Back in Oz to Stay

Arriving in Karratha in January, you hit a heat wave as soon as you exit the plane. Lucky for me, Perth was also quite warm (38 degrees, if I recall correctly), so it wasn't too much of a shock. Fortunately there's air conditioning everywhere you go, so you don't have to stay in the heat too long. My first taste of Karratha confirmed everything I remembered from my short visit here in 2009: it's hot, it's red and there's a lot of neon workman's clothing!

Emma's friend Nicole picked me up at the airport (she even held a sign with my name on it) and took me on a short tour of the town, showing me the school, the shops and my new house. After visiting the shops and stocking up on groceries, she dropped me back off at home, letting me get accustomed to my new home on my own. Unpacking my bag and putting things away made me realize that I was living here, that it was permanent. I would no longer be unpacking and repacking my bag every 24 hours, like I had been in New Zealand. I was staying here, and for the next 11 months it would be home.

The first week passed in a blur. I spent a great deal of time at Millars Well Primary School, my new workplace, getting ready for the students to arrive on Monday, February 4th. I met Weston, the principal, as well as many friendly staff members who welcomed me with open arms. Thursday and Friday were non-operational days, so we had the usual staff meetings and PD to prepare for the new school year. It was a bit overwhelming, with lots of new acronyms and ways of doing things that differed from back home. After coming in on Sunday to prepare my classroom for the big day, I felt a little more ready for parents and students.

Monday proved to be the easiest day of the week, as I had done the first day of school many times before. The students were great and we got to know each other just like we do back home. We even played the same classroom bingo game I had started with in September (I did change some of the items though~ Likes to cheer for the West Coast Eagles instead of the Oilers for example, or Went to Bali instead of Vancouver) and it proved to be a hit. Over the rest of the week, rules and routines were established and curriculum implemented. The rest of the week passed more slowly, as I had to think of things to do in each subject area. Not being as familiar with curriculum as I was back home, this took more time and thought. In a lot of ways, it's like being a beginning teacher again, where everything is new again.

One of my new colleagues, Beck, has been wonderful. She lent me her daughter's car until I bought my own this past weekend, she invited me to go 4x4ing the weekend before school started (the perfect way to not stress about the first day of school is going 4x4ing and then going for a dip in the sea) and she's been able to answer my questions about curriculum even though she's making her own way through a new curriculum this year, having moved from year 7 to Pre-Primary (4 and 5 year olds). She's been absolutely amazing and I thank her everyday for all she's done for me.

This photo is from the place we 4x4ed to and swam in. The earth really is that red, which I always thought made the sky seem that much bluer for some reason. It was a lovely stop, even though Beck and her friend Jodie said there were much more beautiful places around town. One of them, Hearson's Cove, we visited briefly the week after. It's one of those places where you need it to be high tide and we were there when the tide was going out, but it was still beautiful. I'm sure I'll get back there one day soon to swim.

Getting ready for week 3 this weekend and Meet the Teacher tomorrow afternoon. I made a Power Point presentation, so hopefully that will make things go smoothly and parents will see that while yes, I'm not Australian, I can still teach their children everything they need to know. I'm a little nervous about it, but I'm sure things will turn out for the best. I will let you know how it goes in the next post! Have a great week everyone, especially those in Alberta who get Monday off. Happy Family Day!

Saying Goodbye to New Zealand

My sky dive was over Abel Tasman National Park and I got the best views of the Park from 16 500 feet. However, kayaking the next day was also amazing and offered spectacular views as well. At low tide, when we went out, you have to take a tractor out to the water (it's a fair way from the boardwalk). We kayaked around Fisherman Island, where we debarked for some morning tea and to stretch our legs.

We then continued on to Adele Island, home of fur seals, but sadly didn't see many. We continued onto Akersten Bay where we stopped for lunch and a sunbathe. I went for a short hike and saw some terrific views of Adele Island. There's the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, which I would love to explore one day when I have the right equipment. On the way back the tide was in, so we had that much farther to kayak in to shore. It was a bit of challenge, especially since our boat seemed to have a mind of its own when it came to directions! We did, however, manage to get back safely. That night we went to Fat Tui's for dinner and had the largest burgers I've ever seen (I had the veggie option, which was fantastic) to cap off our last night on the South Island.

The next day it was off to Nelson for a hike to 'the Centre of New Zealand' and lunch. Nelson is wonderfully situated by National Parks, which makes it a great jumping off point. I think next time I'm in New Zealand, I will spend more time there as well. The Centre of New Zealand was a short hike up Botanical Hill to a viewpoint that overlooked Nelson. You could see Abel Tasman National Park from the top, which was beautiful. Here we said goodbye to our guide Emma, as she was going on holidays with her family. Thanks for the memories!

We said goodbye to Grant in Picton after visiting Forrest Wines. That evening we took the ferry from Picton to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. The ferry ride offered gorgeous views of the sounds as we passed through.

