In Search of Elves

I have arrived in Methven where it is very grey. I am really hoping it clears up because I want to go up in a hot air balloon for my birthday on Sunday, but the weather forecast isn't looking that good. It is strange to be in a big town after being in such small towns recently. I can't quite adjust at the moment.

I have a vey nice hostel, except for the fact that it is made up of two buildings and both are identical inside and out leading to confusion as to where exactly I am! There is free internet access, lots of dvds, sky tv, books and lots of comfy sofas. Apart from one other woman, the only other guests are 10 men, who are all nice, except the whole lot of them got very drunk last night and one got aggressive and tried to break down the other woman's door and when he couldn't get in, came into my room at midnight (the door was locked but he broke it open, but don't worry, I'm fine, he walked straight back out again otherwise he would be missing several bodily parts by now). The manager is going to yell at him today.

My drive from Arthur's Pass to here was stunning. The mountains were so beautiful and I drove over a very turquoise Rakaia gorge where they do jet boating. I also listened to Sir Edmund Hilary's funeral as I drove which was very moving. There have been screens up in all the major cities and I am quite near the Edmund Hilary centre at Mount Cook so the news showed a lot of footage from the ceremonies there.

Because the internet is free and the weather poor, now is a good time to write about something fascinating that I learnt at Te Mahoerangi. When I came to New Zealand I thought that the indigenous people of this country were the Maori. However, at Te Mahoerangi I learnt about a much older people, a forgotten people, the Waitaha.

Technically I think they have the same ethnic origins of the Maori, in that they came from islands all over the Pacific, but whereas the Maori came here in the last thousand years, the Waitaha people came here many many thousands of years ago. They were a peaceful people, healers and sculpters of the pounamu, or greenstone, and they passed on the most incredible oral history via sacred schools, where the brightest children were gathered (one of the recent pupils was drafted into the NZ army and learnt to speak and write Cantonese fluently in 2 weeks, such are their memory skills from being in these Waitaha schools for years).

The Maori, warriors, killed a lot of the Waitaha when they arrived, but there are still Waitaha communities, mostly in the south of the south island. A man called Barry Brailsford has written a lot about them (eg Song of the Stone), including books of their creation myths which I got to read at Te Mahoerangi. Basically, when you hear Maori myths, they are mostly telling stories that have their roots in Waitaha stories.

For example, you hear about an earth mother, Papanuaku, and her children (one of her grandchildren was supposedly Mahoerangi, and people made offerings at her mountain which is where Te Mahoerangi backpackers is situated and she was known for giving spiritual and physical healing in the legends). She is from a Waitaha legend, not a Maori one as is claimed.

So, now you know. Not just the Maori of New Zealand, but the Waitaha (Y Ta Ha) too. Not many New Zealanders even know about them. It's really quite sad because their history and knowledge is so rich. The Maori in themselves are fascinating too, it's just that they are not the only ones who need remembering.

That's your lesson for the day!

I have been here 12 weeks now. I go home in 3. It doesn't quite feel real that I will be home soon. I am definitely very conscious of what I can't do at the moment. I am desperate, desperate to go off for 8 hour walks like other people are doing here, to go for 3 hour horse rides and sea kayaking trips and have as much fun as is humanly possible. I had a bit of a bad day yesterday wanting to do everything I can't. I was very down. But I feel better today and I'm trying to appreciate that just being here is great. I have had such a good time. But it is so unfair. I so want to be well. :-(

sob sob

Hostels!!

I have had it up to here. Snorers, people who don't stop talking, people who are so rude they need bashing with books, and now Fate (or the manager) has decided to put the most gorgeous 32 year old marketing director called Peter into my room. It is torture. I managed at least to get a kiss out of him, which has remedied the situation somewhat, but can you ask for anything more difficult?

;-)

He leaves tomorrow. I think I am going to cry.

Yes, it's me again! Yet more internet access. In fact there are 3 places here where I could use the internet.

I am in Arthur's Pass, which is stunning, but the sun is very very strong and it's enough to give you a headache just standing outdoors for a couple of minutes.

I left Maruia Springs yesterday (www.maruiasprings.co.nz) after my two days of bliss and drove 3 hours to get to here. It was gruelling and I was more than a little sore (aka grumpy) when I got here. The drive up was fairly terrifying but I got some great photos. My poor car wouldn't do more than 20km/h on the way up the hills. I am staying in a pretty hostel with a great lounge area where I intend to sit for the next few days, occasionally popping out to the one store where they serve incredible ice cream. I had two room mates last night - one was the most annoying person I've met in New Zealand. She was German and when she walked in the room I was lying down after my drive, feeling very sorry for myself.

Her: Are you ill or just lazy?
Me: I'm tired. I had a long drive, and I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome so I need to sleep a lot
Her: Oh, that's a good excuse for being lazy. (yawns) I'm tired too, I think I will tell people I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome aswell.

