Whale watch video

The guide explains why watching a sperm whale is not boring, although it doesn't do that much

First Christmas update

Chilling on our overnight boat in the Doubtful Sound

Christmas Eve in Christchurch

Kaikoura shenanagins

Christmas in New Zealand baby

I've been traveling with my family for almost 2 weeks now in the south island of New Zealand. pretty amazing so far, covering lots of ground and seeing so much, and yet, just making a dent on the island. We've been wine tasting, whale watching, hiking, hanging out on the beach, kayaking, and just got back from an overnight boat ride through the Doubtful Sound seeing dolphins, penguins, seals and tons of birds. Pretty sweet out there going past waterfalls, side canyons, huge islands and fishing for dinner.

It's been a great trip so far and tomorrow if the weather is good, I'll be skydiving in Queenstown, where we are now, then off to hike in the mountains and go across swinging bridges. The adventure capital of NZ.

The weather's been good for the most part, not as hot as normal for down here, but still a lot better for the family than the snowstorms in the States. been wearing shorts a bunch and living it up in the sandals.

Merry late Christmas to everyone. Happy early New Year.

Cheers,
Justus

Christmas Carols in the summer

Santa flying around in his helicopter

Picnicing in the sunshine before the carols

The carols band, all 70s decked out

Wellington loves to put on a good old fashioned Christmas carol night every year. This year it was at the cricket stadium and over 10,000 people showed up. Pretty massive. We got their early to picnic and get set up before the show started. Felt pretty different to be celebrating Christmas while wearing shorts and throwing a frisbee around outside. Perfect weather out.

Although the event was called Carols by Candlelight, there were no candles for sale, just glowsticks. Guess candlelight sounds better than carols by glowstick. All proceeds went to help the Childrens Hospital.

The music was pretty wicked, all different versions of the traditional songs. A samba Jingle Bells, a blues Silent Night and such. Interesting and it kept the crowd into it. The highlight was the helicopter with Santa flying around the stadium. No sleds down here folks.

The band was dressed up as 70s TV characters. Felt more like Halloween than Christmas. But they did sing the Peanuts Christmas song about Snoopy fighting the Red Baron, so you can't argue too much.

Here's a short video of their Christmas song to Michael Jackson's Thriller

Summertime in December

It's definitely summer down here. Got my first wicked sunburn this past weekend. Been having the weekends free from work so it's been nice to relax at the beach. We have a beach just 6 minutes away from our place, so been heading down there with some friends. Swimming in the cold water and playing a little rugby, pretty much the national sport. There's always people playing rugby at the beach or park. I've got a beach chair, so it's nice to go out and have a spot to sit that's pretty comfortable. And on the way back from the beach, it's nice to stop off at the supermarket and have a seat in front of the cold meats to cool off.

Work's been solid as always. Having a blast in the kitchen. It's nice to be in charge when I'm there, doing the orders and telling people what to do. I'm doing 3 dinner shifts a week and 2 brunch shifts, so it's a wide variety and keeps me on my toes. I'm working for just about a week more, then will be leaving with my family to travel around the South Island for Christmas. Going to be an awesome trip and I'm excited to see more of New Zealand.

Played tennis with one of the cafe owners at a fancy tennis club the other day. Got to know more about the cafe and their other side businesses.

Saw In Bruge with 10 other couch surfers. Awesome movie. A good night out with a bunch of people at a small movie theater. It's pretty typical here for the smaller movie theaters in each town to have a cafe there with good cakes, coffee, alcohol and the ability to bring drinks in with you to the theater. Pretty cool, despite the fact that movies come out here a while after the States. Bond just came out last Thursday here.

Hiking and wine tasting in New Zealand

This weekend I headed out with Stefan, my flatmate and two good friends, Angie and Dave. We rented a car for super cheap with unlimited kilometers and drove off over 100km to the southermost point of the north island to hike and enjoy the country. Good hiking, a sweet lighthouse, a seal colony and some locations where Lord of the Rings were filmed. Pretty amazing views along the drive, with tons of super green hills, sheep and cows everywhere and mountains around us. It should've been a quicker drive, but due to water and mountains, we had to go around to get to where we wanted to go.

