Leaving New Zealand

Hello, it's been a while so I'll have to split this email into 2. I thought my emails would be more frequent once I began to move again but I have had little time to sit down and write.

Despite some late snow I didn't ski again in New Zealand. There were many injuries in the last week so it was a good idea. Instead I spent my last weeks in Wanaka swimming in the local pool and getting things in place to move on. The car was up for sale and I was very low on money so I did agonies a little about what to do next.  I was finding it difficult to leave Wanaka and every time I decided to leave I found a reason to stay so I forced the issue by giving my land lady notice thinking when my notice was up it was time to leave. Of course friends offered me a place to sleep for free so I was tempted to stay another weekend but the night before my rent was up I went round town saying goodbye to friends. The car was getting little genuine interest but as I prepared to start the 5 hour drive to Christchurch someone rang about the car and came to have a look. He seemed interested and I gave him till lunchtime to decide but he never got back to me. It was a shame as that would have made life very easy.  So, I packed the car, went into town for one last pie from the 'Dough Bin' and set off towards Christchurch.  My money had run out and the trip north would be pricey if I had to go all the way to Auckland but I had heard that the market for cars was far better.

Over the previous fortnight people had been slowly leaving town.  One friend called Pascal had decided to cycle to Bay of Islands north of Auckland. His van had packed up while in Wanaka and when he found no economical way to fix it he had to give the van away and decided to make the trip on his girlfriends push bike which was too small, with an improvised tent and a didgeridoo made from a piece of plastic plumbing tube. It's a very long trip but the weather had been fine with spring having been virtually bypassed for full summer. As soon as he left town though, a cold front hit the south island and he had 3 days of snow as he made his way past mount cook. As I left town he contacted me randomly to tell me where he was and knowing I would be passing I arranged to meet him in Geraldine where he was staying in his home made tent!

So I began my journey and before long the scenery began to change very dramatically.  Having become used to the valley settings of Wanaka and Queenstown where you are over shadowed by the mountains all day I was surprised by the more open and dramatic scenery I experienced as I left that area behind and headed towards mount cook. Up here the mountains become bigger but the valleys under them are more open.  There was a lot of colour and the road twisted and turned gently which made for a nice drive. The car was going well.  I had a small leak which dripped onto the wiper switch when it rained and switched the wipers on permanently and of course it began to raintermittentlyitantly so I didn't really need them on. The only way round was to pull the switch out and sit it to dry on the heater. I still loved my amusing car though and the idea of parting with her made me sad as we had become companions on these long trips. On the way we passed some funny little towns that had a very small town feel to the point of being a little odd sometimes. The weather was fabulous and constantly changing like proper New Zealand weather does. I passed Lake Tekapo and then Mount Cook and although the peak was shrouded in cloud it was still very beautiful. The crazy bright pastel blue rivers which ran from the mountain glaciers looked amazing in the sun which broke through big dark clouds that moved rapidly overhead.

Eventually I arrived in Geraldine. It's a funny little town in the middle of nowhere and after some searching using Pascal's very Italian directions I found him in a camp site on the outskirts of the town. The centre of the campsite was an old wooden church which was now being used as hostel like accommodation with a big wood burner and small wood paneled rooms. Pascal had set his tent, fabricated from various tent pieces and tar poulen under a tree and had been there a day already. It was nice to see him as I had felt quite lonely being on the road on my own again and not knowing anyone at my final destination. It had been a very strange feeling as my departure from Wanaka had been very non eventful and quick. We had a long chat and made a very nice meal of steak, onions, potatoes and couscous with bean salad. It was delicious and massive. Pascal had had quite an adventure since leaving Wanaka and seemed very enthused by the experience. It seemed to be a lot of fun and he had the time and space to loose himself in his journey. It got late and I didn't really fancy continuing with the drive to Christchurch in the rain and dark so I took a bed in the old church. I was the only person sleeping in there and Pascal assured me that there must be a lot of ghosts as it was a church. Thanks man! It was a spookyspookey with the fire banging and cracking through the night and the funny little windows. I had a very sound and warm sleep though considering how cold it was. Next morning we had an early breakfast and I saw Pascal off before heading off myself to Christchurch. The drive changed again and was flat and straight on the straightest road in New Zealand. It was nice to just relax and drive in a straight line for a change and it was a relief to the fuel bill also. Arriving in Christchurch was strange. I had becomcountrifiedtryfied in Wanaka and the sprawling suburbs and industrial look of the city didn't sit well with me. I felt very out of sorts with no view of the lake and mountain and a more scruffy urban environment surrounding me. After looking around at a couple of hostels I decided on Foley Towers which was setup and is still owned by the founder of BBH which is the best and most popular hostel organisation in New Zealand. It seemed a little quirky at first but soon became like a home and is a fantastic hostel. By the end of the first evening I was making plenty of friends. I had noticed that one girl was a north Londoner and I was pretty sure she was Greek so she was probably from Southgate or Palmers Green. When we spoke she was from Grange Park, where I live in London, and once she told me which road I knew who she must be. I said is your name Constantinou and she nearly fell off her chair. She turned out to be the sister of a guy I went to school with who's mum went to school with my mum. I'd say 'small world' but I can't stand that saying. The world is massive. These things just happen. We had a lot of laughs over the next few days.

