KC to Kiwi: Adventures in New Zealand

KC to Kiwi ... and back again

2011-06-11T22:27:00.005-05:00

Nine weeks, 13 flights, seven countries, countless trains and buses, five currencies and 30 different hotel rooms. Our world tour was incredible.

We had the opportunity to experience some of the world's most impressive sights such as the Great Wall and the Sistine Chapel, and also visit some of our great family and friends overseas. I kept a journal and took more than 2,800 photos -- that's about 44 per day! I wish I could have shared our pics and stories here but I'm afraid I was too busy enjoying the trip.

We've been in Kansas City for about a week now and plan to start settling in here. We've already received some tips from friends on houses that are for sale. With all of our New Zealand adventures still very fresh in our minds, it's hard to believe that we're no longer there. Although it's abundantly obvious we're in America. There's no mistaking the big roads, big cars, big stores and big meals.

I've read that returning to your home country after being abroad can be more of a culture shock than leaving in the first place, and I think knowing that ahead of time has helped me with the transition. It's certainly a strange sensation.

We're happy to be here and excited about buying our first house and catching up with everyone. Jake's going back to work in the KC office in a week and I'll start my job search before too long. Wow, even though I worked while we were overseas, it still feels like I've been on vacation for a couple of years!

Greetings from Singapore

2011-04-03T03:12:00.004-05:00

Well we're off on our next big adventure. Jake and I are at the Singapore airport waiting for a flight that will take us to Kota Kinabalu Malaysia. We've said lots of goodbyes and had an amazing send-off by our friends in Wellington, but it hasn't really hit us that we've really left New Zealand. It feels a bit like a normal vacation so far. A ridiculously awesome vacation! We'll try to check in with some photos once in a while.

2011 Kiwi Royal Smoke-off Challenge

2011-03-29T16:46:00.003-05:00

A while ago when we began sorting through our belongings to decide what to sell and what to ship back to Kansas City, Jake was struck with a tough decision. What to do with his smoker? He couldn't just sell it to some stranger who wouldn't appreciate it, and I put my foot down and said we're not paying to ship it back. So he decided to organise the soon-to-be-famous 2011 Kiwi Royal Smoke-off Challenge on the last weekend in March, with the winner taking the smoker home.

In the spirit of the American Royal (world's largest barbecue competition hosted in Kansas City every year), the Kiwi Royal allowed Jake's buddies to compete in smoking the best meat. Thanks to Lesa and Jase for hosting the event and congrats to Mike and Kate Day for taking first place.

I'm afraid I've deleted my photos from the event, but you can be sure it was a fierce competition. It was pouring down rain that day, and the boys were outside much of the time monitoring the meat.

For my contribution, I shared the artery clogging American favourite that is Rotel dip made with Velveeta. This is the same Velveeta I smuggled into the country after my trip to the States last July. I have to admit it was quite amusing to define "pasturised cheese food" for the Kiwis in the room, and also try to explain why no refrigeration was necessary even though I'd bought the cheese more than eight months ago. Everyone tried it and offered a polite comment here and there, but I think it's safe to say Velveeta is probably a one-time experience for them.

Ruby slippers: check. Now we can return to Kansas

2011-03-24T15:13:00.005-05:00

Of course when people hear Kansas, they think of The Wizard of Oz. So now that it's time for us to return to Kansas, I was quite pleasantly surprised that my workmates gave me my very own ruby slippers.

Aren't they beautiful? They added the glitter themselves. I was wondering why I saw red glitter all over the office in the last couple of weeks.

To be clear, I should say that I'm not really from Kansas. I grew up mostly in Missouri and lived on the Kansas side of Kansas City for a few years before moving here. But Jake is from Kansas, and so it's easier for us to offer a quick and simple answer when folks ask us where we come from.

Several people in the office signed the card, including my closest colleagues and some folks I don't know that well. I loved reading all the comments, but my favourite comes from someone in the latter category: "It was great to meet you, even for a short time. Take care and don't forget NZ when you're back in Wisconsin."

I don't mean to make fun because I certainly no expert with NZ geography, but it made me smile and think about how big our world feels sometimes.

How to survive a rabid monkey lick

2011-03-22T13:18:00.001-05:00

One thing we need to do as we prepare for our upcoming world tour (nine weeks of Borneo, China and Europe) is to get caught up on our vaccinations.

A few weeks ago we visited the Travel Doctor here in Wellington and learned about all the scary things you can catch (like yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis) - or that can catch you (monkeys with rabies, mosquitos with malaria). Yick.

Due to our plans to visit Malaysian Borneo and China, they recommended the following:

Hepatitis A - a one-time injection plus a booster in 6-12 months; good for 30 years.

Hepatitis B - series of three injections over eight weeks; good for life.

Typhoid - one-time injection needed every three years.

Rabies - this one is optional. And here's what you have to do to survive a bite, scratch or lick from a rabid animal: wash the area with soap and water for 10 minutes without rubbing. Don't compress the wound as you want to let it bleed and flush the virus from the wound as much as possible. Even if you received a pre-exposure vaccine, you need a post-exposure treatment as soon as possible. Because Bali has so many dogs around, our nurse told us that Bali often runs out of the drug, so it's better to catch a flight to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur in search of immediate medical care. Not really comforting but good to know. Did you know that New Zealand is one of the few places on earth that doesn't have rabies? Let's keep it that way.

Malaria - Malaria's a bit different in that you take pills for protection instead of getting a shot. Two types were recommended to us. One is fairly cheap, may upset your stomach and you have to take it during and four weeks following your trip to a malaria area. The other is much more expensive, fewer side effects and you only have to take it for a week following your trip. In both cases do everything you can to avoid mosquito bites.

And your typical flu shot - which is designed to protect you from the flu anywhere in the world.

We have our malaria pills ready and have received all the required shots. In the end we opted out of the $200 rabies shot. What are the real chances of getting bitten or licked where we're going? We're hoping fairly low.

It makes me feel good to know we're able to protect ourselves with these vaccines. But after listening to all the horrible things that can happen to you on vacation to "paradise," I have to admit I feel a bit less day-dreamy and a bit more realistic about our upcoming travels.

Fancy schmancy dinner for Jake's birthday

2011-03-21T21:22:00.002-05:00

I'm a bit late in posting this but wanted to share. Last weekend was Jake's birthday and we celebrated it with a trip to one of Wellington's top restaurants, the White House. (This is not to be confused with the White House in Auckland, which I hear is more of a strip club. I'm sure he would have hated it there.)

We had the best table in the house and were greeted with this beautiful view over the harbour as the sun set.

We had an amazing meal and a gorgeous bottle of Central Otago pinot noir, then a gorgeous bottle of dessert wine from Nelson! For entertainment, we saw a car get pulled over across from the restaurant and watched in astonishment as the driver got out and ran away from the cops, leaving his wife/girlfriend hanging out in the passenger seat. That seemed like a bit more drama than you'd usually see on Oriental Parade.

In any case, we had a great evening and took a cab home at the end of the night. That's one of the things we'll miss most about Wellington. It's so easy and affordable to get around on public transportation, especially after a night of celebrating.

Hope my husband had a fantastic birthday, and I think he'd agree that the year ahead is looking pretty awesome.

Our world tour kicks off in 2 weeks

2011-03-20T17:35:00.007-05:00

You've probably heard me mention that our time in New Zealand is coming to an end and we're preparing for a bit of travel before moving back to Kansas City.

It's been lots of fun planning our upcoming trip. It began with us asking ourselves "where in the world do we want to go?" which is quite a daunting question. So we created a giant wishlist that we had to narrow down according to our schedule and budget. (Sorry Palau -- I'll have to swim in your magical jellyfish lake another time.) After much brainstorming, negotiation and organising, our itinerary now looks like this:

Leave NZ on 2 April
Singapore
Malaysian Borneo
Beijing
Switzerland
Greek Islands
Italy
Germany
Arrive in Kansas City on 3 June

I'm pretty excited about what's coming up. So excited in fact that I made a logo for our trip. My graphic design friends will undoubtedly be impressed by my expert use of WordArt. In my defense though, I've been busy selling our household goods on trademe.co.nz and prepping our other stuff for shipping to KC. We've gotten our visas and our shots (more on that later) and our flights. Now just wrapping things up, getting ready to say our goodbyes and preparing for our next adventure.

All alone in Cathedral Cove

2011-03-13T03:27:00.012-05:00

So many cool things about this weekend.

First, we got to fly in one of Air New Zealand's new "All Blacks" planes. They're painted black in honour of NZ hosting the Rugby World Cup this year. Even the interior is black. Very cool.

On our way the Coromandel Peninsula, we drove from Auckland to Hahei with gorgeous weather on Saturday.

We'd heard about the terrible earthquake and tsunami in Japan the night before we left. So very sad.

NZ had a tsunami warning in effect so we kept a close eye on the beach and an ear to the news on the radio. Thankfully NZ sustained no damage (that I'd heard of). So we ended up waiting until the warning had expired to take a walk on the coast.

Then today an early morning walk down to Cathedral Cove, one of the country's most popular and beautiful destinations. We started out early to beat the crowd and glad we did because we had a good 30 minutes with the beach completely to ourselves!

We walked through the arch (although signs warn against it due to rock falls) to the beach on the other side. Simply breath-taking.

Notice the clouds forming -- it started pouring down on us right as we began our 30-minute return walk and then seemed to rain most of the day. Even though hiking in the rain always makes me feel closer to nature, I'm always looking forward to coffee and a hot shower afterward.

We cruised around and stopped wherever we wanted, which was such a relaxing experience. Then to top it all off, Jake got an awesome emergency row seat with unprecedented legroom on the flight home.

We have three weeks left in New Zealand, and we're soaking up as much as we can before we go. Like this completely gorgeous, completely empty beach we enjoyed this morning... we won't find that in Kansas!

A visit to Zealandia

2011-03-08T15:29:00.006-06:00

Now that my days are not consumed by the usual 9-5 routine, I've been making the most of every opportunity. The entire time we've lived here I've been wanting to visit Zealandia, formerly called the Korori Wildlife Sanctuary. And yesterday I made it happen.

I went with Jill, who arrived in a Wellington a few weeks ago from Calgary. Her husband works with Jake and is on the same type of secondment (international assignment) and so we already have a lot in common.

Bird-watching is the primary activity here at the sanctuary, and we saw and heard several. Taking photos of them is a bit of a challenge though. I have a new appreciation for wildlife photographers.

Jake knows his NZ birds much better than I do, but I do know the above is the Tui. (I'd probably get kicked out of the country if I got that one wrong.)

Above is a fantail.

And that's where my birding skills end.

Although birds are the main attraction here, Zealandia is also home to several Tuatara, which are thought to date back to the age of dinosaurs. These guys are tagged with colourful beads so staff can keep track of them better. I tried to get this one's attention, but all i could get was a shot of the back of his head.

One of the cool things about Zealandia is that is surrounded by a giant 8.6 km predator fence to keep out non-native mammals. The photo below isn't the predator fence, but it demonstrates why it needs to be so high.

It demonstrates the maximum jumping heights of various animals: weasel - 0.3 metres; mouse - 0.5 m; rat - 0.9m (wow!); stoat - 1.2m; possum - 1.5m; cat - 1.8m.

Okay, here's the plan

2011-02-28T16:27:00.002-06:00

You may have heard me talking about our big vacation and our big move coming up. In the next four months we'll be packing up and leaving New Zealand, taking a ridiculously cool trip and relocating back to Kansas City.

Here's the plan:

25 Feb: was my last day at work

31 March: Last day of work for Jake

2 April: We leave NZ and begin our nine-week-long vacation (we're calling it our world tour, more details to come)

3 June: We arrive in Kansas City, where we'll find an apartment and start house-hunting

mid-June: Jake goes back to work in the KC office he left in 2008; Jamie looks for a job

So we have about five weeks left in New Zealand. In that time we will sell most of the stuff we own, organise the rest for shipping to KC, close our accounts, say goodbye to our friends and make arrangements for our world tour. And I plan to squeeze in lots more fun before we go. It certainly feels like one chapter is coming to a close and another is about to begin.

My last day at work

2011-02-25T13:12:00.005-06:00

Yesterday was my last day at work as we prepare to move back to Kansas City. I'm afraid I didn't get much work done as I said my goodbyes and my awesome colleagues took me out to lunch.

From left is Olly (new member of the web team), myself (some call me WebBabe1), Stacey (WebBabe2), Kathryn and Diana. There are more several more people from work that I've enjoyed working with, but these are my closest workmates.

As a going away present, they gave me what I'm told is the quintessential guide to Kiwi cooking, the Edmonds cookbook. I'm pretty excited about it because now I have a bit more time on my hands and will give some of these recipes a shot. Take note of the date on the cover, and I've even come across some recipes inside that are from the first edition. Very cool. Thanks guys!

So now I will focus my time on enjoying our remaining time in NZ, organising our trip and preparing for our move back to Kansas City. We leave NZ in five weeks, then travel for nine weeks and land in KC in early June.

The tragedy in Christchurch

2011-02-24T02:07:00.003-06:00

This is a difficult time for New Zealand as the people in and around Christchurch try to recover from an earthquake that has taken several lives. We have been reading news reports about the latest numbers of dead, injured and missing, and seeing images of the broken buildings and distraught people. It has been devastating.

Jake and I have received several emails and notes from friends and family checking in on us. Most understand we're in Wellington which is far enough away to be safe. Many have asked "how soon are you leaving?" Thanks to all of you. It makes us feel fortunate to have so many folks looking after us.

Several fundraisers have sprung up here and I even heard about a website that is trying to match up people with extra rooms around the country with those displaced by the disaster. That's the spirit. Our hearts go out to those who are there or who have friends and family affected by the earthquake. Here's hoping for peace and calm to return to Canterbury soon.

Speaking of cruise ships

2011-02-18T16:42:00.003-06:00

The Queen Elizabeth, one of the world's newest and most luxurious ships, cruised into our harbour early this morning. And when a ship like that comes in, it's a big deal to Wellington.

It blew it's horn and woke me up as it glided in at 6:45am, and so I grabbed my camera and stumbled out onto the balcony to snap a couple pics. Then I saw my next door neighbors watching from their balcony as well, and was grateful that I'd taken the time to put on appropriate clothing before running out.

It was calm and beautiful, covered with some clouds but we saw a graceful sunrise nonetheless. The ship is said to be 294 meters long and carries 2,000 passengers and nearly 1,000 crew. And it's estimated that it will inject more than $1 million into our economy during it's short stay. Wow. For more details, you can read the news story on stuff.co.nz.

Not your typical two-cruise-ship day

2011-02-16T16:41:00.003-06:00

I think Wellingtonians are proud of their city and its often dreary weather. The rest of NZ could be sunny and beautiful and you could easily find a giant dark cloud covering Wellington. That's really more the exception than the rule though because our climate is so mild and we have so many lovely days. But I think the perception of our city's moody weather is a big part of its character.

We find the weather reports to be less than consistent, so a while ago Jake developed a more reliable way to gauge the weather. Every morning we look out at the harbour and make a call based on the number of cruise ships we see.

0 cruise ships = gorgeous bright, sunny day
1 cruise ship = cold, grey, windy and rainy
2 cruise ships = call in sick because it's going to be awful

This system was developed based on much observation and our sympathy to all those happy cruise ship passengers who may be disappointed to encounter our sometimes gloomy skies.

Today however, we've found a glitch in our usually fool-proof system. There are two giant cruise ships docked in the harbour and the skies are bright, sunny and warm. The downtown streets are crowded with many khaki-clad camera-toting sightseers. It makes me smile to think of all the happy people on vacation and how much I appreciate the sun when it shines here. It is certainly not your typical two-cruise-ship kind of day here in Wellington!

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

2011-02-13T16:52:00.013-06:00

This weekend was one of the best ever – a perfect combination of friends, family, adventure and relaxation.

First, we had a chance to meet one of my relatives Germany, Tim, who is on holiday here in New Zealand with his girlfriend, Sina. After a conversation with my Dad, I figured out that my great grandfather and Tim’s great grandfather were brothers. Fortunately Tim and Sina speak excellent English because my three years of German classes are a distant and rather fuzzy memory now.

On Friday night Jake and I drove about four hours north to the mountains with a couple of friends where we met Tim and Sina. We were there to take on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which is magnificent and daunting 7-hour walk up to a couple of active volcanoes and is considered one of New Zealand best hikes. I’ve been looking forward to this for more than two years.

The six of us set off on Saturday morning. After a long walk through rocky terrain then a steep climb, you’re rewarded with a view down into an incredible red crater featuring different colours of volcanic rock and the jagged edges created from repeated eruptions, which remind you how violent this place can be. We encountered solidified lava flows, steam vents and a heavy smell of sulphur in the air, and our photos can’t possibly capture the power and beauty from this place.

Just a bit farther is your final push to the top where I found the most breath-taking view of all. Down below on the other side are the three shining Emerald Lakes, their vibrant hues the result of volcanic minerals. After three or four hours of seeing nothing but the harsh, dry rocky terrain, a view of these bright green pools was like an oasis of calm in such a treacherous setting. It made me wonder about the first person who ever saw these lakes. Someone would have climbed up there without knowing what they’d see, and without the benefit of stairs and marked trails, to find those lakes. They must have thought they were hallucinating.

I found the walk exhilarating and exhausting. I felt my muscles burning and my heart pumping, and it made me feel incredible.

After the long decent back to the car, we stayed in a little motel and made it an early night since we were all so beat. The next day we stretched our sore muscles and chose activities that were a bit less strenuous, including some miniature golf (Tim won) and a swim at the Waikanae Beach on the way back to Wellington.

The beach was a big deal for us because this was the first time Jake and I have actually swam at any NZ beach as we usually find the water much too cold. I’m so glad we took advantage of it because I would have regretted leaving here without a good little swim in the ocean.

Tim and Sina are staying with us for a while before they continue their travels to the South Island later this month. It will be good to get to know them a bit better and to bring our families a bit closer.

Experiences like this make me thankful for my friends and family – including those I’m just now meeting – and for the cool opportunities Jake and I have had. This has been a truly incredible weekend.

Crazy Horses at Wellington Sevens

2011-02-05T15:04:00.011-06:00

It's time for the annual Wellington Sevens, a two-day international rugby tournament that is famous for its fancy dress (Kiwi term for costumes) and its high level of alcohol consumption. And it was quite a year to go because New Zealand took home the first place trophy.

Jake and I went with some friends and dressed as the East Coast Crazy Horses, a fictional New Zealand gang from the movie Boy. I have to admit I was pretty excited to wear a mustache.

The movie was a big deal here in NZ but if you're unfamiliar with it, this one-minute-long clip introduces the gang-affiliated characters and offers a bit of insight their simple-minded antics and general silliness.

And what good sporting event is complete without a streaker?

A few fans wore Tui sombreros and ponchos featuring variations of the beer company's "yeah right" campaign messages. This one reads "I wasn't passed out. It was just my afternoon siesta," and it was the cleanest one I could find.

Other costumes ranged from simple to complex to "how am I supposed to fit in my seat?"

While the rugby is fun to watch in bite-sized pieces (seven members per team and seven-minute halves), seeing all the costumes and watching all the fans at various levels of inebriation (and amounts of clothing) are by far more entertaining. But after two days of so much fun, I'm ready for a siesta of my own.

Looking ahead

2011-01-23T19:03:00.002-06:00

I’m home enjoying a three-day weekend thanks to Wellington Anniversary Day. And it’s nice we hadn’t planned any outdoor activities because it’s been windy and raining and rather dreadful outside all weekend long. But it’s given us a chance to catch up on some reading and work on some upcoming travel plans.

Jake and I decided a while ago that we’d be moving back to Kansas City, and we’ve recently booked our flights. We’re leaving on 2 April. During our transition, there is this incredible window of opportunity for a bit of traveling. And in this case, “a bit” is nine weeks! And we can’t say no to it. When else are we going to have this perfect combination of no rent, no jobs and no children? (Technically Jake will be on leave from his job in KC.)

We’ll share more details about the itinerary as it comes together, but basically we’ll be taking the long way back to the States via Asia and Europe.

In the meantime, we’re starting to think about all the details that we need to manage. (How much NZ wine are we allowed to ship to the States? How do we have a garage sale when we don’t have a garage or a yard of any kind? Do they let tourists into the weekly water buffalo auction in Borneo?) I’m a list-maker, and I’m having a great time drafting our checklists. But we’re also planning to make the most of this summer – our plans for next month include the Sevens Rugby and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. We’ll keep you posted.

A Christchurch wedding & stroll on the beach

2011-01-20T00:31:00.005-06:00

It's been a couple weeks ago now, but wanted to share some pics from our weekend trip down to Christchurch. Our friends Greg and Hannah got married on a gorgeous Friday afternoon, and we enjoyed a trip down to the little beach suburb of Sumner.

Christchurch is where a large earthquake struck back in September, and we still saw several damaged buildings in various states of reconstruction. They still receive occasional aftershocks but we didn't feel any.

Here are some examples of your typical Kiwi road signs.

And a view looking east into the ocean.

This trip ended, as all the good ones do, with a few too many leftover beers to fit in the suitcase.

Holiday adventures with Mom & Dad

2011-01-15T02:53:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year! We're enjoying our third Southern summer, and we were lucky enough to get to share our warm holidays with my parents Carl and Deed during their recent visit. They arrived on Christmas Eve and we spent two weeks touring around Wellington and venturing farther out to see more of the country.

I could write a book on all the fun stuff we did and saw, but thought I'd just list the highlights.

Our Top 25 Memorable Experiences from Mom and Dad's Visit (in no particular order)

1. Climbing up to the lighthouse at Castlepoint on the windiest day I've ever experienced.

(See Dad and Jake below braving the gales.)

2. Kayaking in the Endeavour Inlet and walking part of the Queen Charlotte Track.
3. Riding the TransCoastal Railway from Picton to Kaikoura and watching the land and sea roll by from the open-air train car.

4. Hearing how Mom and Dad saw a whale in the ocean off the East Coast (Dad caught it on video).
5. Strolling through the beautiful botanic gardens in Wellington.
6. Mom and Dad tasting their first pavlova and green-lipped muscles at Ed and Heidi's barbecue. (Thanks guys!)

7. Singing Auld Lang Syne with the next door neighbors and their friends to ring in the New Year ... and realising I don't know any of the words. (Thanks to Phil and June!)
8. Looking for sea shells on the beaches.

9. Watching Mom frown and politely describe her first taste of Marmite as "satisfactory."

10. Bicycling between the vineyards in Martinborough and savouring the tasty wines there.

11. Feeling relieved when Mom was okay after her slow-motion bicycle accident (According to a source close to the scene: a member of the riding party directed her down a lone vineyard road then instructed her to abort, after which she "forsook the appointed mission and crumbled painfully to the ground.")
12. Perusing the vintage vehicles in the Southward Car Museum.

13. Pitching our tents and camping in beautiful Otaki Forks and finding some cool green rocks in the river there.

14. Antiquing in Greytown and stopping to admire every old tractor we came across.
15. Slapping at the ever present South Island sand flies.

16. Willing ourselves across a couple of very bendy and bouncy swing bridges.

17. Imagining the baby seals but not actually seeing any on the deceptively named "Baby Seals and Waterfall Walk."
18. Having a Kiwi sighting one evening outside our motel -- an impressive experiences as it is an elusive and rare nocturnal bird. See indisputable photographic evidence below. Or it may have been a hedgehog.

19. Appreciating the native bird songs, including that of the mischievous Lu Cup-Heer Robin.
20 Enjoying the harbour views from our deck at home and promising Dad I'll have breakfast out there every day from now on.

Thanks to my wonderful parents for making the long trip out here and visiting us! It's been heaps of fun, and it's also reminded us how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful and friendly place.

See a few more photos from our holiday adventures with Mom and Dad in this slideshow:

Celebrating two years in New Zealand

2010-12-27T20:30:00.000-06:00

Amongst (that's not a typo - Kiwis say "amongst") all the holidays and merriment, Jake and I have something more to celebrate.

This Tuesday, 28 December, marks our second expataversary. Can't believe it's flown by so quickly! Five years ago I would have thought the idea of moving to New Zealand was ludicrous and unattainable. But thanks to my amazing husband (and his mad accounting skills), it's our reality. Although it sometimes still feels a bit like a dream.

A rematch with the Skyline Track

2010-12-21T01:24:00.002-06:00

It's been nearly two years since I shared the story of my solo hiking trip on the Skyline Walkway. I was still fairly new to New Zealand, and still fairly new to hiking to be fair. It was a long, sweaty exhausting day.

I'm proud to say that last week I retraced my steps, in the other direction this time, and it was great! I'm in better shape and my time was much faster. I even giggled a bit as I passed the section in which I got lost the last time.

I still saw some beautiful scenery and friendly farm animals.

For some reason last time I'd chosen the windiest day of the year to go, and when you're walking on the highest ridges that separate the city of Wellington and the South Island (as well as Antarctica), it makes a bit of a difference. This time I enjoyed a surprisingly calm and nicely overcast day.

The view of the South Island (above) wasn't the clearest I'd ever seen from up there, but I think the clouds and weather gave it something of a mystical appearance, like it's not even real.

A bit later I took a shot (above) in the other direction to capture Wellington and the harbour.

The walk took maybe four hours or so. This cow was not the slightest bit concerned when I walked within a few feet of him to pass by on a narrow part of the track.

And my reward at the end of the track was my familiar and beloved lookout platform at the top of Mt. Kaukau. From here it's a downhill walk to the village of Khandallah and a stroll through the neighborhood to our house.

Yanks vs. Routeburn (by Jake)

2010-12-12T04:09:00.002-06:00

Last weekend I had an opportunity to sneak out of Wellington with my friend and fellow KPMGer Brett to Queenstown en route to the Routeburn track.

The Routeburn is a one-to-three day walk – and we were perfectly happy with sticking to the three day plan and enjoying our time and the awesome huts along the way. You might recall that Jamie and I have recently completed the Milford track and we have tackled most of some less challenging tracks (Abel Tasman & Queen Charlotte), so I was keen when Brett was wanting to complete the Routeburn.

The weather on the Friday was about as good as it gets for New Zealand, both here and in Queenstown, so it was nice to say goodbye to the office and get out amongst it. It wasn’t long until we got sorted in the lodge and had our hut passes in hand, so the beer was quickly flowing like wine. We were joined in Queenstown by Blake, an American friend of ours that is completing a secondment over in ‘Stralia (Sydney, Australia).

The first day was a little rough at the beginning based upon the volume of beers from the night before. In order to get to the Divide (our starting point) we had arranged a transport to drop us off there and it is a pretty long trip. Once I had determined that I was on solid ground again we were off. Early in the day we had some really amazing views from the Key Summit and a much needed rest as we ditched the bags on the side of the trail for this side trip.

One of the highlights for us was taking an ice cold swim break under one of the falls after taking on some relatively fun up hills. After thirty minutes, my frozen fingers began to take on color again and I was both refreshed and relaxed. Night one was an extra special treat as there was a massive group of high schoolers and their chaperones staying in the other bunk house.

The second day was definitely the most challenging and the first hour was a real treat as we pushed to get ahead of the group and we worked upward towards the Harris Saddle. We were a bit unfortunate in that the clouds limited our views of the other ranges and the side trip by the saddle was closed due to likely death by snow. We made it to the top in one piece, which was a minor miracle as none of us had thought to pack an abundant supply of peanut butter that, as anybody can tell you, is the core ingredient to any successful hike.

There was a huge lake up near the saddle that spit out a river that lead us towards the night two hut that was appropriately named the Routeburn Falls Hut. It had the best view that I have ever had from a DOC hut and we were welcomed in by the coal burning fire in the kitchen to warm and dry our rain soaked stuff / selves.

