Living with Less. Appreciating More.

Living in a campervan for 28 staight days allows one the opportunity to truly understand the difference between her needs and her wants. My mouth is no stranger to saying that I “need” a new pair of jeans, “need” a haircut, “need” to upgrade my phone. Our consumer-driven society blurs actual needs with wants. I do not “need” any of the previously listed items, but unfortunately I have thrown the term around loosely. Truth is…I need very little of what Brandon and I are fortunate to have back home in Oregon. I realize this more now.

We lived within the metal casing and among the outskirts of our cozy campervan for nearly a month. We cooked most of our meals over a single burner with one saucepan and one frying pan. We had three cups, three mugs, three bowls, three plates, three sets of basic flatware and minimal get-by gadgetry (can opener, wooden spoon, etc). As for personal hygiene, we utilized the van’s small pump sink and cherished our time in campsite showers.

We lived in unfamiliar campervan territory for the month, and lived for a total of three months with only the belongings that we carried by backpack. We also spent several weeks in third world communities throughout Asia. The time and experience reconfirmed the common disparity between our many wants and our actual needs.

Brandon and I live in a community that is fortunate to have basic needs that are met, and it is easy to forget that there are parts of the world and parts of our own country that are unable to consider their wants because they are still searching for the fulfillment of their needs. I recognize this more now.

As you may expect, spring cleaning came easier to us this year, but more importantly in my opinion is our regained appreciation for the finer things that we are able to enjoy. I recognize that there are others who have less and others who have experienced misfortune, but I also believe that hard work and determination can provide the opportunity to have and to enjoy more.

Brandon and I do not “need” a house with a backyard or a pillow-top mattress with 1200 thread-count sheets and five pillows. We know this, but recognize it more after sleeping with much less for the three months and after seeing several single-room homes built with dirt floors. I understand that we have more belongings than needed. I will also admit however that when we slipped into our own bed in our own home on the first night after this incredible trip, I was reminded of the many “wants” that our hard work has provided. And for this greater sense of appreciation, I am thankful.

A Life Lesson from Labradors

If people were more like labs, the world would have more friends and far less enemies.

We met two young black labs and their small, overly confident terrier friend while picnicking at the Marokopa Beach before caving. Without an owner insight, the threesome approached us with little intention. They never begged for our lunch scraps or said —okay barked— a word. They did drool a bit, but courted us for only friendship and later a game of fetch.

We spent the good part of an hour with our three new, furry friends. Brandon found a stick on the shoreside and through it time and time again. The team dependably brought it back to us as we walked along the black sanded beach.

We humans could learn a lot from labs. Labradors and many other breeds of man’s best friend remind me a lot of young children. Upon a first introduction they may recognize differences, but unless otherwise taught or instructed, they will be more interested in “playing” than analyzing what may actually set them apart.

Waitomo Caves and the Lost World

After falling in love with the ambiance of caves in Laos and with the thrill of rappelling in Wanaka, there was no question that we would pay a visit to the Waitomo Caves on the North Island before leaving New Zealand. The area is known specifically for its large holes, and has been featured on shows such as the Amazing Race.

We booked the 4-hour Lost World Tour with Waitomo Adventures. The trip included a 300 foot abseil/rappel into the Lost World Cave. The tour also directed us to a viewing of glowworms before ascending back to the surrounding farmland via a long, muddy ladder. It was a magical adventure, and a great way to spend one of our last full days of travel.

Unfortunately we were unable to take our cameras, but the highlighted link above helps to showcase the experience.

Rotorua: the Land of the Maori and Thermal Geysers

We spent two days in Rotorua. With its geothermal geysers and warm springs, sulphur-rich air, and access to Maori cultural events, it was the perfect place to relax after a full day of hiking. We spent our time soaking in the pools and visiting the Living Thermal Village of Whakarewarewa (nearly impossible to pronounce unless a local).

This particular Maori village is still active today with nearly 70 residents, and it remains open to the public for a nominal fee. Brandon and I typically shy away from tours, but it was recommended to us by our charismatic campsite neighbor Andrea who was traveling with family from the Czech Republic. Having now been, we too would pass on the recommendation.

Brandon and I both naively thought that the hot pools would be merely “accessible” from the village. We had no idea that springs still actively bubble beside and sometimes below the village homes. It was fascinating to learn that Maori people continue to use the hot pools for some of their cooking and bathing. They also enjoy the same electrical luxuries (microwaves, stoves, blow dryers) that we do, but the naturally-heated water source in their backyard definitely helps to supplement the electric bills.

