Kaikoura

After we left the Sea Kayaking place we stopped back in Nelson for a Quick Lunch, but Jeff had to go to the hospital for his foot so we hung out there for a few hours. Then it was on to Kaikoura. The drive down was a little stormy but really cool cuz we drove along the ocean and saw the water crashing on the rocks and huge waves! GORGEOUS! We stayed in a cool hostel right on the ocean. We had to get up at 4:30am to be ready to Dolphin Swim. I was very excited but apparently I had no idea what was coming. It was a stormy morning but they decided not to cancel it. We split into two groups and set out. I had never snorkeled before and it was kinda scary because the water was so rough. The dolphins were dusky dolphins and they were all wild. There were about 200 of them out. It was so cool. You just jump in and swim around and make noise and they come right up to you. I saw so many, but adventually swallowed to much salt water and got sick. Three of us on our boat got sea sick and when we got back we learned over half of the other boat, which was much smaller, got sick. I spent most of the rest of the day in bed not feeling to well but it was still a very cool experience.

Abel Tasman

After leaving Nelson, we were headed to Abel Tasman National Park. I got a glimse from above when I skydived! It is known to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. After a extended, long, weary "briefing" we were headed to the waters to Sea Kayak to Anchorage Campsite. The Sea Kayaking started out being a bit of work but after we took a break for some food it was better. The sea got a little rough on us so it was hard work but we got to the campsite and it was a beautiful beach. We were really in paradise. We set up camp and took a swim. That night I was sooo exhausted I went to bed at about 8pm I believe. The next day we did a short hike to Cleopatras pool. It was an area of waterfalls and a natural water slide. It was soo much fun. The water was chilly but we spent a few hours hanging out and bathing in the sun. That night I walked along the beach. There were the most beautiful stars and the ocean view was amazing and peaceful. We all forgot cards and were not the smartest on packing food so in some ways it was a rough few days but most of us had a great time. We did have one downfall, Jeff, a guy in the group, stubbed his toe and thought he broke it, it turned out there was a blister on it also that got infected and worse for him as time went on. We had to hike out and him and one of our leader, Lesley cut her foot and they got to take a water taxi back. Our hike only had a bit of uphill so that was nice then we walked along the coastline for 2 1/2 hours. It was beautiful but hiking with our packs for the first time, it was a challenge. We felt like we were going in circles and it was a joke of some sort but adventually we made out way out and got to shower!

Nelson

So after Wellington, which once again was amazing, we took a ferry to the South Island. Basically we all stayed up to late and were not excited for the early morning. Most of us slept most of the way, then we arrived and took a curvy road to Nelson, the sunshine city. We spent some time relaxing, some people mountian biked, well my visit involved a wine tour, and skydiving! The wine tour was alot of fun, all of us girls and Bjorn got cute and had a day of sampling three vineyards and one brewery. We got lots of food to try with each wine and test different flavors with different kinds of wine. Good day!

SKYDIVING!!

So we woke up the morning of skydiving, some of us nervous and some just really excited. I think I was a little bit of both. We went to the place and they had us watch a video which got us all really excited! They decided the order according to weight and it turned out I was basically last. I was crazy excited and antsy and could not stand still but the longer i waited I calmed down and we just wanted to do it!! Finally Aussie, Kate and I were called to go. We got suited up and headed for the plane. The way up lasted seemed like forever. At one point the door accidentally opened a little and my automatic thought was o jeez I could fall out, then I was like damn THATS WHAT IM HERE TO DO! AHH! haha So told us we were half way and it was like omg this is only half!! We got to 13,000 feet and I was the first to go! The camera man went out first and climbed on to the top of the plane, then i was out! It went by so fast but it was the best experience Ive ever had. Its nothing like I expected and words cant even describe the feeling, its not scary at all which I thought I would be and the view is amazing and then you just have a casual conversation the rest of the way down! We talked about bungee compared to skydiving, it was amazing!