The Wairarapa is full of vineyards, hills and small quaint towns. We hit up a couple downs as well as the surrounding area for the hikes. Got in a specialty chocolate shop, with over 50 types of chocolate bars from basil chocolate, to limechili chocoloate to sesame chocolate. Pretty damn good. The vineyards in the city of Martinborough where we camped were especially good. Well-known around NZ and the world, it was fun to try a wide variety of wines, with the Pinot Noir being the best and most famous of the region.

Here are the pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/JustusPB/WairarapaHikingAndWineTasting#

Tent city

So I got a tent for free from the people who I got my room from. I've got my first camping trip coming up, so we decided to see if the tent had all the pieces and was waterproof.

Elise and Stefan setting it up

Still working on it

The roommates get a new room

Explaining how large the tent will get with the Wellington wind

Stefan's water test. We gotta buy some waterproof tape

Wanganui

THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE

WANGANUI RIVER

WITH CANOE MATE NITA

Here's a link to photos from my past weekend: http://picasaweb.google.com/JustusPB/WanganuiNationalPark#

Spent the night in an old train station before heading to the Wanganui River. Jet boated up river to a trailhead to hike to the Bridge to Nowhere, with no roads on either side. It was built in 1935 for the farmers in the area, but soon after, most of the farmers had already left due to lack of income, so the bridge became overrun by the jungle around it. After lunching on the bridge, we got into canoes and headed downstream for 4 hours to the lodge where we were spending the night. On the way we stopped off at all the side streams, waterfalls and caves. Lots of things to check out and plenty to explore. Perfect weather for it. At the lodge, we cooked up some dinner, had s'mores out back and relaxed.

Day two, we awoke to mist surrounding the river, which soon burned off with the sun. Then it was back in the canoes and a 5 hour trip back to our cars. More waterfalls to swim under in super cold water. I lasted the longest in the water, and after was cold as hell, but well worth it. Along the way we spotted a goat on the side of the cliff, all wet and stuck. There was no where for it to go to get back up, so we got it into one of the canoes and took it 200m down river to a flat area to let it off. Saving the day as always. Towards the end we ran into 2 large caves, one on top of a waterfall, and the other one with knee deep mud all the way through. Pretty good stuff to squish around in. That wrapped up the weekend and then we drove the 3 hours back to Wellington, to get ready for the work week.

Island Bay

There's a bunch of hikes from Wellington, most of them in the city limits. Then there's this one to Island Bay, which is not. It's about a 4 mile hike through the hills, off the beaten path and through parks and golf courses, badly marked along the way and with some super steep parts. So a German friend of mine said she was going, and since I had the day free and hadn't been there yet, I went along. Twas a beautiful day, sunny the whole time, a big contrast to the previous day where it hailed and was so windy I had to hold on to a lamp post to not be blown away. That's Wellington for you, you get the worst day and then the best day, back to back.

The hike started in town, nearby the botanical gardens with superb views and then went back through a beltway of parks. Hardly on the streets at all, which was nice, and yet would've been quicker than our route. The route wasn't always marked that well, and when we asked some kids which way to go at a fork, they said that the way we'd come from was the correct way. I knew better than that and chose the right path luckily, down past rugby fields to a golf course. We came out of the forest onto the golf course about 15 feet from a hole and walked down the side of the green, all on our hiking map.

Towards the end, we had to climb up a huge mountain, with the ground turning to loose shale and the incline increasing. But at the top there were some pretty damn fine views and a cool Maori statue that was a couple centuries old. All in all, the hike was awesome, but tiring. And with that, I saw a ton of Wellington and it's surrounding cities, not bad for a 4+ hour hike.

Looking back at Wellington

Jumptastic

Gerda and I on the hike

Ancient Maori statue

Looking down at Island Bay

You ever go to a classy cafe and get an amazing meal and want to know who the chef is? Well, I'm that guy. I'm going on my third week of running Plum Cafe during the day, being in charge of ordering, inventory, prep lists and the works. Pretty sweet stuff, although it gets a bit hectic at times. Been a good experience so far, and I'll have that under my belt when a new chef comes in a week to expand the place. It'll still be my show, with my breakfast burrito going on the menu as well as a couple other things in the works right now. Got my own style rolling, which has people coming back and enjoying the place.