A couple of us decided to stay at the YHA in Wellington, which was a good choice, as it was clean and quiet. The following day was a public holiday (Wellington Day) and most shops were closed. We did manage to find a restaurant open that served us breakfast before heading to the railway station to meet our new guides.

Back on the bus, we were heading north, up to the Bay of Islands. Unfortunately, the clutch on the bus gave out and we ended up spending an afternoon in Levin, where there wasn't much to see or do. We did end up at a very nice camp site that was off the itinerary, so that was a bonus. The next day we continued our journey North, stopping at Waitomo Caves to see the glow worms. They looked like constellations on the cave's ceiling! That night we were in Auckland again before heading to Paihia in the Bay of Islands. That night was a cultural show at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. It was excellent. Told through music and dance, it featured a grandfather telling his granddaughter the story of New Zealand and how the Maori people came to be.

The following day we took She's a Lady, a beautiful sailing boat, out to Stingray Cove on one of the bay's islands. I hiked up the hill to have awesome 360 degree views. Our skipper also made us lunch to order, which was delicious. Carol and I went for a swim in the sea as well, which was fantastic! The water was cool, but you got used to it fast. We swam around the sailing boat before returning to the beach. It was a lovely afternoon.

The next day, my last day with Flying Kiwi, saw us hop on and off the bus quite a few times to see big Kauri trees, similar to the ones in Pemberton, where I worked when I was in Western Australia four years ago. They were quite impressive and pictures can't do them justice, they were indeed massive. This is a picture of Tane Mahuta, the largest Kauri tree in New Zealand. Without someone standing in front of it for perspective, it's hard to appreciate how big it truly is.

Our last night was spent at a holiday park. Carol and I went for a long walk along the beach. It was an uneventful end to such a terrific holiday. Our Flying Kiwi guides were awesome and the stops we made on our tour of New Zealand were, for the most part, outstanding. I had an amazing four weeks with many highlights, including kayaking Cathedral Cove and Abel Tasman, parasailing in Queenstown, sky diving, glacier hiking, swimming in the sea.... It was a wonderful holiday and I'm so happy I got to spend four weeks in New Zealand. I will definitely be back to explore some of New Zealand more in depth, including Nelson, the Abel Tasman Coastal Track and the Routeburn Track.

While the recounting of my Flying Kiwi Ultimate Adventure is now over, I hope you stay tuned to read about my teaching exchange in Karratha, Western Australia, the real purpose of this blog. Entries to be posted soon!

The Greatest Thrill of All!

We left Queenstown at 3pm on Sunday. Shortly after leaving, we stopped at Puzzling World in Wanaka (http://www.puzzlingworld.co.nz) where we participated in life size puzzles and completed a complicated maze. One of the best ones was the room where one person appeared larger than life and the other person appears tiny. I was in a similar room in Holland at the Escher Museum in the Hague. Very cool!

We biked into our next campsite, a beautiful location beside a tranquil lake. It was a super windy evening and some of us hung out in the bus, singing songs and playing the guitar. We were a much smaller group now, with many people having left in Queenstown.

The next morning we left for a jet boat ride on the Makarora River. It was awesome! I was the lucky one who got soaked when our guide Hayden did 360's, but it was lots of fun (although a bit chilly~ even with my toque!). After the boat ride, some of us cycled down the Haast Pass, one of three passes through the Southern Alps. It was a thrilling ride, all downhill with lots of turns. We stopped at a waterfall, which was lovely, and then for lunch a little further down the road at Pleasant Flats (or Unpleasant Flats, as Grant called them, due to the amount of sand flies). We had been introduced to sand flies the day before at our wilderness camp, but they really came out full force at Pleasant Flats, making it difficult to eat lunch. Lots of us got bitten, with welts decorating our legs and feet. It wasn't pretty!

Upon arriving at Fox Glacier, Jodie and I biked further on to Lake Matheson. If you're lucky you can see the reflection of Mount Cook in the water. It was a very cloudy day for us, thus no reflection. It was a nice walk, however, and an excellent bike ride too.

The following day was our full day hike on Fox Glacier. After getting kitted out in borrowed boots and socks, we hopped on the bus for the short ride to the glacier. Our American guide Tyler was awesome and we learned a lot of glacial facts that day. The hike was amazing and we got to climb right on the glacier. The views were amazing, the ice so beautiful.

In the evening, we camped at Okarito Beach. We had a beach fire, which was awesome. In the morning we left for Hokitika, where we visited the National Kiwi Centre and a greenstone factory. I actually saw a live kiwi. They're funny looking birds with long snouts. It went around trying to dig around for food with its beak. It was quite amusing. I also ended up buying a greenstone necklace, even though it's bad luck if you buy one for yourself. So far, so good....

That afternoon we arrived in Punakaiki, where we were to stay for the next two days. We got to see the pancake rocks (so named because they look like pancakes!) before heading to camp. The following day we went on two hikes, the Truman Track (short walk, but ended up on a beautiful beach and had it all to ourselves) and the Pororari River Track (a 2+ hours walk through LOTS of mud, but well worth the effort). The weather was very up and down. It would rain down hard for 20 minutes, then lighten up for 20 minutes. After one particularly hard downfall, we sought shelter in the Punakaiki Tavern, where we warmed up in front of the fire. The tavern itself was something of a find, as it had different countries' currency all over the support beams. I found a $1 Canadian bill and a $5 Canadian bill.

