Iceland Day 1 - Southwest Iceland

After 15 hours of flying and layovers, I have arrived in Iceland!  I flew into Keflavik with a 4 hour time difference, having only 2 hours of sleep and zero time to waste. I snagged up my petite rental hatchback from the airport and was off on my first exploration. 

First thing I had to accept when planning my Iceland trip: I would not be able to pronounce anything... So don't be discouraged, I sound like an idiot too. 

I drove along the North Atlantic coast from Grindavik to Strandarkirkja where roads were lined with cliffs for as far as I could see. 

I detoured towards Krysuvik where I stopped to admire the stunning turquoise water of Lake Grænavatn, an old explosion crater surrounded by mountains and lava fields. 

 

Continuing, I saw steam rising just around the bend from Seltun Hot Springs, my first geothermal vents in Iceland (and definitely not my last)! 

Pretty... Stinky!  I explored a bit more throughout the Kleifarvatn territory, climbing cliffs and checking out the scenery before heading to the capital, Reykavik. 

I found my backpackers with ease (thank God for GPS! I definitely recommend getting a car with GPS installed if you rent, especially if you plan on going off the beaten path or if you're directionally challenged like me).  I stayed at Hlemmur Square in a 14 person dorm on the third floor in the heart of the city.  From the reviews I could tell it was going to be a comfortable stay but I did not expect for it to be as nice as it was! In my travels, 6+ dorms are usually cramped or busy busy but Hlemmur Square was extremely spacious and super clean (happiness). 

I met two lads in my dorm, Däniel from Austria and Andy from Germany who had met the week prior and had been traveling the Ring Road with 2 Aussie gals.  Hungout with the lot of them all night and they shared their stories with me, informing me of their favorite places and where I should definitely go! 

Looking forward to Day 2 ---> to the Westfjords!

Ready. Set. Iceland.

It's been a while since this lady has gotten her blog on... Graduating college, moving, and getting a full time job may have something to do with it. And by full time job I mean I got to come face to face with some pretty fascinating underwater creatures through scuba while teaching people how to not die while we are down there! Yea! 

Where am I now...? Well, I decided it was time for an international trip to somewhere new... I wanted to take a break from the palm trees and tropics to venture out into some colder, more rugged terrain.... Hey, why not Iceland? No, I will not be diving... The thought of dry suits and freezing ice water is an instant shiver down my spine, kinda like eating sardines on a perfectly good pizza.  This trip is strictly my swagtastic rental hatchback, tent, backpack, boots, and I... And potentially some awesome peeps who dare to tag along for the ride.

So what's the plan? Not exactly sure yet, but jump onboard by following the blog and let's see where life takes the Sunchild this time!

ORLANDO, FLORIDA---> RALEIGH---> JOHN F KENNEDY---> KEFLAVIK, ICELAND

Sydney, Australia!!

Leaving New Zealand was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do... I bid farewell to so many loved ones but took with me so many irreplaceable memories.

I arrived in Sydney, Australia to clear, blue skies and the fastest paced city I'd seen in 8 months.  After checking into my backpackers I went out to explore the city.  I took my very first subway ride and managed to only trip one man during business rush hour and was fortunate to hop on all the correct trains to reach the ferry terminal!

The ferry ride between islands offered a marvelous view of the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge...

My first stop was the Sydney Zoo where I made some furry friends...

...After discovering the Tasmanian Devil is actually quite lazy and wasn't down for a spin, I cruised on over to explore Manly Beach...

What a beautiful place! I hiked up the coastline until a storm snuck in and I decided to head back to the mainland to check in for the night.

I only spent 2 days in Sydney but I was fortunate to explore a good portion of the town and surrounding beaches as well as experience a busy city lifestyle (happy I made it out alive) && made many wonderful friends along the way!

Next stop... Cairns!

My Heart Country

From the depths of Poor Knights Island...

...over the falls of Whangarei...

...to the heights of the Bay of Islands...

...across the scape of Tongiriro...

...down the rapids of the Kaituna River...

...and through the Redwoods of Rotorua...

New Zealand has been the greatest adventure of my life thus far.  My heart will forever be in New Zealand with my Kiwi Families and within the trees and oceans that grasped my soul.

I cannot begin to thank everyone for making my journey through Aotearoa special nor can I fully explain how the country changed me.  My mind is clearer, my soul more pure, and my heart stepping to a whole new beat because of my experiences. && I cannot wait for more adventures to come!