Blake was off extremely early on the third day to catch his transport and plane, so Brett and I were left to enjoy a less challenging long, slow down hill walk to the end/beginning. The weather was generally nice and it was very scenic with all of the river crossings (these tend to offer some of the best opportunities to capture photos).

Overall, I was really impressed by the Routeburn track. I suppose that I was incorrect in thinking it would be a lot more like the Milford track. It was different, but really nice in its own way and perfect for a nice trip with the guys.

Our mystery weekend revealed: Waiheke Island

2010-11-29T02:27:00.005-06:00

Many thanks to the entries we received for our latest (and only) trivia question about the destination of our mystery weekend. Gisborne was an excellent guess, and I'm happy to say Jake was convinced we were heading to Gisborne all the way up until we practically stepped on the plane.

But in fact, our destination was Waiheke Island (why-HEE-kee), a beautiful little spot that's just a 30-minute ferry ride from Auckland. We've been here once before for a very quick afternoon, and have always talked about going back for a full weekend.

To get there after work on Friday, we drove our car to the airport, then took a plane, then a bus, then a ferry, then a taxi to finally arrive at our accommodation. All together about five hours of transportation to arrive on the island, which is a popular destination for wealthy Aucklanders. The weather there is certainly much warmer and sunnier than Wellington.

On one day we spent hours lying in the grass near this beach in Oneroa. We lay on a blanket and read books and enjoyed the sunshine. We tried not to stare as one couple made out for about two hours straight. That's them above Jake's shoulder in a rare moment of not making out.

The island has some interesting plants. Not sure what these are but they were so colourful I couldn't resist snapping a photo.

The photo above shows our three favourite New Zealand plants. The tall cabbage trees (we have one outside our window at home), the flax on the right with tall spikey branches, and of course the beloved grape vines. If you ever see any greeting cards or artwork from New Zealand, you're likely to see flax or cabbage trees represented.

The island has several little bays and lots of boats parked in each.

Our goal for the weekend to take it easy and enjoy the sunshine, and we did a pretty good job.

We hired bicycles to pedal around the island and let me tell you -- Waiheke is a bit hillier than Martinborough! To borrow a kiwi phrase, my hammies were burning! But well worth it as we found some amazing views and beaches and wineries.

The two wineries we visited were Mudbrick (above) and Cable Bay (below). The are both perched on a beautiful hillside overlooking the harbour and on to Auckland in the distance.

While we were there, a helicopter landed on the lawn and dropped off some folks for a wine tasting. Still sweating from the bike ride and patting down my helmut hair, I thought that was quite a fancy arrival.

We're so glad we've had a chance to come back and get the full Waiheke weekend experience.

Let's maintain a little mystery, shall we?

2010-11-25T01:27:00.001-06:00

Our American friends and family will be gathering around large plates of turkey and stuffing this Thursday in celebration of Thanksgiving. I'm giving thanks in my own way this year.

I'm thankful for my hard-working husband, and I've decided to take him on a mystery weekend away. He has no idea where we're going - only that we'll be in New Zealand and that our flight leaves on Friday afternoon.

Check in next week when we have the big reveal, and we'll see if I was really able to keep it a mystery or if he figured out our destination ahead of time.

Another post about wine

2010-11-24T00:18:00.006-06:00

Weather's warming up, winds are dying down and the sun is coming out. It's springtime in New Zealand.

And the perfect destination for a Sunday in the spring is found in the heart of the Wairarapa region, just an hour and a half north of Wellington. It's an annual wine and food festival called Toast Martinborough.

Even though the sun wasn't shining much on this day, we joined some friends in a stroll between the vineyards and a few wine tastings.

Event organisers are well prepared for the day, providing convenient neck holsters and glasses that are the perfect size.

A day of friends, wine, food and even entertainment and dancing (for the record, I'm not in the photo above) makes for a pretty long day. Add in a bus ride up and over the Rimutuka hills at the end, and I'm not ashamed to admit I was in bed by 8 pm that night.

Napier in November: Wine tastings and golf

2010-11-09T00:52:00.007-06:00

Napier is quite a town. It's hip art-deco culture is balanced nicely against its down-to-earth vibe and its silly tourist draws (the main street's "Opossum World" comes to mind.) It has a nice little rocky waterfront and a comfortable atmosphere.

It's about a four-hour drive from Wellington - perfect for a short and relaxing weekend away.

Even though we were tempted by the sign at the local liquor store (that was actually advertising Kentucky State products - whiskey and cola combos I think), you'd be a fool to visit Napier and not enjoy the wine.

We've been here for a weekend once before but of course it's hard to see it all in such a short time. This time we visited Askerne, Ngatarawa, the Black Barn, Salvare and Craggy Range wineries.

Askerne had a wonderfully knowledgeable gentleman offering our tasting and asking us what we smelled and tasted with each variety. He walked us through from viognier to syrah and even desert wines. I tried to remember the food pairings we discussed (salmon and chardonnay is one) but I'm afraid I enjoyed the wines too much to remember all of them. I loved the pinot gris there.

The Ngatawara winery is involved in a rather brilliant community collaboration. Each variety in its Farmgate series is designed to pair with the product of a local grower.

We couldn't live without a bottle of the Pinot Noir, which pairs well with Te Mata mushrooms that are grown locally in Hawkes Bay. And I find the series labels just as irresistible.

On Sunday we fit in a bit of golf - my first game ever. Napier has a beautiful well-groomed golf course not far from the coast. We went to its slightly less sophisticated public cousin next door, which was perfectly fun. I'm certainly not going to complain when I'm only paying $10 to play nine holes of whiffs and shockingly bad shots.

But Jake and Brett were doing rather well.

The entire weekend was just as relaxed and enjoyable as this charming little golf course. I'd love to go back to Napier again soon. Until then, I'll have to reminisce with the three new bottles of wine we brought home.

Eastern Walkway: still no penguins

2010-10-25T01:19:00.004-05:00

We went for a beautiful walk today along the Eastern Walkway with friends Mike and Kate.

The weather was perfect for our little trek even though I think the newspaper missed the mark when it promised us 10 days of sunshine starting last Friday. It's been three days of clouds so far, but the temps are great so I'm not complaining.

The Eastern Walkway is one of my favourite walks here in Wellington because you get to travel high and low through so many environments, including forest, bush and beach (even sometimes nude beach).

We walked this track not long after we arrived in New Zealand, and I remember huffing and puffing much of the way. No more - this seems like such an easy walk after some of the ones we've done since then.

Still haven't seen any penguins though even though there are a few traffic signs here warning drivers about a penguin crossing.

Koalas, giant birds and a red raccoon

2010-10-20T00:55:00.002-05:00

It's been quite a while since we've been to any zoo, and we were delighted with Melbourne's version. Although we were walking slowly and had to take lots of breaks after logging so many miles the day before, we got around to see nearly all the animals that day.

One of my favourites was the butterfly house.

Jake is a big bird fan, and he was trying to sneak up behind this one. It was a little startling to see him heading my way, so I snapped this pic and gave him a bit more room.

You can't visit Australia without seeing strange new animals like whatever that is above and your typical crowd favourites like the koala below. Koalas spend something like 23 hours a day sleeping because they don't get many nutrients from the eucalyptus leaves, so this was a rare glimpse at one in action.

We were quite surprised to find this raccoon look-alike (below) in an enclosure with a sign labeled "red panda."

The cutest of all was this sweet little baby elephant.

More pics from Melbourne

2010-10-18T00:50:00.003-05:00

It's hard to get a good feel for a place when you're only there for a quick few days, but we had a good time trying to see as much of Melbourne as we could. In just the downtown area there are lots of interesting buildings, parks, art and architecture. The sun was shining, the streets were full of people, and buses and trams were going every which way.

I don't know if central Melbourne is normally a huge wedding destination, but we saw no less than eight separate wedding parties around town throughout the weekend. They were taking photos in the park, in front of old buildings, and set against the city's skyline.

They were so prevalent in fact that Jake and I accidently ran right through a photo shoot the evening before our race. I'm pretty sure Jake became an extra (albeit underdressed) groomsman in one of their shots.

I didn't snap any weddings, but did take a few shots of the city on that jog - partly to test the motion control on the new camera.

Melbourne has descent public transportation and a pretty cool bike-share program. I think it's something like $2 to borrow one for an hour.

For our first couple of nights, we stayed at a downtown hotel within walking distance to the race. For our last night we checked into the Nunnery, a nice little backpacker lodge/guesthouse to save a bit of cash. This is located next door to a church and actually used to house nuns, but has been converted into a cool little accommodation.

Like Wellington, Melbourne has a strong cafe culture, and we enjoyed a few treats - you know, to replenish a few of those calories we'd burned.

But I think our favourite indulgence was the amazing Italian food we had three nights in a row.

I'll post the third and final installment of our Melbourne photos in a separate blog. If you like baby elephants and other cute zoo critters as much as I do, you won't want to miss it.

Our running tour of Melbourne

2010-10-13T00:00:00.008-05:00

Ever find yourself in a new city but don't have the time or money for the full tourist experience? This happened to us last weekend during our first-ever trip to Melbourne, Australia.

Our solution: take a 13- or 26-mile running tour of the city. This approach involves careful planning including an entrance fee, 12+ weeks of training and thousands of sweaty strangers doing it with you, but you sure get to see a lot of the city.

So Jake spent 10.10.2010 running the Melbourne Marathon while I ran the half. They were both mostly flat courses that wound through the city and finished in the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground.

He started an hour before I did and even though we were mixed in with 13,000 other runners, we finished only seconds apart and celebrated together immediately after with plenty of water and a nice comfy sit-down in the stands.

What an amazing way to experience a new city! And congrats to my husband on his eighth marathon. We enjoyed the sites and sounds of Melbourne for another couple of days after the race, although we were a tad slower and limping a bit. We'll share some more photos and stories in our next blog post.

The good, the bad, and the ugly

2010-10-05T01:41:00.008-05:00

At the risk of messing up all of my wife's blogs, I am back and I have a lot to say.

I wanted to start with an overview of the differences between the accounting standards in the United States and in New Zealand. Just kidding. Now that I've effectively lost 95% of our traditional blog audience, please allow me to get back to the task at hand.

I've got a couple of good updates to share. First, Jamie and I have completed our training and are looking forward to our marathon/half-marathon in Melbourne this coming weekend (more to come on this). Second, with work going well for us both and slightly less busy weekend schedules lately, we have been working our way through a full library of travel books. It is so much fun to think about all of the cool places that we might visit in the future.

Finally, I got as close to the Webb Ellis Cup as any yankee has so far. (Jamie please insert the picture here):

For those of a lower rugby intellegence level, this is pretty hot stuff. This is the actual Rugby World Cup, which will be hosted in NZ next year. Picture a world cup (soccer) type event (every four years), but instead of faking that they are injuried the players smash into each other as though their collar bones are made of steel (Jamie please insert the link for reference).

This blogging is wearing me out, so I'll revert to a bulleted list for the Bad (note: family and friend stuff - aka missing you - is implied), as follows:

not eating the smoked ribs at the American Royal (often immitated - not yet duplicated)
not drinking beer at the 4th Annual KC Beer Festival (have 17 for me)
not getting to watch my undefeated Cats live against Huskers in Manhappiness (go State!)

Ugly - The idea of again paying for health insurance and Jayhawks.

Until my next attempt...if there is one...

Three things we love

2010-09-27T00:38:00.003-05:00

Wellington
The Simpsons
The Flight of the Conchords

Our town is getting a shout out in a recent episode that features our favourite New Zealand comedy-folk-rap duo.

South coast of Wellington

2010-09-22T13:54:00.005-05:00

We went for another run along the coast the other day and I took a few snaps in the gorgeous sunshine. Jake's getting ready for the Melbourne Marathon in October, so he's been spending lots of time out on the various running routes throughout the city. This one is my favourite - it's on the south coast of Wellington where you can see the South Island on a clear day off to the southwest. If you went straight south from here though you'd end up in Antarctica.

Feeling at home halfway across the world

2010-09-20T03:13:00.005-05:00

I've been thinking for a while that our blog might be going through a bit of an identity crisis. Not a crisis I guess, but more of a conundrum. When we started blogging nearly two years and 150+ posts ago, we had a couple of goals in mind.

To keep in touch with friends and family in the States and elsewhere (actually to avoid telling the same story over and over)
To celebrate and share our experiences in a new country

And we've enjoyed every minute of documenting our adventures in this blog. Now that we are settled in and have (hopefully) a bit more perspective, a few things have been on my mind. We absolutely love it here. The people are genuine and the lifestyle is easy to get used to. To illustrate our experiences, I've always focused on the differences -- the Kiwi words we've learned, the sports we now watch, the more relaxed workplace cultures we've embraced, and the amount of wine we now appreciate.

I've learned it's very easy to settle in and feel at home here, and maybe that's why I feel like I'm running out of reasons to talk about our differences. It makes me wonder about why I blog and how our purpose seems to be shifting. Wow, is our little blog growing up?

I'll be giving it more thought as we approach that day when we will leave this incredible place and return to the States. That thought certainly brings with it lots of mixed emotions. In any case. I'm glad you're here. Thank you, dear readers, for coming on this journey with us.

Our jog along the Wellington waterfront

2010-09-07T14:02:00.000-05:00

We've just had a gorgeous Saturday, and it finally feels like spring!

Jake and I took a jog into the CBD and decided to bring the camera along. Great idea, right? I can't take any credit -- I'm ~~stealing~~ borrowing the idea from a funny and compelling blog called Wellington Road. You should check it out.

Our route went through some of the gritty industrial part of town, but I decided to reserve our snaps for the beautiful waterfront where there was so much going on.

Above is a shot of the very far north part of the waterfront, including the East-by-West ferry that will take you across the harbour. And below is near Frank Kitts Park, which I learned hosts a craft market every Saturday. Luckily for me Jake brought a bit of cash on our run, and I quickly spent it all at the market.

A bit farther on is the farmer's market, but we didn't make it there. Our attention was stolen by all the activity in and around the harbour. Plus we had a chance to put our brand new camera -- and its amazing 14x zoom -- to work.

