The flight and first days in Rotorua
Door: Anouk Vermeer
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Anouk
05 Februari 2016 | Nieuw Zeeland, Rotorua
While I am writing this, it is about 15:13 p.m. in Rotorua New Zealand on the 5th of February. In this update of the blog I will tell you guys something about the day that I left, about how my flight was and the first view days I've had in Rotorua. I haven't got that much to tell you about my research yet, so that will be coming in later!
So like it told you guys last time, I started my journey on the 31st of January. My mom and boyfriend Marc drove me to Düsseldorf airport to catch my first flight. I was feeling very conflicted about leaving. On the one hand I was so exited to get to New Zealand! But on the other hand I was terrified for flying, and very sad about not seeing my parents, friends and lovely boyfriend for three months (note: I get homesick very easily when I travel alone). But those where concerns for later. We first went to check in my stuff and get me my boarding tickets. After that we searched for a nice place to eat something on the airport. We had a great time, untill it was time for me to go. I got this panic attack about travelling all on my own and not knowing what to do and I embarassed myself by crying in the middle of the airport. Because I was so stressed out, my mom got someone from the airport to search someone I could travel with. In about 5 minutes someone was found and I had to leave, still in tears. The man I was travelling with was a very nice German man, who tried to explain everything that was going to happen and helped me untill we were in the airplane. When I was there, I could finally breath a bit. Still stressed I started my first flight (6 hours) to Dubai. The flight itself was fine besides a little turbulence. I managed to have contact via Whatsapp with my parents and boyfriend so they kept me calm. However I was missing them so badly.
When I arrived in Dubai, where I had to wait for 10 hours, I had to find a desk from my flight company, because I was assigned a hotel room for the night. After a lot of asking and walking around, I had finally found the desk and had to wait for a bus to take me to the hotel. It was a nice place and I got to see a little bit of Dubai. They even woke me up in time so that I could catch my next flight! That specific flight would make a stop in Melbourne and then go all the way throught to Auckland. The entire flight took up to 20 hours I think. In Melbourne it stopped for a while and we all had to leave the airplane. Luckily we only had to wait for about an hour, and I had found some people who where sitting next to me and had to go to Auckland as well. After the short stop the journey continued and after about 4 hours I was in Auckland. This flight was very scary because there was lots and lots of turbulence. During this flight, I received some great news! My mother told me that she was going to join me! She had actually made plans to come to New Zealand. She didn't know when exactly but she was going to try everything to make it possible. She had my dad's full support for doing it. I am so blessed and lucky to have parents like that.
When I arrived in Auckland, things got a little weird. In Düsseldorf, the flight company people told me that my suitcase would be brought all the way to Rotorua. Accept...it didn't. When I asked this older guy who worked on Auckland airport for directions, he told me to check if my bagage was left in Auckland, and it was... So I had to check in my stuff again before I could continue my journey. Since I arrived at the international terminal and had to leave from the Domestic terminal, I had to switch buildings and go through this massive control point where they checked whether you didn't possibly bring any type of diseases or natural products with you. It took quite some time, and after that I still had to check in my stuff and get my next boarding ticket. So with a little help from an employee I succeeded doing that, and could finally leave the building. I was so happy when I got out! The weather was awesome! It was very hot though, haha, but it felt great since I felt like I had been inside for 3 days.
The next flight would be in a tiny little aircraft called a 'beachcraft' from air New Zealand (you really should look that type of aiplane up, it's funny). It was such a small craft, that I felt every little bit of wind and it scared the crap out of me. Luckily this one took only 40 minutes. When I arrived at Rotorua airport, I went straight to getting my bagage, and started looking for my Kiwi host Karin. I couldn't find her at first, but it appeared that the traffic was very busy, because she arrived 5 minutes after that. She took me to her home and showed me my room. The house where I am staying is beautiful and the family I am staying with is even more beautiful. They are lovely people and I am a lucky person to have found them.
The first view days consisted mostly of sightseeing in Rotorua. The first full day I was there (3rd of February), Karin and her oldest son Jacob took me on a little cardrive through Rotorua so I could see what the town had to offer. After that I was so tired, the I fell asleep almost immediately, and so I missed dinner (exactly what happend the day before that). The second day (4th of February), I went on a little tour with Abigail (a very sweet Chinese girl who is also staying here for a view days) and Jacob to see multiple places in Rotorua. At first we went for a walk in the Hatupatu area. This is a place where you can see all these sulfate lakes that arose there because of the vulcanic activity over here. It smells like rotten eggs, but the view is wonderful. After that we visited the Rotorua museum near that area, where we enjoyed a guided tour and learned something about Maori culture and the building the museum was situated in. After this, we went to Kuirau Park. In this park you can see hot pools (literally boiling hot; you won't survive diving in there), who keep on changing and moving due to thermal activity, which is a pretty awesome thing. After that we went to get some ice cream and just generally enjoyed ourselfs. Today (5th of febraury) we had a bit of a slow start since it is a rainy day. I don't really mind the rain here though. It is very warm opposed to the rain we get in the Netherlands, and the general temperature is still about 22 degrese Centigrade. So that's just fine. In the afternoon, Karin, Abigail and I went to some hot pools that you can actually enter. We had a little relaxing outdoor spa day with the three of us.
I am so much looking forward to doing my research here and to experiencing all new great things. I am sure I will have a blast while being here. I have even received the message from my mother that she will be arriving here on the 1st of March, and stay with me untill I have to leave because she booked the same flight back as I have! I am sure my mother will love this place as much as I do, and I will keep you posted on all my next adventures. I really hope to be able to tell you something about my research soon!
