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    Royal Botanical Gardens

    11. juni 2025, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today I explored the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney. I intended to go straight there, but thanks to my ever-improving navigation skills, I walked in the opposite direction. Luckily, I stumbled upon an Asian mall where I found—wait for it—a place that specialises in matcha and mochi! All I’ve ever wanted! (Apart from winning the lottery.)

    Just like with the Cinnabon and the macarons a few days earlier, I feel like the Asian mall found me, not the other way around.

    After my little Asian excursion, I decided to trust myself rather than Google Maps—and what do you know, I found the Botanical Gardens fairly quickly! They’re incredibly spacious and home to a variety of birds I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. One bird, in particular, seemed just as skeptical of directions as I am—it clearly tried to nudge me in the wrong one. But I wasn’t about to be hoodwinked—I trusted the stationary road sign. As long as it isn’t Google Maps…

    Today also marked the first day I didn’t go to the QVB—fortunately, other places sell macarons too.    Les mer

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    Queen Victoria Building and Surroundings

    10. juni 2025, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    In the past few days, I’ve been busy organising a few things for my stay in Australia — but one constant has been going to the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) every day. The building is kind of mesmerising: it was built for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1898 — just three years before her death. Its stately design is matched by its impressive size: a five-storey building with over 150 shops! You can find just about anything in there — even the most delicious macarons. Though, in all fairness, I wasn’t looking for them… they found me. True story. I’m sure.

    Despite the large crowds (which I never enjoy), I can’t deny that I like strolling through the building. You never know which shop you might have overlooked. For example, on my second day, I found a Cinnabon shop. I thought it would be wise to get a small one. After three bites, I was aching for more… but I stayed strong. So today, I went back — for the six macaron flavours I hadn’t yet tried on my first day. 😄

    Sydney impresses me with its architecture in general, and so far, it seems quite clean! The only thing I’ve noticed rather strongly is how much people keep to themselves — they avoid eye contact and don’t reciprocate a smile, or they simply look away. It was the same in Auckland, really. I notice it so strongly because in Vanuatu, it was completely different.

    Yes, on the one hand, people in Vanuatu made it clear more than once that I wasn’t one of them — the bus wouldn’t stop for me, only for locals; at the airport, while standing in line for the so-called “online check-in” (which was just a regular check-in, because the website didn’t work), I was first in line and still got shoved aside or ignored four times in favour of locals. And they weren’t subtle about it.

    But on the other hand, no matter where you went in Vanuatu, it was customary to make eye contact with people you passed on the street, smile, and greet them. Depending on who you encountered, the level of enthusiasm varied, of course, but by and large, everyone followed this unwritten rule — and I was glad to join in. Whenever I passed children, they were especially happy to greet me. Usually, I was walking past them, giving them plenty of time to get excited about the encounter. But even in Tanna, when I was being driven along the good part of the road, children would wave and say hello. That was pretty sweet.

    So now, the contrast hits quite hard. And I must confess: I didn’t expect to find it so difficult to adjust to this new (but also old) reality.
    Also — getting used to walking on the left again. (In Vanuatu, you walk and drive on the right.)    Les mer

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    Sydney by Night

    8. juni 2025, Australia ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    That night, I walked another 10 km to take in Vivid Sydney, the annual light festival currently illuminating the city. It’s actually the reason I chose to fly to Sydney instead of heading further north, where the weather would’ve been warmer. I’ve been told this winter is one of the colder ones, with daytime temperatures around 15–16°C, and about five degrees less at night.

    What’s really fun is watching how people react to the “cold”: there seem to be two distinct types. One group simply doesn’t care—walking around in shorts and T-shirts as if it’s still summer. The other group, in contrast, dresses like they’re in Scandinavia in mid-January: beanies, scarves, puffer jackets, the whole lot. It’s kinda hilarious.

    Vivid stretches across a huge area—from Darling Harbour to the Opera House, with colourful light installations and animations scattered all along the way. Some of the designs are genuinely mesmerising, and a lot of fun to photograph.

