bedbug blues

I spent the morning relaxing with Bret, glad to have the day off.  It wasn’t until I finally decided to shower and get ready that I realized I had a series of bug bites on my feet.  I wrote it off instantly to lying in the grass in Devonport on Sunday.  However, Bret noticed dozens more on my arms, and after further inspection, they were scattered all over my legs, hands, and torso.  Oh well, I seem to be susceptible to bug bites, after collecting 70 chigger bites on a camping trip a few summers back.  It wasn’t until the bites started itching horribly , welting, and practically multiplying that I grew concerned.  A friend living in a different room complained of the same bites, and that’s when I knew…bedbugs!

Bedbugs are the bane of any backpacker.  They can travel in luggage and go for months without feeding.  I’ve gone seven months myself without a single bug bite, except for one sand fly from Milford Sound.  Seventeen dollars worth of hot water and high heat laundry cycles, 100 bedbug bites, two bug bombs, and a room change later, I am frantic to heal the little buggers on my skin.  I am already a bit germophobic, especially in the shared, confined, and often messy spaces of a hostel, but now this?  I am taking all of the precautions to rid myself of the pesky pests.  Any advice?!

I'll spare you the picture this time...Bret was worried it would turn people away!!!

familiar faces

Throughout our travels in NZ, we’ve often noticed the same people in different cities.  For example, on our self-guided tour of the upper south island over New Year’s, we came across the same couple in three of our destinations; it appears that the backpackers travel the same path.  That, and the country is feeling increasingly smaller.

At our new hostel, faces look incredibly familiar.  A Canadian friend we’ve just met explained it as an expression of homesickness; we are associating people whom we’ve never met before with people that they remind us of back home.  This might be partially true for me, as I am longing for home, and a fellow American, better yet, Omahan.  In Omaha, I tend to have the same problem, certain that I recognize people when I’m out and about on the town.  I rack my brain…did I teach them, go to school with them, university, babysit, meet through friends, how do I know them?!

New girls arrived at the hostel today, and the feeling of familiarity immediately washed over me, convinced I knew them.  They were from Germany and Bavaria, which almost immediately ruled them out.  Finally it hit me, one of the girls was our waitress for one meal in Kaikoura all the way back in January!  I am being constantly reminded of the small space that we are sharing on these tiny islands in the South Pacific and it’s interesting how at times, it feels more and more familiar, just like home.  Nevertheless, I can’t wait to step foot on American soil, where I will be overwhelmed with looking for a familiar face!

sunny Sunday

I woke up early to work today, and Bret had the day off.  As I was getting ready and heading to the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast, I noticed that our friends that went out the night before were not in their beds (we have to walk through their dorm to get to the kitchen).  Sure enough, a few minutes later, around 9:15 am, they stumble in, still reeling about the crazy night they'd had.  I was content with my decision to stay in with the sore throat when they invited me out last night!
   

Sipping on my tea, and waiting for my shift to start at 9:30, I was surprised when the hostel owner offered me the day off to spend with Bret.  I was immediately relieved; we had the tv lounge all to ourselves, and the place was pretty quiet (since everyone went to bed).  We (I) watched our soap opera omnibus, further planned our travels around the north island, and our day today.
   

Taking a bus ride downtown, we boarded a ferry for a 12 minute ride to Devonport, a suburb of Auckland.  We spent most of the afternoon walking along the shoreline, taking in 'the city of sails' as Auckland is called, and browsing through the cute shops.  It was a beautiful day!

Auckland skyline and Harbour Bridge

 

Devonport and the huge trees we climbed...or attempted to

the city of sails
   
Once back in downtown Auckland, we debated on what to do next.  I was espcially keen on eating at MexiCali Fresh, a waterfront Mexican restaurant.  Bret was a bit skeptical; he's tired of restaurant experience in general, and was seriously doubting that this was voted 'Auckland's best Mexican food' ("Anyone can put a sign up like that", he claimed).  After walking a bit more along the waterfront, still indecisive, he made the decision that the menu looked good enough and we gave it a go.  Closest to American burrito place ever (think Chipotle or Qdoba, but better (probably because we haven't had that in forever))!!!  YAY!!!  Of course, it couldn't top our favorite, New York Burrito, and it wasn't really Mexican food, but the burritos were so yummy, and they had CHOLULA!  I was in a little bit of heaven with a giant burrito, smothered in Cholula, with an orange slushy drink accompanying it!  Yum yum!

