Sunday Funday Naki Style

What else is there to do on a Saturday night in Taranaki...Tar-a-naki...actually New Plymouth but whatever... when you have joined together with a great group of people...Party Party Party. Which means, HANGOVER hell on Sunday. So why not wake up, and take the bull by the horns, and conquer the day...and maybe stop for hangover, comfort food!

Lets hike a mountain they said, it will be fun they said. They didn't say it would be warm, and we drank too much, lost our brain cells that remind us that when you go up it gets COLDER...however it was sunny. I will take a little chill factor and the sunshine, over and over for this view.

...Meet Mount Taranaki...

Isn't she lovely. Isn't she wonderful. The hike, I could have totally stood at the bottom just for a Gram (Instagram) worthy photo, but I'm no quitter.

Why stop there when you can climb 300 stairs up the side of Paritutu Rock, then literally hoist yourself up the side, with a metal chain as the only break between you, and 154 meters.
That is if you're lucky enough to catch it when you slip and fall.

Fun Fact:

Pari - cliff, high or flowing tide

Tutu - stand erect, violence

This. View. Though.

Tired yet?..NO Hangover still kicking your ass?...MAYBE
Well lets drive an hour outside of the city and forge the bay, wait for low tide, run barefoot through the black sands, to catch a glimpse of...

the Three Sisters and an Elephant?!

Looking out at what we are about to climb, slip in, walk through...thinking Oh.My.God. Pray to little baby Jesus the tide doesn't come back in.

Elephant Rock

Three Sisters = Three Rocks (not sure I see the similarity)

By this point I am exhausted from hiking, driving, lack of sleep aka hangover flu, and this snowballing jet-lag affect. However, I couldn't think of a better way to spend my Sunday, with the gorgeous weather mother nature presented us with, than dying through the Naki and seeing all she had to offer.

❤

Driving on the wrong, but right side of NZ

Well I made it to New Zealand, and let me tell you...I am in complete awe of this majestic land.

I wonder if any kiwi boys are looking for a loving, domesticated, American wife??? (no really)

I knew I wanted to see this stunning country for every hill, sheep farm, valley, beach, volcano, and glacier it had to offer. However, I also wanted to travel at the beat of my own drum, and not with a tour group, or by the schedule of some bus service.
So, I rented a car...in a foreign country...driving on the left side of the road...and the steering wheel on the right.

Oh. My. God.

Clearly I am still alive, and here to put this adventure into words, and to state that driving on the left side is the easy part. The hard part is remembering to walk to the other side of the car to get into the drivers seat, and not look like a complete idiot getting into the passengers side. I know this from experience, but have my "classic Cami" coverup move down pretty well. Smile, nod, and pretend you are looking for something. I might add, that the blinkers and windshield wipers are on opposite sides too, so one can only imagine how many times my wipers come on a day....(A LOT)

After arriving into the beautiful big city of Auckland, I wanted out. Not because Auckland did anything wrong, but it is a typical big city, and I am here for (insta)GRAM worthy shit, not pictures of downtown Dallas looking buildings. So I got a map, pretended I knew where I was going with the help of lonelyplanet, mixed with Pinterest and I was off.

Northland, here I come.

The road trip through Northland had begun, and oh how my little traveling soul couldn't wait to explore the long narrow peninsula, northwest of Auckland.

First stop, across the bay to...Devonport, where I could admire Auckland from afar.

Then stopped for a snack in this cheeky little town of Orewa.

Made my way to Waiwera, to catch some rays.

Got lost trying to find Whangarei, but oh what a treat it was once I finally made it to the falls.

 Finally called it a night in Paihia

Took the ferry over to Russell.

Couldn't help but to sit beachside and enjoy some fish and chips, in this cute little town.

I am a lover of sunsets, but my jetlag has me waking up for sunrise. However, catching one in the Bay of Islands is simply breathtaking.

Then I was off to Cape Regina the northern point of New Zealand, before making my way back down to the DFW of New Zealand....except with 1/3 of the population but D O U B L E the traffic...635 looks like a walk in the park, compared to the 1.

