Penguins!

After much work up and down the coasts of New Zealand we finally saw some penguin colonies. We saw a few in Abel Tasman National Park but only when swimming by. We never really got a good look at them until now.

We are in Oamaru right now on the east coast of the South Island. There are two penguin colonies here. One is the blue penguin and the other is the yellow eyed penguin. The yellow eyed penguin is the rarest penguin in the world. They are supposed to be scared off really easy and you are supposed to be very quiet to see them. They come in from sea right around dark. There was a viewing area on a bluff and you could watch them float ashore like driftwood and all of a sudden they would pop up and waddle across the beach.

After a while they would waddle away and disappear into the bush. We didn't really expect anything else when all of a sudden a few came out of the bushes right in front of our face!

It was really cool to see the rarest penguin in the world in it's natural environment. Few people can witness such an event. What an experience.

Just around the corner was the colony of blue penguins. They come in at dark and are in the process of nesting right now as mating season is going on. They would come across the road and hide under sheds where they made their nests. Also really cool but it was hard to get a picture because the flash scares them off.

Overall, it was freaking cool to see some penguins in the wild carrying on like they do everyday. Worth the wait all this time.

Milford Sound

An amazing place! Milford Sound is in Fiordland National Park on the South Island of New Zealand. The huge area was carved by glaciers over millions of years. There are stunning waterfalls, mountains, and wildlife. It was truly a remarkable experience. The pictures (and video) speak for themselves.

Rain, Rain Go Away...

Our start to the South Island has been a bit frustrating. We have been here over a week now and it has rained at some point every day. Five of the days have been absolute monsoons. We did, however, get out and do a three day kayak trip around Abel Tasman National Park.

For working on Mt. Ruapehu we got a special with a company called the Sea Kayak Company. We got a three day "freedom rental" for the price of a two day. Basically, it meant we had kayaks for three days and could go wherever the hell we wanted. We booked campsites along the coast of Abel Tasman for two nights and headed out.

Day one was pretty good. We started off with a bit of sunshine but it quickly turned to cloud and later showers. We got the hang of the kayaks pretty quick and made it to our first campsite much earlier than we anticipated. We head a bit of choppy water during a stretch called "The Mad Mile" where the headwinds pick up a bit. Overall though, it was a good day.

Split Apple Rock, Abel Tasman National Park

Day two was a bit different. There is an island which is notorious for having a large seal colony on it. It's a couple of bays past where we were scheduled to camp for the second night. We were told by our instructor on day one that the water can get choppy out there at times when it gets windy. So, we set out early on Tuesday morning to try and see some seals and get back in time for a relaxing afternoon on the beach. We kayaked for a couple of hours and again got to our destination much quicker than expected. The waters were really calm and it made for an easy trip.

Tonga island was really cool. There were seals just hanging out on rocks and then every now and then you'd see one in the water playing around. They just roll back and forth like an otter. It was really cool when one would all of a sudden go under your kayak and then surface. Every now and then a penguin would pop up too. It reminds you that you are a far way from Missouri when you see it.

Seals on Tonga Island, Abel Tasman National Park

After we saw the seals we decided to head back to the campsite. This is when the weather took a turn and things got down right scary. The winds started whipping around the point of the island and it got really dangerous. The problem we had was that we were trying to cut across to the mainland. Our kayaks needed to go at an angle and we couldn't keep the noses of them into the wind to ride over the waves. It got to the point where the waves started intensifying and they started cresting right over the top of us. The waves were topping three meters (about 10 ft.) and really rolling. Then, of course, it started pouring down rain. We started to get tossed around like plastic bathtub toys. Our rudders became useless at this point and they only way to stay afloat was to try like hell to paddle and hit the waves head on. We really thought we were going to capsize the damn things. It was the second time we entered "survival mode" in New Zealand.

Luckily, about a gruelling hour later we made it to the beach exhausted and happy to be on land. We were very fortunate not to flip one of them over. There were a few casualties but none of us. We lost a spare boat paddle, water pump, water bottle, and flip flop along the way. We were soaked head to toe and made a nice big fire the rest of the day to unwind. We were then told by the conservation officer at the campsite that the waves got too big for the water taxis to run. Glad we were out there crashing along the coast in hunks of plastic.

Day three was pretty uneventful. We had a long way to go to get back to our car so we headed out early. The mighty Tasman Sea was calm so we made pretty good time. It was tough though because our entire bodies ached head to toe from the day before. Blistered hands and all though we finished the trip and have some seal photos to show for it. Worth it.

Mother Nature tries her hardest to keep us down but we keep coming out alright in the end.

Another victory for the three of us.

Heading out soon to move down the west coast. From here it's the Pancake Rocks, Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, and a brewery tour of one of our favorite NZ beers.

And the dream continues...

A crazy sunrise in Motueka this morning right before a rain shower. The video doesn't really capture how intense the colors were but it was the coolest thing to wake up to.

