Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Guest Speakers
Kia Ora to all our family and friends back in the USA! We are happy to be invited to be guest bloggers of the day....so here goes....hope you enjoy!
This is Cape Palliser Road..on the way to see the Putangirua Pinnacle rocks..along the coast of Palliser Bay (the southeast area of the North Island). Pamela is driving..we were still too leary of getting behind a steering wheel that is located on the right side of the car!
This is the trail leading to the streambed..yes, of course, it was drizzling..at least it wasn't a downpour so we didn't have to worry about flash floods!
Here we are on the actual streambed..it was probably a mile walk in to get to the pinnacles.
Our first up close glimpse of the pinnacles....walking in the footsteps of Aragon as he followed the "Paths of the dead" searching for help in the The Return of the King.
Rick is amazed at the sight of the towering rocks..and is hoping one does not fall and land on his head! There really were rocks falling as we hiked...the wind and the rain didn't help....
Pamela is really not taller than her mother! She was standing on a big rock!
There's Pamela waaayyy up the trail...trying to find the exact location of the filming.
This piece of petrified wood really caught the attention of Rick and Pamela...
Andie also traveled way up the trail, exploring the eerie scenery.
The hike down the trail was much easier...as long as you didn't hit a loose rock...and the mud was very slippery!
Rick looking back up at the pinnacles.... saying "farewell" to our first experience of hiking in the wilds of New Zealand!
This is Cape Palliser Road..on the way to see the Putangirua Pinnacle rocks..along the coast of Palliser Bay (the southeast area of the North Island). Pamela is driving..we were still too leary of getting behind a steering wheel that is located on the right side of the car!
This is the trail leading to the streambed..yes, of course, it was drizzling..at least it wasn't a downpour so we didn't have to worry about flash floods!
Here we are on the actual streambed..it was probably a mile walk in to get to the pinnacles. 
Our first up close glimpse of the pinnacles....walking in the footsteps of Aragon as he followed the "Paths of the dead" searching for help in the The Return of the King.
Rick is amazed at the sight of the towering rocks..and is hoping one does not fall and land on his head! There really were rocks falling as we hiked...the wind and the rain didn't help....
Pamela is really not taller than her mother! She was standing on a big rock!
There's Pamela waaayyy up the trail...trying to find the exact location of the filming.
This piece of petrified wood really caught the attention of Rick and Pamela...
Andie also traveled way up the trail, exploring the eerie scenery.
The hike down the trail was much easier...as long as you didn't hit a loose rock...and the mud was very slippery!
Rick looking back up at the pinnacles.... saying "farewell" to our first experience of hiking in the wilds of New Zealand!Mom and Dad
My parents arrive safe and sound! we're about to leave to go do some exploring (even tho it's raining...) but quickly, here are some pics from yesterday when they got here!
Here is Patty the cat and Patty II my dinosaur cuddling :)
Here is me in a cave at the Te Papa museum...it was pretty cool.
Here are my mom, me, and Steph at Steph's house....and Ice!
Here we are standing on top of the Rimutakas....a really windy, cliff-y road you have to drive over whenever you go to Wellington.
Here we are in the Te Papa museum standing in front of a Maori canoe.
Here is Patty the cat and Patty II my dinosaur cuddling :)
Here is me in a cave at the Te Papa museum...it was pretty cool. 
Here are my mom, me, and Steph at Steph's house....and Ice!
Here we are standing on top of the Rimutakas....a really windy, cliff-y road you have to drive over whenever you go to Wellington. 
Here we are in the Te Papa museum standing in front of a Maori canoe.More pictues to come soon!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Wellington Zoo
On Saturday I decided to go back to Wellington because on my previous trip there, I had bought a pair of sheepskin boots (yay!)...and when i got home I decided that they were too big and I wanted the chocolate brown color instead of the chestnut color....so I went back to Wellington. Oh yea...and I was SO impressed with my driving skills...i parallel parked on a hill and a curve in the road in an old shitbox car that doesn't have power steering. i was very proud :)
It was nice to be back by the ocean again...i really miss being in New Plymouth...that seriously was the best place to be!!
