Heading South

As I begin writing this, I am sitting miserably with Dmac in the back of our van as our campsite turns into a flash flood area. We had planned on doing the Tongairiro Crossing, a 11 mile day hike around volcanos and over alpine crossings but with bad weather, the hike isn't worth it. We decided instead to stay in the valley and let Dan fish the world class Tongariro River. Now instead, we are sitting in our fogged van as rain pelts the sides. We switch off sleeping in the van and I was the lucky one who got the bed tonight. I woke up fairly early and watched as the water began rising and spreading across the ground, inching towards my two unlucky brethren in their respective tents. It wasn't long before Dan piled into the van with me. The last few nights I slept under the stars, last night I would've been in a world of wet.

Since leaving the farm in Te Puke, we have traveled through three towns, Rotorua, Taupo, and Palmerston North. Rotorua is a tourist town with thermal activity all around and the air smells like sulphur. We were just traveling through town I thought but before I knew it, Jonathan was driving us to some “adventure” park nearby. And before I knew it again, us three were strapped into body suits, strapped to each other, laying flat in midair and looking down 150 feet to our doom. Dan pulled the chord. We dropped and within ten feet of the ground and swung out and up again like flying squirrels. Just a little warm up before bungy jumping from triple that height. A little imitation skydiving (floating over a really powerful fan), miniature jetboating at 100 kph around 1 kilometer track, and shweeb racing (dont ask) before we were on the road again.

Taupo is a beautiful lake town with sail boats in the distance, and the looming Tongariro Mountains on the other side of the lake. This is where the aforesaid rain dumped buckets on us. We had no choice but to travel on in our now wet and musty van before really getting to enjoy the Taupo area so we will certainly come visit on our way back up.

Palmerston North is a town of 40 percent students and stayed with a girl from Montana who goes to school there. Three other guys from Montana live downtown and we watched some rugby matches in the bar. 7 montanans in a bar and we happened to be the only ones cheering for the rugby teams. Later we explored the New Zealand club scene for the first time. Recently deciding that I need to work on my swing dancing skills, what better place to practice than in a strange country with techno music blasting in the background.

This town, for being such a huge college town, is nothing special though. Eating lunch in Palmerston, one minute we had no plans, and the next we were going to Wellington to visit Tobey and Riley for Saturday night. Like the wind Jolly, like the wind.

This is indicative of how we have been planning our trip. We usually have no clue what are plans our, but it seems that whatever we choose, they will work out fine. Anything new is always an adventure and it is more fun this way. So far we have split our time between staying with people, hostels, and mostly, free camping. This freedom of choice, diversity, and frugality is the way to travel.

We have been eating like champions as of late between living at people's houses and car camping, I might actually be gaining weight and I am certainly eating better than if I were at college. With Jonathan around, I am certain that skimping on the eating process will never be an option. The other night Dan caught a twenty inch rainbow which we cooked over the fire. In this world class fishing area, his good size fish is even on the smaller side of what swims the Tongariro river. Before we head to the South Island and begin our backpacking adventures, fattening is well-needed. Care packages are welcome, address: Big Jolly Van, Anywhere we feel like going, New Zealand.

Speaking of ol' BJ, she is getting a bit worrisome. The front shocks are nil and any bump results in a “WHAM!” One such wham may have totaled her sway bar and we now bob and weave down the road, strange squeaking noises included. I usually sit in the comfortable back seat of the van, surrounded by various falling luggage, and have a great view of this as Jonathan's and Dan's heads bounce from side to side. As master mechanics, we three “inspected” the problem. “So uh, yeah turn the wheel. Ok I'm gonna have a feel here. Well that looks solid. Umm yeah ok any ideas people. Nope. Me neither. Yea no clue...” Fantastic.

In other news, we have added a Rugby ball to our eclectic van. Sometimes you will find us running down sidewalks or sprinting around our deserted campsites doing the hook and latter, honing our rugby skills. To get citizenship we have narrowed our choices to finding wives or getting good enough to play on the All Blacks national rugby team. I think I am going to pin my hopes on the first one.