Hitting the Road Again

Hello, hello!

Well, it's official. Our time at Mt. Ruapehu is over. We left yesterday morning. It's a very bittersweet feeling. It's great to be travelling again but we had to say goodbye to some really amazing people. Some strong friendships were made and it's hard to let that go. That's part of travelling though and there's not much you can do about it. Hopefully we keep in touch and our paths cross again some day.

Other than that we are stoked to be on the road again! We got into Wellington yesterday afternoon and spent the night. Luckily, a lot of our Ruapehu friends are here as well so we had one last night out with them. It was a good ending to a great winter season. In a few hours we board the ferry to cross to the South Island. We'll be travelling there until mid November and then it's off the Southeast Asia!

Life is good and it's only getting better. As the leaves change colors back home the weather is warming here and flowers are blooming. It's absolutely beautiful. Since we'll be on the road for awhile you may not here from us as often. We'll be sure to check in when we can though.

Love you all and a big congratulations to Jake and Heather getting engaged the other day. We wish you two the best of luck with all the planning.

Peace be the journey. Later!

Ryan



Matt Costa - "The Road" (It's become the anthem of our trip)

"Don't talk
Don't say nothing
I just packed my things
And I'm headed for something
Where I'm going
Well, I don't really know
The road is calling
So I've got to go
Yes the road is calling
so ive got to go"

"We bid farewell as the winds blew like hell
said we'd meet again
Like some storybook tale
but, no, we don't talk
We don't say nothing
I'll just pack my things
And go headed for something
but where I was headed
well i didnt really say
the road was callin
and I was on my way
yes the road was callin
and I was on my way"

It's About Time!

The Crater Lake at the summit of Mt. Ruapehu - an active volcanic vent.

Oh…..hello.

How the hell are you all? I’d like to first apologize for the lack of updates on this blog. I tried posting an update a few weeks ago and when I tired to upload I ran out of internet credit and lost the whole thing. Oh well. Shit happens. Sorry for the delay…

Anyway, life has been good. Not much new stuff has changed but we have all been having a blast. We have spent the last four months living on Mt. Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park. There are two ski fields on Mt. Ruapehu - Whakapapa and Turoa. We work on the Whakapapa side of the mountain. Just to the other side of our mountain is another active volcano called Mt. Ngauruhoe. Mt. Ngauruhoe is also the same mountain that was Mt. Doom in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In fact, a lot of the filming took place around us here. There is a cliff ledge called Meads Wall just above the beginner field where a number of scenes took place. Many of the rivers around here played a part in the shooting of the movies. It’s pretty cool to live on an active volcano that was also a movie set.

Our time here has been nothing short of amazing. Even though the weather can be absolute shit sometimes the stories we will take away will make it all worth it. We have met more than a handful of amazing people here. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to some of the great friends we have made along the way. We’ve worked together, partied together, and shared many good times together. There are countless photos and long-lasting memories that have honestly made this one of the best periods of my life.

We are down to a few weeks left here at Mt. Ruapehu. Our contracts officially end on the 11th of October. My fate is a little more undecided right now. Happy Valley (beginner field) is where my café is located. It’s at the lowest altitude of the whole ski field. The weather has warmed up quite a bit lately and we have had a lot of rain. It has really melted a lot of snow at the lower altitudes. I may have my café close in the next week or so because there is nothing left to push around down there. We are supposed to be getting some more snow tonight though so only time will tell.

Even though saying goodbye to some will be hard we are all ready to move on. This has been another chapter in a book but it’s been a great chapter. We are all itching to hit the road again and see what New Zealand has to offer. After we leave here we are headed to the South Island for a little over a month. Luckily, we are going to be meeting up with a lot of people from the mountain along the way. It will be fun to keep our good times rolling with some great scenery.

All Blacks vs. South Africa rugby match - Hamilton, New Zealand, 12th September 2009

For our travels in the South Island we just purchased another car. Hopefully it works out better than the last one. Her name is Georgette and she’s a 1987 Honda Civic hatchback. She’s tiny. Really tiny. I had two girls from Chile that worked for me as cashiers in my café that just left for Asia a few days ago. They needed to get rid of it and we needed some wheels. We got a pretty good deal on it and it seems to run very smoothly. It only cost us $700 for the car. With some minor work today it passed the WOF (safety inspection). It’s a big step up from the last one and hopefully (fingers crossed) we won’t have any problems on the South Island. It will be a tight fit with three of us and our gear but since it’s getting warmer we plan on sleeping in our tent every night along the way.

I really feel like we have become veteran travelers at this point. When we roll into a new town we can find everything we need and have a cheap meal completed within a thirty minute period. It really makes things more enjoyable when you aren’t stressing out about things along the way. Things always work out in the end and just have to learn to love the bumps in the road. They always make for great stories when it’s all said and done.

