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Hash-Packing the World
  • Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
  • Nancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

Hash-Packing the World

Whether you know me as Nancy Webb or Pat Bonetar, I hope you enjoyed my trip through 4 continents and 17 countries! I can't wait to do it again!! Leer más
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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    New Zealand, Here I Come!

    12 de diciembre de 2018, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Yesterday was great. I did nothing until around 17:00 when I got some food and packed. Then I was back in bed. I feel so good after all the testing and napping.

    Now, I'm at the airport waiting to check in for my flight to Christchurch, New Zealand. Yay!

    Tazzy has been an amazing experience, one I wish would last longer. The island is number two on my favorite places I've visited on this trip. Only Chiang Mai, Thailand, rates higher, but not by much.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    I made it to New Zealand!

    13 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    24 hours ago, I was in Hobart waiting for my flight. Now, I'm in Christchurch waiting to check into my hostel.

    I landed in NZ at about 00:45 this morning and "slept" at the airport (with about 35 other backpackers) until the shuttle service began operating at 07:00. I was able to grab a sim card in the duty free shop and found an ATM and breakfast after I dropped my bags at the hostel. So far, so good.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Christchurch

    14 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Yesterday was uneventful. After taking another nap and getting my bed set up, I went to the nearest Irish pub. They had a two-man band playing, who were pretty good.

    I didn't get out of bed until almost 11! This two-hour time.difference is worse than when I went to Peru. I feel like it's two hours earlier.

    Anyway, I just mailed myself a box of hash shirts and Hard Rock Cafe pins to cut down on the luggage. Only just over two kilos (4.5 pounds), but every little bit helps.

    Now, I'm having lunch (breakfast) before heading back to the hostel. I'm beat. Remind me NOT to arrive anywhere at midnight again. It's exhausting.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Willowbank Wildlife Reserve

    15 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    Last night I saw the movie Bohemian Rhapsody. It was okay. I thought the beginning went too fast. The band just got together, then they're touring the US. The actor who portrayed Freddy was great in the musical sequences, but his face was pretty devoid of emotion. Maybe Freddy was that way, so maybe it's accurate, but the facial nuances were really needed to support a script that left so much unsaid.

    How better the welcome myself to New Zealand than to go see kiwis (the bird not the fruit)!?! There are some other endemic species here as well, a couple of birds and a really ancient type of what looks like a lizard but is not actually a lizard. More like a tiny dinosaur.

    Kiwis are nocturnal, so the video and two pics (the photos have been lightened) we're under red light conditions. One pic is with it's snout down a feeding cup, the other with his snout pointing forward. My hand on the statue shows size. Adorable!

    I've also had great fun with the almost tame eels, hand-feeding them raw meat and even slightly lifting them out of the water. They're slimy tubes of solid muscle. The ducks, geese, and swans are also very tame, not so much to pet but definitely to hand feed. The wallabies are also very friendly, gently eating out of your hand. The hefty hogs, sonorous sheep, and greedy goats are not so gentle. Lol. And there's a small herd of small deer. I'm in heaven.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the KIWIS. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Lazy Day

    16 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Yesterday was terrific! After my noon post I had lunch followed by hand feeding the ring-tailed lemurs. Yes, the same animals that were animated in the movie Madagascar. They were tame enough to eat from your hand or, in my case, sit on my shoulder and lean against the side of my face while eating from the bowl, but they weren't tame enough to reach out and pet. Really cool.

    Then I went on a guided tour of the NZ animals. I had already walked through the enclosures, but it was nice to have someone to talk to you about the animals. Bonus for me, although the keeper said they probably wouldn't, one of the Kea alpine parrots sat on my shoulder. I was so surprised that I tried taking pictures, but was just hitting the on/off switch. It was also very cool.

    After the animal tour, I attended a Maori demonstration, performance, and ritual, which included audience participation segments for which I, naturally, volunteered. For the women a dance of twirling balls on strings (simulating bags of rocks on ropes). For the men the Haka (like the All Blacks rugby team). And for both tossing sticks either left or right while catching the one being tossed at you (hand/eye coordination). We also learned about a few musical instruments and their living quarters. Again, really cool.

