sloppy, so I threw some fancy edges around it to make it look nicer. Viola!

And as another little treat, here is my almost finished final project for art: