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| Stewart Island on Easter Break |
Friday, June 5, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Stewart Island
I managed to go to Stewart Island with a few friends over Easter break. Stewart Island is NZ’s 3rd largest island.
After departing from our Invercargill early Saturday morning, we headed to Bluff, the small ferry town on the tip of the South Island. We abandoned the car in the car park, and found ourselves anxiously waiting at the ferry terminal. The sky was horrible shade of grey. The Stewart Island Ferry is notorious among travelers of making that one hour trip completely agonizing. Those who have never been seasick in their life have fallen to the rough waters. The boat’s tiny as far as ferries go- only seating 100 people. Sharon, Martin, Christine, and I hesitantly boarded the ferry. Within two minutes of sitting, I found myself in panic mode. No way was I going to survive this….I turned to Sharon. “I can’t do this, I need to sit outside.” Sharon luckily was able to secure two seats on the deck.
I breathed a sigh of relief stepping into the fresh salty air as the ferry pulled out of the terminal. About 15 minutes later we found ourselves surrounded by waves twice as high as the boat crashing onto us. We held on for our dear lives. Inside, I later learned from my travel companions Martin was not so lucky. Within five minutes of departing, he had turned pale. A crew member came up to him and Christine- “Hello my first seasick person!” She cried handing him an extra bag. As the trip progressed and the conditions worsened this designated woman was running around the aisles snatching the white seasick bags and replacing them with new ones. Her voice chimed over the groans and moans- “It’s like Christmas-“ as she tossed new seasick bags around the boat. What a job.
Finally, we pulled into the shores of Stewart Island and within twenty minutes of being on solid ground had managed to recoup from the trip. The Island has one main town, Oban, which has a 4 square supermarket, a fish and chips shop, a café, a restaurant, and assortments of accommodation. Oh, and of course the DOC office. DOC- or Department of Conservation, is NZ’s park service. The reason we had decided to make this trip to Stewart Island was to visit the famous Rakiura National Park. 85% of Stewart Island is National Park. And we had big plans to walk the Great Walk, the three day Rakiura Track. Rakiura is the Maori word for ‘glowing skies.’
It was our first day, we were exhausted and without accommodation, but we managed to find a campsite where we could setup for the night. Rain started to pelt down, and of course stopped as soon as we ran off inside to make lunch. We spent the afternoon on Ulva Island. It’s a significant eco-spot because it’s a predator free island. No dogs, cats, rats, seeds, nothing can go there. It’s a tiny place, a 5 minute (much more pleasant) boat ride. We even saw a blue penguin swimming in the water.
It’s a beautiful and peaceful island and with our bird guidebook we found ourselves spotting robins, Tuis, wekas, bell birds, fantails and more.
Stewart Island is known to be a good place to spot kiwis (the birds). Stewart Island Kiwis are unusual in they are not completely nocturnal and often venture out during the day. I’m afraid our four days on the island didn’t yield any kiwi birds…but we definitely heard them. It’s one of those incredibly recognizable calls: loud and piercing.
We started off the Rakiura Track the next day. It’s a lovely walk with many beaches and an easy trail. We camped our first night on a grassy spot right next to the water. Our next day’s walk was the hardest: sore from our previous day, we had a lot of uphill to climb, and our campsite was well past the hut. A good eight hours of walking, but we made it and set up tent in record time- we were now experts at it. After eating a delicious dinner of potato flakes and dehydrated vegetables, we enjoyed some tequila that we had decided to bring to warm us up on those cold nights. Martin had even brought a lemon, so we could enjoy our jose cuevro in style. (Christine and I had begged him to bring it).
In our final hiking day we continued through the strange flora so unique to Stewart Island, but were relieved to make it back to Oban and enjoy some showers and sleep in a hostel. But our Stewart Island experience was far from over. Sharon, the native Kiwi among us, decided we must taste the famous local cuisine: bluff oysters. We managed to find some at the Fish and chips shop. At $19 NZD for half a dozen, these guys aren’t cheap. You can have them raw or fried. I decided to go raw. Slimy and salty- I absolutely loved them. Martin and Christine weren’t as huge fans. We had dinner at the local restaurant and I tried another delicacy: Stewart Island crayfish. I looked just like a lobster- and even tasted like one. Minus the lack of butter garlic sauce to dip in.