    To top off the day, they cooked a traditional meal in the ground (albeit in aluminum containers covered with tin foil), which was absolutely delicious. All told, I was at the park for over 12 hours. Great day!!

    Today, I'm just Netflix binging. I can't even try to top yesterday. Maybe I can track down the hashers later.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Monday. Time to Pack.

    17 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Today feels like a Monday. I haven't drug myself out of bed yet and am still watching Netflix. Maybe I just needed a long rest. Not sure what the rest of today will hold. All I did yesterday was get some food and get back to the computer. Maybe that's the same destiny for today except I have to pack for tomorrow. I'm heading north in the morning!

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Travelling North

    18 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    I left the Christchurch hostel at 07:30 to walk to the bus pickup spot, then we hit the road at 08:00. We stopped for morning tea, then continued north over the mountains and down to the coast. Once we hit the coast, we began seeing seals all over the place. I wish the sun was out so the colors would look as vivid as they do in the one attached pic.

    Now, we're at Kaikoura Lookout over the town, taking pics before we head to the hostel for one night.

    We're fortunate to be able to come here. Two years ago, a 7.8 earthquake completely cut the town off, rail and road. That earthquake was so strong that it raised up the seabed two meters (6.5 feet)! Now that the town is fully accessible again, AirBnB has named Kaikoura its top destination.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
    1

    Dolphin Encounter

    19 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ 🌧 64 °F

    Yesterday I wandered around town for a while, then called it an early night. My alarm went off at 04:15 so I could finish packing and walk to the Dolphin Encounter tour office. So I could go swimming with Dusky dolphins!!!!

    It was incredible. The first of three pods we dove in with were feeding on schools of fish, which is unusual to see during the day. They numbered about 100! I went in with my waterproof camera and got some amazing pics and a video. They were so close! One looked me dead in the eye as I spun around while he/she circled me. I could see the intelligence studying me. It was truly tear worthy and one of the best animal activities I've ever done. After we changed into dry clothes, we found another pod and took above water pics of them jumping and splashing around. It looked like they were having a lot of fun. I know I was!

    We got back at 09:00, which is when the bus was supposed to leave, but since there were six of us, the driver picked us up from there. Really cool.

    We've been on the road ever since and passed by NZ's largest seal colony that stretches 4-5 kilometers along the coast. It's pup season and there were so many very little ones. I hope you can spot some in the video.

    Now, we have just arrived in Blenheim (pronounced blen-um). Our final destination today is Wellington, which means we'll be on the ferry crossing Cook Strait this afternoon. Fingers crossed we see orcas or bottle-nosed dolphins!

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the DOLPHINS!! ✌️

    P.S.: Our tour guide finished our boat trip with the following quote, which is from the same book I took my sign off line, "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

    "On the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much—the wheel, New York, wars and so on—whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man—for precisely the same reasons.”     Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Auckland Bound

    20 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ 🌧 59 °F

    Yesterday's Cook Strait ferry crossing was uneventful. It was raining and since there was no overhead cover, I stayed inside and napped. Maybe it will be nice when I head south later on.

    We arrived at the hostel around 18:30, and I jumped in the shower since I didn't get one after the swim, just a hot freshwater hosing off. There was a bar in the basement called Basement--who would've guessed--and the colocated travel agency was in charged of Game Night. I signed up for the pool competition and won. The travel agent asked me what I wanted. I didn't know what the prizes were, so I said a beer. It was a hostel game night after all. How good could the prizes be? I won a five-day/four-night island hopping tour in Fiji. No kidding. And I already have a flight to there for my birthday. Happy birthday to me!!!

    We were on the road at 06:40 this morning...on the dot and minus one person who was late. "Motors," our driver, warned us that she would be leaving on time because today's 700-kilometer drive would take so long (she can only drive a certain number of hours each day).

