Dun, Dunedin: Rare Wildlife and Frigid Weather

I caught a bus to Dunedin, a city a bit further south than Christchurch, which is said to have a Scottish feel to it, though I wouldn't really know.  The city itself has a lot to offer, though I failed to indulge in it all (more on that later).  I found plenty to do with my time there, though.  At the center of town is the Octagon (refrain from making Anchorman reference), where the Info Site, Library, Cathedral, Public Art Gallery, and various bars and shops can be found.  There were quite a few pieces in the art gallery that I enjoyed, though I was forbidden from capturing on camera.  I'll list the ones I can find online at the bottom of this post if you're interested in seeing them.  Later, I grabbed a drink with some backpackers I met.  When talking about traveling, the Swiss girl put it best when she said, "Life is about experience.  Traveling is such a unique experience and it should be had by all."  Agreed.

While in Dunedin, I stayed in the spare room of fellow Couch Surfers, Miguel and Sophia.  This lovely young couple enjoys interacting with their surfers, and implemented a concept called "shared dinner" where they share their dinner with the hungry backpackers in return for their service of either helping prepare/make dinner or cleaning up afterward, which I was delighted to do.  They successfully made my second Couch Surfing experience quite enjoyable, and unknowingly helped me overcome my distaste for mushrooms.  The only caveat of staying in a house as opposed to a hostel, especially somewhere as frigid as Dunedin, is the lack of a central heating system.  In lieu of said heat, I was able to experience sleeping with a hot water bottle for the first time.  Although it sufficed in keeping me quite warm throughout the night, in the end, I'd prefer to not be able to see my breath when I go to sleep at night.

I dedicated one whole day to investigating the Otago Peninsula.  With the help of a Great Walks book and a bicycle from Sophia and Miguel, I ventured off in search of rare wildlife.  On my journey, I learned of all the joys and sorrows of being a cyclist on a main road.

Positives:

• squeezing freely through traffic, getting a good workout, being environmentally friendly, downhills  

Negatives

• uphills, the elements (not these kind), side of the road treasures (broken glass, roadkill, horse poop, garbage)

After only a short three hour bike ride (half of which was uphill) I arrived at Sandfly beach, where I hoped to spot the rare Hoiho, or Yellow-Eyed Penguin.  After decending from the sand dune to the beach, I found myself face to face with a playful Pakake (sea lion).  Seemingly unphased by my presence, I crept closer for a choice photo.  I soon found that this cunning seal had been toying with me all along, as he leapt up at me, causing me to stumble back, capturing the photo above in the process.  Well played, sir.  Having learned my lesson, I managed to get even closer to the bigger pakake and even had my photo taken with them (above on the left).  Finally, at the end of the beach, crouched in one of the constructed viewing huts, my patience was awarded as a lone hoiho came out from hiding.  Even with my tiny, cheap digital camera, I was able to grab this stunning photo:

It wasn't until my last night, shopping for peanut butter cookies at Pak 'N Save, when I found out about the Dunedin I didn't see.  I overheard a girl talking about going to New York, and although I chose not to creepily approach her about it, we crossed paths a little later and I felt as if fate were demanding that I ask about it.  It was then that she (Jade) told me of all the things I could have done, like take a tour of the Speights Brewery and try all their beer, or tour the Cadbury factory to see their chocolate waterfall, or at least go to Baldwin Street for free and see why it was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records for being one of the steepest residential streets in the world.  Oh well, maybe next time, or perhaps vicariously through Mai during her later travels.

Heather Straka (The Asian) - This link describes the exhibit, but only shows one of the 50 paintings.  It was really cool to see because in the exhibit, it doesn't identify the original image.

Taryn Simon (An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar) - "A collection of photographs that document the inaccessible places that exist below the surface of American identity."  The first link seems like a pretty comprehensive article.  Go to this link and go to the "Photographs" link at the bottom to see all of them.

- Headcase - Anne Noble (Ruby Room Number 10)

- Madeleine Child (Sweet As) - Sweet As is a playful installation featuring Child's signature range of oversized and deliciously rococo popcorn.

- Lifting My Mother for as long as I can by Campbell Patterson

A Whole New World

“Unbelievable sites…” of ham-that’s right: HAM. Jasmin would have never fell in love with Aladdin if he had shown her the workings of a deli. 

