Dear friends, family, and unknown surfers: WE BECOME.
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That yes, yes, is that we miss the jamonssssito serrano, manchego quesito very curaito, and it runs straws. And to all of you, of course :-) So, after 8 months to go, we sat with a globe front and willing to consider the best way home. Of course, being where we are, it already gives the same return for one side than the other ... so back on the other. And hurry, we will not finish the sabbatical estresaos ... so we'll shoot 4 months back. But hey, from now on, we're going ;-)
Before deciding to return, the last 4 weeks we have enjoyed as dwarfs of these antipodes that we love. And whoever would have thought that, being so far away, Australia and New Zealand (NZ) were going to be so familiar, so familiar. But in 2001 came for the first time, 3 weeks to the south island of NZ and 1 week at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Half of 2008 we had in Australia, working (I) but also benefiting (or not) to travel all we could (which was enough). And only a year later here we are again, 1 short week in the vicinity of Brisbane (NE coast of Australia) and 3 touring this time the north island of NZ. So we go with that feeling of saying goodbye to old friends and good friends, because there is a good list of reasons why we love both countries. So, for what it is to encourage staff to travel so far are beyond our 10 reasons to visit the antipodes . As always, totally subjective, and certainly some very peculiar in the eyes of some ... na but that's because we are used to look at us weird =: -0
1. Western countries are no great culture shock for the Spaniard half, and is easy to travel. They are not cheap or anything, but if they are cheaper than Spain, and with many more options for the backpacker that when you travel in Europe. Have an accent jodidillo, especially kiwis (well known to New Zealanders) ... but at least do not speak English and another language more complicated. And generally, people are lovely, very attentive and friendly, always willing to lend a hand to disoriented tourist.
2. Especially in NZ, as in Africa, is particularly easy "lost" in nature and find practically alone in spectacular settings. We alone on a beach miles, or in a forest of giant ferns, or in a dormant volcano but still active ... or, if we had returned to the South Island of NZ, also alone in the Norwegian fjords, mountains and the Alps, and the Patagonian glaciers. With Mother Nature alone, alone with our thoughts. The greater the grandeur of the landscape, but we get reflective. In places so you feel so small that any company you have left, and Eva and I spent a great moments without speaking. So that if you already speak the trees, the mountains, the sea. It is difficult I understood, but the feeling that something important must be so intense that just shut up and listen. And I listen.
3. The wildlife of the antipodes is unique. Among the best known in Australia are koalas and kangaroos, and simpaticas NZ kiwis and other flightless birds that have survived only thanks to the isolation of their habitat (and, of course, since that the change we are going through a hard time ... nocturnal excursion in search of kiwis, and we hear them, but are not allowed to see). Diving in Australia does not need promotion, and apparently also NZ is spectacular if you can endure the temperature of the water. And also there are dolphins, seals, penguins, whales (we saw the very close in Australia!) and quantities of aquatic birds. In short, if you like "bugs", like us, there are here in abundance ... if in Australia there are also peligrosillos (spiders and venomous snakes, crocodiles devouring men, white shark) but ... Crocodile Dundee and taught us that if you stare them in the eyes, do not bother =: -0
4. All populations have a significant proportion of green areas, always immaculately maintained. In any park is missing, of course, a picnic area with barbecues public and free (electric). And if it is a coastal site, you can put your hand in the fire that there will be a promenade with "tracks" for independent walkers, cyclists and skaters.
5. They are true lovers of outdoor life and sport. In fact, by law the office buildings should have locker rooms and lockers, to enable people to exercise when going to work (so many are on the bike) or lunch (when the parks Petan brokers) . Even the postman delivers by bike! In NZ in particular tend to exaggerate their cult of adrenaline, and each village has its perfect place to bungy-jumping ... and if they have, they start a dedicated crane. But if you have even ridden a ski resort ... On the slopes of an active volcano! There winters, of course, much colder than the snow do not hold much if the volcano is playful =: -0
6. Not having a particularly rich local cuisine, but have everything in terms of raw material and immigration are so many sites there are restaurants around the world. And there are certain foods "basics" that deserve special mention. Milk is delicious (fresh, of course, but holds about 10 days in the refrigerator). Oranges, especially those in NZ, they have nothing to envy of Valencia. And the wines are decent, much better those of NZ, in our opinion, because the Australians are "too proud" of their wines and get them inflated prices.
7. If it motivates you to make an annual parentheses in your life even if you have a lot of savings, and have 30 years or less, in these countries offer what they call a holiday visa with the possibility of Curran (working holiday visa). It is a great way to navigate invention, for example, a country as big as Australia, changing from time to time zone and looking for a new temporary work for you to visit the area on your days off and save for a mini-vacation to the next destination . We have known very many "youngsters" in this plan, and we would have liked to have learned while we were in age (a couple of years, we :-). Españolitos because we have not met a single one in this plan ... and yet so far means we wondered as we had not coincided with too many Germans during the year, when our previous experience we had them as more people traveling the world ... well, are all in NZ! Without exaggeration, 75% of our colleagues have been relocated to shelters in NZ Germans, it is clear that this land will strip.