Today I hiked to the top of Mt Victoria for an awesome view of the city and the wind. The wind, which is always present in Wellington, was kicking today, making people look for something to hold on to. Pretty gusty, but that just keeps it fresh around town. Here is a video from the top:

Rugby

So I got to check out a professional rugby game for the first time. Happened to be the semi-finals, so it was built up to be a huge game. And it was, with the other team, who happened to be the underdogs, actually playing a bit better. But Wellington ended up winning and I'm still confused about some of the game, although I get more of it. The stadium is called the Cake Tin as it looks just like that, all aluminum on the outside and in a nice circle.

Fireworks going off as the team storms the field

Line out

Scrum-diddly um

Sunday I moved for the third time to a friend of a friends place. Great view from the house and on 2 bus lines, making me accessible to the city on my own for the first time. Quite nice and in a fun area. After moving in, we set out to hike Mt. Kaukau, a nearby hill/mountain. Sweet hike with great views and a grassy field at the top. The landscape keeps changing here, with a tropical start along a creek, to pines at the top of the mountain in the higher altitude. Sweet views of Wellington and its harbor, plus the south island in the distance. The top of the south island is actually north of Wellington, which is on the lowest part of the north island.


Monday and today, Tuesday, I’ve been working at Plum Café, plumcafe.co.nz. Working kinda as the head chef during the daytime, cooking all the food, being in charge of prep and working on food orders. I’m working on putting some new things on the menu, which during the day is brunch food. Going to be putting on a breakfast burrito and a quiche if all goes according to plan. The owners like my ideas and want to keep me around, but I’m going to be moving on soon, looking for a better, more organized place. Already got a job trial set up at a new restaurant where I’d be one of the main 3 chefs running the place, so that sounds promising. Got a bank account, a tax number and the apartment starts next Thursday, so life is rocking down in NZ.


Wellington, as seen from Mt. Kaukau

Ah, the New Zealand life, just another average view

Best weekend weather yet

Volcanic snowboarding

On Saturday I went up to Mt. Ruapehu, the main mountain for skiing and snowboarding on the north island. It happens to be a live volcano and has a tropical rainforest all the way around it. I went with Amanda, who I’m staying with and her boyfriend. We left at 3:30am to get there and get our gear rented and be ready to rock right when the lifts opened at 8am. The mountain was amazing, with some fresh snow and not too many people, even though it was the last weekend of school holidays. I used all of the lifts, trying out a lot of runs. The top of the mountain had an amazing view of the mountain below going into the clouds with another mountain off in the distance. A couple of black diamond runs took me down to the middle of the mountain where the wait was less time. Good times throughout the whole day, only falling a few times and getting some good speed. We turned in our tickets at 12:30 to get the half the money back and headed back to Wellington, driving down the mountain, through the rain forest and onto the highway. The highway is the main one between Auckland and Wellington with the mountain in the middle. Hilariously, this main highway has to cross train tracks which will stop traffic if a train is coming and normal traffic has to go 25kph.

Pumped to be heading up

Halfway up, past the lake and clouds

Great day with hardly any wind

The view up towards the top of the volcanic mountain

Driving on the left side of the road

View on the drive down the mountain to Wellington

Wellington!

Cable Car from the Botanical Gardens down to the city

I got to drive for the first time on the left side of the road. Completely different. Everything is all thrown off, with me looking in the wrong place for the mirrors and suddenly having 2/3 of the car to my left instead of a window for me to place my arm on. But I’ve driven a couple times and haven’t had any accidents or anything too crazy happen. Just gotta keep reminding myself to stay on the left side and it’s starting to feel natural, although turning at an intersection is still weird.

Been exploring Wellington each day. Pretty sweet city and it looks awesome when the sun is out and the wind isn’t blowing anyone away. The lampposts serve two purposes, the first being something to hold on to when the wind is too strong, and the second is light. Took the cable car ride up to the botanical gardens. Couple stops on the way at a university and a neighborhood. Not bad to take a 100 year old, red, tourist trap cable car up to your house.

I’ve got an apartment lined up to move into in a great location. Right where I wanted it. Just have to wait 2 weeks to move in. But I’ve got friends to stay with, so all is well and I’m covered till then. The apartment is on a hilly neighborhood overlooking the city, similar to San Francisco. 3 minutes up the hill are the start of numerous trails, plus a great lookout of the city higher up. One of the main streets with restaurants, shops and bars is just 3 minutes away. Down the hill and 5 minutes away is the waterfront. It’s all going to be there, plus I’m inheriting lots of furniture and a tent, so I’ll be set.