We toasted that night to the wonderful trip. We sipped our wine, enjoying the pleasures of this unique island. And most definitely not thinking about the unpleasant ferry ride back to the mainland tomorrow morning….
After departing from our Invercargill early Saturday morning, we headed to Bluff, the small ferry town on the tip of the South Island. We abandoned the car in the car park, and found ourselves anxiously waiting at the ferry terminal. The sky was horrible shade of grey. The Stewart Island Ferry is notorious among travelers of making that one hour trip completely agonizing. Those who have never been seasick in their life have fallen to the rough waters. The boat’s tiny as far as ferries go- only seating 100 people. Sharon, Martin, Christine, and I hesitantly boarded the ferry. Within two minutes of sitting, I found myself in panic mode. No way was I going to survive this….I turned to Sharon. “I can’t do this, I need to sit outside.” Sharon luckily was able to secure two seats on the deck.
I breathed a sigh of relief stepping into the fresh salty air as the ferry pulled out of the terminal. About 15 minutes later we found ourselves surrounded by waves twice as high as the boat crashing onto us. We held on for our dear lives. Inside, I later learned from my travel companions Martin was not so lucky. Within five minutes of departing, he had turned pale. A crew member came up to him and Christine- “Hello my first seasick person!” She cried handing him an extra bag. As the trip progressed and the conditions worsened this designated woman was running around the aisles snatching the white seasick bags and replacing them with new ones. Her voice chimed over the groans and moans- “It’s like Christmas-“ as she tossed new seasick bags around the boat. What a job.
Finally, we pulled into the shores of Stewart Island and within twenty minutes of being on solid ground had managed to recoup from the trip. The Island has one main town, Oban, which has a 4 square supermarket, a fish and chips shop, a café, a restaurant, and assortments of accommodation. Oh, and of course the DOC office. DOC- or Department of Conservation, is NZ’s park service. The reason we had decided to make this trip to Stewart Island was to visit the famous Rakiura National Park. 85% of Stewart Island is National Park. And we had big plans to walk the Great Walk, the three day Rakiura Track. Rakiura is the Maori word for ‘glowing skies.’
It was our first day, we were exhausted and without accommodation, but we managed to find a campsite where we could setup for the night. Rain started to pelt down, and of course stopped as soon as we ran off inside to make lunch. We spent the afternoon on Ulva Island. It’s a significant eco-spot because it’s a predator free island. No dogs, cats, rats, seeds, nothing can go there. It’s a tiny place, a 5 minute (much more pleasant) boat ride. We even saw a blue penguin swimming in the water.
It’s a beautiful and peaceful island and with our bird guidebook we found ourselves spotting robins, Tuis, wekas, bell birds, fantails and more.
Stewart Island is known to be a good place to spot kiwis (the birds). Stewart Island Kiwis are unusual in they are not completely nocturnal and often venture out during the day. I’m afraid our four days on the island didn’t yield any kiwi birds…but we definitely heard them. It’s one of those incredibly recognizable calls: loud and piercing.
We started off the Rakiura Track the next day. It’s a lovely walk with many beaches and an easy trail. We camped our first night on a grassy spot right next to the water. Our next day’s walk was the hardest: sore from our previous day, we had a lot of uphill to climb, and our campsite was well past the hut. A good eight hours of walking, but we made it and set up tent in record time- we were now experts at it. After eating a delicious dinner of potato flakes and dehydrated vegetables, we enjoyed some tequila that we had decided to bring to warm us up on those cold nights. Martin had even brought a lemon, so we could enjoy our jose cuevro in style. (Christine and I had begged him to bring it).
In our final hiking day we continued through the strange flora so unique to Stewart Island, but were relieved to make it back to Oban and enjoy some showers and sleep in a hostel. But our Stewart Island experience was far from over. Sharon, the native Kiwi among us, decided we must taste the famous local cuisine: bluff oysters. We managed to find some at the Fish and chips shop. At $19 NZD for half a dozen, these guys aren’t cheap. You can have them raw or fried. I decided to go raw. Slimy and salty- I absolutely loved them. Martin and Christine weren’t as huge fans. We had dinner at the local restaurant and I tried another delicacy: Stewart Island crayfish. I looked just like a lobster- and even tasted like one. Minus the lack of butter garlic sauce to dip in.
