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1600公里,绝望也会变成希望

完成了南岛之旅,离回家的时间还有3个星期。
原本预计在南岛把车卖了,然后背包+hitch hike游北岛。
没想到卖车竟然成了我最沮丧的一段时间。

首先我先回去Christchurch。
一个人驾4小时的路程真会很累,于是在Oamaru上Christchurch的路上,我第一次载一个德国人的Hitch Hiker。

听了那位德国人分享他在Oamaru的hitch hike经历
再次激起我想要体验hitch hike这个旅行方式。

志在卖车的我到了christchurch的车展,没想到等了大半天才发现车展换了地点!
去到新的车展,主办单位竟然只开价300 NZD!
好歹有个纽西兰的台湾学生,也开我1000 NZD。
不过两个价钱不是预计中。只好把期望放在我的南岛最后一站。
也就是Motueka。

我会回到Motueka是因为刚好在Grabone买了那里跳伞的折扣卷。
同时那里有之前在Motueka的朋友想要买车。
于是又驾了6小时的路程回Motueka。
这次因为是走山路,所以没有载到hitch hiker。

好不容易回到Motueka,没想到计划永远赶不上变化。
原本预计卖给朋友的车,因为她的房东,也就是帮她评估车子的人刚好是赛车手,车子满足不到他要求,因此价钱也不在我要的范围。
也没办法,这台烂车岂能满足赛车手的要求?

原以为在这里终于有开心的事:可以体验到跳伞!
万万没想到飞机竟然在维修,需要3天才可以好!
因为北岛的巴士票也已经安排好了,于是想要要求退款。
但是因为是特价,所以得不到任何退款。
难道我255 NZD的跳伞卷就这样沉入大海吗?

跳伞不成,钱不能退,车卖不出,口袋空空
当天真的是在纽西兰情绪最低落的一天。
几乎到了绝望的境界。

我真的觉得走投无路了,其中最大的原因是钱不够用。
身上的钱已经不够把车子驾上北岛买。
如果在这里低价把车卖了,那就会把上大学的资金也亏了。
但是我已经自己承诺不管怎样都要把这笔钱赚回来!
如果不在这里卖,又没钱上北岛。
虽然有朋友好心说可以借钱,但上了北岛也未必卖得出好价。

就这样挣扎了一整天,再过一天就要上北岛,船票巴士票也订了。还是找不到一个解决方案。

感谢上帝,关了这么多扇门,肯定会留下一扇门!

最后一天的早上,在背包客栈看到一篇帖文。
刚好Warkworth(Auckland以北)有两个礼拜的短期工,而且现在就需要人。
真的感谢主,在冬季的尾巴还有工作可以做。
不但时间刚刚好让我做2个礼拜,最后一个礼拜可以大概游北岛。
也让我能在买车的同时又有收入。

联络上,确包有工作后。
赶紧就取消所有预定的船票车票。
准备展开了1000公里,Motueka到Warkworth的旅程。
不过,又想到没有钱把我的车送到北岛
而且1000公里的油费也不便宜!
如果等到我朋友放工,才借钱出发又来不及赶上船和开工的时间。
但是…

上帝的安排永远是足够的!

就在这时想起了当时在马来西亚做的功课,是和银行的小姐不经意的谈起的。

如果你的ATM Card上面有 Logo MEPS CASH 的Logo,
那你就可以在任何有同样Logo的提款机上直接提款。
虽然有额外的手续费(CIMB是RM 8),但我算过了整体的兑换率,甚至比当时我在马来西亚换的还好价。

钱的问题解决后,还来不及道别就开始这1000公里的旅程。
(真的对不起朋友们,你们热情的招待我,我却匆匆离开了,真的谢谢你们的招待)
Nelson到Picton的路程又载了一个母亲和儿子的Hitch Hiker。
他们在赶船,我也在赶船,一路上聊得也很开心!

过了海已差不多傍晚时分。
为了省钱,就随便在路边小站过了一夜。
虽然是冬天尾,还到了北岛,不过晚上还是非常的冷!

