Istanbul: A Bridge Between Cultures
Draft 6/30/11: To be published
China: Ancient/Modern Fusion
6/27/11 draft: to be published
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Australia
Draft written 7/5/11: to be published
Getting into the Swing of Things — New Zealand
As my 2.5 weeks in New Zealand draws to a rapid close, I reflect on my time here and all the amazing things I have been able to do and see. While not everything worked out the way I would have liked, I think it had to happen this way in order for me to come back!
Queenstown: Adrenaline Rush Central
For example, the first place I visited in New Zealand was Queenstown, which is billed as the adventure capital of the world. I now know why — you cannot walk ten feet without being bombarded by all the adventure activities that Queenstown had to offer — bungee jumping, sky diving, jetboating, paragliding, kayaking, whitewater rafting, hanggliding, ziplining, and things like hiking for the less adrenaline-inspired.
While it’s fun to do all these activities, your wallet starts getting so light you think it’s going on its own adventure in weightlessness! So I just wanted to do the things I have never done before, and that are unique to New Zealand. With this in mind, the bungee jump was the first activity on my list. However, the original bungee jump that I wanted was already booked, so I went for the Shotover Canyon Swing instead. You jump off in the same way that you would for a bungee jump (it’s a 109-meter fall), but then instead of being yanked back, you continue swinging in an arc. Either way, you have to jump off a very high platform and trust that whatever is holding you will not snap off. You can judge for yourself though:
I knew that I wanted to do this for a long time, so I just booked it. I thought it would be a good way to start off my world tour. It didn’t really hit me what I actually was about to do, until I stood there on the platform with my harness and looked down at the river. At that moment, I learned what absolute terror was! My heart started racing, and I even started shaking. I clung to the man’s arm, and did not want to let go. This activity was certainly not for the faint of heart! I had to convince myself to jump — it was important for me that I do this by myself, without a “nudge” from the guys working on the ledge. If I needed one more reason, I already bought the jump and it was not refundable! There was no turning back now!
So between hyperventilating and listening to the guys tease me about being too scared to do it, I gave myself a pep talk and got in the zone. I held my breath as if I were about to jump into cold water, and I finally let go. Let me tell you, the hardest part of the jump was mental — just getting over that final anguish to let go. The actual jump was so amazing, so painless, so freeing — that I had to do it again! I was on such a high, I think I may have yodeled as I fell. The whole talking-me-off-the-ledge scene is above, you can judge for yourself.
Jumping for joy in Queenstown
Speaking of throwing myself off of platforms, I also wanted to go paragliding in Queenstown. I tried this 3 times, and all 3 days, the weather was not cooperating. You see, the weather not only has to be sunny, but not windy as well. Otherwise, if the wind picks up even a bit, you could get caught in it and crash. But instead of this, I was able to go hiking one day, and check out the view I got from the top of Queenstown Mountain.
The other adrenaline-pumping ride I went on in Queenstown was the jetboating adventure. A jetboat is a super-fast speed boat that can shoot over even an inch of water! And, they do it in a canyon, at 60mph. To top it off, they do 360 degree spins! Of course, this was put on the list. So away I went on my jetboating adventure. You were not allowed to bring cameras on board, because you had to hold on. Also, you couldn’t lean out the side because you could hit a canyon wall — someone actually died that way some years back. But other than that, they had a perfect safety record (aren’t you so comforted by that?)
Jetboat spinning
The other activity I came to New Zealand for was zorbing, which is basically rolling down the hill in a big ball filled with water. That’s right. This was unique to New Zealand, and so I had to try it. Zorbing is found just outside the city of Rotorua, in the north island (about 4 hours from Auckland, the capital). And here I am, after just coming out at the end:
Hiking
New Zealand may be known for its adrenaline rushes, but it’s also just amazing to just look at the landscape, as you’re going by in a bus, or by hiking. I had the opportunity to do a couple of the best hikes in New Zealand — one in the south island, and one in the north. In the south island, the place to go is Fiordland National Park — it’s the most remote place of New Zealand — and getting there is part of the fun.
