First day of classes!

I had my first day of class today! I can already tell I am really going to like the ones I have choosen. I am taking a marine mammals course and right now we are learning about all kinds of fish and their behaviors, then later on in the course we will discuss sharks, rays, sea birds and large mammals like dolphins and whales! We also take a really interesting field trip on a research fishing boat so we can see first hand the types of fishing that are used in commercial fishing and the environmental complications from them. I cannot wait. This is right up my ally! As I go to more of my classes and learn about them I will keep you updated! Cheers for now!

O week

This has been a very eventful week! So much to do! The day after my adventure in the Catlin's I took a train trip into the Taerie gorge just outside of Dunedin. The train trip was offered for free to all international students! It was a great way to just hangout and relax with my fellow study abroaders. The views of the gorge were also so stunning, and it was fun to chat with new people. IT was a really fun day. That night I went to town with some of my friends, and it was the craziest thing, on our way home just outside of my house on the street there was a small student riot where they were burning two couches! (They do this just for fun and to be a little crazy! no harm done, all though the police and fire departments don't much like it). The next day I attended my first ever RUGBY MATCH!!! WOOOO! There is a big stadium right in Dunedin where we cheered for the home team, The Otago Highlanders! Even though they didn't win :( it was still a really fun experience! We got all dressed up and I got to learn the rules to a sport very new to me! What fun! The next day a few of my friends and I took a trip to the north part of Dunedin to visit Baldwin street. It is the steepest street in the world according to the guinness book of world records! It was really hard to climb up but it was such a fun experience! And the views of north Dunedin were amazing! Today some friends and I took a trip out to Aranowa beach! There was a beautiful rock formation that has a whole in it that looks just like a heart! It was pretty cool. There were also some very big sand dunes, that of course I had to climb, and I jumped and leaped all the way down to the bottom. I also got to sit in the sun for awhile and climb some rocks. We then stopped in the little port town on the opposite side of the peninsula and stopped for some fish and chips, or as the Kiwis say if "fush and chups". All in all I have been having another amazing week. I start class on tuesday so I am pretty excited about that! Hope to hear from some of you! I always look foreword to emails! Cheers!

The Catlin's!

Today was an interesting day.... Some of my friends and I took a day trip down from Dunedin to the Catlins! Its is beautiful down there, we drove along the coast and stopped at Nugget point, Pukaterie falls, and Cathedral caves. Nugget point was awesome, we took a little hike out to a lighthouse that had stunning views of the cliffs and a seal coolony. We then went to the falls where we waded in the pools, climbed up the falls and crawled in and out of a rotted tree stump. We then went to Cathedral caves. It was this beautiful set of caves that were carved out by sea water! They are only accessible during low tide and we were super lucky to get there just when it was low tide. We had to wade through the water a bit but it was so worth it! It was awesome. Then came the interesting part. Just as we were about to leave, Catherine locked the keys in the car! We didn't know what to do because we were in the middle of no where! There was no cell service so Catherine and I had to hitch a ride from some random Canadians to the nearest town so we could call a lock smith to come break into the car! After two hours of waiting and chatting with the lady that runs Cathedral caves finally someone showed up to let us into the car and we were able to drive home :). All in all it was a crazy eventful day. One for the books!

Beach Days!

The past two days we have had the most beautiful weather in Dunedin! I finished all of my course approval stuff on friday and monday so I am all set to start classes on monday! Because we have been having the most amazing weather my friends and I have gone to the beach both days! It is so amazing. The water is so blue and it is fun to see all of the surfers! The water is freezing but I went in both days! I figure what the hell! I live in a place where I am 10 minutes from the ocean, why not take advantage of that and go swimming! miss you all!

Around and about!

I still haven't started classes, I wont for another week and a half!!! But I have been doing some fun things! I took a trip to the reservoir today. It was a little hike to a lake nearby the city and a bunch of the international students went together! It was quite funny, we looked like such tourists! I also went to the farmers market a few days ago. Dunedin has one of New Zealand's best farmers markets, with fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, sweets, eggs, and meat. It is all so delicious! It is in Dunedin once a week at the train station, so I will for sure be getting my food there every week! I have also had to do some things that aren't as fun like setting up my New Zealand phone, opening a bank account and applying for a license to prove I am of legal age!! I have been having tons of fun though, and will get to pick my courses in two days! I am going to try and get at least one if not two days off so I can have a lot of time to travel!! Exciting! I'll try to keep everyone updated! Cheers!

