Seatbelts and Jesus on the Naked Bus?

As the sunset was approaching I hopped on a bus headed North to a town called Taupo. I took a taxi to a McDonald's across town from my hostel and in front I was picked up by a cheap as hell bus called The Naked Bus (if you go online at the right time you can buy tickets to so many places for around $20- similar to Mega Bus in Canada)

I had to wonder, what was with the name? The Naked Bus? Was the driver going to be some greasy, middle-aged naked dude encouraging everyone to take it off? Was I hopping onto a bus of fornication? It wasn't exactly what I had imagined. Just in time to beat a gust of rain, I hopped onto the bus as a fully-clothed middle aged dude threw my bags into the cargo space, got behind the wheel, told everyone to put their seatbelts (?) on and said a prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. That was a first! Seatbelts and Jesus on The Naked Bus? Alright! Ill take it! Its better than some drunk guy crapping his pants behind me and a delinquent mother who cant be bothered to soothe her baby's shrill cries for the entire ride...like on every single Greyhound bus ride Ive ever taken back home!

As we departed Wellington and hit the highway I watched the rolling green mountains go by, and thought about how lovely it was that even the suburbs haven't completely taken over nature. Dont get me wrong, there is plenty of development in the area, but still compared to most cities Ive visited you can see that nature is still King. Instead of a sprawling suburbia dotted with a tree here and there, there was a refreshing blanket of green for as far as I could see, and stunning mountains and coastal views with neighborhoods scattered here and there- mixing in, not parasitically reigning like other places Id been recently. The more I traveled New Zealand the more I noticed this reoccurring theme- Nature First. Thanks New Zealand, one more reason to love ya!

I was a little regretful I couldn't spend more time in the quaint, inviting, artistic and colorful city of Wellington but nevertheless, one must push onward. I could feel a great adventure coming my way, and so I told myself "I'll be back" (and I did return). Trying to cheer myself up I turned my focus to the reason I came to New Zealand: The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, imagining it in all it's glory. At 3 a.m. those pesky fluorescent lights glared down on me. The Naked Bus had stopped.. Destination Taupo, check point!

Waking Up in New Zealand, Day 1

On the first of my 8 days in New Zealand I woke up at Base-X Wellington Hostel. It's quite a strange feeling to wake up and have to remember where you are, but after almost a year on the road I am getting used to it. As the night before came back to my memory, I remembered I was in New Zealand! YAY! A huge smile crept across my face. It feels amazing to be somewhere that you have imagined for so long.

 ~ I wish everyone could have the chance to experience this feeling.~

It was exactly 9:55 a.m. and check-out was 10:00 a.m. I knew this meant I had to get all my gear together and to the lobby in under 5 minutes but I cheerfully hopped down the stairs with all kilos in hand (after realizing this old hostel's elevators weren't exactly in tip-top shape.) But nooooo worries- I was in such a great mood nothing could get me down! 

I managed to check out at exactly 10:00 a.m.- muahaha....victory was mine! I grabbed a table in the lobby where a yummy breakfast greeted me.  Fresh orange juice after travel=revival of life! Hells yes! While I had a light brekkie, I opened up my daily calendar book, which is where I usually record all of my travel plans. I scribbled in some details over two cups of tea, O.J. and some jam and toast. I decided to spend the day sightseeing around the city of Wellington (which I had heard was awesome) and buy myself some extra travel time by taking a bus up the North Island that night.

My plan was to head North to Taupo (A), the volcanic area of NZ's North Island

Photo Credit: static.stuff.co.nz

But for now, Day 1 in New Zealand was all about discovering "Wellywood." After brekkie I re-arranged my gear so it would all fit in one of the lockers in the hostel's kitchen. While I was wrestling my tent onto my backpack, I struck up a conversation with this friendly fellow named Wallie. He was a middle-aged Lebanese guy who was in NZ on business, but it turned he was very interested in the whole backpacker lifestyle and also had a long history of travel. He had already traveled through many African countries which intrigued me and after a good 20 minutes chatting he asked if he could join me. I thought sure, why not?  We stepped outside into the crisp, clean air. It was a magnificent sunny day in downtown Wellington and the very best weather for a morning stroll around town! The breeze was cool, salty and delicious. After taking a quick inventory of the CBD we headed straight for the water.

