Brisbane to Surfers Paradise to Byron Bay

Oh. People. I feel like I am moving from one country to the next in a few hours of time.

Where Brisbane was really cosmopolitan with nice malls and a lot of business and the according towers. I found myself at the Goldcoast looking at even more towers but filled with hotels and apartments.

Von 20100428-SurfersParadise

For so many big buildings I expected the worst turkish coast with tourists as far as you can see. But it is fairly empty. Maybe because of the offseason. You find everything to cater the tourist but not much else. The waves look great for surfers but I would not swim in them. I definitely don't want to live here. But having a apartment in one of those towers with ocean view must be great.

Yesterday I moved on to Byron Bay. Again I felt like I was in a different country. No high houses. Most of the buildings have only two levels and everything cries small tourist town. It is far more relaxed and easy for the stressed out traveler. I can't imagine staying here more than two nights. But I think it is a great spot learn surfing. I won't do it now. Because I try to conserve some money for my real Aussie adventure, when I am finally going to the outback.

Tomorrow will see me further down the coast. Almost halfway down to Sydney in Coffs Harbour.

Back in Brissie

Ok. Looks like yesterday was a bank holliday. No wonder why the city was almost empty.

After working my way through all the mails I finally went for lunch.

Von 20100426-Brisbane

Sitting on King George Square I though that is what I definitely missed in Auckland. A big square in the CBD, where you just sit and relax. The sushi cost 3 euros. I am always amazed how long I need to stand in the line for my lunch here in Brisbane. But no wonder with this price.

After that I was booking my way down the coast till Sydney. I will take Greyhound Australia and have bought a 2k KM-Pass. I will stop at 4 destinations a long the way. Surfers Paradise, Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie. I don't know why. But it was recommended by the nice sales person. I am arriving in Sydney on 04th of May.

In the evening I finally went up the hostel and enjoyed the view of River Brisbane and the night. I really need a better camera for these kind of pictures.

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26 hour Birthday, ANZAC Day, Boobquake Day and back in Brissie.

Thanks for all the well wishes and greetings.

I had an OK but not really great day yesterday. Breakfast at Starbucks. Checkout and moving to the Airport. Where I spent nearly an hour in the duty free area because I had eight NZD in coins left. And I wanted to spent it all easy to consume items. Running back and forth between the boards and comparing prices. Till I finally bought a water, kitkat and some kind of marshmallow chocolate fish for 7.9 NZD. Later in Australia the guy from the currency exchange asked me, if I have any one or two dollar coins left. Argh... What a waste of time and effort.

Entering the plane I had a short conversation with the steward.

Steward: "So You did the skydive!" *pointing at my T-Shirt*
Me: "Yes, but I hope I don't need to jump out of the plane today."
Steward: *laughing*

The next amazing thing was, that the plane was not even half full. So the older lady asked me to move my self to an other seat. I think she did not like me. While scanning the video on demand program I nearly slammed my head into the console. Now new in our program: The hurt Locker. Not even 24 hours ago I payed 15.50 NZD for the movie. Some days...

Arriving in Brisbane the people at the border have several layers or filter groups of annoying personal. I think I talked with everybody except the head supervisor. Especially interesting was the last one. Quick excerpt:

Official: "Hello, how are you? How long Do you plan to stay in Australia?"
Me: "One Month."
Official: "What is the purpose of your visit?"

I answered that one two times already before.

Me: "Holiday."
Official: "Do You have your return ticket with You?"
Me: "Sure, but I am not returning I am moving on to Singapore."

I am giving her my ticket.

Official: "What are your travel plans after Singapore."

I start to explain the probable course of travel and now the interesting thing happens, I believe that was the whole purpose of this discussion so far.

Official: "You have a german passport."
Me: "Yes?"
Official: "Since when do you own the german passport?"
Me: "Since I was borne?"

The official is checking the passport again.

Official: "Have a nice day, sir."

Of all the people who where checking my papers nobody said Happy Birthday. And I think I was picked out via a racial screening again. Or maybe they did not like my style of clothing. I was wearing my new Orange-Red Buff in pirate style and grinning the whole time.