    That said… I didn’t really enjoy the experience overall.

    Why? Too. Many. People.

    If I could make one suggestion for improvement: remember those COVID-era crowd limits? Bring those back. I’d be delighted if everyone just had a 10-metre radius around them. Perfect!

    And there’s more. While kids are clearly part of Vivid’s intended audience, the experience would honestly be better for everyone if they had their own designated area—unless they’re unusually calm and well-behaved. Between the huge crowds and the sheer number of loud, chaotic children zigzagging in every direction, it was a bit much.

    One particularly ridiculous moment: I slightly bumped into a kid (maybe 4 or 5 years old)—he’d walked straight into me, as toddlers do. I said, “Be careful,” and he immediately responded by hurling foul-mouthed insults at me. Flabbergasted, I turned around and asked what he just called me—and he doubled down! Then his dad, whom I hadn’t even noticed, jumped in and started insulting me even more viciously. It was so absurd, I just stood there for a moment trying to process what had just happened and then walked on fast to get away. 😄

    Anyway—the highlight of the night? Definitely the mochi donuts. Oh, and yes—the pretty lights and their designs too. 😄    Les mer

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    Sydney by Day

    8. juni 2025, Australia ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    After arriving in Sydney on 07/06/25, I spent my first full day exploring—without reliable navigation. There was a bit of an issue with getting a SIM card: the first guy I spoke to made it sound like I might need a new phone entirely, so I wasn’t issued a SIM. (Turns out he was talking rubbish. A different shop sorted me out, and after a few hours of fiddling—honestly, it’s a science—I got it up and running.)

    I visited the Queen Victoria Building (QVB), where I couldn’t resist the macarons… and loaded with more sugar than I’ve had in over a month, I made my way to the harbour. Seeing the Sydney Opera House for the first time was quite a moment. For some reason, I’ve always associated it with the whole idea of travelling—and there it was, right in front of me. Pure joy.

    I kept walking and walking—probably around 10 km—all the way to Hyde Park, and finally back to the hostel, where I had just a moment to grab my stuff before heading out again.    Les mer

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    2

    Last Full Day in Port Vila

    6.–7. jun. 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    On my last full day (June 6), I flew back from Tanna to Port Vila—with a few uninvited guests in my backpack. Some cockroaches hitched a ride, courtesy of the bungalow I stayed at in Tanna. Yuck!

    For my final night, I booked an Airbnb in Port Vila, and from there it was just a 35-minute walk to the Aelan Chocolate Factory. I didn’t book in advance and decided to just show up—and got lucky! A woman working there (who seemed pretty bored, to be honest) gave me a private tour. The tour itself wasn’t exactly mind-blowing, but it ended with a generous chocolate tasting—14 different pieces, all handcrafted in Vanuatu. Not bad!

    The factory sources cocoa beans from four different islands: Espiritu Santo, Malo, Malekula, and Epi. They create chocolate with unique local flavors like coconut, kava (a mildly sedative root used in traditional ceremonies), ginger, turmeric, coffee, vanilla, chili pepper, sea salt, cocoa nibs, and nangai nuts (a nut native to Vanuatu, also known as Canarium indicum). All the dark chocolates are made with 70% cocoa and 30% sugar. Even though I’m usually more of a white chocolate fan (I know, I know—it’s not “real” chocolate), I have to admit they all tasted pretty nice!