Above is one of the red tug boats that looks so small when we watch them from our house. Below is the snow-capped Rimutaka Range within sight of downtown. These mountains form a ridge that runs parallel to the east coast of the North Island.

While I don't know these people who are swimming, I can tell they are Kiwis. I think Kiwis are somehow immune to the cold waters here. There's no way I could get into this water, but maybe that's just because I'm used to Missouri lakes that are warmed by 100-degree summer days.

We witnessed nearly every form of transportation -- roller-bladers, stand-up-paddle-surfers, bicycles, sail boats, freight ships, tug boats, little fishing boats, helicopters and airplanes.

Wellington has had its share of dreary, overcast, windy and rainy weather lately. But when we have a good day, it's sure hard to beat.

Earthquake in Christchurch

2010-09-05T04:14:00.005-05:00

Thanks to all our friends and family who've asked about us this weekend. We are fine, as we're a couple hundred miles away from the earthquake hit.

As usual when we have earthquakes or tsunami warnings, we find out about it from someone in the States who's read the news. This time it was my brother calling on Saturday morning from New Mexico... apparently we'd had an earthquake at 4:30 am NZ time. And a pretty big one. Initial reports called it 7.4 but it was later confirmed as a 7.1 magnitude quake near Christchurch, our second largest city.

That's on the South Island, and we're about an hour's flight away from it on the North Island. Jake and I didn't feel anything (he suggests this was due to the 'wine comas' we were sleeping off from the night before) but we've heard other folks here in town woke up from the shaking.

Sounds like there has been some damage to lots of buildings (see photos on stuff.co.nz) and some injuries in Christchurch but thankfully no reported fatalities. I've heard they're dealing with utility outages, possible flooding, traffic jams and folks having to stay in shelters, all while experiencing scary aftershocks up to 5.0 magnitude. We're hoping things get sorted out quickly and life can return to normal for the people of Christchurch.

Raro can't be any fun without me

2010-09-01T03:59:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned in my last entry, Jake's company sent him to "work" in beautiful Rarotonga in the Cook Islands last week. A year ago when he went on the assignment, I tagged along and we made a vacation out of it. He went on his own this time, which I'm sure was nowhere near as fun without me. Here are a few shots he brought back.

Foggy goggles on Mt. Ruapehu

2010-08-30T03:06:00.011-05:00

Beautiful Ohakune in the middle of the North Island was our destination for last weekend's ski trip on Mt. Ruapehu. Apparently the town is pretty proud of its ability to grow vegetables. And why not?

I appreciate how Wikipedia doesn't make any crazy claims. "This is reputedly the world's largest model carrot."

Ohakune (pronounced oh-uh-KOON-ee, I think) is a great home base if you're wanting to hit the slopes of Mt. Ruapehu, and lots of other cool activities like waterfall hikes and hot pools. The two main ski fields are Turoa and Whakapapa.

Luckily I had the opportunity to check them both out over two days. Jake was only able to hit the slopes on Sunday because he came in late on Saturday from Raro. What's Raro? Oh, that's Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, where they sent him to "work" for a few days last week. Yep, he has it pretty rough. Photos coming soon.

But I wasn't going to wait for him. I wandered around and found a lift to the slopes with a colleague of his. This is Simon and Sanja, who were nice enough to let me tag along for the day and even fed me snacks. Thanks guys!

The weather on the mountain certainly left something to be desired. It was cold, windy, raining at times and the visibility ranged between 200 meters and "where the heck am I going?" The photo above may give you an idea ... now imagine seeing this through my foggy goggles.

The weather cleared up rather well on Sunday afternoon and I found my bearings, although I can't say it improved my snowboarding skills. In contrast, Jake's so good at snowboarding he needs to wear a helmet.

We've been to Colorado several times, and while it's not fair to compare the two destinations after such a short visit, I'll do it anyway: There are no trees on the mountain here -- quite different from Colorado. But there were also no long lines for gear rental or lifts (honestly we never waited more than a minute), which in my mind makes the tradeoff more than fair!

A weekend full of rugby

2010-08-21T01:18:00.008-05:00

Our gorgeous Saturday afternoon was perfect for the annual accounting firm rugby tournament in Kilbirnie Park. You may remember this event from last year when Jake's promising rugby career was cut short.

With the four top accounting firms competing, they call this the "Firm of Origin", which is a play on the name of the Australian "State of Origin" series. This may not mean much to our American readers, but I think it's probably a pretty clever name if you're from here.

The pitch (field) was pretty muddy, and more than once I saw big chunks of mud and grass flying through the air when the guys tackled each other. Jake didn't play but several of his KPMG colleagues did, and they ended up in second place out of four.

We gathered for a few drinks after the last game before the guys headed to the stadium to watch the Wellington Lions play some rugby, and the girls went out for dinner. This arrangement seems to work out rather well for all of us, since I think the girls had seen enough sports for the day.

After such a long Saturday, we made it home at a decent hour and Jake brought home this Lions huggie (coozie). Thought I'd snap a shot of it along with some common NZ beers -- Tui is your typical stadium beer, and not that great but I'll drink it if that's my only option. I think we both prefer the Monteith's series.

Jake was up at 8 am ready to head over to a mate's to watch the All Blacks game. I guess the All Blacks (NZ's national rugby team) played in South Africa sometime in the middle of the night because of the time difference between here and there. So the boys are watching a replay of it now.

I don't want to ruin the surprise for Jake, but I read in the paper this morning that the All Blacks scored a dramatic last-minute try against the Springboks to claim the Tri-Nations title.

Almost springtime in our harbour

2010-08-21T01:02:00.003-05:00

You may have seen other photos of the harbour that we've shot from the deck (here and here and here), but I will never get tired of them. We've had some beautiful weather in the past week or two as we approach spring here, and we've seen a bit more boating going on.

This one we took with our new camera -- I'm pretty excited about how far it can zoom. This is the Interislander ferry that goes back and forth between the North and South Islands a few times a day.

Bob who?

2010-08-09T02:23:00.001-05:00

In a meeting at work today, someone casually slipped "Bob's your uncle" into the conversation. I've read about this little gem of Kiwi slang, but never heard it out loud. Made my day.

No TV, no worries mate

2010-08-05T02:45:00.008-05:00

About a year and a half ago, my husband and I took on a great adventure. It was scary and uncertain, and for a while we weren't really sure how things would turn out. But we've adjusted well and today I can honestly tell you we've never been happier.

No, I'm not talking about moving to New Zealand (although it's similar). I'm talking about living without a TV.

That's right. I was skeptical at first but now I think it's fabulous. To be fair, we watch a few bits online here and there and of course we rent movies to watch on our laptop.

Sure there are some (tons of) conversations that make me feel a bit out of the loop. And for a journalism major, I'd be lying if I didn't tell you I feel guilty not having one eye on the news at all times. But it's a relief to let it go. One minute Diane Sawyer is complaining about the folks who lost their jobs from the gulf oil spill. Then next minute she's complaining because it's been (hopefully) fixed and the clean-up crews are getting laid off. I've grown tired of the constant "who's screwing us know?" talk. And I'm pretty happy to avoid all the political ads this time of year.

On our trip to the States last month, I sat up late watching TV several nights while I waited for my jet lag to pass. Some of it was worthwhile but most was pretty stupid. Okay, I admit I was watching the less-than-educational 1-4am shows, but it was really bad.

I'd like to think I have more time to read, plan our travel, blog and be a good housekeeper, but it's probably not the case since I spend so much time on Facebook and news websites. But it's a pretty incredible and liberating feeling to go without. I invite you to try it for a day or a week and see if it's right for you.

Batman makes an appearance

2010-07-27T03:24:00.005-05:00

This weekend was Jake's company party -- a masquerade ball. We chose to take ourselves a bit less seriously and went for masks depicting batman and a kitty cat. Others wore masks ranging from intricate and homemade to downright silly.

Jake and I took advantage of a little photo booth they had there, and we even won one of the door prizes, a hotel stay at the Bolten here in Wellington. Sweet!

Making plans for summer

2010-07-19T02:32:00.009-05:00

Our northern hemisphere readers may not feel sorry for us when they're dealing with scorching temperatures around this time of year, but we are in the middle of winter. Temps have been in the single digits (in Celsius obviously, which is in the 40ish range if your a Fahrenheit fan). It's even dipped down to freezing here in Wellington a time or two. Add in our famous wind and even a girl from the Midwest would tell you it's cold.

This is why I'm surrounded by my NZ travel guides and brochures again -- we're making plans for this summer.

On the wish list for this summer is one of New Zealand's Top 20 Must-Do's, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It's called one of New Zealand's best one-day hikes, and it better be worth it because it's a 950 m climb followed by a 1,300 m decent. All in about eight hours. My quads are shivering with fear already.

This Top 20 list comes from the book 101 Must-Do's for Kiwis. I think we've already covered 12 of them.

You may have heard me mention New Zealand's nine great walks, as we've done a couple of them (Queen Charlotte and Milford Track). Jake is taking on another when he walks the Routeburn with Brett in December, and we're also trying to make some time for the Whanganui Journey. The Whanganui isn't a walking track but a river that you navigate down on a canoe. It's still one of the great walks though. I guess someone couldn't be bothered to rename the whole list.

Lots of Kiwis have commented on how much of the country we're seeing while we're here. Invariably, they'll say they've never been on this walk or to that city. But we were the same way in Kansas City. Even if you're surrounded by lots of cool stuff to see and do, unless you have a bit of a timeline like we do, there's no need to hurry up and get to it. And when there's no timeline -- if it's always something you could do next week or next month -- it's very easy to put it off.

I think having a bit of a timeline really helps us appreciate being here and keeps us on track for checking off that entire Top 20 list. It's sure a fun goal to work on.

Snapshots from America

2010-07-17T14:47:00.007-05:00

As I mentioned earlier, we've just come back from a visit to the States where we saw lots of friends and family and ate as much barbecue and Mexican food as we possibly could. It was a great trip!

Here are a few snapshots. Above is our 10-month-old neice Lyla who loves to swim.

Aaron and Jami had us over for a great barbecue.

Tailgating before the Royals game. Still can't believe KC beat St. Louis 11-3.

Did I mention barbecue? No visit to Kansas City is complete without a stop at Oklahoma Joe's. We picked up some ribs and perused the sauce and rub isle. So many choices!

And Golden Tee. Jake's been carrying his Golen Tee Gold Membership Card in his wallet everyday in New Zealand. Not sure why because we've never seen the game here.

These cattle belong to Jake's folks and can be seen wandering in their yard.

We made an appearance at the Sievering Family Reunion in Mooresville where Jake got right to work on the grill. I think Uncle Bernie was there in more of a supervisory role.

Who says only little ones can enjoy bubbles? This is mom having a bit of fun on a gorgeous clear day.

We also headed to Table Rock Lake on the Fourth of July.

Adena looking after one of the munchkins.

Aunt D with some of the little ones.

And before we flew back to New Zealand we had a half-day layover in LA, where we visited with Grandma and the Cottonaro family.

We saw several more friends and family than we have room here to mention. I hope everyone knows we had such a wonderful time. So many people went out of their way to give us a place to stay, prepare fantastic food, meet us out for a meal or drive us around. Thank you so much for making our visit such a fun one!

Kiwis should be proud of their football team

2010-07-13T05:07:00.008-05:00

Spain may have won the World Cup, but New Zealand sure has something to sing about this week. And it's going to make one heck of an obscure sports trivia question some day:

With Spain's win against the Netherlands in the final, the New Zealand team became the only undefeated team in this World Cup. It's true. Nice work guys!

Smuggling processed cheese into New Zealand

2010-07-12T03:58:00.005-05:00

Kia Ora everyone! Jake and I are happy to be back in Kiwiland after an incredibly busy and fun couple of weeks visiting folks back in the States. In between the barbecues and baseball games and baby-holding, we found a few minutes to stock up on a few grocery items we can't find here in New Zealand.

A few of the items we smuggled back to NZ in our suitcase:

Crystal Light -- a powdered low-calorie soft drink mix.
Barbecue rubs -- a proud tradition from Kansas City.
Montreal Steak seasoning -- excellent on hamburgers and steak.
Velveeta -- If you're unfamiliar with this product, it's a gooey yellow processed cheese that you melt in slow cooker with mince and capsicum -- excellent with salted/unflavoured tortilla chips. By the way New Zealanders don't trust any cheese that's yellow.
Seasonings for fajitas, enchiladas and tacos -- you can find some of these here but they taste a bit different than the American-style Mexican flavours we're used to.
Peanut Butter M&Ms -- can't find these anywhere in NZ that I've found. I shared some with my workmates today and they received mixed reviews, including a comment from my boss ("Are you trying to kill me?") who is apparently allergic to peanuts.
Multivitamins -- these are certainly available here but cheaper in the U.S.
PowerBar sports gels -- flavoured goo that will help Jake run his next marathon in Melbourne this October.

Of course I'm joking about smuggling this stuff into the country. We declared it on our customs form and all was approved because it's been packaged and poses no threat to NZ's environment.

New Zealand is very careful about what travelers bring here, as it has had its share of struggles with introduced and invasive species over the years. For example, NZ used to be a haven for birds of all kinds, including many that were land-based like our beloved Kiwi, but stoats (little weasley ferret-looking rascals) and other pests have all but annihilated many of those populations.

Also, a microscopic organism nicknamed Didymo has caused several South Island rivers to be covered in what is described as "rock snot." To date, there's no way to clean it up and folks are required to check, clean and dry all equipment (boats, boots, camping gear, etc) when visiting waterways to prevent its spread. Problems like this are why the NZ Customs folks ask whether you have hiking boots in your checked bag or if you've visited a farm in the past 30 days.

We've learned a lot about conservation on our travels throughout this country and are amazed to learn just how much this land has changed in the last couple hundred years. It really helps us appreciate how fragile our earth is, even if our American appetites still crave a little processed cheese food from time to time.

Kiwi words and phrases: give 'em a go

2010-06-09T00:25:00.000-05:00

Planning a trip to New Zealand? If you're like us, it's going to take you a while to get used to the language. There's not only a bit of an accent to contend with, but heaps of new words.

Here's a round up of our favourites and what (we think) they mean. (If you're a Kiwi, please feel free to leave a comment and let us know if we've misinterpreted anything! Or let us go on embarrassing ourselves – it's up to you.)

how you going? – common Kiwi greeting
jandals – flip flops
toilet – even in a fancy restaurant, it’s perfectly appropriate to ask where the toilet is. I still have a hard time with this one.
wee squiz – quick look, as in “I’ll just need to take a wee squiz at your report before sending it to the boss.”
as you do – used when you’re joking that something out of the ordinary is actually common: “We were drinking wine out of a two-litre bottle … as you do … because we forgot to bring cups to our campsite.”
sorted – figured out, as in “no worries bro, it’s sorted.”
suss – similar to sorted, as in “I’ve got it sussed.”
dodgy – bad, unreliable
cardie -- cardigan
jersey -- sweater
jumper – also sweater
eh? – pronounced “ay”, to be added to the end of certain sentences whether or not you’re asking a question. “He was pretty pissed last night, eh?” or “I'll take some tomato sauce, eh.”
fizzy drink – soda
happy – this is my new favourite word that I use several times a day. As in "are you happy to meet for a drink?" "I'm happy to schedule a meeting" and "please advise if you're happy for me to proceed."
flat tack – full speed, as in “we were going a flat tack on the jetboat before he pulled a 360”
good on ya -- well done; good for you
heaps -- lots
reckon – this does not have the slightly redneck connotation it has in the States, and is perfectly appropriate to use in a professional setting: “I reckon the business requirements specification document is ready for the executive team’s review.”
long drop – outdoor toilet built over a hole in the ground
knackered – exhausted
right – as explained to me by a colleague: you'll hear this after there's been discussion followed by a pause, then someone sighs and says "right" with a certain amount of emphasis. It indicates "okay let's make a decision" or "okay let's get started."
bugger – exclamation similar to damn
pissed – not mad, simply drunk
pissing down – raining hard, pouring
fillet – same steak, but the “t” is no longer silent
ta – thanks, most commonly used for simple things such as when someone holds a door

What are your favourite Kiwi words and phrases? Tell us in the comments.

Winter weekend with wine and wheels

2010-06-06T21:31:00.006-05:00

It's winter now and lots of the trees have changed colour. It reminds me a lot of how autumn feels back in the Midwest. Thankfully our winters don't get quite as cold as they do there. We're enjoying a long holiday weekend thanks to the Queen's birthday, which is the first Monday in June, and so we threw a suitcase in the car and drove up to Martinborough for a couple nights.

Martinborough is this wee town (see how well I'm using the local vocabulary?) just an hour or so north of Wellington that is known for its wines. Just like most areas in NZ, they do the sauvignon blanc and pinot noir best, but this weekend I really got to know the pinot gris a bit better. Yum!

Martinborough is small and flat and easy to navigate, so the best way to visit the vineyards is by bicycle. We pedaled around to four of them on Saturday.

The vines are pretty sparse at this time of year, and we saw sheep grazing between some of the rows. I don't know about the wine regions of France or California, but this seems like something you'll only see in New Zealand.

After a ride around town and dinner at the local bar, we went back to our B&B and sat in the hot tub. The weather on Sunday and Monday turned a bit wet and chilly, so we spent a lot of time hanging out with the housecat in front of the fire. Also had an amazing dinner at Brasserie One on Sunday -- we started with snails, then Jake ordered the lamb and I got the goat's cheese and hazelnut souffle. Delicious.

And we have to include this shot of Jake representing his school in front of a street sign in Martinborough. He was so proud.

Celebrating the start of winter

2010-05-30T23:09:00.001-05:00

I’ve heard all kinds of stories from our American friends about how lovely the weather is there. It’s 90 degrees…going to the pool…heading for the lake… the AC isn’t working…blah blah blah. :)

Oh how the tables have turned as 1 June marks our first day of winter, and that's tomorrow. We’re enjoying highs around 10 degrees C (50ish F), which may not sound that cold, but add the rain and the cold southerly gales (which come from Antarctica by the way), and it’s a bit chilly.

I learned soon after we moved here that indoor spaces are not always kept at a consistent 72 degrees. Most stores and cafés leave their doors open all day well into winter, and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a home with central air and heat.

Our home is warmed by two “night-store” heaters. Apparently there are magic bricks inside that soak up heat overnight (taking advantage of the cheaper off-peak rates), then slowly, ever so slowly releases it during the day. They aren’t really designed to heat your home to a toasty 72 degrees, but at least you don’t have to wear gloves at the breakfast table. I’m just kidding – it’s actually pretty comfortable. But it does make me realise I’ve been spoiled with climate controlled comfort my entire life.

18 months and 18 reasons to love NZ

2010-05-29T23:42:00.000-05:00

This time of year we have lots to celebrate. While our American friends are celebrating Memorial Day and enjoying a three-day weekend, this is just another normal weekend for NZ. But we’ll get you back next week when the Queen honours us with a day off work for her birthday.

And this week marked 18 months of living in New Zealand. Or as Jake would say, six fiscal quarters.

It may be the beginning of June, but it feels a lot like Thanksgiving to me. So let me fire up my pumpkin spice candles, make some hot chocolate and tell you some of the reasons we are thankful.

18 reasons we love living in New Zealand:

Pavlova -->
Pinot noir
Sauvignon blanc
No special occasion necessary to drink bubbles (champagne)
Most people are genuinely open and nice, including the folks at my bank and grocery store.
We’re surrounded by natural beauty and adventure.
All the hotels we’ve visited throughout the country have been clean, friendly and affordable.
Castlepoint (and congrats to Marc and Kat who just got engaged there.)
We’re so close enough to visit Southeast Asia and some Pacific Islands.
No tipping required
Sales tax is included in all price tags
Wellington’s public transportation is excellent -->
We have a great view of the harbour from our living room
We live in the future (but sorry Jeromy and Corey, we can’t tell you the sports scores)
Words like jandals, toilet, and wee squiz (there are so many new Kiwi words we’ve adopted that they call for a blog entry of their own. I’ll explain these and more soon.)
The café culture. I don’t think I can work a full day any more without my morning and afternoon coffee breaks.
Phones and Facebook keep us close to friends and family.
And probably my favourite: Having a good work/life balance isn’t just an HR catchphrase. People take it seriously here.

Snorkel tour around island of Koh Tao

2010-05-19T07:20:00.000-05:00

We have one last blog post to share about our Thailand vacation, and it stands in stark contrast the the article I just read on the protests in Bangkok, and how the red shirts have surrendered amid fires and rioting throughout the city.

Far from that craziness, the highlight of our Thailand adventure was a snorkel tour around the entire island of Koh Tao, which is known for its coral reefs and marine life.

The waters were clear, calm and warm, and the fish were beautiful. We took a speedboat to several spots around the island and each had colourful coral that was close enough to the surface to easily explore.

The last place we stopped was something of a marine reserve with some gorgeous blue water.

When we got on land, we learned that it costs 100 baht to sit under one of these beach umbrellas. And we understand why -- it was hot. And we had brought along exactly 0 baht. This is just about the time of day I realised I'd earned a sunburn on my shoulders, back and legs. For some reason when we're snorkeling I tend to think my skin is protected because it's underwater. Not so.

But no worries because Jake scouted out a perfect little shady perch from which to take in the scenery. We climbed up and enjoyed the view, then shared our comfy spot and some friendly conversation with a couple on a year-long holiday from England. Now that's a phrase I'd like to become more familiar with: year-long holiday.

Below is the view from our little perch.

This little strip of beach is all that's connecting the peninsula to the rest of the island. We had a great time exploring the area, but at this point I was just trying to find shade.

And that may have been our busiest day in Thailand. Other than the massages, beverages and general laziness, we spent a lot of time trying out all the various pools at each of the three resorts where we stayed.

What a gorgeous place. Thailand is definitely prepared for tourists of all budgets, and it was a great adventure for us to try to get around in a country that doesn't always speak English. Hot, beautiful, laid back -- it's exactly what we were looking for.

Should we have left a tip?

2010-05-13T10:04:00.000-05:00

As part of the package we purchased from our resort in Thailand, we each received a free 60-minute foot massage, so we made an appointment the other day. It was glorious.

The spa was located outside near a little garden with the smell of flowers and the sound of running water. Very relaxing. My masseuse must have really known her craft because although my feet are extremely sensitive and ticklish, I didn’t flinch at all while she was working.

At the end of our session, they said something in Thai and gave us a wai (Thai greeting with hands in prayer position and little head nod) to let us know time was up. Jake and I thanked them both, looked at each other awkwardly and shuffled out – it was so strange to leave without tipping. Our guidebooks say, just like here in New Zealand, that tipping isn’t necessary or expected unless you receive exceptional service in a nice restaurant.

We’re so used to the American way – an obligation to tip anyone who drives, carries food, picks up a bag or opens a door – that it’s hard for us to change. And we’re still not sure we did the right thing, so let me ask our readers: Should we have tipped on the Thai foot massages? Please leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Various levels of modesty on Koh Samui beaches

2010-05-12T05:21:00.003-05:00

Sitting on the beach in Koh Samui, one of Thailand’s most beautiful and touristy islands, is quite a sight for two Americans like us from the rural Midwest. Jake is wearing his usual swim trunks, and they cover much more skin -- by far -- than any other dude on this beach. Speedos are the norm and no one is shy about it.

As I write this, there’s a European family next to us who's getting ready to go back to their room apparently, and their 9ish-year-old boy has been changing into dry clothes. He’s been standing there naked about five feet away from me for several minutes now, and it’s making me a bit uncomfortable. I guess some folks are just more open about their bodies.

And there are some beautiful slender women around here wearing thong bikinis, including the one who chose a spot right in front of us. I swear her sunglasses offer more coverage than her togs (NZ word for swimsuit). She has spent most of her time this morning bending over her beach chair organizing her belongings. Jake is doing a very noble job of keeping his nose in his book, and I’m probably the one who’s doing all the staring. Please lady, will you sit down already? Sorry fellas, I didn't take her photo.

It’s low season for tourists and especially with all the civil unrest in Bangkok this beach is nowhere near crowded. There’s lots of people but plenty of room to accommodate us all. Instead of the fast food stands and souvenirs shops I’d expect near any American tourist spot, (we haven’t seen any after two days here at the resort), we see several locals who walk back and forth along the beach hauling armfuls of everything from jewelry, t-shirts, scarves and fabric, hats, ice cream and fireworks, which are illegal here although we’ve seen them go off each night.

And of course there are plenty of spots to get a massage, and we've each had a few already. They are amazing, and amazingly more affordable than anywhere else I've seen. Around 250 Baht (which is about $10 NZD or $7 USD), you can get an hour-long massage right there on the beach.

The beaches are beautiful and the water is clear and shallow, which means it’s the hottest ocean water I’ve ever been in. Thank goodness for the pina coladas and other cold beverages that are never far away and do a good job of cooling us down.

One night in Bangkok (is plenty)

2010-05-10T20:13:00.000-05:00

I hope that song gets stuck in your head now because it's been in mind for two weeks now.

After about 18 hours of travel, I made it to Bangkok after picking up Jake in Singapore along the way. He spent all last week there for some training for work. Our week in Thailand is going to focus on beaches and cocktails and relaxation, but we couldn't come this far without at least checking out this amazing city. According to the news, the anti-government protests have become more intense, and we've seen lots of armed policemen, but so far we feel pretty safe in our hotel. We selected our hotel in the heart of the restuarant/nightlife/massage (read: sex industry) district thanks to a friend’s recommendation (thanks Travis). It’s a good one, as it’s right in the middle of everything, even though we're not really keen to go walking around at night.

Above is a view of the street from our hotel window, featuring a tuk tuk (three-wheeled taxi vehicle) in action. Below is looking out over the pool on the 16th floor, where I brought my new snorkel gear for a test drive.

Yesterday we made two attempts to head across town to visit the Grand Palace and the river where you can take boat tours through the canals of the city. Both attempts met with failure.

The first time we hopped in a cab and asked for the Grand Palace, the driver took us about two blocks and motioned us to get out and walk. Okay, maybe he didn't want to take such a long drive. We tried again, and the driver seemed a bit more cooperative. He quoted us 200 baht, which at $8 nzd sounded fine, and drove us through the parts of the city we'd seen on the news lately, including an area that was barricaded by tires and barbed wire. After maybe 20 minutes he dropped us off at some museum -- nowhere near the palace -- and refused to go farther.

So we'd been had. It was obvious to us then, but we made the most of it and the Jim Thompson Home Museum actually turned out to be pretty cool. (Jim was an American who made Thailand his home after WWII.) It's a very calm and relaxing place where we felt much more at ease than the busy, crowded, vendors-in-your-face feel of the other parts of Bangkok. Can’t wait to see the islands!

Across the street from our hotel was this very authentic, very affordable looking eating establishment. But after hearing numerous war stories about friends getting sick on vacation in Asia, Jake and I kept strictly to bottled water and food that is prepared specifically for foreigners. I admit our approach is neither glamourous nor culturally immersive. We're not famous for our strong stomachs -- we're just being honest.

Wish you were here: our week in Thailand

2010-05-09T16:48:00.007-05:00

We just got back from a dream holiday in Thailand, and what an incredible experience! We have a few stories to share with you over the coming days, but if you just can’t wait to learn more, here are a few highlights:

Flight segments to our final destination, Koh Samui island: 4
Long flight duration: 11 hours (Auckland-Singapore)
Size of Koh Samui: 12ish miles wide by 15ish miles long
Cost of an hour-long massage on the beach: $250 Thai baht ($10 NZD or $7 USD)
Number of souvenirs for which we under-negotiated the price: all of them
Number of taxis that didn’t take us where we asked: 2
Favourite cocktail: Pina Colada
Favourite beer: tie between Chang and Singha
Number of credit cards accidentally left in ATM on busy street: 1
Best airport feature: free foot massage chairs in Singapore
Best day: snorkel day cruise around Koh Tao
Awkward cultural misunderstandings: several
Best adventures: communicating, public transport and bargaining for purchases
Why we’ll go back: beautiful beaches, friendly people, relaxing vibe

Anzac Day in Wellington

2010-04-24T15:40:00.008-05:00

Today is Anzac Day. Anzac stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corp, and it's similar to Memorial Day that we celebrate in the States. Anzac Day is 25 April, the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Aus and NZ in World War I. The battle was in Gallipoli in Turkey.

This year's holiday is particularly sad, as we just learned that a military helicopter crashed just 30 km north of Wellington this morning and three of the four passengers have been killed.

For us, we know it's Anzac Day when you see men in military uniforms standing around the city handing out red poppies and raising money for their cause. We'd normally get a day off work for the holiday, but this year it lands on a Sunday, so I will honour those who served from the comfort of my pajamas and living room couch.

New Zealanders remember their veterans not only through this day of remembrance, but through several monuments and memorials Jake and I have seen around NZ. Gallipoli and WWI holds a special place in NZ's heart. The image above depicts the cenotaph, or Wellington Citizen's War Memorial, which is among the most prominent in town. But another one in particular that stands out in our mind is the Atatürk Memorial that sits high above the shore on the eastern walkway, a beautiful hike that Jake and I have taken a couple of times.

Here's a bit of history, which comes from Te Manuatu Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage about how NZ now has a special bond with Turkey:

The Atatürk Memorial is situated on a ridge above Tarakena Bay, Wellington. The Memorial looks out over Cook Strait and the site was chosen for its remarkable likeness to the landscape of the Gallipoli Peninsula.

The Memorial is an outcome of an agreement between the Turkish, Australian and New Zealand governments. In 1984, Australia asked Turkey if the cove on the Gallipoli peninsula could be renamed Anzac Cove in memory of the Australian and New Zealand troops who died there in 1915 during the Gallipoli Campaign of World War One. The Turkish Government agreed to change the cove's name from Ari Burnu and also built a large monument to all those who died in the campaign. In return, the Australian and New Zealand governments agreed to build monuments in Canberra and Wellington to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who served as a divisional commander at Gallipoli and went on to become the first president of modern Turkey.

Today we are thankful for all the service men and women who sacrifice so much to keep us safe, with a special shout out to our grandparents, dads, cousins, friends and brother.

This swing bridge is made of rust and zip ties?

2010-04-10T20:28:00.005-05:00

We just love how the New Zealand government mandates the Friday and Monday around Easter as public holidays. We took advantage of our four-day weekend by lounging around, going to a dinner party and Jake going to a Wellington Hurricanes rugby game. We also had the opportunity to go camping for a night.

We chose Otaki Forks, near the Tararua Forest Park because it's only about an hour and half from Welly and we haven't been there yet. So we threw some stuff in the car and headed out. The weather was looking a little like it wanted to rain but it held out rather well.

Jake was excited to get to use his New Zealand bird identification guide that I gave him for his birthday. There was a bird here but I was too slow to get him in the shot. So I forced Jake to pose for this reenactment. I had planned to PhotoShop a bird in it, but I'm too lazy.*

For me the highlight of this trip was this swing bridge we found on one of our walks. Just big enough for one person and constructed in a way I've never seen before. I took a few steps out onto it before I realised this bridge seems to be held together by some chain-link fencing, rusty cables, some torn basketball netting and a few sturdy zip ties.

Jake didn't seem to mind at all, but I took the trek a bit slower.

Not sure why I was scared though. If the entire thing had failed and dropped me, it would have been a fall of about 10 feet into a little stream that seemed to have the faintest current. I think it was only a few feet deep anyway.

And while I joke about the lack of maintenance on this swing bridge, it is just a joke. Jake and I continue to be impressed by how well kept all the NZ camping and tramping grounds are. Everything seems to be in excellent shape, well marked and carefully planned. Even the toilets are consistently nice -- and that will win you points in my book any day.

*Disclaimer: I'm just kidding about the bird. While I may occasionally remove a double chin or colour correct a landscape, I aim to avoid changing the meaning of any photo.

My first (and last?) experience sailing

2010-04-01T18:41:00.000-05:00

Things have been so busy around here that I haven't been able to tell you the story of the giant storm that came through Wellington a couple of weeks ago. This one was pretty fierce. And I happened to experience it from a little sailboat in the middle of the harbour.

The day started out fine. A few of us from work had been invited to go sailing as part of a corporate event. So we left around noon and found ourselves on deck shortly thereafter. Each boat had it's normal crew (ours had three guys) and a few guests. Above from left are Lisa, Tania and Stacey. The girls and I were given the responsibility of sitting on the side of the boat. Every time we tacked -- turned the boat right or left -- we girls would crawl over to the other side of the boat, carefully staying clear of the boom. It was all very exciting and harmless.

Above is a shot of our captain on the right. There were maybe 20 boats in the event, and I learned they can really lean against the wind.

We had a fun little tour of the harbour and we were making very good time, since the event is something of a race with the other boats. It was quite a rush to see the Interislander ferry pass by us so closely. One of the crew said it was maybe 30 meters away. This is the giant ship that Jake, Jim and Adena and I rode back from the South Island that carries 1,600 people and 600 vehicles. Made us feel pretty small on our little sailboat.

I sure wasn't much help to the crew, but I was still having a great time.

The next boat that came by, about two hours into our trip, was some sort of freight ship. Quite large, but that's not what was concerning me about this view. Take a look at the sky behind it. We'd all known there was a southerly coming, just had no idea it would be anything like this one.

Within just a couple minutes of shooting the photo above, we were hit by a violent storm. Our boat was getting pushed over at extreme angles and bouncing around randomly on the waves. They ushered us girls down below, as the boat was big enough to have a little area below with seating, minimal kitchen area, life jackets and gear. The boats was being tossed around in every direction, and all the stuff down below was flying around and falling off the shelves. We were leaning so much that one of our two little windows was under water.

With the adrenaline pumping, I watched the captain (that's him above) struggling for control and saw the giant waves out our one good window. I'd taken a couple of photos from down below until a couple things occurred to me. Number one, some of our people were scared. Scared in a serious way. And number two, I was getting motion sickness. Ugh.

For the next 30 minutes or so the crew struggled for control of the boat while maneuvering it into a safe part of the harbour -- Kau Bay -- that was protected from the brunt of the southerly winds. Things calmed down while we were there waiting out the weather and the crew came down and made us coffee and tea and listened to the boat's radio. Apparently someone had gone overboard on one of the other boats but had been rescued. Before long, the others started giving me strange looks and asking why I was blue and shivering. I'd been shivering for a while, but except for my uneasy stomach, I was feeling fine and not really that cold.

We heard the radio asking about our health and safety among all the boats that were still out on the water. I think everyone on ours looked up at me, and the captain radioed back that we "had a cold girl." I felt like the biggest wimp ever.

But on the bright side I got to ride back on the small rescue boat with Lisa and Stacey. It was the fastest boat I'd ever been on, we were hitting every wave hard and the three of us were holding on for our lives. But my stomach was already feeling better after leaving the cabin of the sailboat. Back on shore we thanked our rescuers immensely and ran into the yacht club where I immediately jumped into a fabulous hot shower. Got out and put some wonderful dry clothes on, was feeling pretty awesome until Stacey gasped at me -- apparently I was blue. She ran out (into the bar area wearing nothing but a towel -- I owe you a big thanks Stace) to get help, and a couple of lovely ladies came in with water and hot chocolate and lots of medical questions for me.

After lots of compassionate questioning, they decided I was recovering from being cold and sea-sick (although I never threw up -- just for the record). They kept a close eye on me and walked me out to my car when Jake picked me up.

We went home to find some extremely relieved in-laws. Apparently they were watching the sailboats out our apartment window when the storm blew in. They had no idea if I was on one of them, or whether any of the boats had cabins that would give us safe shelter. I hadn't taken my phone. Adena was so sweet to cook dinner that night. I snuggled up in lots of clothes and a blanket and shared the story with the family over spaghetti and meatballs. Wow, it was good to be home.

The storm made big news in the paper, and there's even a video of it on YouTube. Three separate folks in the yacht club who'd been sailing all their lives told me they'd seen storms like that out in the ocean, but never in the harbour. For my first real sailing experience, it was definitely one I'll never forget.

Helping Australian cricket fans feel welcome

2010-03-27T18:03:00.006-05:00

I give up. I will never understand cricket. Try reading this recap of the current cricket test between our NZ Black Caps and Australia that was published on stuff.co.nz:

Captian Daniel Vettori took four for 36 off 19.3 overs and removed his opposite number Ricky Ponting for 22 with a direct hit run out as Australia were skittled for 231 after opting to bat in the second test at Seddon Park.

After the early loss of Tim McIntosh, bowled for four without offering a shot to paceman Doug Bollinger, BJ Watling and the recalled Mathew Sinclair negotiated 13 overs to guide New Zealand to 19 for one in reply at stumps.

It was Vettori's best innings figures in 13 tests, since his six for 56 against the West Indies in Dunedin in December 2008, and with rejuvenated paceman Tim Southee (4-61) saw New Zealand storm back from their 10-wicket defeat in Wellington.

See what I mean? I know we're competing with Australia, and the series stretches out over several weeks and across several cities, and I have absolutely no idea who's winning or losing.

But what I can appreciate is the Kiwi sense of humour when it comes to hosting our biggest sports rivals. A couple weeks ago I started noticing some helpful signs around the city for the out-of-town fans who were sure to come for the games.

The first one I saw (that I never had a chance to photograph) suggested cricket fans take the cable car to Westpac stadium. Sounds like helpful advice for tourists, right? Thing is, the cable car is located way across town and runs nowhere near the stadium. And a kumara is a sweet potato -- it definitely requires some cooking before consumption.

And I wish our friends from across the ditch, as they say, lots of luck in looking for our subway, as we don't have one. Not sure what the actual score is, but looks like the points for clever advertising go to New Zealand.

The Marlborough region with Jim and Adena

2010-03-26T13:08:00.001-05:00

In a final recap of our visit from Jake's parents, I'll share some photos from our trip down to the Marlborough region on the South Island. We took our car on the ferry from Wellington to Picton, and let me tell you those waters were rough!

But we quickly recovered and kicked things off with a wine tour. This area is best known for its sauvignon blancs, which are my favourite. They also produce pinot gris, riesling, gewurtztraminer (best with Thai food, I learned), some chardonnay and pinot noir.

I think Jim enjoyed the wines, but was pretty excited to find this book that featured a photo of a dog driving a car.

In Blenheim we stayed in a beautiful little holiday house there hosted by some friendly Kiwis Gill and Richard. They even invited us to enjoy a drink with them in their bar room after our wine tour. By that point, we'd tasted more than 20 or so wines and were feeling rather good. So later we had a pizza delivered and called it an early night!

Also in Blenheim we visited an aviation museum that housed several WWI era war planes and replicas. Then we were off to see the Marlborough Sounds and Queen Charlotte Track, one of NZ's great walks.

The short water taxi ride was much easier on my stomach than the 3-hour interisland ferry.

We put on our hiking shoes and started walking. Since we weren't staying long, we didn't need to bring much -- just put all our stuff in Jake's and Jim's backpacks. Thanks for carrying our stuff guys! We saw some beautiful sights on our walks, some under the canopy of the trees and some open views of the sounds.

My favourite quote of the entire trip is from Jim: "This place would be pretty cool if you had monkeys here."

We walked some, but mostly we spent plenty of time relaxing. The weather was just perfect. Strangely we saw a tonne of jellyfish in the water, so swimming was out of the question, but the guys had the chance to do a bit of fishing.

The guys didn't have any bait and only were able to borrow some very meager fishing equipment, so they picked some muscles from out of the water, smashed them open with their boots (no tools handy) and used the meat for bait. The entire process took about 20 minutes to set up the first time and within five seconds of being in the water it had been stolen. Those fish had seen that trick before.

Some friendly fishermen nearby shared a bit of bait with them and they were able to reel in a couple of fish, but I think they were having fun just trying new techniques.

We stayed a night each at Te Mahia and the Portage Resort and both were nice and relaxing. We spent some time exploring each one and decided that this jetty that was closed for safety reasons was a perfect spot for a family photo.

I thought it turned out well, but we had to watch where we stepped as some of the boards were either rotted through or loose. No wonder it was closed.

We came back to the main restaurant for dinner that evening. We were taking in the beautiful sunset when this chap in a kilt walks by and Adena excitedly but politely asks if she can have a photo with him.

The conversation immediately following this photo:

Adena: "So are you with the wedding party we've seen here tonight?"

Kilt guy: "Yes I'm the groom."

Adena: [gasps, goes bright red and starts apologising like she's just met a famous person]

It was all good fun though because he was very friendly. Not so sure why the Starship Enterprise is in the photo, but I still like this pic.

For our ferry back to Wellington, we were on a much larger boat -- it could hold up to 1,600 people and 600 vehicles. And the seas were much calmer, which made for a very pleasant trip.

The guys spent some of the time wandering around the boat, but much of the time they were watching the scores of the Kansas State game. They've been hauling their tournament bracket printout to each location on our journey, so their prized little piece of paper was getting pretty ratty by now. We took this photo after Jake realised his dad had used it as a coaster.

We had such a great time with you guys -- thanks so much for coming all this way to visit. We'll never forget it.

A weekend near Mt. Taranaki

2010-03-24T13:08:00.008-05:00

Jake and the parents and I spent a weekend up near Mt. Taranaki/Egmont National Park, on the west side of the North Island. What an amazing view! This volcano is what they used instead of Mt. Fuji when filming The Last Samurai, which came out in 2003. No sightings of Tom Cruise this time though.

Many thanks to our friend Heidi, who hooked us up with an amazing accommodation. Her mother runs a beautiful mountain lodge in the area, and we had so much fun wandering around the property and seeing all the artwork inside.