I almost thumped her. The south island has been fairly tough in that there is so much to do here - walking, kayaking, horse riding etc and I have really felt the fact that I can't do most of it. Her comment came at a bad time. I'm afraid to say that later that night I *accidently* dropped my book down onto her head from the top bunk while she was asleep. (actually it WAS an accident, just a very satisfying one!)

fiona:1 Idiot:0

I am feeling really really sore at the moment and it is proving tough to keep going, but it is so pretty here and there is no way I am cutting short my trip when there is still so much to see. I am going to grit my teeth for the last 3 or so weeks. I have taken so many pictures, which has been really fun..... I can't wait to see them all printed out at home.

My time is just about to run out. Off to eat ice cream and read my latest book. And avoid a certain German girl who is hovering. She puts her foot in it with everything she says.

I find myself having internet access again! There is no phone here, no radio stations, no tv, and yet there is a computer! Extraordinary.

I have had two absolutely amazing days. The first day I just soaked in the thermal pools under the stars, but yesterday was the best. I had a shiatsu massage that sorted out a lot of aches, and then I got into a private spa pool for half an hour (just BLISS). I then slept for 3 hours, I was so relaxed. I ended my day with an amazing supper - spaghetti with a lobster and cream sauce and lime and honey ice cream in strawberry soup. The scenary here is breathtaking. When you sit in the pools you have soaring tree covered mountains everywhere you look and the drive here was through bright green forest, with a river running by the side of the road. It was very wow.

I move on today to Arthurs Pass and then onto Methven, where there *might* be internet access, I have no idea. But I just wanted to share my two amazing days. I feel all floaty and de-stressed and the good thing was that unlike how it would have been at the more famous, but busier Hanmer Springs, I had the pools totally to myself. It was great.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I am surprised to be on here - the hotel turns out to have one computer. I tried to upload a photo of me at Lake Rotoiti, which is a few metres away from the hotel, but it didn't work out for some reason. Never mind.
It is very pretty here, but very remote. This morning there was such heavy cloud you wouldn't have known there were mountains. Thankfully the sun turned blue and I am in the right place.....in the mounains. I have been lazing about today but spent a couple of hours by the beautiful lake.
Tomorrow I leave for a spa hotel where I intend to be thoroughly massaged.

I am Exhausted! Plus my hands are bothering me from driving. They never have before but before I came out here I wasn't driving much. I will definitely be strapping them up before driving tomorrow.

must dash.

Here are some photos of Te Mahoerangi for you. I am also attempting to attach a small video of the bay. I hope you like it! The photos all get cut and squashed a bit on here. It was so beautiful there:

The one where I'm on the quad bike - you can see my terrible sandfly bites on my legs. I got EATEN. We had just been to see the eel, Herbert.

At the moment I am in Picton. I went to an aquarium yesterday and saw some cool seahorses. (I love aquariums. Put me in one and I don't stop smiling) I have also done some shopping and picked up my hire car. It is even smarter than the last one. It's a Nissan Sunny. The last one was a Pulsar. The office here actually showed me round it and checked I knew how to drive an automatic, which didn't happen in Auckland. They also gave me a free book on driving around NZ with lots of nice photos in it. It has been a little strange driving a car again, so I've been going along slowly. I had an amazing ice cream sundae in the sun today - the weather is glorious, and I also had some strawberries which I have been craving out in the Sounds.

From here on I won't have access to the internet again for a bit. I am Going Forth into the mountains. The places I will be visiting are St Arnaud, Maruia Springs, Arthur's Pass, Methven, Lake Tekapo and Christchurch, if you want to google any of them (I recommend looking up Lake Tekapo in particular on Google to see some photos of the amazing colour of the lake. It is turquoise.) There is a slim chance that I will come across a hostel with internet access, but my guide book doesn't seem to think I will. So, check back in a bit and until then take care.

Two links to the video, in case one doesn't work. (I hope you can see it!)

http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/lalaf/?action=view&current=DSCF4240.flv

I am in Picton and am very happy to be here. The sun is shining, the internet is working - there are BOOKS and FOOD and PEOPLE here. Hallelujah! I have had a great month out in the sounds. If you want to see where I was staying, you can visit it at www.nydiatrack.org.nz It is called Te Mahoerangi. It is a very special place, with lovely people.

I got the boat this morning at 9.30. The water was glassy and I have never seen the mountains looking prettier. I then got the bus to Picton (well, just - it went straight past the bus stop without stopping and the agent had to ring and shout a bit for it to come back). There was such a cute roly-poly pudding of a baby sitting next to me with huge brown eyes and a tattoed Maori guy ahead of me (full facial tattooes which denote who your father and mother was and how many people you have killed etc). When I got to Picton the bus didn't stop in the right place, so I was struggling up the hill with both my suitcase and wheelchair. A lovely couple in a car stopped and gave me a lift up the hill. They were pretty amazed with how much stuff I had and when the man said 'oh, come and stay with us for the night,' his wife went 'MAX, don't ask her that!!!' She later apologised and said they were about to leave and she had tidied everything, but I just thought it was funny. The man couldn't believe I would be travelling alone with a wheelchair, he kept staring at me and whispering 'amazing' as if I had two heads or something.