Here is just another view of the coast from my little walk along the water. Luckily it wasn't too windy :)
I also decided to go to the Wellington zoo!! It was an ok zoo...it was really cheap to get into which was cool - only $18 which is like $9US....but holy crap it was mating season for the monkeys....all the monkeys! I have never seen so many monkey wieners in my life....i actually saw 2 monkeys doing it...haha, it was pretty funny, but i'm sure some of the parents had some explaining to do to their little kids hehehe
There were all the usual zoo animals...but i was a little disappointed because the tigers were sleeping and you could only see their butts, and the lions weren't out :( I did get to see cheetahs though. and they didn't have any elephants at the zoo....they did have cute little otters tho that squeaked at you!
And meercats...they reminded me of that tv show meercat manor hehe.
There was a good view of the city from the zoo...it's kinda on a hill.
and there were lots of kangaroos!
The giraffes were cool...they were like eye level with you from where you stood to see them...and you could basically reach out and pet them hehe. i like giraffes :)
And, they had malaysian sunbears. they were really cute.
It was nice to be back by the ocean again...i really miss being in New Plymouth...that seriously was the best place to be!!Here is just another view of the coast from my little walk along the water. Luckily it wasn't too windy :)
I also decided to go to the Wellington zoo!! It was an ok zoo...it was really cheap to get into which was cool - only $18 which is like $9US....but holy crap it was mating season for the monkeys....all the monkeys! I have never seen so many monkey wieners in my life....i actually saw 2 monkeys doing it...haha, it was pretty funny, but i'm sure some of the parents had some explaining to do to their little kids hehehe
There were all the usual zoo animals...but i was a little disappointed because the tigers were sleeping and you could only see their butts, and the lions weren't out :( I did get to see cheetahs though. and they didn't have any elephants at the zoo....they did have cute little otters tho that squeaked at you!
And meercats...they reminded me of that tv show meercat manor hehe. 
There was a good view of the city from the zoo...it's kinda on a hill.
and there were lots of kangaroos!
The giraffes were cool...they were like eye level with you from where you stood to see them...and you could basically reach out and pet them hehe. i like giraffes :)
And, they had malaysian sunbears. they were really cute.Other than that...i haven't been up to much this weekend...tony and steph were in christchurch all weekend, so i had a pretty quiet one. I read an entire book yesterday haha...it was called "Princess" and it was a true story about the life of a saudi arabian princess...it was a really good book, but it was so sad to read about people getting treated so unfairly...especially women!
anyways....i should really try to get up and be productive today....hope all is well back home!
oh yea...my parents come this weekend -yay! :)
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Ring Around the Sun
So yesterday I was sitting outside in the nice sunshine reading my book (The Lovely Bones-really good book, I couldn't put it down) and I looked up at the sky and there was a huge ring around the sun!!
At first it like freaked me out a little...because you know how if there's a ring around the moon it means something bad is going to happen? And I have the house to myself all weekend because Tony and Steph are in Christchurch...so naturally, I tend to freak myself out haha....
But, I looked it up online (and asked Liz) and it usually just means that bad weather is coming...sweet....and today it's pouring down rain, so i can't do anything fun outside like i wanted too...and the laundry i hung up yesterday is getting a second washing....
And here is the sky last night, it was pretty cool looking....and i'm still quite amazed at the pictures my phone can take!
At first it like freaked me out a little...because you know how if there's a ring around the moon it means something bad is going to happen? And I have the house to myself all weekend because Tony and Steph are in Christchurch...so naturally, I tend to freak myself out haha....