Now I was leaving the airport I was finally greeted with everything I missed the last weeks. Warm weather, high humidity, mosquitos and an evening full of options.

After checking in I went to a cinema. After arriving there I thought that I have seen all interesting movies a few month ago in NZ. Next was finding something to eat. Yes, everything is more expensive, then in NZ. Basically the price is like this. 1 AUD = 1 NZD. I went for a Hotdog because I was not that hungry. What a waste of money.

I finally went to bed early and was reading a while, till all the nice people in Europe finally could celebrate my birthday. :) 26 hours long was my this years birthday. Not much of a difference for me. ;)

Today is Boobquake day. I wish it was yesterday and now that I am in Australia again I can't really say that the woman look different than normal. Maybe we get finally some big earthquakes who remove these stupid priests from the face of my earth. (I should be evil emperor one day. You all would be better off.)

While walking from the hostel to the CBD a few minutes ago, I somehow felt at home. Walking down the street knowing exactly where I need to go, to get my coffee and essentially knowing where I will go shopping in a few hours. Brissie is really a great city and it is summer again.

I am back in Australia and feeling far better than the last week.

Fasten your seatbelt, Dorothy! And say Kansas bye bye!

Tomorrow I am leaving New Zealand. Back to OZ and Brisbane and subtropical temperatures. I hope it will be great. I booked my flight a few minutes ago. I will be leaving Australia on 24th of May. It took ages to find a cheap flight but now I am going for less than 300 Euros from Alice Springs to Singapore.

Did You miss me? I know I did not write a lot the last week. I was not in the mood. Still I did a few things like visiting Tim and Wiebke and getting my backpack back. I am a backpacker again and nothing hints that I was a cyclist. There where several people on the road who asked about my bike like coach drivers. The best response to my reply that I sold it in Whitianga was a chuckle.

While visiting Tim I had a nice look around their town Muriwai. Look at the pictures. They are living next to paradise, even if it is a bit cold there.

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I was walking mostly around that day and visited some cliffs and the beach.

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Von 20100421-Muriwai

Von 20100421-Muriwai

My last nature picture of myself in New Zealand

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And one great picture from Muriwai Beach. It really looks like this.

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Otherwise I did not do a lot. Watching Champions League at 8 o'clock in the morning. And going to the cinema. Hottub Time Machine, The Hurt Locker. I like Bigelows movies. But The Hurt Locker is really depressing and I don't like the camera.

Like I said I am in Brisbane tomorrow. Wearing a T-Shirt again and not thinking about cold New Zealand Weather.

Me, Myself and the Wizard of OZ

I have been thinking lately. Surprise. Sometimes I am really able to do something with this brain of mine. Essentially it is more because I am totally annoyed with travelling at the moment. Every other night sleeping in a different bed.

Mostly the same discussions and talks with other backpackers.

1. Where are You from?
2. Since when are You in New Zealand?
3. What are You doing next?

Mostly this is the correct order of things and if You think the other person is worthwhile after maybe 3 hours of talking:

By the way what is Your name?

Everything gets so predictable after a while. Now being again in a big city. I get up. Brush my teeth and do the normal bathroom stuff. Then on to Starbucks. Coffee. Venti Vanilla Latte and since I am in the southern hemisphere it is a banana (walnut) loaf cake instead of the marble loaf in Germany.

While at Starbucks I either read a book on my eBook Reader or like now I am surfing the internet. The weather is not to bad today so I will probably walk around today before I am meeting Tim.

The CBD of Auckland is one of the ugliest city centers I have ever been too. For a fast growing town and where most of the buildings are supposed to be new. Auckland lacks charm compared to London, Paris or Berlin. Maybe that will change in another 20 years. It will definitely change when this volcanic region finally erupts. The greater Auckland Area is overdue a 150 years. Someday somebody needs to explain to me, why You want to live on a dormant volcano.

Back to my days. I am planning my trip to OZ at the moment. OZ -> Aussi -> Australia. I am so unsure how long I will finally stay there and where my exit city will be. I like to see Sydney, Melbourne, Great Ocean Road, Ayers Rock and Alice Springs. But apart from that I don't want to spent that much time in Australia. After checking several ways to travel around in Australia I am nearly into buying a flexipass coach ticket. My hope is that then I will see a bit of the landscape instead of flying around. But I could rent a car too. Maybe I will find some travel companions. I just know it will be expensive and I need to decide when I will be leaving this country again. Are three weeks enough? Or should I take five? It would be so easy, if I don't need to worry about an exit ticket.

