Demoralized by doom and some other tidbits!

Our day started off when the magic bus completely by-passed us and if not for quick thinking, and the trusty cell phone, we would have missed out on a fairly demoralizing trip! I am coming to realize when you tell people your plans and they say, "Holy shit you can't be serious!", usually it is going to be a challenge. More than one person told us that our water was too limited and our packs were too heavy to cover the rough terrain that lay ahead. With confidence and determination we set off to conquer the famous northern circuit on the tongariro mountain range. The first hour and a half went smooth enough and the views were quite breathtaking. The clouds were covering Mt. Ruapehu as well as Ngauruhoe, aka Mt. Doom! The ominous clouds came and went as day continued. We arrived at a sign informing us that our destination, the Emerald Lakes, were only 3 hours away. We figured, it being two o'clock and all, we would be there around five o'clock giving us a few hours of daylight to set up and maybe even continue our hike. The terrain changed drastically going from relatively flat to what seemed like straight up, we were going up several thousand meters over a short distance. We took our first break for lunch around 3:30 and thats when things got interesting. The weather decided to take a turn for the worst. The winds picked up (what we later found out they were around 80 mph) and the clouds started moving closer towards us and were turning rather dark. The terrain steadily became less covered, steeper, and rockier. The terrain combined with the 70-80 mph head wind, combined with the 50-57lb packs, combined with the temperature dropping drastically, combined with the elevation and thinning of the air was quickly spelling disaster for our morale as well as our bodies. With only a few hundred yards, and two impossibly steep hills, ahead of us to our destination my body and mind began to give out. My legs were cramping, probably due to dehydration, and the wind was making it impossibly hard to climb any further. What should have taken us an hour had now rolled on two, things were looking worse by the second. I decided after the first hill I could move no more and would therefore have to set up camp just 200 yards short of my intended camp zone. I rested for a couple of hours and after an attempt to rehydrate myself I decided that I could make it up the final hill if I really pushed myself. I hurried to pack my tent and sleeping bag and by the time I had it was nearing ten o'clock. The moon was providing ample light and I knew that I could make it. I started up the hill and with only 50 feet to go a cloud covered up the moon as well as the remaining trail in front of me. After 30 minutes I decided the cloud would not lift and that I could not make it down, due to the steep terrain and limited visibility. I was going to have to set up camp, again, on a steep hill covered in rocks, morale was falling rapidly again. I attempted to set up my tent and was finding it very difficult in the winds to put the rain fly on. After the tent took its fourth tumble I decided to risk it and not put the rain fly up. The winds were whipping and the temperature was dropping as I crawled into my sleeping bag preying that I would wake up in the morning. (side note: Mt. Ngauruhoe is an active volcano and therefore, it pumps out immense amounts of sulphur gas. The warning signs advised that they may sometimes be enough to knock you out. I was sleeping inside 500 yards of it and the smell of sulphur was sickening as well as making me tired) I finally convinced myself that I would live through the night and that I could relax enough to go to bed when I heard what I thought was a bear breaking a stick. Two things clued me in to the fact that this was no bear breaking a stick. 1) I am in new zealand on the middle of a mountain with no bears in at least 1000 miles of me. 2) the tent collapsing on me. The wind was so intense it literally snapped my tent poles in half. I decided that the night could get no worse and that getting out of my tent was not going to do anything but make me cold and angry. I chose to suck it up and get some sleep, this is when the rain started, morale dug a hole back to America. I woke up the following morning sore, freezing cold, soaking wet, pissed off, hungry, and demoralized. I made my way up to the lakes and came to an intersection showing the quickest way off the mountain, and the direction of my planned hike. A fellow hiker told me the weather was going to get worse and continue to rain for two more days. I then came to another intersection this was not a physical one but one in my life. I had to choose to suck it up and trudge on in the cold rain with my broken down tent, or to tuck my tail, drop my head and leave for the car park. 3 hours later two gentlemen from Auckland were giving us a ride back to a hostel 20 minutes drive down the road. Although I was demoralized I feel that any sane man would have made the same decision. (side note: if you disagree with this I don't really care) We arrived in Turangi and booked ourselves into the extreme backpackers hostel and I took the best shower and nap I have ever taken in my life. The hostel was very nice and as we were relaxing a German girl barged into our room and the three of us had a staring competition. She asked why we were in her room and after explaining we had been sent here by the front desk she informed us that her and three other people would be staying here. The problem with this is that there were only four beds, two of which were occupied by myself and Donnie. We attempted to work out the situation and in haste decided it would be easier to move ourselves to the 8 person share room and allow the Germans to take the room. As we were cooking our dinner for the night I realized that I needed to hang my laundry up. We had met some Americans in the hostel earlier and they were attempting to wind down and get some sleep. As I was hanging up some pants to dry I heard a loud thud followed by a resounding, "GOD D****IT!!!). I turned to find the American girl covering her blood spewing head, she walked into a window corner and got a pretty sick gash. I checked out her cut and ran into the kitchen to grab some ice and towels as well as to inform her sister of the situation. She was rushed off to the hospital to get stitches and I returned to my dinner. The night ended with us talking to the room stealing Germans, now our friends, about hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. (for some reason this is all people know about Louisiana and they have a lot of questions.) We woke up the next morning and the Hostel manager put us in a better room due to our easy-going attitudes and my daring attempts to achieve Hasselhoff status with the previous nights rescue! The following days were pretty eventless but I found that Turangi, although horribly boring, was my favorite town so far. I am planning some side trips as I am typing this,off of my almost full journal of notes, and as I figure more things out I will keep everyone updated! Keep the comments coming and I apologize about the lack of pictures it takes forever to upload them and once is enough for me (facebook). If you are not on facebook and would like to see some pictures let me know and I will suck it up and attempt to put them on here! Thanks for keeping up and HAPPY NEW YEARS from Wellington!

