\paragraph{15.02.12}
After ten hours of flight we arrive in Seoul, at the very symetric airport with live music: There is a string quartett, and at another place a piano. I eat an onion-avocado-hotdog for five euro minus one american dollar change. After three hours of walking around the transit-area I try to sleep for the last hour. Back on the plane, I have "chicken" and cereal. Same state of half-awake half-asleep than the flight before.
\paragraph{16.02.12}
At 0830 we arrive in Auckland and go through hours of waiting for visa stamping, bag control and biosecurity questionnaires. Outside, the air is warm and moist and rich with potential, a great breath after recycled airplane air and german winter weather. The shuttle takes us to the YHA hostel, but it is too early for check-in, so we leave our bags and walk around the city. I found an old arcade with Myers Park behind it. There are palms and ferns.
\paragraph{17.02.12}
We head for the WorknHoliday headquarters for our lecture on travel possibilities, car purchase, applying for a job, bank account, sim-card and all the other stuff. Afterwards, we went to the National Bank to activate our already set-up accounts. I got 500 dollars from my credit card. I also visit the basement of the sky tower, the highest strucure in New Zealand. Down there is a movie museum with an environmental book about Avatar, weapon props from District 9 and endless movie posters.
\paragraph{18.02.12}
I go to the harbour to see the pacific. I also visit the Auckland museum but find it closed. At the surrounding park and ckricket fields, I find a fernery with various sorts of the national plant.
\paragraph{19.02.12}
I walk along the harbour and coast. I find a bridge over the street up to a water park. Behind it, there is one of the suburbs that surround the only half-an-hour-walk-sized city center. There is a market with bbqed sausages with onions and freshly squeezed fruit smoothies for 5 dollars each. I walk on along the suburb and some train tracks to find myself at the park with the now open museum. Inside, there is a lot on history, sports, the unique flora and fauna, and only one floor of war-related stuff. At the hostel, I change the room for an extra night.
\paragraph{20.02.12}
I walk to the Kathmandu outlet store with my backpack to get a tent. I am exhausted, so I take the train back to the center. I am too late for the last bus to Rotorua, so I walk to the next BBH hostel. It is fully booked, but the owner of the next BBH hostel is there and offers me a lift. I take it and book a night.
\paragraph{21.02.12}
I take an early bus to the sky tower bus terminal and get on the bus to Rotorua. It stops in Hamilton and the town with the hobbiton movie set. In Rotorua, I walk to a campground on the map, but it is quite far out because wild camping has been outlawed some months ago and there are few campgrounds. The weather changes every half hour from rain to shine to rain. I am offered a lift for the last part of the way. The campsite is at Lake Okareka. I read the last part of The Fountainhead next to some german girls chatting about how they don't really know what to do with life, but how studying to be a teacher is socially accepted and the right thing to do. (I might have over-emphasized that).
\paragraph{22.02.12}
I slept bad. It rained. I walk to a small peninsula in the morning on a jungle track. The scenery is wonderful. I pack the moist tent and hike. Due to the rain, the first car stops. I find me the Crank Backpackers, a hostel in the city. They have a cinema in the basement and a climbing wall from the basement to the third floor. From the hostel, I watch the climbers through the windows to the hall.
\paragraph{23.02.12}
I take a walk along the city and a volcanic field. There are islands of dead wasteland within the vegetation. It rains, so I head to the hostel early.
\paragraph{24.02.12}
I walk along the lake and find the Zorb facility. I do two rides and find a camera crew doing a promotional video for their media company. They are in search for guys with ideas to make shows on anything interesting. Media experience is welcome, but not mandatory. I whould have applied, but the back side of the business card reads ''ASDFASDFASDF'. As I walk on, I find the OGO facility. I do two more rides and talk to the inventor. He tells me the story of how he invented the Zorb to walk on water. He then turned them into downhill-waterslides. His investors wanted to make money and inhibited his experiments to optimize the Zorb, so he sold them the place and founded the OGO to have his own place without people to tell him what to do. Later that day, I visit a place with the Shweeb, a cycle monorail invented to ease the traffic situation in megacities. It is kind of depressing to see this promising idea being an attraction in an adrenaline park. They also have an upright turbine to fly over, I do that. Rotorua is a place to burn money. It is also a place to get addicted to KFC AllStar meals.