Where Did The Time Go??

Oh where oh where has time gone?! They weren't lying when they said time flies.  It has been a hot minute since I last posted... Things got a little crazy in New Zealand... a good kind of crazy! I am going to attempt to catch everyone up on what happened during my last months on the other side of the world!

I left off with my adventure down the 309 rd.  The following couple of days I was so blessed to visit Hot Water Beach-- a beach in the Coromandel where you can dig your own pool in the sand and hot springs flow up from underground! 

You have to get there at low tide before the Antarctic water rushes in over the springs. 

Here I met a lovely girl called Sarah from Scotland who I became instant friends with! When the tide rushed in and devoured our holes, we decided to venture to Cathedral Cove together where Narnia Prince Caspian was filmed! 

 && what a magical place it was! The trek down to the cove was lush and the sun blessed us with its presence the whole way. 

The view was incredible as we ventured towards the limestone coves. 

One can definitely see why they chose such a place for a movie!

The end was ever so rewarding as we reached the beach. 

The Antarctic water did not stop Sarah and I from jumping in (and the fact that Prince Caspian once swam there may have had some inspiration too ;] ;] )

It was a splendid day and even better because I got to experience it with a fellow backpacker! 

The Karangahake Gorge--

On my over to Mount Maunganui on the east coast of the North Island, I stopped at the Karangahake Gorge, a winding canyon surrounded by rushing streams and home to old mining tunnels. 

Continuing to Mount Maunganui, I arrived to sunshine and calm, blue waters. 

Mount Maunganui is an extinct volcanic cone that rises up over the town Tauranga. In my 3 days at the Mount, I was able to climb it 4 times and experience some of the most incredible views--

Mount was one of my favorite places I visited in New Zealand and I think it was due to the fact that it reminded me so much of my home, St. Augustine.  I could definitely see myself living there one day! 

...to be continued

The 309 Road

The 309 Road is a 22 kilometer road that links Whitianga and Coromandel Town. The gravel, windy path is a scenic route with many places of interest to be stopped at along the way. I decided to go exploring along this dusty road to see what it had to offer and I was more than pleased :).

My first stop was Egan Park, a suitable place to sit and have my morning tea! The park was beautiful with its flowing stream that ran past the picnic area. Tui could be heard singing from the ferns that lined the Mahakirau Stream.

Moving right along, my next stop was the 309 Kauri Grove. I've mentioned these magnificent trees before in a previous post, but they are some of the largest trees left standing in the world next to the Sequoia Trees in California. And massive as they are--

The trek to them was just as beautiful and I met a nice German lad that was so kind as to take a photo for me! Good thing for iPhone's "panorama" feature or I wouldn't have been able to get the sheer size of these beauties!

The third stop was Waiau Falls where the Waiau Stream pours out to collect as a perfect swimming pool. Of course the water was way too nippy for my liking so I just admired from a distance.

A gorgeous site! Just a few minutes drive from the falls is Castle Rock, an old volcano that rises up above the bush. I did not end up climbing the rock due to the rain but I appreciated it from afar.

Stop number five was Waiau Waterworks where a display of water-powered sculptures was presented as soon as you drove in!

As the water flowed between the cups, pots, hats, etc., the man looked as if he were doing the work by rotating the wheel. Pretty nifty! There was lots to see and do in the 2 acre park but i didn't bother as it was geared towards a younger crowd. However, I did enjoy a nice cup of coffee in their cafe!

The last stop was by far my favorite. Ever seen 200+ friendly piggies running about on an open farm with no fences? Well it looks about like this-

This is Stuarts Pig Farm, the highlight of my day! As soon as I drove up and opened my door, 20+ little Wilbur's were collected and begging for food! They were all so friendly! I couldn't believe such a place existed and nonetheless FREE!

Stuart told me of his love for all his creatures and how visitors come daily to play with them. I stayed chatting and playing for about 2 hours and I fell completely in love with a little freckle faced pig and so wanted to bring him home with me!

But of course I couldn't smuggle him across customs and Mareet would have killed me so I let him free and was the only one going "wah wah wah" all the home.

The road came to an end in Coromandel Town and I was greeted with rainbows at its end.

It was an incredible journey and I would definitely do it again. I finally made my way back to Whitianga and prepared for the next days adventure! Blog coming soon :)