    _____

    A Few Facts About Vanuatu

     • Vanuatu is made up of 83 islands, around 65 of which are inhabited.
    • The official languages are English, French, and Bislama.
    • Bislama is a creole language based on simplified English. It borrows vocabulary from English and incorporates Melanesian grammar structures. Despite what I’d heard, it doesn’t have 120 dialects—though the country does have over 100 local indigenous languages, making it one of the most linguistically diverse places in the world.
    • During World War II, Vanuatu (then known as the New Hebrides) was used as a strategic U.S. military base—especially the island of Espiritu Santo— because of its proximity to the Solomon Islands and the Pacific front.
    • One of the most surreal snorkelling spots in Vanuatu is Million Dollar Point on Espiritu Santo. After World War II, the Americans had so much military equipment stationed there—trucks, bulldozers, tanks, cranes—you name it. Shipping it all back to the U.S. was too expensive, so they offered to sell it to the colonial powers at a huge discount. The British and French refused, assuming they’d just leave it behind. Instead, the Americans drove it all straight into the ocean. The site got its name from the millions of dollars’ worth of gear dumped into the sea—and now, you can snorkel right over it (didn‘t get the chance, unfortunately). Rusting machines lie scattered just offshore, slowly being claimed by coral and fish.
    • A local in Santo told me that the invasive vine plant I saw everywhere on the island (see my June 4 post, “Snorkeling with Obstacles”) was brought over by the Americans to use as camouflage. Turns out that’s just a myth. The plant is native to the region, and its fast growth is just nature doing its thing—not part of a wartime strategy.
    • On December 17, 2024, Port Vila was struck by a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake that caused significant damage to buildings, roads, and the airport runway, as well as the harbour—resulting in the temporary suspension of cruise ship visits. The disaster claimed at least 14 lives, left many injured, and displaced hundreds; recovery efforts are still underway well into 2025.

    ______

    Some Bislama You Might Enjoy

    Here are a few fun Bislama words and phrases:
    • Halo – Hello
    • Plis – Please
    • Tangkyu – Thank you
    • Sori – Sorry
    • Mi no save – I don’t know
    • Mi glad tumas – I’m very happy

    And here’s a cheeky bonus: “Baskit blong titti” – Literally “basket for breasts,” a humorous way to refer to a bra. Bislama is straightforward—no complex words or tricky grammar. It gets the job done in the most literal way possible!

    And finally, a few low-quality pics of things that caught my eye in Vanuatu—when I couldn’t be bothered to pull out my proper camera.    Les mer

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    Mount Yasur

    5. juni 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    New island, new luck.
    Well… it didn’t exactly start out lucky.

    After flying from Santo to Port Vila on June 5th, I was supposed to continue on to Tanna—a quick 35-minute flight. But an hour later, we landed… right back in Port Vila. Due to strong crosswinds (about 30 knots) in Tanna, the pilot wasn’t able to land safely. So, we gained altitude and flew away. We weren’t informed until about 10 minutes before landing that we were turning back.

    The flight was rescheduled to today, and this time—I actually made it to Tanna.

    At the airport, all I saw were 4WDs. Fair enough. My next clue came when my driver told me it would take two hours to get to my bungalow. Two hours? For 36 kilometers?

    After completing about a third of the journey—on a road so good it could put the streets of Santo, Port Vila, and even Bali to shame—the road just… stopped. That was clue number three.

    From that point on, it was pure, untamed nature: rugged, rocky, uneven terrain with steep inclines, deep cracks, little rivers, and massive puddles. Jeremy Clarkson would’ve turned quite pale at the thought of driving these roads—at least I think so. What do I know? I’m just a self-taught expert in conquering New Zealand’s gravel tracks.

    When I finally arrived at the bungalow, I was greeted by a breathtaking panoramic view of Mt. Yasur, the star of the day: an active volcano with visible magma and lava. From my terrace, I could hear it rumbling every few minutes.

    (Full disclosure: the accommodation is probably the worst I’ve ever had. I’m not exactly thrilled to sleep in that bed…)

    In the late afternoon, we began our volcano tour. What. A. Drive.
    In a group of about 20 people, we were taken almost all the way to the summit—just a 10-minute walk from the furthest safe access point to the crater. At first, everyone was chatting and taking pictures. But the further we walked, the harder it became to breathe. Incredibly hard. The sulphuric acid in the air burned our lungs and eyes. There was a lot of coughing. Plus, it was insanely windy up there!

    People were just starting to consider turning back when suddenly—BOOOOM!
    The volcano let out a deafening roar. A deep rumble. Beautiful… but also a bit terrifying. Lava shot out from one of the two visible magma chambers. One lucky duck caught it on camera.