The next day, Friday, January 18, was sky dive day! All during the tour, I kept waffling back and forth about whether I was going to do it or not, but I knew I would regret it if I didn't, so then the decision became 16 500 feet or 13 000 feet? I decided to go with the higher altitude, as I would probably only do this once (it's expensive!) and you got a longer free fall (70 seconds vs. 40 seconds, or somewhere thereabouts). I'm so happy I did, because I loved it! It was the best feeling, I can't describe how exhilarating it was. I was very proud of myself for having the courage to do it too. It was definitely the greatest thrill of all!

The fourth and final instalment of my Flying Kiwi Ultimate Adventure will follow soon. I have to start posting about my teaching exchange too, so stay tuned to hear about how hot life is in Karratha, Western Australia.

Penguins and Paragliding

As I mentioned in my last post, white water rafting was cancelled due to the water levels being too high, so we left the sheep shearers' quarters a little disappointed. On our way to Lake Tekapo we stopped in the Peel Forest to check out a huge native totara tree. It took most of us to make a circle around it and give it a hug (it was almost 3 metres across). Some of the trees in the Peel Forest are thought to be about 1000 years old.
We arrived at Lake Tekapo just before lunch. It is a large lake located roughly in the centre of the South Island. It is a stunning turquoise colour, absolutely beautiful to see. On its shores is the Church of the Good Shepherd, built in 1935. The view from inside the church is spectacular and the church itself is featured in hundreds of postcards due to its idyllic setting. There were too many people around to get a good shot of the church, but here's a shot of the lake:

After eating a picnic lunch on the edge of the lake, a group of us hiked up Mount John to the Observatory. It was quite a steep hike, but the views at the top were amazing and the colour of the lakes below was awesome.

After our hike, we returned to the bus and continued our journey to Lake Pukaki, another beautiful gem. This was one of my favourite campsites as we were right on the water. It's too bad we had to share with other recreational vehicles and their owners! That's snow covered Mount Cook in the background.

The following day we hiked around the base of Mount Cook. What a great hike! The drive to the hike was also quite picturesque, as we drove through an old glacier valley. Incredible views all around.

Our evening stop was at Kakanui, where a couple of us went to see the penguins. We stopped at both yellow eyed and little blue penguin colonies. I saw only two yellow eyed penguins, but hundreds of little blue penguins coming to nest at night. It was very similar to when I saw them at Wilson's Promontory in Victoria, Australia, but I'm still happy I got to see them again. They're so cute!

The Moeraki Boulders was our first stop the next morning. They were huge spherical stones lying on the beach beneath the cliffs. Maori legend says that the boulders are remains of calabashes (a type of gourd), kumaras (a type of sweet potato) and eel baskets that washed ashore after the legendary canoe, the Araiteuru, was wrecked at nearby Shag Point.

We continued on to Dunedin, home of Baldwin Street, the world's steepest street. A couple of us rode our bikes into town, which was an awesome ride, downhill all the way. We then walked up Baldwin Street. It is indeed steep! 

We then spent the day in Dunedin, shopping for the Routeburn Track. I had decided to do it for sure the day before and now it was time to prepare for the three day walk. I needed new hiking boots (mine were too tight for my wide feet and were giving me serious blisters) and a long sleeve top. Purchases made, we continued on to Kaka Point where we had a BBQ at a cute pub. 

The rains came the next day on our way to Te Anau. Unfortunately due to the rain we didn't make our original camping spot, which was supposed to be quite unique, but we all upgraded and got our own private room in Te Anau. The rains continued for the next 48 hours or so and rained out the road into Milford Sound, cancelling our cruise and the Routeburn Track. Disappointed faces all around, but couldn't be helped. I will come back to New Zealand to do the Routeburn Track and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, as those are two things that I had my heart set on from the beginning.

We left Te Anau on Friday and headed to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. That afternoon I paraglided from Coronet Peak. It was absolutely amazing! My guide Augusto was from Chile and you could tell he loved his job. I felt like we were soaring. When I was watching the other people go up after my turn, I was surprised by how high they went. 

The next day, nine of us from Flying Kiwi hopped on another bus to return to Te Anau to see if the weather would hold and let us go to Milford Sound. Happily it did and we went. I'm so happy I went. The drive in, from Te Anau to Milford, is spectacular and the cruise itself was pretty amazing too. Beautiful waterfalls, sheer cliffs and fur seals, what more could you ask for?

Week 3 of my adventures with Flying Kiwi will be next week, as long as I can find the time. School starts tomorrow, which means I will soon have 29 students to teach in TA3 at Millars Well Primary School. A little nervous about starting (I always am the first day), but even more nervous about the rest of the week. I'm sure everything will work out fine, but right now I have butterflies in my stomach.