NZ three weeks in...

Well where the hell do i start. Life out here has not dealt me the hand i expected or thought i wanted, i've been hit by a massive cultural, social, and emotional shock but its really, trully awesome!

Three weeks and one day in and i'm still in Auckland, i never thought this would happen, i guess i figured i'd get here, find a van in a couple of days and then dissapear into the sunset with some guys i'd met. Life chucks you a curveball sometimes and it certainly did me. Don't get me wrong, i haven't just sat on my ass in Auckland oh no, i've been here for a bit, there for a bit, tripping round, taking opportunities as they present, and just rolling with them to see how it goes!

So what has happende since i last posted.

the big thing has been a hunt for a van. I've searched high and low, on the net, at car fairs, auctions, back packer hostels, newspapers, the whole nine yards. i found about 5 vans i wanted, all 5 slipped through my fingers for one reason or another untill yesterday when a right pearler came my way, and the deal was done! She's a Hyundai H100, 2001, diesel, manual (hard to come by out here) and she is going to rock! Other than the van hunt, i have been off on trips to the Western Beaches of Piha and a fantastic trip to the Central North Island to a lake house and a farm which was a magical journey, and very much needed. The guys i've been with have been stonking, such great people and so genuine. Infact the biggest thing that has gone on has been the people i have met.
Perculiarly i have run into a lad i went to school with, and an old family friend who met each in the UK other the week before they both arrived out here, and there is certainly some kind of reason why we have found each other out here. Luke was the year below me at school and Emma is the daughter of one of my Mothers very close friends. Through Emma i have been introduced to Tree, her aunt who lives out here in Auckland and has the most magical family, married to Ian and mother of Sam and Josh. Tree has got a spiritual gift and talking to her has really opened my eyes and my mind to a new perception and perspective on life. She has taken me under her wing and opened her home. I wish i could convey on here my feelings of worth, and love that i feel from the family here, it really has been so comforting to arrive the other side of the world and be so comfortable, make truly genuine friends so quickly and know that things have happened for a reason. I sit here now still shaking my head and smiling, unable to believe how things have turned out. This post is not about what i have seen or done, but what i have felt since arriving. It is almost indescribable in words, and i know that i have failed to do justice to what i feel right now, and how good it is to be here, not geographically in the world, but emotioanlly and spiritually in this place. I only hope it will continue to grow, and i learn not only a new and improved way to look at life, but the people i have met can share this journey with me...

NZ so far...

Well it's been 5 days since i landed in Auckland and it feels like i've been here for much longer. The days have raced by and i only hope the year doesnt go too quick!

I've taken it pretty easy so far, just taking my time, getting my bearings, clearing the jet lag and chilling out. saturady i headed to Downtown Auckland to see what was about, get my bearings and generally have a look around. I wandered through the streets, down to the water front, up to the city parks just chilling out and taking my time. The city is really clean, with hardly any litter about anywhere and with the sun shining it actually was really nice to be in the CBD where it was buzzing with people, not something that i thought i would enjoy. I just walked with no purpose really, stopping at things that caught my eye and generally having some time to reflect on the thought of being here for a year. I found myself up on "K Road" in some really neat second hand shops and decided to explore the street a little further. It was quite the contrast from the city centre and at a BBQ i went to on Sunday, i found out K Road at night is the place to pick up hookers and find strip joints! I knew it had a different feel about it!! Saturday night i went with Tony to a sports bar to watch the Provincial Rugby Cup Final between Christchurch and Wellington over a few local beers. Sunday was a great day, with a visit to the local car fair to try and find me a motor to whizz around in for the next year (which was unfortunately unsuccessful) and also to a BBQ at Peter and Kellys, friends of Clare and Tony who i am staying with currently. The weather was scorching at the BBQ and within 15mins i had managed to burn my neck and feet. Apparently there is a really problem over here with a hole in the ozone so UVA and UVB get people really quickly so it's going to have to be suncream all the way from here on in! Monday i was back to Downtown to sort my bank account and see a bit more of the cityscape. I found a tattooist who is world renound and am looking to get my new design done there so am hoping to book in soon. They are booked up now till January but have a guest artist from switzerland in this week who has some space to i'm going to call them tommorrow and see about getting in.

