Weekend in Christchurch and Roadtrips

So last Friday I was supposed to leave the South Island and fly back to Rotorua. But since my plans were to go there and enjoy being homeless, unemployed and car-less I wasn't too excited about going. So when Fiona asks me if I would like to stay a few more weeks I say; Of course! but my flight leaves tomorrow.. But apparently that's no problem, Fiona and Tonni are buying me a new ticket and I get to stay here! woohoo :)
But we still had the rental car I was supposed to bring up to Christchurch, so I decided to drive up and have a weekend there. That was a great idea! I made some friends at a hostel where Erin (whom I met at another backpackers in Dunedin) works, and on Saturday me, three guys from Argentina and a guy from Israel go on a road-trip to Akoroa.

The Land of the Long White Cloud

Roadtrip! # David, Ben, Santiago and Ninja

One and a half hour roadtrip, here we go!

Look at that people, that's NZ for you!

Feeling special

Look at those heavy clouds. On the way home we drove through the clouds, literarily! Definitely an interesting experience, I'm glad David was driving.

Living on the edge.. god my shoes are getting old, thankfully they cost 7$ at the warehouse!

Scary dark sky in the background, when we arrived it looked..

..like this! 

One of my favorite places so far! wonderful, beautiful New Zealand... 

I lived so cheap this weekend, the guys payed for petroil, lunch, dinner, drinks (there were quite a few) and then I got to stay (or rather sneakily stayed) at there flat for free. They gave me breakfast on Sunday as well, and when going home from Chch (its about three hours) I decided it would be pretty cool to hitch a ride. So I did, and ended up getting picked up by a very nice Mexican guy who bought me a drink on the way on the conditions that he would drive me the whole way home, with was 45 min past his place. Pretty good deal, aye? I seem to be great at dealing with Latino guys! Oh and he asked me out so this Tuesday we went to the movies, and saw a NZ movie called 'how to meet girls at a distance'. Very funny and silly movie :)

me hitch hiking

Cheers!

Wallabies and company

Here are some pictures of when me and Anne took Quinn and Coby to see and feed the wallabies in Waimate! a great day with lovely weather.

Quinn saying hello to our little bouncy friend

Anne serving dinner

We got to hold a wee baby! 

Quinn and Coby hanging out, aren't they sweeties?

about-time updates

wow, so there's been a lot going on the last month!

Firstly I agreed with my host family not to stay with them until Christmas. I had planned to go down to the Andersen family (where we stayed during the south island trip) to help out while Fiona did a wedding photo shoot in Bali.

And after a week here they asked me if I wanted to stay a little longer, which indeed I did! (going back to being homeless, unemployed and without a car was tempting, but I decided to stay here).

more pictures are coming up soon, once I learn how to handle these MACs .. confusing stuff!

Summer!!

Summer days and hair cuts

I've been sick for a few days, but now I'm finally well again. And just in time cause today was such a lovely day! 

Farrah, proudly posing showing off her new (and first ever) haircut.

The personal hairdresser gets to be in one picture as well, hurray!

That's all folks 

cheers 

Taupo and Huka Falls

So I had a weekday off and wanted to do something, so I drove to Taupo. From Murupara it's about an hour and a half and I thought it was about time I'd go there.

First I went to the Huka Falls.

 Here I met a really nice CS-guy (couch-surfer) and a German girl staying with him. After talking with them for a while I drove towards town and stopped at a lookout to admire the view.

and guess who I ran in to? Zoran (the CS -guy) again!

Since I was there alone I figured I might as well invite myself for lunch and we had a great time!

pretty cool place aye?

Kate and Zoran

Zoran has heaps of fun things to do in Taupo, mountain-boarding is one of them. You strap yourself into it, and either go down a hill or hold on to a kite and let the wind push you along the beach! 

From mid-November I'll be staying with Zoran and whatever other couch-surfers come along. Then I'll come back to Murupara and celebrate Christmas with my kiwi-family! A perfect deal really, because there is not too much to do in Murupara. Haha

Post I forgot to make about the South Island

All the girls back in Glenavy

MacLeay, Ava, Quinn, Ella, Farrah and Marnie

Me and Farrah, picture taken in Dunedin, at Michelle's mums place.

In Dunedin I took Farrah to the museum 

where we spent most of the time in the discovery and butterfly park!

On our way home we spent the night in Christchurch, where we found this interesting restaurant. The place had collapsed due to the earthquake, but the "smash point" opened once the remains of the building had been removed. 

Farrah putting mums lipstick on at Christchurch's airport! very pretty