The purpose of going to Christchurch had been to find to a better market to sell my car but after checking things out the rumors proved to be empty and the mass of people now arriving for the summer season were in fact to be found in Auckland where cars were selling in large numbers and quickly. I was disappointed and the thought of driving that distance and staying in Auckland just to sell the car didn't fill me with joy. There had been a few people looking for cars at the hostel but no-one wanted to spend as much as I was asking. One chap in particular wanted a jeep to carry his hang glider.  He could give me $1500 which is what I had paid for it and I was very tempted.  I had also been thinking about what I really wanted to do next and deep down I had no interest in going to Fiji, Cook Island or Tahiti. They are all just too touristy and my budget would not allow for a decent diving trip.  A quick visit to Air New Zealand made my mind up. My flight went from Christchurch to Auckland, Fiji, Cook Island, Tahiti and then LA.  For a mere $100 (£40) I could fly to LA direct from Christchurch that weekend on a half empty plane!  And so I went to the hostel, told Matt he could have the car for that price and the following day we did the deal and my flight was booked. It was such a relief and it gave me a few days to enjoy Christchurch which had grown on me a lot having made many friends in the hostel. Over the next few days there was much drinking and late nights in the hostel living room playing 'shit head' and 'Jenga'. I ate out a lot and spent a fair bit of cash on some music as New Zealand music is very good but hard to get hold of outside the country. There is a lot of reggae and folk music which is excellent. I also bought a merino wool jumper as I had gotten into the habit of wearing New Zealand wool clothing I had bought for a few dollars in a recycle centre. It's fantastic stuff in the cold. Some of the snow boarders from the Rookie course in Wanaka also came up to Christchurch for the weekend and we all had a night out on the town before going our separate ways.

So it was time to leave and on Sunday 2nd October I got packed and my friend Leonardo kindly drove me to the airport. I was a little concerned that David another Italian friend was kindly smoking a joint over my luggage in the back of the car and filling the car with smoke. Turning up at LAX airport with luggage stinking of weed could be interesting. I already have a passport which says born in Tehran and more trouble in the airport was not really what I needed. Then once Leonardo left the airport I realised I had left my rather expensive MP3 player which is also my back up drive for photos on the book shelf in the living room of the hostel. The 1st time I had forgotten things on this trip. He kindly brought it to the airport for me though and I checked in. I felt very strange about leaving New Zealand which had literally become home. I have family in the States and my trip there was more to see people than the place but I didn't relish the idea of going there and in my mind my trip was already over. New Zealand had been wonderful with it's clean air, smoke free bars and the simple outdoors lifestyle had made me very healthy, relaxed and happy. It's a place I could live very happily and life has a good balance. You sometimes do miss the culture and hustle bustle of Europe but it is a wonderful place. I had made so many friends and the summer was bringing a very different feel to traveling there which I would have loved to stay and enjoy but I knew it was time to go home for various reasons most importantly, money. So I left with very mixed feelings.

Next..... America! Oh my goodness!