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  • Charlotte Ellery

Our Adventure

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    What a camping spot!

    22. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    What an awesome first day on the road. We had a slight set back this morning because we couldn't figure out how to get our fresh water cap off the tank. After asking many people and finally ringing the hire company we found out what you assume and feel is locked actually is unlocked so we'd been trying to open it when it was locked the whole time! We filled up and emptied without any further issues and then it dawned on us that we couldn't find our Lonely Planet guide. We decided seeing as we are the closest we will be to the car and the rest of our things that it was worth going to farm to check. Luckily we found it in the glove box and said our definite final goodbyes to the McGraths. We then had another trouble at the petrol station trying to open the cap with the key. It took 4 of us until one woman managed to do it. That's something we might have to practise before we need to fill up again. After finally filling up and with the Lonely Planet guide safe in the glove box we hit the highway towards Fairlie, a route we've done before so we knew already how windy it gets. They do have helpful signs which tell you the speed to take the bends at and I pulled in whenever there was an opportunity to let cars pass. We arrived in Fairlie which of course meant a stop to the bakehouse to get some awesome pies. I couldn't decide on a flavour so we just had to have 3 to share. We had planned to go to the museum here but found out it's $6 to go in and without knowing what it's like we didn't want to risk it especially when museums can be quite hit and miss. We carried on and stopped at Lake Tekapo where autumn had begun to kick in turning the trees in the water a golden yellow. We drove further around the lake where we hadn't ventured last time and sat to have tea and biscuits on the waters edge. It was so peaceful and away from the main tourist area so the change in pace was relaxing. Our plan was to camp at Lake Pukaki tonight at a freedom camping spot which overlooks the lake and Mount Cook. By the time we left Tekapo it was coming up to 2.30 and knowing the camping area gets very busy and has limited flat spaces we decided to drive straight there and just enjoy the scenery for the rest of the evening. We were glad we made this decision because after driving around the area we managed to get a place closest to the lake that was side on to the road meaning no one could park along side us and it was flat enough. By the end of the night the section in front of our van had vans crammed in only a metre or so apart from each other so they probably could see straight through into everyone's windows. The view was absolutely breathtaking. Mist had descended over the alps so the mountains looked mysterious and almost as if they had been painted into the sky. We sat down on the shore watching the sunset over the peaks before making omelettes for tea and playing some games. It's definitely taught us to always have a back up campsite in mind in case we can't get a spot and that sometimes it's worth getting there early and just soak in the surroundings.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Campervan ready haircuts

    21. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We had a slightly chilly night and it took us both a while to fall asleep. I think it'll take some getting use to sleeping in the van. We are so incredibly grateful that we not only have a toilet but one that doesn't need emptying every two minutes. It's hard enough trying to leave the warmth of the bed in the morning so the thought of having to then go outside to the toilet block is something I definitely don't fancy doing. We didn't actually unpack our stuff properly yesterday so we spent time getting organised and making sure everything has a home. Nick made our first breakfasts and coffee on our gas stove and it finally began to sink in that we are actually doing this. We had plans to meet up with two of our friends from the farm for a farewell dinner tonight in Geraldine so we used today as a day to get ourselves together. We headed to Timaru library to do some research on where to go from here. While I was doing that Nick went off and got his haircut. I found that there isn't much to do between Timaru and Omaru so our plan is to head inland and do a scenic loop which does then end back in Omaru on highway 1. From here we will head south to Dunedin with a few stops on the way. I also booked us into Geraldine campsite to give us an opportunity to charge up the van, do the water and grey water and have some nice decent showers before we head off on our route. When Nick came back I found out that the barber's also did women's haircuts so I decided it was my turn to get the chop. I opted for having a lot off the length just so it's easier to manage when on the road where I might not be able to dry it often. I do like it but annoyingly she's really hacked at one side when I asked for a little bit of layering so it is a bit clumpy looking at the bottom. Hopefully when it grows a bit it will improve. Nick went and bought us a carbon monoxide dector and after some packed lunch we also got extra pillows and other bits from the Warehouse. In the afternoon we headed to our campsite and had our first go at plugging in to charge up. Tomorrow we will attempt the fresh water and grey water emptying. We headed off to have our allocated 6 minute showers and they felt so good! With ourselves clean and dressed we walked up to Central Cafe where we met Jan and Jono for some dinner. We always get burgers from here and although they aren't quite as good as back home they are the best we've had so far in NZ. After saying our farwells we parted ways and headed back to a rather cold campervan. We really appreciated the fact that we had made the bed up before leaving so this wasn't something we had to face now. Luckily because we are plugged in we could use our electric heater and get the place nice and toasty before bedtime. It's warm now but I have a feeling it won't stay warm for long and we may need to invest in some sleeping bags as another warm layer. Tomorrow we actually venture further than we've ever travelled here so that's pretty exciting!Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    The start of our campervan adventure!

    20. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    I can't actually believe this day has arrived! Almost 9 months we've been in New Zealand and from the get go we've talked of travelling in a campervan and after so many set backs and changes to our plan today is the day this dream finally started. Firstly we had to pack up all our belongings and enjoy one last breakfast delivered by the breakfast fairies. Nick has really loved the breakfasts here and I think he's going to miss it a lot. We waved goodbye to our mini paradise and set off on the road back to Christchurch. We were collecting our van at 12 so that gave us time to go and get a few last minute things we needed. Soon enough the time came to pick up our future travelling companion, Transi, named because she's lost the T at some point! We're so pleased with it. It's got everything we could possibly need or want for the next three months. We spent almost 2 hours going over all the paperwork and doing a damage report. There's a lot of general cosmetic damage that they don't seem to care about and a few dents. The worst is the window screen which has 5 chips including one in the large shape of a C. Apparently you don't have to get them fixed or replace the window unless they are directly in the driver's view or cause a large crack. We took photos of all the damage even the stuff the woman wasn't writing down so hopefully we return it in the same state. We got the van very cheap but this did mean it came with a $1800 excess. They offered insurance which takes the excess down to $0 but for $20 a day over the duration we have the van for this amounts to around $1800 dollars anyway. Instead we've taken out our own travel insurance which covers us for rental vehicles and paid the excess with the hope of getting most if not all of it back. You don't have to have car insurance here so rather annoyingly if we have an accident and it's not our fault but the other driver isn't insured we might not even be able to get the money from them and still have to pay for any damage to the vehicle. Hopefully nothing will happen and we plan to avoid parking near cars to limit the risk of anything going badly. After collecting some snow chains and an atlas we hit the road, Nick in the van and myself in the car. We had a straightforward route out of Christchurch but unfortunately Nick missed me indicating right to turn off at traffic lights so he missed the turning. It took about 15 minutes for us to be reunited and for him to figure out what road he was meant to be on, a little scary for your first time driving the van. The rest of the journey was smooth but long and eventually we made it back to farm. It took us almost 3 hours to sort out our things deciding what to take and what to leave in the car. This was because everyone wanted to check the van out and have a chat. Cassidy and Eliza came to have a nosey as well. I gave Cassidy a hug and told her that I missed her and she responded with the sassiest voice saying "yeah you did", both hilarious and adorable at the same time. She's promised to take good care of the car for us and with our stuff inside it went under a car cover outside Bruce and Candy's house until a garage is freed up in a few days for it. Then we set off on our journey and because it was so late by this point we had subway for tea before finding our first freedom camping ground in Winchester and reminding ourselves how bad long drop toilets can smell!Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Rockpools and sheep