Colorful Kayaks at the City Harbour

Sailboats on glistening waters

After strolling around the harbour and stopping for a quick lunch at an Indian restaurant we continued walking towards wherever looked interesting or beautiful (which was everywhere!).

Eventually we decided it would be great to see a view of the harbour from Mount Victoria. I didn't know the way, but Wallie said he did. As we hiked up the dirt and rock path he struggled a lot and had to take several breaks. I was in flip-flops and had no problems with the hike but stopped with him and caught glimpses of the water through the trees. But the further we walked, the dirt path got smaller and less distinct and I was afraid we might have taken a wrong turn. Wallie kept saying he was sure this was the right path, but I wasn't convinced. Looking off the cliff to the road I could see where many cars were lined up and I think the actual path was somewhere around those cars. I calculated the possibilities. 

Either A) Wallie had made an honest mistake and we were rambling up this hill for nothing, unknowingly, B) We were on the right path (but that seemed unlikely because of the lack of wear on the path, or C) We were going the wrong way and he knew it.

I knew what I had to do. Upfront and honest I just said "I dont think this is the right path and I dont want to go any further. Im leaving the track."  I made my way down towards the lines and colored streaks of cars down below. He tried to sway my decision to continue on the path, but I just knew it was a waste of time, and in fact, it could be dangerous. I didnt have proper footwear and more importantly, I really didn't know him at all. Wallie reluctantly agreed, and he too came down to what appeared to be the main route up the mountainside. It was bustling with people and cars and that gave me a feeling of relief. I was finally back in my comfort zone. 

As we climbed up to Mount Victoria, here is the view of Oriental Bay

Looking down on the harbour

 
After walking back into the city, we went down to the New Zealand's best and biggest museum the Te Papa Museum,which in the Maori language means "container of treasures".
I really wanted to learn about the indigenous of New Zealand and this seemed like the place to go and so we did.

Inside, was a massive, interactive museum with several floors and divisions of native Maori installations, as well as many, many geological exhibits. We walked through the maze of history for hours!

After filling our heads with as much information as humanly possible, we walked back to the hostel where went our separate ways. I never saw Wallie again.

Thanks for reading! 



 

A few things I highly recommend in Wellington, New Zealand:
 
Base Backpackers Hostel 
Te Papa Museum
Masala Indian Restaurant

"Crossing the Ditch" to New Zealand

Getting ready in Brisbane

My Roaming Backpack.. on the move again. And this time in search of one of the most beautiful and untouched countries in the world, 

New Zealand!

I was heading to New Zealand, home to the indigenous Maori people, active volcanoes, the flightless Kiwi bird and millions of sheep...(yes, sheep!)

The Kiwi bird on the NZ 1$ coin

I was "setting sail" for an exciting 8-day adventure in which I hoped to conquer the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, get the dry heat of Australia off me and get to some fresh, cool waters, do some kayaking and hopefully see some new wildlife! 

When people speak of NZ the pure and pristine eco-system is always a highlight and selling point.  I heard that NZ customs could be pretty strict on what kind of used hiking/camping gear they will allow into their country so I asked my Kiwi friend, Julia about it.  
Being on a backpacker's budget and not wanting to buy all new gear (NZ is not cheap either!), I decided to wash my backpack, sleeping mat, sleeping bag and then scrubbed my well broken-in hiking shoes with an old toothbrush. It was unbelievable what came off and out of those shoes. Australia is one dry, dusty country!

When I arrived at the Wellington airport, my gear was carefully eyed-up by a young and might I say, rather good-looking customs officer. Within a few minutes he was kind of doing his job while flirting with me.  It all felt kind of strange when he said he would need me to come into the quarantine room where he would inspect my tent, haha! Once inside he and his partner did inspect MY TENT. Luckily for me, they weren't very serious about much. We talked and laughed while they pointed out that I didn't look like the type to fly to NZ to hike the Tongariro, a 25 km hike through giant gorges and mountainous, active volcanic terrain. I knew it was purely based on my appearance, since I was dressed rather girly that day, but hey! After living in a mobile home in the middle-of-nowhere-Australia grading onions and watermelons, I was a little more than excited to be a girl again. Skirt, make-up, yes please!

