We're in New Zealand!

We are alive

Still In Christchurch : 8 November 2003

Please...Get us out of Christchurch! New Zealand is GREAT..So far we love it, although we are looking forward to seeing things outside Christchurch.We started our Contiki tour this morning, very early. We got on a bus with about 40 other people (95% Australians) and toured the city of....you guessed it...Christchurch, then stopped for a 1 1/2 hour break to hang out in Christchurch. This is really stupid for Robin and I since we have been in Christchurch for 4 days now. We basically got up really early to walk across town with all our bags (we way overpacked) from our Hostel in the downtown Square to the meeting spot, to get on a bus and come back to the downtown Square. Whatever..Everyone is touring around and we are here in an internet cafe. So American. After this lovely break in Christchurch we will be heading down, via a few stops, to Queenstown. I can't wait to go there, it sounds like a really fun and hip town. I am, however, a little nervous, Robin really wants to go Skydiving...15,000 feet in 60 seconds. This sounds great and everything, I'm up for it...I justdidn't think it would be happening so soon. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh! Our Contiki Tour people screwed up. We where suppose to do a tour of the South Island starting in Christchurch and ending in Christchurch...this is all fine....from there, we were suppose to tour the North Island, starting from Christchurch and ending in Auckland, where we would fly out to Sydney. Well, somehow things got messed up and our North Island tour starts in Auckland and ends in Christchurch. So after this first part of the tour we have to catch a flight (unexpected cost) up to Auckland to take a tour back down to......Christchurch! (Dam, we just can't get out of Christchurch). Then we have to get ourselves back up to Auckland. For this we found a car relocation add. It will cost us $1 a day, and we have four days to get their car to Auckland. We will drive ourselves across the two islands in a 4wheel drive. Cool. Interesting. Ha Ha! Anyway, The bells on the downtown church are crazy right now..it being Sunday and all. It's a beautiful Square. The architecture here is beautiful. Everything is very British. We went to the Botanical Gardens yesturday and the Saturday Market at the old Canterbury College...very cool. Last night we went to a place that is right on the Avon River where there is just one long strip of happening restraunts and bars. They had a huge, I mean HUGE TV screen in the middle of the block to show the NZ vs South Africa Rugby game, only to be followed by the Australia vs Scotland game. Which reminds me, There where people on random corners playing the bagpipes, some in full KIlt and garb, some just kids in shorts and T-shirts...Classic. Anyway, We hope all is well with everyone Maybe some time soon we will have something to tell you other than what's going on in Christchurch, maybe we'll NEVER LEAVE..........

Replies: 1 Comment

Hi you guys - the kids are asking for you two......they do not understand the concept of traveling for a year!!!! Glad you made it to New Zealand safely! Waiting to see some posted pictures of this place Christchurch???? Posted by Leslie @ 11/12/2003 11:22 AM PST