A to Zealand

Kia ora! I know it’s been a while, but free wifi is hard to come by. I am currently in a city named Tauranga. I came here so I could make back all the money I spent over the last few weeks by fruit picking. It’s a common job that most all backpackers do; however, I will never feel the same about kiwis. It is a really tough job! I never thought I would be using my college degree for manual labor, but it’s a great experience. It’s really hard on the back and shoulders, but I’m building big muscles. There are tons of fun people from all over the world working in the orchards. If you are slow, the Maoris will fire you! No joke. Needless to say, I will never look at a kiwi without thinking of the thousands I have picked over the last couple of weeks.
In Tauranga, I’m staying at a place called Just the Ducks Nuts (insert joke here). I still have no idea what the meaning is, but it’s still funny. There are three separate houses with a garden and hammock in the middle. There are kitchens and living rooms in each house where everyone hangs out. They are much nicer than the previous places I stayed at… more like a home. There is also a great view of Mount Maunganui overlooking the bay. I had a free day and hiked to the top. It’s a beautiful.

I have met some really awesome people here who are also fruit picking. Tons of French and Germans. Luckily everyone speaks a little English. None of them can understand the locals Kiwi people because of their accent. I have become the official translator.
I have to mention my road trip to Rotorua two weeks ago. The whole city smells of sulfur. It is from the geothermal activity within the region. Luckily, instead of the smell becoming unbearable the longer you stay, the aroma fades. Rotorua also goes by the name Roto-vegas. I now know why. Friday night, we went to a party called Shake the Lake. It was on a huge boat that drove around Lake Rotorua with a local band playing all night. The next day, we did one of the coolest things I have ever done… zorbing! See picture below. You get in a huge, inflated ball that they fill partly with water so you slide instead of flipping with the ball and then push you down a long hill. IT’S SO FUN!!!! My friend Muna even got us two free rides since she works for Base.

You cannot visit Rotorua without visiting one of the hot pools. We went to the Polynesian Spa overlooking Lake Rotorua. There are about 10 different pools with temperatures ranging from 36˚ to 42˚. That’s Celsius, not Farenheit. I still don’t know the conversion, but it was hot. The pools are filled with alkaline mineral water.
The last day, we stopped off to Luge. A world 'first' proudly designed and built in Rotorua. The Luge is a ride on a three-wheel cart. The braking and steering system provides the rider full control and allows you to travel as fast or slow as you want. We took a gondola up the hill where we were armored with a helmet. You can choose from three courses: beginner, intermediate and advanced. It’s kind of scary at first, but once you get comfortable, it’s awesome and you can go really fast!
Today, New Zealand has a public holiday for the Queen’s Birthday. We plan to go watch the Mavericks game. Just so everyone knows, people from all over the world are rooting for our little Mavs! We are world famous! Until next time… Go Mavs!!!