SKYDIVING TOMORROW!!

White Water rafting and Zorbs

I left this out. The leaders surprized us and brought us zorbing on the way to white water rafting. Basially you got in a big ball and roll down a hill. Sooo fun! haha then we headed to do some level 5 rafting. Me and five other ppl had a raft and a guide named Pete. A surpremly gorgeous guide. He was awesome. We went down a twenty one foot waterfall and many little ones. It was intense but also a blast. Then we headed to the maori had an amazing meal and experiences a little bit of their culture, they sang and made the guys sing and it was a blast. And the best meal Ive had yet. Then we headed to the hot springs so that is where that all fits in. The food has been good we take turns preparing breakfest and supper and mom if you read this you are going to like me so much more when I come home and be so proud. I bet you will cry the first time you see me eat a veggie. Because I have been and I LOVE trying new things well Im down here. Ive tried all sorts of things i wouldnt have before and its all been good.

Wellington and More

After spending the night lakeside at the maori we headed to a campground. There we had some free time and had a cook off for diner. Each group made thier own and ours was delicious. Then we had to rest up because the next day we had an 8 hour hike at the (excuse my spelling) Tangouria crossing. I basically had asthma attack the entire way up the mountain. This is the one from lord of the rings, Mt. Doom. Hiking is definatley not going to be an enjoyable experience for me, but I made it and im proud of myself for that. O ya I forgot to mention on the way down i tripped and fell on my face. haha Typical me. So anyways i managed to make it through that and then we headed to mangaweka to camp for two nights.

We went kayaking and rafting again, but it was less intense. We got to ave a campfire and smores. Which they dont have graham crackers so we made it up. Aussie had never even heard of them. It was a fun night.

Then we headed to wellington. What a wonderful city. I have spent the last few days, eating out at good resturants, walking around the city, shopping and having fun. We are at a hostel downtown and its nice to have beds and a roof. We also had some more class while we were here. I learned how to tie sweet knots. So i could save your life if you fall down a well. This will be out last night here and tomorrow we take a ferry to the south island, to nelson where we will stay at another YHA hostel and continue on our adventure. =D

WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND!!

Hi Everyone!!! I finally found some time to be able to write. Its been a few days so ill try to tell as much as I can! Everything went very well at teh airport! I arived in LA to 80 Degree weather and found my group. We waited for a few hours and got to know eachother until our flight left. The plane was HUGE and really nice. I had my own screen and could watch whatever movies, tv shows, music, like whatever i wanted! It was 13 hours and I hardly slept, but it still went good.

We arrived in Auckland at 4:30am their time. FYI I am nineteen hours ahead of you. So we got started bright and early by grabbing groceries and then heading to a place called one tree hill!! haha what a way to start huh. I knew this was the place for me. After walked through a field of sheep poop we got to the top to an amazing view of Auckland! Wow. Basically its like California but cleaner, prettier, and less crowded. We then went to a beach and started to bake. Amazing I am the ONLY one who hasnt not burnt ONE BIT throughout this trip! After that beach we took a long drive with alot of turning around to head to PIHA which was out first destination.

We drove through Auckland and it looks like a great place. We even saw a guy with a Minnesota Vikings shirt on! So we basically travel around New Zealand in 12 seater Vans, but ive managed to keep from getting sick. TO to beautiful to look out the window to feel crappy.

PIHA was great we were basicaly camping right on the beach. We were there for two days and I think I would have been perfectly happy never leaving. Its a small community, but the people were great the beach was beuatiful and there was nothing bad about it.

We left PIHA and headed to Waitomo. We are staying in maori place, and basically we are all on mattresses on the floor and its soo fun , haha. We went black water rafting and WOW. You cant even imagine. BAsically you are in a cave the entire time and there are glow worms and we jumped of small water falls, and wore really cute suits haha. Now today I get to go rapelling in about two hours, then one more night here and we head somewhere to stay with another Maori and have a traditional meal, concert, and swim in hot springs!

