New Zealand

A Basic Bit of Glow Worm Biology

This is pretty funny … someone came to my blog today to find out whether the poop of glow worms glows.
The answer is no – that’s because glow worms don’t poop. The glow that they make is their form of excretion. But rather than just launching solid or liquid waste, it converts the leftover matter into light that’s used to attract its prey. The glow worms dangle silky threads from their spots in their home caves. Insects see this and thinks they’re seeing stars, and fly toward the light. They get caught in the threads. Then the glow worms eat them, absorb the nutrients, turn the excess matter into light and begin the cycle again.
Really, that’s pretty fabulous. It takes stuff in, but leaves nothing but heat and light behind. That’s an incredible bit of evolution. And certainly, it has to be the envy of every mechanical engineer.
If you’re interested in seeing glow worms, there are a number of places in the world to do so. Of course, I’m pretty partial to Waitomo, New Zealand. Here are a few related posts:
Rappelling into the Dark
7 Hotels in New Zealand
Rap, Raft & Rock

Funny FAQ Offers Glimpse Into Kiwi Culture

Aug 18th, 2009

by WanderingJustin.

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I’ve come to the conclusion that the United States is one uptight country. Then again, next to New Zealand, just about every nation needs to douse itself with Valium.
And there’s no better proof of this than Air New Zealand’s online FAQ list. It’s in a pop-up window, so I can’t give you a direct link. But start at the Air New Zealand home page and click the Help button at the top. When the pop-up does its thing, select Frequently Asked Questions.
Now, take a close look at Number 5. Yes, you are reading that right (and big props to my wife for pointing it out to me):
Question or Feedback
Do I have to wear shoes when I am traveling on an Air New Zealand flight?
Answer
All customers traveling on Air New Zealand services are required to maintain a tidy standard of dress. For health and safety reasons, travelers are required to wear footwear. Infants and young children who can be carried may travel barefoot.
It’s awesome that this is #5 on the list. It shows it’s a common question. If you don’t believe me, visit New Zealand. Take a close look at people’s feet. You’ll see many a bare foot, even in the middle of Auckland or Wellington.
If you do make that visit, you won’t need to pack a coat and tie, obviously.
I’ll also add that, when flying am Air New Zealand Bombardier turboprop from Wellington to Nelson, we boarded without going through a magnatometer and without removing our shoes. How do you like [...]

My Best Zorbing Tips for Beginners

Jul 25th, 2009

by WanderingJustin.

2 comments

I’m kind of surprised by something: People are finding WanderingJustin.com while searching for Zorbing tips for beginners. I’m not surprised because people are looking here for Zorbing info, but about tips for beginners.
Alright, people … Zorbing is not exactly a skill. It’s not like skiing. There are no double black-diamond Zorbing hills (though that would be awesome). You don’t need a finely tuned sense of balance, powerful quads and awesome spatial awareness. Really, if you can fit in the hole, you can Zorb just as well your first time as any veteran can.
But you seem to want tips, so I’m gonna give ‘em to ya:
1. Book a flight to New Zealand. This is where Zorbing was born, and thus is the ultimate place to Zorb. When you book, I recommend Air New Zealand since Qantas, unfortunately, seems to be experiencing a spiral into management wankery (the cabin staff and crews are still great, though). I’m hoping V Australia decides to start flying to New Zealand from the States, too.
2. Get a taxi from the airport to your hotel. Parnell is a nice neighborhood with good nightlife, decent hotels and a nice vibe. It’s also not far from bus and rail stations.
3. After spending a night in Auckland, take a bus to Rotorua. That’ll give you a chance to savor the countryside. Another option is to rent a Wicked Camper, if that’s more your bag. This also allows you to skip Step 4 and go directly to 5 .. along with [...]

Boil and Bubble at Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, New Zealand

Jun 24th, 2009

by WanderingJustin.

2 comments

If an army of Parrotheads and Grateful Dead fans ever invades New Zealand, I know exactly what strategy to take to stop the assault: The New Zealand forces would need to establish its positition and fall back, leading the unsuspecting invaders to the Mud Pool at Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland south of Rotorua.
There, the marching Parrotheads and Dead Heads would come to a complete standstill. They would be rendered immobile by a combination of cannabis, the crazy colors and the pits of bubbling, boiling mud.
Look, I’m not exactly proud to admit this: I could’ve spent the entire day at the mud pit, watching as volcanic gas built up pressure, created huge bubbles, and then exploded, spewing the smell of sulfur and rancid baked beans through the air. It smelled like I was living with my dad again!
Here’s the thing – this part of the north island has a lot of active volcanic features. And here at Waiotapu, they really force their way to the surface. It’s a fascinating landscape of mud pits, boiling ponds, sulfur pits and other weird crap that I can’t even begin to describe.
So what’s so cool about watching mud boil and splash all over? Well, if you’re from a place as extensively paved as Phoenix, it’s wonderful to get a reminder that the earth is very much still alive. That there’s change. And that, for all our technology and influence on the world, humans are just a small part of the whole. And maybe not even the [...]

Move Over, Sheep: Rabbits Star at New Zealand’s Shearing Shed

Jun 15th, 2009

by WanderingJustin.