    It happened two more times.

    Sadly, I was still fiddling with the settings on my camera and action cam. I never got a decent shot—just blurry ones. Honestly, I’m pretty frustrated about that. But even so, the volcano excursion was an absolute dream come true. And despite its ruggedness, Tanna might just be my favorite place so far. There’s something about the raw, wild nature that makes me feel at home.

    (Not the accommodation, though. 😅)

    The soil across the island is black—volcanic. The mountains, the volcano itself, the beaches (which I glimpsed from the plane), and the lush forests… This is what I want nature to be.    Les mer

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    Champagne Beach

    4. juni 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    This beach could have been the top contender for best beach ever—if it weren’t for the storm that had started brewing by then.

    Under normal circumstances, bubbles rise from the seabed to the surface, giving the beach its name: Champagne Beach. But in this weather, you couldn’t see any of that. Just like the coral reefs.

    I can’t deny being pretty disappointed—the reefs I’ve always dreamed of seeing seem to have developed a habit of eluding me.    Les mer

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    Snorkeling with Obstacles

    4. juni 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    We drove on to a spot where three beaches meet! One of them was said to offer incredible sights for the snorkeling aficionados among us. And I did see some colorful fish and grey coral reefs—but not the vibrant, healthy coral I’d been promised.

    Because of the rain and increasingly strong currents, I wasn’t able to swim out far enough to reach the proper snorkeling spots. But my driver promised me another chance.    Les mer

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    Lunch at Port Olry

    4. juni 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    Lunchtime! What a fantastic beach—truly! If only the weather had cooperated. As soon as we sat down to eat, the skies completely opened up. The rain was so heavy that the island in the background disappeared entirely. We kept moving our table further and further back to avoid the rain lashing against us and our food.

    For lunch, I asked my driver to request a traditional meal from the kitchen. He was thrilled and ordered for me: Coconut Crab (see before-and-after pictures!) with savory papaya and… kumara! Not gonna lie—it triggered me a bit 😅. But it turned out to be a delicious meal!    Les mer

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    Nanda Blue Hole

    3. juni 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    I booked a tour for the day—a day that turned out to be incredibly rainy. It began with a heavy drizzle as we arrived at another Blue Hole—this one much deeper, reaching up to 28 meters! Maybe the two videos give you a sense of just how vast it is.

    While this stop was still enjoyable despite the rain, the mood gradually shifted from the next stop onward.    Les mer

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    New Island: Riri Blue Hole

    2. juni 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    A very early start today! I had to catch the plane from Port Vila to Espiritu Santo, an island about 45 minutes north of Efate Island by air. It’s absolutely stunning—possibly the best place I’ve ever been. I say possibly because, for most of my stay, the weather didn’t exactly cooperate. But today, I had a few lucky moments of sunshine.

    My accommodation for the next two nights is at Matevulu Lodge. (I asked the lady in charge if I could live there forever for free—she laughed at me in French. Technically not a no.) The little hut I had was dreamy, and just outside it was my own private access to the beach, with two hammocks—one of which I later used for a nap.

    The resort provides kayaks for free, and since the tide was high when I arrived, I kayaked to the Riri Blue Hole—a lagoon with unbelievably clear, blue water. The last lagoon I saw on Efate Island was nice, but this one was on another level. It reaches a depth of about 8 meters at its deepest point. It’s hard to comprehend that kind of depth because the water is so clear, it seems just an arm’s length deep.

    Before finding the Blue Hole, I came across a much broader, not-very-blue lagoon. I actually thought that was it, paddled around a bit, and was about to head back. That’s when I heard a local calling out to me. Eventually, I paddled over, and he explained that the real Blue Hole was about 10 minutes further, just past the bridge. I thanked him and was about to head off, but it turned out he was there to collect the entrance fee (which I had known about, but honestly, sometimes it feels odd to pay just to see nature).

    For most of the way, I was completely alone, though later I was joined by two other people. I went snorkelling and saw some beautiful fish!