My time here in NZ grows short and I can't say that I am not happy to leave Kiwi-Country. I really liked it. But it is autumn now and the nights are fairly cold. I want to walk around in a T-Shirt again and not having a backpack full of warm clothes with me. Just in case that the weather turns 180° again.

The last few days I spent the early evening in the cinema. The movies range from bad (Daybreakers) to good (Cop Out). I am rediscovering this old hobby of mine, but it is an expensive one. Yeah I know. I should probably skip Starbucks too. If I am ever on the run from the police, they will catch me at a Starbucks and not because I am stupid, just because I can't help myself. At least the coffee was for free this morning, because yesterday the barista nearly forgot my coffee and I was waiting like five minutes, before I reminded him.

Why the hell did I book a flight back to Brisbane. I am making so many expensive mistakes with my travel plans. At least I did this particular mistake 2.5 month ago. Damn long time.

I am reducing my travel destinations lately. Somehow I don't want to go to Fidji, Bali or Malaysia at the moment. It is just another beach for me. The ultimate thought that crossed my mind was stop travelling altogether. Get back to Europe and start looking for a new job. But then I perhaps won't get this opportunity again. Mostly it is like those other projects I have been doing (work or hobby related) I simply am to stupid to give up. So I carry on even if I am not really happy now.

I am rambling. So I better stop. The next coffee is waiting and I still need to find a flight from Australia to Destination X

Waitangi Treaty Grounds

Thursday I was going back down in direction of Auckland the original plan said something about staying two nights in Paihia and two nights in Whangerei. Sufficient to say that I did not like the perspective of staying in either town.

When I reached Paihia it was cloudy again and 9:30am. I went to the I-Site and asked when the next bus is leaving for Whangerei. A few minutes after one o'clock. The only really interesting thing for me to do here would have been swimming with dolphins and visiting the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

Swimming with dolphins was a no go. It was simply to cold and they want to have something around 70 euros for the fun. And I am thinking about the really expensive Australia the whole time. I will probably miss this. But there will be always a next time if I ever come back to NZ.

I went for the half hour walk up to Waitangi and to the treaty grounds. Here I received my next shock. 20 NZD entry fee for non residents. Sometimes I really think that all over the world this kind of stuff needs to be free.
It reminds me of my last visit to Scotland where the people of the Wallace Monument told me, that they are not part of Historic Scotland. HS is a combined entry card for all participating attractions like the castles in Stirling and Edinburgh.

Back to Waitangi:

Von 20100415-Waitangi

Von 20100415-Waitangi

Von 20100415-Waitangi

I still think that the maoris have been shortchanged in the contract. But while being on the treaty grounds I came to the conclusion that there was not much choice about it. At least the ongoing fighting would have cost them everything in the long run.

I gave my two day entry pass to the first backpacker/campervan I encountered.

After a final look an Paihia I went to grab some lunch and waited for the coach to Whangerei.

Von 20100415-Waitangi

In Whangerei I got the impression of an annoying little town. The weather was cloudy and the hostel was to far out of town. I decided to stay the night and having a look if I could take a coach the next day back to Auckland.

That is what I finally did. The next day it was raining in Whangerei and I thought, in that case I can go back to Auckland early and start planning for Australia.

My last appointment is next week, when I will visit Tim. After getting my Backpack back. I will do some shopping and preparing Australia. Before I will fly back to Brisbane on my birthday.

From the depth of the earth to the ends of the world.

I had a busy week and almost no cheap internet access. I am still under the living and trying to come to terms with the fact that my stay in Aotearoa is almost over.

Monday I visited the Waitomo Caves and without a relaxing day I was on the road again on tuesday. The coach took me via Whangerei, Paihia, Kerikeri to a small town called Kaitaia, where I spent the night in the Mainstreet Lodge. All in all a nearly eight hours on the road.

