The Adventures of Kristine » New Zealand

Scooting Along In Island Paradise

kristicu423 — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 14:05:20 +0000

So after leaving New Zealand, we popped over to Rarotonga, a tiny little island part of the Cook Islands, for a week of beach fun & relaxation. Boy, if I ever thought New Zealand was isolated, Rarotonga took it to a whole other level. Literally, you could drive around the island in less than an hour. I’d imagine that if you lived there for a few months, would end up getting to meet and know all the locals, who were all extremely friendly anyway.

One of the highlights of the trip was absolutely renting a scooter! And oh it was a blast. Who knew that I had a secret love to scoot?

BUT it was no easy process. When Kyle & I went to get it at the local Avis, he suddenly remembered that his license was expired. No valid license = more paperwork. But the good news was that he could do the test at the police station & still be able to enjoy the experience. So it looked like it was up to me to magically pass the scooter driving test (though never driving one before) and get us to the police station. I started off terrible…..I couldn’t balance, wobbling this was & that. Kyle sitting behind me didn’t help. He was soooo nervous and couldn’t help but yell, “oh god, stop! no! oh god!’, which in turn got me super flustered. The test was so island quirky: it basically consisted of driving in a straight line, looping around the first palm tree, and trying not to hit the second. After 3 times, I finally passed. The guy looked at me and said, “you barely passed…you better be careful.”

Hip hurray! So we headed off on the open road to get Kyle’s license. WELL. The driving test at the police station was hardcore – no palm tree in sight! – but instead an extremely difficult one, literally making you weave in and out of 20 cones….needless to say Kyle failed the first one. In his defense though, the lady testing him was really mean, obviously not giving him a break even though it was his first time driving. Literally while he was driving, she was muttering and shaking her head,” no no no, he can’t do that. no he won’t pass…..ok enough! you fail!”

So we went back a day or two later, and that time Kyle passed and off we went! Let me tell you, I would love to incorporate another scooter into my life. Who needs a car? Scooters are so fun & way cuter than cars.

My dream scooter:

Here’s Kyle on our scooter:

Sweet Little Road Trip

kristicu423 — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 23:58:02 +0000

Now that I got the bad news out, I think it’s time to update you on our fun road trip we took around the north island. The trip was an absolute blast & we got to do some pretty fantastic things.

Day 1: We took a bus down to Auckland from Kerikeri, checked into our cheapy hotel room, and set out for a delicious dinner. Up in Kerikeri, there weren’t too many choices in terms of restaurants. Our town consisted of mostly cafes. Kyle & I were very excited to be back in the city and amongst different types of cuisine! One block later, we came across a Mexican Restaurant. Hurray! We literally hadn’t had Mexican in a year, so ahh what a treat to have some good food & delicious margaritas.

Day 2: The following morning, Brian, one of our favorite regular customers from the cafe we worked at, happened to be in Auckland and suggested we meet for breakfast. So Brian picked us up and we headed down to the waterfront for a delicious meal of eggs benedict. From there, he dropped us off at the camper-van pick-up location and away we went on our camper adventure! Kyle & I drove for about 2 hours and decided to stop in Raglan, a cute little surf town filled with interesting shops, great restaurants, and bars. We spent our night drinking and hanging out with some super nice locals.

Day 3: We headed out early for the Waitomo glow worm caves, were we were going black water rafting! Basically it was 3 hours of walking, stumbling, floating, swimming, and tubing through a small dark cave, while admiring the glow worms. The first few minutes were the most intense, where you were literally floating on a tube going through the smallest possible spaces. I was a bit panicky, thinking that I’d have to turn around, knowing that any minute I’d get claustrophobic and pass out. Luckily things mellowed out and it was a wonderful interesting experience. Afterward we showered, had some soup, and were off for more driving! We stopped in a town called Wanganui to park the camper and get a good night sleep.

Day 4: Off to Wellington we went! I loved it there. It was such a cute & quirky city. Kyle & I went to the Wellington Zoo in the morning and then spend the afternoon casually walking around. Turned out one of my old friends from home, James, lives in Wellington with his girlfriend, so we met up, had some sushi, and lots of drinks. Definitely a lovely surprise and nice treat.

Day 5: Ho hum, left Wellington with the determination to make it up to Matamata – home to Hobiton! Ugh the ride was rough and I was terribly hungover – apparently it doesn’t take much for me to get drunk anymore. Anyway, after 5 hours or so, we landed in Matamata and arrived at a wonderful camper park – it was so cute & had hot minerals pools for our use! It was just perfect.