We toasted that night to the wonderful trip. We sipped our wine, enjoying the pleasures of this unique island. And most definitely not thinking about the unpleasant ferry ride back to the mainland tomorrow morning….
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
District Conference in Cromwell
Spent this past weekend at District 9980 Conference in Cromwell. The conference theme, “Make Dreams Real” connected to many of the keynote speakers’ talks. Christine Rankin, the CEO of the For the Sake of Our Children Trust, and a highly controversial politician. She passionately spoke about child abuse occurring domestically. Also, Phil Kerslake, a cancer survivor who is now a life and career coach, told his story of life after cancer.
Myself, Leah, and Michael, the Ambassadorial Scholars for the district gave a brief presentation, introducing ourselves to the district. The slide above shows our sponsor rotary districts and our host district in New Zealand. It was a great opportunity to meet other clubs from all over Otago and Southland. It was also an amazing Saturday night: a delicious dinner followed by a night a dancing. I learned that the district took the notion work hard, play hard to heart. The X factor band, a kiwi great kept everyone on their feet. Was also able to see of the sights of historic Cromwell and downtown Clyde. It’s a beautiful countryside with orchards, vineyards, and picturesque lakes. I will be posting conference pictures soon!!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
RYPEN Camp for Girls
I spent this past weekend helping with a unique rotary project. The St Kilda’s Rotary club puts on a semi-annual camp for girls. It is a weekend of confidence building, discussions, games, and more for girls whose teachers have identified as potential leaders.
One of the weekend's speakers discussed another rotary project: Shelter Boxes. These boxes are sent as part of emergency response team when disasters occur. They include essentials such as water containers, water purification tablets, dome tent, sleeping bags, cooking pots, dishes, and eating utensils. Boxes have been used all over the world (the 2004 tsunami, Australian bush fire, Hurricane Katrina, and more). The global distribution since the project’s onset is 40,000 ShelterBoxes for 550,000 people in 6 years.
Another camp activity involved the Dunedin Emergency Response Team. The girls were divided into groups and had to run a simulated rescue. They were tasked with carrying a stretcher into the bush, finding the victim, administering first aid, and carrying the patient back out from the bush. It challenged all of us physically and put communication and teamwork skills to the test.
One of the weekend's speakers discussed another rotary project: Shelter Boxes. These boxes are sent as part of emergency response team when disasters occur. They include essentials such as water containers, water purification tablets, dome tent, sleeping bags, cooking pots, dishes, and eating utensils. Boxes have been used all over the world (the 2004 tsunami, Australian bush fire, Hurricane Katrina, and more). The global distribution since the project’s onset is 40,000 ShelterBoxes for 550,000 people in 6 years.
Another camp activity involved the Dunedin Emergency Response Team. The girls were divided into groups and had to run a simulated rescue. They were tasked with carrying a stretcher into the bush, finding the victim, administering first aid, and carrying the patient back out from the bush. It challenged all of us physically and put communication and teamwork skills to the test.
Below: the girls are giving me a soapy lesson on how to properly go down the slip'n'slide
Appreciating all the hard work the Emergency Response Teams do
I had the opportunity to talk with the girls in small groups about myself, Rotary, and how I was able to come to New Zealand. I especially enjoyed answering their questions about life in America which ranged from food, to movie stars, to politics. The weekend was not all discussions: we spent time playing teamwork games and even made a giant ‘slip’n’slide.’ It was a great, exhausting weekend- thank you to St. Kilda’s Rotary Club for the invitation and all your hard work! And thanks to the girls of Queen’s School!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Greetings Rotarians, Friends, and Family!
Hello from way down under in the land of the kiwis, New Zealand! This is my Ambassadorial Scholar blog, which I will be posting on throughout the year with information about my scholarship year in Dunedin. Please feel free to contact me personally at any time. I will be more than happy to answer any questions and hear any comments. I can be reached at the following email address:
Hello from way down under in the land of the kiwis, New Zealand! This is my Ambassadorial Scholar blog, which I will be posting on throughout the year with information about my scholarship year in Dunedin. Please feel free to contact me personally at any time. I will be more than happy to answer any questions and hear any comments. I can be reached at the following email address:
melanselmo@gmail.com
After a two day journey I reached Dunedin, and was greeted at the airport by my sponsor counselor, Grant McClean and his wife, Jan who graciously welcomed me into their home.