After a little while longer, the fun wore off and I realized it was nearly 2 am and I was exhausted. The officer pointed to some seeds and dirt in my tent, so I helped him collect it into the corners of the tent which he then sucked out with a Dirt Devil. I was then released from the quarantine, waved goodbye to them and exited the airport.

 I was in New Zealand! Wooooooo! 


It was late and I wanted to get to bed as soon as possible to make the most of the following day. After haggling with local taxi drivers, I found the shuttle I wanted, which took me to the city in half an hour for 20$. I got dropped off at my hostel, Base X Wellington and snuck into the dorm room quietly. I climbed to the top bunk and sunk into what Im sure was the comfiest pillow and bed in New Zealand.It was starting to rain, and I fell alseep almost instantly.

Brisbane: Through My Eyes

Photo Credit: Brisbanetimes.com.au

I left Chinchilla and  headed 2 hours to the east coast, where I would catch my flight from bustling Brisbane. The city was lively, musical, artsy and in bloom. Unfortunately the hostel I chose called The Tin Pan or something like that was dirty, overcrowded and stifling, with not a window in any room. I made the best of it by spending most of my visit in Brisbane exploring the outdoors and the rad art installations all around the city. 

I headed down to walk along the riverbanks of Brisbane, since the city itself is actually 9 km or so away from the ocean. It was really quite beautiful. It's where the stunning modern architecture of the city meets the natural beauty of earth, air, and water. I was giddy about all the great aarchitecture, and became even more excited about Brisbane after checking out the street buskers.  

One stands out in my memory. A slightly overweight woman with a beautiful face. I remember her like it was yesterday. She had dark hair, dark eyes and plumps lips traced in deep red. She was sitting down, proudly playing this full-bodied, enchanting song on her cello. She was dressed in this crimson red dress made of a light, lingering material, which danced in the light breeze, and draped over her body, down to the ground and across the cobblestone path. She caught my eye and as I passed my face turned to keep watching her. When I looked away I realized everyone was doing the same. She was the fire.  The city seemed to be in perfect balance.

Passing under pergolas of vines and flowers, my friend and I (who had eventually got back onto speaking terms) made our way to the outdoor markets and to the revered Spanish Restaurant, OLE.
  
The food and drinks were very good and I enjoyed the atmosphere. I started to think I should have come to Brisbane sooner. The energy in this city was so different from other Aussie cities I experienced. I had been in Sydney many times, and in honesty, it was nothing spectacular. I skipped over Melbourne, which Ive heard has an amazing nightlife (but not much else, of course depending what your interests are) and  made my way to Adelaide, which was likeable- but Brisbane, now that's my kinda place. 

If you like art, green space, local food and a community feeling in a warm, sunny place, Brisbane just might be for you.

 Fortunately my not wanting to leave was combated by the fact that I was headed for New Zealand (!), one of the greatest destinations in the world. It was looking like my wishlist was starting to come true.  

The next day I caught a direct train to the "Brissy" airport and flew over "the ditch" to Wellington, New Zealand.

Flying Solo

To all my beautiful and loyal blog-readers,
You may be asking if I have fallen off the face of the earth- I know, it's been awhile.
The answer is, YES, I have fallen off the face of the earth because I feel like Ive been living in the sky! The last 3 months have been insanely fun and filled with more flights to various destinations than I can count. Since leaving Australia I have been on the go- constantly! In exhausting times I found myself thinking of one of my favourite quotes:

The good news is I have so much to share with you- and I am going to do my best to catch you up on what's been happening to me and My Roaming Backpack as we've been checkin out the world in all it's amazingness.