Settling into Dunedin!

The bus trip here was 6 hours and was brutal because I was quite tired from all our my traveling! But I finally got there, I had a long trek home through the city but it was nice to stretch my legs. When I got home my Kiwi host Becca was there, she was really welcoming and introduced me to a bunch of her friends. I went to the gym with them to work out then we had a girls night to watch movies. I also met a girl from Sweden named Lena (Grammi, she said that she would write you a letter sometime in swedish!) I am here a bit early so there aren't many internationals here yet but more are coming everyday and I am meeting lots of people. I also took a hike up to signal hill in Dunedin which gives us great views of the whole city. That night some of the Kiwi hosts and their friends took us out to town to hangout and party a bit with the locals. We had a blast, and it was awesome to meet the local students! Right now I am sorting our my classes and setting up a bank account, just some house keeping things, but O week starts soon! With will be awesome! Hope everyone is well!

Kaikoura and traveling!

Today we left Nelson, we drove to Kaikoura, a cute little seaside town on the east coast of the south island. We stayed at a really cute bed and breakfast just a little bit out of town called The Donegal house. It is a super Irish establishment! It was very funny actually just how Irish it was. The little pub inside and the irish music, it was a really fun place. We were sitting outside our room looking at the gardens when we heard these huge sirens coming from town that lasted from about 5 minutes! I jokingly said that it must be a Tsunami warning because they don’t really have tornados and such here. It turns out I was right!!! There was a huge earthquake at the Soloman Islands and there were tsunami warnings for most of New Zealand! Beth was a bit freaked out and wanted to stay inland where we were staying but I was curious and wanted to go to the seaside and see what all the fuss was about! We ignored the warnings to stay off the beach and had dinner at a seaside pub and then went for a drive down the peninsula. When I realized that there was no tsunami coming  L we drove home and called it a night! A bit of excitement but all in all a good day! The next morning beth and I got up early to enjoy our complimentary breakfast and get ready for our whale watching excursion. It was so cool! The Kaikoura area is really known for having a lot of whales. There is a big canyon only a kilometer off the shore where there is the edge of the continental shelf, and many whales use this area for fishing and finding food! So we get into our whale watching boat, which is quite small and head off! There were huge rolling waves, that made many people sick, except Beth and I because we took motion sickness pills haha. The whales we were looking for were spermwhales, that are known for their deep dives and the length of time they spend underwater. The people who work for this whale watching company have this down to a tee. They know exactly where to find the whales, how long they dive for and how long they will be at the surface. So we get out to the spot where the whale is supposed to surface and there are like 3 boats waiting and three helicopters and two planes above all waiting to see the whale. Finally the spotter on our ship sees it so everyone raced over to see him! It was incredible, seeing these majestic creatures in the wild is truly a remarkable experience. It will not be something I will soon forget.  The whale dives and wont be up for another hour, so we leave the kaikoura canyon to go to shore to see the seals on the beach. We then finally get back to the harbor, grab some lunch and drive back to Christchurch. We returned the car, checked into our hotel and had an amazing Italian dinner! We then packed and settled all of our stuff and went to bed. Beth’s alarm went off at 3:30am so she could get to the airport on time. I helped her carry her bags down, and we said our goodbyes. It was sad to see her go, but I was also really excited to begin my exchange down in Dunedin!