The garden was a special treat to explore as Jim and Adena have their own at home. This little courgette (zucchini) was ready to eat, and we didn't want it going to waste. And the friendly pet pig was happy to socialise with us, although we were hesitant to get too close.

There were a few sheep on the property who are a little more shy than the pig -- you can just see them across the bridge.

Although we went exploring and took a bush walk, we were really happy to stay indoors and just look out the window at the amazing views and interesting birds that came to visit. Some of the time the mountain was hidden by the clouds, but when it cleared up it was spectacular.

Soccer and barbecue with the parents

2010-03-23T13:40:00.004-05:00

I have been such a neglectful blogger this month! But it's not without reason -- Jake's parents were here on a visit all the way from Rose Hill, Kansas. We have too many photos to count and so many adventures to tell, so I'll just hit the highlights. The morning after they arrived in Wellington we greeted them with a barbecue and a soccer game.

Jake had a full grill and smoked a bunch of meat -- way more food than we needed so we were eating leftovers for a week. It was great!

We had some friends come over and show us how excited they were that the Wellington Pheonix made it to the A-League semi-final.

Our game in Westpac Stadium was an exciting one and we ended up winning.

Over the next couple of days, Jim and Adena had the chance to recover from their jetlag and get to know our little village suburb of Khandallah. They found the lawn bowls club and some friendly folks even invited them to try it out.

They were also happy to find the Parson's Nose Bakery Cafe -- Parsons is Adena's maiden name so we had to document the find with this photo.

And of course visiting Wellington isn't worth the trip if you don't take a walk around the harbour. This is one of our well known works of art.

We had our wonderful neighbors over for a meal. We enjoyed a pavlova (delicious fluffy dessert) prepared by June.

And we climbed to the top of Mt. Kaukau for some amazing views of the city, harbour and ocean.

I'll share more soon, but I have to run to work now. Can't wait to tell you about wine and volcanoes and WWI aircraft and boats and men in kilts. What a fun time we've had!

Our folks are here to visit

2010-03-09T12:18:00.003-06:00

It's so great to have Jake's parents here for a visit all the way from Kansas.

So far Jim and Adena have taken in a tour of Parliament, an amazing Pheonix soccer win at Westpac stadium, the delights of lawn bowls, lots of walking, some tasty Kiwi treats such as pavlova (thanks Heidi) and Cheerios (thanks Greg), and of course some good New Zealand wine and beer. Lots more to come, so we'll offer an update again soon.

Wedding in wine country

2010-02-28T01:55:00.003-06:00

Congratulations to our friends Andy and Liang, who got married this weekend in Hawkes Bay.

Hawkes Bay is one of NZ's best wine regions, and the couple decided to have the ceremony at the beautiful Te Awa vineyard.

It was a fairly small ceremony of 50 or so guests, but several of them are friends we hang out with all the time.

On Sunday we headed over to a much smaller vineyard attached to a luxury B&B called the Cardoness Lodge for a barbecue before heading home. These wineries not only make some good wine, but they keep some beautiful gardens.

The weather and the scenery could not be more perfect. Thank you, Andy and Liang, for inviting us to share in your special day.

Milford Track: waterfalls and mountain passes

2010-02-19T14:23:00.011-06:00

I think waterfalls are ruined for me forever. Take a trip down to Fiordland National Park and you'll see what I mean. The first time you see one when you're driving in -- before you've even really started your trip -- it's amazing.

The next 15 are equally inspiring.

And when you tramp for four days and see hundreds more, it almost starts wearing off. You start feeling guilty for not taking photos of each one. By the end, even some pretty awesome falls are only mildly impressive. Be prepared if you're planning a trip here. This is what New Zealand does to you.

To be fair, I'm talking about the Milford Track, a four-day tramp that Jake and I took on last weekend. It's said to be one of NZ's most beautiful walks, and I can see why. We traveled through forest, valleys, the edge of some cliffs and up over a mountain pass.

Our weather was perfect, but this water was cold! And it only rained at night, which was perfect for fueling all the waterfalls.

The food we brought left something to be desired. Jake and I don't have much experience with planning meals for multi-day hikes where you have to carry it all in yourself. This tasty treat of canned spaghetti on bread is a Kiwi tradition. We may have skimped on food but we didn't forget the wine (in plastic bottles to reduce weight).

This is such a popular track that we booked our trip back in July. They limit the trip to 40 people starting per day. Trampers stay in huts like this one that feature simple bunkrooms and kitchens with sinks and gas burners. And best of all -- flush toilets.

The low central flat spot in the image above is McKinnon Pass. On day 3, our journey took us 500 meters up to the top, then 1,000 meters back down. Luckily, we'd consumed enough of our wine supply to lighten our loads a bit.

This monument is very near the top of the pass. I was huffing and puffing at this point -- I really felt as though I'd climbed a mountain. A great feeling.

The Milford Track was amazing. Our memories of the sandflies, sore muscles and tired feet are already fading, and our memories of beautiful scenery, triumphant climbing and friendly people are here to stay.

Sevens weekend 2010

2010-02-06T15:22:00.010-06:00

In case you're unfamiliar with the Sevens, in particular the Wellington Sevens, here's a brief description. Two days, 16 teams, a boatload of matches because each one only lasts 20 minutes, seven guys on each team. This town dresses up in costume and parties for 48 hours. It's a blast.

Day 1

This year Jake and I went with our friends Archie and Maggie along with Archie's sister and cousin. The four of them are from Virginia, so the guys dressed up as Virginia Beach life guards, and the girls were tourists. I think Erin and Courtney are doing the tourist thing pretty well actually.

On our walk to the stadium, we came across a couple vans like this sitting at a red light -- it's the US team! We wished them luck, and they actually did fairly well.

This is the US team warming up on the sidelines as the day began.

The Sevens involves packing 16 teams and a lot of 20-minute games into two days. So the games start around 1 pm each day. We got there pretty early on Friday and the stadium was still fairly empty.

But it didn't take long for the stadium to get packed and crazy.

Not sure who this guy was but we were happy to see someone waving our flag.

We saw a streaker run out across the field and get so close to the teams that they had to stop the play. The crowd's cheers turned to boos when he was tackled by security.

For modesty, I've only included a photo of him after he was covered by security.

We were surrounded by some interesting characters. I think my favourites were these "nerds" (below) who were impressed to learn that our group is from "vagina beach." So impressed that they yelled the name over and over for 30 minutes.

Day 2

Jake and the guys decided to check out the second and final day of the Sevens. (One day was plenty for me.) After a bit of planning and preparation, they were transformed into hillbillies.

Doesn't look like it took much effort. I'd say they're naturals, eh? From left, this is Greg and Ed above, and Andy, Mike and Jas below.

No sporting event is complete without some barbecue, so they grilled out at Ed's place before heading to the game.

I'll let Jake fill you in on the details after that. All I know is what the photos tell me. The next 75 shots on the camera were of rugby, the guys cheering in the stands, and a few strange blurry photos. Looks like a great time! Here are some highlights.

Congratulations to Fiji, who came out on top at the 2010 Sevens.

The Sevens are here

2010-02-04T02:01:00.006-06:00

It's that time again. Time to dress up in costume and drink as much as you possibly can. That's right -- the Sevens are here. I went to check out the street parade today, and the rugby kicks off tomorrow.

So a few of us from work, including Lisa (above), snuck out to watch the parade at lunchtime. We had a chance to see all the teams go by in their various vehicles.

It was quite an international event, with teams from Argentina, South Africa, Fiji, Samoa, Niue (I have to admit I know absolutely nothing about Niue), Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Canada, Tonga and more.

The groups from some of the island nations were more enthusiastic and musical than others. What I love about the group from Fiji (above) is the little boy wearing an All Blacks t-shirt. Maybe not the right place to wear another team's apparel, but what are you gonna do? He's too cute.

And of course England was well-represented.

And finally I was excited to see the US team roll by. I even came prepared with a little American flag to wave at my fellow countrymen.

Not sure they even noticed me, but I was happy to cheer for them. Good luck tomorrow guys!

And then came our very own New Zealand players. We're excited to take part in the Sevens again this year -- we definitely had way too much fun last time.

Thanks to Lisa for taking most of these photos.

Glad to know I inspire my colleagues

2010-01-24T19:49:00.006-06:00

It happened to me again on Friday. At work, I met someone whom I've only ever corresponded with via email who was rather surprised to find that I am a woman. Apparently the vast majority of Jamies here are male. No worries. I've gotten used to it.

Another thing I've gotten used to is the little nickname I've been given from the folks in our marketing team. For some reason they started calling me Ja'mie (pronounced juh-MAY) not long after I started. They told me it was because of some Australian TV character, and I never bothered looking it up.

Just today I finally became curious enough to Google the show, and was surprised to find that not only was this female character played by a MAN, she's completely stuck up and vacant. Check it out:

She's actually really funny. Think what you'd like, but I'm pretty sure my colleagues gave me the name with good-hearted intensions. We work in the insurance and financial services industry after all, so any bit of humour and fun we can add to our workdays is fully welcomed.

Ja'mie King of Summer Heights High

Digital effects in Wellywood

2010-01-19T12:44:00.009-06:00

We just saw the movie Avatar last night, and now I know what all the talk is about. Some amazing special effects. I'm proud to know those effects were created just down the road from here, at Weta Digital in Miramar Wellington.

If you haven't seen the movie, at least check out the trailer and movie site so you get an idea of how impressive these effects are. The reference to Kansas did not go unnoticed.

Weta Digital is a big player. They've been involved in films such as Lord of the Rings and King Kong. Here's a quick read I enjoyed if you're interested in learning a bit more about how they make the live action filming and digital effects look to real and seamless. Because of our city's growing involvement in the film industry, some have referred to us as Wellywood.

Royal Update!

2010-01-17T16:13:00.001-06:00

I saw Prince William this morning as he entered Wellington's new Supreme Court building!

He arrived with a motorcade and several secret service types, escorted by our Prime Minister John Key -- it was the first time I've seen him as well. A couple colleagues and I walked over there, saw several hundred people gathered there, then found an excellent spot at the top level of the carpark across the street. (To be clear, it wasn't my carpark as I mentioned earlier. Mine's on the other side.) A Maori delegation greeted him with a traditional Maori cloak, which I'm told is only presented to the highest Moari chiefs and other dignitaries, as well as a haka performance. It was all rather exciting for a Monday morning in Wellington!

Royalty in Wellington

2010-01-17T13:19:00.005-06:00

Speaking of visitors to New Zealand, today we're honoured with the company of Prince William. In his first official international visit for the Queen, he's joining us for three days, which will include a tour of the 2011 Rugby World Cup grounds, a cruise around in an America's Cup boat, a barbecue with the prime minister and a visit to a children's hospital.

Best headline so far: Right in the Crown Jewels, with a report on how he received a minor injury while playing catch with a group of boys.
The reason for his visit is the opening of the new NZ Supreme Court building here in Wellington, which is across the street from our downtown carpark, and only a couple blocks from the buildings Jake and I work in. I love how compact our little city is.

Hardship in Haiti

2010-01-17T13:02:00.003-06:00

Hilary Clinton was scheduled to visit New Zealand until the earthquake hit Haiti, which is all over our news. What an unimaginable tragedy. It's hard to understand how such an enormous disaster should happen in one of the poorest nations on earth. Makes us feel pretty far removed from the challenges and hardship people face -- not just after something like this happens, but the struggles that many people deal with every day for basic necessities such as food and shelter.

I'm over this weather

2010-01-16T18:32:00.007-06:00

We've heard and seen photos of how the US and the UK are experiencing the worst winters in more than 25 years, and our hearts go out to them. Everything covered in snow and ice... it's been a while but we remember how depressing that is.

Our city is going through its own cold snap this week, and it's supposed to be summer here! I love Wellington, and we have a strange sense of pride in knowing it always seems to be colder, windier and rainier than any other part of the country. I think it's just part of its character. Take a peak at this news clip about our unseasonably cool weather and how the hearty folks in our city are coping.

Man it's windy

2010-01-09T20:32:00.002-06:00

So windy that today they called for sustained winds of about 70 km/h and gusts of up to 120 km/h -- that's 75 miles per hour!

I just got back from a run, and it sure felt as though I was running in place at times. It's hard to capture the intensity of the wind in a photo, so I'll just share a shot of one of the sculptures featured along Wellington's harbour front. It was created by English artist Max Patte and titled "Solace in the Wind."

Cows, caves and carvings in the Northland

2010-01-04T03:58:00.007-06:00

When our Chicago friends had to leave, Jake and I wanted to take advantage of the six days of vacation we still had left, so we hopped on a flight to Auckland to explore the northern part of the North Island.

I hear the entire U.S. is covered in a giant cold front, which really makes me appreciate our warm sunshine right now.

Jake and I had a chance to kayak to Haruru Falls near Paihia and Waitangi. The trip took us almost three hours since we didn't research the tide schedules before leaving. My arms were so exhausted, but it was worth it to paddle right up to this waterfall.

We also had a chance to visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. If you're unfamiliar with the Waitangi Treaty, it's among the most important documents in NZ history. Signed in 1840 between the British and 500 Maori tribal chiefs, it gave the Maori the same rights as British subjects and recognised Maori ownership of their land. The interpretation was controversial though, as the British version sites the word "govern" where the Maori version says "sovereign."

Overall though, it seems both Maori and non-Maori people respect the treaty, especially since we get a day off in February every year to celebrate it. The Maori carvings are amazing to see in person. Apparently Maori wasn't a written language, so they communicated and upheld their history through carving and weaving. We were told the faces stick their tongues out because of the spoken nature of the language, and the man at the top is holding a paddle because the sea is so important to the Maori culture. Paua, a type of abalone shell found here in NZ, is used as an accent in most of the carvings' eyes.

The New Zealand flag flies above the British Union Jack on the right, and the flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand on the left at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. On our drive from Paihia to our next camping destination, we came across a site that reminded us of Kansas. A bunch of cows in the road, and some lady on a four-wheeler yelling at them.