As you know, Australia was a rough go for me (I can post about that later- but let's just say financially, physically, mentally, the gamble didn't really pay off and the WHV wasn't all it was cracked up to be.) However! The stellar backpacker friends I made in Chinchilla (in the middle of nowhere) were my favourite part of my whole experience and Im glad I met them- otherwise I would have left Australia with a chip on my shoulder, remember all the bad experiences I had there. Saying goodbye to those amazing people on my last days was so hard but it left me departing Australia on a happy note and with good memories. 

*Shout outs to Lydia, Marie, Julia, Elaine, Dori, Dickson, Jack, Sam, Felix and Im sure Im forgetting some people, but you know who you are!*

Now, you may know that I originally flew to Australia with my friend Scott. We had backpacked across Thailand for 9 weeks earlier in 2012 and he proved to be an excellent travel companion, however- when traveling with someone for along time "break-outs" can occur. Scott and I had a pretty massive "falling-out" (of which I won't bother getting into the dirty details) and after this argument I was very, very upset and didn't know where to go, or what to do. All I knew was that it was time for me to get back on the road- and this time, alone. 

Brisbane is beautiful in the summer. Flowers, street music, walking trails...

After we split ways I traveled Australia alone for a month and a half (which is how I ended up in Chinchilla of all places-aka- the sticks, and found my way into a great circle of new found friends in the outback), but after working out in the hot, dusty Australian nowhere I had yet another feeling it was time to get going, again. After awhile you just have a knack for these things- if you pay attention and listen closely to the signs you will know when to stay and when to go.  But then I found myself in a pre-dicament...

Boonoo Boonoo National Park, Australia

Boonoo Boonoo National Park (pronounced bunna-bunoo) is a national park on the  northern border of New South Wales. We heard about it from my hippy, landlord lady, Autumn. She said the nature there was amazing with a massive canyon and lots of swimming spots. Only a 40-minute drive from Thulimbah, Queensland led us on a dusty, bumpy ride into to the bush where the park is. The drive was wicked. Scenery was stellar. This is a place worth going, hands down. 

Transitioning from scorched and golden fields to the greenery of gum trees mountains, the further we drove into the bush the more beautiful it got. A path lead us from the parking lot down to look-off point immediately, an early pay-off. But it just kept getting better. After that, it was all forest, rolling mountains, swimming holes, rock canyons and waterfalls!  

Want to know more about Boonoo Boonoo National Park? Read reviews here

We stood beside a waterfall at the first look-out, staring into the valley ahead. Waterfalls in Australia, check! We kept on down the trail which led us to a miniature Grand Canyon of rocks( mind you it was still huge!) The rocks completely engulfed us, we were like ants. We scaled in between them and over them, around them and eventually got to a second waterfall which was gorgeous. The hike was fun especially with so many people rockin their flipflops. I busted my pair eventually. Oh well , they lasted me over 6 months, way to go Payless! Lucky for me, Paul had an extra pair of "pluggers" as he would say in his British accent. Id defintely recommend good walking shoes for this.

Boonoo Boonoo is worth the day trip but would also be great for camping!

Eventually we found a small beach and a good swimming spot, and the guys jumped in even though it was freezing! I took some photos of the plant-life up there, and practiced skipping rocks. Skipped my first one- ever! woo!

 It was really gorgeous up there, blooms of yellow and red, growing on rocks, cacti, and beautiful rock formations shaped from the strain of time and pressure. I didn't want to leave, it was so serene. We all wanted to camp up there on that beach but had no supplies. Maybe next time?

As the sun was just going down we scaled back down to get back to the path. As we all met in the parking lot we sat down at a picnic table and one of the backpackers that was with us rolled up a joint. I looked over when I heard her yelling. She pointed up to a cookaburra bird in a tree. It turns out this bird just swooped down and stole her joint. I thought that was pretty funny....!

Other Stories:
Cape Byron's Lighthouse 
Tea Tree Lake, Lennox Head, Australia
30 Things Ive Learned About Australia
Australian Working Holiday Visa

Cape Byron's Lighthouse

Its been a few weeks since I left Byron Bay, and I just now found these photos! My last day in Byron we headed up to the famous Byron Bay Lighthouse, which rests bare to the wide ocean on the most easterly cape of Australia. I can only imagine the sunrise here! Popular walking trails with gaping views lead up to this lighthouse at the Byron Bay look-off point.