Retribution....

So my blogging skills are at very best sub par.....and at the worst they are just plain awful and I apologize for that. I will try in the future to update with more anecdotes and details of my eventful and interesting travels...(modesty gets you a long way). However, I will seek retribution with this modest update. The Christmas/ Hanukkah *you're welcome Matt* season has been one that I will certainly not forget any time in the near future. We arrived in Taupo the 23 of December and instantly realized that we were going to be camping for Christmas. The Hostels had all been booked up by more responsible travelers and we, unfortunately do not fall into that category. Our campsite was known as Reid's farm, and it could not have been in a more pristine location. The river was crystal clear, borderline blue, and our campsite, although slightly elevated, was out of the hustle and bustle of the locals making a pilgrimage to this precious site. We fed some ducks on Christmas eve and called it a relatively early night. The following day, Christmas for those just tuning in, we took an adventurous 200km (124 mile) round trip to see our home for the next five days, the Tongariro Mt. Range. When we finally arrived at the mountains we were in awe at what we were about to take on. Mt. Doom (if you watch Lord of the Rings) was looming in the background almost challenging us to climb her right there. We sized up the mountain range and decided to re-evaluate our plans and shave 14 km off of our total trip in an attempt to not miss our one and only train out of the carrot capital of the world on New Years. Our plans, as of now, consist of hiking through the Tongariro Mt. Range for 4 days and then catching a train to wellington for New Years. The daunting challenge in front of us it what is now keeping me up until this wonderful hour of the night and what has now (blessing in disguise?) provoked me to update this internationally acclaimed blog! The pictures are going to have to stay on facebook but I will soon suck it up and upload a few and or get a photobucket account if I can figure out how to set one up. I would like to end my message with a thank you to my friends and family for without you I would probably not be on this trip. I know that over the years many of you have sacrificed a lot and I do not want anyone to think I don't appreciate everything I have gotten over the years. (tear tear), it's Christmas and I get to be sentimental! Matt I'm still expecting you in Christchurch in no more than a month and Brooks get that #1 blog fan t-shirt made! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas and I hope you all have a happy New Year! Until Next time !

Andrew H. Lewis

REALLY REALLY LONG DAY

Bruce dropped us off at Sandy Bay around 8 am. We began our journey into the hills and instantly we were almost killed by a stampede of cattle. We jumped off the trail just in time to let all the girls pass and meet the kiwi driving them. He was a nice enough man riding a four-wheeler. He thanked us for getting out of the way and introduced us to his dog Maz, (Mazarati on a good day Mazda on a bad day), we told him our story and we parted ways. Shortly there after Donnie busted his ass on the narrow cattle trail and lost his camera. While helping him look for it I bust my ass twice and barely escaped with my life. Around noon we finally got to our first big landmark, the Whanaki footbridge. We were eyeballed by a Maroi in a rundown car then questioned by school kids who were interested in our packs and where we were going as well as where we had been. We grabbed a quick snack at the only store in town and set off down rockels road..... the worst road ever. After our trek up rockels rd, and to emphasize it was UP the road, we met a woman leaving her house who asked if we were lost. She was nice enough and told us that we needed to hop over the no trespassing fence and then run to the beach. The theory behind this is that Maori's can only charge you money on their land if you are not on the beach. Once you reach the beach, your safe. We hopped the fence and "ran" (it is rather difficult to run with a 50lb pack on) and made it to the beach were we cooked creamed corn and beans. Two young girls passed by and gave us directions to get where we were going. We took our shoes off and headed down the beach towards mimiwhangada (mimi-fan-ga-da). After around 45 minutes we finished the remainder of our water off and had a re-assessment (first of many) of our lives. We decided we would not be able to make it to helena bay and that we should get water at the house down the road. Upon closer inspection we instantly realized that we were about to crash a honeymoon. We asked Katie if we could have some water and she told us she would get water but that we would have to go down the road to camp. We had some water and after talking to Andy and Katie for about 20 minutes they offered us a shower, a bed, and FOOD! We declined at first, but we have found out early on that Kiwi's will not let you say no. After a LONG hot shower Andy started cooking and we started drinking.......... 9 bottles of champagne later I was ready for bed.