New Zealand may be known for its adrenaline rushes, but it’s also just amazing to just look at the landscape, as you’re going by in a bus, or by hiking. I had the opportunity to do a couple of the best hikes in New Zealand — one in the south island, and one in the north. In the south island, the place to go is Fiordland National Park — it’s the most remote place of New Zealand — and getting there is part of the fun.
The Milford/Routeborn Trek is listed as one of the top 10 hikes in the world (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0505/classic_trails_01.html). I did not have time to do the Routeburn part of the trek, but this of course I’ll have to do next time I am in New Zealand. Milford Sound is the iconic image of New Zealand that you may see on all the travel brochures — you can see it just by boat, or accompanied by a 3 or 4-day hike. What you may not know is that it is one of the wettest places on earth — it gets 15 feet of rain every year, and that’s just the average! So it’s not too much of a surprise that on the last day of the hike when I passed through Milford Sound, it was raining and cloudy, so I did not get a chance to see it. Alas! You should know that the name for New Zealand in the native Maori language is “Aoteroa,” which means “big cloud.” There is a reason why New Zealand is called a big cloud, and I got to understand why by the end of the trip. The days would often be quite cloudy, especially because it’s on the verge of winter and in the mountains. So basically, I got to see Milford Sound and Tongariro National Park as they most naturally exist.
Here are some shots from the Milford Trek — because of the voluminous amounts of rainfall, there is a lot of moss and greenery.
Wetlands area on day 1 of the Milford Trek
View at Mackinnon Pass - highest point of Milford Trek
Another view from day 3 of the Milford Trek
In the North Island, I did the Tongariro National Park Alpine Crossing, which they say is the best 1-day hike in New Zealand. It is an amazing hike because you get so much diversity in landscape — volcanic rock, a mountain pass, an alpine region, and jungle-like vegetation, all in one day. Also, for Lord of the Rings fans, Mount Doom is in the middle of this path, and you can even summit it on a nice day.
Here are a couple shots from Tongariro:
Small Emerald Lake from Tongariro National Park Alpine Crossing
History/Culture
On top of all this breathtaking scenery and adventure, New Zealand also has a unique history and culture that is fascinating. Did you know that New Zealand was the last country in the world to be populated by humans? In the year 1100 AD, the first settlers known as the Maori people came by huge canoes called ‘wakas’ from Pacific islands like Tahiti in search of land and a new place to live. The first Europeans came to settle after the daring voyages of Captain Cook in the late 1700s. Compare that to the ancient civilizations like the Egyptian or Chinese cultures, and New Zealand is a baby!
On top of all this breathtaking scenery and adventure, New Zealand also has a unique history and culture that is fascinating. Did you know that New Zealand was the last country in the world to be populated by humans? In the year 1100 AD, the first settlers known as the Maori people came by huge canoes called ‘wakas’ from Pacific islands like Tahiti in search of land and a new place to live. The first Europeans came to settle after the daring voyages of Captain Cook in the late 1700s. Compare that to the ancient civilizations like the Egyptian or Chinese cultures, and New Zealand is a baby!
In Rotorua, I attended a Maori cultural show, where an actual Maori family hosted for the evening. They performed some traditional dances like the ‘haka,’ which is a war dance, and then dinner was served, which had been cooked in the traditional ‘hangi’ style which includes wrapping the food and letting it cook for hours in the ground.
Here is a short clip of the Maori cultural performance. Notice the bulging eyes, aggressive stance and looks – these are characteristics of the war dance that were meant to scare rivals. The tongue sticking out was symbolic and meant that you looked tasty.
