My home, for now.
🖊️ Austin Riba ⌚ 🔖 💬 0
As you all know, I love to mountain bike. Well the rides here are world class. In fact, the world cup was held here a few years ago. I went for a ride yesterday with some people from a bike shop and I fell in love. I can't explain how good the trails are here. Did I mention no pedestrains or horses are allowed? Its a cyclist's dream!
So, I've gotten a job. Starting Monday Morning I'll be stripping and refurbishing furniture (yes, some antiques, too) for $10 an hour under the table. That should last me 2-3 weeks and then after that the manager of the bike store said he might have a job for me over the summer. If I get that job, I'll be here for a while, for sure.
So expect the updates to come less frequently, I'm going to be busy riding. But do keep in touch! I miss you guys!
Stay warm!
-Austin
Politics and Travelling
🖊️ Austin Riba ⌚ 🔖 💬 0
Well my job at the furniture store is finished, and Im considering taking up another at a bike shop for a few weeks, but the more I think about it the more I just want to say fuckit and keep going. Rotorua is a city and I'm starting to get tired of it (even though its just a town to American standards) I can't wait to get back out into the bush.
People always say that Americans are self centered and unconcious of the world around them. Well, it most ways they are right. Travelling and talking to people from all around the world has drastically changed my perspective of the world. Mainly I've realized that now matter how great California and the USA is, it is not the center of the world. It may be easy to think that way when you are a citizen of the most powerfull empire on earth, but our time may be limited. At least thats what everyone says.
Most people are talking like China is going to be the next big superpower, and as people stop listening to the USA our standing in the world will slowly start to dwindle. There are a lot of Israelis here and thats got them worried. Once we cant push people around anymore there will be nobody to protect the jewish nation that many people in the world don't believe should even exist. Its all very interesting.
But lets not forget about the Germans. I would say 80% of the travelers here are German. In school they are taught that they were the bad guys in World War I and II. Think about how strange that would be, to be taught you were the bad guys in school. Whats the result? According to one guy I talked to yesterday 12% of their senate is in the Nazi party and growing. They are also the richest country in the EU at the moment. Lots of money for panzerfausts?
Woo! I predict WWIII as China vs Germany and who knows what else. In any case, I have a feeling out lives are going to get real interesting in the next 20-30 years.
So, enough of that, I'm having an awesome time here and I can't wait to check out the South Island. Heres more pics.
Sweet Sweet Peril
🖊️ Austin Riba ⌚ 🔖 💬 0
Saturday, Dec 16, 2006
Well tomorrow I take off on my bike again, finally. I’ve been working out the route with a friend of mine here that I ride with all the time.
I’m nervous as all hell and the reason is the place I am going is really a nowhere place. Its a dirt road, and I’ve been told to expect traffic every 30min at most. There are no people for the first 80 or so miles so I will be camping in the bush on the side of the road for the first night, I have to be completely self sufficent. I’ve packed enought food to keep me alive for 3 days. After the 80k I emerge into Maori land, and thats where I really start cranking it because they don’t like white honkeys very much. I’ve been told that most of the people I will see in the area are carrying guns because the economy is run on drugs. Woo! This is adventure to the fullest. Once I get out of there I’lll be camping on one of the most remote at serene lakes in NZ. Who knows how long I will stay. After the lake the road turns back into pavement and i’ll cruise my way into the whiteish established town of Napier. If I dont post another update in 10-12 days, assume the worst. But you can’t have my stuff.
For the Bikers
🖊️ Austin Riba ⌚ 🔖 💬 0
Hey just thought I'd upload a few pictures of some of the trails here in Rotorua. Its kind of hard to make them out but I know Chris and Jesse and Kirk will be able to make some sense out of them and appreciate them. Hope everyone is doing well!
Greeting from 2007
🖊️ Austin Riba ⌚ 🔖 💬 0
Sunday, Dec 31, 2006
I can tell you what its like to be in 2007 before the date even changes! You see I am skilled in the art of time travel, and I have skipped some time to witness the new year a day early.
So what is it like?
There is a massive global hanover passing over the earth as the sun rises! You guys need to watch out! In a matter of hours it will be upon you! Invenest in Aspirin just for 1 day and you will be a rich man. I have already suffered the consequences of a night of terrorizing the local kiwi folk at the new years celebration.
Computers aren’tgoing to crash like they did in 2000 but there will be mass confusion as people who don’t put a dash through their sevens write the date and the people that do dash their sevens read it as 2001. Idiots.
The year has “007” in it which makes it infinetly cooler than any other year except maybe 2666. I hereby declare 2007 James Bond appreciation year.
People who think 7 is a lucky number and are expecting good luck for an entire year are going to finally realize 7 is not a lucky number. It just doesn’t work that way.
Have a happy new years all!
Please dont fart anymore!
🖊️ Austin Riba ⌚ 🔖 💬 0
I think the last time I wrote i was in Whangamata, well I've been through a few towns and cities since then and had my fair share of adventures.