    After changing islands and exploring, I took that aforementioned nap and enjoyed some dinner. Then the weather turned. From that point on—it was constant rain.    Les mer

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    Eden on the River

    1. juni 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    This place—the third and final stop—felt quite divine.
    The layout of the fauna seemed almost perfect, especially with that frame of light in the center and the towering trees surrounded by such lush greenery. The bridge wasn’t secure at all—one wrong step… . I was clutching my camera extra tight! ^^

    Since it was still quite early in the day (around 1 p.m.) when I got back to the hotel, I decided to hike to a sushi restaurant—an hour and a half on foot.
    The things I do for sushi…    Les mer

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    Blue Lagoon

    1. juni 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    The name pretty much says it all.
    Second stop: Blue Lagoon.
    It was very blue water in this… lagoon! Not great for snorkeling (yes, I tried), but truly beautiful. There were lots of opportunities to jump into the water using various ropes.

    Fun fact: the Blue Lagoon happens to be a spot where both fresh and salt water meet.    Les mer

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    2

    Turtles, Iguanas and a Ssssssnake

    1. juni 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Luckily, my hotel provided me with another short-notice tour option for the day.
    The first stop was a kind of turtle sanctuary—with iguanas. And, in theory, coconut crabs, but they were off exploring for the day—nowhere to be seen. A shame, really—they’re supposed to be huge.

    Instead, we got a surprise snake in the large iguana cage. Apparently, it was “cuddling” with one of the iguanas. When the tour guide saw this, she started to panic a bit and asked someone to gently guide the snake outside—caressing it like a long-lost love. Not her exact words, but that’s basically what the other tour guide did.
    Kind of like what happens when I see a spider and ask my favorite spider-disposer for his services. (Cheers, slpy!)

    The highlight of the visit was definitely the chance to swim with turtles. They have a bay netted off with two turtles inside, along with plenty of fish and a few corals.

    I did accidentally record the video in slow motion, but after about three hours, I figured out how to speed it up again—maybe a bit too much.
    Still, there were so many great turtle moments in there, it didn’t feel right to keep them to myself. 😄    Les mer

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    A Change of Scenery

    31. mai 2025, Vanuatu ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    It was time. Time to move on from New Zealand and my three-week-long Auckland-based confinement (after four weeks of being stuck in Kaitaia—with plenty of kumara).
    Eventually, I did manage to sell my car—after a lot of desperation and the trials and tribulations that come with mercurial potential buyers. (Anyone who’s ever tried to sell something online will know what I mean.) It wasn’t a fair price, but in the end, the need to move on was too pressing.

    And so, I moved on—to a place I hadn’t even known existed a month ago. Originally, I had planned to go to Fiji, but then I was informed of a Dengue Fever outbreak in the region. After checking the symptoms, I decided to avoid it.
    So, I ended up in Vanuatu. First stop: Port Vila on Efate Island.
    First of all: it’s warm! Finally! And it smells so much better than Auckland.
    I couldn’t help but be reminded of Bali—but it’s still very different. It’s not nearly as touristy. (The quality of the roads is similar, though slightly better here—so far.)
    That also means Port Vila doesn’t have much to offer in terms of transportation or shopping. The shops are pretty limited—catering more to daily needs than to tourists.
    When I step out of the hotel and want to explore, I have to hike for a while. Realistically, you need a car or scooter here. In Bali, everything to entertain you was just outside your door. A mix of both would be ideal.

    But after getting a first look around, I’m definitely enjoying the change of scenery and the tropical vibes. I had dinner at a restaurant overlooking the sunset over the harbour—and for the first time in weeks, I felt truly relaxed.

    Until I noticed I’d kind of been ripped off by an unofficial tour guide who was trying to lure hotel guests in in the lobby of my hotel. He insisted on a larger deposit for a tour the next day and was quite relentless about it.
    Too late, I realized something was off. The hotel staff are now doing their best to help and possibly reimburse me, since what he did wasn’t exactly legal—pretending to be from a legitimate company, flashing what looked like real credentials, and agreeing on a price only to later claim there were about 20,000 VT (around 150 EUR) in additional entrance fees—which wasn’t true.
    By then, unfortunately, the deposit had already been made.

