Not quite paradise
Alternative title: Fair and balanced journalism
Everything you always wanted to know about the sand fly.
I believe I made it through white water rafting without too many bites (the provided wetsuit was pretty good protection). Afterwards we stopped for lunch (was that at the River Valley Cafe in Esk Valley?), and made the mistake of sitting at an outdoor picnic table on the grass. I am covered with bug bites. I am never going outside again.
Saturday, April 03, 2010
I could sing a few lines of the Purdue and IU fight songs, but I can't for the life of me remember how Butler's goes. I'm sure a couple of hours of dueling pianos would set me straight.
River of Terror!!!
Alternative title: And I wished I could ride a horse
Brief interruption: Yesterday's lunch in a vineyard.
This morning, it was up to the Mohaka River for white water rafting.
These were Grade II rapids...which I guess means that on a hot day, you can do this sort of thing. (Yes, those are my feet).
Aoife jumping off a cliff. She was supposed to take a picture of me jumping off an even higher cliff, but apparently did not, as I have no such picture.
The water on the lens helps capture the ferocity of the river.
Maybe next time:
Alternative title: And I wished I could ride a horse
Brief interruption: Yesterday's lunch in a vineyard.
This morning, it was up to the Mohaka River for white water rafting.
These were Grade II rapids...which I guess means that on a hot day, you can do this sort of thing. (Yes, those are my feet).
Aoife jumping off a cliff. She was supposed to take a picture of me jumping off an even higher cliff, but apparently did not, as I have no such picture.
The water on the lens helps capture the ferocity of the river.
Maybe next time:
Friday, April 02, 2010
Thank G-d it's (Good) Friday, and the Official Sports Drink of Backyard Cricket.
In case I didn't mention it already, Easter is a four day weekend here. It is my new favourite holiday. As I type this, it is now Saturday...the sun is out, the birds are singing; or at least chirping their 4 note song (which I think is really a two tone song repeated twice, but Nico disagrees, and she is a bit more talented musically, so we'll go with 4 notes).
Yesterday, we spent the morning with my coworker Jason and his family on a hike through the Blowhard Bush Scenic Reserve. I was a little worried about the level of difficulty this hike might present because of our recent experiences on other voyages; but it turned out to be a relatively easy walk (through caves, native forest, and some plants that looked a lot like the California coastal sage scrub I had to identify in Biology 5C (or whatever class that was that made me decide not to be a botanist).
If you look closely, you may notice that I'm trying not to think about the bottomless abyss behind me.
Kiwi children do not share my fears.
I somehow forgot to take pictures of the backyard cricket game we played in. Jason patiently went over the basics; I promptly forgot those I may have understood. Anyway, hitting a cricket ball is a bit easier than hitting a baseball.
Today, we're off to the Clearview Winery for lunch; I am happy to report that our first tandem ride since becoming Kiwis will be a sober one...not so sure about the second ride.
Tomorrow, it's Final Four. I am guessing that no Butler alumni live farther from Indianapolis than do I. So we broke down and had Sky installed. One month was a long time to go without TV. Unfortunately, the antiquated receiver would not work with our American television, so we had to go and buy a new one: 32 inch Samsung; cheap even by US standards. Due to a problem with online ordering (from a local store), I've ended up with two. It was so cheap, I'm thinking of keeping the second one. Is anyone not interested in us having a television in the guest bedroom?
In case I didn't mention it already, Easter is a four day weekend here. It is my new favourite holiday. As I type this, it is now Saturday...the sun is out, the birds are singing; or at least chirping their 4 note song (which I think is really a two tone song repeated twice, but Nico disagrees, and she is a bit more talented musically, so we'll go with 4 notes).
Yesterday, we spent the morning with my coworker Jason and his family on a hike through the Blowhard Bush Scenic Reserve. I was a little worried about the level of difficulty this hike might present because of our recent experiences on other voyages; but it turned out to be a relatively easy walk (through caves, native forest, and some plants that looked a lot like the California coastal sage scrub I had to identify in Biology 5C (or whatever class that was that made me decide not to be a botanist).
If you look closely, you may notice that I'm trying not to think about the bottomless abyss behind me.
Kiwi children do not share my fears.