It’s about time I write about my current occupation.  Officially, I am a “deli assistant” working at “New World”, one of the four grocery chains in New Zealand.  Unofficially, I am a ham server working for an uppidity woman who is in dire need of some sedation pills. 

New World is the largest supermarket in Kerikeri and thus we sell phenomenal amounts of ham (sadly I used the word “we” in that sentence).  Shaved ham to Kiwis is the equivalent of turkey to people in the States. Every week, the New World deli department sells approximately 56 kilograms of ham, which is 123.2 pounds of ham.  I know that you are envisioning pigs but the truth is, shaved or sliced ham is only made of 40% oinker while the majority of the delicacy is an amalgamation of products including soy protein and the dreaded unknown. I will never eat this stuff but the Kiwis gobble it up, or pig it up.

I work 40 to 50 hours a week. The shifts run from 6am to 4pm and no, the extra two hours tacked on to the general prescription of eight are not overtime, they are added FUN.

Excuse my sarcasm, this job isn’t that bad and in fact, slicing meat and using the slicer is rather therapeutic. Like everything else in my life, I try to slice brawn, veal and pork loaf, tongue among others, as creatively as possible. I pack those shaved meats in trays attempting to make them look like little rosettes or waves- waves of chicken roll or rosettes of hot beef.  I’ve even named the slicers: Calvin and Oscar. I’ve also renamed an assortment of luncheon. Luncheon is the American bologna but I’m positive that when I was little and had bologna and cheese sandwiches, the meat wasn’t this unappetizing, or maybe I was blinded by the cheese.  Savory luncheon, which I have renamed “Festive Luncheon” is bologna with speckles of green “peas” and orange “carrots” added for your vitamin delight. Get your “protein” and vegetables all in one slice. Delicious?

In addition to the joy I receive from slicing meat, I even encounter the general crazies. I’ve been yelled at 3 times by customers, all of whom I’m sure forgot their meds of the day. The first woman: was a short rotund woman who yelled at me for giving her “scraps of shaved ham”.  “Shaved” implies “scrappy” so my only response was a gentle apology, a Mary Sunshine smile and an ocean of profanity spewing in my head.  The second person was a curmudgeon.  He rolls around in his automated scooter equipped with a towering orange flag.  Every time he visits New World, he asks if we have scallops.  No sir, the deli department does not serve seafood.  He called me “rude” because I asked him what he wanted before he knew.  Sorry folks, although I try, I am not a mind-reader. 

The third episode of psycho is my personal favorite:

Man: “Are the mini pork pies nice?”

Me: “I’m not sure, I’ve never had one but I’ll ask someone who has”

Man: “No I don’t want one then, if you’ve never had one. I don’t want anything”

Man storms off.

There must be an invisible sign on my “New World” hat that says, “If you are crazy- come talk to me”.

Luckily, most people are rather enjoyable. They want their 500 grams of shaved ham and their occasional treat of a small pottle of coleslaw and then they are on their way, content. They don’t realize what they are missing out on: Boar’s Head products and deli sliced cheese. The deli doesn’t slice cheese here. Instead, it is sold pre-packaged in 4 main varieties: Tasty, Mild, Colby and Edam.

The question that plagues my mind: isn’t all cheese “tasty”?

Easter In (Fittingly) Christchurch

Through a series of hectic events, I ended up traveling back north to Picton before turning around and going back down to Christchurch.  My initial impression of Picton being a mediocre town was pretty spot on, though there were two highlights worth mentioning: (1) a car show (you would have loved it, Dad) sporting some sweet American cars, (2) my room in the hostel called "Sardina" - a large room with beds packed into it like sardines - ideal for those who prefer a chorus of snoring backpackers.

Taking the train instead of a bus proved to be an intriguing experience with the seats being assigned and facing one another.  I was fortunate enough to sit next to a backpacker from Canada and an older couple from the UK with whom I chatted with for most of the ride.  I was also fortunate enough to get a call from Amanda, who graciously allowed each one of my friends from home to say hello while they were all together for Martina's birthday.  I chatted with each of them for a few minutes, touching on topics such as playing softball this summer, golden Chivas bottles (I'm holding you too that, Big Easy), revealing the future, and of course, the "Does the toilet flush the other way?" question.  Answer: toilets here don't swirl when the flush, they just go straight down.  It's been incredibly disappointing.