    Now, we've just left the pickup/dropoff point in the town of National Park. Lol. We had a coffee stop in Bulls. Many of he stores had names like DelictiBulls, EdiBulls, etc. Lol.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Christmas on the Beach

    22 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    It's summer in the Southern Hemisphere, so I'm on a bus bound for Hahei in the north of New Zealand's North Island. I'm staying for a week at a hostel in Whitianga, the town next door that is just a short ferry hop across the water. I can't wait for a quiet, relaxing week on the beach. It will be a nice break.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Rainy Day

    24 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

    This is day two of non-stop rain. I had to walk to the store to get food for the next couple of days because everything will be closed on Christmas Day. Oh well. The 25-year-old poncho is holding up well and evidently makes me look like a local. I got asked for directions on the way to the store. Lol.

    Nothing else going on today except more Netflix later.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Ocean Kayaking

    26 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    This morning's sunrise was slightly hidden by the clouds, but they soon blew through. The rest of the morning has been magnificent. Clear blue skies, shiny hot sunshine, and cool green waters.

    I took the 0730 ferry across to Hahei, picked up a shuttle to Hahei Beach, and kayaked through Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve and Cathedral Cove. Beautiful.

    We've just finished and I'm waiting for my ride back to Whitianga. Not sure what the rest of the day holds, but I'm pretty sure there's a nap involved. I hope everyone who celebrates it either had or is having a wonderful Christmas Day. All my love to my family and friends, especially my Dad, Mom, Brother, and Sister-in-law; my Harley brothers and sisters; my Hasher knuckleheads; and my Air Force brethren.

    Sadly, I found out today that my Mom's dearest friend passed away on the 21st. L., you will always be one of the kindest people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. I am so very thankful my Mom had you in her life and, by extension, that I've had you in mine. Travel well.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Shakespeare Cliff

    27 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    After yesterday's kayaking, I went back to the hostel to shower and relax. Later in the evening I walked into town to have a few Kilkenny at the Irish pub named Grace O'Malley's. Good name. Great beer.

    This morning I took the ferry again to walk up Shakespeare Cliff. I'm on my way to the lookout point now.

    It's a magnificent day, sunny and hot, but not humid. I got a little sunburned yesterday, so I'm trying to stay in the shade as much as possible. The sun feels so good!

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Another Beautiful Day

    28 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Yesterday's walk of Shakespeare Cliff ended without incident. I made my way back into Whitianga to Master Kebab, the Turkish shop with excellent lamb kebobs. Yummy! Then, since my feet were beginning to hurt, I went back to the hostel, where I spent the rest of the evening. Great day!

    Today dawned without a cloud in the sky. I packed and made my way across the ferry one last time, then I took a shuttle to Hahei Holiday Resort, where I'll spend one last night in the area. Whitianga and Hahei have been great places to chill out and kick back on the beach, but it's time to head inland for a while.

    Right now, I'm grabbing a burger at the local ice cream shop before checking in. I hope it's good!

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️

    P.S.: A stupid seagull pooped on me while I was eating. 😒 💩    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Lunch With Friends

    30 de diciembre de 2018, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    My friend Xerox's house is right on Lake Rotarua, and when I arrived several swans were feeding. Once the others arrived, we had a lovely barbeque and hung out at the house. It was a very late night/early morning.

    Today, X went off to work and the four of us have gone into the city center for lunch. We stopped at the Sunday market along the way, which had some very cool stuff.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar

    Out and About

    4 de enero de 2019, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Yesterday was great, just lounging around. Today, I borrow the Dad-mobile to hit a couple of stores. I am just leaving The Warehouse, similar to Wal-Mart, and on my way to the lakeside in the city center. It's a gorgeous day, sunny and breezy at 21°C/70°F. Sweet as!!

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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  • Nancy Webb...Pat BonetarHash-Packing the WorldNancy Webb...Pat Bonetar
    1

    Sulphur Point

    5 de enero de 2019, Nueva Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Yesterday, I didn't make it to city center for my walk. I would up cleaning my friend's van instead. But I did make it to my walk today.

    My walk in Rotorua led me from the lakefront boardwalk around past Sulphur Point. The odor was very strong and reminded me of childhood smells on the way to my grandparents' home in East Texas. The milky blue water and yellow stained rocks were beautiful, and there were several places where the ground was boiling. Really nice stroll.

    Right now I'm in the tourist information center looking at things to do and places to go in the local area. There are heaps of things to see, many focused in the thermal activity and Maori culture. I can't wait to get to it.

    So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️    Leer más

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