Two Days in One Post

15/11/10

Today consisted more of the working part of the trip than the holiday part of the trip.  I had a small, insubstantial breakfast at the hostel and then went to orientation at the IEP office.  The IEP is my contact here in New Zealand.  They have an office which is kitty-corner from my hostel.  They provide complimentary wi-fi, mail forwarding, advice about travel and jobs, phones for use, and basic information.  But before I went to the orientation I wanted to make sure I had some tissue so I wouldn’t be sniffling all through the 2.5 hour orientation.  

The orientation was great.  It got me excited about being in New Zealand again after feeling a bit down yesterday.  They helped me get a tax number and a bank account.  They gave us advice about finding work and where to travel.  For the most part it got me really excited to be here and eager to get on with things.

I bought a cell phone for $45 at store that sold phones and perfume.  What a combination!  Then I bought a pay as you go chip for it and got set up with a New Zealand phone number.  I think this will be very helpful in finding work as I can give future employers a number where they can reach me.  

In the evening I went to buy a quick meal at a convenience store.  Not the most appetizing thing, but I figured it would work in a pinch. When I got back though my roommate Beth, from Canada, offered to share her dinner with me.  So we went down to the hostel kitchen and she made pasta.  It was really busy down there and she almost burnt herself on the stove, but it was a good meal and it was free! See God is already providing in so many ways.  Yesterday I got a cookie for free and today I got a whole meal for free!  

I offered to do the dishes and she and I planned to go to the Auckland Museum tomorrow.  I’m excited I have a traveling partner.  I was going to go there by myself tomorrow morning, but when I mentioned it to Beth she said she’d come with me.  The only thing is that I have to make sure I’m back at the bank by 2 PM to finish setting up my bank account.

I’m still not feeling too well and I kind of wonder if everyone who lives and travels in hostels doesn’t get sick.  It’s not a very sanitary place.  It’s just barely livable.  But at least the beds here are amazing!  Oh so comfy! I think they are better than the hotel beds I’ve been sleeping on for over a week!

The girls from the UK in my room are leaving tomorrow for the Bay of Islands.  They got jobs working in the Kiwi picking industry up there. They have been here for about a week.  I’m really happy for them and encouraged by their progress.  I could tell Laura, whom I met on Sunday, was a little worried and stressed.  I tried to cheer her up a bit, but that isn’t really my forte.  At least I tried!  

Well all in all it has been a good day and I am really looking forward to tomorrow and the museum!

16/11/10

Today has been one of the best days of my life.  I wasn’t sure this morning what I would do tomorrow because that was the last night I had booked at the hostel.  I was just going to think about that later and get ready to go to the museum with Beth, one of the girls in my dorm room.  As I was walking through reception to get breakfast someone called out my name.  It happened to be my Kiwi friend Richard.  I was completely stunned.  He was so out of place to me.  What was he doing in a hostel in Auckland when he lives in Christchurch?  

Soon he had it all explained that he and Rachel, his girlfriend, were here to get their visas for their trip to the US.  They are headed back to the resort where I met them in Colorado in a few days.  He walked me over to where Rachel was and I got a big hug from her!  It was so great to see them.  It was so great!  It wasn’t planned or anything.  I had no clue they were coming to Auckland at all.  No clue.  They knew I was here in New Zealand but they didn’t know where or anything.  

After visiting a bit they had to head out to get their visas sorted.  We planned to meet later for lunch.  So I went to get breakfast and then head to the Auckland Museum as planned.  Beth decided not to come with me as I had to be back in time to meet Rachel and Richard for lunch and she didn’t think she’d get to see all that she wanted to see in that short of time.

I walked to the Auckland Domain.  It has several large fields and when I say large I mean massive!  I had to walk through these fields to get to the museum which is located in the center of the Domain.  It was really warm; warmer than I had expected.  I wore a tank top and carried my sweatshirt over my arm.  

The museum is beautiful and regal sitting up on a hill that overlooks a good portion of Auckland.  The style is greco-roman but with a very odd dome shape.  The first floor was all about early settlers and such to New Zealand and also a lot of Maori carvings. The best thing was the canoe built out of one tree that could seat 100 warriors!  

On my way to the second floor there was a glass box with an axe in it and a picture of Sir Edmund Hilary over the top of it.  Inside the box was the actual axe that Hilary carried and used on his climb up Everest.  I thought this alone was well worth the price of admission.

When I left the museum I went to the Wintergarden which is also in the Domain.  It was so beautiful filled with ferns, roses, and the largest water lilies I have ever seen!  I met my friends back at the hostel and we walked down Queen Street to Subway.  We took our sandwiches out to the Viaduct where all the ships are.  It was sunny and beautiful and I began to worry that I might burn.  (Which I did.)  We walked around and looked at all the ships and humongous sailboats.  Then we walked up to the Sky Tower.  

Rachel and Richard invited me to come and stay with them in Christchurch before they leave for the US.  Rachel had already asked her mother if I could come.  While the three of us roamed about the Sky Tower, Chris from the hotel in Fox Glacier called me.  He invited me to come down and meet him and take a look around.  He said Sunday would be a good day.  After my phone call I devised a plan with Rachel and Richard to fly down to Christchurch as soon as possible to stay with them.  Then from there I would head to Fox Glacier.  

We parted ways so I could finish some things up at the bank and book my travel to the South Island.  I went to the IEP office to get some help and use the internet.  I got everything booked up and called Chris to tell him my plans.  When I said I’d be there on Sunday he said that wouldn’t work at all!  This completely confused me.  He had meant the following Sunday but somehow I hadn’t understood.  So now I have to go and rebook my train and bus rides to Fox Glacier.  Other than that this has been a most amazing day!