Living Stylish

So, our much anticipated furniture came last night.  We splurged and got Brand New Lazy Boy Couch and Recliners for $600!  Okay, so not all of that is true... change "Brand New" for "Very Used" and drop a zero off the end of that purchase price and you have our new living room set.  Elliot is just happy to have a recliner... and isn't that's what blankets are made for?  To cover ugly furniture?  I would hate to keep those blankets from fulfilling their destiny by getting furniture that is too nice to cover.  I am doing those clearance rack blankets a favor.  (note... Pictures are pre-blanket, so you can see them in all their glory).

So, now that we have all this pretty much settled in and wrapped up, it's time to get a job.  The only problem is, we don't want to get a job yet, so... Road Trip!  We've decided to take off this morning and head up north.  Going to plan on 2 or 3 days, but pack enough for 4 or 5 in case we don't feel like coming back.  This is a strange and beautiful kind of freedom, and we have to enjoy while it lasts because we really should get jobs next week, or at least actively try.  So, first stop, Rotorua (North Island).  Basically, here is what Rotorua has to offer our trip... and this is not ripped off the Lonely Planet New Zealand book, I totally wrote it all myself, "Breathe in the sulpher-rich air of Rotorua and you've already got a taste of NZ's most dynamic thermal area with spurting geysers, steaming hot springs and exploding mud pools.  The Maori (indigenous people) revered this place."  It is actual one of the most touristed spots on the North Island too, so we might as well go when the weather is a little chilly and a hot springs will be extra inviting.  Don't know what the internet situation will be like since we haven't exactly planned where we will stop and stay, but if possible, I'll make sure to post some pictures.  Otherwise, we will when we get back.  Enjoy your work week... hehehe

!! ELLIOT BUYS A RUGBY JERSEY !!

More Apartment

Okay, so it's not the royal palace, but here are a few more pictures of the apartment and the view from the apartment.  As you can see, we don't exactly have furniture yet, but a mattress on the floor and some camping chairs will have to do for now.  We just won some very ugly living room furniture on an auction site... a couch and 2 recliners for $60, haha, totally 80's, but it works!  Home sweet home.

A Lot To Add

So, a lot to say since the last post.  We have found that the access to internet in New Zealand isn't as wide spread as the US.  I take that back, it's wide spread... it's not as "free".  So, now that we finally are connected at our apartment we can post again!  I apologize for the lengthy post, but A LOT has happened since the last post.


First.  We got a car and an apartment.  It was a big first couple of steps.  So, here it is.  First, the apartment.  We used "Trade Me" to find an apartment.  "Trade Me" is basically "Craig's List" of New Zealand.  We looked at 6 places, and had a hard time deciding.  When we finally did, I have to admit, a big winning factor was that only one of the apartments wasn't on a ridiculously winding steep road.  For those of you in Louisville, I'm talking about literally driving Locke Lane, except worse, imagine it going up a mountain.  Aside from the lack of suicide drives, it has a beautiful view of the ocean and quite a bit of space.  Our new digs are in Maupuia... which is pronounced (well at least by the foreigners like us) is MA-POO-YA.  Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but neither does Loo-vule, and I managed to grow up with that one.  Here are some pics of our modest 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom house... okay, we aren't all set up and cleaned up yet, but the view doesn't change, so we'll start with that (keep in mind, it's winter, so things aren't exactly vibrant yet, but come on, it's the ocean).  I'll post a separate blog with some pictures of the actual apartment... and the weird toilet too (more about that below)

There are many differences in what you get in a place in NZ versus US, but none of them are significant.  Except for maybe the toilets.  I haven't "flushed" since we got here... everything is push buttons.  It was weird the first time, and still doesn't feel normal.  There are buttons at the top of every toilet, and you push to flush.  Doesn't exactly make it easy to use the "if I use my foot to push the flusher I won't get covered in as many germs" technic that so many of us use.  Unless you are REALLY flexible, you have to get used to the fact that you have no choice but to use your finger (or some toilet paper covering your finger if you are a germ freak).  I decided to ask about the toilet buttons when we were walking through our apartment with our now landlord Graham.  Very nice guy, maybe 50, and loving the laughs he is getting from listening to our foreigner lingo (lets just say they don't use the term loveseat, make sure to say 2 seater if you don't want to get a weird look).  Here is how it went:

I finally asked my landlord a question I had since I got here and was pretty sure I knew the answer for, it was hilarious.  Why are there two buttons to flush the toilet.  His answer, the smaller one is for a small one...a pee... the large one... (at this point he kind of giggled) I stopped him there, because I was afraid I couldn't keep a straight face.  We all know what the larger one is for

Okay, the car, this will be quick.  We looked at a lot of places for cheap but reliable cars.  We landed on a Red (well, some parts are more similar to pink due to "oxidized" paint which made it cheaper than it should have been, bonus for us!) Honda Orthia.  For all of you saying, "What the hell is that", I said the same thing.  It is a Honda station wagon.  It will very much work for what we need it for.  Here is a quick picture of our new car, which we fittingly named, "Orthia" (geez, we are so original and clever it kills me).  

Lastly, we will leave you with some beautiful landscapes (on the next blog we will also post some videos).  We just picked up Belle. Originally, we had planned to be in Christchurch (it's a city, not a church).  Then, the tectonic plates messed up our plans by literally sending enough earthquakes to cripple the city.  So, while our plans moved us to Wellington, it didn't change that we had already paid the deposit to the quaratine in Chirstchurch.  So Elliot, Orthia, and myself took a roadtrip this weekend.  We took the 3 hour ferry from the North island to the South island, drove another 5 hours to Christchuch, and got to see some AMAZING scenery along the way.  Elliot lovingly named the Ferry the "Water Trolley".