    19. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    We woke up to yet another great breakfast and it definitely set us up for the day ahead. After a relaxing day yesterday it was time to explore Banks Peninsula. At our last Airbnb our hosts recommended visiting Le Bons Bay so we decided that should be our first destination today. The drive there was very challenging with lots of tight bends and continuously climbing hills to then descend them. Nick started feeling really queasy during the drive so we were both glad that I was driving. After an hour or so we reached Le Bons Bay after passing a grand total of 4 dead possums on the roads. Most journeys you know you will see at least one on the road so I think these volumes really show how many there must be in the country and why they have become such a pest to the native wildlife. The bay itself was beautiful and the sun had come out for us. What made it even more amazing was the sound of the waves or at least they would have been lovely to listen to if they weren't being over powered by the sound of two children riding motorbikes all over the beach! We swiftly walked past and as far away from the noise as possible. Down the end of the bay was a river that was flowing out to sea. We explored the area and forest around it with no unnatural noise or anyone else around us. A sad moment was when we saw our first seal, only he was a baby one who has clearly had his tail bitten off, probably by a shark, and has now washed up on shore and sadly died. I'm hoping we do manage to see an alive one and wild penguins during our time here. We walked back down the beach towards where we came in and over to the other side of the bay. This side had hundreds of rockpools amongst the shellfish encrusted rocks. We saw hermit crabs, little fish and sea anemones while trying not to stand on too many of the hundreds of shells clinging to the rocks. The most unusual animal we saw was sheep! On the cliffs above once you pass the rocky cliff faces is lush green grass so of course there would be sheep making this their home. It was surreal to see this animal so close to the sea and you did wonder if any have been brave enough to jump down and take a dip in the sea! After a while the sea started to come in so we adbandoned the rocks and headed back to the car. We had planned to do a walk in the afternoon but neither of us were really feeling it. Instead we drove the tourist route down to Akaroa to have some lunch. The views were spectacular during the whole drive and Nick was relieved he was driving so that he wasn't in charge of taking the photographs. We had some lunch at a restaurant in town before having one last wonder around the shops getting a few bits and bobs. Banks Peninsula is beautiful and it makes me so excited for what else New Zealand has in store for us.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    The cutest Airbnb ever

    18. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Today we woke up and had been visited by the "breakfast fairies" AKA our host's 8 and 6 year old daughters. They'd left us a lovely breakfast outside with homemade breads, eggs from their chickens, home grown grapes and tomatoes and locally sourced cheeses. The eggs even had cute knitted egg cosies on them. The mother is German and the style of breakfast definitely reminded me of when I visited Germany in school and was so put off by all these cheeses and meats laid out for breakfast that I had a week of nutella on toast, something I hadn't really had prior. Sitting outside eating our breakfast on the decking we still couldn't quite believe where we are and we decided we needed a day of just enjoying our surroundings. Our hosts and their 4 neighbours all came together to sign a legal agreement that their land can never be used for farming, even if they sell the land. This included the stream that runs by our cabin and the spring it comes from so all the water is completely pure meaning the water from our taps is coming straight from the stream. It's deliciously ice cold and crisp. The cabin also has a composting toilet so nothing's wasted there and soon they plan to utilise the waterfall in their stream to generate their own power. We found all this out by talking to the mother and her children this morning. She was on a working holiday visa in Australia when she met her British now husband. After going home for a while they decided to come to New Zealand on a working holiday and have never left since. They were working in Christchurch but moved out to Little River to achieve the lifestyle they really wanted for their children. The husband still commutes to Christhucrch for work and the mum does Airbnb full time. Most months in summer they are booked up completely and in winter it's about a 70% booking rate. It's all very inspiring really and if New Zealand wasn't so far from home I think we would move here in a heartbeat. With only 4 million people it just has a much nicer vibe than back home and a real sense of community everywhere you go. The collective landowners have come together and made a walking track that takes you right up to the top of the hill and down again. We did this walk today and loved the fact that more than likely no one else would be on the track with us because it's private land. We got some great views and sat on the bench at the top of the hill just soaking it all in for quite a while. We even had a couple of fantails leading the way, they are definitely becomming my favourite bird. After visiting the waterfalls we came back to our lovely cabin and I gave making scrambled eggs on a bbq a go. It wasn't a huge success but it was edible at least!Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Entering a mini paradise

    17. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We've just arrived this evenjng at our last Airbnb for this part of our journey and wow it is amazing. It's a little cabin set deep in the native bush in a valley, about 2 metres from a river and is about as remote as it can get. Everything about this place is beautiful and we're so excited to fall asleep tonight to the sound of the water outside. Today we left Christchurch and drove the hour and a half scenic drive to Akaroa, a small town settled by the French in Banks Peninsula. It's established in a small bay that leads out to the sea. The sun was shining and everything just looked so postcard picturesque. After desperately finding the public loos we had a stroll around and coffee in a cafe to get on Wi-Fi to actually find the address of our next accomdation, something we forgotten to do before leaving. We then visited a place called The Giant's House which I imagined was a house filled with huge things as if it was owned by a giant. Turns out some girl told the owner that the house looked big enough for a giant so that became it's name. It's quite deceptive when you find out the attraction is actually a garden filled with mosaic artwork. It was cool and interesting to look at but really not our cup of tea so we regretted not reading more into it before visiting , especially when it was $10 each to go in. We spent the rest of our time exploring the other end of town which included a walk through a forest and a trip to the lighthouse. Sitting by the harbourside eating ice creams in the sun was one of the highlights of the day. This Airbnb doesn't have great cooking facilities so we decided to use my birthday gift card on a nice dinner together. My friends Lauren and Lottie sneakily used my sister to get our address to send me a gift voucher from the local post office that can be used like a normal credit card here. It was so thoughtful of them and I've been wanting to use it for something special. When we heard that there's a hill top restaurant with amazing views that do wood fire pizza we just knew this was the the moment to use it. We arrived for an early dinner because we hadn't actually checked in yet and after a family left we managed to get a table right in the window. I had my first lamb on pizza which came with onion and a spicy sauce and paid extra to have the other half of the pizza as a bbq meat combo. We really enjoyed the meal even though the card didn't work in their restaurant in the end! We plan to use it on fuel or something and say the meal was still paid for with it. We left and then drove into such a beautiful part of the area down a narrow 1.6km track until we reached our adorable cabin. We even passed a family out walking their two cows on the road and were greeted by about 20 chickens running towards us as we pulled into the driveway. We're definitely experiencing very rural living and so far we love what we see.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Fulfilling yesterday's plans