But, I looked it up online (and asked Liz) and it usually just means that bad weather is coming...sweet....and today it's pouring down rain, so i can't do anything fun outside like i wanted too...and the laundry i hung up yesterday is getting a second washing....And here is the sky last night, it was pretty cool looking....and i'm still quite amazed at the pictures my phone can take!anyways...so i'm stuck inside today, a little bored...but am trying to make myself go to the gym and be a little productive...we'll see how that goes!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Wellington on my own
So today, I went into Wellington on my own (I was supposed go Monday, but didn't feel like it). I met with someone in the Geography dept. at Victoria University and talked about grad school...and it actually sounds really cool...like there are lots of field trips to cool place (i.e. the south island)...and a lot of stuff in NZ hasn't actually been studied yet, so it's really easy to get funded by the council to do a project (which is what I would be doing the whole second year of school if i went there). But, it all sounded really cool and the guy I talked to was even the Coastal geographer in the dept. - saa-weet! But don't get too sad yet, i prob. wouldn't be staring for like a year....well i could start 2nd semester this year which would be in July, but that might be a little too soon for me hehe :)
Anyway...I also went to the Te Papa museum which as all sorts of stuff about NZ culture/history and also like sciencey stuff...i didn't take a very in depth look today because I want to go there with my parents when they come visit (yay!)...but here are a few things i thought were cool...(oh yea...i took all these pics with my phone because my camera is somewhere in the mail hopefully getting fixed soon....)
Here is a giant squid...it's kinda hard to tell in the pic, but it was actually pretty gross looking and pretty big...i didn't really pay attention to where they found it, but i did learn it has a very sharp beak i would not like to be bitten by and sharp claws on the ends of its tentacles that can swivel around 360 degrees! AH!
They had this cool map...well...as you can see, there was this big light up map of NZ on the floor...and it's made up of all aerial photographs! it was really cool to look at and like see places I've been. that would be so cool to have as a floor in your house....
They also had an exhibit on impressionist paintings which i, of course, had a look at. There was a lot of Monet...here is a quick snapshot of his waterlilies...i don't think you were supposed to take pictures....but, it was cool and i enjoyed it! (Liz-they had some of the same paintings we saw in Chicago!!)
Here is outside the museum looking towards part of the city. It was a gorgeous day out!
And here is another view. Wellington can be very nice, but it's known to be really windy...last week when Steph and I were there it was real windy and cold, but today was warm and sunny...still a little windy, but not too bad.
anyways...hope all is well back home :)
Anyway...I also went to the Te Papa museum which as all sorts of stuff about NZ culture/history and also like sciencey stuff...i didn't take a very in depth look today because I want to go there with my parents when they come visit (yay!)...but here are a few things i thought were cool...(oh yea...i took all these pics with my phone because my camera is somewhere in the mail hopefully getting fixed soon....)
Here is a giant squid...it's kinda hard to tell in the pic, but it was actually pretty gross looking and pretty big...i didn't really pay attention to where they found it, but i did learn it has a very sharp beak i would not like to be bitten by and sharp claws on the ends of its tentacles that can swivel around 360 degrees! AH!
They had this cool map...well...as you can see, there was this big light up map of NZ on the floor...and it's made up of all aerial photographs! it was really cool to look at and like see places I've been. that would be so cool to have as a floor in your house....
They also had an exhibit on impressionist paintings which i, of course, had a look at. There was a lot of Monet...here is a quick snapshot of his waterlilies...i don't think you were supposed to take pictures....but, it was cool and i enjoyed it! (Liz-they had some of the same paintings we saw in Chicago!!)
Here is outside the museum looking towards part of the city. It was a gorgeous day out!
And here is another view. Wellington can be very nice, but it's known to be really windy...last week when Steph and I were there it was real windy and cold, but today was warm and sunny...still a little windy, but not too bad. anyways...hope all is well back home :)
Sunday, February 15, 2009
No Title
Here is a pic of the pretty sunset tonight :) 
Steph and I went out in Wellington Friday night....well, we went for the day and ended up going out and staying in a hotel. It was fun...please note our fashionable shoes :)
Steph and I went out in Wellington Friday night....well, we went for the day and ended up going out and staying in a hotel. It was fun...please note our fashionable shoes :) Tomorrow (Monday), I am going back to Wellington to check out Victoria University...just checking around and going to talk to someone in the Geography department about a masters in Geog. over there. Should be interesting...i'm kinda nervous about driving over there...because Wellington is like an actual city...like busy with lots of cars and they actually have a 3 lane motorway! ah! hehe...we'll see how it goes.
anyways...i should be getting to sleep now...steph and i are going running at 7am tomorrow morning...no rest for the weary!!
Goodnight!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
hiking...drinking...hiking...drinking...