    The good thing about situations like these? They come with a steep learning curve. 😄    Les mer

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    Waiheke Island

    20. mai 2025, New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    It’s been a while! Let me catch you up:

    I’ve finished working at the kumara farm in Kaitaia (a few days earlier than intended—my hands were a bit worse for wear) and am now staying in Auckland, where I’m trying to sell my car. The word “trying” is key here. The market is saturated, and there’s not much interest from buyers…

    Not a whole lot has been happening in Auckland. Last Friday, I went to a sensory deprivation tank. For those who don’t know, you float in knee-high water that’s been loaded with over 550 kg of magnesium-rich Epsom salt—which keeps you effortlessly buoyant. The tank is pitch-black, so you feel like you’re suspended in outer space. It’s amazing for meditation and deep relaxation. (See last picture.)

    But today was going to be awesome. I met up with Scott from Scotland (we know each other from the kumara farm) to go to the amusement park here in Auckland. On the way there, we realized it was closed. Well, oops. So much for planning ahead.

    Luckily, we both also really wanted to visit Waiheke Island. (Waiheke is known for its beautiful vineyards, stunning beaches, and laid-back artsy vibe—it’s like a mini Mediterranean escape just 40 minutes from Auckland.)

    We took the ferry across and started hiking to explore the area, heading to our first stop: Mudbrick—a beautiful restaurant and vineyard. We picked the perfect day for it. The weather was incredible. At Mudbrick, we enjoyed an absolutely superb tiramisu and panna cotta. Honestly, the best I’ve ever had.

    Toward the end of the day, we went for a stroll along Onetangi Beach and had dinner at 372. We couldn’t remember the number for the life of us and got it wrong every single time—even when calling a taxi to pick us up. (To be fair, we told the taxi lady “375,” which was close enough… she really could have guessed.)

    372 turned out to be one of those places where the food is just on another level—easily one of my top five dining experiences ever (creamed pāua, pork belly and frybread + pizzetta bianca with oyster mushrooms, braised leek, Annabelle’s truffle, black garlic crèmeux, and mozzarella).

    All of this while watching the sun set over the water.

    Even though the amusement park was a flop (I’ll accept 7% of the blame—they really should be open every day), this definitely won’t be our last attempt to go!    Les mer

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    Rain and Sunset

    29. april 2025, New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    Tonight marks nearly a full week without a single day of work due to the constant rain. There won’t be any work on Wednesday or Thursday either — maybe Friday. It’s not great.
    At least I caught a beautiful sunset at the end of the day, along with a rainbow (pic 2). When I raced back to grab my camera, the rainbow had already faded almost completely. You can still spot a faint bit of colour in the middle of the photo.
    Another day without much excitement, and later: more rain.    Les mer

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    Coopers Beach and Cable Bay

    28. april 2025, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    After days and days of rain and no work on the kumara farm, today finally brought a little bit of sunshine (before the rain returned later). I seized the opportunity to explore Coopers Bay and the adjacent Cable Bay.
    Not much to say here: it was nice to look at, great for a little stroll, and a welcome change of scenery from the crowded hostel, which is bordering on unhygienic.
    I’ve worked 5 out of 11 possible days so far. Presumably, work can start again on Thursday…    Les mer

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    Surfing on Giant Sand Dunes

    20. april 2025, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    I went surfing today — on sand! I never knew how much fun that could be. I also didn’t anticipate just how much sand would end up in my mouth. Crunchy!

    I actually met two Kiwis there who were kind enough to film my descent. I’m really glad I ran into them, especially after being somewhat stuck at the hostel due to the rain. We had a lovely chat, and that little adventure was exactly what I needed.

    I want to say it was free… and it almost was — just $15 for the board rental.

