"Does that comfort you?" J.R.R. Tolkien

ALOHA?

...Today I'm excited about the prospect of going to Hawaii.

But this post isn't about Hawaii! 

It's about New Zealand. And slightly about my life? Here goes...
That is a map. Of the world! If you look closely, you'll see little feet. Those are mine. They are stuck over places that my feet have been (hence the not-so-ironically titled blog “Places I put my feet”). I've also made one for New Zealand. That one's below. 

As you can see, most of the North Island I've explored. I'm still hoping to do the Tongariro Crossing in Tongariro National Park, but mostly, what I'd like to see now is in the South Island.

L to R: Esha, Franzi, Timo, me

But before I start off on what I did over the last weekend, this is what I did Thursday night: went to a ball at school! It was interesting... 

1) Everyone was outwardly drunk. 

2) It was club/ techno/ remixes/dubstep playing, not rap.

3) All of the boys (except the one I brought) looked to be around... 14. First year dances I guess?

4) They served food. I wasn't expecting that, so I didn't eat much. But the fries were yummy apparently? (I witnessed a couple of chubby girls attack the bowl when a waitress placed fries in front of them.)

5) The line for drinks was always at least ten or fifteen people long. Always.

Regardless, driving up in a general Northeastern direction was beautiful. Going over the mountains to get the coast was a bit tedious, but when we left it was in the evening, and a mist rolled in and driving across the mountains was incredible. Though, since I live in Asheville, I didn't find myself with the desire to pull over and stop—I've seen so many pretty mountain ranges in my lifetime, and they weren't snow capped.  

The story of how Lake Waikaremoana was formed!
A great chief Maahu Tapoa Nui and his whanau (family) lived near a tapu (sacred) spring. At this time there was no great lake, but below Panekire lay a deep valley where streams met an ancient river. 
One day Maahu instructed his children to fetch him some drinking water. However two of the children - Haumapuhia and Te Rangi - did not go as instructed

, and those that did, took water from the sacred spring instead of the one designated for everyday use. Upon discovering that the water was from the tapu spring, Maahu turned the offending children into stone. Maahu then turned to Haumpuhia who was again asked to fetch some water but once more she ignored her father's request. 

Maahu was so incensed with his daughter's disobedience that he seized Haumapuhia and thrust her head under the spring waters.
In a desperate bid to escape, she cried out to the gods, who heeded he pleas, turning her human form into a powerful taniwha (supernatural being). Thrashing the earth, Haumapuhia twisted out of Maahu's grasp. Haumapuhia then endeavoured to break out to the east; in attempting this she formed the inlet known as Te Whanganui-a-parua.
Unsuccessful in that attempt, she then turned to the south and tried to escape near present day Onepoto and reach the sea. Although successfully finding her way underground to the Waikaretaheke River, when she surfaced, the sun had risen and the rays falling upon her caused her to be transformed into rock. The rock that is Haumapuhia lies in the Waikaretaheke River, but has since been buried by a landslide.

As soon as we made it out to the coast (which was actually a while later—a good portion of the road going North was actually inland and not on the coast. Which was okay with us, because we really wanted to hike up to Lake Waikaremoana the next morning.  

This is Lake Waikaremoana. The walk that goes halfway around the lake is one of New Zealand's great walks. While we didn't endeavor to walk the entire track, we wanted to hike up to a nice viewing point on top of one of the bluffs. We started around seven in the morning, and it was misty and foggy everywhere. We hoped that by the time we reached the top (we estimated it'd take us two hours to get up there), it would clear and we'd have a nice view.  

Which we did I guess. It took us slightly less than two get to the top. The mist remained, and we waited at the top for at least half an hour. It cleared in places and then came back, but it was incredible. Every view we got was the most beautiful gift and I was so happy to be alive and to be there.  

One last view of Lake Waikaremoana, while we were hiking down and the clouds really started lifting. Honestly, I thought it was heaps more mystical and intriguing and beautiful with the fog teasing us and rolling around letting us get glimpses of everything before we got to see the whole thing.