I popped over to Rangitoto Island yesterday, the newest island in the Hauraki Gulf, which formed 600years ago when it erupted from the ocean. The island is managed by the Department Of Conservation and is an amazing formation of lava flows in the most perfect shield volcano which is accessed by a short ferry ride. 20mins from the city it is another world over there, there are no shops, no permanent dwellers, and the whole island is covered in vegetation. Well managed trails and signs get you around the island which is so peaceful and silent when you get onto the lesser walked trails away from the majority of the visitors. The 360 view from the summit is quite a sight... After hopping off the ferry back on the mainland i decided to walk back to Clare's to see what sights i could find and made my way through the Auckland Domain which is a huge greenspace just East of the CBD. Finding an immaculate plant garden i stopped off for a few pics in there before making my way to Mt Eden, the highest Volcanic cone on the mainland where another 360 view awaits summiteers. I found Mt Eden quarry too just on the slopes to the North where i am hoping to meet up with the NZ Alpine Club tonight on their weekly meet.

Today i have been out with Clare and 13month old Charlie for a picnic by the beach and a coffee, stopping off at a few of the sights between the house and Mission bay, our picnic destination. The weather started bright and sunny, turned windy and then rained, only to brighten up again later. New Zealanders say if you dont like the weather, just wait 10mins and it'll change, which so far has been true! Not sure on plans for the rest of the week but should be out climbing with the local club tonight, meeting a friend for beers tomorrow, and buying a car this weekend too. I'm planning to check into a backpackers hostel for a few nights to meet up with some guys too who might fancy a trip somewhere in the newly aquired beast, will let you know!

Arrived!

Well after scooting half way across the world for 27hours, i arrived in Auckland this morning to a beautiful day of sunshine. The flight over was really good, no hold ups anywhere and really smooth, painless transfers. I landed a right result from London to LA, scoring myself into a "cot" seat which gives you all the legroom of sitting by an emergency exit, but none of the responsibility! All i had infront of me was enough room to lay a cot down, but there was no cot to be put there so i strecthed out in my window seat, enjoyed the almost continuous sunset and settled in to the journey.
11hours later we gracefully touched down at LAX and the sun then finally set after chasing it halfway across the globe, and after clearing immigration i collected my bags, walked out of arrivals onto the street, only to dissapear back inside to departures 30 seconds later. Quantas airlines were takin gme from LA to Auckland, and it was an incredibly comfortable flight, well stocked on fresh fruit snacks and juice whenever you wanted it, as well as two fairly impressive plane meals. I got talking to Canadian family at the gate before boarding who ran a farm on the Alberta/Saskatchewan border who were en-route to a wedding in Austrailia. Keen to hear about my onward travels, Ann (the mother) got my facebook and also gave me their address saying that i should stop by if i was back in Canada anytime. they were really nice and good fun to talk to whilst waiting to board. They were sitting only a few rows behind me on the plane so we talked a bit on the flight when getting up to wander round the plane and stretch legs.
The flight over was smooth and made for some fantastic viewing, i was gutted to have left my camera in the overhead as we passed right over the top of a huge weather front which stretched as far as the eye could see and was made up of billowing cumulo nimbus clouds marking the leading edge. Coming closer to NZ, the cloud cover changed to an almost complete blanket which dissapeared as quickly as it had appeared and NZ was in view. The flight over the coast was amazing, and Auckland itslef was so colourful from the air.
An efficient landing and immigration put me straight through to baggage claim in a matter of minutes, something UK airports could learn a thing or two from! After declaring all my hiking/climbing gear, i had to unpack in and fill forms out for it to be sent through a cleansing process which brought my boots out shiny, a drastic improvement from the muddy state at which i was attempting to enter the country with! With customs cleared, i walked out into arrivals just as Clare was walking in with Charlie in the push chair, perfect timing for the pick up.
A short drive later though some really nice looking neighbourhoods and we arrived back at Clare and Tony's house where lunch was grabbed before heading out for a short drive to the nearby 'Cornwall Park' to got see One Tree Hill, a beautiful viewpoint which allows you to look out over all of Auckland. Getting a rough sense of directions and locations, the sun was getting a little too high in the sky for Charlie who was due his afternoon nap so we headed back to Clares. Onto the laptop to send emails of safe arrivals, this is where i am up to now on my trip to NZ. The weekend looks like it'll be spent sorting out a couple of bits with the bank, getting my bearings and hopefully out on Tony's fishing boat too, as well as an invite to a BBQ on sunday already. Things are shaping up pretty well and i've only been in country for 5hours... :)

Defining me...

So what is it that defines me? I think if you asked any of my friends it would be the search for adventure, the love for the outdoors and the passion i have for climbing and mountaineering. The last 4 years have really been what i consider to have defined me. I found the right direction in life for me and had an amazing time along the way. I have climbed some great routes, in great places, with great people. So this is what it is all about, getting out there and cranking it hard on real rock, trad gear, pushing it and having a laugh along the way. There is Too much to put into a blog that is reminiscing over years gone by so i will write a little insert about the final, and possibly best way i ended those fours years before departing on the next big adventure. It was dubbed "Peak Attack"

Peak attack was the best way i could have ended my climbing in the UK before travelling to NZ. It all started with a crazy phone call between me and Matt...

