Saturday, June 6, 2009
SHORT BUT SWEET...
WEll this post will be shorter i promise. So we got picked up by this german at their airport that brought us to his farm in oxford. the farm was cute, hehad nine sheep a few chickens and four pigs....everyone loved the pigs cuz they were mini and a certain kind of new zealand breed. Right as we got there running off 24 hours of no sleep, he put us to work for seven hours. we were exhausted! then we cooked dinner for the family, cleaned the kitchen and then bathed their kids. We were in bed by 7pm. Then the next day, Sam and I shoveled horse sh**t for seven hours, filling up trailer loads and then bringing it back to the farm. The german was a little creepy so we decided to get outta there. Now were in a hostel in Christchurch and we finally feel like were in new zealand. our next stop is Nelsonand its supposed to be beautiful!!!! we will post pics later but i only have on minute left on the internet...CHEERS!!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
We have arrived!
So we just spend 13.5 hours in a plane, at night, flying accross the Pacific Ocean to Aukland New Zealand. You know, I was dreading the flight down; when the words 13 hours and plane ride come together, it can be a little intimidating. But the ride was pleasantly "shorter" than expected. After a quick movie (of which there were tons of free ones to choose from) Laura promptly popped her Ambien. And, after a somber smile and sedated look, passed out for the rest of the ride. Ellie, Sam, and I who were all sitting together accross from Laura, watched her fall asleep into dream land, envious of the fact that she would be well rested upon our arrival. But, Ellie Sam and I opted for the next best sedation method: BOOZE. After a few glasses of devine house merlot, we figured that we would have a base enough to fall asleep. Soon after our third glass, we were regretting our decision. See, we figured that because there was free wine and beer throughout the flight, we would have no problem getting....tired. Well the stuardess quickly caught on to our antics and disappeared for at least two hours. Laura in the mean time, has been passed out cold in the seat next to us, and hadnt moved an inch.
After our third movie of the flight, we figured it'd be best if we caught some shut eye. It was so uncomfortable and no matter which way you turned, there was a lack of blood flow into one extremedy or another, leaving you completely uncomfortable and awake. Sam and I didnt fall asleep for even one second of the whole trip. We closed our eyes for two hours, but that was as good as it got. Through the delirium of our restlessness, we both seemed to be getting funier and funnier to each other. The lady behind us who was sprawled out over three seats, did not find us very amusing and shhh'd us a few times. She was such a pickle, a sour old lady who basically got a first class bed in coach for no extra charge, rolled her eyes every time we put the seat back, and shhh'd us HILLARIOUS jokes. No matter, we were finally on the ground. It was still pitch black outside at 4:50 am June 3rd in New Zeanland. Not only had we time traveled from the first to the third of june, but we had also gone back to winter season....what a trip. As soon as we got off the plane, it became ever so clear that WE were the ones with the accents now. An airport employee would give us direction as to where we were supposed to go, and we wished he would elaborate just so that we could keep listening to that wonderful accent.
After going through yet another security check point, we were at the gate which just so happened to be next to the bar. They must have done this on purpose. So at 5:30 am New Zealand time, we grabbed a good 'ol kiwi brew, a Speightz..mmmmmmmmmm. Then it was time to board. At 6:45 am the sun was still below the horizon as we took off, the firey tip had peaked just above the ocean, giving us enough light to see the country we would call home for the next two months. It was beautiful; even in the big city, houses were spread far apart along the green rolling hills. BEAUTY. The sun quickly rose and we started flying south. The further south we got, the more mountainous the terrain. And then, out of nowhere, came the white covered mountains of the south island, which were only about 100-200 miles from the ocean. This place is so beautiful and so untouched; perfect. What better way to get an all encompassing tour of a country than to be above it at the most beautiful and peaceful time of day, the sunrise.
As we traveled away from the snowy mountains with sharp peaks, the hills began to roll again farther south. The hills created a blanket of fog which nestled in the valleys, perfectly outlining the shape of each base. Finally, after all the hours spent cramped up in a stinky airplane, it was time to meet our final destination, Christchurch. We were finally here! We got off the plane to an empty airport. Every airport that we had traveled through that day was empty, kind of a erie feeling. We got right through customs and were promptly met by the drug dogs. Since there was no one in the air port, we must have been sniffed at least five times each. Of course I asked if I could pet the lab's sniffing for drugs, and the officer looked at me as though i was psychotic. I guess being me, I had to go there. Finally, we walk through the fogged glass doors and are immediatly welcomed by a paper sign, folded hamberger style, that read "Laura Sam Ellie & Hannah Welcome!"