Does it get any better than this?!

    

After arriving home, I researched MexiCali.  Bret was certain about the American feel of the restaurant, ingredients, and service, and sure enough, a family from Oregon moved to New Zealand a few years ago and opened this restaurant!

sick & sunsets

I've been battling a nasty sore throat the past couple of days, so I did my cleaning this morning, which included mopping the ceiling, went to the store to stock up on soup, and then settled in our room for the afternoon watching some shows that I had downloaded on the internet.  Bret was working at another location until later in the afternoon, so it was just me.  As I was snuggling and enjoying my soup, I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye.  Whatever.  Nearly a minute later, I see movement again, a tiny mouse running across the floor of our bedroom, EEEK!  I yelled out to one our friends in the other room, who hadn't seen it, stayed frozen on the bed for the remainder of the show, and then left the room for good.  Bret and I later mouse-proofed the room (we hope) by stuffing tin foil into any holes or gaps we could find.

We relaxed all day today, and captured this amazing sunset!  Lovely!

 

 

slowing down

Work is going well at the new hostel, and I'm hardly working as much as I expected.  Our pace of life is much slower, and it's been great getting to know other backpackers at the hostel.  There are several Germans, a Canadian, and another American.  The host family of the hostel is very kind, and have let us use their car to run errands (neither of them drive).  I refuse to drive; I am terrified of messing up with everything being backwards, but Bret has taken to the roads nicely.  Overall, kiwis are a feisty bunch on the roads, but it's made for more of an adventure while out and about driving.
   

While driving the tiny car yesterday, we noticed that it started making weird noises, and had a funky smell.  After barely making it up the steepest driveway ever (it sounded like it was going to die), we pulled up to the house, stopped the car, and found smoke pouring out of the hood.  Not exactly a good impression with the hostel owner standing right there.  It wasn't us, I swear!  The rest of the afternoon was spent taking the car to the garage, calling AA (their version of AAA), adding various fluids, and finally fixing the vehicle.  Turns out, it had no oil, they added the wrong kind, the radiator cap was incorrect, they assumed the car was overheating and added engine coolant, causing an explosion of slimy green liquid all over the engine, and basically the car required a major tune-up.  Never fear, though, the car is fixed.

 

Bret lawn mowing and the wonky car! 

   

Bret's job included mowing the lawn today, and it's fitting since his first job was lawn mowing.  After cleaning up, we went to happy hour with our new Canadian friend, got falafel for dinner, convinced the backpackers to watch New Zealand's Next Top Model, and stayed up late playing card games.  Two more days of work for the week, and then two days off!  Whoo-hoo!

NZ legend

 

While visiting the Sky Tower the other day, we watched a really interesting video about the creation and history of New Zealand.  Legend has it, that a powerful Maori was fishing with the south island as his boat.  As he was fishing, he snagged the lip of a giant fish and pulled the fish to the surface of the water.  His brothers began eating off of the fish, creating the bumpy and water-surrounded terrain of Auckland, with the rest of the fish becoming the north island.  The tiny island below the south island is the anchor of his boat. 

This is the first time I've posted a map of NZ on my blog.  Hopefully it provides a better understanding of where we've been, and the geography of the country.  It's hard to believe that the size of NZ is similar to the west coast of the United States, from Washington down to California!

work exchange

At our new hostel, we have been granted a work exchange.  Basically, we get to stay here for free for 2 weeks in exchange for 3 hours of work, 5 days a week.  Today was our first day.  I am cleaning the rooms when people check out, as well as cleaning the community rooms.  Bret is helping to garden.  We were supposed to work from 9:30-12:30 in the morning, but my work was finished at 11 am, so I was able to hang out and relax.  It's nice having time to lengthen our stay on top of this picturesque mountain.  It's quiet and private, and it will be a great place for us to unwind from our NZ adventure!