After we spend our time on the South Island we have tickets booked to Bali, Indonesia. Needless to say, Bali is going to be fantastic. I don’t know of a better way to end winter in New Zealand than heading to tropical beaches in the surf capital of the world. We are getting visitor visas there that are good for a 30 day period. After that it’s we are continuing on in Southeast Asia. We hope to visit Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand in our travels.

After Southeast Asia we are all pretty undecided still. It looks like we are all parting ways and heading off on our own. Destinations and length of time are all still to be determined by each of us. Wherever we each end up I’m convinced we will still be living the dream. This trip has been too amazing so far. I can’t imagine it running out of steam at any point.

On the other hand, we all miss you guys back home. It’s hard to see birthdays and holidays come and go when thousands of miles away. I’m sure we’ve missed some great times back home but we have some great experiences to show for it. I just hope everyone is still doing well and staying healthy. Our paths will cross again soon and when we do we’ll share some stories, some laughs, and many drinks.

Once again, sorry for the lack of updates. There just hasn’t been much changing here lately. I’ll be sure to post more as we hit the road again soon. Just a few more weeks and counting…

Much love to all,

Ryan

A T-bar after a stromy night. Just a picture to show how much ice we really get here. It can get quite extreme.

Great Views and Great Times...

Just a quick update today. First of all, there was a large earthquake last night on the South Island. We are still on the North Island and it didn't affect us in any way. We are all safe! Don't worry. Who knows though, maybe it jarred something loose this way and we'll get to see some volcanic action in our future. We can only hope. What a story that would be to tell.

School holidays are still going on but they end this weekend. It'll be nice for us since we've all been putting in around 60 hours a week we've been so busy. Things will quiet down and we'll have much more time to ski and enjoy ourselves.

It's been really hectic here the past few days but it always seems worth it at the end of the day. No matter how shitty of a day it was it always ends with an amazing sunset and you just get lost in it for awhile. It's a great feeling. It's probably the best relaxation medicine and it doesn't cost a thing. When Kiwi's say, "no worries" I'm convinced it's because they've seen so many amazing sunsets.

Miss you all! Hope you all enjoyed the All-Star Game too.

Ryan

Mountain Livin'

Since I have been told by about a dozen people now to do an update on this thing I guess I’ll go ahead and do one. The mountain is closed today because of a blizzard so I guess I have some spare time for a change.

We have all been extremely busy on the mountain (or volcano) the past few weeks. There is a café at the top of our ski field called Knoll Ridge. Last year an arsonist set fire to the building and it burned down to the ground. They have a very good idea who did the crime but at this stage they still don’t have enough evidence to pin it to the person. In the meantime, they are building a temporary building to stand in it’s place until next summer when they can make a brand new facility. This has really set back everyone on the mountain. They are basically running three weeks late getting things done. It has been a real challenge for Andy and myself to get prepared with our new staff since everyone is a little bit lost right now. Nonetheless, we put in a lot of hours the past few weeks and we officially opened the mountain two days ago.

So far working on Mt. Ruapehu has been great. We work with some really nice people from all over the world. I love spending time and socializing with people from all different cultures. It enriches your life to hear some of the stories they share with you. We work with people from England, Germany, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Latvia, Slovenia, Sweden, Canada, Spain, Finland, Ireland, and a ton more. It’s really cool to talk with people that a from a country that wasn’t even a country when we were born. It makes you realize how fortunate you really are sometimes.

Living on a mountain is also an experience in itself. Mountain culture is like none other. Everyone is laid back and just gets along with each other. Everyone is here to have fun and enjoy their lives. It’s much different that St. Louis. Instead of hearing about the daily murders the news report consists of the weather forecast and the freezing altitude. That’s about it.

It’s really crazy when 4WD road restrictions are put on the mountain. The morning bus will get to the base of the mountain and pull over to the side of the road. Everyone will jump off the bus and prop it up on wood planks and throw snow chains on it and go. It’s crazy how fast they can do it. It’s like a NASCAR team changing a tire in the pits - except they don’t have hillbilly accents and chew tobacco.

The staff quarters is also a good time. Everyone gets down the mountain by around 6:00 pm and has dinner. Then it’s down by the fireplace for some drinks. Everyone parties a bit and heads to bed by around 10:00 to get early the next day. It works out really well. There are card games from all over the world with different rules to all of them. Once again, it’s nice to get to see how other cultures do things.

We all seem to like it here and really enjoy ourselves. It’s going to be a good four more months.

Oh, and just so you fellow Americans know…. We’ve already placed an order for three 12 packs of Budweiser and we’ve arranged to have the cook here make us beef burgers for 4th of July. We may be wearing snow boots on a volcano thousands of miles away but we’ll still fly the flag here and celebrate proudly.

Miss you and love you all!

Until next time…..keep on keepin’ on.

Ryan