3 comments

Really, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen someone shear a rabbit the size of a Shetland Sheepdog.
Okay, so that’s a slight exaggeration. But let’s see you visit The Shearing Shed in Waitomo, NZ, and be able to look away. All over New Zealand, locals will try enticing you into watching a sheep get shorn. I’m from the Old West, and this is Old Hat.
Shearing a huge bunny, though, is another bag of oats entirely.
We did this after a pretty full morning including caving. We were pretty hungry for something weird to do, and Waitomo isn’t exactly Wellington. Heck, it’s not even Nelson! The Shearing Shed was right near the road to Woodlyn Park, so we said “why not?”
The schedule seems sporadic, and we were just lucky to be there moments before a friendly woman clutching a white Andora rabbit seemed ready to get the party started. This is also when a busload of German uni students showed up.
That day’s shearer drew the drama out, explaining about the care and feeding and growth of the rabbits. Let me say, I am still amazed at the size of an Angora rabbit, and I’m certain the Kiwis are happy to read this. Anyway, these little creatures are pretty handy. They’re small for “livestock” but they grow enough fur to be utilitarian. The folks at the Shed sell their wool for other people to turn into useful items, and I believe they may produce a little of their own, too.
You can pick up all sorts [...]

Create a Taste of New Zealand in Your Kitchen

Jun 2nd, 2009

by WanderingJustin.

3 comments

Sometimes, I like to re-create my vacation in my kitchen. This weekend, I felt like making my own slice of New Zealand in the form of a raw fish dish I had at Aggy’s Shack in Queenstown.
I believe Aggy listed it on his menu as “Raw Fish in Coconut Milk.” Think of it as a South Pacific ceviche. I looked up several recipes and decided to use those as the basis for reverse-engineering my own. I found lots of references to kokoda and poisson cru. The second one seemed to mostly use ahi tuna, where Aggy’s creation seemed like a whiter fish.
Here’s my ingredient list:
1.25 lbs fresh opakapaka (a variety of snapper)
the juice of 6 fresh limes
1 finely chopped red pepper
12 ounces light coconut milk
3 chopped scallions
two cloves (not bulbs!) of chopped garlic
half-cup of chopped cilantro
dash of black pepper
1. Remove any skin from the fish and cube it into one-inch pieces
2. Submerge the fish in the lime juice. Refrigerate for three hours or until fish is white.
3. Remove, combine with other ingredients. You can refrigerate it a bit longer, or serve it immediately.
It pairs nicely with wild rice and a salad. A squirt of Sriracha hot chile sauce also adds some nice heat.
I think mine compared pretty favorably to Aggy’s version. If I do it again, I might add a squirt of soy sauce. Of course, there’s no way I’ll be able to equal his steamed green-lipped mussels.

7 Recycled Airplanes that Still Thrill

Apr 29th, 2009

by WanderingJustin.

4 comments

These days, recycling is cool. And so are airplanes – even the Honda Civic of the skies that is the 737.
That makes recycling airplanes an off-the-charts, Ricardo Montalban-level of cool. I’m not talking about turning Cessnas into aluminum cans. I’m talking about turning Boeing jumbo jets into backpacker hostels, or shady old military cargo planes into jungle restaurants.
Here are a few really cool places where you can eat, sleep and/or drink in a recycled airplane. The small but vibrant Costa Rican town of Manuel San Antonio seems to have the largest number, per capita, of such projects. (NOTE: If you know of any others, e-mail me and I’ll include them in a future post).

Not So High-Flying in Costa Rica
El Avion (Manuel San Antonio)

This Fairchild C-123 is linked to the Iran-Contra Affair – but these days, it’s as benign as a glassful of house-made sangria. You’ll find ticos and touristas side-by-side chomping bar food and downing cans of Imperial. And enjoying an unmatched ambience – perched on a cliff, with the occassional monkey cruising by (especially if there’s an unattended trash can nearby). El Avion has history, scenery and a low price. Some of these aircraft carry a hefty price to enter, but at El Avion, a few colones for a pint is all you need. Last Visited – 2003
Hotel Costa Verde (Manuel San Antonio)
Most of the Hotel Costa Verde is pretty typical upscale jungle fare. Unless you book passage in the 727 suite. This room is not only cool for [...]

48 Hours in Queenstown, New Zealand

Apr 26th, 2009

by WanderingJustin.

5 comments

If New Zealand gave birth to adrenaline sports, Queenstown is where those sports gestated. It’s flanked by the aptly named Remarkables mountain range, perched on a lake that rivals Lake Tahoe, and criss-crossed by canyons, rivers and gulleys. Here’s just a taste of what you can do in Queenstown in the summer in just two days – winter is a different animal, and very suitable for snow sports:
Activities

TSS Earnslaw – This steamship was built in 1912, making it younger than most of its current passengers. Okay, I’m exaggerating – but not much! Cruises can just take you for a lake excursion on Lake Wakatipu, or for a multi-course meal on the far side of the lake. Watch the steam engine crew at work, and hang out on the bridge with the captain, who will likely be rockin’ The Police while fogeys do a sing-along by the lounge piano. Sedate, but relaxing.
Street Luge – A cable car gives you a great view. But you’d better focus on the twisty track when bombing down in an unpowered go-cart. It can get plenty fast, but the track is more tame than I’d prefer. Still fun, though!
Bungee Jumping – A signature activity. You’ll have your pick of operators and sizes.

Paragliding – Not quite as extreme as skydiving, but you’ll get an incredible view of The Remarkables, the town and Lake Wakatipu. It takes about 10 minutes. Get there around 9 a.m. so you can book your flight before the winds change – they often stop gliding in [...]