Also notice the extensive tattooing on the face that both men and women have. I was quite fascinated by them, as it is not commonly seen in the West. It is called ‘ta moko,’ and it can signify your heritage (i.e., which tribe you belong to), as well as status. In the past, it was considered a privilege to be able to tattoo your face – only chiefs and high-ranking men were allowed the full-face tattoo. Women could only have a tattoo on the chin. The way they explained it at the Maori cultural show, there are variations of 4 animals in the tattoos. The bat, which stands for wisdom and navigation (only chiefs could have this), would span the forehead. Then there was the kiwi, which would symbolize the protection of the other animal species, and it would go on the cheeks. The parrot is another bird that symbolizes public speaking, or the art of oration. Chiefs and other leaders would have this design tattooed on their nose. Finally, there was the owl, which symbolized nurturing and support – this would go on the chin. Women would traditionally have only the owl ‘moko,’ since they were seen as nurturers.
Example of Maori tattoo called 'moko'
During my time in New Zealand, I have only seen 3 people with permanent tattoos (the Maori in the show put makeup on). This is one of the fellows I saw, his name is Brent and he was the only one in his family to get the moko (see photo).
And finally, for Lord of the Rings fans out there, New Zealand is home to over 150 of the film locations! So I had to visit one of them at least – the Shire ;-) They are actually quite secret about this, and I had to sign a waiver from Peter Jackson that I wouldn’t post anything on the web. But, here is some proof at least – after the tour, we saw a sheep shearer in action, and then I got to feed the lambs! In the background of this photo, you can see the car with the Hobbiton Tour on it.
Feeding the lambs after the Hobbit tour
In my short time in New Zealand, I have had the opportunity to do and see so many things. I am truly impressed with everything that New Zealand has to offer, and now that I have just whetted my appetite for New Zealand, I must bid adieu. There are still so many things I didn’t get to do, but they must wait for next time. My time in New Zealand has been quite lovely, and a great start to my adventures around the world – and now on to Australia! Goodbye Kiwis, hello Aussies! Stay tuned….
[Note: this was written at the end of my time in New Zealand, but I didn't have consistent internet access to publish this until now]
Around the World in 84 Days…
Welcome to my blog! This is the first official post of my world tour. This trip was first conceived when I started applying to medical school. I like to take a big trip every year, but last summer, I gave that up because I had to focus on taking the MCAT and completing the medical school application process, which took a year and a half. I told myself that if and when I got into medical school, I would go on a trip – the ultimate trip. And now it is a little surreal that here I am, sitting on a plane over the Pacific Ocean, on a trip around the world.
After a brief respite in San Francisco visiting friends, I am currently en route to Auckland, New Zealand – my first international stop. It’s a 13 hour flight from LA, and we are 5 hours from landing. I am quite excited, as I have not crossed the Pacific Ocean in 6 years – the last time I’ve been to Asia. I was inspired to travel to New Zealand as I read about it in an airplane magazine article years ago, and learned that it was the adventure capital of the world. Being an adventure nut, naturally New Zealand went on the bucket list. Zorbing was the sport that initially attracted me to New Zealand – the concept of placing yourself in a giant ball and rolling down a hill just seemed like something I had to do. When I read up on other adventures, it seems that the first bungee jump that launched the whole sport took place in Queenstown, when New Zealander AJ Hackett tied a rope to his ankles and jumped off the Kawarau Bridge. Being a history fan, I naturally wanted to recreate this moment, so that is also on the itinerary.
