Rest in peace, SS Waverly
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Hey dad this one is for you!
Today, unlike most days in sunny Blenheim, turned out to be an exciting day. Sitting around the backpacker is no fun, so me and 2 of my friends decided to go for a walk in the Wairau lagoons, basically where all the sewage from the town goes to get processed. Little did we know there was a shipwreck waiting for us down by the sea! What they were thinking trying to navigate through the swamp I do not know, but it a sight to see!
I noticed a strange feature. If you look at the 3rd photograph, you’ll notice there is a huge gaping hole in the hull. All the metal around it is also bent inwards, now, I’ve played a few videogames in my life, and I can tell you thats no regular decay! I think this ship was sunk by a human enemy.
The SS waverly is decaying and sad, its only crew is small crabs and spiders, with the occasional backpacker. But I still think shes impressive, take a look for yourself!
The days go by...
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Hey guys just wanted to put more pictures up. I’ve been working really hard and saving a lot of money but its not easy. Just a few more weeks and I should have enough mula to keep going. The people here are really fun and I’ve met some people I will never forget. Can’t wait to tell you about them when I get back, because the story is far from finished.Anyhoo, heres some pictures from work. Subsitute the vines for flowers and it looks just like the fields in HMB!
Smoko break!
Wire lifting in the sun.
Trying to catch some shade during the lunch break.
Finally! The after work beer rush!
Trying to look happy about my severly sunburnt face, and its ridiculous treatment: natural yoghurt. Girls know best.
Wellington
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I’ve been hanging out in the Capitol city of New Zealand, Wellington, for the last 2 days. Its everything a capitol should be, artistic, cultured, awe inspiring and rich. Its also immaculately clean, no garbage, no bums. Except for one, but hes a happy bum with dreds that just lays around on the sidewalk by my hostel in nothing but his man thong.
I visited the Parliment building today, which is shaped like a beehive. I’m not sure if thats supposed to be making a statement because if so it seems fairly negative to me. I aslo spent a few hours in the National Library, which was big, but not New York big, and the Botanical Gardens which was kinda neat. The architecture here is old and impressive, but of course can’t even shake a stick at Washington D.C.
Have fun back in school guys.
but nothing comes to mind.
My home, for now.
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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
The Misty Mountain Hop
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Hey guys remember the scene from Lord of the Rings where the fellowship pass through the misty mountains? The song Led Zepplin sings? Yea you guessed it, I rode through em. They are not only called the misty mountains in LOTR. One Maori (native new zealanders, think American Indians but waaaay more baddass) I came across was really curious about why a person would be riding his bike on this hilly road. I talked with him for a while and he explained that the Maoris called this place the "Land of the Mist" and the people that live here "Children of the Mist" I AM NOT KIDDING YOU!!! how cool is that. Its hard to tell from the pictures but the place really was misty, it was always floating through the air like smoke, and it was always, always raining.
Unfortuneatly I can't really say that I enjoyed it all too much, until I was finished with it. I started out from Rotorua into this eerie land about a week and half ago, a day after my last journal entry. It was pouring rain, but that didn't deter me. It is summer after all, how long could it last? A very long time, I came to realize. It didnt stop raining for 5 days straight, with the exception of a beautiful 3 hour break on the 4th day. All this time I spent riding on a dirt road, that became more like a mud road, with no people, no accomodation not even stores around me. Just the misty mountains, the birds, animals and the occasional Maori. I packed all my food with me. The menu consisted of noodles and canned beef, bread and luckily some chocolate my mom sent me for Xmas for breakfast. It got old really fast.
The going was tough and by the second day everything that I owned was soaking wet. My tent had a permanent puddle in the middle of it. I wasnt camping in camp sites, oh no, but out in the bush a few hundred meters from the road. My water came from streams (best tasting water I have ever had) and I learned what native plants are best to wipe your ass with (when you use leaves, always go against the grain, it works better that way) Anyway, after 3 days I began to become quite miserable. But what doesnt kill you make you stronger, right? If anything the horrid conditions inspired my legs, because I pedalled like hell to get out of there. The 3rd night I finally made it to lake Waikaremoana, and camped in an actually designated camp site, a sign that I was inching closer to civilization. On the 5th day I finally made it to Wairoa, a small town on the coast, and I was so wrecked that I plopped down the $90 for a hotel room. I've never enjoyed myself so much. I thawed out my hands with the hairdryer (windchill sucks when its raning and cold to begin with) and laughed manically as I discoverd the bed had an electric blanket. It was truely heaven. I bought a six pack and watched tv for 6 hours, perfectly happy in doing so. I had ridden 226km in total.
After that night I rode a small 13km to a farm hostel, where I rested for 2 days, got food poisoning, and ended up staying for another 3. While there I did some pretty cool things, like eat lamb tails and shooting clays with a shotgun. It was good, except for the vomiting and diaharrea. But at least I was warm and dry.
And now Im in Napier, a rather big city, enjoying the crowds and pretty women.
Merry Xmas folks!
For the Bikers
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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!
Still Here
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Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006
Hey just letting everyone know I’m still alive. I’ve been working the tips of my fingers to the bone sanding at the polish shop, but money is money, eh? Besides that nothing more exciting than the awesomeness that is every day of life here has happened. Later guys!
Politics and Travelling
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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
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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.
Greeting from 2007
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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!