Check out our brand new tent in action at a campsite near Whangaroa. Pay no attention to the fact that it is stretched to the seams in order to fit our double-tall, queen-size pillow-top air mattress. You didn't think we were roughing it, did you?

We were looking for a tent that would be big enough to fit our giant air mattress when we go car-camping, but also small and light enough that we (and by we, I mean Jake) can fit/carry it in a backpack for multi-day treks. In case you're wondering Brett, this tent weighs about two kilos of peanut butter. (Readers: remind me to tell you the peanut butter story some time.)

Glow worm caves are a big tourist draw here. The next night we stayed at a little backpacker lodge that let us check out the cave next door unguided and for free. Of course my photos of the little critters didn't turn out, but that's okay. I don't want to ruin their mystique anyway.

This cow obviously didn't recognise my rural and agricultural roots.

We had plenty of beach time on this trip as well. I love these gorgeous beaches that never seem crowded. Not sure if we've just been avoiding the most popular places, but we can always walk a little ways or crawl over some rocks to find a little spot all to ourselves. I lived in Southern California when I was little, and it always seems like our blanket was touching other people's blankets. The weather here may not be as consistently nice as there, but I do love having some space. And when a New Zealander walks by, they say "Hi, how are you?" or "How you going?" I should be used to it by now, but I continue to be surprised and impressed by the friendliness.

Here you go, everyone. This here is the largest sea cave in the southern hemisphere. Jake and I took a cruise out to the Poor Knights Islands (apparently Jacques Cousteau rated this place among the top 10 best dive spots in the world). We did a bit of snorkeling in the chilly waters and kayaked into this amazing cave. What a beautiful place.

And after nearly two and a half weeks of blissfully amazing vacation, it's time to go back to work.

High above Wellington

2009-12-29T17:10:00.005-06:00

So after our grand tour of the South Island with Jamie and Amy Stark, the four of us came back to Wellington. Our idea was to show them around the little city we proudly call home. But actually they ended up showing us around -- by signing us up for a helicopter tour!

The four of us climbed in and lifted off from Queen's Wharf in the heart of our CBD. Amy wisely thought I might be a little scared to fly in a helicopter (it just doesn't make any sense to me how they fly), so she decided I'd be in charge of photography in hopes it would distract me.

Although it meant I'd be in the front seat next to our pilot, it worked well. I took about 240 pics in the space of 35 minutes! Don't worry, you don't have to see all of them. We even got to use those cool headsets to talk to each other.

I immediately started snapping pics when we took off and banked hard to the left. Holy cow -- I never realized this is how helicopters manage to steer.

Our route took us north of the city, and when we mentioned our street to our pilot, he flew a little circle over our home.

Then of course came some amazing views of the coastline.

The little sheep look like dots from above.

We have a lot of wind turbines near Wellington. Jake made a comment to the pilot about that scene in Mission Impossible that involved choppers flying in and around turbines, and the pilot made a sudden move to drop the chopper down closer. He was just joking, and he immediately brought us back to level, but my heart was already in my throat. Everyone had a good laugh, and I tried to pretend it hadn't just scared the bejesus out of me. Thanks for that Jake. :)

The best view of the day was seeing the South Island so clearly across Cook Strait. It's usually much harder to see.

I did manage to overcome my nerves and really enjoyed the amazing views. What made it really special to us was that this is our home and we knew it so well. We could point out a lot of the walking tracks we'd been on, saw the red rocks area where the seal colony is, recognised the river in the Hutt Valley we've gone on runs along. I'm not sure this would have meant so much had we done it when we first arrived.

Thanks, Jamie and Amy, for taking us on such an amazing adventure! You guys are a blast, and we're so happy you could come out and enjoy this amazing country with us.

Roadtripping around the South Island

2009-12-28T19:16:00.015-06:00

I can hear my mom... "If your friends told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it too?" Well apparently Jake would.

He took the plunge off the 43-meter-high Kawarau Bridge -- the world's first commercial bungy jump -- on Dec 23.

He took the opportunity to bungy while we were in Queenstown, NZ, adventure capital of the world, with our friends Jamie and Amy Stark from Chicago. Jamie also jumped off the bridge (we're talking about Jamie Stark of course, as I am not that crazy).

Here we are in front of a statue that honours the sheepdog. These dogs helped make it possible to live and prosper here in New Zealand as sheep play such a big role.

We roadtripped from Christchurch, through Lake Tekapo to Queenstown, where we stayed three days, then on to Milford Sound and Te Anau, Wanaka, Greymouth and back over to Christchurch.

We had some beautiful weather and some incredible scenery. The colour of the lakes in this area was just amazing.

We took a couple hikes and found some interesting bridges to cross.

When it came time to find our way across a creek, Jake and Mr. Stark got to work moving big rocks to build a bridge for us. While Amy and I debated the driest routes across the water, the men took on the manly job of picking up and throwing heavy rocks. A few big splashes resulted and defeated the purpose of trying to keep dry.

Finally across the creek and up the hill to the viewing platform, we had an excellent view of the Franz Joseph Glacier, and celebrated with a bit of NZ's tasty pinot noir.

No trip to the South Island is complete without a wine tour, so we paid someone to drive us around several vineyards in the Central Otago region. This area is best known for its pinot noir, and also produces some chardonnay and pinot gris. Yum.

After a few samples, we took a dignified little stroll through the vines.

Allow me to introduce you to the South Island mountain parrot. He's big, he's the centre of attention, and he wants to chew on the rubber seal on your rental car's door. He's also been known to sit there calmly while people crowd around and take his photo. What you won't notice is his buddy behind you who flew into your open car window rummaging through your snack stash. Turn around at just the right time, and you'll see that little rascal flying away with a bag full of honey roasted peanuts. New Zealand is a pretty safe place. The only crime we've experienced in our 12 months here was this daylight peanut heist.

One of the highlights of our trip had to be Milford Sound. This place is amazing. Giant steep hills covered in hundreds of waterfalls and surrounded by water. Jake and I are coming back in February to walk the four-day Milford Track, one of NZ's "great walks."

Even driving up to the Sounds was beautiful. Here's an example of how many waterfalls you'd see on the hillsides next to the road. This is Fjordland National Park, and they say it rains 200 days a year.

The weather was much nicer in Lake Tekapo. I fell in love with these flowers, which you see all over the place.

In Queenstown we rented a little two-bedroom apartment that had a fantastic view looking out over the lake. When we weren't bungy-jumping or hiking or wine touring or rafting (on the Shotover River -- no photo opps since I was hanging on for my life), we were relaxing here and enjoying the view from our deck.

It's strange to be away from our families and spend the holidays in such a warm place. But we had a great Christmas and hope you did too.

Happy expataversary to us!

2009-12-27T14:19:00.009-06:00

Dec. 28 marks one year since we landed here in Wellington and first asked each other "can you believe we're really here?" Our year has been filled with good friends, lots of exploring, new words such as "cheers" and "rubbish," and tons of wine. We've learned that adventure is not about your location but about your frame of mind. But we admit living in New Zealand sure makes it easy.

Jake and I just returned from an amazing roadtrip around the South Island with Jamie and Amy Stark. We'll sort through all our photos and post some here soon.

Flying the friendly skies

2009-12-17T12:23:00.004-06:00

As we prepare for our first summertime Christmas, Jake and I are counting down the days -- or "sleeps" as they say here -- until our holiday. Only one sleep left for us now before heading off to Queenstown with the Starks from Chicago! In the meantime, I want to share a couple photos of my company's holiday party.

Kiwi language lesson #401: If a party requires "fancy dress," it doesn't mean formal attire. It means you wear a costume. It took me a while to figure that out after learning our party required fancy dress with a "uniform" theme.

Anyway, my workmates and I chose to be a flight crew, "AXA Airlines." From left, this is Diana (my boss), Greg (sits next to me at work), Mark (our department head), Caro (designer) and me. A few members of our team are missing from the photo. Greg was a big hit and took home one of the top costume awards.

Tea? Coffee? Caro found a drink trolley on the way to the party. Greg made several references to Transgender Airlines and offered safety instructions that involved his two "floatation devices" in case of an emergency landing. And of course there were plenty of less appropriate comments that I won't post here. I'm lucky to work with such a cool marketing team -- they are a ton of fun.

Abel Tasman Coastal Track

2009-12-08T00:41:00.008-06:00

We're well into December and it doesn't feel like Christmas at all to us. Maybe it's because we just got back from an amazing three-day backpacking trip on one of New Zealand's Great Walks.

Although it managed to rain on us a little bit, overall it was warm and summery.

We went with our friend Brett, our American friend who works with Jake and has a pretty sweet blog of his own. The two guys crammed everything they could into their packs and let me carry my normal everyday-sized backpack, which was so nice. (Sorry guys, I guess we didn't need that iron skillet after all...)

There's an adventure everywhere you look around here. We took a water taxi from our launch point to the start of the track, and instead of going out on a dock and loading into a boat, we and 10 other trampers loaded into the boat while still on dry ground. They use tractors to load and unload boats of boats big and small. It was a little strange wearing a life jacket while rolling down the road in a boat. We had some rough seas that day, and even though the weather seemed fantastic, we were extremely happy to get back onto dry land.

The track goes across beautiful golden-sand beaches, and up through the bush and trees in the hills. But what I'll remember most are the low-tide crossings. Every six hours, the tide changes, and you need to plan your walk accordingly. When the time is right, you take off your hiking shoes and cross in what is sometimes knee-deep water. One time we had to keep your shoes on and carefully climb over boulders for 100 meters to find water that was shallow enough to cross.

If Jake or Brett tries to tell you a story about how I threw my own hiking shoe in the water -- in a failed attempt to toss it ashore during one of our crossings -- don't believe them. It'll only make them tease me more. :)

We stayed each night at clean and well organised campsites managed by the Dept. of Conservation (DOC). They had flush toilets! And clean drinking water, and fire pits with firewood. Amazing. We met several other trampers, many of them European. The DOC worker for the Anchorage campsite sat down at our fire and shared stories about driving a big rig through the center of Australia, and how there are so many kangaroos that sometimes you'll run them over in quick succession. "Boom, boom, boom..." as he described it. Ughh.

What a beautiful walk! The Abel Tasman is now one of my favourites, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful weekend trip.

Khandallah street party

2009-11-26T13:42:00.008-06:00

Thanksgiving's never been like this before. This was the first time we didn't have the day off, but that was okay. It doesn't really feel like Thanksgiving anyway, because we're in the middle of spring now, and temps are in the upper teens (60s-70s F).

I love the folks I work with. I offered a little Happy Thanksgiving greeting to everyone, and it triggered a conversation about how the last American who worked here brought in a bunch of delicious food on Thanksgiving. Oops -- sounds like I should have kept my mouth shut.

So instead of our traditional turkey, which I hear can cost you upwards of $80 here, Jake and I opted for a walk along the Wellington waterfront and dinner at an outdoor cafe. And a little frozen yogurt before heading home.

Then as we drove around the last corner before our driveway, we found a group of our neighbors sitting out in the street with a table and chairs and glasses full of wine. Apparently one neighbor was lending another some chairs for another neighbor's 60th birthday party on Saturday, and only made it so far as the street before opening some wine and settling in. They were such a cheerful group we had to join them. It stays light well after 9 pm now, so we had a lovely time chatting about the neighborhood, rugby and Phil's birthday party. Every car that drove past sparked a new level of excitement and received lots of happy smiles and raised glasses. What a fun group.

We're smokin'

2009-11-22T02:31:00.006-06:00

That's right. Jake got a wild hair on Monday. By Saturday morning, we had a new smoker, some charcoal, woodchips and ribs, and he was on the phone to his buddies back in the Midwest working out the details. We were, after all, on our way to a barbecue at Greg's place that day.

He recruited help to get some additional charcoal going. Rob and Ed used this conveniently placed pot belly stove as a platform for the charcoal cylinder thingy.

Then we waited. I love this photo (above). Everyone was pretty interested in the smoking technique, but I have to laugh because the folks in this shot look pretty skeptical. :) Smokers and pork ribs are a much bigger deal where we come from. It's definitely not your typical barbecue fare around these parts. I definitely can get used to the Kiwi custom of starting out most social events with bubbles though! I'm loving the champagne.

Then after hours of preparation, conversation, perspiration and speculation ... the ribs are done!

And it took about three minutes to go through a couple full racks. Mmm! Jake says they were a bit on the dry side, and now he's determined to practice until he gets it perfect. I bet you can guess what we'll be doing every weekend for the rest of the summer.

Here's Greg and Hannah, who graciously hosted.

While the guys were outside playing with fire, we girls were inside giggling at their very serious conversations and the confused expressions on their faces. This is Sonia and Heidi above, and Lisa and Hannah below.

Good stuff honey! Thanks for cooking for me.

Lazy weekend in a west coast surf town

2009-11-17T00:39:00.004-06:00

We spent last weekend in Raglan, a cool little surf town on the west coast of the North Island not far from Hamilton. We decided to go after I scored some sweet $14 ($10 USD) return (which means round-trip) airline tickets a while back.

Lots of walking of course, and enjoyed the scenery... I probably say that in every post, don't I? Anyway, we took a hike along the exposed coastal cliffs and found a cute little tree that had grown completely sideways due to the wind. Jake's adding a little weight at the moment, but it was leaning that much to begin with.

And then closer to a swimming beach we came across these four Maori carvings that represent the four directions. Artists usually use paua, an abalone only found in NZ, for the eyes and other features.

Enjoying some bubbles on the balcony of our hotel. I told you it was a lazy little trip.

Bridal Veil Falls is 20ish km outside of town and is 55 meters high. A really well constructed walkway guides you from the top to a viewing platform down at the bottom.

In all the guidebooks, they say Raglan is known to have the longest left-hand surf break in the world, and here it is. The photographer didn't catch a good wave in this shot, because the waves were much larger and there were several more surfers out there.

And since we don't surf, we were perfectly content to have a lazy weekend together.