THERES A WHOLE LOT GREAT ABOUT OZ...ENJOYED IT ALL...SOUTH COAST EASILY THE BEST....OZ FOLK?...YOU CAN'T FAULT THEM...THEY HELPED NU AND I MORE THAN WE COULD OF HOPED FOR...THE VEGGIES AND THE MEAT ARE LOADS BETTER THAN THE ENGLISH EQUILAVANT...SUNSETS TO DIE FOR...SCENERY UNBELIEVABLE...I GREAT PLACE TO COME...TO LIVE?...I THINK NOT!...PRICES ARE HIGH...PUB ATMOSEPHERE IS DIRE...THERS A LOTTA JEALOUSY TOWARDS THE ENGLISH...THEY WON'T ADMIT IT...BUT YOU CAN SEE IT...YOU FEEL IT...THE OZZIES WORSHIP THERE COUNTRY AND ARE BLIND TO ITS FAULTS...THEY HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY...THEY HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH IMMAGRATION...THEY HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH STREET CRIME...THE TAXES ARE WELL HIGH...THEY SAY ITS THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH TO LIVE...BUT THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WE HAVE...WE,THE ENGLISH ADMIT OUR FAULTS...THE OZZIES SHY AWAY FROM THEM...THEY LIVE IN OK BUNGALOWS WITH A FAIR PATCH OF LAND...BUT THERES SO MUCH LAND ITS WORTHLESS!...DID YOU KNOW?...[NO JOKE]...80% OF EX-PATS ARE RETURNING TO THE UK...NEVER LOOK FURTHER THAN THE UK...ITS THE PLACE TO BE!.....Ps.57% OF THE BEACHES IN OZ ARE NO GO...ANOTHER 25% ARE OUTA BOUNDS AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR...MAINLY BECAUSE CERTAIN CREATURES MAY LIKE TO HAVE A TASTY?...NIBBLE!...ALSO DID YOU?...THE OLDEST VEG IN THE WORLD IS THE PEA!...I READ IT ON A PACK OF CRISPS...THAT GIVE YOU A BIT OF TRIVIA!...EXCITING HEY?
NEW ZEALAND TIMES....THE START.
30.7.08...DAY ONE.
1.00AM...ATTEMPTING TO SLEEP...BIT OF TURBULENCE.
2.30AM...READING NEWSPAPER.
5.00AM...COMING INTO LAND...THINK I SLEPT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR.
6.00AM...CUPPA COFFEE AT AIRPORT CAFE.
7.00AM...NU PHONING LAURA...I'M TIRED...NEED TO SLEEP.
8.00AM...SECURITY/CUSTOMS/DUTY FREE...BOUGHT BOTTLE OF WILD TURKEY AND A BOTTLE OF BACARDI FOR NU.
8.25AM...DEPARTURE LOUNGE BAR...BEER...NU FALLING ASLEEP.
9.10AM...THE CALL COMES OVER ON THE TANNOY FOR OUR FLIGHT.
9.30AM...SITTING ON PLANE...WELL WEARY.
9.45AM...TAKE OFF.
10.30AM...ASLEEP.
12.30PM...BACK IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING.
3.00PM...COMING INTO LAND...THE FLIGHT WAS ONLY 3 HOURS...BUT ZEALAND ADDS ANOTHER 3 HOURS...IS THAT 3 HOURS MORE OF LIFE...OR 3 HOURS LESS?
3.20PM...TOUCH DOWN SUCCESSFUL.
3.50PM...SECURITY CHECK/PASSPORT CONTROL...NU BECAUSE SHE AS AN IRISH PASSPORT ONLY GETS 3 MONTHS...I,BEING ENGLISH GET 6!
4.20PM...ON BUS TO CHRISTCHURCH CENTRE...COLD AND RAINY...OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF ZEALAND.
5.15PM...STONEYHURST HOTEL/HOSTEL.
5.30PM...IN OUR WARM ENSUITE ROOM WITH AN ELECTRIC BLANKET!
6.15PM...FEELING HUNGRY...NEED FOOD...YOU USUALLY DO WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY!
7.10PM...VIC AND WHALE STEAK HOUSE...IF I CAN EAT A 1kg STEAK!...PLUS CHIPS[LOADS]...PLUS MUSHROOMS AND SALAD...I AM REWARDED WITH A T-SHIRT...WITH A PRINT SAYING I COMPLETED THE CHALLENGE!...NU HAVING A 250 gramme STEAK...SHE'S SENSIBLE...I'M MAD!