    16. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    The weather was not looking fab when we woke up today so we weren't optimistic about how the day would pan out. We found out that the cinema near us sells tickets for only £5 so we decided to have a morning treat and went to watch Player Number One. It's a film about a virtual reality universe "game" created in 2027 where most of the future world spend their time because it's much better than the actual lives they live. It was a brilliant film, one of the better ones we've watched and I highly recommend it to anyone. Unfortunately I was sat behind a boy who looked about 6, far to young for the level of violence I felt. Anyway he kept jumping up and down in his seat and even standing up to jump at any part where it got a bit upbeat and interesting. At least it started that way but by the end it was just at such random points. I understand he was excited but to get that excited by someone being killed, at 6, is a little concerning in my opinion. In the end I couldn't actually focus on the film and with his mum doing nothing I moved to the row in front of them. It's then when in front of him you realise how much he is talking about every single thing that is happening and constantly saying "did you see that?!" to his mum. I then felt sorry to everyone sat in front of them and to the side. Not once did his mum try and ask him to keep it down a bit and you'd think if she knew he would be like that it would of been nice if they sat nearer the front or at the back where less people would be effected. Anyway despite that it was a great film. Afterwards when we came out of the cinema the sun was shining so we rung the gondola company to see if they were running which luckily they were. We took the gondola ride up and spent time exploring the area at the top as well as spending our money in the gift shop and cafe. There's so many awesome NZ themed things I want that I have to try my hardest to rein in the spending. We decided to do a single way journey and walk down to the carpark instead which took about 2 hours. It mainly took that long because I stop every two minutes to take photos, something Nick is very use to by now. Also, neither of us wore walking shoes so we had to be careful with our footing as we descended. It's quite awesome that Christchurch have this whole peninsula of beauty and hills on their doorstep. It definitely makes it a desirable place to live. Tomorrow we head off to explore this area more and are staying in our final Airbnb before we get our campervan!Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    When the weather ruins your plans

    15. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We spent most of this morning travelling around getting bits and bobs that we needed, mainly walking boots for me. I had planned on investing in a really good pair but decided with so many cheaper shops and eBay back home that I'd be better off waiting until we're back to do that. Instead I bought a cheap pair and am hoping they will last for the 3 months we need them for. It still didn't stop me from looking in about 6 shops before deciding on a pair though. My walking shoes I bought with me from home were from Mountain Warehouse and cost about £70 in the sale and Nick's were about £20 in Aldi and his are still hanging on in there so it proves that price doesn't always mean longevity. After eating our packed lunch we head to Christchurch's Gondola, a cable car that takes you up to the top of one of the hills overlooking the city. We were a little sceptical about whether it would be running or not because it was quite windy today and unfortunately that was the case. When we arrived they were not sending any more people up but trying to get everyone down before the wind got too strong. The view from the carpark was pretty lovely but we were disappointed we couldn't see it from the top. With this plan abandoned we decided to visit the town of New Brighton which wasn't too far away and we had high hopes seeing as it's apparently inspired by Brighton. It was a seaside town but very run down and tired looking. The pier had only just been built so at the end was just a building site instead of any amusements. The wind was incredibly strong by this point and you could see waves of sand being blown all over the carpark and streets. We parked right up on the beachfront alongside many other cars. Unlike these cars we actually ventured out from the shelter of the indoors and into the wind outside. Nick's hat came straight off which luckily I caught on the other side of the car. Instantly sand was everywhere on you including in your eyes but we persevered and power walked/were pushed along to the pier steps. Up on the pier it wasn't so bad, although it was still very windy at least there wasn't sand blowing in your face. All the birds were hunched down trying to anchor themselves to the floor, rails or steps. They barely moved even when you got very close to them probably because they didn't want to fly in the wind. When one did take off it simply hovered and despite it's best efforts barely moved an inch in distance unless it gave up flying into the wind and let it take it back inland. We couldn't stay out long in the weather and a very generous seagul left us a present on the car window. Back at the Airbnb we created a small beach in the base of the shower with how much sand came out of our hair. With sand free hair, our pjs on and hot chocolates in hand we settled down on the sofa to watch Britains got Talent on the TV off YouTube.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Trying out life in Antarctica

    14. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Our host in Springfield spent 10 years of her younger life doing working holiday visas all over the world and one of the places was working in the laundry at a military base in Antarctica. She said it was the best job because all your food, accommodation and clothing is provided and there's not like there's any shops or anything so you save all of your wages. Being in the laundry as well she was warm all day and then got days off to go out on the ice with the group exploring. She told us a story about how she was stood on the ice and could see a black dot in the horizon getting bigger towards them. It turned out to be a single file line of emperor penguins belly surfing towards them. Apparently the first ones stood up only inches from them and because they have no natural predators on the ice they had no fear of the people and after checking them out for a while they moved to the side and slid off on their bellies again. Just imagine how amazing that would be! I'm so inspired, more so than Nick, to go to Antarctica. How amazing would that be to say you've been there. Coincidently Christchurch has an Antarctica centre linked to all their research and preparation facilities used for the many missions they have down to the ice. So that's where we went today and it was brilliant. They had the trucks they use out on the ice and a make-shift track to show you how steep they can climb, how they can glide over 2m cracks in the ice and pass over bumpy terrain. We also got dressed in coats and over-shoes and entered a room with real snow to experience the cold and wind of a storm on the ice. It was so cold but those coats were amazing at keeping you warm! Outside we got to meet some adorable huskies who did look rather hot in the sun so we felt a little sorry for them. We saw a 4D film of Antarctica and later a very condensed version of Happy Feet. Nick and I did our best model poses in the lovely 3D glasses provided. At the far end of the centre is an enclosure of rescued, essentially disabled, little blue penguins, one of the species that lives in New Zealand. Turns out only 4 species of penguin actually live in Antartica itself. All the penguins here had some sort of injury and were rescued from the wild. Some had been rehabilitated and released only to turn up onshore malnourished 2 weeks later. The keeper thinks they knew if the kept doing that eventually they'd be bought back to the place where hunting fish is much easier because they aren't alive when you're trying to catch them. There was even one called Nick who had a run in with a shark so now calls the centre his home. We spent time reading the stories of explorers who ventured out onto the ice even a hundred or so years ago. You hold so much admiration for these people willing to just go out and explore unknown land. I do have this desire to spend as many years as possible traveling and working around the world but there's also a huge part of me that wants to be at home starting to build a lives for ourselves with some normality and routine. It's impossible to say what we will do but I'm definitely not ruling Antarctica out just yet.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    We saw a Kiwi! A bird not a NZ person!