We too enjoyed the naturally-heated springs. We stayed one night at the Waikite Valley Thermal Pools Campground, which allowed us access to six thermal pools within walking distance. The pools are each refilled daily and naturally heated to 35-40 degrees Celsius by the local Te Manarao Spring. The spring water is known to be great for soothing aches and softening skin, but we most enjoyed the pure sense of relaxation and loss of time.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Tongariro National Park is recognized as New Zealand’s first national park and as one of the country’s three World Heritage Areas. There are several hikes within the park that range in both length and level of difficulty. Brandon and I opted to schedule the 22km Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which is known as New Zealand’s best one-day walk.

Scheduling a day of hiking is typically straightforward: pick a day, pack a bag, drive to the beginning of the trail, and start moving your feet up the hill. That’s not the case with this alpine crossing trail. The alpine environment requires hikers to plan in advance and to expect the unexpected.

Our original plan was to complete the hike on Tuesday, so we called Sunday from Picton to arrange a shuttle. (Transportation must be arranged for the day of the hike because the trail is not a roundtrip). We learned at this time that the only weather-window for the crossing would be Monday. The rest of the week was forecasted with rain and 80-to-100 kilometer winds. No thank you. We were determined to get to Tongariro (from Picton), but we had only 20 hours to do so and a few obstacles still remained in our way.

Our ferry was already scheduled for 8am Monday morning (obviously too late) and three hundred kilometers still separated Wellington from Tongariro (about four hours of drive time). Furthermore, we still had not confirmed a shuttle.

Thankfully things fell in place. There was space available on the Sunday afternoon ferry, so we arrived to Wellington by 5:30pm. When we called Mountain Shuttle to reconfirm our pickup for the next morning, a crabby man (likely the owner) informed me that he had made this decision to cancel the shuttle for the next day (shit!). The forecast was clear, so I assume that his cancellation decision was based on his lack of confirmed passengers instead of weather. Frustrating! Lucky for us, Plateau Shuttle was still available and we were able to confirm a roundtrip fare from the National Park Village that would depart at 8am. We were booked.

We pulled into our campsite around 11pm, and woke the next morning thrilled by the fact that we had managed to make it. Unfortunately our unforeseen obstacles were still not fully cleared. I was informed over the phone that the Plateau office was located in the Park Village. We arrived ten minutes early, but couldn’t locate the office or spot the shuttle. Come to find out, there are two villages. We arrived to the centrally located Whakapapa Village that was highlighted on our map, but we were suppose to have been at the National Park Village located outside of the actual park. (Shit!!)

Still determined to make it, we broke all speeding laws for the 20 kilometers separating us from Plateau Shuttle’s carpark and arrived only two minutes behind schedule to our waiting shuttle. Woohoo!

The chaos was well worth it. Our weather, all things considered, was great. It was a bit windy at times, and temperatures definitely dropped as our elevation increased, but the clouds stayed behind as we hiked through the crossing and summited Tongariro.

The incredible part about the Alpine Crossing is its diversity of landscape. The trail begins through a landscape of volcanic debris, winds around mountainous peaks, passes by steaming vents, mirrored lakes and brick red craters. The trail ends after several kilometers of green vegetation and shrubbery that canopies the surrounding landscape.

We completed the 22 kilometers (19 on the crossing and 3 on the summit ascent) in eight hours. It was an incredible day and well worth the journey.

Marlborough

We spent two nights camping within the Sounds of Marlborough. We split the time between Aussie and Cowshed Bays, which provided a narrow, winding stretch of road for Brandon and Weta (our campervan).

Our original plan was to hike along the Queen Charlotte Track. Instead we used our time for more leisurely activity. We skipped rocks during the day, and spent our evenings looking up at the Milky Way while drinking the local Marlborough wine that we purchased earlier from the award winning, boutique winery Gibson Bridge.

Abel Tasman by Kayak, Foot and Water Taxi

We rented a double kayak to independently explore the coastline of the Abel Tasman National Park located on the northern shore of New Zealand’s South Island. We paddled for two days, camped with rented gear for two nights, and hiked the last day until reaching our water taxi in Totaranui.

We were blessed with beautiful weather for the three days: blue sky, wispy clouds if any, calm winds and temperature-highs in the low-seventies (fahrenheit). We paddled for about four hours each day exploring the coastline. The wildlife and natural landscape quite possibly could have been the Disneyland of the outdoors; everything seemed perfectly placed.

Seal pups scurried up rocks as the adults practiced their synchronized swimming at distances as close to five feet from our kayak. Flocks of long-necked birds perched themselves within small coves. Ducks tucked in for afternoon naps. Estuaries remained calm allowing us to enjoy the soft sound of our paddles gliding through the azure water.