I had passionfruit cheesecake for lunch, yum. Tomorrow I pick up my hire car and will visit the aquarium. I will be relaxing other than that because my ribs flared up yesterday morning at 5am and I am in a lot of pain.

The radio is on in the kitchen and I hear Sir Edmund Hilary has just died.

A public GOOD LUCK to my lovely friend Sarah who has gone off to be brilliant at Columbia University. So proud. :-)

this is not an official post. You have to pretend you aren't reading it because I don't get proper internet access back until this Friday the 11th. (so I can't reply to e-mails till then)

But, just to say I have had a magical time here in the Marlborough sounds. Once I leave I will post the website of the hostel where I'm staying so you can all see it and see just what an amazing spot I've been in. It's an eco-lodge.... I only have candles to read by at night (although it isn't getting dark until 9.30pm, woo hoo) and all the food I'm eating is fresh and just caught, snapper, mussels, wild pork, wild turkey. It is such a different life out here. We get one mail boat a week and unfortunately I haven't even got my Christmas presents yet - I have put in an order of fresh fruit once a week which arrives on said boat and I am definitely looking forward to getting back to civilisation and having such things as supermarkets where you can choose whatever you want to eat. I can't imagine it at the moment. You can only eat what you have here, and the other day I had a craving for strawberries. It's a case of TOUGH, you have to wait a week. How many people live like that nowadays?

The staff are all really nice and I have met all sorts of nice guests. I almost got a Christmas kiss from a very handsome Austrian who I might well have fallen for had he done so, but alas I found out at the last minute that he had a girlfriend (rat!).

I went swimming in a swimming hole the other day (freezing! but sandflies forced me underwater), I have been taken up on a quadbike to see a pet eel (the path was barely big enough for two people let alone a bike and there was a very steep drop down to the sea on one side, it was so terrifying) and I have done masses of writing. There is luckily a great library here too so I have done a lot of reading...... items to choose from include 'Land Rover International magazine' and 'Pig Hunter' with lots of pictures of dead boar spilling blood down hunters arms (typical Kiwis, they catch them then give them a piggy back home (no pun intended))

We have had days of 32 degrees and torrential rain. I have had days of happiness and days of terrible pain - my tiredness meant I dislocated a rib the day before I got here, plus got a bad virus so I am clearly pushing things, but there will be time to rest when I get home no doubt.

I am missing my dog, my friends, the INTERNET but definitely not the winter. Being here in Spring/summer has done wonders for me.

must go, after all, am not really online (perhaps it's those elves I've been looking for). love to all xxxx

My last night was really great. I went to a bar with a group of people to celebrate someone's birthday and there was some great live music. It was really fun.

Said goodbye to my Frenchman on the Saturday (he insisted on posing lying on his car for a photo). He wanted to come with me but doesn't have enough money. I then had a longggg three hour drive down to Pakiri Beach, which is an hour and a half from Auckland. It's a beautiful spot, it's just been incredibly grey and rainy, so it's hard to enjoy it. I seem to be in a little cabin with walls made of cardboard and a ceiling made of polystyrene. I have been feeling appalling the last couple of days.... my fibromyalgia has really caught up with me. I have felt exhausted and have slept and slept. I have felt sick, dizzy and generally really sore. I feel much better today. It was a half hour drive to come and use the internet, but it was worth it because I think this is going to be the last time I get to do so before mid January when I leave my Marlborough Sounds hostel.

Am currently in a library. The librarian is rather conservative but she just spoke to a mature lady customer 'no that's a soft porn novel dear, the hard core sexy stuff you want is on that shelf at the back.' I kid you not.

Going to have some lunch by the river here in Warkworth, it's prettier here than I remember. Tomorrow I get to meet the guy I was going to meet originally in Auckland (we rescheduled). He is a bit of a hero of mine, a famous psychologist and author and he wrote a couple of books that is relevant to my book research, so it should be fantastic. Not looking forward to seeing grey Auckland though. I have to return to the sports shop where I got my tent to see if they will buy it back from me. They should do but I don't know quite where I'm going to dump it if they don't. Poor George, I've used him now I'm dumping him.

So, if I don't get online again, have a fantabulous Christmas and New Year. If your relatives are getting on your nerves, write me a letter. It will definitely be appreciated because I'm staying somewhere very isolated. The mail is only delivered twice a week by boat. My parents have my address. Lots of love to everyone. Make sure you check back in in January for more scandalous stories.