I somehow forgot to take pictures of the backyard cricket game we played in. Jason patiently went over the basics; I promptly forgot those I may have understood. Anyway, hitting a cricket ball is a bit easier than hitting a baseball.
Today, we're off to the Clearview Winery for lunch; I am happy to report that our first tandem ride since becoming Kiwis will be a sober one...not so sure about the second ride.
Tomorrow, it's Final Four. I am guessing that no Butler alumni live farther from Indianapolis than do I. So we broke down and had Sky installed. One month was a long time to go without TV. Unfortunately, the antiquated receiver would not work with our American television, so we had to go and buy a new one: 32 inch Samsung; cheap even by US standards. Due to a problem with online ordering (from a local store), I've ended up with two. It was so cheap, I'm thinking of keeping the second one. Is anyone not interested in us having a television in the guest bedroom?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Afternoon walk around the Tainui Reserve
Please seek out Nico's blog for a differential diagnosis of Parks, Domains and Reserves in the NZ. Nico does not get a link yet...as some of you may recall, the requirements for a link to your site (from takealotofdrugs.com) are ALL of the following:
1) You must apply in writing
and ONE of the following
2) You must have updated your blog with at least one semi-interesting post in each of the last 3 months
OR
3) You must be deployed on active duty in the military branch of your choice
[For those of you who do not work at Prescription Solutions, this is a sort of funny Prior Authorizations joke. Of course, if you have to explain a joke...]
We live over at this end...it's more of a park over here.
And just a short hike into the reserve, and things start looking foresty.
Please seek out Nico's blog for a differential diagnosis of Parks, Domains and Reserves in the NZ. Nico does not get a link yet...as some of you may recall, the requirements for a link to your site (from takealotofdrugs.com) are ALL of the following:
1) You must apply in writing
and ONE of the following
2) You must have updated your blog with at least one semi-interesting post in each of the last 3 months
OR
3) You must be deployed on active duty in the military branch of your choice
[For those of you who do not work at Prescription Solutions, this is a sort of funny Prior Authorizations joke. Of course, if you have to explain a joke...]
We live over at this end...it's more of a park over here.
And just a short hike into the reserve, and things start looking foresty.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
A grape by any other name
A little rain today, so instead of mowing the lawn, we set off in search of zinfandel. Kemblefield Estate Winery claims to be the first (and now one of two) wineries in the NZ growing zinfandel.
The winery/vineyards are stunning.
The zinfandel they were pouring was not quite recognizable as zinfandel, though a few of their other wines were quite good. We hope to return when they are tasting the (much more expensive) reserve zinfandel.
PS: Nobody is skyping me. Not even my parents. I've added a skype button to make it even easier. If you don't have skype, sign up here. It's free.
A little rain today, so instead of mowing the lawn, we set off in search of zinfandel. Kemblefield Estate Winery claims to be the first (and now one of two) wineries in the NZ growing zinfandel.
The winery/vineyards are stunning.
The zinfandel they were pouring was not quite recognizable as zinfandel, though a few of their other wines were quite good. We hope to return when they are tasting the (much more expensive) reserve zinfandel.
PS: Nobody is skyping me. Not even my parents. I've added a skype button to make it even easier. If you don't have skype, sign up here. It's free.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Favourite NZ Drugs
Well, they're not really my favourites...I just think the names are kind of funny...well, maybe the names aren't exactly funny, but the fact that drug companies would market their products with these names is kind of funny...or maybe the fact that none of my coworkers think these names are funny is what's funny.
Well, they're not really my favourites...I just think the names are kind of funny...well, maybe the names aren't exactly funny, but the fact that drug companies would market their products with these names is kind of funny...or maybe the fact that none of my coworkers think these names are funny is what's funny.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
More weekend fun
Alternative title: Before pictures
It might take a year, but I'm attempting to revive our garden. I'm allowing myself to buy equipment that we can take with us (eg: a lawn mover), but no consumables (like grass seed)...unless they are very cheap or absolute necessities.