The Northland does NOT get the respect and attention it deserves, so I feel like I was able to hit some hidden gems that weren't full of tourists. It is an area full of green, picturesque rolling hills, farmlands, and rich forests. Which is surrounded almost entirely by crystal clear water, outlined with beautiful beaches, with rivers, and waterfalls, snaked throughout.

Thank you New Zealand, for letting me explore your beautiful 'winterless north', and piss off a few drivers at the roundabouts.

❤

Next Stop.New Zealand.

As Adele would say...

HELLO, its me.

It's me Cami, and I am back as probably the worlds most awful blogger ever (kind of).

They said it would be fun, they said it would be easy, the didnt say I would get wrapped up in having fun & adventures, and forget to sit out an hour of my day to write down all the details, and then transfer them into a witty little blog post. So here with go again with round 2 of #CamiSetGo, and this time whether I am back on the road, or a plane, or traveling around the world I am  going to TRY and keep this thing up again. Like I said, TRY.

First stop...New Zealand. Time, one month.

On the agenda, EVERYTHING.

❤

10 Days in THAILAND: Phase 1

My original plan was to spend 2 weeks in Southeast Asia and then move on to Australia & New Zealand, then go home for a bit. Well here I am a month into Southeast Asia, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon. Typical me and not sticking to the plan, but as I have learned on this adventure is that, no plans are the BEST plans. So let me begin my Southeast Asia journey in...

T H A I L A N D

If you are like most and have seen the movie 'The Hangover Part II' then you probably know what to expect from Thailand; beautiful beaches, crazy monkeys, ladyboys...yes lady-boys, massage parlors galore, abundant culture, tasty street food, wild nights, a country of smiles, and literally buckets of booze.

Here is my 'Hangover(s)'..plural for a reason..stories through Thailand.

I met my friends from Colorado here for the EPIC Fully Moon party,
and we definitely lived it up and then some.

Chris, Bonner, Tim, Myself, Bob

Koh Samui- Is the oh-so-beautiful touristy island on the east coast, and the third largest in the country.

It's hot, it's humid, it's jaw dropping gorgeous...Cami you have arrived in Thailand.

View from our beach side bungalow

We stayed at Ark Bar Beach Resort, which was perfectly situated on the white sand beach, with storybook views you've been waiting for when traveling to this beautiful country.
This place is highly recommended if you enjoy sipping out of a coconut by day, and drinking a Mia Thai at night while watching fire-breathing performers dance the night away. 

Koh Tao- Known for it's diving, sea turtles, and a more relaxing vibe than its other rival islands, this is a couples island for sure (F*@%ing awesome).

Snorkeling around Koh Tao...the white ones bite!

We came for nature and nature is what we saw. Since I booked us bungalows away from town, and nestled on the edge the hills right on the beach, we were secluded, and Thailand has us at it's mercy.

Our morning breakfast view

Koh Tao is my first island to grace me with a exquisite Thai sunset.

Koh Tao sunset from our bungalow

...Sleep young Jedi, for you have no idea what is awaiting you and your liver...

Koh Pha-Ngan- Said to be the more quiet and tranquil island of Southern region, but ironically home to the notorious Jungle Experience & Full Moon Party.

My 'morning after' view

From the newly know-it-all high school grads, to those still young at heart, you can't help but to step foot off the ferry and sense that this island is ready to P-A-R-T-Y. I mean how could a bucket with a bottle of liquor accompanied with a mixer not scream beach party. 

I mean seriously, its a bucket of booze...or bucket of fun/trouble/hangover.from.hell.

One of the thousands of 'Bucket' stands

Ravishing beaches, flourishing jungles, and thousands flooding to the island looking for a good time. We start this mix of endless nights dancing on the beaches or jungles, painting our bodies in ridiculous bright colors, drinking out of buckets, devouring street food, and creating the dreaded hangovers from our first Jungle Experience. 

View of the DJ booth

You are miles away from town, in the Jungle, with drinks flowing, DJ's spinning, flame throwers, exotic animals and people having the times of their lives.

View from the DJ booth

Wake up, hungover, with a sack of half eaten street food in my bed. 

What in the hell have I gotten myself into.F.M.L.

To Be Continued...