Step three: complete

So, the passport application is now in.

Sitting in the passport office - it's like you're playing the lottery. You sit with your ticket, mine being A005, and you watch the screen that displays the last three numbers called and you just wait. One by one, the new numbers flash at the agent's desk, and on the main board for all to see...D656, D657, G901, B303, D658, D659....it starts to look like having an A# isn't where it's at. Then finally, A004. So close.

I got a glimpse at the lettering system this morning. A means simple. So, that's a good thing. I think C said complex. I didn't see B. D was renewal - for the fast track people. The G one, threw us off, cause there was no G button on the machine that gave out tickets. But man, did it ever pay off to be a D. They were called up the most.

I think B was internet application...maybe.


It was just kind of a funny game to play. A lottery. We're only a number.


At the front of the line, we saw this one gentleman get rejected for some reason. He slumped away from the pre-screening counter and grumbled to himself in discontent. My heart went out to him. I was there just yesterday - living with the sting of rejection over something so stupid. I really hope that he solves his problem.

One major score of the day - was amazing and pleasant people. I was so afraid I would have to speak to the guy from yesterday. I really didn't enjoy him. But we were in luck, and got this stellar gentleman who was really fast and excited.

Anyway. Life at the passport office.

At 7.20am, there was already a long line up - and by 7.50am, when they begin the pre-screening, there was a very impressive line up. Apparently there were radio reports that aired yesterday that alerted the passport seeking public, that there is a delay with the mail-in passport system right now...so this might explain the added bodies in the line up this morning.

We're all eager to get out of the country it would seem.


So next on the list, after November 14th, when I should see a registered package from Passport Canada, I tackle the NZ VISA. Oh, yeah, and survival and first aid training...although, I'm finding them to be a tad pricey. We'll see...

I leave in 8 months and 28 days.

Or 272 days. :)

(Thank you www.timeanddate.com)

PS - new purchase last night. Went to MEC with Goose, cause she's trying to find a backpack for her Argentina/Chile trip. I bought a Blurr Docket - on clearance last night. Not the most exciting purchase, but a baby step none the less.

Also, very exciting news, for me at least. The MEC Kokanee Gaiters are on clearance right now; to make way for the NEW Kokanee Gaiters. The new ones apparently feature changes to the buckle under the boot - which has always been the reason I did NOT want to buy the current gaiters. I'm going to check them out on Thursday night. Hooray!

Rejected

From the Passport Office this morning.

You know, I found it funny when I was standing in line with all my completed documents, yet I still felt nervous about being rejected. But there was no good reason for this seemingly irrational thought.

Until I stepped up to the person in charge of verifying my documents. "This person can't sign this form". Huh?, I thought as he pointed to my guarantor's information. "But the rules of the guarantor changed on October 1st, 2007". Verifier: "Yes, but this is the wrong form." Me: "But I picked up this form from Canada Post (which is a government run office, might I remind all those readers out there) two weeks after the new rules were issued." Verifier: "Well, you picked up the wrong one...you need to sign it again."

I didn't enjoy that hiccup this morning.

I went to the woman issuing the tickets to wait in line (there is quite the process at this office), and looked at the three passport applications...adult, child and 'short cut' applications. And opened up an adult one - and sure enough, there is a new form...WHICH WAS NOT AVAILABLE at the Canada Post that I went to.

Don't you think that a new Government form should be replaced at ALL Government offices. Because I have a feeling, I'm not the only one who ran into this problem since the forms have changed.


If I had mailed this application in, I would not have known about this problem for 6 weeks.


Oh my goodness.

Tomorrow, I try again.

2.7kg

I have a 23kg limit to each bag I bring into the country of NZ. I only plan on bringing one bag.

This brings about a challenge.

When you plan on backpacking for an entire year (real backpacking, like 10-20+kms/day, every day), you are very aware of what things weigh.

Cost vs Weight is a big challenge for me at MEC sometimes when I'm shopping. Pay less money for something heavier, or more money to save on weight. And the weight might not look like a lot to many people; 400-800g here, 350g there. But eventually, it all adds up.

Well, spare me 2.7 more kilograms.

UGH.

I was on the DOC website yesterday (love the amount of information on this site), and printed out a list of ALL the huts that the DOC runs/operates through the North and South island (like a thousand of them).

