Sweet as, goodbye NZ!
21 januari 2018
It's time to fly home again. I can not believe how fast the last 3 months have passed by. In my last weeks in beautiful NZ I found another true love (sorry Kees): surfing!
A few days in Ponsonby, Auckland: lovely, chill and stormy days with Rebekah watching loaaads of 'Doctor Who' and a killer bday bash of Alex; awesome! I got to ride with Peter and his cute van, down to Raglan eating cookies and talking about our adventures and more. Thanks again for the ride bro! He dropped me off at the Karioi lodge, hidden in the bush but still with sight on the ocean. My first surfing lesson started immediately. I never surfed before, but always wanted to learn it. And since this journey is all about adventures, new things and checking things off the bucketlist, I might as well go surf. Best. Decision. Ever!!
From here all is more or less a blur for 5 days. Eat - surf - sleep - repeat. Lessons from the Irish John and Andrew got me standing on day one, making turns on day 3 and my first "green wave catch" on day 4. It was so great to play around in the ocean or better said, be played around with by the ocean. The nice thing about the lodge was that everybody had one love in common, to surf. Nothing connects people better then sharing a passion in my opinion, and I met so many kind people with whom I had great times. Sundaynight at the Yot club in town was quite the 'surfer mode zone' too and simply great. As the lodge was booked fully, I transferred to another backpackers in town for another 3 days. Which makes Raglan the spot in NZ where I spend most of my time! I told myself I was quite lucky that I didn't go there earlier, because big chances I would not have left anymore. Time is definitely something insignificant in Raglan.
The other backpackers was all about surfing too. It was nice to be a little closer to town and the hottub, sauna and very comfortable hammocks made the stay even better. Cause there's nothing like a good rest after a day of sun, salt water and surf exercise. We'd sit outside with a bunch of people every night and talk about all kinds of things and individual travel stories. I kayaked to the impressive, beautiful pancake rocks with Jordi from Barcelona and went out pedalling another time with Gemma from the UK.
I try to never really name people too much in my blog - but it actually is one of the most important parts of this whole journey. People. All kinds of people, from all over the world, with all their own story. I always feel thankful for people sharing their stories, and in my head there's a bookwork filled with these different experiences. That again makes me thankful for how lucky I am, with my loving family and friends and the healthy state most of them are in.
Anyway, my time in Raglan passed by really quick and I made my way to Maungatautari, where I spend my last days with Karen and Geoff, Stokman family. Beautiful days playing lots of patonk, hiking around Mt Manganui, checking out Cambridges Velodrome, read books, talk lots, and simply enjoy spending time together. The whole family got together on my last day for a big feast with amazing food; Angus beef, pavlova, potato salad.. And quite a few beers and wines too ;). And that's where this New Zealand adventure comes to an end, for now. Opa made the bet that I'll be back within 5 years and for much longer time, let's see if he turns out to be as right as always.
I found another place in the world to be my home. I got to experience New Zealand to the fullest, enjoyed its incredible nature and its kind, warm welcoming Kiwi's. I cycled its roads, hiked its tracks, climbed its mountains and swam its ocean. New Zealand, you were amazing, unforgettable and this was a journey of a lifetime. THANK YOU!
I am happy to go home and see my much loved friend and family again. I've been moving around for a total of 18 months now, and I look forward to have my own place again for a little while. But, for a little while. Because adventure streams through my veins, the mountains keep on calling and the sea pulls me over from time to time. The world is so beautiful, nature so pure. Let's enjoy!
Thank you, all who followed my blog and send me so kind messages. I am forever thankful to my family and friends at home, in Switzerland and in New Zealand for being unconditionally supportive, even though they know I never really stick around closeby for a long time. I could not have done all this without you.
Untill next time! Love, Elsemieke.
A few days in Ponsonby, Auckland: lovely, chill and stormy days with Rebekah watching loaaads of 'Doctor Who' and a killer bday bash of Alex; awesome! I got to ride with Peter and his cute van, down to Raglan eating cookies and talking about our adventures and more. Thanks again for the ride bro! He dropped me off at the Karioi lodge, hidden in the bush but still with sight on the ocean. My first surfing lesson started immediately. I never surfed before, but always wanted to learn it. And since this journey is all about adventures, new things and checking things off the bucketlist, I might as well go surf. Best. Decision. Ever!!
From here all is more or less a blur for 5 days. Eat - surf - sleep - repeat. Lessons from the Irish John and Andrew got me standing on day one, making turns on day 3 and my first "green wave catch" on day 4. It was so great to play around in the ocean or better said, be played around with by the ocean. The nice thing about the lodge was that everybody had one love in common, to surf. Nothing connects people better then sharing a passion in my opinion, and I met so many kind people with whom I had great times. Sundaynight at the Yot club in town was quite the 'surfer mode zone' too and simply great. As the lodge was booked fully, I transferred to another backpackers in town for another 3 days. Which makes Raglan the spot in NZ where I spend most of my time! I told myself I was quite lucky that I didn't go there earlier, because big chances I would not have left anymore. Time is definitely something insignificant in Raglan.
The other backpackers was all about surfing too. It was nice to be a little closer to town and the hottub, sauna and very comfortable hammocks made the stay even better. Cause there's nothing like a good rest after a day of sun, salt water and surf exercise. We'd sit outside with a bunch of people every night and talk about all kinds of things and individual travel stories. I kayaked to the impressive, beautiful pancake rocks with Jordi from Barcelona and went out pedalling another time with Gemma from the UK.
I try to never really name people too much in my blog - but it actually is one of the most important parts of this whole journey. People. All kinds of people, from all over the world, with all their own story. I always feel thankful for people sharing their stories, and in my head there's a bookwork filled with these different experiences. That again makes me thankful for how lucky I am, with my loving family and friends and the healthy state most of them are in.
Anyway, my time in Raglan passed by really quick and I made my way to Maungatautari, where I spend my last days with Karen and Geoff, Stokman family. Beautiful days playing lots of patonk, hiking around Mt Manganui, checking out Cambridges Velodrome, read books, talk lots, and simply enjoy spending time together. The whole family got together on my last day for a big feast with amazing food; Angus beef, pavlova, potato salad.. And quite a few beers and wines too ;). And that's where this New Zealand adventure comes to an end, for now. Opa made the bet that I'll be back within 5 years and for much longer time, let's see if he turns out to be as right as always.
I found another place in the world to be my home. I got to experience New Zealand to the fullest, enjoyed its incredible nature and its kind, warm welcoming Kiwi's. I cycled its roads, hiked its tracks, climbed its mountains and swam its ocean. New Zealand, you were amazing, unforgettable and this was a journey of a lifetime. THANK YOU!
I am happy to go home and see my much loved friend and family again. I've been moving around for a total of 18 months now, and I look forward to have my own place again for a little while. But, for a little while. Because adventure streams through my veins, the mountains keep on calling and the sea pulls me over from time to time. The world is so beautiful, nature so pure. Let's enjoy!
Thank you, all who followed my blog and send me so kind messages. I am forever thankful to my family and friends at home, in Switzerland and in New Zealand for being unconditionally supportive, even though they know I never really stick around closeby for a long time. I could not have done all this without you.
Untill next time! Love, Elsemieke.
Keep following your dreams, whatever life throws at you. Surfing you have experienced how you can play with the forces, overcome them and enjoy them.
Always keep an open heart, mind and will.
Have a safe journey.