Kaitaia fits into the category 'Don't want be buried here.' But it was my planned gateway to Cape Reinga. I booked a daytrip for wednesday with Harrisons Cape Runners. It included a visit to the Ancient Kauri Kingdom, Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach.

The Kauri is a special tree here in New Zealand. Very hard wood and nice to work with. But nowadays the tree is protected. But kiwis are really intelligent and started to dig in the swamps to get ancient tree parts that are sometimes several 10000 years old. Those ancient Kauris are the stuff that is sold today.

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Von 20100414-CapeReingaAndNinetyMileBeach

After that we visited several Beaches on the east coast and had lunch at one.

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Von 20100414-CapeReingaAndNinetyMileBeach

After lunch the first real highlight of the day followed. Cape Reinga.

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Von 20100414-CapeReingaAndNinetyMileBeach

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Von 20100414-CapeReingaAndNinetyMileBeach

We spent an hour at the cape before we got to the adventure part. Sandboarding on a dune.

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Von 20100414-CapeReingaAndNinetyMileBeach

After that the most amazing thing followed. Driving with a normal roadbus along a beach. The Ninety Mile Beach (not really ninety miles long) is classified as a State Highway. As long you are in the low tide time you may drive on it while standard road rules apply. Driving on the left side and no speeding and stuff. The most important part for tourists is to not loose your car in quicksand or the high tide, because your insurance is not covering this fun.

I really would have liked to drive myself here. But still it was amazing.

Von 20100414-CapeReingaAndNinetyMileBeach

Von 20100414-CapeReingaAndNinetyMileBeach

Von 20100414-CapeReingaAndNinetyMileBeach

Von 20100414-CapeReingaAndNinetyMileBeach

The coach driver was going 90km/h on the beach and we where in no time 70km down the beach, before we needed to go back on the ordinary sealed road. Next time I will rent a car.

In the evening I met a cyclist who wanted to go from Cape Reinga to the south. After exchanging some stories I wished him luck, but I doubt that the weather will be good for him. The last weeks it was getting colder and colder. I need to go to Australia and then back to warm South East Asia.

Waitomo Caves

I thought I would not get the opportunity to see the famous Waitomo Caves. Wai means Water and tomo into the earth or something like that. When I come back I speak perfect Maori. Not really.

Whatever my day started at 0600 standing up and getting ready to go to the Harbour and from there with the bus to Waitomo. After a really nice drive, during which I learned more about New Zealand than while spending an entire morning in the Te Papa in Wellington, I arrived at the Caving Company Black Water Rafting. The objective of today was to get into a wetsuit and actually do some black water rafting in a expansive cavern system. Black Water Rafting is not White Water Rafting in Caves. It is really tame floating.

After gearing up we went for a short shuttle ride to the training area, where we tried our first jump with inflated rings backwards first in ice cold water. Yeah, secondary objective is still killing Klaus with stuff he absolutely despises, like cold water.

Next was a ten minutes bush walk. This was the most exercising part of the day. After entering the cave we were walking a while till we reached the first waterfall. Simple drop of may be one meter. The second waterfall was not much higher.

The best part about the caving and floating experience where definitely the glowworms. In Europe glowworms are tiny little flying things. In New Zealand it is the shit of actually flies in their larval state. Still was nice to sea and it did not smell bad. (Simplified like always.)

It was fairly easy floating out of the caves. Somehow I expected more adventure and adrenaline. After Canyoning in Queenstown this was rather too tame.

I arrived back in Auckland half past seven in the evening. Tomorrow I will go north again. The northern tip of the north island and 90 mile beach are waiting. By the way no pictures because the pictures from the rafting where not worth the 20 dollars the company wanted to have.

Skytower in Auckland

After having the night out and breakfast at Starbucks,

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I went for the Skytower.

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The original plan said something about going up this tower. Making the skywalk. It means walking around without protective glass only secured by a small line. Jumping down the tower because I don't want to bother with going down the elevator again.

Busted.

The Skywalk should cost something like 70 Euro and the jump a little bit more. That was far to expensive for my taste. I rather invest that kind of money into the trip to Waitomo tomorrow. So I made the cheap and probably safer choice.