7.40PM...HERE WE GO...GOSH ITS FAT AND WIDE AND LONG...AND THERES HALF A TON OF SPUD TO GO WITH IT...SALAD LOOKS TASTY!
8.10PM...I'M DEFEATED...I'M FAT...I KNEW THAT BEFORE I STARTED...I NEVER WANNA SEE ANOTHER STEAK IN MY LIFE!
9.00PM...BACK IN OUR ROOM...NU'S FALLEN ASLEEP...I'M WATCHING 'BLOOD DIAMOND'...I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE...IT'S A GOOD FILM...I SHOULD SLEEP...BUT CAN'T SEEM TO CLOSE MY EYES...GUESS I FEEL IT IN THE MORNING.
31.7.08...DAY TWO.
10.00AM...COULD SLEEP FOREVER...BUT I'M THIRSTY AND HUNGRY!...AFTER THAT STEAK LAST NIGHT...I DON'T KNOW HOW!
10.20AM...UNWASHED AND SLIGHTLY DAZED I GO DOWN STAIRS.
10.35AM...BACK WITH NU IN ROOM...TWO CUPS OF TEA.
11.30AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
12.05PM...BREAKFAST/EARLY LUNCH?...TWO FRIED EGG ON TOAST AT THE CAFE ON THE CORNER.
12.50PM...TOFFS...BOUGHT A NEW BELT...NU'S GOT SCARF AND GLOVES.
1.45PM...BACK AT HOTEL...PHONED COMPANY ABOUT RELOCATION DEALS...THEY HAVE A CAMPER VAN THEY NEED DELIVERING TO QUEENSTOWN.
2.35PM...IN INTERNET CAFE PRINTING OUT THE DETAILS FOR VAN DELIVERY.
4.00PM...BACK AT HOTEL...IT'S TO COLD TO STAY OUT LONG...PICKING UP RELOCATION VAN TOMORROW AT 10.00AM.
4.40PM...BETTER TRY A DROP OF THE OL'WILD TURKEY[WHISKEY].
5.20PM...HAVING A STROLL ROUND.
5.50PM...SPEAKING WITH A YOUNG COUPLE FROM ESSEX.
6.10PM...HAVING A GAME OF POOL.
6.45PM...NU AS COME TO FIND ME.
7.00PM...HAVING A CHAT WITH AMY AND LEE[ESSEX]...THEY HAVE A VAN TO SELL...OUCH!
7.50PM...CHICKEN SOUP AND BREAD...WENT DOWN WELL.
8.30PM...BACK WAFFERLING WITH LEE AND AMY...BACARDI AND WHISKEY TO THE FORE.
11.00PM...SLEEPY EYED...TIME TO RETIRE.
1.8.08...DAY THREE.
7.00AM...STILL FEELING JET LAGGED...IS THAT AN EXCUSE FOR LAZINESS?
7.30AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
7.50AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA.
8.20AM...TOAST.
8.55AM...ALL PACKED UP...AMY AND LEE HAVE KINDLY OFFERED TO GIVE US A LIFT IN THERE VAN TO THE VAN RELOCATION CENTRE.
9.15AM...ON THE WAY TO VAN DEPOT...ITS NEAR THE AIRPORT.
10.00AM...I DON'T THINK ITS AS GOOD A DEAL AS I THOUGHT...BUT THEY TOOK 100 DOLLAR VIA THE CREDIT CARD OVER THE PHONE AND IF WE DON'T DELIVER...WE LOSE THE 100 DOLLAR...OUCH.
10.40AM...GOING THRU THE PAPERWORK...RULESW/REGULATIONS.
11.20AM...OFF WE SET...I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS...550K AHEAD TO QUEENSTOWN...GOTTA DELIVER IT BY 3.00PM TOMORROW...THATS ONLY 29 HOURS...THEY INITIALLY SAID 2 DAYS...I THOUGHT THAT WAS 48 HOURS!
12.40PM...GERALDINE TOWN...SLEEP PLACE.
2.10PM...LAKE TEKAPO...BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.
3.30PM...A TOWN CALLED'TWIZEL'...WE ARE HITTING THE SNOW...TAKING IT SLOW.
4.00PM...LINDOSS PASS...SNOW HEAPED UP...SKY DARKENING...ROAD TWISTY.
6.00PM...CROMWELL...THATS IT FOR TODAY...ABOUT 50K TO QUEENSTOWN.
6.20PM...KEBAB AND CHIPS.
6.50PM...CAMPSITE.
7.30PM...TIRED FROM CONCERNTRATING...DIDN'T ENJOY THE DRIVE...THE ROADS ARE NOT THE BEST...ITS UP HILL AND DOWN THE NEXT.