This is definaltey everything I wanted and more! You can even imagine my excitment and how much I love it! We have all hardly slept and it doesnt even matter we just cant get enough! All the people are really cool and I cant wait to see what I accomplish in these next two months =D

Mail Drops

Pacific Challenge Mail Drops

Be sure to share the following information with anyone who might want to send you something while you’re on the trip.
L
etters and packages typically take between 10-14 days to arrive in New Zealand and Australia. However, the places where we get our mail will not forward your mail (typically they return it to the sender), so it is really important that you send mail with plenty of time to arrive.
Letters and packages need to be labeled very clearly. If mail is not labeled in the following way, you run the risk of not getting your mail.
LABEL MAIL LIKE THIS:

PACIFIC CHALLENGE GROUP 2
Maranda Myrold
(Accommodation Address)

The following 3 accommodations will collect mail for PC participants:
YMCA
PO Box 2004
Christchurch
NEW ZEALAND

PC2 will be here from Jan. 21-Feb. 2 and Feb. 20-21. ***********************************************************************
Pinewood
48 Hamilton Road
Queenstown
NEW ZEALAND
PC2 will be here from Feb. 8-11. ***********************************************************************
Tallow Beach Houses
PO Box 95
Sullolk Park
NSW 2481
AUSTRALIA
PC2 will be here from March 1-3.

Pacific Challenge, Group II

PC2- Depart from Los Angeles on January 13, 2009 and return to Los Angeles on March 14, 2009


Lesley Lowe and Marie Kirschstein- PC leaders
Cortney Amundson
Stephanie Bennish
Danielle Bryant
Jim Bystrzycki
Jeff Chitek
Samantha Drewry
Dylan Erickson
Jenna Ginsbach
David Gooze
Grace Hudlik
Bjorn Kadlec
Kendra Meyers
Maranda Myrold
Charlie Nelson
Kate Pachan
Megan Quinn
Claire Stanton
Megan Stellpflug
Brittany Strauss
Amanda Waller