途中也因为问题解开了,所以终于心情拍些照片。
才发现Dunedin到Motueka真的没有什么照片!

从Dunedin到Warkworth这1600公里
虽然很像一步一步走向绝望,但是在上帝的眼中是没有绝望。
最终肯定有一条希望之路。
这1600公里,全心感谢上帝的带领!

最后和大家分享这首诗歌,是我从Christchurch回Motueka一路都在听的,它的歌词在我最沮丧的时候激励我,不要放弃但是对自己所承诺的。

1600km, journey from despair to hope

After south island trip, I’ll leave NZ in 3 weeks time.
My original plan is sell my car at south island and continue my north island journey with hitch hike method

For 4 hours journey from Dunedin to Christchurch, I picked a Germany hitch hiker.

His hitch hike experience inspire me to try out the hitch hike travel

At Christchurch, the car fair already changed it location after waiting at old location for whole morning.
And the host offer 300 NZD for my car.
I can’t believe he open such low price! Even a Taiwanese student offer me 1000 NZD.
However, both offer is not within my range, all I can do is put my hope for my very last station in South Island, Motueka

I planned to backed to Motueka is because I brought the skydive discount coupon in Motueka from Grabone.
And there is a friend who still working in Motueka wish to buy a car.
So I drove another 6 hourse from back to Motueka.
No hitch hiker for this time because I use mountain road.

However, plan also change and change to worse.
The friend ask her host to value my car and her host is a racer.
My poor car unable to reach his expectation and the offer is also out of my range.

For Skydive, I thought there was finally a good thing to do.
But the Air plane is under maintain for 3 days.
I requested to refund because I already have trip at south island after 3 days.
However, Grabone voucher cannot be refund.
Mean I wasted my 255 NZD skydive coupon?

Unable to skydive, unable to refund, unable to sell car.
The most important no money!
All of these made my most despair day in NZ

I think I had no choice because I really out of money.
I don’t have enough money to drive all to way to Auckland and sell the car.
If I sell it cheap over here, I’ll lost my saving for University.
But I already promise myself to save this money!
If I don’t sell it, I have no place to go.
Although my friend willing to borrow money, there is also a risk for not selling good in north island.

This problem trouble me for whole day, until the day before north island trip, I still have no idea for it.

Thanks God because He always keep last door open

The last day morning, I saw a vacancy post at chinese NZWH forum.
There is a 2 weeks work at Warkworth (north of Auckland) need urgent vacancy.
Really thanks God because there is still job during the end of winter.
Beside that, the timing is just enough for me to work, sell my car and travel the south island!

After secure my position, I cancelled the north island trip booking and begin the 1000km, from Motueka to Warkworth
But I still lack of money to drive my car all the way to there, especially ferry fee and petrol.
I’ll not able to catch ferry if I waited my borrow from my friend after they finished work.
But what I can said is

God always provide

At this time, I remembered the conversation with a bank reception in Malaysia.

If you local ATM Card have Logo MEPS CASH Logo,
You can withdraw money at any ATM machine with same logo.
Although there is a processing fee(for CIMB is RM8), but the overall rate is better than the rate I change before I come to NZ.

Without any farewell, I started my 1000km journey.
(Feel really sorry to my Motueka Friend, you all treat me so well but I left in suck urgent. Thanks for all your caring)

From Nelson to Picton, I picked another hitch hiker, a monther and a son.
They are same as me, rushing for the ferry.
We have a great chat along the way.

It’s almost night after I cross the ocean.
To save accommodation, I slept in car before continue the journey.
It’s still a cold night in the end of winter at north island.

过了船已差不多傍晚时分,还为了省钱。
就随便在路边小站过了一夜。
虽然是冬天尾,还到了北岛,不过晚上还是非常的冷!