With love from New Zealand,
Anouk
So like it told you guys last time, I started my journey on the 31st of January. My mom and boyfriend Marc drove me to Düsseldorf airport to catch my first flight. I was feeling very conflicted about leaving. On the one hand I was so exited to get to New Zealand! But on the other hand I was terrified for flying, and very sad about not seeing my parents, friends and lovely boyfriend for three months (note: I get homesick very easily when I travel alone). But those where concerns for later. We first went to check in my stuff and get me my boarding tickets. After that we searched for a nice place to eat something on the airport. We had a great time, untill it was time for me to go. I got this panic attack about travelling all on my own and not knowing what to do and I embarassed myself by crying in the middle of the airport. Because I was so stressed out, my mom got someone from the airport to search someone I could travel with. In about 5 minutes someone was found and I had to leave, still in tears. The man I was travelling with was a very nice German man, who tried to explain everything that was going to happen and helped me untill we were in the airplane. When I was there, I could finally breath a bit. Still stressed I started my first flight (6 hours) to Dubai. The flight itself was fine besides a little turbulence. I managed to have contact via Whatsapp with my parents and boyfriend so they kept me calm. However I was missing them so badly.
When I arrived in Dubai, where I had to wait for 10 hours, I had to find a desk from my flight company, because I was assigned a hotel room for the night. After a lot of asking and walking around, I had finally found the desk and had to wait for a bus to take me to the hotel. It was a nice place and I got to see a little bit of Dubai. They even woke me up in time so that I could catch my next flight! That specific flight would make a stop in Melbourne and then go all the way throught to Auckland. The entire flight took up to 20 hours I think. In Melbourne it stopped for a while and we all had to leave the airplane. Luckily we only had to wait for about an hour, and I had found some people who where sitting next to me and had to go to Auckland as well. After the short stop the journey continued and after about 4 hours I was in Auckland. This flight was very scary because there was lots and lots of turbulence. During this flight, I received some great news! My mother told me that she was going to join me! She had actually made plans to come to New Zealand. She didn't know when exactly but she was going to try everything to make it possible. She had my dad's full support for doing it. I am so blessed and lucky to have parents like that.
When I arrived in Auckland, things got a little weird. In Düsseldorf, the flight company people told me that my suitcase would be brought all the way to Rotorua. Accept...it didn't. When I asked this older guy who worked on Auckland airport for directions, he told me to check if my bagage was left in Auckland, and it was... So I had to check in my stuff again before I could continue my journey. Since I arrived at the international terminal and had to leave from the Domestic terminal, I had to switch buildings and go through this massive control point where they checked whether you didn't possibly bring any type of diseases or natural products with you. It took quite some time, and after that I still had to check in my stuff and get my next boarding ticket. So with a little help from an employee I succeeded doing that, and could finally leave the building. I was so happy when I got out! The weather was awesome! It was very hot though, haha, but it felt great since I felt like I had been inside for 3 days.
The next flight would be in a tiny little aircraft called a 'beachcraft' from air New Zealand (you really should look that type of aiplane up, it's funny). It was such a small craft, that I felt every little bit of wind and it scared the crap out of me. Luckily this one took only 40 minutes. When I arrived at Rotorua airport, I went straight to getting my bagage, and started looking for my Kiwi host Karin. I couldn't find her at first, but it appeared that the traffic was very busy, because she arrived 5 minutes after that. She took me to her home and showed me my room. The house where I am staying is beautiful and the family I am staying with is even more beautiful. They are lovely people and I am a lucky person to have found them.
The first view days consisted mostly of sightseeing in Rotorua. The first full day I was there (3rd of February), Karin and her oldest son Jacob took me on a little cardrive through Rotorua so I could see what the town had to offer. After that I was so tired, the I fell asleep almost immediately, and so I missed dinner (exactly what happend the day before that). The second day (4th of February), I went on a little tour with Abigail (a very sweet Chinese girl who is also staying here for a view days) and Jacob to see multiple places in Rotorua. At first we went for a walk in the Hatupatu area. This is a place where you can see all these sulfate lakes that arose there because of the vulcanic activity over here. It smells like rotten eggs, but the view is wonderful. After that we visited the Rotorua museum near that area, where we enjoyed a guided tour and learned something about Maori culture and the building the museum was situated in. After this, we went to Kuirau Park. In this park you can see hot pools (literally boiling hot; you won't survive diving in there), who keep on changing and moving due to thermal activity, which is a pretty awesome thing. After that we went to get some ice cream and just generally enjoyed ourselfs. Today (5th of febraury) we had a bit of a slow start since it is a rainy day. I don't really mind the rain here though. It is very warm opposed to the rain we get in the Netherlands, and the general temperature is still about 22 degrese Centigrade. So that's just fine. In the afternoon, Karin, Abigail and I went to some hot pools that you can actually enter. We had a little relaxing outdoor spa day with the three of us.
I am so much looking forward to doing my research here and to experiencing all new great things. I am sure I will have a blast while being here. I have even received the message from my mother that she will be arriving here on the 1st of March, and stay with me untill I have to leave because she booked the same flight back as I have! I am sure my mother will love this place as much as I do, and I will keep you posted on all my next adventures. I really hope to be able to tell you something about my research soon!
With love from New Zealand,
Anouk
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