    While the surfing was really cool, I also watched a handful of people fall off their boards, unintentionally showing off some impressive acrobatic skills as they somersaulted through the air. They seemed to be OK afterward, though — that must have hurt...    Les mer

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    Cape Reinga

    20. april 2025, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Happy Easter!
    A great opportunity to visit Cape Reinga — with two hitchhikers in the back of my car (alive!) — the northernmost point of New Zealand and where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean (pic 3). Awesome, eh? It was the first nice day after ages of bad weather (although it did rain again in the afternoon…). Still, because it was Easter and finally sunny, a lot of people came out to enjoy the view.

    P.S. Early in the morning, I found a cute green bird that didn’t quite look alright, so I gave him some water and a few seeds. I like to think he appreciated it. Also, two girls at the hostel were so kind — they actually hid a few chocolate eggs around the premises. I was SO! eager to find them and relocate them to a safe place with a lock: my car. And I had to eat them fast — otherwise they would have melted.    Les mer

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    Rain, Work and Nothing Much to Do

    19. april 2025, New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    After sending out countless applications, someone finally got back to me. I now work on a kumara farm in Kaitaia (after Tauranga, I stayed in Auckland and Whangarei before I made it to Kaitaia to split up the drive). I earn minimum wage and can’t work most days because of the rain. Averaging about three days a week seems realistic. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really help with the money I’ve already spent — or the costs still to come.

    As we found out, there are two worker groups staying at my hostel. We both work on kumara farms, just for different companies. The job is identical: standing on a harvester, separating the kumara from the plant, picking it off one conveyor belt, and placing it onto another. It’s repetitive and physically demanding.

    At least the other group earns more per hour, gets more consistent work, and even received holiday pay for Easter. So… one week down, three to go. There’s not much to do around here — it’s not the most exciting place. But if opportunity knocks, I’ll open the door.

    Due to the heavy rain brought to the North Island by ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam, there hasn’t just been a lack of work — there’s been no real chance to move around or do anything. Between showers, I tried to explore Ahipara for a bit, but only lasted five minutes outside before the rain forced me back into my car.    Les mer

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    Tauranga

    9. april 2025, New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Tauranga is surprisingly beautiful—especially the area around Mt. Maunganui! I loved the beach and could’ve spent forever collecting seashells, but I also wanted to climb the mountain. There were several paths, and for whatever reason, I kept choosing the more challenging ones. I had a ball!
    As a reward—and with a clear conscience—I got a watermelon, lemon, and liquorice-flavoured ice cream when I made it back to the beach in just one hour (instead of the 1.5 hours I’d read it would take). The lemon flavour was especially delicious!
    (Slpy, if you’re reading this: ice cream is code for carrots, and that’s all you need to know…)

    By the way… I found more of the stickers. 😄    Les mer

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    2

    A Prison Cell in Hamilton

    8. april 2025, New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    I’m not sure how I feel about Hamilton. The best-rated hostel there looked truly like a prison. I even had my own cell. Everything was sterile—white bricks, white, run-down furniture—and it looked anything but inviting. There were no proper common areas, and everything there seemed designed to make sure you’d never commit a crime, just to avoid being sent to a real prison (which might be more comfortable, depending on the country).

    After about a week and a half of traveling together, Shuan and I parted ways the next morning.

    I went to see the lake in Hamilton—Lake Rotoroa (not to be confused with the island Rotoroa I’ve been to before). Apart from having some fun with ducks, it was not at all spectacular. I was looking forward to visiting the gardens in Hamilton, though. However, the 10-minute walk back to the car from the lake was enough for the weather to switch from "partly cloudy with sunshine" to "torrential rain for miles," making it difficult to even see the car in front of me on the highway. I decided it was in the best interest of both me and my cheap teddy bear umbrella from Bali to stay in the car and drive on to Tauranga.