\paragraph{25.02.12}
There is a scottish meeting or festival in town. There are dozens of bagpipe bands performing in a competition of music and marching. In the town center, I find a religious guy telling me and everyone else within reach about the ten commandments. I try to make him agree with me about how gullible people believe everything if you repeat it to them a couple of times. It reminds me of the movie Postal. At the mall, I invest 21 dollars in a trolley to put my backpack on. My chiropracticer whould agree with me that that was a great idea, since there are roads everywhere nowadays. Later that day I walk to the redwood forest. They seeded all kinds of trees here to find out what can be used as lumber suplies, but they decided to keep the redwoods. Later that night, I visit Rainbow Springs, some kind of a zoo where kiwis can be seen at night. I actually see some of them. My plan is to stay there all night, but for some reason I got the 24/7 opening times wrong. Luckily, one of the security guys gives me a lift to the city. I book a night at a YHA hostel and get a four-bed room with three beds being used by some horrible teenager and his parents. He yells at his mother because she snorts and he took the blanket of the free bed and won't give it to me. As they leave the next morning, the father utters an apology, I'm not sure because of the light and noise they made when leaving or for his son.
\paragraph{26.02.12}
I take the bus to Tauranga, walk to Mt Maunganui by foot and check in at the Pacific Coast Lodge after walking up and down the beach road. At the hostel, they have a tv and hdd with movies and series. As I walk in, 'How I met your mother' is on. Which becomes the second thing I get addicted to in New Zealand. Guess my favourite character.
\paragraph{27.02.12}
I take a long walk along the beach.
\paragraph{28.02.12}
I have a closer look at the small mountain in front of the Mt Maunganui itself and the peninsula nearby. I find Burgerfuel, a franchise that values quality and self-made ayoli. They are amongst the best burgers I have ever eaten.
\paragraph{29.02.12}
The density of superettes, small supermarkets, is higher than usual. I try Memphis Meltdown ice cream. They are great. If mankind manages to enumerate the decades right this time (this is, after all, the 21. century), I can later tell people that I got addicted to that ice cream in the twenties.
\paragraph{01.03.12}
Some people watched lotr part one because they visited the movie sets.
Stay tuned for my journey to Raglan and the adventures that lay ahead. Also stay tuned for those that still do lie ahead.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
Night frost!
After the first cold night, the kiwis have accumulated enough sugar and will be picked from today. That means I will stay here for a while. In this forsaken nothingness, It takes 2 weeks to get 'atlas shrugged', and they only have the abridged version available. Please send me my copy from home, it is either in the book box I left at Jonas or it is in my boxes at my parents house. I hereby promote Jonas to coordinator for the book to find me at
Central Oasis Backpackers
30 King Street
Opotiki
New Zealand
The people in the hostel are great. Finally, someone to have a conversation other than
-Where are you from?
-How long are you in New Zealand?
-What have you seen?
These are great topics, but without moving every other day, one gets to know each other and can address other topics. One example which I have scribbled into a short text with the netbook (please note that events may have been more mundane than depicted):
Within my sixth semester of molecular biotechnology I realised that I haven't done anything for about half a year. This realisation alone didn't change the status quo, I just started daydreaming about getting away from the laboratories with their repetetive tasks, the concrete block that is Bielefeld University. But for another semester, I made little to no progress for my bachelor's degree. Two events set things in motion again.
The first being my friend Jonas, who already told me about the intoxicating idea of anarchocapitalism, gave me 'the fountainhead' by american author Ayn Rand. The characters in the book, as well as the philosophy of objectivism they transported, showed me the necessity to change the tranquility I was captured in.
The second event was me visiting the university's therapeutic support desk, organised and led by psychology students. There, I was told about the possibility to schedule a therapeutic session with an experienced therapist, funded by the government and donations. After talking about my situation and articulating my problem, 'Ich fuehle mich dem Leben ausgeliefert', I was almost casually informed that it was no wonder I felt like that because I avoided decisions. Which was true. I realised that I was afraid of the responsibility any decision brought with it. But without making decisions on my own, my problem whould not change.
The only thing defining an adult is the possibility and necessity to make one's own decisions and taking the responsibility of their consequences. As a kid, we know what we want, but we can't decide about it. Our parents won't let us eat candy all day or go to the water park whenever we want to. As an adult, we can decide do all this, but, for better or for worse, we have no one to be responsible for the consequences but ourselves.
Realising this, I confronted myself with the decision to concentrate and work hard on that bachelor's degree and taking a year off afterwards, or to take a year off first and finishing the degree on return. I decided to take the year off first. My daydream to get literally as far as possible, to New Zealand, took shape. I booked the flight and insurance, applied for the visa and passport, and informed my family and friends. After making the firm decision to do so, it took me only seven weeks to leave for the land of the long white cloud.
Greetings,
Patrick
ps. How are you holding up? What's going on? How is life without me?
Central Oasis Backpackers
30 King Street
Opotiki
New Zealand
The people in the hostel are great. Finally, someone to have a conversation other than
-Where are you from?
-How long are you in New Zealand?
-What have you seen?
These are great topics, but without moving every other day, one gets to know each other and can address other topics. One example which I have scribbled into a short text with the netbook (please note that events may have been more mundane than depicted):
Within my sixth semester of molecular biotechnology I realised that I haven't done anything for about half a year. This realisation alone didn't change the status quo, I just started daydreaming about getting away from the laboratories with their repetetive tasks, the concrete block that is Bielefeld University. But for another semester, I made little to no progress for my bachelor's degree. Two events set things in motion again.