Mt Eden

We've moved to a much quieter hostel far from the city center for the rest of our stay in Auckland.  We are staying at a backpackers fashioned from a house from the late 1800s.  It's located at the base of Mount Eden, a dormant volcano that formed Auckland thousands of years ago.  Here we plan on relaxing and soaking up the kiwi lifestyle for a while, and once you see the view, you'll understand why.

The hostel is located at the top of a very steep hill, and from the front door and our bedroom window is a glorious view of the ocean off in the distance, and One Tree Hill, made famous in the U2 song on Joshua Tree.  Since our short time in Auckland, the weather has been perfectly clear and wonderfully warm, no wonky winds or sudden rain like the Christchurch nor'easters.  With free time today, we found the foot access path to the top of Mount Eden and made the hike.  We took a bit of a short cut, climbing straight up the rugged terrain, rather than taking the path that wound to the top, and the view was incredible...360 degree views of the whole city and the water surrounding it.  We had a brief picnic and relaxed, already planning to head back to the top for a sunrise and sunset, and perhaps some yoga; there's a perfect platform overlooking the entire city for a practice.  We're just relaxing, getting to know a bunch of other backpackers, and slowing down.  It's a good life!

The crater left by the volcano (foreground) with Auckland city skyline and harbour bridge (left) in background. 

 The obelisk in the center is One Tree Hill

Downtown Auckland

 

After a long sleep recovering from the travel and concert the day before, Bret and I spent most of our Sunday sightseeing in the city center of Auckland.  One of the biggest highlights was the discovery of Wendy's, which is only on the north island, and we treated ourselves to some yummy American food.  Of all the American chains we've eaten at here in NZ, this was the most original tasting, and so so so good!  Another major difference between Auckland and Christchurch is the terrain.  Chch was in the valley and on completely flat land.  Auckland, being formed from various volcanic eruptions, is far from flat, but very hilly and steep.  We certainly got a workout in.  We trekked up to the Sky Tower, which is the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere, and the eighth tallest structure in the world.  It is an iconic attribute to the Auckland skyline, and we had fun exploring its exhibits, casino, and shops, and will head to the top on a day that is less cloudy than yesterday.
  
Later in the evening, in search for something to eat for dinner, we happened upon many closed restaurants, a remodeled hamburger stand that we had seen on the NZ television show The Kitchen Job, and finally Food Alley.  Food Alley is an international food court that Bret recognized he had eaten at his first time in Auckland with his new kiwi friend that he met and ended up staying with in Auckland, Glen.  We ordered Thai food and soda, and waited for it to be served, when Bret recognized a woman, that he was certain was Glen's friend.  Sure enough, it was, and oddly enough, she was there with Glen!  Bret has kept in touch with his kiwi friends he met while in NZ December 2007, and we were planning on catching up while we were here.  Yet, we hadn't even been in Auckland for 48 hours, and we run into them by chance at the same food court they ate at when he visited!  Quite coincidental, I met them for the first time, and plans are in the works to get together sometime during our stay.  Feeling comforted and happy by familiar faces, we walked along the harbor, checking out the beautiful sunset and back to the Sky Tower for a nighttime view.  Great day!

The Who and Counting Crows

We figured out, just days before the concert, that it was actually in an outdoor stadium here in Auckland.  Luckily, pre-purchasing the concert tickets provided us with free bus transport to the stadium.  After resting yesterday afternoon, we walked to the nearby bus stop thinking we would be able to get right on the bus; it was 6:30, the concert doors had opened at 5, and the Counting Crows were set to take the stage at 7:30.  The line to board the bus was a city block long!  Luckily, it moved pretty quickly, and soon, we were packed onto a bus with lots and lots of other fans, driving the half hour to the stadium.
  
It was a huge venue, and our seats were in the top tier of the stands.  Normally I would consider those nosebleed seats, but it was a great view, surprisingly.  While waiting for the Counting Crows to perform, we watched a beautiful sunset behind the hills behind the stage, and sighed with relief; we couldn't believe that we had finally made it to the north island!