 

Lastly, Michelle and Alice (or any other west siders), this is for you.  On the way we stopped in the cozy town of Cheviot... more sheep than people.  Ahhhhh, feels like the next stop should be Delhi

Snowy Day In Wellington

I guess I spoke too soon about the winter giving us rain.  A freak storm swept New Zealand and has left much of the South Island under snow.  While we don't see much here in downtown, the higher elevation parts of Wellington also got enough snow to stick and cause road issues.  Here is part of a news story about it:

MORE SNOW FOR WELLINGTON

More snow is on the way for Wellington after experiencing its heaviest snowstorm in decades, leaving motorists trapped and cutting power.

The weather conditions also affected trains with buses being called in to replace some services.

The weather's cleared for now but more snow is forecast today and tomorrow.

Forecasters say we can expect another 20 to 35 centimetres of snow above 300 metres through until midnight tonight in the region, with lesser amounts to lower levels.

We brought Cincinnati winter weather with us to New Zealand! Here is a little video from the hotel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCNOHE85V2w

On the good news side, we found an apartment and bought a car.  More on that with pictures coming soon! 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5447771/Top-10-Wellington-snow-photos

Rainy Day In Wellington

Day 3, and the winter is reminding us that while there may not be snow on the ground because the temperatures are low enough, it doesn't mean it doesn't want to get us wet.  It rained most the day.  We didn't let that stop us much, after all, that's what raincoats are for!  We spent a good chunk of the day in the hotel room looking up apartments we wanted to go look at this weekend.  Found a lot of good ones, but not so many that were furnished.  Looks like we will be getting mismatched furniture from "Trade Me", which is the New Zealand version of Craig's List.  Here we come hand me downs!!!  Once we did get out we decided, rain or not, that we would share some pictures with all of you of the great landscapes.  Keep in mind, on a pretty day this gray is much more inviting!

Another great indoor activity was the Te Papa Museum!  This museum has all things New Zealand.  It was really interesting, and we only went through the first 3 levels of 6!  Good thing it's free, we can go back and finish anytime.  We saw a lot of cool things, including a giant squid that has been preserved, some cuter animals such as the Wallaby, and then Belle's distant cousin... the Pacific Wild Dog.  If you can't tell by the picture, our dogs have come a looooooong way.  Scary!

Wouldn't want to run into that thing in a dark alley!!  Hope all is well "Stateside" (Elliot asked if we are allowed to start using that term since we are here now). 

First Day In New Zealand!

We have arrived!  The plane ride was long, don't get me wrong, but since it was late and I had already cried a few times that day since I had to send my dog off with the transport people (I'm a total sucker for that dog, letting go of her was awful), I slept quite a bit.  It was dark for the portion from LA to Auckland, but the connection between Auckland and Wellington gave us some amazing scenery which is pictured below.  Finally settling into our hotel in Wellington.  It is quite different then what I'm used to.  Down to having to put your room key in the outlet when you first walk in the room to make all the electric work.  They really want to make sure you don't waste their energy when you leave the room! 

So far, Wellington has been pretty cool.  We got here too early to check in, so we decided to walk around down town (city business district).  It really felt like a mini Manhattan.  Between the shoppes, boutiques, cool feel, and expensive prices, we knew this was a great place to visit... but also knew that it's probably too expensive for our final accommodations! Plenty of other cool places outside of this main strip that will cost less!

Weird thing that happened, and proved that this is a "small world".  As we are walking around, a young woman came up to us and said "Are you from Cincinnati"?  I was shocked, and then I realized Elliot was wearing a Xavier sweatshirt!  This girl was not just from the USA, but her boyfriend was from NKY, and she grew up in Louisville and went to school in Lexington at UK.  Small World.  They were in Wellington on a working holiday visa (same as us), and have been here since January.  It was such a cool thing.  She gave us some tips, pointed out some cool places, and then gave us their email addresses so we could get together soon.  What a great contact!  A young couple on a working holiday visa in Wellington, sound familiar?  Her boyfriend was even a drummer back in NKY.  Now you can't say that's not crazy!  Looking forward to the friendly midwest contact!  Going to at the least meet them at Southern Cross (bar/pub) for their weekly Tuesday Night Trivia Night, because she said it's kind of western style trivia so they win a lot :)

We already miss our family and friends, but it's exciting (and scary too).  Got a note from Belle's quarantine, and she arrived safely, so for today, it's all going well!

Made It To LA

Well, we made it to LA.  Belle's first experiencing flying wasn't as bad as I expected.  She whined a little, and even let out one bark in the food court at CVG (to the surprise of many breakfast goers), but once on the plane she curled up and went to sleep.  Rarely a peep from her the entire 5 hour flight.  She was even a champ as we dragged her around in her crate to get our luggage, grab a cab, and get checked in to the hotel.  After we were in the room she was a free woman, and very happy.  If you can't tell by the below she likes her current accomodations

Packing

It seems like it's been forever in the making, but the time has finally come.  Elliot and I leave for LA tomorrow morning, bright and early!  Trying to pack is a little crazy.  I am trying to single out what I want to take with me for a year and it has to all fit in one suitcase and one carry on.  That is all I'm taking.  It's very exciting.  Elliot is also making sure he only takes what's necessary.  In his mind, that might include his XU Banner.  You know, priorities...

It's been a great last couple of weeks full of goodbyes.  Thanks everyone for all the wonderful gifts, cards, and most importantly, visits!  We've really enjoyed seeing everyone.  We will do our best to keep this updated, but until the post, Bon Voyage!!