Before diving into New Zealand, let me take a step back and give you a more general introduction to my trip. During the course of my travels, I will be traversing 10-12 countries in 84 days. I chose these countries for a variety of reasons, such as 1) my friends/family live or go to school there, 2) they have the most amazing hiking treks and other adventures in the world, and 3) my curiosity to learn about international cultures and medicine, as well as take the pulse of the region. So without further ado, here’s my itinerary:
1. San Francisco à May 6th – 8th
2. New Zealand à May 10th – 27th
3. Australia à May 27th – June 12th
4. China à June 13th – 23rd
5. Dubai/Oman à June 23rd – 27th
6. Istanbul à June 27th – 30th
7. Riga, Latvia à June 30th – July 1st
8. Poland à July 1st – 8th
9. Sweden à July 9th – July 20th
10. Iceland/Greenland à July 20th – July 28th
So how does one prepare for a trip such as this? Very carefully! Or in my case, as you go along. I had a pretty good idea of what I would be bringing, which is not much at all. Two summers ago, I traveled to India for two months to volunteer, film, and explore, so I had a good idea of what I would need for this trip. For my world tour, I am bringing one main book bag, and then a smaller one for things I use most frequently and need on hand. Of course, cargo pants are a given – with enough room for my passport/tickets, money, diary/pens, flashlight, Canon Powershot point and shoot camera, and bandanna. Everything is quite functional, and often serves multiple purposes.
At San Francisco airport (wrong terminal as it turned out) with my 2 book bags and care package from Brian
As for the rest, I divided my space pretty evenly between clothes and electronics. After some research and trying out various models at B&H (electronics superstore in NYC), these are the main gadgets I decided to bring:
1. Camera – Canon EOS 60D DSLR with 18mm-135mm lens (a good all-purpose lens so you don’t need to carry extra lenses, also does full HD video that plays in any media player)
2. Phone – Not having space to lug around 12 Lonely Planets in my book bag, I got an Android Optimus phone from Tmobile, and downloaded all these books with the Kindle application. So worth it, and if you leave it in airplane mode, you can browse downloaded books without incurring data charges in other countries.
3. Tripod – aluminum Manfrotto was smallest fluid head I could find that could still balance the weight of the camera and lens
4. SD Cards – Sandisk Class 4 cards from my India trip, but also Class 10 (recommended for faster processing of continuous shots/video from camera – writes up to 30 MB/sec)
5. Laptop – 10.1’’ Compaq Acer netbook with Dual Core processor, SD card slot, 250 GB hard drive, and dedicated video graphics card (important for video to play properly). I initially bought a 13.3’’ Macbook Pro because of its video editing power, but the size just proved too big for my bag so I returned it.
6. External Hard Drive – 500GB rugged LaCie hard drive
7. Accessories – Sennheiser microphone and light for camera, extra batteries, chargers
Just a little word on the camera. I am so happy that I got this camera – the images I am getting are unlike anything I’ve taken before. In a sample illustrative shot taken at Mori Point in San Francisco, look at how the shallow depth of feel separates the photo into 3 distinct parts. I am not exactly sure how I took this picture, but it’s a testament to the power of the camera – I will give the camera appropriate credit as I’ve only been playing with a DSLR for a couple days. Hopefully, I will be able to recreate this look in the future.
Wildflowers in San Francisco, taken with Canon 60D DSLR
And now for my clothes. I wrestled over what clothes to bring. I ended up buying an all-purpose coat because I noticed I was cold in my original jacket and I was still in San Francisco! New Zealand is heading into winter, so it was a good investment. Here’s what I ended up bringing, mas o menos:
1. T-shirts - 4
2. Long shirts – 3
3. Long pants – 2
4. Shorts - 1
5. 3-in-1 waterproof jacket/coat
6. Waterproof snowboard pants
7. Underwear/socks
8. Shoes – flip flops + rugged leather hiking sandals
9. Ziplock/garbage bags – for insulating everything vs. rain
This might not seem like a lot of clothes, but I figure I will be buying souvenir T-shirts along the way, so I wanted to keep it light in the beginning. I have an extra bag that I always bring because I always end up bringing more home than I started with.
So I am finally set for New Zealand, fully equipped, immunized, and properly insured (for those who know me, insurance seemed like a good idea). Now back to my in-flight entertainment – I had to finish The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (who can resist a brooding, pint-sized, genius punk who fights corruption and evil with a fierce thirst for life), and now on to No Strings Attached, in my continuing “research” into the field of medicine and life as a doctor, starring my fellow Harvard alum, Natalie Portman. Who knew being a resident could be so much fun!