Surfs up

Laying face down on top of a surfboard as my instructor, Andy, gave out the final set of instructions, I was unsure of how the next few hours would play out.
My plan was just to stand up, but as I struggled simply pulling my board out to sea, I wondered if I was being a little cocky.
Jen and I were in Raglan and in Raglan, you surf.
Turned out surfing wasn't that hard. Well if you count wobbled standing for a few moments before falling down into the water surfing. (P.S. wetsuits are really warm).
But standing is standing and Jen and I each accomplished the feat more than once that Saturday afternoon. Windy conditions made for a challenging day. The waves came in so fast, it left little time to recover or prepare for riding the next wave. The current was so strong at times that I fell just walking in ankle-deep water.
And I really hate to admit this, mainly because I have no proof, but Jen may have had a better day. She claims to have gotten a thumbs up from our instructor after riding a wave all the way to beach. But like I said, no proof.
I on the other hand was teased by our instructor for sticking my tongue out when I finally stood up.
We surfed at Ngarunui Beach. It's a good place for beginners. The big shots surf at Manu Bay, a beach that was featured in the movie"The Endless Summer."
The coolest thing about the beaches was the black sand. I've never seen it before and it was so glittery and pretty. I was told the black stuff gets pretty hot during the summer months.
We stayed at a place called Solscape. A very backpacker chic eco retreat where people stay in old train cars, tipis and earth domes, which are made of, well, the earth.. Jen and I stayed in a train. It was a little cramped, but it was clean.
The town of Raglan itself was filled with cafes and small shops where you could buy pottery, clothes and of course surfing gear. It's not a big town, but the people who live there absolutely love it.
As always, here are a few photos. Sorry there aren't any of us in the water but we were kind of busy.

   

Windy Wellington

I was expecting a small town with a few shops and cafes dotted along a city block, what I got was a seriously hip city that boasts more cafes per capita than New York City. Wellington exceeded my expectations last weekend when Jen I visited the very windy capital. The flight from Auckland to Wellington was about 50 minutes. Wellington is along the southern tip of the north island. Someone described the city as vibrant and I have to admit that's a good description of the place. There are restaurants from every country, ample public transportation and plenty of people bopping about decked out in everything from complete Gothic wear to hipster trends. As a city girl, it was good to see.
The place to be is Cuba Street with its hip cafes and indie clothing stores. Jen and I must have walked around that area a dozen times and each time I noticed something different.
Saturday was Guy Fawkes night and Wikipedia tells me he was an Englishman who tried to assassinate King James I to restore a Catholic monarch to the throne. He stockpiled gunpowder for the big plan, but the plot was sniffed out. He was arrested, but committed suicide before he was to be executed. To celebrate the foiled plot fireworks and the occasional burned effigy are used.
Queens Wharf was the backdrop Saturday night as Jen and I settled along the water eating warm doughnuts and taking in the show. (Of course there are pictures below).
Kayaking plans were dashed on Sunday due to high winds and rough waters. So Jen and I jumped on the Wellington cable car. It's one of the oldest and most popular things to do in the city. We took it all the way to the top for a fantastic view of the city. While we were waiting for the 5-minute trip back down, I found a way to keep myself entertained. (Picture below).
Afterwards, Jen and I visited one of the best museums I've ever seen. The Te Papa Museum combined an interactive experience with a thorough telling of the history of New Zealand. They even tackled controversial issues involving homosexuality, women's rights and racial strife among the Maori people. There was also an art section, this was my favorite photo. The painting was so realistic, it looked like a photograph. I could have stared at it for hours.

Lonely Planet said Wellington and Auckland are locked in "an age-old struggle for hip supremacy." After exploring and enjoying both cities, I'm still not sure who gets my vote.

Here are a few photos:

Hello Beaches

If you spent the weekend digging out your car or shoveling your driveway this will not be one of your favorite posts. Jen and I spent Saturday and Wednesday on the beach. The water is still a little too cold to go in, but it's still a nice way to spend an afternoon.
On Sunday we headed to Mount Maunganui, known as "the mount" around here. It's about an hour from Waihi. It's a cool little surf town with lots of food and clothing shops. Jen picked up a few things at the farmers market. There was a big shipwreck in the Bay of Plenty that dumped hundreds of tons of oil into the ocean. Oil has washed up ashore, coated a few animals and angered beach goers. Luckily for Jen and I, we picked a stretch of beach that wasn't hit with oil. It also helped that the sun was out in full force after raining all day Saturday. We weren't the only ones taking advantage of the great weather. The beach was filled with people, some in the water, many just enjoying the sea breeze.
On Wednesday, we went to Whangamata (remember WH words sound like an "F"). The sea was rough, perfect weather for all the surfers. In a few weeks I'll be out there with my boogie board.
 
Here are a few pics from both trips: Pictures 1-4 and 8 (somehow things got mixed up) are from The Mount and pictures 5-7 and 9 are from Whangamata.