Abel Tasman

This morning Beth and I woke up really early so we could drive to Marahau to catch a water taxi to take us into Abel Tasman National Park. But it was pouring rain! I am pretty sure Beth was 100% against going because it was raining so hard, but I knew this was one of the most beautiful national parks in NZ and that we had to do it! So we drove up to Marahau, all the while its still pouring, and we get there and hear the lady behind the desk telling people that everything was cancelled! I was so disappointed because we only had the one day in Nelson to do this trip! But we lucked out! Only Kayak trips were cancelled so we were still good to go. We load up into the boat so that they can drive us down to the launch so the water taxi can be on its way! As we got closer I kept wondering to myself how this was going to work, because the whole bay was in low tide and there was no water covering the bottom of the ramp and only a few feet of water in the bay for a few hundred meters! Don’t worry, they had a solution. The tractor pulling us, just went straight down the ramp and started pulling the trailer out into the bay, when we finally got to the end of the sand bar and they could back us into enough water to launch the boat, off we went! Huge swell coming up around the boat, and we had a 45 minute boat ride to our drop off point! When we finally got there the driver says “well, its low tide so you’re gonna need to take your shoes off and roll up your pants cause I’m going to have to drop you off in the water. Once again I think Beth was unhappy, but she took it like a champ and we got to shore! We put on our shoes and socks and began our 4 ½ hour hike! Just as we were starting off on our walk the rain was stopping and the clouds were parting. We ended up having the most beautiful sunny day and walk through the park. Abel Tasman became a national park because of its beautiful golden beaches and blue waters, and the cliffs and hills of thick rainforest that come right up to the beach. The walk was amazing, the most amazing sights and weather, We could not have asked for more. We got to our water taxi pick up sight about an hour early, so I raced and put my swim suit on and go swimming in the warm and turquoise waters of the Tasman Bay. It was truly an amazing experience, and Beth got to sit and look at the ocean for awhile, which is one of her favorite thing to do. On the Taxi ride back we got to see a dew seals and sea birds and admire the beautiful coast we had just been walking on. We were so exhausted driving home though we had to take turns driving so the other could take a few naps. We grabbed a quick meal of wine crackers and cheese and called it a night. It really was so amazing.

Dog Days

One thing we are seeing a lot of here are dog beaches, dogs are allowed on almost all beaches! Beth and I keep saying how much we think Zara would love it here because she could run and jump in the surf and catch the drift wood logs that float in. She would have a blast if she was here. The one thing that will be hard about being away for so long is not being able to see my puppy dog! :( boo hoo, but 5 monts will go by way to quickly though and I need to focus on enjoying every minute of it!!
PS Beth took these pics...

You know I had to add this pic in... she is just so cute!

Drive to Nelson!

Well today we left Greymouth and headed to Nelson! Nelson is a town along the northern coast of the southern island. The Nelson area is famous for its amazing wine! Savinon Blanc to be specific.

Today was the day. We woke up, and it was raining... and it was raining hard! It was a bit sketchy driving through the winding mountain passes through fog and rain! But we made it to Nelson safe and sound. We walked about the city center and had some food, and stopped at a pub to watch some of the superbowl, of course, and wandered around the big cathedral. We went down to the beach around 6pm and just for the hour we were there at the beach, the sun came out! Beautiful sunny skies and no clouds to block it! So we soaked in as much sun as possible and called it a night, for we have an early day tomorrow! More to come!

Kiwi Life.

There are about 4 million people who live in New Zealand, around 900,000 on the south island. There are about 10 million people who live in the LA area in the States! So it isn't heavily populated here but one thing there are a lot of.... Sheep! Tons and tons of sheep! around 75 million sheep in NZ! But the Merino wool that comes from here is some of the most coveted in the world!

Greymouth

Greetings! Well today Beth and I left Franz Joseph Glacier and made the trek to Greymouth, a seaside town on the west coast. We stopped south of the town for awhile to walk along the beach and hunt for New Zealand jade that washes up on the beach at the mouth of the river, and we found tons! We then got an ice cream and kept heading north. We checked in early to our hotel and then drove north to Paparoa National Park to see the beautiful pancake rocks! The rocks were formed by a weathering process called stylobedding, with layering of limestone and mudstone that looks like stacks of pancakes! They were amazing! And at high tides there are formations called blowholes where the surf comes in so quickly that it hits the rock and is shot out the top through small holes! Incredible! Well that’s all for now!