8.30PM...HEAD ON PILLOW.
2.8.08...DAY FOUR.
7.00AM...SLEPT WELL...KINDA CRUMPLED.
7.20AM...KETTLE ON.
7.35AM...CUPPA TEA...NOT SURE ABOUT THESE T-BAGS...THEY WERE CHEAPO'S.
8.00AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
9.00AM...BACON/EGG/TOMATO SANDWICH...CUPPA TEA.
10.10AM...I THINK WE'RE READY.
10.25AM...OFF WE SET.
11.50AM...QUEENSTOWN.
12.05PM...PRICES ARE HIGH HERE...ITS SKI SEASON.
1.00PM...BUNGI HOSTEL...DOUBLE ROOM...IT'LL DO.
2.00PM...DRIVING TO AIRPORT TO DROP VAN OFF.
2.25PM...AIRPORT...EVERYTHING IN ORDER.
2.35PM...ENQUIRING ABOUT RENTING A CAR.
2.50PM...WE THINK WE HAVE GOT AN OK DEAL...NEED THE CAR FOR A MONTH...GONNA THINK ABOUT IT FOR 24 HOURS.
3.20PM...BUS BACK TO TOWN CENTRE.
3.45PM...WALKING SHOPS.
4.00PM,..NU AS NEW SOCKS[BIT FANCY]...PLUS POSTCARDS AND STAMPS.
4.35PM...PIG AND WHISTLE...THIRSTY WORK SEEING THE WORLD!
5.20PM...HEARD ITS HAPPY HOUR AT 'THE BRAZZ'...ONLY 10 YARDS ACROSS THE ROAD.
6.05PM...ORDERED STEAK/CHIPS/SALAD...THE OTHER NIGHT AFTER THAT 1kg STEAK...I DIDN'T WANNA SEE ANOTHER SLAB OF BEEF...I'M A FUNNY OLD BEAN!
6.40PM...WONDERFUL STEAK...CAME WITH CHIPS AND A NUT SALAD?...DIFFERENT!
7.30PM...IT'S A FAIR WALK TO OUR ABODE...THERES A STEEP HILL IN FRONT.
7.55PM...TV ROOM...ALL BLACKS VERSUS OZ[RUGBY].
9.30PM...ALL BLACKS WIN 34-10.
10.10PM...CHATTING WITH OTHERS...WHISKEY GETTING LOW.
3.8.08...DAY FIVE.
9.55AM...WE'VE SLEPT WELL...NEEDED IT.
10.15AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA...HOT WATER STRAIGHT FROM A HOT WATER URN.
10.35AM...DISCUSSING OUR NEXT MOVE...WE'VE AGREED WE WILL RENT A CAR.
11.00AM...KITCHEN CLOSED TO NOON...LOOKS LIKE ITS GONNA BE A LATE,LATE BREAKFAST.
11.40AM...PHONED CAR RENTAL COMPANY...TOLD THEM WE WISH TO DO BUSINESS...WILL PICK CAR UP TOMORROW.
12.15PM...BACON/EGG SANDWICH...CUPPA TEA.
1.00PM...NU NOT FEELING GOOD...THE TABLETS WE GOT IN OZ ARE NOT THE SAME AS SHE HAD BEFORE...SHE'S GONE FOR A LIE DOWN.
2.00PM...I WALK INTO TOWN...NEED A FEW ITEMS...THIS PLACE IS BASICALLY FOR SKIERS...THE PLACE IS FULL OF RICH KIDS...AND THOUGHS THAT ARE NOT SO FORTUNATE WORK THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS.
2.55PM...SUPERMARKET...NEED MILK...MY MINDS GONE BLANK...CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT ELSE WE NEEDED.
3.30PM...PUB...PIG AND WHISTLE...THEY SELL PINTS OF BITTER HERE...THERES A LOT OF ENGLISHNESS IN ZEALAND...WHAT I'VE SEEN I LIKE...I WANNA LIKE IT MORE.
3.50PM...THE FIRST PINT QUICKLY DEVOURED...BETTER HAVE ANOTHER...ITS SO MUCH CHEAPER THAN OZ.
5.00PM...BACK AT SUPERMARKET...I'VE REMEMBERED WHAT WE NEED.
5.25PM...WALKING BACK TO HOSTEL.
5.50PM...BACK WITH NU.
6.15PM...COOKING.
6.50PM...TASY MEAL...PORK/CARROTS/SPUD.
7.30PM...TIME TO RELAX.
COLD.
BYE FOR NOWZ.
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