    13. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    This morning we left our lovely Airbnb behind us and said goodbye to our wonderful hosts to head off for the day, this goodbye was a 2 hour conversation in the kitchen! Our destination was the Willowbank wildlife park in Christchurch which has a large amount of native New Zealand wildlife. The sun was shining for us today so many of the animals were out to greet us. The centre sold many types of food and to start with we only bought farm animal food but when we saw the hungry eels waiting to be fed we went back and bought some super tasty mince meat for the eels to eat. They had metal spoons for you to use and as soon as you moved it and they heard it they all knew what was about to happen. It was quite gross listening to them take it off the spoon because their teeth or bone scrapped along the metal making a horrible sound that went right through you. We were able to use the other food we bought to feed the deer and all manner of farm yard animals. At one point we discovered a domestic looking rabbit hopping around by the gibbon enclosure so I ran back to the reception just to check he was allowed to be out and about and it turns out that Gerald the rabbit is free to roam the whole park. One of the best areas was the section where native New Zealand species are shown. Many of the native animals and birds are endangered or low in numbers because of predators Europeans introduced that have gotten out of hand. Dogs, wild cats and stouts are the biggest hunters of kiwis and possums which were introduced for the fur trade eat huge amounts of vegetation effecting the food source for many other native birds. It's sad that there was little to no understanding how introducing new species of animals would effect the ones already here. For example the early settlers introduced rabbits for their meat and fur and quickly the population became out of hand so they bought in stouts which would eat the young rabbits to try and rectify the problem but in doing so introduced the biggest predator for the kiwi birds. It's a shame that a country's animals couldn't just be left as they are. Kiwis are nocturnal so we had to enter a darkened room which had 5 enclosures. They have 5 birds but we only managed to see one up and about. They're a lot bigger than we imagined and you can see how they are related to the emu/ostrich birds. I managed to get a shockingly bad blurry photo of one right at the back. We also saw a Kea, the world's only mountain parrot although I'm so determined to see one in the wild. There's only 4 thousand but they seem to be quite common to see so fingers crossed we find one a long the way. After trying not to buy the whole gift shop we headed to our new accommodation and to say it wasn't what we expected is a huge understatement. We arrived and no one was there but there was a sign saying to go in and we were just wondering around someone's huge home. It was all very weird and we found a room with our name on it but soon realised this is more personal than we wanted. It belongs to a Chinese family we discovered and as lovely as they are it was all so very weird and we decided to shorten our stay to just one night. There was no privacy and one bathroom between about 10 people. Nick spent an hour playing hide and seek with the owner's son and as nice as that was we felt 4 nights there would just be too overwhelming. Tomorrow we head to a very small, very private Airbnb instead.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Some much needed down time

    12. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Even though we haven't really done much recently we still are taking a while to adjust back into travelling life. It's surprising how exhausting constantly planning, packing and moving on really is which is why we are so looking forward to our campervan where our home and all our belongings just follow us around. We woke up to have a glorious breakfast prepared by Sheryl waiting for us at the table. We enjoyed homemade granola with yoghurt, freshly baked bread with homemade jams and even proper coffee from a coffee machine. They haven't had many guests stay, I think because of their location, and they've discovered that next door do Airbnb as well so they really are going above and beyond to make our stay perfect. It's a welcome level of luxury but it also does feel a little smothering so without really a plan for the day we just decided we needed to head out. We went to the town of Kaiapoi which doesn't have lots to offer but we enjoyed just strolling around. We visited the museum and art gallery which had some beautiful photographic work by a student on display. The prices were sky high which was unfortunate because I would have bought a print if it wasn't so dear. The museum had lots of information on the recent earthquakes and the war. They almost needed a little background info put in the war section because not being from New Zealand I'm not even sure which war they refer to. I assume the Vietnam war but it's all glossed over and referred to as if you already know. Apart from that it was a good museum to look around and not too large where it becomes overwhelming with information. The weather is being rather strange at the moment so this morning after warming up by the fire we headed out in wooly hats but come lunch time had to take off a few layers because it had warmed up so much. I think it's just how it will be from now on but it's a little hard to prepare for. We spent the afternoon relaxing in our own private lounge watching taken 1 and 2. It felt good to have this time just to ourselves to chill out especially when we know what busy travelling days lie ahead for us.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Some people are awesome

    11. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

    We've packed up our things and left our very cute Airbnb to travel to our next one. On route we passed through a town called Oxford. We were optimistic it would be at least large enough to have a stroll around but the shops were not extensive and with the rain it was hard to want to walk along the high street. Instead we called in at the local bakery for a morning coffee and pie to wake us up. We're a little obsessed with pies now because of the fact single portion pies are such a big thing here in NZ. My sister Katherine would love it! Nick had his first try at venison because we've seen so many deer farms around but I stuck to a standard country chicken which was with bacon and mushroom. It's such a filling, warming and homely snack that we're quite hooked on to the point where this may be a pie tour of New Zealand we are currently on! We did get to see Oxford's old jail block: a red building which I honestly thought were toilets. There's two cubicle sized cells and that's it. I'm pretty sure it'd be easy to break someone out seeing as the walls are made of wood but hey it seemed to work for the town in the olden days. Our next stop was a town called Cust, I think someone cut off the 'ard' from the sign. There was even less in Cust but there was a patchwork shop randomly on its own so we called in just to have a little look if there was any amazing fabrics for my quilt. There wasn't unfortunately and because we were the only customers we ended up talking to the owner quite a while because it felt like we couldn't just leave. She was lovely and all but it was a little awkward when she disagrees with the dairy industry. We were still a lot earlier than we could check in so we decided to head to the town of Rangiora which to our pleasant surprise is actually quite big with lots of amenities. It was here while strolling around that I realised my foot was soaking from the water on the ground so I looked at my shoes to discover a large part of the grip missing from the bottom and a long chuck of rubber from the side had gone too. You could feel the fabric inside so it was just soaking water up like a sponge. Luckily we had all our stuff with us so I could change socks and shoes. These were my hiking shoes as well so we are now on the hunt for shoes while near Christchurch. We did discover a UK food store which got us very excited but it was mostly junk food and highly priced. I did give in to some rolos and chewits though. Eventually after killing time we headed to our Airbnb where we were greeted by Sheryl, our host. She was very warm and inviting and you could tell she is a mum. Her husband Rob came home later on and we ended up talking to them both for 4 and a half hours and she made us dinner. I think they missed the company of their daughters. When Rob was a student he cycled over India and ended up getting rather sick so a family in a village took him in and looked after him for a week. That sparked a friendship and they've been visiting the family in the village ever since, even with their daughters. As much as you talk to be about India and try to explain it unless the person has been there it's just impossible for them to understand what it is like. We haven't been to a country like it since and I doubt we will again but 100% I'd go back to India any day in a heartbeat.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Our first New Zealand snow

    10. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ❄️ 0 °C

    It's hard to believe we've been here 8 months and we haven't yet experienced snow, until today that is. I'm sure it has snowed since we've been here but never where we were staying. This morning we woke up to snow coming down thick and fast outside. The ground was quite wet but it was falling so quickly that some of it was managing to pitch. It felt like today was going to be a day of not doing much but I then wondered how the snow would change the places we visited yesterday. We knew we had to go and check it out, but first it was time for pie. Springfield has one garage, one dairy, a pub and a cafe, nothing more. We walked to the cafe hoping for one of their stone baked traditional pizzas only to discover that the pizza chef no longer works there so it's off the menu. We both resorted to sharing two different pies and a coffee to try and warm us up before we set out on our drive. We headed back on Arthur's Pass and as we drove further the snow got thicker. It was still coming down heavily so we couldn't see much but a few close up mountains near by. It was incredible how in 24 hours the whole landscape could change so dramatically. We drove to Castle Hill and braved getting out the car. The snow came up to our knees in places and the rock formations looked as if someone had sprinkled icing sugar all over them. We had a snow ball fight, Nick lost, before our fingers felt as if they would drop off. After 10 minutes we were freezing and made a mad dash for it back to the car. If the snow hadn't of still been falling it wouldn't have been so cold. After trying to regain feeling in our fingers we head back on the road deciding it was getting too heavy and we needed to get back. The great thing is that the community is so prepared for this that the gritters and ploughers were out in force clearing the roads from the start. After only driving a minute or two the snow stopped and the sky began to clear and suddenly the most breathtaking scenery was all around us. It was jaw droppingly beautiful and we pulled over in every layby we could to get out and admire the view and take photos. We eventually made it back after lots of stops and got the fire going as soon as we got in to warm up our cold feet. Nick accidently smashed a wine glass last night so we knocked on the door to apologise to Lesley, our host, and this resulted in another long chat and a chance to meet her 3 week old puppies belonging to her dog Molly. They were a crossed breed of a poodle and a much smaller dog (cannot remember the name) and they were adorable. It was very hard to give them back after having a cuddle. She was completely fine about the wine glass so that was a relief. We've really enjoyed our stay in her home so it'll be a shame to have to leave tomorrow but that's travelling I guess.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    There's always time for tea