With the busy tourist season behind us (January and February), the waters and hikes remained quiet with limited neighbors. Brandon and I enjoyed short 60 to 90 minute walks in our evenings and setoff for our day of tramping on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track on the morning of day three. The track’s path includes bays and inlets that require trampers to schedule their crossings based on specific tidal times. Our route included a crossing of the Awaroa Inlet, which is only accessible within two hours of either side of the low tide. For us that was between 6:18am and 10:18am. We arrived to the white shell covered bay on the tail end of that allowance and learned quickly the truth of tidal crossings. We hiked up our pant legs and changed shoes to walk through the frigidly cold streams and muddy shores. I nearly donated my flip-flops to the thick mud as the space between my toes filled with muddy paste. Sounds horrible, but there was something so surprisingly enjoyable about the experience.

The coastal track, although condensed into only one day for us by foot, was stunning. There is a diversity of land along the track that stretches into rainforest at times, breaks into beach bays, climbs over gravel paths, and provides gorgeous coastal views of the Tasman Sea.

Our three day journey ended with a water taxi ride back to our starting point. As for the kayak, it was shuttled back after our second day so we could continue by foot. The organizational structure surrounding the outdoor community in this country has continued to impress us. New Zealand has certainly excelled at forecasting the demands of it’s travelers and surpassing our expectations.

Pancakes in Punakaiki

The Kiwis do many things well. Their Fish n Chips, Sauvignon Blanc, National Parks, and adrenaline-driven activities are all items on which New Zealand should be proud to slap its name. Sweets however are a much different story.

For those who know me well, you know my passion for sugar. Chocolate, baked goods, gummy anything, sugar crystals…you name it, I will enjoy it. I am a believer that any good meal will be better with dessert (and wine of course), but my dessert theory has failed in New Zealand.

We’ve ordered chocolate cheesecake (a Steiert family favorite), a slice of coffee custard tart, and most recently today a “freshly baked” warm chocolate chip cookie from a small, road-side bakery. All three items looked delicious, but all three items disappointed our taste buds.

Even more surprising than desserts have been the pancakes. We stopped in Punakaiki to check out the Paparoa National Park and its incredible Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. Our timing to the park was impeccable. We arrived as the day’s rainfall paused and as the tide was making its way in. The layered limestone rocks and the natural pressure pulsing through the blowholes were amazing. The actual pancakes served across the street however were not.

The cafe located just outside the park’s exit advertised pancakes on its sidewalk sign (fitting for the tourist trap). I was unable to resist breakfast number two for the day. The short stack of pancakes smothered in butter and served with sides of maple syrup, cream and fruit salad was picture perfect upon its arrival. My first bite however quickly determined that the cakes were flavorless. So disappointing!

One would think that a city known for its Pancake Rocks would try its best to serve up a good plate of pancakes. Better yet, maybe moist buttermilk pancakes? This was certainly not the case in Punakaiki. Learn from our lesson: go to the town for the Pancake Rocks (that’s a must), but stick with the packaged Oreos and Cadbury Chocolate bars to settle your sweet tooth.

What Happened to Freedom Camping?

New Zealand is an ideal place for road trips and camping. As so, it has become a popular destination among western travelers seeking solitude and adventure in the outdoors. The roads are covered by campervans (second to all of sheep), and the Department of Conservation (DOC) has done a tremendous job at providing road trippers accessibility to frequent campsites and information centers. Basic and serviced campsites line the highways allowing for accommodation at $0-$20 per person per night.

Until recently NZ allowed freedom camping, but the laws have changed within the last 12 months before NZ hosted the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Until that time travelers could simply pull over along the road as long as they remained self-contained.

Today campers are required to check into a campsite and can be fined for freedom camping. Lucky of us, the DOC campgrounds are sprinkled throughout the country and holiday campervan parks are strategically placed near the major cities.

Bloody Awful Sandflies

According to the Maori legend, the Goddess of Death created sandflies after inspecting the work of the Fiordland carver. The Goddess worried that humans would be so entranced by the beauty of Fiordland (area including theMilford Sound) that they would linger and forget about their mortality. She then introduced the sandfly to remind humans not to linger.

Although a legend, there is some definite truth in this story. New Zealand’s coastline is made up of beautiful beaches and, more times than not, these beaches are vacant of tourists and beach dwellers. Nobody lingers. The reason: the bloody awful sandfly population.

When we first arrived to the south island we stopped on the east coast to setup a picnic lunch. It was here that we were introduced to the dreaded sandfly. We woke the next day to discover nine reddish-purple bites on my right foot and about seven small bites on Brandon’s legs. Sandfly bites flare up and get bigger as days go on. They’re awful.

We now exit our campervan well equipped with bug repellant and try our best to keep our campervan doors shut whenever possible. Word of advice to NZ tourists: bring bug spray!