Apparently the black sand beaches here are famous??
I got the black sand on my shoe...
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
1.5 Weeks Down
Why is the first week (and some change) always feels like a lifetime? I Arrived Saturday, September 29th, today is Thursday, October 11th, I'm almost at two weeks in New Zealand and it feels like WAY more. I have moved into a house, interviewed for jobs, made some friends, and generally started to settle into the pace of life here. I've gone on hikes, had the coffee/wine, basked in the sun (that is becoming less shy as time progresses), and met people from ALL over.
Anyway, not much to update you on but I do have some pictures. Enjoy :)
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
!!!OllEH
My mom has officially moved from calling me her "African Girl" to her "Upside Down Girl" and since blogger won't let me write upside down, backwards will have to do.
Anyway, my last post was Thursday morning PCT an hour and a half before I left so lets go back, shall we?
Before we go back let me take this present time to apologize for the lack of visual stimulation. There has been a problem with my SD card and I need to buy a new one (its deleted all of the pictures on the card twice now) so until then you're stuck with whatever I can manage to take with my phone, which isn't much at this point, so sorry.
Ok, lets go back..........................................................................................................................................
Thursday morning, after what you can be assured was a very luxurious and restful nights sleep (NOT) I gtot up, updated my blog, finished packing, had my last American shower (for a while) and the folks and I headed North. North North North until CANADA the fuzzy Davy-Crocketesque hat that keeps our great nation warm. I was insistent for a reason that my present self cannot manage to figure out, that we leave extremely early because one never really knows what will happen at the border (right, that was my reason). So we drove north. We hit the border. We were through in 5 minutes. So we drove around the lovely money-infested neighborhoods of Vancouver with hedges like you wouldn't believe and continued in a giant circle (only getting almost lost once). Airport. Mom and Dad dropped me at the airport, after waiting around for a bit and sweet-talking the desk woman into letting me check-in early with the first-class people. I still got it. I made friends with the women behind me in line and ended up traveling with them all the way to Auckland, they were great and ended up waiting for me at every stop to make sure I made it through ok.
Vancouver to LAX gave me some interesting trouble going through Customs:
"So you're American but you drove to Canada only to fly back south to LA??"
"Yes, it was cheaper to fly out of Canada"
"Blah blah blah blah blah (how the conversation continued was not important)"
The girl sitting next to me on the flight to LA Also ended up flying all the way to Auckland with me so we had quite the little party.
On the 11 hour flight to Fiji somehow I landed an exit row in the middle of 4 chatty British men (no complaints). On my layover in Fiji (where I almost jumped ship and stayed because of the warmth) I found a woman and started talking to her:
"Have you ever heard of Peace Corps?"
"I was in the Peace Corps"
That conversation attracted others and there we were in the Fiji airport, 5 returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
Anyway, I eventually made it to Auckland on Saturday NZ time. I landed at this backpackers lodge where I intended on staying for 2 nights but have since extended. I thought I found a place but it fell through. Now I found another place and I move on Friday morning!
I've walked around, started to get a grasp on the city, learned of a lot of things I need to do and see, hiked a bit, ect. I still don't really know many people other than other travelers who are at this lodge but that's ok, everyone I ask directions from (very regular occasion) seems very friendly.
More news: I found a house and move in on Friday morning! Yeah! I'll be living with two kiwis and another American girl! Super excited!
Now all I need to do is take some pictures...I'll do my best.
Anyway, my last post was Thursday morning PCT an hour and a half before I left so lets go back, shall we?
Before we go back let me take this present time to apologize for the lack of visual stimulation. There has been a problem with my SD card and I need to buy a new one (its deleted all of the pictures on the card twice now) so until then you're stuck with whatever I can manage to take with my phone, which isn't much at this point, so sorry.
Ok, lets go back..........................................................................................................................................
Thursday morning, after what you can be assured was a very luxurious and restful nights sleep (NOT) I gtot up, updated my blog, finished packing, had my last American shower (for a while) and the folks and I headed North. North North North until CANADA the fuzzy Davy-Crocketesque hat that keeps our great nation warm. I was insistent for a reason that my present self cannot manage to figure out, that we leave extremely early because one never really knows what will happen at the border (right, that was my reason). So we drove north. We hit the border. We were through in 5 minutes. So we drove around the lovely money-infested neighborhoods of Vancouver with hedges like you wouldn't believe and continued in a giant circle (only getting almost lost once). Airport. Mom and Dad dropped me at the airport, after waiting around for a bit and sweet-talking the desk woman into letting me check-in early with the first-class people. I still got it. I made friends with the women behind me in line and ended up traveling with them all the way to Auckland, they were great and ended up waiting for me at every stop to make sure I made it through ok.
Vancouver to LAX gave me some interesting trouble going through Customs:
"So you're American but you drove to Canada only to fly back south to LA??"
"Yes, it was cheaper to fly out of Canada"
"Blah blah blah blah blah (how the conversation continued was not important)"
The girl sitting next to me on the flight to LA Also ended up flying all the way to Auckland with me so we had quite the little party.
On the 11 hour flight to Fiji somehow I landed an exit row in the middle of 4 chatty British men (no complaints). On my layover in Fiji (where I almost jumped ship and stayed because of the warmth) I found a woman and started talking to her:
"Have you ever heard of Peace Corps?"
"I was in the Peace Corps"
That conversation attracted others and there we were in the Fiji airport, 5 returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
Anyway, I eventually made it to Auckland on Saturday NZ time. I landed at this backpackers lodge where I intended on staying for 2 nights but have since extended. I thought I found a place but it fell through. Now I found another place and I move on Friday morning!
I've walked around, started to get a grasp on the city, learned of a lot of things I need to do and see, hiked a bit, ect. I still don't really know many people other than other travelers who are at this lodge but that's ok, everyone I ask directions from (very regular occasion) seems very friendly.
More news: I found a house and move in on Friday morning! Yeah! I'll be living with two kiwis and another American girl! Super excited!
Now all I need to do is take some pictures...I'll do my best.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Toothpaste
It's been a great summer, but I've finished a whole tube of toothpaste since I've been home and still no job, so it must be time to go again.
Since my last post was in May, here is a glimpse into what I've been up to for the past few months, before I explain what is coming for me in just a few short hours.
I've had delicious, Americanish, cocktails (Basil Gimlet shown here, get one!).
I rode horses.
Hiked into Holden via the Lake Chelan Lakeshore trail.
Went to San Fransisco.
Played in the woods.
Hiked the Cascades.
Skyped with friends...
.
..a lot.
Ventured below the Mason-Dickson line (scary, I know).
Licked bells (this one, to be specific)
Played some more in the forest.
There is a lot of forest around these parts.
Seriously.
And the trees don't look like they did in Malawi.
Hung out with my Mom.
Surprised her with things that I say (she's going to kill me after she sees this picture :) )
Been made fun of for insisting that we sit by fires while drinking coffee in the middle of summer (notice the wool coat).
Eaten funny face pancakes with Diana!
Gone to Seattle.
Wishing I would have ridden the ferris wheel that is now open.
Had a bucket of Margarita (Thanks, Jeff)!
Did All-American things...
(ie, went to a baseball game)
Like I said, this summer has been one to remember, I got to spend time and catch up with family and friends, and people who I didn't really care to catch up with but did anyway (and I'm glad I did).
For now, however, I have New Zealand on the horizon. I have a one year 'working holiday' visa to live and work in New Zealand. When do I leave? in about two and a half hours....am I finished packing? No. SO, with that said, I leave you with this comic....
...until next time.
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