    9. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    The weather report predicted rain for today so we decided to set out early to try and do as much as possible before the start of the storm hits. Our destination for today was Arthur's Pass, a road that runs through the mountains from Canterbury across to the west coast. 82km along the road from where we are staying in Springfield is the Arthur's Pass village which has several walks on offer into the mountains. After breakfast we set off and the further we drove the more impressive the scenery became. Even with grey miserable looking skies the mountains were incredible to look at. The road is very windy and hugs the sides of each mountain you pass. Our first stop on our trip was Castle Hill. It's named Castle Hill because the hundreds of giant limestone boulders that are on the hill could be mistaken for the ruins of an old castle. A similar site a couple of kilometres down the road is where they filmed a battle scene from Narnia between the White Witch and Aslan but this area isn't open to the public. The whole time when walking around the rocks you're just wondering how they even got here in the first place. We were able to climb to the top of some of the largest boulders and sit and enjoy the view around us. It's a shame it wasn't a clearer day so that all the surrounding mountains were in view. We spent time drinking tea and simply taking in the surroundings. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore that you could spend all day weaving in and out of this amazing structural creation. We were conscious of the time and the imminent rain so after an hour or so we hopped back in the car and drove to our next stop at Cave Steam. You park at the top of a small hill and from the carpark you have no idea that a long tunnel cave with a river flowing through it runs right beneath your feet through the hill below. You can actually walk through the cave and river if you want to as long as the water isn't too high. It looked and felt freezing and we definitely were not feeling being sat in wet clothes so we just climbed down and had a look at the entrance instead. It's quite mind boggling how this tunnel cave even began to be carved out and how long it must have taken before the river burst through the other side. Back on the road we headed more inland and eventually reached Arthur's Pass village. After a quick coffee break we checked the visitor centre for walks we could do and also had a walk around the small museum which has information about the pass. There is a walk called Avalanche Peak which seems to be the best day trip that many people do. It is however a steep climb from the off up the side of a mountain to the summit. We felt we aren't quite at that fitness level just yet. Instead we decided to walk up to the waterfall called Devil's Punchbowl. It was quite an uphill walk but with many wooden steps so it wasn't too hard. You could see an original path through the woods so it almost felt a shame they had decided to build all these raised wooden steps because it ruined the experience a little. The forest on the other hand was incredible and as if it was straight out of a Lord of the Rings scene. So overgrown with moss and lichen. It was one of the oldest feeling forests we've been too and it was very sad to see everyone just power through it to get to the final destination as soon as possible. That's the trouble, everyone has become so obsessed with the destination they forget to enjoy the journey along the way. I spent so much time photographing mushrooms but I get so much enjoyment in capturing images of the things everyone overlooks. I feel the small things are so unappreciated and it's such a shame because there's so much beauty all around. The waterfall itself was rather impressive but I definitely fell more in love with the forest. On our drive back we pulled over several times to take photos and appreciate the ever-changing view. The rain had drawn in so when we arrived back at our Airbnb our host helped us light our log burner and we spent a good hour just talking to her. That's what we love about Airbnb, it's more personal and you get to meet some really lovely people.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    A rather windy Washpen Falls

    8. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    The weather today was looking a little gloomy but we decided we shouldn't allow it to stop us from doing the things we want to do. We'd been recommended by the owners of the last hostel we stayed at to visit a place called Washpen Falls. It's a private walking track that the guy recommend is the best they have done in the whole of New Zealand and even Australia as well. We wrapped up warm, maybe a little bit too warm, and set off on the journey to the falls. When we arrived at the area we headed down a gravel road through a farm before you get to the start of the track. We were met by many curious cows staring at the car as we drove past. When we pulled up in the parking area and an inquisitive looking chicken ran over to me as soon as I got out the car, almost as if it expected we would have food for it. We poured ourselves a cup of tea which seemed to make the chicken even more confident it was getting food. I think Nick captured a pretty good picture of me trying to explain to the bird why tea is not a good drink for chickens. She wasn't having any of it and still hung around up until we walked off. We popped our $20 in the honesty box for entry and began the walk. We quickly entered a dense pine forest where many of the paths had almost naturally built steps from the surrounding trees roots. Walking through a thick forest is very different to our other walks so far and we definitely enjoyed the change. As you reach the top of an ascent you come out of the trees to a beautiful view of the valley below. The hills are made from rocks covered in plants and trees trying to grow on every possible ledge and shelf they can find. We continued on and soon we reached a huge cave cut out of the hill above. We climbed up again along the track past a moss covered waterfall until we reached the very top of the hill. This was the highest point of the walk and provides you with beautiful views of Canterbury below. The wind was so strong that you did feel unsteady on your feet. I didn't have my hair tied up so it was just going crazy and I was continually being whipped by either my hair or straps on my backpack and it all became rather comical. We descended down the other side of the hill and at the bottom is Washpen waterfall. It was pretty spectacular as far as waterfalls go and we did stand and admire it for quite a while. On the rest of the track we walked alongside the river and through the forest. We even saw some red and white mushrooms, the kind you associated with fairy tale stories. By the end of the walk we were so thrilled by how a 2 hour track could include so much variety in terms of things to see and appreciate. Plus it had beautifully kept toilets, something we've noticed is very very rare! After the falls we drove inland to Lake Coleridge. The wind was still very strong to the point where it was swirling our cup of tea around in a spiral. A river had decided to burst through it's banks and find new paths to the lake so we had fun messing around jumping over these streams. We finished our day with the trip to the shop and a huge scoop of ice cream to share from the dairy (convenience store). It turns a good day into a great day if you can finish the day with ice cream.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    First Lord of the Rings film location