And finally I have some mood to shot some photo.
*Just realize that almost no photo from Dunedin to Motueaka

For this 1600km journey from Dunedin to Warkworth
It seem like walking to a deep valley of sorrow.
But there is no dead end in God, but always a door of hope left opened.
Greatly Thanks Giving to My God for this 1600km journey.

 

Dunedin——巧克力之城

离开The Catlins,因为不想赶夜车,我们先在Milton Happy Inn BBH休息。
没想到这间BBH的主人,Tony是个超级特别的人!
除了使用天然的(真的要烧木材)保温和烹饪厨具

Milton BBHMilton BBH

他还教会了我Juggling!

Milton BBH

如果有时间,相信他还会有很多故事告诉我。
不过很可惜,我们必须赶路到我们的终点站。

经过1个月漫长的南岛之旅,终于来到这个终点站Dunedin。
之前计划不规矩旅途,全是为了在Dunedin的今天,那就是

Cadbury Festival,纽西兰一年一度的巧克力庆典
重点活动是在全世界最斜的斜坡让上万粒的巧克力球自由滑落。

Cadbury FestivalCadbury Festival

而且每颗巧克力球上有编号,如果第一粒到达的是我的编号,头奖是2000块的礼卷!

Cadbury Festival

不过我们一行人是冲着它的名气而来。
当天有巧克力人,Cadbury的叔叔,全岛的打工度假者,当地人的大大小小…
老实说在南岛生活了这样久,终于有机会看到这个样多的人,超级热闹的!

说到Cadbury,Dunedin当让也有出名的巧克力工厂。
不过我们也只是路过看看罢了。

Town

另外,Dunedin有一块出名的Otago Peninsula

Otago Penisular

当中有Larnach Castle,企鹅团,Sand Fly Bay和几个Track。
基本上除了Track,这里全部都是需要还钱入门的。
由于时间不适合,我们只有去到Sand Fly Bay。

Otago Penisular

Sand Fly Bay就像直接翻译一样,会飞的沙的海边。
这里的风力大到沙都会翩翩起舞。
由此可见,冬天来这里真的会冻死你。

另外,我们也到了Peninsula对面的Signal Hill和Mt. Cargill 目睹Dunedin全景。

Signal Hill:

Signal HillSignal Hill

Mt. Cargill比Signal Hill高,而且路不平,晚上走会比较危险。
其实如果要看夜景,不鼓励来Mt. Cargill。

不过我们当天会选择Mt. Cargill,是因为这里曾经有人看到极光。
而Dunedin是我在纽西兰最后看到极光的机会!
刚好当天的极光等级和之前出现的一样。
所以我就奋不顾“车”地冲上危险的Mt. Cargill。

Mt. Cargill

最后很伤心的,因为天气不好,我还是没有看到我的极光。
不过我们在寒冷的山上玩的不亦乐乎!

DSC_0467DSC_0472

如果要看极光,必须配合天时,地利,“光和”,也就是天气好,高地,最小光害及最大等级的极光

至于Dunedin城市本身,他也是个古老的城市。
对建筑学的同学们肯定不少的收获。
当然也是喜欢摄影建筑物朋友的最爱!

最后,刚好我有一个中学朋友就读Otago University,因此有机会参观这里的大学校园。

University of Otago

基本上Otago University可以说占了城市的四分一,也就是说就在市中心,不必担心什么不方便。

另外我朋友也介绍这里的学生甜点,超大粒又便宜的冰淇淋。

Town

看着这里优美的校园生活,明明本身还没入大学,就先参观外国优美的校园,希望到时候不会埋怨自己的大学。
老实说真的很羡慕这里的读书环境,环境优美,城市大学,一年四季,暑假冲浪,冬天滑雪…
只好暗暗懊悔当初不好好念书争取奖学金。

作为最后一站,这里也是我与全部旅伴们分开的时候。
感谢你们一路的陪伴,陪我一起走过美丽的,冤枉的,惊喜的路程!

Cadbury Festival

是时候自己上路,走完最后的北岛之旅。
接下来的路老实说不知道如何,但心里明白上帝会安排最好的!