Itinerary

Day 1: Travel & program briefing
Depart from Los Angeles with your
fellow travelers and fly to Auckland,
New Zealand. Start your day with
program orientation, and then
freshen up with a swim in the Pacific
Ocean, before continuing to
Waitomo, where we stay in a
traditional Maori village.
Day 2-3: Rappelling & caving
Begin by rappelling into a dramatic
limestone gorge, followed by black
water rafting, an underground
journey amidst waterfalls and
caverns. Popular options in Waitomo
are horse riding and spelunking the
Haggis Honking Holes.
Day 4: Rafting & cultural
performance
Heading east we plunge into
whitewater rafting fun on the
Kaituna River and enjoy a traditional
Maori concert and Hangi (earth
cooked meal). Soak in natural hot
springs at night.
Day 5-6: Taupo & Tongariro
On the shore of beautiful Lake
Taupo and the surrounding
geothermal area are great places for
some free time. Spend the night
camping at the foothills of this
amazing volcanic plateau, and spend
the day hiking through diverse
volcanic topography, all in the
shadow of Mt. Doom (Mt.
Ngauruhoe) from ‘Lord of the
Rings.’
Day 7: Riverside camping &
kayaking
Heading south, we’ll spend 2 nights
camping riverside beneath the starry
southern skies. Wake early for an
intro to white water kayaking on the
Rangitikei River.
Day 8-10: Wellington
Head south to New Zealand’s capital
city, Wellington, offering a
spectacular harbor backdrop. Explore
Te Papa National Museum, vibrant
nightlife and excellent cafes. Here
students will meet their instructors
and resume classes.
Day 11-13: Nelson
Our ferry crossing, through the
twisting arms of the Marlborough
sounds, is a stunning introduction to
the South Island and the fun-loving
summertime city of Nelson. Try an
exciting morning with 60 seconds of
freefall, tandem skydiving—a
popular option.
Day 14-15: Sea kayaking & hiking
Sea kayaking is a great way to
experience Abel Tasman National
Park. We spend our time hiking,
camping and swimming in this
beautiful beach wilderness.
Day 16-17: Swim with dolphins
Onward to Kaikoura, a small coastal
community world famous for its
abundant marine life. Kick start the
day on a sunrise swim with wild
dolphins.
Day 18-20: Christchurch
Travel down the coast past fur seals
basking in the sun to everyone’s
favorite city Christchurch. We rock
climb on the dramatic Port Hills. A
chance to meet with our instructors
once more.
Day 21-22: Whitewater Kayaking
A short drive south to camp at Peel
Forest in the foothills of the Southern
Alps. Spend the day whitewater
kayaking on the glacial-fed river of
the Rangitata.
Day 23-25: Mountain
hiking/Backpacking
Mt. Cook National Park is home to
many of the highest mountains in
Australasia. Snow-clad peaks,
glaciers, and wide open river valleys
depict this environment. Options
include day and overnight hikes in
steep mountain terrain or lazing
about.
Day 26-29: NZ’s adventure capital
Queenstown, the birthplace of
commercial bungee jumping, is set
amidst a stunning alpine lakeside
environment. This is a town with so
much to do! Adrenaline adventures
abound, including a luge ride high
above the city. More class time with
your instructors.
Day 30-32: Backpacking
A 3-day trek across the Southern
Alps, following the famous
Routeburn Track, through a pristine
wilderness of lakes, rivers,
waterfalls, ancient forest and alpine
vistas. Includes a nature cruise on
Milford Sound in the Fiordland
National Park, one of the world’s
great natural wonders. A chance to
see seals and cascading waterfalls.
Day 33-35: Relax in Wanaka
Time out to soothe aching legs in
Wanaka, a welcoming lakeside town.
Time to catch up on coursework or
go to the local cinema.
Day 36-37: Franz Josef
A welcome stop-over on our way
back to Christchurch. This lovely
town set in the cool temperate
rainforest of the west coast, this town
offers special scenic value.
Day 38-39: Christchurch
A chance for last souvenir shopping,
repack and prepare for our flight to
Sydney.
Day 40: Australia Bound!
Our three hour flight from
Christchurch takes us to Australia’s
scenic gateway Sydney.
Day 41-42: Blue Mountains
Jump on board our buses and head to
Blackheath in the heart of the Blue
Mountains. This ancient sandstone
plateau forms our playground for a
couple of days. Canyoning,
climbing, and hiking form the basis
of our activities here. A few rustic
nights’ stay in a scout den provides
our accommodation.
Day 43-46: Cascades
A journey then takes us inland
through areas such as the
Warrumbungle Mountains and New
England ranges to our 3-day stay in
Cascade Field Study center.
Activities include whitewater rafting,
environmental education and
sampling Australian ‘bush tucker’, a
wonderful little backcountry
experience.
Day 47-49: Byron Bay
It’s off to Byron Bay, a 3-hour
journey out of the inland mountain
ranges to the scenic sub-tropical
community of Byron Bay. More
class time and a wealth of beach side
outdoor activities, such as scuba
diving at the very foot of the Great
Barrier Reef, learning to surf, and
numerous beach side antics.
Day 50-51: Brisbane
A trip to the famous Australia Zoo,
home to the late Steve Irwin and his
family
Day 52-53: North Coast
A delightful coastal stopover on the
beach enroute to Sydney. Beaches
and Sunshine!
Day 54: Drive to Sydney
Sample more of this beautiful
coastline as we head south.
Day 55-57: Sydney
A spectacular way to end this trip in
the beautiful city of Sydney.
Activities including Harley rides,
surfing, beaches, volleyball, and city
sites and time to plan for extensions