    7. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    What an amazing day! We woke up to a very wet and cloudy Methven and Nick questioned our plan for the day: to visit Lake Clearwater and the site where Edoras was filmed in LOTR. I pushed for us to still go because although it was raining the forecast did predict sun from lunchtime onwards. When working in the cafe I could arrive at work in pouring rain and 2 hours later it'd be glorious weather so I've learnt that the weather changes rapidly here. We packed up our belongings and said goodbye to Honey the cat before setting off on the hour drive. We passed the carpark where we parked to do our Mt. Somers walk and carried along 10km of gravel road. The road was very bumpy and we took it very slowly trying not to damage the car too much. After driving behind a herd of cows being moved along the road by what we now call 'cow dogs' we reached the small village of Clearwater sat on the side of the lake. It seemed to be mainly small holiday homes as many houses had all their curtains drawn. We parked up at the start of our route, a 3 hours walk around the lake. I decided to try out my new coat which definitely sums up backpacking life. I'm pretty sure it's a men's and it's two sizes too big so I've tightened every elastic part I can and it's completely not my taste im colour but it is water and wind proof and was a bargain $7 in a charity shop. You really can't turn that down! After a quick tea from our flask we began to walk. It was very calm with only the sound of insects around and as we continued to walk the weather just kept improving. About half way through it was glorious sunshine and we had to remove several layers of clothing to cope with the change in temperature. Although we did really enjoy the walk, and it wasn't too strenuous at all, we did reach a point where we were ready to move on. The scenerary didn't alter much because the lake isn't large enough to allow for that so as beautiful as it was we were eager for the next destination. We eventually made it back to the car and headed back onto the gravel to Mt. Sunday, aka Edoras. As you come around a bend and start to descend into a valley the scenery is just breathtaking. A completely flat plain with rivers running through it and mountains enclosing the whole area lie in front of you and in the middle stands Mt. Sunday. It definitely isn't a mountain but more a large rock and we found out it gained it's name by local sheep farmers meeting up on the summit every Sunday for a meeting. You just couldn't get over how incredible the scenery was. Everything felt unreal and almost like you're looking at a painting. We walked up to Edoras crossing rivers on small bridges before finally climbing to the top. It's a steep climb but only lasts about 5 minutes so it isn't too bad. At the top you have panoramic views of the plains below and mountains as far as the eye can see. The sun was rather blinding in one direction so you couldn't look that way for long. I don't think I've ever felt so small in my whole life. For me it's 100% the most incredible place I've ever seen so far. Unfortunately we couldn't enjoy it in peace because there was a man there flying his drone around and it's hard to ignore a very loud buzzing sound overhead. After a while we realised it was getting late so we tore ourselves away to face the gravel road back to tarmac and onto our next destination, Springfield. We drove as the sun set behind the mountains and eventually after stopping to pick up takeaway made it to an adorable Airbnb at 7.30pm to use as our base for the next 4 days. Where we visited today is a place most backpackers miss out because of how off route it is. If this is how amazing the unpopular places are I can't wait to see what else is in-store for us during the rest of our adventure.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    We've got the whole world in our hands

    6. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    It really does feel like we have the ability to go anywhere and do anything. That there is a world of possibilities in our grasp. After such a full on day yesterday we both woke up after almost a 12 hour sleep feeling very achy and sluggish. My calves were very reluctant to actually want to support any weight today. We decided to have a more relaxing recovery day so headed to the town of Ashburton to get some essentials we've realised we need. This included a decent backpack. Nick's gave up the ghost a while ago and I've bought a couple from a charity shop since without realising they do not have the supporting waist strap and without this the bags put a lot of strain on your shoulders. We went to Kathmandu, pretty much the best outdoor gear shop here and got ourselves a nice large backpack and a rain cover as well. What should of cost $190 cost us $68 because of an Autumn sale they had on and then at the checkout we also got a $20 reward voucher which was a nice unexpected perk. Although it's still a large sum of money we needed a descent bag and we are hopeful it will last us through the rest of our trip if not longer. I'm still rocking my child's backpack from the UK and although I have two others to now choose from I am reluctant to give up on my original one. Plus it does have a rain cover which is quite essential. We also bagged ourselves some decent mini Lindt easter eggs in a sale which we were excited about after our disappointing crunchie egg the other week. Unfortunately Nick left them on the dash of the car so we only ate a couple before returning to find the rest completely melted. At least we had a little taste of Easter. We visited Lake Hood at lunch time which is a man made lake. It wasn't really what we expected because it turns out they've made it to build a housing estate around it. We managed to find a spot away from the houses though to sit and eat our lunch and we even braved a little paddle in the water. It was so unbelievable cold but quite invigorating. It was a little painful with achy legs that don't even want to walk though. After relaxing by the lake we head to the garden centre called Lushingtons, yes Lushingtons! It's a place I've driven past several times and wanted to visit for the gift shop and cafe. The shop had so many gorgeous things that I'd love to have in my future house and it's quite hard to admit that you can't and shouldn't buy them now. One day I will but for now we just enjoyed some good coffee and homemade ice cream before heading back to the hostel to start with tea. Not the most exciting day but one that's set us up for the travels to come.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Throwing ourselves in the deep end

    5. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Today was our first full day of travelling New Zealand and we decided to ease ourselves into it with a nice 8 hour walk up a mountain! Not quite to the summit though. We headed off early to Mt. Somers, a 45 minute drive from Methven and we were initially treated to the sight of hundreds of sheep being herded by sheep dogs down and around a hill towards us. It was quite impressive to see this white river of sheep flow down the hillside, something you imagine happens a lot in New Zealand but something we haven't yet been lucky enough to see. We started our walk on the Miner's track. As the name suggests it covers an area that used to be mined for coal and some of the old machinery and mine shaft openings are dotted around for you to see. There was a very steep initial incline and I did wonder what we had let ourselves in for because this was very challenging both mentally and physically. I'm definitely not fit, that is for sure. Every time you climb just a few metres the view seems to grow and grow and open out so much more in front of you. Our route continued with more uphill but luckily with some more level ground and a few slight descents. We saw some of NZ's bird life including a fantail and another bird with a very distinctive call but one we are yet to learn the name of. After just under 3 hours we finally saw our lunchtime destination, a little hut on the side of the river. The hut has been built for walkers to stay in overnight if needed. Seeing as we had worked ourselves quite hard we did eat our lunch before we reached the hut, overlooking the gorge and surrounding beauty. It's quite hard to believe such dramatic landscapes exist. We made our way down to the hut and Nick got to experience his first long drop toilets. Apart from that the hut was very modern and hardly look used despite being 12 years old. We then had a decision to make: head back the way we came or face a more daunting tramping track up Mt. Somers. We chose to take the more challenging path with the hope of seeing even more beautiful scenery. Luckily the suggested track is marked out with posts every couple of hundred metres so you have a general idea where you're meant to go which is handy when there isn't a clear path to follow on the ground. Saying that we did stray a couple of times from the designated path and luckily spotted other walkers to help guide us back to where we were meant to be. We did have to cross a rope bridge which only allows for one person at a time. It was suspended above a valley with a river below and although it was very daunting it was easier than I thought it would be. We then were also treated to a beautiful waterfall in the next valley we climbed down. The ascent then was very hard indeed. It was also that horrible moment when you think you've reached the top but then you come over that ridge and see you're far from finished climbing. The views were spectacular and made every step worth while. We passed an area under a carved out area rock face that had so many bright colours of rocks on show which was quite amazing to see. The hardest part of the walk was the descent down the last stretch of mountain. It was incredibly steep and very rocky with a lot of uneven ground. The worst part was we could see the carpark and no matter how often you looked up it still looked the same distance away. I found it very hard on my knees and there was lots of places I needed to hold onto Nick or a rock to step down. We would of got down a lot quicker if it wasn't for that but Nick was very understanding and we've decided to go and buy myself some Volterol cream which I used on my knees as a child to help with the next walk. It took us 8 hours in total and although at times I felt like my body couldn't do it, it was incredibly worth it and I'm just hoping over time I get fitter and these walks become easier.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Freedom!