The Counting Crows came on, and gave a lackluster performance.  The interaction between the lead singer (Adam Duritz) and the crowd was virtually non-existent, and he talked most of his lyrics in a sing-songy voice rather than actually singing them.  And to top it off, they didn't play Omaha!  Oh well, it was still pretty cool to see them play in NZ of all places!

Next up was The Who, and the crowd was going wild in between sets.  Finally they took the stage, and totally lit up the night sky.  They out-performed the previous act by miles, and played greatest hit after greatest hit!  They didn't miss a beat, and they meant business...their first night of the New Zealand/Australia tour was off to an amazing start!

After the show, we were completely knackered, and ready to settle in for the night.  We ducked out during the encore, in an attempt to get to the buses first and get back into the city ASAP.  We were successful, however, upon returning to the busy downtown hostel, we realized that our room was right above the sports bar downstairs, and it sounded like a speaker was in our closet.  Ugh.  And bars pretty much stay open all hours of the night, so between that and the drunk backpackers in the streets, it made for a pretty noisy night.  I popped in my headphones and attempted to drift off to a fulfilling sleep.

Northward Bound

Waking early, and finishing all of our last minute packing and cleaning, we left the flat on Springfield for the last time.  Excited, and feeling ready to leave, we were off to the airport, with our four suitcases, two backpacks, purse, and bag of cookies that we couldn’t part with or fit anywhere else.

We arrived at the airport early, anticipating getting the luggage into someone else’s hands as soon as possible.  Since we were flying domestic for this leg of the trip, we were worried about the extra bag fee and weight issue.  The first woman helping us check in was incredibly helpful, and we took our bags from the self check-in to the conveyor belt.  The next lady loaded our bags onto the scale, marking the first three heavy, sending each one through.  The last bag was loaded, and was 5 kilograms (which is 11 pounds) overweight, to which she advises us to repack and take stuff out.  Great, since our other bags are already on the other side, halfway to our plane…we end up shoving random books, and strategically packed items into our extra 'cookie' bag, which was now completely full and heavy, in an attempt to take on board.  I was frustrated, that all the packing was being undone right there in the airport!  We take it back up to the counter, and it’s still overweight, but the new lady, after hearing that we’re attempting to take this all back home, fudged a few buttons, and let it on!  Phew!  One less thing to worry about!

Look familiar?

  
We stopped in a café to wait, which is normally nothing special, but today we purchased a bottled smoothie to share.  It was dark dark green in color, decided on it anyways because it was kiwi flavored.  As we settled into a table, I twisted the cap off the smoothie, and it made a refreshing whoosh sound, like when you open a pop, and after setting it on the table, it began overflowing, like a bubbling volcano, with chunks coming out of the bottle…apparently it had fermented or something like that, so we traded for a simple berry smoothie, and proceeded to watch the green one erupt!

Now we are in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, for an indefinite amount of time.  21 March 2009 has been a carrot for us for some time, as we purchased concert tickets back in October for tonight.  We will be seeing The Who, their first show in NZ in 40 years, and the Counting Crows will be opening, their first show in NZ.  I am psyched to see the Counting Crows again, and secretly hoping they play Omaha.  I am convinced that we will be the only people in the stadium to say “That’s my hometown!”.  Either way, it should be fun, we’ve achieved our reward, and now it’s smooth sailing!

More soon…

Last day in Chch

I woke up grudgingly today…not wanting to have to do any of the work that required leaving Chch:  cleaning the flat, packing, making travel arrangements, visiting the city centre one last time, etc.;  I was totally dreading it.  Letting my emotions release in the morning, and relaxing for 43 minutes to watch the most recent episode of LOST, the rest of the day was a blur.  Bret and I started packing on Wednesday, which is a first for both of us, packing in advance.  You’re talking to the girl who was convinced she could wait until the weekend before to pack up her entire apartment…and after 2 days and 4 people’s help later, we were finished.  A few days in advance to pack up 6 months worth of our lives was definitely preparation.  Originally, we were going to ship some stuff back to Omaha, to lighten our load for our travels backpacking the north island.  But we soon figured out that no matter what, we would probably be taking two bags/suitcases each, and that it would be more expensive to ship than to suck it up and travel with extra stuff.  As night neared though, we realized we were totally stuffing the bags 100% full. 