Most of the lawn that is growing are (sic?) weeds, but I figure that if I water them at least it will be green...cut short, it might look like grass. Not sure what I'll do with the open patches of dirt. Speaking of water, I am really wishing I had brought my $8 Wal-Mart hose. New Zealand is 50 years behind the US in hose technology; fortunately, the previous tenant left a couple, so I don't need to shell out $30 for a narrow rubber tube...that's right, just a tube. You need to purchase additional hardware to attach your tube to anything else...I am guessing that these attachments will not stay on if you turn the pressure above a trickle.
Not sure what kind of trees are in the wine barrels. I'm going to plant peppers in the empty one, and there's a dying tomato plant in another.
A little raking of the zen garden, and my chi should be restored.
Alternative title: Before pictures
It might take a year, but I'm attempting to revive our garden. I'm allowing myself to buy equipment that we can take with us (eg: a lawn mover), but no consumables (like grass seed)...unless they are very cheap or absolute necessities.
Most of the lawn that is growing are (sic?) weeds, but I figure that if I water them at least it will be green...cut short, it might look like grass. Not sure what I'll do with the open patches of dirt. Speaking of water, I am really wishing I had brought my $8 Wal-Mart hose. New Zealand is 50 years behind the US in hose technology; fortunately, the previous tenant left a couple, so I don't need to shell out $30 for a narrow rubber tube...that's right, just a tube. You need to purchase additional hardware to attach your tube to anything else...I am guessing that these attachments will not stay on if you turn the pressure above a trickle.
Not sure what kind of trees are in the wine barrels. I'm going to plant peppers in the empty one, and there's a dying tomato plant in another.
A little raking of the zen garden, and my chi should be restored.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Rather like buying an old house
Alternative title #1: How I spent my Saturday
Alternative title #2: NZ truly is all fun and games
Before
After
I know, not much of an improvement, but this was all I had to work with:
Three boxes of trash/clippings from the house we moved into 4 days ago. Attention landlord: if an unkempt house is returned to you when we move out, rest assured that it was in better shape than when we moved in.
In other news: One of my coworkers was kind enough to give us us a little wood. We have two wood burning stoves, and really have no idea how we go about buying wood...or how much wood we should buy...or how much we should pay for it. Nicole says this will not last the winter, but hopefully it will tide us over until we figure out where to buy more from. Also, we were invited in for coffee and Tim Tams...which are probably the NZ equivalent of Oreos.
In still other news: Those of you who are longtime readers of this blog may know that I do not care for assembling barbecues. Each barbecue I have purchased (or been suckered into assembling for someone else) over the last 10 years has been more difficult than the last, and this one was not an exception. There are all kinds of Kiwi-isms in the instructions that I do not understand, like: "Lay on the flat". Anyway, the 15 minute job only took 3 hours. [I could now do another one in 15 minutes if I had an exact duplicate...]
Alternative title #1: How I spent my Saturday
Alternative title #2: NZ truly is all fun and games
Before
After
I know, not much of an improvement, but this was all I had to work with:
Three boxes of trash/clippings from the house we moved into 4 days ago. Attention landlord: if an unkempt house is returned to you when we move out, rest assured that it was in better shape than when we moved in.
In other news: One of my coworkers was kind enough to give us us a little wood. We have two wood burning stoves, and really have no idea how we go about buying wood...or how much wood we should buy...or how much we should pay for it. Nicole says this will not last the winter, but hopefully it will tide us over until we figure out where to buy more from. Also, we were invited in for coffee and Tim Tams...which are probably the NZ equivalent of Oreos.
In still other news: Those of you who are longtime readers of this blog may know that I do not care for assembling barbecues. Each barbecue I have purchased (or been suckered into assembling for someone else) over the last 10 years has been more difficult than the last, and this one was not an exception. There are all kinds of Kiwi-isms in the instructions that I do not understand, like: "Lay on the flat". Anyway, the 15 minute job only took 3 hours. [I could now do another one in 15 minutes if I had an exact duplicate...]
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Wifi, gannets, and other stuff.
Apologies for my absence of posting. It is difficult to find a wifi connection in New Zealand...or at least in Hawke's Bay. Fortunately, (after many hours of struggle) I found our modem (and after many more hours of struggle), set up a wifi network in our house. I'll post more about the house later. It feels gigantic, and we have rooms that we don't know what we're going to do with (I tried really hard to not end that sentence with a preposition). It is heated by two wood burning stoves, for which we have no wood, so it was a little cold last night. And I must quickly learn to accept insects (and spiders) as cohabitants, as there does not appear to be such a thing as screens in New Zealand.