 Its definitely a beautiful place, Id love somewhere like this to go every morning. Take a walk with a tea, spend half an hour just listening to the ocean crash on the rocks and miss the crowds..Great place for thinking. The view from the top is literally almost 360. Its definitely worth going.

Views on the walk up to the lighthouse

Similar Articles:

30 Things Ive Learned About Australia

Tea Tree Lake, Lennox Head, Australia

I Survived Orange Picking in Iraak, Australia

Australian Working Holiday

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Follow Me to Sharpe Beach, Australia!

               Yet another paradise! Here are some pictures from 3 weeks back, when we took a morning strut from Lennox Head, to Boulder Beach, to here. If you're looking for some of the worlds best surf with a quieter beach setting, this is it! Sharpe Beach is just around the corner from Byron Bay Beach, and its an amazing coastal walk from Lennox Head Look-off point to here.The weathers been great here lately, with summer just around the corner.The breeze is cool, the sun is hot! Bronze skin and cinnamon tans...

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Boulder Beach, Australia!

Walking the trail from Lennox Head, only a short distance from Byron Bay takes you to Boulder Beach. There you will find igneous, basalt rocks. These aremade from the molten lava that erupted from Mount Warning thousands of yearsago. If you smash rocks there, you mayfind some fossils. We had fun hanging outlike kids, and pretending the rocks were dinosaur eggs and that the holes in the ground belonged to  the infamous, poisonous Funnel Web Spider. One small warning though- be careful of snakes on Boulder Beach, sometimes mice hide amongst the rocks and the snakes come hunting here-but no need to be too freaked out, we didn't see any. If you walk past this beach, the trail will take you to Sharpe Beach next, where the white sandy beaches return!

 

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Morning Strut @ Lennox Head, Australia

Tea Tree Lake! Lennox Head, Australia

M. alternifolia(2)

One day at Clovely Grove, our wwoof host, Scott decided to take me and the boys down to Lennox Head Beach, just a short drive from Byron Bay Since the surf was poor and the Pacifics coastal waters were still frigid, we crossed the street and headed for the huge fresh-water, Tea Tree Lake instead! 

Surrounded by tea trees, (Melaleuca alternifolia) the lake is steeped like actual tea from the fallen leaves of this native eastern-Australian tree. This yellow oil has been known and used by the Australian aborigones for years, but the benefits are just becoming known to the rest of us. 

The lake looked a little intimidating, appearing black in color, but once you get in you realize the water is actually very clear, and stained a yellow/red/brown color. You think you will enter the lake to step on squishy, slimy leaves but to your surprise will find only soft sand! Those who chance it are getting a real spa treatment, for free.

The Benefits 

Scott, Scott, and Nick jump in first!

Tea tree oil yields a world of natural benefits to us. Since the oil acts as a curative to infectious organisms (bacteria, fungi, virus) it can be useful for several ailments and for cosmetic applications. For example; 

Conditioners: It can be useful as a conditioner for your skin and hair, including treatment of: sunburns, oily skin, acne, warts, insect bites, dandruff and even cases of head lice! 

Deodorant: I use a tea-tree oil deodorant, which is a healthier alternative to the aluminum found in all standard deodorants (which by the way have been proven to be linked to breast cancer in women.) How Does It Work? The tea tree oil helps prevent bacteria from forming, the same bacteria which produces body odor. Essentially this oil works at the root level to prevent the odor, (rather than using chemicals and perfumes which stop the body from sweating, a process necessary to rid bodies of harmful toxins) or just cover up the smell! 

Medical Conditions:

Tea tree oil has been reported to help with infections ranging from a cough and common cold, to asthma, cold sores and chicken pox. Its really quite amazing! Its also suggested that it can be a good alternative to more common antibiotics which decrease the strength of your immune system!(1)

 In North America tea-tree oil products can be hard to find, or quite expensive, but here in eastern-Australia they are abundant and cheap as chips! If only we had a lake like this at home!  
 --Who needs chemical shampoo, conditioner, or deodorant when you could just jump in the nearest tea tree lake?-- Not this girl!
 