    4. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We're finally on the road! It's been 8 months since we came to New Zealand and it's now time for us to see this country we have been calling home for all this time. I made my last coffees and served my last customers. For Marcia's last coffee I asked her for a request and she wanted a self portrait of me. I think it turned out quite well except the nose is rather huge! Everyone loved it and I had Marcia, Georgina and Steve taking photos of me with my coffee. I am sad to be leaving such a nice bunch of people but at the same time excited to be setting off again. I went out for leaving drinks with them all on Monday night which was very entertaining to say the least. It was paid for with the $289 we've earnt in tips in the 3 months I've been there. It's amazing how many tourists chuck all their change in the tip jar because they are leaving the country soon and won't be able to change it up. We've had a little trouble with the house and with leaving. Nick cleaned the windows with a microfiber cloth and towels and it wasn't until we saw them in the sunlight did we notice loads of scratches all over them. Turns out the glass has a UV filter mixed into it, something we were not made aware of, which makes it scratch easily and can only be professionally cleaned. We're hopeful it's all sorted out and our landlords insurance will cover it as accidental damage but we will see. One thing I'm so grateful for is our relationship with Bruce and Candy. They've let us store heaps of stuff at the farm that we won't need in the next 3 months so we don't have to take it all with us or throw it away. When we pick up the camper as well they are letting us store our car in a garage on farm so we can still have a car to use the other side of travelling. I can't imagine how much harder our time would of been for these past 8 months without them and all these small things they have done for us. We had our final house inspection which went surprisingly well because all she did was look in our fridge and oven and said everything was great. You wonder if all the hours of cleaning walls and ceilings were even necessary. After a quick lunch in Geraldine we hit the road to Methven, to the same hostel/hotel we stayed in before Christmas. It was nice to be reunited with the hotel's cat, Honey, although she has put on a little weight so I think the guests have been sneakily feeding her. So that's us now, away from the farm, away from responsibilities with the ability to go anywhere and see anything. It's rather a surreal feeling but a feeling we've definitely both missed. I now need to somehow get back into the routine of blogging daily or there will be just too much to fit into a weekly post. We'll see how that goes!Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Perks of having awesome colleagues

    1. huhtikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    My Monday this week has been incredible. A woman I work with, Emerald, lives on a lifestyle block and breeds horses. She offered to take me on an after work ride with her. She does this most evenings so was happy to have someone to go around with. The whole experience was just breathtaking. At first it was rather daunting and my horse seemed to dislike going up hill, going down hill or walking in general really! After a while though I settled into it more and relaxed which helped both the horse, Jay-Jay, and I enjoy it more. They own gorgeous land on the hills just outside Geraldine with an abundance of wildlife. We saw so many deer and stags as well as wild sheep and goats. Emerald's partner runs a side hunting business so takes customers out in to the bush they own to shoot mainly stags. I don't agree with it but it was reasurring to see how many stags there are and how they are thriving despite this threat. One thing I didn't realise was that Emerald's partner wasn't actually home so when we went on our trek with left her 4 year old son in the care of her 12 year old daughter. When I arrived they were playing outside on the trampoline together and 2 hours later they were still playing outside with their Shetland pony. They weren't spending time on phones, computers or games but enjoying the amazing home and grounds they have to roam in. Everything is enclosed so they feel completely fine leaving them alone like this. I couldn't get over the awesome childhood she is providing for them and I was rather jealous of the lifestyle they have. This week Nick has been super on it with the cleaning and packing. On my day off we tackled a lot of the cleaning together so hopefully we will be ready by the time our inspection comes. I think he's eager to get going and leave the farm life behind us for a while. There was the potential of having to stay at my colleagues house because our house might have been needed for new workers but luckily we're able to stay up until the 3rd or 4th. It's nice knowing we have that extra time and don't have to move into somewhere for a couple of days to move out again. The freedom that travelling will bring us is getting so close now that we're both just eager to hit the road and see this beautiful country.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Who doesn't love a posh loo

    25. maaliskuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    I met up with Candy and Eliza this week on my day off at a very cute Victorian house that has been turned into a cafe/restaurant and the surrounding gardens into a garden centre. Eliza's face lit up as soon as she saw me and I realised how much I've missed both her and Cassidy and how much more it makes me miss Aeryn and Zephyr. We shared a coffee and events and occurrences of the past month and talked a lot about our upcoming travels. Eliza was not so impressed with being in a high chair with with open display cabinets of jewellery and glassware only a metre away it was the safest option for her, the shop and Candy's bank balance. The toilets were so incredibly posh. Kath would of loved the duck figures outside on the door. I was so taken aback by the women's powder room, as I should probably call it, that I almost very nearly risked popping my head into the gents to check theirs out. I've already decided I will be returning with Nick just so I can see some photographic evidence of the male toilets. Nick finished working on Saturday and I have to say I am rather jealous! He's already being very productive with planning, cleaning and generally sorting things out for the next step of our travels. It's rather lucky because when it came to looking at accommodation for the time between us leaving and when we get our campervan I had an awful migraine. He was awesome and found 6 great places on a route he'd planned out and just got me to give them the once over when I felt up to it. Although it's a shame we won't have the campervan upfront it's nice we will have the luxury of staying in a few airbnbs before hand. I recently invested in Boggle as another game we will be able to take around with us to play on the road. Nick's not really got the hang of all the things to look out for yet (always checking if an S could be added on to a word, that sort of thing) but he does seem to enjoy the challenge of learning. We've got a nice collection of games together now to give us something to do in the evenings. Work has been rather busy building up to easter and because we have a girl off work with whooping cough. I've been doing more and more cooking of the breakfasts to help out in the morning when Georgina is busy making sandwiches and I haven't poisoned anybody yet which is always a bonus. We're very much on a countdown to leaving and it's quite surreal to even think that we will be going around the country for 3 and a half months. I don't think it'll feel real until we are on the road leaving Geraldine finally behind us, for now anyway.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    First cows, now it's invading sheep

    18. maaliskuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    After last week's eventful Sunday night with escaping cows I had a mini panic when I pulled onto the drive to find our gate closed. Automatically I thought the cows had gotten out again but to my surprise this time it was a herd of sheep who decided to visit our garden. They'd escape onto the highway from a paddock down the road and a passing car managed to herd them into our driveway to make sure they were off the road and out of harms way. Luckily Nick was home and he tracked down the owner and within an hour or so the guy turned up to reclaim his sheep. We live on a 100kmph stretch of highway that has two bends at the end of the couple hundred metre stretch so getting the sheep back across the road needed to be a speedy process. The only up side is that because the cars are travelling so fast you can hear them approaching with plenty of warning before they are upon you. We made a make-shift pen on our side of the road and rounded them all up into it and once the road was clear Nick opened the gate and we ushered them across the road into the gate they'd come from. All these animals escaping are providing us with some evening entertainment and we're secretly hoping next week brings us runaway chickens! There's been a huge explosion of cabbage white butterflies and when I say huge I mean thousands. It's actually quite nice to sit on our sofa looking out through the sliding doors watching them all dance around the greenery. I've been trying to photograph one up close and this week I finally managed to get a few snaps. After Marcia's unicorn on her coffee last week of course she came back wanting more and this time I went for a zebra. Pretty similar so it was easy to create this time and her camera was out before it had even touched down on the table, she was that pleased with it. I think she's not looking forward to me leaving especially when one of my colleagues doesn't give her any pictures at all, despite being asked for one. Also this week, similarly to back home, the shops are flooded with easter eggs and gifts so we decided to treat ourselves to our first easter egg which of course had to be crunchie. We were both very excited, so excited we forgot that chocolate here is nothing like it is back home so it was utterly over sweet and disappointing. I think we'll have to try and get a different brand at some point otherwise it just won't feel like easter at all without a decent egg!Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Cows on the loose!