Monday Day 1 of hiking Tutukaka

Our day started out interesting enough when we were running late for the bus. Our bus driver Murray got pissed and told us to meet him around the corner as a form of punishment. We got dropped off in whangarei (fan-ga-ray) and started hiking. Oddly enough we got lost inside the city and while trying to make out again. After finding the trail we ran into a couple of locals who gave us our first (but certainly not last) warning about maoris and their sketchy ways! We realized soon that we were not going to be able to make it to Tutukaka by foot. It does not help morale when people ask where your going and then start laughing when you tell them your planning on walking there as well. 26Km outside Tutukaka we were picked up by a glazier named Bruce Webb, we were unaware that soon our lives would be changed drastically. Bruce is a glazier, honorary game warden, sail-fisher, crayfish diver, semi-crazy racist, and all round badass whose favorite word is cunt. Bruce put us in the back of his van and then took us to meet his wife Jenny. After unloading our packs we went on what is hands down the best sight-seeing trip I have ever experienced. Bruce's game warden status allowed him access to a variety of private beaches. We returned home and Bruce took us out in his Dinghy to go gather pipis (mussels). We had a pretty big feed of pipi sandwiches and a few beers then retired to our tents in the back yard. The next day we walked around tutukaka then came home to hang with Jenny and watch Good Morning ( NZ version of Good Morning America) while Jenny wrote her Christmas cards Donnie and I planned our route and then had Pipi sandwhiches. We then took the dinghy across the bay and climbed some sand dunes. When Bruce returned he took us to the harbor to check out his boat ,Idle Vice, and she is quite a beauty. After checking out the harbor we returned to Bruce's where Jenny had cooked roast beef and mashed potatoes (amazing!). We had rum and shared some stories, Bruce's were a lot better than ours, and had an all around pleasant evening.

Day 1 in Auckland!!!......

The trip started out wonderfully with an announcement saying our plane was broken and that we would have to get a new one.... thanks American I wish I would have just gotten on the new plane without knowing. From Dallas to LAX God and I were re-acquainted as the turbulence shook all the wide eyed passengers around. I however, was not worried about this, I was more concerned with the small Asian lady sitting next to me who may or may not have passed away for a portion of the flight. I was accompanied by a girl from LA who was returning from visiting her boyfriend in Texas. We had a beer and a laugh and she judged my taste in music as only one from California can. LAX was full of plugs that did not work and I am currently drawing up a class action lawsuit for those who were enticed to the plugs and quickly turned away with a frown and dead electronics. The 13 hour plane ride from LA to Auckland went fairly smooth until I was accosted in customs by a San Diego chargers fan with a drug dog. After explaining I had not carried any meats or fruits in my bags I thanked him for Drew Brees and picked up my pack. I was walking through the airport loaded down with packs and a certain can do attitude and then I stepped outside the airport doors. It is pouring in Auckland and I had no clue where to go. After checking multiple maps, several times, I hopped on a bus and prayed that I would find a hostel as well as the city of Auckland. I walked for several miles in the rain the wrong way and then stumbled upon the Ukenubu hostel. After checking in I located my dorm style room and met my roomies..... two frenchmen and what appear to be their girlfriends(still waiting on doctors confirmation as to their gender). My living situation will be changing tomorrow. Despite the rain and severe jet lag I have met a few people and made a few plans. The rain is supposed to subside by tomorrow but as many of the hostel guests have informed me the weather guy is a liar. There are no pictures or videos just yet but rest assured faithful follower....Brooks there will be soon! I hope that everyone is doing well and miss everyone!