What do I find out. There are some trails that don't have huts (3 day trecks with only campsites), some huts have been shut down/removed due to age and I guess lack of use (??), and others are considered 'problem huts' - like you have to find out what the condition of the hut is before you rely on your ability to sleep in it that night.

There aren't a WHOLE lot - but enough to put me out under the stars quite a bit with the trip I'm planning.

And another thing - on the great walks, you have to book way ahead of time - like I would have to book NOW for next year type thing. Cause when you tramp during their peak seasons, you're competing with everyone, and things are booked very far in advance (ugh).

The last thing I want to do is set time limits...cause that would ruin my trip. I don't like time constraints - and I'd always be worried.

So, instead, I am bitting the bullet, and buying a tent.


I know, I know. The first thing I axed off my purchasing list back in the day. It's a very unfortunate situation, but it might be for the best. I'll still have a backcountry hut pass - and when possible, we'll use the hut system. When all else fails, we pull out the portable home.

A night under the stars is great.

A night under the stars in pouring rain, not so much.

So, that's my story of the day.


And my new humble abode, I shall visit on Sunday. Might possibly be the MEC Tarn 2 Tent. I used to be really up to date with tent information (when I was originally looking into this 4 years ago...man, it's been a while). But this one stands out as the best choice for me right now.

At 182$ + footprint at 24$, it's not terrible. There was another one for about 120$ more, that was about 1.2kg lighter (a big bonus) - but it did not perform well in the rain. And NZ's weather is unpredictable. In the mountains, I could go to bed in mild weather, and wake up in a light snow cover.

At 2.7kgs, this sucker takes 1/10th of my weight limit.

Although I am disappointed with this need, I feel that it will open up more opportunities for tramping (where the huts are no more) and should there be an overwhelming amount of people in one hut, this could be my refuge.

Oh - and on the great walks (where the hut passes are a separate cost, and can get pricey), this will save on overnight costs. Might cost me 3 nights at 7$ tent pitching charge, versus 120$ for a hut pass.

:)


Monday is passport day. Yay.

Then November is Travel Doctor month and VISA question/answer time.

Maybe I should set a shopping goal for November. I would like to buy a tent by end of November...but there really isn't a rush on that one. I'll try to see when tents are going out of stock to try to hit up on clearance sales.

Sweetest words on a Friday afternoon...

Thanks for booking online with Air New Zealand. Your Electronic Ticket, Itinerary & Receipt will be emailed to you shortly.


Sunday, July 27th, 2008. I leave everything I've known for a trip I've been planning on embarking for too many years.

For the next year, I'll be walking New Zealand's beautiful countryside, waking up in the mountains, trudging through swollen rivers, living out of a backpack, living the dream.


Step two: Complete. Ticket in hand.


*breathe sigh of relief*


I think it's starting to sink in for real. I'm getting that butterfly in my stomach feeling. It's really happening, and I couldn't be happier.


My poor father, I always call him before I make big purchases. Thank you for making sure I got the tickets that were right for me dad. :)


I can now officially start a countdown.

9 months 8 days

tomorrow

is a big day for me.

and for my mastercard.


so good news on the knee front. I haven't heard back from the city yet about where they stand with my accident - but I did receive a letter from WSIB when I got home on Sunday night and it states that WSIB has allowed my claim for health benefits. Something completely unexpected.

When we're injured at work, we automatically fill out the WSIB form 6 - so that our company has an incident report. I didn't know that it would be filed and processed with WSIB as an official claim. And on top of that, I had NO idea that WSIB would even care should they receive my documents, as I wasn't out any work due to my injuries...i was just 'gimpy' (according to most co-workers) for two weeks. :p

So good news for me. I can be covered for 12 weeks of FULL physiotherapy. Isn't that incredible?

I feel so incredibly blessed - as I was never expecting this.

Thank you God!

NZ: a country unlikely to make the world headlines

Except for lately.

I should technically be in NZ right now - about 1.5months into my backpacking adventure. If I had left at the beginning of September, as originally thought before the extension of my current work contract - I would have experienced the three following events (well, probably a lot more...but these have made headlines!)

1. September 26th, 2007. Mt. Ruapehu erupts without warning, luckily only injuring one person. (A Natioanl Geographic video of the event can be found here.)