Are we really here...is this really a different country? Walking out of the airport I had felt as though we were walking into a hybrid country of Europe and America...wierd. The man that met us had glasses on...they fit thin and wide accross his eyes. He had the usual European mullet, very classy. After a short dirve in a car that drove on the wrong side of the road, we got to our farm. A quaint little place which sat not far from the road. It had sheep (go figure) pigs, chickens, cats, and a garden. Working on no hours of sleep, we wasted no time to get straight to work, we built a fence. Now it is 7:15 pm and we are all falling a sleep on the couch. So for now, we say see ya later...
After our third movie of the flight, we figured it'd be best if we caught some shut eye. It was so uncomfortable and no matter which way you turned, there was a lack of blood flow into one extremedy or another, leaving you completely uncomfortable and awake. Sam and I didnt fall asleep for even one second of the whole trip. We closed our eyes for two hours, but that was as good as it got. Through the delirium of our restlessness, we both seemed to be getting funier and funnier to each other. The lady behind us who was sprawled out over three seats, did not find us very amusing and shhh'd us a few times. She was such a pickle, a sour old lady who basically got a first class bed in coach for no extra charge, rolled her eyes every time we put the seat back, and shhh'd us HILLARIOUS jokes. No matter, we were finally on the ground. It was still pitch black outside at 4:50 am June 3rd in New Zeanland. Not only had we time traveled from the first to the third of june, but we had also gone back to winter season....what a trip. As soon as we got off the plane, it became ever so clear that WE were the ones with the accents now. An airport employee would give us direction as to where we were supposed to go, and we wished he would elaborate just so that we could keep listening to that wonderful accent.
After going through yet another security check point, we were at the gate which just so happened to be next to the bar. They must have done this on purpose. So at 5:30 am New Zealand time, we grabbed a good 'ol kiwi brew, a Speightz..mmmmmmmmmm. Then it was time to board. At 6:45 am the sun was still below the horizon as we took off, the firey tip had peaked just above the ocean, giving us enough light to see the country we would call home for the next two months. It was beautiful; even in the big city, houses were spread far apart along the green rolling hills. BEAUTY. The sun quickly rose and we started flying south. The further south we got, the more mountainous the terrain. And then, out of nowhere, came the white covered mountains of the south island, which were only about 100-200 miles from the ocean. This place is so beautiful and so untouched; perfect. What better way to get an all encompassing tour of a country than to be above it at the most beautiful and peaceful time of day, the sunrise.
As we traveled away from the snowy mountains with sharp peaks, the hills began to roll again farther south. The hills created a blanket of fog which nestled in the valleys, perfectly outlining the shape of each base. Finally, after all the hours spent cramped up in a stinky airplane, it was time to meet our final destination, Christchurch. We were finally here! We got off the plane to an empty airport. Every airport that we had traveled through that day was empty, kind of a erie feeling. We got right through customs and were promptly met by the drug dogs. Since there was no one in the air port, we must have been sniffed at least five times each. Of course I asked if I could pet the lab's sniffing for drugs, and the officer looked at me as though i was psychotic. I guess being me, I had to go there. Finally, we walk through the fogged glass doors and are immediatly welcomed by a paper sign, folded hamberger style, that read "Laura Sam Ellie & Hannah Welcome!"
Are we really here...is this really a different country? Walking out of the airport I had felt as though we were walking into a hybrid country of Europe and America...wierd. The man that met us had glasses on...they fit thin and wide accross his eyes. He had the usual European mullet, very classy. After a short dirve in a car that drove on the wrong side of the road, we got to our farm. A quaint little place which sat not far from the road. It had sheep (go figure) pigs, chickens, cats, and a garden. Working on no hours of sleep, we wasted no time to get straight to work, we built a fence. Now it is 7:15 pm and we are all falling a sleep on the couch. So for now, we say see ya later...
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