"Lakes this weekend?"

"Nah, feel like The Peak, still a few routes there i am desperate to do before leaving"

"Which ones?"

"Flying Butress Direct, Chequers Butress, The Brain, Easter Island and The Sloth"

"Hmmm....Quite a list....Quite spread out to!"

"Aye, fancy hitting them all in a day....??"

"........................Sure, why not?!"

So that was it, plan was set. Starting out at Stanage on Flying Butress Direct this was a stiff route to jump straight on to and involved mild defeat on the heel hook and rock over that nearly bust Dan's ankle before victory was ours and the first tick of the day had been achieved.

Hopping into the car we set off for the next crag, Froggatt where Chequers Butress was on the list. Arriving to find someone already gearing up, we set out for Three Pebble Slab which Andy sent as his first E1 which rocked. Back to Chequers we hopped on and flew across the face on finger locks and bomber nut slots to the arete, marvelling at the jug before cranking over the top to finish one of the best routes in the Peak.

Curbar is just down to way from Froggatt so we chucked on the bags and set off towards Curbar edge. The guidebook says Curbar starts 50m past the End of Froggatt. OK, this may be the case but our route, The Brain did not. Bashing through bracken and trees we eventually found the right butress and hopped up. The start was amazing, a completely gearless slab with gritstone flakes the like i have never seen anywhere before. Up this is was time to tackle the main butress itself, before moving out onto the arete to finish in a glorious and airy position with the sun beating down.

Four routes down, we were motoring, just nip down to the Southern Peak and it was in the bag. Easter Island was next on the list, an intimidating limestone pinnacle which once on is totally committing. Matt took the lead, making a great show of battling up the face before stepping round into the groove to take a monster lob ripping out his top two cams.... Not defeated, he was back on and sent to upper section in great style. Light was fading at this point and setting up the abseil darkness had descended. After a fairly scary free hanging abseil, we made it to the ground only to find the ropes had become jammed when we tried to pull them down. Matt took the hit and prussiked up 35m of dynamic rope to free them. Finally both down on the ground with both ropes too, we took the decision that although The Sloth in pitch black would be great fun, it wasn't to be. A beer in the local pub ended a fantastic day and made for planning the mornings escapades to get out and send the Sloth first thing, which was what happened.

An awesome route that pulls through possibly the most famous roof climb in the UK, to climb in the handholds of greatness was a really good feeling...

So less than 24hours after starting out, we had climbed ultra-classic 6 routes from all over the Peak District on 5 different crags. I could not have asked for a better way to say goodbye to the Peak District that had kept me captivated for 4years

If i can find trips, friends and experiences half as good as those here in the UK, i will have the most amazing time in NZ i think...

T-Minus 28hours...

Right well this is it then i guess, i'm off. I've sorted out as much as i can do, anything that isn't done can either be done when i arrive or just not at all, i'd of put it to the top of the to-do list if it was that important i suppose. I headed down to the bank yesterday to send my money to my new NZ bank account and in the choas that ensued with forms, phone calls, checking with colleagues, re-filling forms, correcting forms, more phone calls, i think the money will be there when i arrive...
I also got a bunch of stuff to take with me out of cupboards and bags which i ended up just piling on a bed and not doing much more with so that i a job for today to actually pack it up ready to leave tomorrow. I'm just about to submit my application for a work placement at an outdoor centre which i hope i'll start in January after crusing around for a bit on the North Island and my Tax forms are enroute i hope to get me my tax back for this year which will be a nice little injection of funds when it comes through. Overall i think i'm pretty ready to head off, take a chilled out approach and hopefully get some climbing done within the first week or so as it has been too long since was last on some real rock!

Next post may well be from the other side of the world.... :)

What the hell to take...

Considering its 3 days till i leave i'm not really sorted any more than i had this time last week. I think the only thing i have done since is design my new tattoo that i want to get when i arrive. My bank details did come through though so at least i can sort some money out to be there when i arrive. I've got rid of my car too now so have to sort the paperwork for that, try and do a tax return before i go as well, and also pack up whatever it is that you take to the other side of the world for a year. I keep telling myself i'm not stressing about what to take, but i have found myself thinking about it more and more this week. I don't think i'm worrying about it, more wondering what i'll consider to be important enough to join me over there. Climbing gear is a definate, but how much to take is not so sure, Do they all just climb sport or will i actually find some trad to get stuck into?? Hiking gear will also get the nod, as well as winter gear too for climbing. How much weight allowance i'll have after that lot remains to be seen, but if i don't take it then i guess i didnt consider that i'd need it all that badly after all, and if i do, whatever i need can't be too inaccessible out there...