I’ve spent much of my first week here exploring the city and taking drives to see more of this beautiful country. Dunedin is a city of about 100
,000 located on the east coast of the south island. It is famous for being home to the country’s first university, Otago, in addition to the plethora of wildlife. Penguins, seals, giant albatross all come to nest and breed on the Otago Peninsula. Going on a drive around Otago harbor, you cannot help but hold your breath (and not just because you are driving on the wrong side of the road) at the magnificent landscape in front of you. There are staggering cliffs, rolling hills, and beautiful beaches all in one sweeping vista.
After a two day journey I reached Dunedin, and was greeted at the airport by my sponsor counselor, Grant McClean and his wife, Jan who graciously welcomed me into their home.
I’ve spent much of my first week here exploring the city and taking drives to see more of this beautiful country. Dunedin is a city of about 100
,000 located on the east coast of the south island. It is famous for being home to the country’s first university, Otago, in addition to the plethora of wildlife. Penguins, seals, giant albatross all come to nest and breed on the Otago Peninsula. Going on a drive around Otago harbor, you cannot help but hold your breath (and not just because you are driving on the wrong side of the road) at the magnificent landscape in front of you. There are staggering cliffs, rolling hills, and beautiful beaches all in one sweeping vista. Jan & Grant, my Dunedin Hosts!
Sleeping Seal on Snells Beach, Otago Peninsula
Tea- dinner as in “what would you like for tea?” or “the dog ate your tea.”
Sweet as- ranging from ‘ok’ to ‘awesome’ as in “I won the lottery! Sweet as!”
Cuppa- a cup of tea. “would you like a cuppa?”
Good on ya!- wow, I’m impressed
Scarfies- students
Wee – as in wee boy, a wee bit, a wee cat, a wee penguin
Hokey Pokey- delicious ice cream flavor, vanilla with caramelized crunch bits
I want to thank Rotary International, my sponsor Rotarian Club, the Lewisburg Sunrise in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and my host club, North Dunedin here in New Zealand. I am so excited by this opportunity to live and learn in this amazing new place. I will be updating this blog frequently, so please send me any questions and let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see posted. Cheers!
Kaieri Trail, Otago Peninsula
New Zealand is roughly 2/3s the size of California, but has only 4 million inhabitants (and lest we forget 40 million sheep). My favorite historical fact that I’ve learned about New Zealand so far is that it is the first country to allow women to vote. In addition, women have all held the top three government positions: Prime Minister, Governor General, and Chief Justice.
I have moved into a flat (a house) in South Dunedin in a suburb, Caversham. I’m still learning Kiwi English, but here are a few phrases I’ve picked up on:
New Zealand is roughly 2/3s the size of California, but has only 4 million inhabitants (and lest we forget 40 million sheep). My favorite historical fact that I’ve learned about New Zealand so far is that it is the first country to allow women to vote. In addition, women have all held the top three government positions: Prime Minister, Governor General, and Chief Justice.
I have moved into a flat (a house) in South Dunedin in a suburb, Caversham. I’m still learning Kiwi English, but here are a few phrases I’ve picked up on:
Tea- dinner as in “what would you like for tea?” or “the dog ate your tea.”
Sweet as- ranging from ‘ok’ to ‘awesome’ as in “I won the lottery! Sweet as!”
Cuppa- a cup of tea. “would you like a cuppa?”
Good on ya!- wow, I’m impressed
Scarfies- students
Wee – as in wee boy, a wee bit, a wee cat, a wee penguin
Hokey Pokey- delicious ice cream flavor, vanilla with caramelized crunch bits
I want to thank Rotary International, my sponsor Rotarian Club, the Lewisburg Sunrise in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and my host club, North Dunedin here in New Zealand. I am so excited by this opportunity to live and learn in this amazing new place. I will be updating this blog frequently, so please send me any questions and let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see posted. Cheers!
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