8. There are public toilets at close range. You never have to put up a long time before you find one, either in towns or on the road, with seating areas and "drain" every few miles. And in general, tend to be very clean. [I must say that this issue has always liked especially the meoncita of Eva ... but I better not joke too much to the prostate was soon avenged me: - /]
9. When an Aussie or a Kiwi you say you're English, are the only ones who do not ask for football (not interested at all), but the San Fermin and, still more, for the Tomatina Buñol! Very much in the line of his fondness for extreme sports and adrenaline highs, no antipodal that boasts that it has not made the pilgrimage to Spain for one of these two parties ... or both.
10. A trip to the antipodes takes an average of 30 hours, which means that ... Have no jet-lag! Your little body is so lost that directly accepts sleeping when good :-) tell
Once again, the pictures refer to those who need more visual evidence. And if someone feels like more, here can see a few albums of our 6 months Australians in 2008.
And, not to put yet so rosy, end up with a "but" - they love it, as Americans, to advertise the sites as "the most" big, small, beautiful, ugly, the first or last ... in essence, define the charm of a place by place in a ranking, often so absurd that you wear artificial hands to the head. But sometimes spades, and disappointment is curioson: - /
Anyway, we really enjoyed this short week of winter in the antipodes. Sure there if there are differences, because in the winter of Queensland (NE Australia) have been many days over 30 degrees :-) It was not the case in NZ, but in reality we have also had very good luck there the time for the that could have been. Moreover, it was the time of the year in which his cattle have offspring, and it was so fun seeing so many lambs lead and calves in their first days of life, that room! The countryside was beautiful, full of flowers, and of course, we're back to flip the bird ... and, new this year, with the trees. Or should I say the NZ ARBOLACOS. Arizonica there until the reach 20 meters. Once again, the pictures explain much better than me, so I hung a special series of photos for anyone who is curious: trees in New Zealand. Also
differences we have seen that years ago and told us they had between the North Island and South Island of NZ. Southern is relatively remote and cold, only 25% of the population lives on the island (although it is slightly larger than the north), and there is very little presence Maori ... but his landscapes are wild and great, no corner of the island is wasteful. In contrast, the north island is beautiful and very well worth a visit, has a lot more Maori culture, and in general is much more developed. It shows in many details, some large (infrastructure, population density) and others ... important as and. For example, here the shepherds still use dogs ... but they keep the livestock on a quad! And also remember that in our journey through the South Island for 8 years, we were forced to listen to the soundtrack of Bridget Jones n-thousand times, because was the only tape we left the rental car, and practically no "sintozinaba" any station on the island (except for 3 populations of relative size). In the North Island, however, 70% of the time pillabamos something on the radio.
Or maybe it's just that the progress has come with the passage of time ... which reminds me that somebody also have fallen years in NZ. And, unintentionally, that Eva was probably was the best birthday cake of his life. That day 10 is that just wandered around the area but lost on the island, and although the intention was to celebrate with a good cenita based seafood (their favorite food), we had to spend the night in a small town inhabitants of -10 (Two houses, come on), and cook something normalito. That if the shelter was the most authentic around the country, a small fisherman's house, almost hanging from a cliff at the foot of a tiny bay, and run by a very authentic Maori Pihi name. Well, the friend Pihi of course was a born fisherman, and invited us out to prontito morning to see that collected from the traps and nets strategically placed left each night in their small patch of ocean. Accepted and, at 7 the next day, there were the 3 barely keeping balance in your mini-little boat. But the effort was worth it, and 8 We were having breakfast a beautiful (and delicious), lobster, along with a couple of Pescao the area. As with the time difference still was day 10 in Spain, then we take it as a birthday cake special!
we read in the last few months, there have been a little lime and a sand. Besides a couple of books that do not deserve mention, finally callus in my hands some of Paolo Coelho, who already had wanted to read (Eva already knew several of his books). However, The Alchemist disappointed me, philosophy is too convoluted for my taste (not to mention the religious overtones), so I have spent a little like reading other things about this man.
But, unintentionally, if first author repeated the trip, and they gave us Into the wild, the same writer that Into thin air of which I spoke last time. And though it turns out that we had just seen the movie just recently they had done based on the book, about a twentysomething who aims to break radically with the materialistic and consumerist life and intends to survive in Alaska on his own, as usual there are many shades of book that are impossible to transfer the movie, so I liked a lot. Recommended for anyone who is curious can you have in mind such a "weirdo", yes, but probably not a madman, as the author explains brilliantly (in my opinion).
[By the way, that almost never translate the titles because who knows how shall call the "espanich", and I'm going to start looking for]
Who know (worth mentioning)
This month has been less prodigal in new interesting relationships. Removing our hosts in Brisbane and Auckland, where we again make CouchSurfing as an Italian couple (Michelle and Manuela) very sympathetic to those who spent 2 days visiting Fraser Island (Australia) ... the rest has been much "talk of shelter," I call him, or nice but fleeting encounters.
So, in the absence of new friends, we turn to an existing one, and we met for a day with our Deanna friend, a classmate of Eve in Florida, and already came to see the last 8 years. And, although American origin, came to NZ to do a doctorate and this country also has engaged ... and is a national, and which falls pa'mi here "a tiempin." It was great seeing her again, but had not really been so long since we came to visit Australia last year ... another of those curious things that have life, living so far and we have seen more than any another friend who lives a stone's throw!
----------------------------------- Well, nothing, tomorrow we go to Tahiti and French Polynesia. Reported from the paradise :-)
Kia ora (Maori greeting)! Juan and Eva
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