2. October 15th, 2007. A large anti-terror raid is undertaken in different cities throughout New Zealand. This will be something that I will follow up with, as more information becomes available. Basically, at the moment, the information states that a multiple city police raid has taken place, and some arrests have been made under the arms act - but these arrests may be upgraded, and NZ police may use the Suppression of Terrorism Act for the first time.

Since I don't know much more than what has been published by different news casts, please click to some of the following links to read some initial information about this widespread raid.
- The Sydney Morning Herald
- BBC
- Stuff.co.nz
- SBS World News Australia

It's quite a scary situation - should the intention behing those arrested honestly be a full scale attack on various cities in NZ. Those targeted in the arrests are the Maori sovereignty and environmental activists. There is police surveilance footage of "military-style training exercise with live ammunition being fired in mountainous terrain."

I was half asleep on the couch when I saw the tail end of a news clip on BBC last night. But I woke up quick enough when I began to hear more about it.

I'm three days away from buying my ticket to NZ. And now I'm in a lull about the safety of what once was a very quiet country.


3. October 16th, 2007. A series of two 6.0 and greater earthquakes roll through the south island.

Bloomberg.com reports:

"New Zealand's South Island Struck by Two Earthquakes (Update3)
By Aaron Sheldrick and Bryan Lysaght

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- New Zealand's South Island was hit by two earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its Web site. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

A magnitude-6 quake struck 95 kilometers (59 miles) west- northwest of Queenstown at 10:28 a.m. local time today at a depth of 39 kilometers, the USGS said. Another quake, of magnitude 6.8, struck about nine hours earlier, 103 kilometers west-northwest of Queenstown. That quake was 25 kilometers deep.

There were no reports of casualties or damage, a Queenstown police sapokesman said by telephone after the first quake.

New Zealand lies in a zone where the Indo-Australian and Pacific tectonic plates meet. Quakes occur as the plates push together and tremors of magnitude 5 and higher can cause damage depending on their depth.

There was no tsunami threat to coastlines along the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. government's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said on its Web site after the bigger tremor. It added that local tsunami were possible within a few hundred kilometers of the quake. There were no reports of any.

A magnitude-7.4 quake struck near New Zealand's Auckland Islands on Sept. 30. The country has as many as 15,000 earthquakes a year and the biggest since instrumental recording began was a magnitude-7.8 temblor in 1931 in Hawke's Bay, according to the USGS Web site. "



Yes - did you see that. NZ is hit with approx FIFTEEN THOUSAND earthquakes every year. And they don't seem to all be such baby tremors.


I'm praying for this country. More so for peace within the people of the land.

Step two & three.

2. Buy ticket. Friday. Oct 19.

3. Passport application - hand in. Monday. Oct 22.


Found - boots that i might want. A possible clothing solution to my inability to fit into clothing found at the three outdoor adventure stores in the King/Spadina area.

Not found yet - good gore-tex pants. GPS system. My soon to be portable kitchen.


Upcoming...

I) Make appt with travel clinic - discuss/book vaccinations.
II) VISA application - email questions and hand it in come January 2008.
III) Trip planning...
IV) First Aid certification, CPR Training and Outdoor Survival weekend course. :)

step one: passport photo. Check.

So I got my horrible passport photo taken today. Which I kind of laugh about - cause I plan on chopping off my hair before my trip - and passport canada does advise sending a new picture in...but I don't know if i'm really going to abide by this suggestion. My face isn't changing.

Anyway. We (my mother, grandmother and myself) get to Walmart to get this lavish photo taken.

Our first obstacle. Rules.

What NOT to wear for picture. White shirt, hooded sweatshirt, tank top...and the list went on.

What did I have on? A hooded top (which I was going to take off) a white 3/4" sleeve shirt with a blue tank top underneath.

Where did these restrictions come from?

Anyway - we ended up leaving, shopping, and i found a shirt to make do and get this thing over with.

I do not particularly enjoy my ears. They stick out. I don't actually know why i want to cut my hair short considering my slight problem with my ears. Anyway - but you have to tuck your hair behind your ears and behind your shoulders - so as to expose the most of your face to the photograph. Yuck.

They took three pictures. The first was nixed because it made me look too pale apparently - but my mom said it looked nice. The second lost out because i cracked a stinkin' smile. And the third, the charmer, the convict looking photo was the winner.

Ew.

Seriously. I've had one friend with a really nice passport photo - Magali. She had this beautiful picture of her, I think it was on her France passport. Never will I pull off that kind of a look for a passport.