Thought I'd try to catch everyone up on what we've been doing the last few days (besides buying appliances).
Last Sunday, we took a drive toward Cape Kidnappers, home of the world's largest mainland gannet colony. For the less athletic, there are two tour companies that will 1) take you by tractor to within 1km of the gannets or 2) take you by bus to within a few feet of the gannets. But since we don't all have $80 to throw around, the gannets are also walkable. [Note to those from the USA: In New Zealand, when a government sign says: "Allow 5 hours for round trip", do not go thinking: "I'm in good shape, I'll finish in 4 hours." This is important to remember when visiting the gannets because your entire walk will be on a beach that is not there at high tide--you leave 3 hours after high tide, walk for 2 and a half hours, look at the gannets, then hurry back so that you will make it to your car 3 hours before high tide. Even then, you will find yourself walking in a foot of water at least once.]
[One more quick note. Beaches (below the high tide line) in New Zealand are considered streets, so a 4th option would be to drive. There were a few people doing this in SUVs of various sizes and conditions, and several people making the trip on ATVs and off road motorcycles.]
But I digress, the walk is absolutely stunning.
On the walk, you actually get to see 3 colonies of gannets.
The largest is probably the least impressive, except that you can get within a few feet of the birds; in fact, there's a rope that designates where the humans are allowed to stand, and where the gannets are allowed to stand.
Looking back through my pictures, it looks like we were at Waipatiki Beach the day before. The beach is nothing special, though somewhat secluded.
The small town around the beach is rather neat to take a stroll through; there is not much here, just some houses and a holiday park.
Like everywhere in New Zealand (including our backyard), there's a reserve nearby. I believe these are native plants.
And like everything else in New Zealand, you usually have to work (climb) for the good views.
Apologies for my absence of posting. It is difficult to find a wifi connection in New Zealand...or at least in Hawke's Bay. Fortunately, (after many hours of struggle) I found our modem (and after many more hours of struggle), set up a wifi network in our house. I'll post more about the house later. It feels gigantic, and we have rooms that we don't know what we're going to do with (I tried really hard to not end that sentence with a preposition). It is heated by two wood burning stoves, for which we have no wood, so it was a little cold last night. And I must quickly learn to accept insects (and spiders) as cohabitants, as there does not appear to be such a thing as screens in New Zealand.
Thought I'd try to catch everyone up on what we've been doing the last few days (besides buying appliances).
Last Sunday, we took a drive toward Cape Kidnappers, home of the world's largest mainland gannet colony. For the less athletic, there are two tour companies that will 1) take you by tractor to within 1km of the gannets or 2) take you by bus to within a few feet of the gannets. But since we don't all have $80 to throw around, the gannets are also walkable. [Note to those from the USA: In New Zealand, when a government sign says: "Allow 5 hours for round trip", do not go thinking: "I'm in good shape, I'll finish in 4 hours." This is important to remember when visiting the gannets because your entire walk will be on a beach that is not there at high tide--you leave 3 hours after high tide, walk for 2 and a half hours, look at the gannets, then hurry back so that you will make it to your car 3 hours before high tide. Even then, you will find yourself walking in a foot of water at least once.]
[One more quick note. Beaches (below the high tide line) in New Zealand are considered streets, so a 4th option would be to drive. There were a few people doing this in SUVs of various sizes and conditions, and several people making the trip on ATVs and off road motorcycles.]
But I digress, the walk is absolutely stunning.
On the walk, you actually get to see 3 colonies of gannets.
The largest is probably the least impressive, except that you can get within a few feet of the birds; in fact, there's a rope that designates where the humans are allowed to stand, and where the gannets are allowed to stand.
Looking back through my pictures, it looks like we were at Waipatiki Beach the day before. The beach is nothing special, though somewhat secluded.
The small town around the beach is rather neat to take a stroll through; there is not much here, just some houses and a holiday park.
Like everywhere in New Zealand (including our backyard), there's a reserve nearby. I believe these are native plants.
And like everything else in New Zealand, you usually have to work (climb) for the good views.
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