Hi Guys,
I've had a pretty fun weekend! Here are some things I've been up to.
I chilled on my bed for a while with Patty...she's Tony and Steph's cat and is really friendly...except she likes to sleep on me...as in i will be laying in bed and she will come in and lay on top of me and fall asleep! she's cute tho so i don't really mind.
On Thursday Steph and I really wanted popcorn...movie theater popcorn and we were going into town to possibly see a movie....so we ended up just getting popcorn from the movie theater (which is like the only movie theater that will put butter on the popcorn!)...and then we went to a local cafe and got a glass of wine to eat with our popcorn :) it was really funny hehe....then we went shopping and steph bought some hiking boots for our weekend adventure- yay! :)
On Friday, Me, Steph, Tony, and their friend Pete went for a little hike....we hiked Mt. Holdsworth (a 4000 footer!) and stayed overnight in Powell Hut. Here is Steph on the way up...it was pretty hot out!
Here I am on the way up....we were all a little worried because on our way up it got really windy and there were some dark clouds hanging around the mtn...and the wind....
Here is Steph, Tony, and Pete...along with the essential hiking beverages haha....the other people at the hut thought we were nuts...Pete carried 24 beers up in his pack! he is like super in shape tho and runs the trails we were hiking on....but we also brought up a little cooler with steaks and sausages in it...so we were being pretty luxurious hehe. but we made it up to the hut...the last 1/2 of the hike was so steep! and windy...we were so happy to make it to the hut!
Here is a view from the deck on the hut...you can see masterton!
Tony, Pete, and Me after we had all stopped sweating....enjoying the view!
That night, there were a lot of people staying at the hut (it was a holiday weekend)...so we had to share 2 mattresses between the 4 of us....so having no space to sleep, plus the wind being so loud it was literally shaking the walls of the hut...steph and i didn't sleep like all night. Therefore, we were up nice and early to see the sun rise! This picture doesn't capture it too well, but it looked really pretty being able to see all the lights on in Masterton with the sun rising!
Here is the sun rising a little more! Not a bad view to wake up to :)
And then....after a big breakfast...we started our hike down (which we did in like half the time as our hike up)....at one point, i actually got blown over by a gust of wind (it was actually close to the spot where this pic was taken from )...as in i was taking a step and a gust of wind came and i fell over into a bunch of bushes and broke my camera :( i am ok, but my camera needs to be fixed!!
If you look closely at this pic you can see Powell hut...it's at the edge of the green line of trees on that like tallest peak.....we were almost down at the point that this pic was taken.
Once back from our hike on Saturday...Steph's mom came down to visit and to go on a wine tour with us! yay! we all went to the Gladstone Pub (the local bar) for dinner.
Here is Steph and her mommy!
Oh the wine tour! We went on a wine tour around Martinborough on Sunday...it was really nice and we had a nice air conditioned bus to drive us around! Here is Steph and me on our way to the first winery! Thank goodness for air condintioning...it was in the 100's! (which it will be again today) Wayyyy too hot! Our itinerary was good...we went to 1 vineyard for a tasting, then we went to a cafe for lunch and a glass of wine, then we did 3 more vineyards, and then went to another cafe for afternoon tea. We got picked up at 10:15am and didn't get back until 6pm!
This is the last winery we visited, but one of the best...it was called Murdoch James Estate....we also went to Alana Estate, Muirlea Rise, and Te Kairanga. Muirlea Rise was also cool, the owner was very passionate about his wine and only made reds. Steph and I got a little too dressed up but we wanted to wear something nice after being gross and sweaty all weekend :)
Here are me, Denise, and Steph in the wine cellar of Murdoch James....each of those barrells holds about 300 bottles of wine!! (and don't i look tall?? haha it's the heels)
yea....here's me being a dork and jumping in front the pic steph was trying to take :)
Steph and her mom!
Steph buying wine :) I think between the 3 of us, we bought around 30 bottles of wine hehe.
The bus ride back...we were so tired and hot!! It was a really fun day and all the wineries were so pretty. that night though we were all so knackered i think we were all in bed asleep before 10 hehe.
I've had a pretty fun weekend! Here are some things I've been up to.