I think one of my best memories already here in New Zealand has been Kati Kati, where I stayed on an elderly couples farm, with one other Swiss guy named Toby. He is also a Mountain Biker.
We decided to go for a day hike the second day there, so we hitchhiked through the dirt country farm roads until we reached the trailhead. Not much of a trail, there were 11 river crossings total, only 1 with a bridge. Luckily neither of us fell in, which is a miracle considering we were hopping and jumping on slick wet rocks. After the river crossings (about 6k of them) the trail climbs up a steep ridge and at the top the waterfall is visible. But thats not enough, we decided to continue on to the top of the waterfall where the trail ends, and have lunch. Its hard to tell from the photos but there is a rock outcropping at that juts out into the air at the top, nothing but a 120 meter drop below us. We had lunch on it. It took us 5 1/2 hours round trip, but it was worth it.
After Kati Kati I stopped by Tauranga. I spent 2 nights in a Hostel with 45 Germans. EVERYONE there was German. I think there was one Austrian. It was fun, but I was happy to get out of there. They're a little crazy. I've never been is such a heated game of Uno in my life (think of the video of the angry german kid playing ut, that gives you some kind of idea)
Now Im hanging out in Rotorua, its a neat place theres tons of thermal activity around here, even the sewers have sulpher and steam coming out of them all day. The hostel I am not has a hot spring hot tub. Sweet as.
Oh yea, and in a few hours I'm about to go Zorbing. What the hell is Zorbing you ask? http://www.zorb.co.nz/
Woot.
Hello from the surf capitol of New Zealand.
🖊️ Austin Riba ⌚ 🔖 💬 0
Later Guys!
Out of the city, woohoo!
🖊️ Austin Riba ⌚ 🔖 💬 1
Anyhoo, is winter hitting HMB yet? Im going to miss hearing the swells smash up against the coast and the wind and rain through the eucalypsus.
Actually, I wont miss it that much ;)
Still here
🖊️ Austin Riba ⌚ 🔖 💬 0
For ANYONE thinking of travelling outside the United States, take this advice.Watch as much MTV as possible before leaving!!! Cause you know, its like, totally wicked sick over here. Pop knowledge will GET YOU IN.
So I was supposed to leave this morning to the Coromandel peninsula, well turns out there was a misunderstanding and the ferry I need to take doesnt run today, only tomorrow. So I’m staying in Auckland for one more night. At the Camel Hostel (2 humps, guranteed!) Its a sick place. So Im not too bummed out about having to stay one more day.
I walked around for a few more hours today, everywhere I went people are just smiling and laughing, silly hobbits they are! I went to a record shop, and the dude working there was wearing a t-shirt with the California state flag on it. Yeaa. We’re kinda a big deal around here. Us Californians. Heres more pics from the last 2 days.
The ball is rolling
🖊️ Austin Riba ⌚ 🔖 💬 0
Whew what a day. I did a lot, didnt have much fun as yesterday but I feel good that I got a bunch of things done. Of course you dont care but I Got a
NZ bank account
Tax number
new cell phone for $50
bike
a minor british following.
I went to Adventure cycles and picked out a bike, I also got the chance to talk to a german couple who had just finished their tour of NZ by bike and were heading off to Asia. After that I went shopping for a phone on one of the main streets, I ended up stopping in a gaming store and talking to a Kiwi about Magic cards for about 45min. Woot.
The hostel here in Auckland is cool, but I don’t think I could spend my entire time in NZ in hostels like these. It seems like a lot of the people here are just around to hang out with other backpackers and get laid or whatever, not really to see NZ. You can tell just by the advertisements and the atmosphere. I really cant wait to get on the road and go to the more out of the way places where I will hopefully meet some more adventurous people.
Last night was absolutely crazy. The bar started off by giving out a bunch of free vodka punch, and then some free beer vouchers, and then the DJs came. I stuck out like a sore thumb in my flannel shirt (wont be wearing that again). I met a swedish guy and two british girls and we all hung out all night, danced a lot, and talked about music. the Swede was hilarious, bright blonde hair, blue eyes, silly accent and completely metrosexual. We talked a lot about things and he had some intresting views on America, he said the USA was the coolest thing in the 90s, but now he says it is more compareable to Soveit Russia, still powerfull but not so cool.I guess the whole MacDre hyphy thing hasnt really hit here yet, only 2 of the “thug” guys knew what I was talking about, I felt pretty cool knowing more about it than them, apprently they thought so too because I was invited into thier party van. I didnt go with them though cause I liked my new found friends better. From then on I was referred to as “The guy in the shirt.” Anyway no partying for me tonight I’m getting picked up at 7am by the guys Im getting my bike from so we can set it up and all. I can’t wait to get on the road.
More pics of course:
Cool gaming store, I talked to a Kiwi for 45min about Magic cards.
“I am an Emo” and “Sheep Sick”??