To complete this awesome year in New-Zealand,I did my goodbye tour. I left Berlins, my bag on my back – my car stayed in the cafe, I didn’t sell it yet. I had a new challenge : hitchhiking to Auckland ! This Monday morning, Dean drop me to Murchison because waiting in front of the cafe would have bring me anywhere, there are no car around ! I had 12 days to reach Auckland, I’m going by steps and seeing my friends on the way back. First : Blenheim to see (quickly) Elisa because she works in factory during the night.
The next day I took the ferry to Wellington to meet my cousin Eloïse. I had the feeling to come back from another world when I walked in the night between the big buildings. After 6 months in the bush, it’s a sensation of immensity. I stayed 2 days in the capital. Eloïse is working too, I took advantage of my time there to visit the huge Museum Te Mata. And I cross the city to ask my tax refund. A party with Eloïse’s friends and I left the next morning, tired but motivated to find a car to Tongariro where I joined Romane & Lisa, two french girls I met in kiwifruit last year.
Leaving Wellington by hitchhiking is not easy but after 2 hours and 3 places, Franz picked me in his camping-car. I arrived for the sunset, beautiful on the Mount Ruapehu. The next day was perfect for hiking. With Lisa, under a blue sky, we walked to Taranaki Falls. Awesome track, the eyes fixed on the Mounts Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe. I had lunch with Romane before to tighten the thumb to Rotorua.
After three cars, I’m in the smelly city just for the sunset on the Lake Rotorua. I didn’t stay a lot here, with all my staff on my back, it is hard to go sightseeing. I left to Opotiki to meet the friendly family who had welcomed me during one month when I worked in kiwifruit. Firstly to give them their tent and mattress. And mostly to wave them before to leave the country. Always generous, I had 3 good spring days with them. Coco, their puppy who is now big dog, is always happy and ran with me close to the beach. They cook so much and so well : baguette, muffins, fritter, cheese, artichoke soup… it was also the occasion to see Marie & Tom, Sian’s parent, and after one year in New Zealand, I finally could play touch rugby – when I told you that i am almost a Kiwi ! And to achieve this beautiful reunion, they offered me a Fish & Chips on the beach, after playing soccer on the sand (I’m French but I can’t play in the French team when you see my level…).
And I already had to leave. Sian dropped me to Whakatane, this Tuesday morning was raining, I hope someone will be quickly sorry of me ! For the first time, it was a girl ! Laeh, she was so funny ! She can’t drop me in Mount Maunganui and she said to me I can walk 10 minutes to the center. No ! Too far away, I tried again to hitchhike. Another woman picked me, very nice, she became a tour guide just for me. I came here to visit Gisa & CJ for 2 days. Good party on a pub, hiked the Mount Maunganui, good moments in the hostel with other guys, 2 self-sauce-chocolate-pudding (yes CJ knows me !). It was a good program.
It was not finished yet ! My last steps were in Auckland where I had a reunion with Chris, a new zealander who I met in Berlins 3 months ago (he offered me wine and chocolate last time). This time he offered me very good moments. In the first evening, he took me with his co-workers for a quizz about cheese & wine. I’m better to drink wine than to answer questions… The day after he offered me lunch in the paradise for French in a French market. And he stayed with me in the evening for my last beers in New Zealand.
“Voilà”, my year in New Zealand, until the end, was awesome ! And my most beautiful pride was to hear Chris saying to me that my English is so much better now. Between May & August, there is a big difference and I feel it. Because my fu***** English gave me a very bad moments. So many frustration, can’t speak, can’t understand, be sidelined.. now it’s behind me ! The hitchhiking also proved it to me. Besides a better level in English, the 338 days in New Zealand gave me so fantastic landscapes, amazing meeting, new experiences, awesome moments. Of course there were bad moments, feel time 1000 because I was far away of my family and my friends. But that is the prize to pay if you want to realize a dream. And I earn more : confidence, will, money and very good memories.
I will come back definitely. I take this opportunity to thank everybody who help me along this journey and to share a little of their daily life with me ! This beautiful year titillated my desire to travel, I fly away now to a new destination : New Caledonia ! I will be able to eat french food, to welcome the warmth and fun of summer (even if it’s winter in New Caledonia !), and to speak French !