I chilled on my bed for a while with Patty...she's Tony and Steph's cat and is really friendly...except she likes to sleep on me...as in i will be laying in bed and she will come in and lay on top of me and fall asleep! she's cute tho so i don't really mind.
On Thursday Steph and I really wanted popcorn...movie theater popcorn and we were going into town to possibly see a movie....so we ended up just getting popcorn from the movie theater (which is like the only movie theater that will put butter on the popcorn!)...and then we went to a local cafe and got a glass of wine to eat with our popcorn :) it was really funny hehe....then we went shopping and steph bought some hiking boots for our weekend adventure- yay! :)
On Friday, Me, Steph, Tony, and their friend Pete went for a little hike....we hiked Mt. Holdsworth (a 4000 footer!) and stayed overnight in Powell Hut. Here is Steph on the way up...it was pretty hot out!
Here I am on the way up....we were all a little worried because on our way up it got really windy and there were some dark clouds hanging around the mtn...and the wind....
Here is Steph, Tony, and Pete...along with the essential hiking beverages haha....the other people at the hut thought we were nuts...Pete carried 24 beers up in his pack! he is like super in shape tho and runs the trails we were hiking on....but we also brought up a little cooler with steaks and sausages in it...so we were being pretty luxurious hehe. but we made it up to the hut...the last 1/2 of the hike was so steep! and windy...we were so happy to make it to the hut!
Here is a view from the deck on the hut...you can see masterton!
Tony, Pete, and Me after we had all stopped sweating....enjoying the view!
That night, there were a lot of people staying at the hut (it was a holiday weekend)...so we had to share 2 mattresses between the 4 of us....so having no space to sleep, plus the wind being so loud it was literally shaking the walls of the hut...steph and i didn't sleep like all night. Therefore, we were up nice and early to see the sun rise! This picture doesn't capture it too well, but it looked really pretty being able to see all the lights on in Masterton with the sun rising!
Here is the sun rising a little more! Not a bad view to wake up to :) 
And then....after a big breakfast...we started our hike down (which we did in like half the time as our hike up)....at one point, i actually got blown over by a gust of wind (it was actually close to the spot where this pic was taken from )...as in i was taking a step and a gust of wind came and i fell over into a bunch of bushes and broke my camera :( i am ok, but my camera needs to be fixed!!
If you look closely at this pic you can see Powell hut...it's at the edge of the green line of trees on that like tallest peak.....we were almost down at the point that this pic was taken. 
Once back from our hike on Saturday...Steph's mom came down to visit and to go on a wine tour with us! yay! we all went to the Gladstone Pub (the local bar) for dinner.
Here is Steph and her mommy!
Oh the wine tour! We went on a wine tour around Martinborough on Sunday...it was really nice and we had a nice air conditioned bus to drive us around! Here is Steph and me on our way to the first winery! Thank goodness for air condintioning...it was in the 100's! (which it will be again today) Wayyyy too hot! Our itinerary was good...we went to 1 vineyard for a tasting, then we went to a cafe for lunch and a glass of wine, then we did 3 more vineyards, and then went to another cafe for afternoon tea. We got picked up at 10:15am and didn't get back until 6pm! 
This is the last winery we visited, but one of the best...it was called Murdoch James Estate....we also went to Alana Estate, Muirlea Rise, and Te Kairanga. Muirlea Rise was also cool, the owner was very passionate about his wine and only made reds. Steph and I got a little too dressed up but we wanted to wear something nice after being gross and sweaty all weekend :)
Here are me, Denise, and Steph in the wine cellar of Murdoch James....each of those barrells holds about 300 bottles of wine!! (and don't i look tall?? haha it's the heels)
yea....here's me being a dork and jumping in front the pic steph was trying to take :)
Steph and her mom!
Steph buying wine :) I think between the 3 of us, we bought around 30 bottles of wine hehe. 
The bus ride back...we were so tired and hot!! It was a really fun day and all the wineries were so pretty. that night though we were all so knackered i think we were all in bed asleep before 10 hehe. And now it's monday...and i am procrastinating from doing laundry before i go meet steph at the gym... :)
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