Yeah.

So - it's done. What can I do? Cry...or just not care. Despite the fact that all of New Zealand will be looking at this - as it will be the one document most used to identify myself abroad.

So - NZ. First step - get in the passport. We have to apply for the Work Holiday Visas as of January 1st - they only issue 2000 to Canadians a year - and I'm not waiting to be ousted come July.

Tickets for the flight...looking into a one way now from Toronto --> Vancouver --> Auckland (thanks to Air New Zealand opening up a non stop flight from Vancouver to Auckland recently). Best price - July 27th, 2008...964$ plus taxes. I think it's just over $1,100.00 CDN.

I think I'll be booking this ticket shortly.

You need the passport AND the ticket booked BEFORE you can apply for the Visa.

One step closer.

My parents (well, my mother - father dropped her off in front of the building) picked up new application forms and information at the New Zealand Consulate office in Ottawa before leaving last week. Wonderful.

NZ's been majorly on my mind this weekend. I'm excited. I'm also getting anxious.

I'm going to be honest here - I have realized recently that I really don't like time. It's more so time pressures. The moment a time frame is stamped on something I see it as a countdown - and it freaks me out. When we went to Wonderland in my youth, I remember going on a day where it was open for like 12 or more hours. I think at the 8hour mark I was already saying "oh man, we ONLY HAVE 8 hours left". EIGHT HOURS??? That's a lot of time.

But it's suffocating. Time pressures that is. And it's good to be honest about it with myself.

It can simply make me anxious. So for the most part, I try to avoid planning really strictly time events. I also avoid watches.

This might sound ridiculous considering I have almost a full year in New Zealand. But - the thing is that we are walking the entire country - so you have to take that into account when planning out travel times. The walking is a challenge to me, to my knees and also an economically sound option. It saves a great deal on travel costs - which can kill a budget very quickly.

So, to avoid having any anxiety about timing out this one year journey...I have to plan this trip with no worries...just loose plans with monthly goals of where I want to be when. And really - the only place I know I need to be at a certain time is the Southern Alps - which we NEED to do during the summer months of New Zealand - for safety reasons.

Other than that - we walk, we try the best we can to get where we need to be, roughly when we need to be there.

The end.

My knee is still sore and feeling a bit off. My grandfather mentioned that I should speak to an orthopedic surgeon about my knees to see if they suggest fluid injections for my knees - a procedure the sports medicine specialist told me was not an options. But then again, he wouldn't be authorized to do such a procedure. So - i will be talking to my family doctor about looking into this referal. This might be a positive step towards stronger knees.

Also - I think my parents are going to push towards getting me orthotics for Christmas. My dad recently purchased a pair to help with his step - and he has seen great improvements in pain relief (basically, he no longer feels pain!!). A good idea for me for NZ. I was already told twice i would need them by medical practitioners.

Some things that a medical practitioner tells you - is a mere suggestion. Yes, to improve a situation currently being experienced. But man - if you're not covered by some sort of insurance plan - these options fall out of possibility very quickly. Cost. I'd rather spend $400.00 on supplies - like good hiking boots, pots/kitchen stuff, pack lock, hydro sacks and gortex pants.

I'd rather.

My knees - probably couldn't care less if I get the hydro sacks. And I do have to listen to my knees while I'm on this journey.

Why does everything come down to a dollar amount. It's almost irritating.


9.5 months to go.

It will sound more official when I purchase the ticket and start counting down the days.

Oh - and this type of countdown doesn't stress me out. I'm rather excited about this adventure. It couldn't come fast enough.

:o)

do you think...

...someone would want to sponsor me (a travel buff? a travel magazine?) for writing about our journey in New Zealand? It's been suggested to me by a few people now. What if this would be a way to lock down extra finances - in exchange for daily writings.

I'm not an exceptional writer...in the least. But I do plan on blogging about this whole trip and journaling everything.

We're tramping the entire country. Taking a two week break in Vanuatu. Treking through China for another two weeks before a pit stop with the pandas and back home on a jet plane.

I'd read about that.

My knee specialist will scold me on Wednesday the 10th, when I meet with him to fix my new injury. I have yet to commit to physiotherapy - mainly due to lack of finances to support 75$/session 3-4 times a week. Uh...Excuse me?

Hopefully i'll be fit with good knee braces to help with the trip.

Hopefully, my knees will get stronger and better. :o)