So far I’ve had two job offers from restaurants. Both would be decent, but aren't what I'm looking for, so I'm still out there looking. But being 2 for 2 at the two places I'd been to is pretty good.

NZ pictures

My first view of Wellington from the airplane, a San Francisco like city of hills surrounding a harbour

Kapiti Island off the coast

The beach we go walking on every morning


Yesterday I viewed 5 flats and had one job interview. It was my first day actually in Wellington, getting to know the city and explore. Fun times throughout, although tiring after 10 hours of walking around taking it all in. Out of the apartments, only 2 seemed alright and for certain reasons, I'm passing on both for right now. Can't cut myself short.

The job interview went good, and I have a trial run on Monday. I'd be the day chef, running things during the day, with a couple cooks under me and working on the menu and food orders. It would be a step up from my last job, so that seems sweet and it's in a great part of town. So we'll see how Monday goes, as well as a meeting I have with a chef friend of a friend tomorrow who will give me the ins and outs of cooking in Wellington. Gotta use the connections to find out what's up.

I'm a Kiwi now

Made it! All the way through Monday, which I missed on my flight leaving Sunday night and arriving Tuesday morning in Fiji. The meals in the plane flying to the southern hemisphere as to be expected, were backwards. Started with dinner, then lunch and then breakfast before landing at 5am. Not too bad to start the day. After leaving the amazing looking island of Fiji, we landed in Auckland, where I hustled through immigration to grab my bags and head to the domestic terminal which is smaller than expected for the largest city in NZ. The one baggage claim was right next to ticketing and there was no line at the security. Super simple, small, but clean and rocking at the same time. And secure, as out of all the airports I've been in recently, they were the only ones to ask me about my harmonica, as seen in the x-ray.

I'm staying with family friends a bit north of Wellington, and got up this morning for a walk on the beach, passing an old shipwreck in the sand from the 1920s, looking off at a large island that is a bird sanctuary and looking south at the South Island. Amazingly beautiful and as they say down here, fantastic.

I've got 4 apartments to view and one job interview tomorrow already on my first trip into the city since arriving Tuesday evening. Moving quickly and hope to have things settled asap and get to rocking the big city. Things are going grand and get better every minute.

It's flying time

I'm at the airport, ready to take off for a day in Los Angeles with some old friends and then fly through Fiji to New Zealand. The south pacific adventures are about to begin. It's cold and rainy out here in the East Coast, so it's definitely time to move south to an island, just like a bird. Instead of the days getting colder and shorter, they'll be getting warmer and longer. Sounds damn good to me.

I'm rocking the same well-traveled bags as when I was in Germany, pretty light and with extra room for the Kiwi bird I aim to bring back in a year.

One last post in the US, deserves one last picture, so I'll put one up from my 24th Birthday, just over a week ago. 24 years old and over 30 countries to my name, along with 6 continents. I'm hoping to get down to Antarctica at some point while I'm so close to it. The last continent, within striking distance, I think that's in order.

So, enjoy the winter and keep on living the dream.

Rocking the headband at work

Check out the homemade chef's hat

Dodger Blue baby

I leave for New Zealand in a week. Been in New England for about 2 weeks now, working at the Ridge, cooking up a storm. Been doing the breakfast-lunch shift, meaning I work from 6am until 2pm, so right when you get done with your lunch break, I'm getting off, having worked 8 hours, sweated up a storm and made countless bellys happy. The reviews have been good, which rocks considering I'm cooking for anywhere between 20-40 people on average.

A Traveling Man

I've been traveling around the states now for almost a month, meeting with lots of great people, family and friends along the way. Been all over, from DC, to Detroit, to Chicago, to southern Wisconsin, to Arizona and the Grand Canyon, to Los Angeles and Malibu and now up in Portland. Been a blast so far. Soon I'll be headed back to Massachusetts to work for a few weeks and then take off for New Zealand, my next big adventure. My German roomate and I are heading down there for an amazing year working. I plan on working for a caterer or a restaurant at the start and we'll see where I end up after a year.

Here are some pictures from my US trip so far:



Taking my dad to see the Red Sox at Fenway

This man had a private tour of the Capital and loved it

The one and only Tony Packos with a group of rocking relatives

With cousin Kevin and the one and only Grandpa Peacock

With Shannon on the Detroit River cruise around Canada and Detroit

The Grand Canyon!

Loving it

Captain Romania towards the end of the 2nd day, close to the top

Great people out in Malibu