Saying hello to everyone from the future! New Zealand is twenty hours ahead of Mountain Time so it took a little getting used to when I landed, but I am now settled at my flat in Dunedin!
I arrived in Auckland on February 11th, after two days of traveling to meet Allie (my roommate from UVA). We spent the night at an extremely loud hostel in the heart of the city. After a long day of walking around the harbor, dinner, and ice cream we were off to bed just above our hostel’s outdoor nightclub. We fell asleep quickly, despite the extreme jetlag. The next morning we hopped on a bus to the Bay of Islands.
About four hours later we arrived in the small town of Paihia. This small beach town reminded me a lot of Kauai! We stayed at the Pickled Parrot Hostel in a double room. The hostel was so nice and homey. We had our own room, a clean kitchen, a nice living room, and a big patio and BBQ area. We met lots of friendly, young travelers and everyone gave me tons of great suggestions of where to visit in the South Island.
While in Paihia we went on a little hike to Haruru Falls about 5km off the coast. The trails were extremely well kept, and the combination of jungle and bridges over the mangroves made for a beautiful hike. On the way to the falls we only saw two people, so it didn’t feel too touristy at all.
The next day we rented sea kayaks and paddled to the Island of Russell and around to some smaller desolate islands. That night while we were out in town we saw the guy that rented us the kayaks and we went for a late night boat ride out on his houseboat! Everyone in NZ has been nothing but friendly and helpful.
The rest of our time in Paihia we spent biking around and tanning on the beach. It was a great way to start our semester in NZ.
On the 16th of February we headed back to Auckland. While in Auckland we tried to get used to the foreign norms. I have almost been hit by about ten cars due to the fact that they drive on the opposite side of the road and my instinct is to look the wrong way. The crosswalks here also sound like a Pacman game so that was fun for us to act like we were in a giant video game. It is also very awkward to walk down the left side of the sidewalk or stairs. I have had many awkward encounters with people while choosing which side to take. Ethnic food is everywhere here, and I am really excited to explore all the restaurants! Just like Crested Butte, there are no fat people here so it’s nice to see people stay healthy. New Zealand is also very environmentally friendly so I never see people throw away bottles or cans unless it’s drunk university kids smashing beer bottles on the street outside my flat.
When I arrived in Dunedin on February 17th it was such a beautiful day and my first impression of the town was amazing! It definitely has a very young vibe due to all the university kids walking the streets lined with bars and restaurants. I am living on Castle Street, which is infamous for crazy flat parties. Couch burning is a big tradition here at the University of Otago, so it’s not uncommon to walk down the street in the morning and see huge black patches of ash. There are so many fun traditions just like UVA, so I’m really excited for the semester. The university community seems very active, and the school pride and reputation are recognized all over New Zealand.
Yesterday my kiwi-host, Alice, took me and my other flat mate, Alina, up to Signal Hill Lookout to see Dunedin and the coast. It was so beautiful, and made me excited to explore more around the outskirts of the city.
It is currently the beginning of O-week (orientation), and every night the university will host huge events and all the bars in town have theme parties and drink specials. It is going to be really exciting to meet so many people this week and explore Dunedin some more. I will check back in after O-week, and hopefully by then I will have bought a car and will be on my way to somewhere beautiful on the South Island!