    11. maaliskuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Our Sunday night became quite entertaining this week. After a relatively boring day working I left the shower o hear Nick saying "oh no" in a very serious voice and heard the sliding door in our bedroom open. My immediate thought was that someone had had an accident on the highway coming on to the farm so I was very surprised to run outside and in the dark see hundreds of cows in our garden and surrounding area. Nick ran out barefoot to close the gate to our drive before any decided to make a dash for the highway's grass. We both got dressed and in our shoes before heading outside by phone torch light to try and round them up. Nick rung his colleague to come and help us who showed up on his bike pretty quickly. Luckily the cows seemed to know exactly where they were meant to be and were easily herded back into their paddock, especially with two bikes encouraging them. They'd actually rammed down a gate to get to the area by our house and we believe someone must not of given them enough grass in their fenced out area causing them to find more elsewhere. The worse part of the experience was when Nick realised he'd lost his black phone somewhere outside in the pitch black with knee high grass everywhere. By calling the phone repeatedly we luckily found it in the end. We also went to have our medical examinations done this week which took hardly any time at all. We'd been booked in as two 45 minute appointments but we were actually both finished within 40 minutes. Looking back I wish we had asked for some money off for this reason because the price was extortionate for what it was. After the appointment we went and had our bloods taken which was the final stage to the medical side of our visa extension. With all this completed and our applications in the post it's just a case of waiting to see what happens next. We treated ourselves to some breakfast afterwards and it was nice to have that sit down time together away from home. Work has been pretty uneventful apart from having my first go at icing the gingerbread men. It's not that it is hard, it just never fell at a conviennient time for me to do it before now. Marcia was treated to a unicorn this week on her coffee. She loved it and so did everyone at work. I'm not sure if I'm going to make it to the end of my working time with a new idea everyday. Luckily she's coming in less and less because I really am running out of animals to create!Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Roadtripping and x-raying

    4. maaliskuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    This week Nick and I had two days off together so we decided to seize the opportunity and head up to Christchurch for a day trip. The rent money for our campervan needed to be paid off within 28 days before we travel and without a credit card the easiest way for us to do this was in the companies office so we decided to head up there and make the day of it. We realised how unprepared we are for winter weather and because we had originally planned to leave during NZ summer we gave a lot of our warmer clothes away from the farm to charity thinking we would no longer need them. It therefore made sense to visit some of the cheaper clothing shops they have in Christchurch to try and get our hands on some jumpers and warmer clothes. Before we headed north we went to Savemart in Timaru which is a huge second hand clothing place and luckily we got quite a few bits each. My favourite buy was a pair of heart print fluffy pyjamas, not at all my taste in print design but so super cosy that I think they'll be perfect for winter in the campervan. Christchurch was a bit disappointing clothes wise but we had fun just driving up and back that it didn't worry us too much. It was also quite reassuring to see the campervan in person and has made us both quite excited for the trip ahead. The next day we had our medicals and x-rays booked or at least we thought. I decided to check the email the night before and found out that at some point Nick and the lady on the phone had got their wires crossed so our medical was actually booked in for next Thursday. Luckily I have that day off work and Nick can easily get it off work too so it all worked out well in the end. The x-ray itself was a bit of a strange thing to have done and I had to wear a lovely fetching gown with all my hair shoved into a top knot bun because interestingly hair shows up on x-rays. We treated ourselves to some lovely lunch afterwards before enjoying being able to food shop together for the first time in a long while. We haven't had a working lawn mower in a long time and this week we finally had one provided to us. This meant Nick was out there in the hot sun mowing away when we got back from our day out together. I'm glad we've had weeks without a working mower because his boss is insisting he needs to do it weekly. It feels like a lot of time at the moment is taken up with sorting out our visa extensions and planning things for the next step of our travels and as exciting as that is I can't wait for it all to be sorted out and to finally be on the road exploring this beautiful country we've lived in for over 7 months.Lue lisää

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  • Charlotte ElleryOur AdventureMatkaaja

    Experiencing our first cyclone

    25. helmikuuta 2018, Uusi Seelanti ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    New Zealand has quite extreme weather conditions compared to back home. One day it's the height of summer and the next it's freezing and pouring with raining. There's been a big hype around a cyclone coming to the country and on Tuesday this week it finally hit. It came from the west so luckily for us the mountains provided a good barrier that broke up the storm meaning we only really had a couple of days of torrential rain with minimal wind. The rivers suffered the most coming down from the hills. Many were overflowing and on the highway to Fairlie one bridge was washed out by the current. It's a main route for tour buses so this has caused a huge dip in our passing trade so work for the rest of the week has been very quiet. Amazingly they had the bridge repaired and open again by Saturday which I thought was rather impressive. We have finally made the decision to give up on trying to buy a campervan and to rent one instead. Nick has been using his lunch breaks to research all aspects of the next chapter of our travels and has chosen a good company for us to rent with. This means it's now time to sort out our visa extensions before we hit the road. This week we were rather fortunate to have a day off together so we headed down to the farm cafe near where we live to fill out our applications. It would of been rude to not order some lunch as well! Within a couple of hours we had our forms completed and Nick had rung to book in appointments for our medical examinations and chest x-rays. We never really considered how much money all these things cost when we first decided to extend. This week saw Cassidy turn 3 so after work on Saturday I headed over to the old farm. I missed her birthday party but still got to see her for a couple of hours. She loved the scooter I bought her and I loved the cheap price tag it had too! It was so amazing to see her and Eliza even after only a few weeks apart. Eliza is walking so confidently and all of a sudden just has this strong personality and level of interaction that wasn't there so much before. She's really changing so quickly now a days and you can't help but feel sad knowing we will miss out on these changes with Zephyr. I took Cassidy over a gingerbread man from the bakery which she enjoyed rather a lot, so much so that said gingerbread man went on an adventure with her and climbed up onto the bath then the sink to un-hook the shower cleaner from the top of the shower and proceed to spray the whole bathroom to "help mummy clean the bathroom". Drenched in shower cleaner, unfortunately, the rest of Mr gingerbread man ended up in the bin and Cassidy straight into the newly cleaned shower.Lue lisää

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