Sidenote:
Lessons I’ve learned from packing…never take as much as you think you’re going to need.  Anticipating living in NZ for months or up to a year made me question the weather and seasons, and as a girl, what to bring to accessorize and prepare for each.  One of my first blog posts describes this very dilemma in Omaha, and here I am, packing shoes in Chch, asking myself, “Why did I bring red, purple, and white high heels?”  Our trip has been mostly walking, and my foot comfort has relied on sneakers, jandals (working on the tan), and UGGS when it’s chilly.  I don’t have the patience for stomping everywhere in my stilettos…which have been worn maybe 3 times here.  Now they’re taking up space in my suitcase, and unfortunately puncturing all of my vacuum space bags (karma for not wearing them I suppose).  And the clothes?  Like a creature of habit, I wear my favorites, save my very favorites for special occasions, that never actually happen, and have a huge chunk of clothes that I have no clue why I brought them!  None of this is really a problem, after all, I managed to squeeze them all into my two suitcases, but it’s frustrating that now the suitcases are so ginormous that I can barely lift them, that I have to haul them all around the north island, and that I have to live out of them for a bit.  Next time, I am bringing a week’s worth of clothes and two pairs of shoes…maybe.

Today we went to the city centre one very last time (I feel like I’ve been saying that forever).  It was bustling with lively activity and was sunny and warm.  We rode the tram around the circuit through the city, and just relaxed for our last afternoon in Chch, reminiscing of our first day in the city centre, going to internet cafés, and attempting to arrange accommodation and jobs.  And now we’ve completed our work in Christchurch, our travels and adventures on the south island, and are ready to head up to north, 6 months exactly to the day since we arrived in Chch.  Our evening, before the packing and cleaning frenzy began, was completed with our favorite Thai takeaway and New Zealand’s Next Top Model. 

Christchurch's famous wizard...leaving Cathedral Square!

Tram!

last day of work!

Today was my last day of work, and I was trying hard to keep it together.  Leaving Omaha was different; although we did a lot of 'lasts' at restuarants and favorite places in Omaha, we always knew that we would be coming back to it at some point.  Here, it feels like I might never see these things again.  It's been a struggle knowing that Evelyn probably won't even remember me, or that it will probably be a really long time before I see her amazing parents again.  As I made my final walk to their house this morning, I couldn't help but feel existential and reminiscent of all of the times I've had in this job.  The sky matched my mood.  Thick clouds, with the sun trying to break through, made for some spectacular views.

The day went by so quickly.  Evelyn slept for most of the morning (she's teething and not sleeping through the night), and in the afternoon we all (Kim, Evelyn, and I) went to the International Antarctic Center, which they had promised to take me to forever ago.  We witnessed an Antarctic storm simulation, where they provided coats and shoes for us and locked us in a room with insane wind and cold (Evelyn didn't last too long...it was so loud, but she was adorable bundled up), saw NZ little blue penguins during feeding time, and had fun playing on all of the snow and penguin exhibits.  Evelyn was so well behaved!  My favorite part of the whole trip was this tiny room with a sign that said PENGUINS AND CHILDREN ONLY above the three foot high door.  I put Evelyn inside, and broke the rule, following her in, to find penguin stuffed animals, books, and a movie playing.  She loves stuffed animals so absolutely snuggled right up to them.  One of the penguins was twice her size, and each time she would try to hug it, it would knock her over flat on her back.  The floor was thick foam, so she wasn't phased, and actually did it a few more times.  Asian tourists kept peeking in to take pictures, it was hilarious!  We stopped at the gift shop, Kim and I intent on getting Evelyn a stuffed penguin of her own, but instead of one, we ended up with five stuffed animals, and throngs of Asians and the store clerks cooing over how adorable she was...she's such a ham!