After arriving and meeting the people I would be staying with, they insisted that I have some of their dinner (which they continued to do each night I was there, so nice!) before we went to the cinema to see the movie Boy, a New Zealand film by Taika Waititi.  The movie was incredibly entertaining, enticing a wide array of emotions.  Boy's exaggerated description of his own life was both charming and tragic considering the events that take place.  I absolutely recommend checking it out (if you can figure out a way to).

I took to wandering during my time in Christchurch and what I found was pretty nice: a nice park full of rugby fields (Jon, you should probably live here), botanic gardens, quite a few public art galleries, outdoor markets, churches/cathedrals, a few really funny advertisements, a giant countdown clock for the Rugby World Cup in 2011 (did I mention you should live here Jon?).  A word of advice though: just because a woman in a cool looking mask tells you a puppet show for adults is worth $10, it doesn't actually mean that it is.  Trust me.  I took a bus to check out the coast and found myself drawing in the sand with little kids, using my artwork to try and inspire those walking out on the pier.  I also got to meet up with Eric from housekeeping, sharing a few vodka colas, stories about travels and life, and the like.  It was nice to see a familiar face.

In the spirit of putting my Agnostic views to the test (and because I didn't have much else to do) I decided to go to the St. James Anglican Church on the night of Easter Sunday.  I mean, I was in CHRISTCHURCH, how could I not go to church on Easter Sunday, right?  My desire to not stick out like a sore thumb was shot to shit when I realized I was one of only 16 people in the entire church.  The messy hair, dirty jeans, and Breezefest t-shirt probably didn't help the cause.  Seeing that conversation was inevitable, I decided to stay for tea and cake after the service rather than sprinting for the door.  Both the guitar guy and the priest conversed with me about where I was from, my travels, my future plans, and of course, my religious views.  I told them honestly that I grew up Catholic but haven't practiced for quite some time, and am in the process of searching for some sort of spiritual guidance.  The priest bid me farewell and hoped that in my search I would find the Lord.  Who knows what I'll find on this crazy journey.

And The Mountains Should Crumble To The Sea

After a grueling early morning walk to the Interislander ferry, I plopped down in a seat on the sun deck of the boat and took in the sights.  The landscape around was quite beautiful, though the strong winds that cut through the channel made it difficult to document.  After a short three hours (and a well deserved nap on the lower deck) I arrived in Picton: the gateway to the South Island.  The town itself, surrounded by such majestic, beautiful mountains, seemed a bit shabby to be considered the "gateway", though I wasn't there long enough to give it a full analysis.  I hopped on the Nakedbus and was on my way to Kaikoura.  About 30km from the town center, I noticed a bright orange sign on the road advising to be wary of seals in the area.  "Seals?!?" I thought.  With a slight turn of my head and a bit of squinting for focus, I saw what I thought were just rocks transform into adorable and playful seals!  And they were so close to shore!  (Times I wished I had my own car: 1.  I'm sure this number will increase).  I'm in the process of asking NakedBus to consider adding a quick pit stop here to take pictures of the seals.

The town of Kaikoura is relatively small, with the entirety of its shops and stores on the main road along the beach.  To avoid being washed away, a moat-like channel was dug between the beach and the street, which effectively deters any flood water from destroying the town and guides it safely back to sea.  The beach itself is rocky and unpleasant, but it's the mountains in the distance that make Kaikoura so attractive.  As Vassar Alum Amy Wheeler described to us before we left for New Zealand: "Kaikoura is also really beautiful because its huge mountains drop right into the sea."  Needless to say, sunrise in this small town is simply breathtaking. 

Seeing as I am cheap, I decided to forgo Kaikoura's most famous activities (whale watching, swimming with dolphins/seals) and opted to walk around Kaikoura Peninsula for free, and I got more than my money's worth.  The limestone that makes up the peninsula is relatively young and has been formed into these random and jagged designs, which were cool in general.  Even cooler were the numerous SEALS chilling on said rocks!  There they were, scattered about, bathing in the sun.  I spent a solid two hours just walking along the coast and taking pictures of seals.  Some let me get unreasonably close to them, others hopped and plopped away before I could get near, and a few barked at me and chased me away.  I capped my day off with the Bucket List and a lovely conversation with two of my roommates from the UK.