    In short, I’m sure Hamilton might have more to offer, but I just didn’t get the chance to see it.    Les mer

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    Black Water Rafting

    7. april 2025, New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    I was really looking forward to this—Black Water Rafting in one of the Waitomo Caves, a 3-hour fun experience! After all the formalities (getting our gear, squeezing into some painfully tight wetsuits, and a few instructions on what to expect), we hopped into a van to be driven to a river. There, we practiced jumping into the water with our tubes since one part of the experience involved jumping backwards off a 1.5 meter waterfall, tube around your butt. Fun, huh? I certainly thought so!

    With a successful practice session under our belts, we arrived at the cave. And in we went! The first cool part was a little extra loop that let us circle back to where we’d already passed through. The loop was elevated, and you had to climb into it. There wasn’t much space, so you had to crawl and remember the directions: left, left, right, left. We were told, "This is optional. Do not do this if you have claustrophobia." I just thought "Tuwhitia te hopo, mairangatia te angitu" (Feel the fear and do it anyway) and did it. Awesome!

    Next came a narrow tunnel where you couldn’t walk or crawl—you had to lie flat in your tube and glide through the water. So awesome! After that, we slid down two smaller waterfalls (no biggie, pretty easy) and either walked or tubed through the cave. At one point, we all linked up in a line by sitting/lying in our tubes and holding onto the feet of the person behind us. The guide led us through this section in complete darkness so we could enjoy the glowworms on the cave ceiling.

    Then came the waterfall jump. Really awesome—and definitely my favorite part! Not knowing where you’re jumping, surrounded by darkness and stalactites, made it even more thrilling. Yes, it was only 1.5 meters, but still, nothing short of awesome. (Let’s play a drinking game: re-read this post, and every time you see the word "awesome," take a drink of your choice. :D)

    At the end, we were all in our tubes, paddling through the freezing cave river to the exit—again in complete darkness to see the glowworms. All in all, it was a fantastic experience! (For those of you who were gearing up to drink, here you go: awesome!)

    The only thing that took away from the fun a little was my attempt to stay overly hydrated before the adventure. I was determined not to defile the wetsuit. We were told that if the need arose, we could let the guides know, and they’d show us to a secluded part of the cave. I did let them know of my need for some privacy, and they assured me that the next part of the cave would allow for this. I kept waiting… and waiting. So, what was "the next part of the cave"? Well, apparently, it never came. They forgot. So, that 3-hour moment of agony was, wait for it—not awesome.

    For those wondering: I stuck to my mission and returned a perfectly fine wetsuit. You’re welcome. Awesome, right?

    After braving the cold, we were welcomed back at the reception with a hot shower and some hot tomato soup while getting a chance to peek at the pictures taken.

    P.S.: I feel weird ending this post without this: Awesome!    Les mer

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    Cavernous Sojourn

    6. april 2025, New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    I had another cool thing planned for later – a tour through one of the glowworm caves of the vast Waitomo cave system. (‘Waitomo’ comes from the Māori words wai (water) and tomo (hole or shaft), roughly translating to ‘water passing through a hole.’) What is usually described as glowworms in the cave, isn‘t actually glowworms. Let ChatGPT tell you why:

     “New Zealand’s famous glowworms, Arachnocampa luminosa, are actually the larvae of a fungus gnat, not true glowworms. These bioluminescent larvae light up the dark caves to attract prey, creating a stunning natural light show. The glowing larvae use sticky silk threads to trap small insects. Once they mature, they become non-glowing adult flies with a short lifespan, focused only on mating.“

    Even though I’d seen glowworms before, I wanted another look – and the chance to get better photos this time. The tour advertised that photography is allowed, though tripods aren’t (too risky in the dark). They did mention that there would be mounts you can use… but failed to say these are only meant for smartphones. So yeah – enjoy my attempts at glowworm photography, in descending order of success. 😅

    It was a shame, really. The boat ride through the glowworm-lit cave is stunning. At first, it’s pitch black with just a few glowing dots, but once your eyes adjust, it actually looks surprisingly bright – the reflections on the still water are almost surreal. Too bad I couldn’t capture it.

    To make up for that little fail, here’s a photo of the ‘Bambi’ I met that evening – a 23-year-old deer from the farmland next to our hostel for the night.    Les mer

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