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Von 20100411-AucklandSkyTower

Von 20100411-AucklandSkyTower

Von 20100411-AucklandSkyTower

After this in incredible adventure (Keep your sarcasm in the line, Klaus.) I went to the cinema and watched Kick Ass. Hilarious. Best movie I have seen this year. Ok. I haven't seen many movies. But out of:

Brisbane: (Camerons critique on normal human behaviour.)
Christchurch: (Some swedish girl solving a decade old murder case)
Queenstown: (Anthony Hopkins as a Wherewolf)
Wellington: (John Travolta sightseeing in Paris)
Wellington: (Matt Damon sightseeing in Iraque)
Greymouth and Tauranga: (The Greek Movies: Killing Medusa I and II)

it was the best. If someone did not get the hints (Avatar, The girl with the dragon tattoo, Wolfman, From Paris with Love, Green Zone, Percy Jackson and the lightning thief, Clash of Titans)

Tomorrow I am in Waitomo. Caving and Blackwater Rafting.

Timing is everything.

I did not really thought about, whhen I booked the ferry ticket. But the last days I started to hope for it.

Riding into Auckland during the sunset with a ferry.

The day started fairly normal. Leaving the hostel till 10am and then killing time till the afternoon and the ferry was leaving. I am through with another book. Then the most anticipated fun part started.

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Von 20100410-FerryToAuckland

Von 20100410-FerryToAuckland

And finally seeing Auckland for the first time:

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Von 20100410-FerryToAuckland

Von 20100410-FerryToAuckland

At that moment I really wanted a better camera with me.

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Von 20100410-FerryToAuckland

Now I am in Auckland. I feel the city pulsing. The ever present sign of life in a big city. It smells different. Your eyes are constantly moving, while You are trying not to be killed. I love cities.

And I like Kiwis while walking down the street yesterday I was picked up by a few guys and asked to join a stag party. Everything here in New Zealand is so uncomplicated.

I will have a look how much the skywalk will cost. Maybe I will do that today.

Coromandel Town

Again I am stuck in a town with nothing to do. Ok, some people actually did warn me, but I did not think it would have been that extreme. Next time I will listen.

I went for a walk this morning. The Kauri Block Walk guided me up to a fantastic lookout over Coromandel Town.

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Von 20100409-Coromandel

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Von 20100409-Coromandel

After that I went down to the harbor road and a very short long beach.

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I spent the afternoon reading. Very nice day. ;) Tomorrow evening I will finally reach Auckland.

Cycle Tour (The End)

I sold the bike.

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If anyone goes to Whitianga have a look at On the Beach Backpackers. There is the new home of my constant companion the last two month.

Somehow I am feeling strange. I don't need to look after my bike anymore and it was a constant reminder of my chosen way of travel here in New Zealand. I am a bit at a lost now. I am happy because I don't need to find a buyer anymore. I am a bit sad that the end of the ride was so ordinary. I am happy that I did not need to cycle the road to Coromandel.

Part of the deal was getting me to Coromandel. I am in the town now and just shorten my stay from three nights to two nights. I am going to Auckland on Saturday afternoon.

Cycle Tour (Day 20) Opoutere to Whitianga (65km)

Yesterday I was going up the coast again.


View Cycle Tour New Zealand in a larger map

After shooting this picture:

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I needed to replace my back tube. Only three km into the day I had a flat tire. Sometimes a day can't start worse. I was tiring fairly quick while not even having done the first 20 km. Don't know maybe the sun after a cloudy weekend. Maybe the hills. At least the traffic was this time coming the way I was going. Perfect timing going further up the coast.

I took a break in Tairua and having a waffle before climbing the last big hill of the day. 240m difference in altitude. I think the Kiwis build their roads with the sole purpose of having a great lookout.

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Von 20100405-OpoutereToWhitiangi

On days like this I really like to have a better camera. When I finally reached Whitianga and my really great hostel I was greeted with sunshine and really nice waves. My first action was going into the water. The first time since I reached New Zealand.

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Von 20100405-OpoutereToWhitiangi

The single most important event that happened: The owner of the hostel is thinking about buying my bike. :) I am here two more nights. Maybe he will buy it and I won't have any problems in Auckland. Otherwise there is only one cycle trip left. Getting to Coromandel.