On the way home, we stopped for a break at the coffee shop, and then picked up Bret.  We headed back to Kim and Lance's and I made a huge Mexican feast.  They have been so accomodating to me and Bret, that I couldn't think of a better way to thank them than by sharing some of my favorite things.  Guacamole, pico de gallo, bean dip, homemade tortilla chips, my famous Mexican lasagna, and yummy margaritas completed our evening.  It was a wonderful night spent with the greatest of friends in Chch, whom I will truly miss!

this Bud's for you...

...Jody!

 

The first time we've seen Budweiser in New Zealand!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'm already celebrating!  It's our last Tuesday, and we were off to make the most of it.  We've had tickets to go punting for months now, and we conveniently booked our trip down the Avon River based on the weather forecast, sunny and 71.  We awoke to clouds, darn it!  All morning, as we researched the activities we're planning for the north island, the clouds kept rolling in, and then miraculously, as we stepped out the door to start our day at noon, the clouds drifted away, and the sun burst through!  Perfect!

Punting is an English tradition.  A punt is a flat bottomed boat without a keel, that is propelled by the punter at the back of a boat, holding a pole.  The trip was 30 minutes and takes place along the scenic Avon River.  It was so beatiful as we glided through the clear water in the warm sunshine, through the Botanic Gardens.

The duck that bit my finger right before we left...

 

The Avon River and its many bridges, each one is different!

 

Chch famous Willow trees, apparently planted from the willows by Napoleon's grave

 

Native NZ Cabbage trees

 

 So relaxed, we had the whole boat to ourselves!

 

  

Our Chilean punter, Vicente

After our punt down the Avon, we took a brief stroll through the Botanic Gardens for one last stop at the Canterbury Museum.  Here, we visited the Paua House.  In the 60s, a NZ couple began to decorate their house with paua shells, and before long there were over 1100 paua shells, all hand polished by the owner, adorning their entire lounge, as well as lots of other NZ souvenirs and knick-knacks.  They opened up their home for tourists, and it became nationally known.  In 1998 they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary, and passed away shortly thereafter.  Their house in all its glory lives on, with the lounge nearly entirely entact!

 

Next, we headed to our beloved mall, The Palms, to run a few last minute errands, and grab a Guinness, of course.  The Palms was the first mall we ever visited in NZ, where we found instant comfort in KMart (where I've never really shopped in the U.S.), and where we spent many evenings at either the movies or our favorite restaurants there.  Today we toasted to St. Pat, and headed home to start packing!

 

Bye Palms!

first of many lasts...

I am getting quite sappy as our time in Chch is nearing its end.  Today I taught my last yoga class in New Zealand.  The yoga teaching was the first job I got in NZ, yet the job I have worked the least amount of hours.  I took over for another woman's class who, fortunately, was leaving, and have been building a following ever since.  The women that I have taught were definitely saddened to see me go.  I honestly didn't know how much of an impact I had had on them; I only saw them once a week for an hour.  Part of me completely understands.  As stressful as my day has been, or as much as I dread going to the gym (even as a fitness instructor), minutes into class, my mood is brightened, my soul soothed, and my mind and body relaxed.  I will certainly miss it...if you told me a year ago that I would be teaching yoga in NZ, I would have said you're crazy, and now, well it's just another fact on the resumé.

 

 

 Eastgate Mall, home of...

Configure Express, gym for women, where I've been teaching yoga since October...

 

and the Warehouse, where Bret shops weekly!

      

The tradition of going to yoga every Monday has been an often dreaded challenge.  The mall that I teach at is the furthest away from our flat (it seems) and requires several bus transfers.  Just to get to the mall, teach the one hour class, and return home is a three hour process, with lots of waiting.  Bret always accompanies me, since it's an unfamilar part of town and, get this!, the mall closes at six (which is when my class starts)!  While I teach, Bret goes to The Warehouse (NZ's WalMart), which is open until nine, and picks up whatever we need.  Then we board bus one to take us to another mall to wait 14 minutes for bus two to take us home, exhausted and usually hungry.  On the most special of days, we run to the KFC across from bus stop two to grab a quick dinner in 14 minutes.  And since last night was our final trip, we splurged.  Today begins the first of many last things we'll do in Christchurch, and perhaps New Zealand!