Day 6: We took the Hobiton tour early in the morning and it was so sweet and interesting to learn about how “The Lord Of The Rings” impacted the town – and got to see some of the memorable places that scenes were shot. Afterward we were headed back to Auckland to drop off the camper and spend another night in Auckland.

The trip was so special and we really appreciated such an interesting and fast paced trip. I would have to say it was one of the highlights of my time in New Zealand and am so happy that we were able to do it before we left.

So Long New Zealand

kristicu423 — Fri, 21 May 2010 07:54:19 +0000

The past week has been amazing – as you know, Kyle & I rented a camper-van and traveled all through the south of the north island (I’ll write a summary of that in the next few days). And for the most part, hit all the spots we planned on. The trip was unbelievable….there are no words… It was such a complete wonderful feeling of freedom and seeing life. We came home yesterday to wrap everything up here in Kerikeri. You know, all the wonderful administrative duties of life; closing bank accounts, converting Kiwi dollars for American and best of all….selling our minivan! So we leave tomorrow for Rarotanga and it’s a mixture of excitement & sadness. I feel that as soon as we leave, I”ll be lonesome for New Zealand. But what else is there to do but move forward? And I am soooo looking forward to being with my family & catching up with friends. Anyway, talk soon. <3

…Now What…?

kristicu423 — Tue, 11 May 2010 06:43:54 +0000

So our departure from New Zealand is literally just around the corner. This is our last week at work. Then off we go to Auckland for a mini-holiday! We’ll be renting a camper-van and plan to loop around the southern part of the north island for a couple days. We haven’t made it down there yet, so figured it’s now or never. In particular, I’m looking forward to the Tattoo Museum in Wellington, Lord Of The Rings Hobiton Tour, & the zoo in Wellington!

After that quick little vacation, we’ll be flying to Raratonga (the capital of the Cook Islands) for a week! When revising our travel plans, Kyle and I thought long & hard about where we should still visit. Raratonga, being an extremely obscure itty bitty island, probably wouldn’t be a future destination if we didn’t go now. Everyone we’ve talked to has described it as a complete paradise. So, see you soon Raratonga! It’s been cold & rainy in NZ the past few weeks, so I’m ready for the return of summer & sunshine.

I wish I could live in the now & just be excited for the next few weeks, but I can’t help but wonder, “what next?” I’m going to need a job…..but doing what? Despite disappearing from the world for almost a year with the hopes of inspiration, I have yet to uncover what would be good for my life. So many plans for the future (like getting certified as a yoga instructor, writing a book, & opening a restaurant – but these all take time and money!). What’s a girl to do now?

I need something that:

a) isn’t going to be boring and consist of me sitting around all day.

b) won’t be everyday.

c) will make me mildly excited about the day.

d) includes sunshine

Oh I don’t know. Lots to think about. Any suggestions?

Thrift Shop Heaven

kristicu423 — Fri, 07 May 2010 21:01:54 +0000

One of my favorite things to do as a kid was hunt around garage sales and thrift shops with my mom. It was always an exciting feeling finding hidden travels in the depths of knick-knacks and “why would anyone buy those” objects. I can still vividly see the sombrero I bought for a dollar (it could still very well be somewhere in my parents basement) the bust of Shakespeare, and of course the fantastic dresses, paintings, & more recently this:

A bunny cookie jar – my mom & I got it for my brother….obviously something he’s always wanted.

Turns out New Zealand is covered in Opportunity Shops (aka thrift stores). In my town alone, there are about 4! So days off with nothing to do usually consist of me happily browsing, searching for the next big find.

With the end of our stay in Kerikeri near approaching, Kyle & I have been more conscious in appreciating our town and time here. We both had the day off on Tuesday, so figured it would be a good chance to browse around town & pop into the Op Shops to see if there were any new arrivals. We stopped at my personal favorite, the Hospice Shop….favorite because it is just so quirky and obviously designed for the senior shopper. After much digging, I found a fantastic grandpa sweater vest that will be great with some leggings and boots.

After the Hospice Shop, we walked over to the used bookstore. I love it there. It has that feeling of old books, like you’re in some-one’s old library and not a shop. While browsing your way through fiction & non-fiction, the stacks go up to the ceiling, making a sort of canopy. Sigh…..oh it gets better. There is also a little attic for more selections, like cook books & self help, & literally it’s as if you could burrow in, completely cocooning yourself in the written word. Ah yes, the readers paradise.

Well well well, look who I found…

Oregon Trail! Who knew our favorite computer game from back in the day was also a book! Or was it common knowledge & I was the one in the dark? Regardless, I took one look at this beauty and knew it would be mine for the heaping price of $8.00.

It was a good day at the shops.