The first being my friend Jonas, who already told me about the intoxicating idea of anarchocapitalism, gave me 'the fountainhead' by american author Ayn Rand. The characters in the book, as well as the philosophy of objectivism they transported, showed me the necessity to change the tranquility I was captured in.
The second event was me visiting the university's therapeutic support desk, organised and led by psychology students. There, I was told about the possibility to schedule a therapeutic session with an experienced therapist, funded by the government and donations. After talking about my situation and articulating my problem, 'Ich fuehle mich dem Leben ausgeliefert', I was almost casually informed that it was no wonder I felt like that because I avoided decisions. Which was true. I realised that I was afraid of the responsibility any decision brought with it. But without making decisions on my own, my problem whould not change.
The only thing defining an adult is the possibility and necessity to make one's own decisions and taking the responsibility of their consequences. As a kid, we know what we want, but we can't decide about it. Our parents won't let us eat candy all day or go to the water park whenever we want to. As an adult, we can decide do all this, but, for better or for worse, we have no one to be responsible for the consequences but ourselves.
Realising this, I confronted myself with the decision to concentrate and work hard on that bachelor's degree and taking a year off afterwards, or to take a year off first and finishing the degree on return. I decided to take the year off first. My daydream to get literally as far as possible, to New Zealand, took shape. I booked the flight and insurance, applied for the visa and passport, and informed my family and friends. After making the firm decision to do so, it took me only seven weeks to leave for the land of the long white cloud.
Greetings,
Patrick
ps. How are you holding up? What's going on? How is life without me?
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Hello people,
I got my netbook, and the guys at TechnologyWise in Tauranga helped me set it up. Their place reminded me of the student's faculty council, with cables and laptops and people eager to help a fellow Linux person.
When I traveled on to Whakatane, I discovered the most beautiful bay jet. Unfortunately, I also discovered that I lost or forgot my cellphone charger, ergo no photos for you guys. This beach had no sand, but smooth shell pieces that felt like walking on gold coins must feel and sound. There were piles of driftwood rattling like bones in old pirate movies.
The next day, I got a severe case of homesickness, so I surved around facebook and played Dwarf Fortress to numb my brain, which was rotating with ideas and thoughts. I don't know wether it always did and I felt good with it as long as I had people close to me to discuss these thoughts, or if it started without constant internet access to prevent it.
Right now, I am in Opotiki, where I found a bunch of germans (these people are everywhere), but they were the right mix to feel comfortable. There even is a movie nerd amongst them. We are waiting for the first night frost, because after that the kiwi picking can begin.
If it does, I'll stay here for some time and I'll give you the address of the hostel, so you can send me actual mail if you desire to do so.
Greetings,
Patrick
I got my netbook, and the guys at TechnologyWise in Tauranga helped me set it up. Their place reminded me of the student's faculty council, with cables and laptops and people eager to help a fellow Linux person.
When I traveled on to Whakatane, I discovered the most beautiful bay jet. Unfortunately, I also discovered that I lost or forgot my cellphone charger, ergo no photos for you guys. This beach had no sand, but smooth shell pieces that felt like walking on gold coins must feel and sound. There were piles of driftwood rattling like bones in old pirate movies.
The next day, I got a severe case of homesickness, so I surved around facebook and played Dwarf Fortress to numb my brain, which was rotating with ideas and thoughts. I don't know wether it always did and I felt good with it as long as I had people close to me to discuss these thoughts, or if it started without constant internet access to prevent it.
Right now, I am in Opotiki, where I found a bunch of germans (these people are everywhere), but they were the right mix to feel comfortable. There even is a movie nerd amongst them. We are waiting for the first night frost, because after that the kiwi picking can begin.
If it does, I'll stay here for some time and I'll give you the address of the hostel, so you can send me actual mail if you desire to do so.
Greetings,
Patrick
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Hello there,
The battery is still in the mail. I made a race out of it by ordering “Atlas Shrugged” from a bookstore. After whatever item arrives first, I'll travel on. The netbook I don't have made me delay the blogging, because my perfection wanted it to be, well, perfect. Screw that attitude, here's what I did the last days:
I found the first novel of some author, bought it for five bucks and read it and it was great. Even better than the movie they made out of it. If I had my kindle here, which I regret not bringing with me, I'd read the other books of that guy, too, for his first one was entitled “Fight Club”.
I am currently at Mt Maunganui, at a hostel with an HDD full of movies and series. I watched the movie again and it was still great except for two things: They changed the ending (seems to be a tradition in Hollywood, the book ending is way better), and they changed the way the main characters met. The beach scene from the book is better than just meeting on a plane.
