If you like to travel....

I found this website about travel quotes, but it also has so much more including free volunteer opportunities, advice, suggestions and everything else you that may interest fellow travel minded people. The link goes to the quotes page, but it is an inspiring palce to start.
Brave New Traveller

Also, for those who do not have access to facebook yet, I have created a Picasa album of our recent road trip with Lisa and Richard. have alook here.

What winter?

“Watch out for the Waikato Winter” I was inform many times when I arrived in New Zealand. With steady reminders about how cold and wet it gets here, I was braced for a daily confrontation against cold, icy mornings, constant rain, driving winds and bad moods. Ready to conquer the predications that a mere Aussie will not cope with the onslaught and will be pointed at and teased, eventually forever being shunned as a fool. So I waited for the intensity of winter to bring on its wrath, I waited to step up to the challenge of showing my capacity to adapt to the climatic extremes of New Zealand, and I waited to see spring arrive so I could exultantly call myself the victor of this battle against the elements. And I am still waiting. It did get cold. It was minus 4 degrees Celsius a few mornings, it definitely did rain more frequently than my place of origin in Australia, and I can see snow on the distant volcanic peaks. But now the daily temperatures are in the mid to high teens again, and rising. The nights are mild enough to start the day in a short sleave and vest. The grass is growing, the birds are singing, the bulbs are flowering, the days are getting much longer, and yes, spring has pounced upon our paradise. So why don’t I feel triumphant, like I survived the nastiest weather experience ever and want to run up the hills shouting “Victory to the Aussie, Victory I say!”. I think it is because many locals have this idea that all of Australia is sunny and warm year round. Many have relatives living in Queensland, which of course is not the best representation of Australia, so that is what they know best. Every time you see a travel advertisement or a holiday package deal it is also to Queensland, yet again spreading the rumour that all of Australia is warm and sunny. Full stop. It is unacknowledged that places like Adelaide and Melbourne can get icy cold in winter, and that it snows in Canberra and Hobart. Queensland is not Australia, but it is what many people over here seem to identify with. So, I did survive the winter unscathed, and upon hearing a few locals say that was the most terrible winter they recall, my confidence is enhance to endure the next few winters with less struggle than the last. I guess that still signifies I can get into my boots, ascend the nearest knoll, and roar “Victory is upon us, let’s celebrate!”.

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. (St. Augustine)

Our local beach, Raglan

Memories.....

It goes without saying how much I miss my family and friends; hence they are not discussed here. It is a little debilitating not being able to dash up to see my family for a few days at short notice or to be able to call friends to spontaneously invite them over to dinner that night. It’s a different world for me here. Despite those two mammoth elements that I miss in my new life here, it has become apparent that there are several more and I realise what an important part of my life they were. The fact that I miss these physical elements of living in Australia is by no way intended as a criticism or disrespectful in any way of what I do have here in New Zealand. I love it here and wouldn’t want to change anything. These ramblings are solely about what I miss about Australia, not what I think would improve my experience here.

Horizons and a sense of space. A bit hard when there are hills and mountains all around even though they are still really beautiful hills and mountains, every time I get to a place where I can see for miles, something becomes really familiar and comfortable.

The colours. Everything is green over here, bright green, which again is really beautiful, but I do miss the contrasts of the dry earth with the grey green gum leaves and their mottled trunks, the dark green of the Australian bush and the blue sky which over sees it all.

Birds. There are only 51 species of birds found in NZ, 37of them introduced such as sparrows, starling, blackbirds etc. There are no huge flocks of colourful parrots or cockatoos screeching overhead, nor vibrant finches darting through the undergrowth or wrens with shimmering blue and melodic warbles. None of the avian colour and vibrancy which we take for granted in Australia brings the New Zealand landscape to life in the same way.

Mammals. Prior to humans arriving, NZ was largely uninhabited by mammals apart from a few bats and marine species. Since the arrival of humans however, there has been a large number of species successfully introduced including pigs and rats right through to mountain goats, hedgehogs, stoats, cats and foxes. A lot of these animals go unseen except for the dead possums and hedgehogs added to the road sides each morning. Driving through beautiful countryside and spotting sheep and cows doesn’t quite make a good wildlife spotting experience. Coming from our farm in Rockleigh we had a host of bats, kangaroos, wallaroos, possums, echidnas and even a few wombats. Not a day would go by without something hopping past the window, or racing alongside the the car down the dirt road to the freeway. I realise now, one of life’s simple pleasures.

Reptiles. As with birds and mammals, NZ has a tiny number of species compared to Australia. There are no big sleepy lizards, blue tongue lizards or bearded dragons to dodge on the roads, no 3 metre long deadly snakes relaxing on the doorstep and no startled lizards scurrying in every direction in the gardens.

And finally - Pub meals with snitzel nights, homemade burgers and crispy chips served with seasonal vegies which all taste the same as they are drowned in a white sauce.

But remember, things are never better or worse, just different!

Expect nothing, live frugally on surprise.

A view from a hill.....