Franz Joseph Glacier

Today Beth and I had a lovely time. We started our day with a nice little breakfast sitting by an outdoor fireplace and enjoying a nice coffee. We have had the most amazing coffee since we have been here. We then did another hike through the valley but this time up to Franz Joseph Glacier. We had great views with some of the only sun of the day. This whole area is temperate rainforest so it is usually cloudy and rainy but we have been so lucky and not had a lick of rain! It was very different hiking across tons of rocks and boulders that Beth described as a lunar landscape. We then took a little detour, of course, for me to climb some rocks and explore the base of a few waterfalls. We then drove a few miles down to the coast to walk along though the wetlands and walk along the beach where the sun was shining and we had some time for me to pick some unique rocks up from the coastline, which we later found out was the Expensive New Zealand green stone or Jade! We then drove back to town for a little relaxation at the Glacial Hot Pools, and a leisurely dinner and the local bar. We then waited until dark, around 9:30, so we could do a short walk to a nearby cave to see some glowworms! I was so excited, so beth and ventured out in the dark with my head lamp and some flash lights, get all the way up the hill and are about to go into the cave and find a sign that tells us the track is closed due to flood damage… L BOOO! So we turned around, and went back to the room and watched the end of the Wellington Sevens, Rugby matches. All in all a pretty awesome day!!!

Drive to Franz Joseph Glacier

Today Beth and I woke up early. We had a long day of travel from Queenstown to Franz Joseph Glacier. We took our time getting there though. What should have been a 4 ½ hour drive turned into 8! We were driving up and down winding roads through mountain passes and passing all of the ski fields! There are a ton of skiing resorts in Queenstown and Central Otago! We drove past Wanaka and the lake, which is the south islands largest lake. We then entered into Mt. Aspiring national park. This place was incredible! High mountain peaks with snow on the top and it turns into dense rainforest! We took a little detour to hike into the blue pools, which was a little hiking trail that winds down through the rainforest and opens up onto some little suspension bridges that give you a view down to these deep pools that form in the glacially fed rivers. The turquoise color of the glacial waters is difficult to describe and I don’t think you would even believe how gorgeous it is unless you were here! We also stopped at the Gates of Haast, a roaring river with huge glacial boulders in it. Right as we were leaving the park the up and down roads flatten out to a river valley. Wow was this incredible, I cant describe it so check out the pic below! As I was trying to take these pictures because I was in awwe of how beautiful it was I left Beth at a rest stop and started venturing toward the bridge. I then realized that if I tramp down through the undergrowth I can get a really amazing shot from underneath the bridge! So down I went, not following any trail and getting speared by wild rose bushes and sinking into the bush. But I dint care! It was so amazing I hope my photo can do it justice! I then come up from under the bridge to find beth on the side of the road hollering my name because she was worried something happened to me! Doesn’t she know by now that if there is an opportunity for me to do something a little crazy I am going to take it! We then left Mt. Aspiring NP L but we still had a long way to go. We came out to travel by the coast and we had our first glimpses of the Tasman Sea. Blue, turquoise waters with big surf is the usual there, and it was magnificent. Before we got to Franz Joseph Glacier we stopped and hiked in the blistering sun up the valley to see Fox Glacier. It really is incredible to see the power that these glaciers have had on forming the landscapes. Huge U shaped valleys with big boulders and cliff faces that have scrapes on them from being grinded along in the ice. How amazing. We were then so tired when we finally arrived that we had a big dinner and went back to our room. We then watched a few Rugby matches (something New Zealanders are crazy about!) and listened to the locals at the bar cheering and singing into the night and celebrating the All Blacks win! I think I can get into this sport! Bye for now!

This one!

Last day of Queenstown

Greetings from NZ! Well, today we took it pretty easy, not as crazy as yesterday! We slept in and had an amazing breakfast at a little café on the water. We then rode the Gondola up the mountain side right in Queenstown! It was beautiful views of the city and lake Wakatipu. We also did a little shopping in town J. We then walked all around the town and through the beautiful botanical gardens. What fun! Especially Beth, since we know she loves a good garden. And we ended our day with the most amazing dinner! 3 hr. slow roasted Rib eye! YUMMM! Cheers for now!