After we hiked down, we made a goal to make it to East Cape, where the lighthouse is. Mount Hikurangi, which we decided not to hike (due to my leg acting up and our desire to go beach hopping all day every day), is the first place in the world to see the sun, because of its location in relation to the international date line. However, we were pretty far East, so we were content to be of the first few people in the world to see the sun on Sunday, September 30^th 2012.  

So there they are! The first rays of Sunday, September 30, 2012.

So I guess I'll be honest and say I had some flashback/ nightmares about climbing Kinabalu. But these stairs were more awkward. Believe me. I never thought I'd be saying it. Kinabalu's stairs were just BIG. These were just obscenely inconvenient lengths. Whinge, whinge, whinge. You know me. I like my wine and cheese.
So... awkward stairs are awkward?

This (down there) was the reverse view while watching the sunrise. The clouds were so beautiful everywhere, perched in the most perfect places creating the most mystical feeling place ever. I experience so much awe in this country.

And finally, Mount Hikurangi, the Maori mountain that we didn't climb.

On the way back down South, we stopped at a few beaches, and spent some time lying in the sun. Though it's getting warmer, it wasn't really warm enough to swim, so I just dipped my feet in to cool off, and got back into the sun. It was beautiful. All of the beaches here have such beautiful blue water and I just can't get enough of it.

That evening we were in Havelock North, a town near Napier on the Southern end of Hawke Bay. It's a pretty swanky town: lots of classy cafes, a cute fountain in the center of town, and fancy toilets.
And below, an image of a rainbow. Second kiwi rainbow. I can't even comprehend how lucky I must be to see two of these, and so complete. This photo does not do it justice. It was phenomenal. But...

This pie place, Jackson's bakery and cafe, was littered with awards. Yum.

Butt. I must elaborate on the Havelock North bathrooms. They have buttons on the outside like elevator buttons, and they blink green when they're vacant and red when they're occupied. You push the button and the door opens. Pushing a button inside closes the door and turns on loud elevator music, and the door locks automatically. A mechanical voice lets you know that your time is limited to ten minutes, and the music continues. There's a button on the toilet paper, and it dispenses a specific amount at a time. If you don't move for a certain amount of time, a mechanical voice tells you that sensors have detected the stall is empty, and you must move around or the door will open. The soap is automatic, the sink is automatic, and when you start washing your hands, that's when the toilet automatically flushes. When you press the door open button, it thanks you for using these bathrooms. Timo and I agreed it was pretty creepy.

Sorry about that detailed account of why I think Havelock North has too much money to blow. And finally, to end my account of Havelock North... they occasionally dye their fountain pink? What? I didn't complain. I had on a pink shirt. I thought it was adorbs!

We drove up Te Mata Peak, and there were sheeps and labs all over. I couldn't handle the cuteness. It was dark, and the lambs were eating, and they just got closer and closer to the car and I just sat watching them as they got closer and I had to phyiscally restrain myself from jumping out of the car and cuddling one into oblivion. Up there is my favorite photo from Te Mata. 

Below is the Mahia Peninsula, at the skinniest point, where it attaches to the mainland. Basically just a little sandbar.

And this is the sun (eventually sunrise, but we kept driving) from the Mahia Peninsula. It was really beautiful. Lots of hills. I can't remember why I didn't take many photos there... no, okay, that's a lie. I do remember. If you're curious enough why I only have a few photos, you're welcome to ask me! Otherwise... let's just assume that for an hour my brain was temporarily abducted by invisible kiwi aliens.

The last really cool thing we did was see the place with the longest name in the world. I tried to pronounce it... but it was pretty difficult. Took a couple tries... and a few breaths.

Pretty sweet!!! I was pretty happy with life. Such a funny, cool thing. And a world record! How awesome. The actual place is a mountain you can't see from this photo.

So...Good talk?