Speaking of the HDD, some guys at the hostel watch a surf related movie every day, it looks to me they are reensuring themselves of the cool lifestyle. I haven't seen them surf for once, but they tell the most awesome stories about it. But then, who am I to judge, for I was quite fond of the equally bad college-flics “S.H.I.T.” (trope: fun with acronyms) and “Van Wilder”. If the Anglophilic Cineast's Social Club has nothing else to watch, they can be viewed back to back. This is not a recommendation, they are not that good as movies.
Speaking of movies: I watched the Aardman style movie Pirates! In 3d. Hilarious, and the posters in the cinema reminded me that in one week I can feast my eyes on the Avengers. I don't know the german release, but since it takes time to ruin that movie for german audiences, I suppose I am ahead of you.
This writes itself: Speaking of ruining movies, at the hostel, I also watched “Tomorrow never dies”. A great example for three reasons:
1. The witty dialogue. Example: Monypenny on the phone with Bond, who is enjoying a lesson with his swedish teacher.
Monypenny: You have always been a cunning linguist, James.
*hangs up, turns around. M is behind her, with a priceless expression on her face.
Monypenny: Don't ask.
M: Don't tell.
How could one possibly translate that? That was a rhetorical question, I see no benefit in knowing how they did translate that.
2. A part of the movie takes place in Germany, and Bond/Brosnan is speaking german! A cringe moment that is lost in translation (pun intended).
3. The german henchman have heavy german accents, which I am quite fond of. German dubs replace any accent, wether it is an important story hint or just a nice touch, with perfect Hochdeutsch.
German accents in movies lead me to the next topic: Iron Sky is due this year. I don't know wether they made it in german, english or swedish, but since noone makes english dubs, the worst thing that can happen to me here are subtitles. I can live with that.
You are now thinking that I am spending my days in front of the tv and my nights at the cinema. To proove you wrong: Just an hour ago, I was walking along the beach. After the storm of the last days, the waves were perfect. Not for surfing, but instead of a constant swoosh sound, one wave approaches in silence, then breaks with a long, smooth, soft rush, leaving silence behind for the next wave to approach. The storm itself produced waves that formed spectacular sea sprays on the rocky peninsula, which you can find on Google earth, just south of the mountain itself. Search for "Mt Maunganui" then follow the beach.
Greetings,
Patrick.
ps. Some day I'll fill in the first weeks of the diary and post a tastefully edited (=censored) version of it.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Photos
Found the cable, here are the photos:
Water shortage area... right...
I don't eat for other people. I eat for myself.
The river through Hamilton.
This got me an idea for a movie: time capluse theft! Why? How? Is time travel involved? Not sure myself.
View over Te Aroha.
Physics? I'm on the lower half of the planet!
Above the roofs of Tauranga.
Tempting...
Minor spoilers. Mayor squick.
Mt Maunganui.
small...
medium...
Large. From the peninsula you can see the freight ship who's fuel tanks polluted the beaches last october.
I just love to climb around this place, then find the best spot to sit and watch the waves. No right angles.
I'll try to keep the rest of the photos safe, but uploading is enerving, so look forward to a slideshow as I return some day.
Greetings,
Patrick
I don't eat for other people. I eat for myself.
I'll try to keep the rest of the photos safe, but uploading is enerving, so look forward to a slideshow as I return some day.
Greetings,
Patrick
Hallo people!
The good news: I'm alive and well in Mt Maunganui. A little infection of my toenail was treated by a doctor who simply cut away the side of nail and toe. hurted like hell but immediatly after that, the toe was fine. I rejected antiviotics and got an ointment instead.
The bad news: My photos were lost during a data-shifting session with a public pc in order to get a used 40 $ netbook to run linux. It didn't work because it was a cheap chinese one, apparently without a bios, but I managed to sell it for 80 $ to another backpacker.
At the moment, the day-to-day plan is to slack at the beach, the peninsula and the mount while the darn battery of another netbook takes ages to arrive via mail to the store.
I add recent photos from after the loss after I find my usb cable. Don't leave your stuff in the power outlet ;-)
Greetings,
Patrick
The good news: I'm alive and well in Mt Maunganui. A little infection of my toenail was treated by a doctor who simply cut away the side of nail and toe. hurted like hell but immediatly after that, the toe was fine. I rejected antiviotics and got an ointment instead.
The bad news: My photos were lost during a data-shifting session with a public pc in order to get a used 40 $ netbook to run linux. It didn't work because it was a cheap chinese one, apparently without a bios, but I managed to sell it for 80 $ to another backpacker.
At the moment, the day-to-day plan is to slack at the beach, the peninsula and the mount while the darn battery of another netbook takes ages to arrive via mail to the store.
I add recent photos from after the loss after I find my usb cable. Don't leave your stuff in the power outlet ;-)
Greetings,
Patrick
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