Burger King in NZ still sucks (and is expensive)

We arrived in New Zealand without any hiccups.  All of the hostels were full so we checked into a 'hotel' in Auckland.  Apparently spontanaeity isn't the best strategy to find shelter in the heat of the school holidays.  After setting our  bags down, we decided Burger King was our best option for food for reasons that still escape me.  As we sat and enjoyed our ten dollar BK meals we absently gazed at the muted TV to see four hairy men thrusting their hips at us.  Next they were silhoutted by the setting sun, under an outdoor shower rubbing themselves (look up bearforce one if you want to see the video for yourself).  We were all puzzled why this was playing in BK.

The next day we caught an early bus to Hamilton and then a connector out to Ragland where we met a friend who is working in a hostel there.  We camped in a holiday park.  Basically, that meant our three person tent was squished between two caravans and a road.  We had a beer with some locals at the dive bar.  They played an odd assortment of Nsync, Madonna, Cindy Lauper, among other gems from the 90s.

Our next stop was Taupo.  We got up at 5 in the morning to get to the great walk in Tongoriro.  It was about 20km hike plus a 700m climb up Mt. Doom.  This side hike was rather treacherous.  The mountain seemed to be entirely made of small pebbles that swallowed your feet.  While it took us about an hour to scramble up the volcanoe it was a quick 15 minute run/ski/almost-eat-shit-skid down the face.

At the top of Mt. Doom.  Skyler pushing a boulder onto some orcs

Bollywood production.  What you can't see are the minicoopers to the left of the wheelchair gang.

Wellington

Wellington city center

Outside our hostel window.  Two cyclones converging = lots of rain

Margaret and I on the beaches of Abel Tasman

We returned to Taupo exhausted and decided to stay in the hostel for the shower and bed.  We all woke up at about 2 to some seeerious rain.  Glad we weren't free camping.

We decided that most of the things we are excited about are on the South Island so we set our sights on Nelson.  We made it to Wellington, a very neat town that is smushed between a ring of hills and right on the water.  It feels small and intimate but is still a vibrant city.  The walking signal to cross the street reminded me of the warning sound you might hear if there was a breech in your spaceship or submarine.  I found it made my crossing brisk and with purpose. 

After getting settled we went for a walk on the docks where we saw a man come into harbor that had just finished sailing his multi-million dollar boat from South Africa to Wellington by himself.  He was the third place finisher for that leg in a solo sailing race around the world.  We then walked further down and ran into a bollywood film production.  It involved a group of people in wheelchairs, three mini coopers and a gang of motorcyclists.  The minicoopers squeezed by the wheelchairs by driving up on the side of the dock while the pursuing motorcyclists got cut off by the chaotic wheelchairs.  It seemed to be some bizarre adaptation of the Italian Job.

In the morning we took the ferry to the south island and then bussed into Nelson.  We are spending a few days with my Aunt in Motueka, before we strip down our packs and head out for the wilderness. 

On the Tongoriro hike... I think this is where Frodo destroyed the ring

That's it for now!  Probably won't be able to post for another week or two.