Back To The States We Go

kristicu423 — Tue, 04 May 2010 04:28:58 +0000

So. Looks like we’ll be returning to New Jersey about two months earlier than planned….and I have to say I am absolutely excited & ready to be back (for a bit anyway). Why you ask? Well, my family needs me & I need them. I’m not going to get into details just yet, but basically it’s time to come home.

The bad news is that we won’t be doing our South Island & Aussie trip. Wah, I know. BUT we will still be visiting Raratonga. Kyle & I decided to keep that leg of the journey on because it didn’t seem like a place we’d likely get to visit ever again. I already see myself being lonesome for New Zealand in a year or so, making it a perfect excuse to come and visit again – Future trip to Aussie, South Island NZ, and Fiji!

The good news is that because we are cutting the trip shorter, Kyle & I have been musing about summer vacations in the states – I think it’ll be San Francisco! I have been there once with my family, for only a day or so, and really didn’t get the chance to dive into the city’s culture. Kyle has never been, so we figure it would be a perfect place to visit. PLUS my Aunt & Uncle live about an hour north of San Fran, so it would be great to go hangout with them a bit.

It’s becoming more & more chilly here and honestly, I am not quite ready for cold weather. I think it’s time for another Summer!

See you soon New Jersey!

Happy Birthday To Me

kristicu423 — Tue, 04 May 2010 03:56:54 +0000

It’s hard to believe that it’s been about 3 weeks and am now FINALLY mentioning my birthday! Yes, April 23rd was my 27th birthday….ooof, where did my twenties go?

Honestly, I’m not a big one for big birthday celebrations. Give me a few nice wishes, a couple presents, a good meal, & a night out and I am perfectly satisfied.

And that’s exactly what I got this year & it was great!

Flowers from my bosses & Kyle!

Kyle & I had a nice dinner & a movie date night – something we always did back at home. We saw the movie, “Boy”. It’s a film made by a Kiwi filmaker and set in New Zealand during the 1980’s. Really good. We’ve been meaning to see more Kiwi films, so that was definitely a good step in the right direction. After the movie, we went out for dinner at this restaurant called the Pear Tree – we’d been there once for a New Year’s celebration & it was great, so wanted to try it again for a normal meal. It did not disappoint. Yum.

All in all, despite not having family or friends around, my birthday was a great day. I can’t help but wonder where I’ll find myself next year’s birthday….maybe Thailand

…And She’s Back!

kristicu423 — Mon, 03 May 2010 21:45:44 +0000

Once again I’ve done a disappearing act on my blog. And this time the only reason being that the internet at our home has been god awful slow – pretty much reminiscent of DIAL UP.

That’s right – DIAL UP. So painfully slow in fact that some pages wouldn’t even bother to upload because they knew it was a waste of time. It never was going to happen…

New Zealand internet is different from how we do it back home. Here, you pay for a certain download cap each month. If it happens to go over (which it always does) then the speed of internet slows down till the new billing cycle. Usually the end of the month results in the three of pouting over the slowness and vowing to pay closer attention to our downloading needs.

So you could imagine the smiles on Russ, Kyle, & my faces when we turned on our computers May 3rd or so to the wonderful suprise to sweet wonderful speedy internet! Ahhh the joy of technology.

A Couple Comforts From Home

kristicu423 — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:28:39 +0000

Prior to visiting, our guests have asked, “is there anything you’d like me to bring?”

To which I automatically replied, ” hot sauce, sour patch kids, & dunkin donuts!”

Those are the three things that I have been longing for from home. Probably the most though is the coffee. As I have mentioned in the past, coffee here is much different than back in the states. Sure it’s great, but oh man…..what I would do for a 106 oz. cup of caramel coffee from Wawa right about now….

Oh well, til’ then we have relied on our wonderful guests to give us some of the comforts from home!

We have collected the following:

Multi-vitamins – thank you Mary. I am weird with vitamins. I like taking them, but HATE the taste. The generic Target brand has zero vitamin flavor, so before she arrived, I asked her to make the trip over to the store & she did
3 bottles of sriracha sauce – an amazing spicy hot sauce that we are pseduo-obsessed with, but have extreme difficulties finding.
3 bags of Sour path kids – sigh….my loves who don’t exist in New Zealand.
Girl scout cookies!
Dunkin Donuts coffee – regular & french vanilla.

Welcome Donovan Family!

kristicu423 — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:54:35 +0000

Our third round of visitors is Kyle’s family! They’ve been here for almost a week now & hopefully are enjoying what they have seen so far of New Zealand. Personally, I was looking forward to their visit as a chance to get to know them better. And it’s been really great.