More Info on Tea Tree Oil, Uses, and Recipes to Home-Made Remedies Click Here! 






 Related Articles: Clovely Grove: Sacred Ground

The Most Eastern Cape of Australia
Byron Bay, Australia Hostel Review: The Arts Factory

Sources:

(1) http://www.homeremediesweb.com/tea_tree_oil_health_benefits.php
(2) The beauty republic.blogspot.com

Clovely Grove: Sacred Ground

Macadamia Trees!

In order to learn more about Australians, their culture and way of life, Scott and I decided to do some "Wwoofing". W.W.O.O.F, stands for Willing Workers On Organic Farms. (To learn more or become a member, click here.) 

How Wwoofing Works:
The basic principle of WWOOF is that you volunteer to work on an organic farm in exchange for room and board. It is up to you to seek a farm particular to your interests and speak with the farmers directly. I have done a lot of wwoofing in Canada, but it was all new to Scott. We decided to give it a go, and called "Clovely Grove" just outside of Byron Bay, New South Wales. A few days later My Roaming Backpack was unpacking for a few days at a Macadamia Plantation!

Clovely Grove:
Clovely Grove is a beautiful oasis on a Macadamia farm. Originally the land was over-run by invasive species, but Scott (the owner/our wwoof host) and his friend Mark removed them and replaced them by introducing native species. Only eight years later, the property has been transformed- the native species have flourished in their habitat. Yet, there is still work to be done. Mark picked us up from The Arts Factory and explained to us that we would be helping with the introduction of more new species and take part in the regeneration process of Clovely Grove.

I learned how to identify a fruitless grapefruit tree! ( See the leaves in my hand in above picture.) and I saw the tallest Bird of Paradise Ive seen yet- must have been atleast 20 ft. tall! But to top it all off, I watched a cow jump over a fence, LITERALLY. (Sorry, no pic!)

  In the meantime, our host, Scott was great. He welcomed us into his home immediately and went out of his way to make sure he showed us all the attractions in the area. Just to name a few we checked out Tea Tree Lake in Lennox Head, Boulder Beach, Sharpe Beach Belongil Beach, and the famous Lighthouse. 

Our wwoof host releasing a python after rehabilitating it/ Me cleaning the deck/ Scott dipping the chooks feet in Linseed oil to prevent parasites- this was pretty amusing to watch considering they had to catch the chooks first!

Brekkie & Fresh "Apple-Apple Juice" (Green-Apple & Pineapple)

Breakfast at Clovely Grove was always a highlight: fresh free-range eggs from the chooks, fried tomatoes and mushrooms soaked in butter, and freshly-squeezed juice, hells ya! Dinners were always fun too, and Scott's friend, Mark was an amazing cook! After dinner we would watch footie, or have some good laughs watching ridiculous Aussie reality shows like "The X-Factor" or something-rather, "The Farmer Picks A Wife"? One night we spent hours on end watching Australian music videos on youtube, and the following night Canadian music. It was great to show each other some of our favs, except I think we may have scared Scott a little with "Oh Canada" by Classified and "Rock you" by Helix. Oops! :P 

                               Australian Band, Goanna, Singing "Solid Rock" 
                                     a song about the aboriginal conflict

Goodbye New South Wales
Only a few days into our stay I was surprised with a call from an employment agency I had contacted a few weeks prior. I was being offered a position with a good salary in Queensland, about 3 hours away. Accepting the job would mean cutting my wwoofing experience short, and not being able to help restore the land at Clovely Grove. 

However, it also meant being able to potentially extend the overall reach of my travels. My flight to South Africa in 2013 has already been purchased, but I would also like to visit New Zealand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao, possibly India, and lately Ive been dreaming of Mongolia and Russia. Keeping my final goals in mind, I decided it was best to accept the job and carry on to Queensland. Scott (my travel-mate) and Scott (my wwoof host) were both very understanding. We enjoyed the relaxing weekend together before they both dropped me off at the bus station in Lismore. We went our separate ways, them back to Byron, me, Queensland bound. 

Thank you Scott (and Mark) for making me feel welcome and sharing your life :) 

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