Left is Right

I'm getting used to the lefts around here. Left is which side of the road you drive on, wheel to the center of the road. Left is which side I sit on as a passenger in the car. Left is where you can people watch all the other drivers on the road. Left is for slow moving vehicles. Left lane is for exiting the freeway. Left turn on red is allowed.

The roads are so nice and smooth here. There is a bit of construction going on but it seems to only be a minor nuisance and before you know it you have moved on. Once I was thinking this is as well maintained as a toll road when my Kiwi chimed in "This is one of the only toll roads in New Zealand!" It was wide and high as we paved our way through hillsides and over valleys. Everything is quite modern here.. the tollroad doesn't have any toll booths. It has cameras that track the vehicles on it and you have 5 days prior to using it to pay the fee online. www.tollroad.govt.nz

I love the countryside here it reminds me a bit of the east coast in Maryland. The road goes through green rolling hills that wind you up and down through narrow passes. I've learned that everyone here accelerates up hill quite quickly and zip around as though they've seen the countryside too many times to be bothered. I watched the countryside blur past sadly as cars pressed up behind insistent on getting to their destination.

I've been snapping a few shots of our adventures so far. Unfortunately today the power in the house went out and I have not one but two flat batteries that need to be charged for my camera. Sigh. And the south winds have died down so it's a mint day.. sun streaming in and heating up the front room and it's only half past 8am.

Chilling out

I've been in Kiwiland for 3 days now.. although it really feels like it's been a week. The air is crisp and sharp slashing at your hair and face. Your hands become numb in a minute. Yesterday I invested in two winter jackets and two pairs of pants.. These will become a staple in my Spring/Winter wardrobe.

The first day I went to some shops and thought "this is christmas!" We were at a surfwear shop called North Beach. It's the best of both worlds. It reminds me of shopping in Hawaii but instead your a season ahead of everybody and all the clothes are styled a bit different and better! Unfortunately everything is a bit more expensive here and it seems $100 is normal for any kind of dress. Oh well, my Kiwi and I will soon have jobs and then we can start building some mean wardrobes.

Speaking of jobs, I am to hear from a possible employer today! We are without consistent internet at the moment and are roaming the countryside looking for little cafes offering internet.

Welcome to Kiwiland

Kia Ora,

Arriving in New Zealand to a chilly welcome but warm reception from the people. Getting through customs was anticipated to be a hassle but no questions asked I was stamped and ushered through! I looked at my work permit and it is pretty basic but does not say anything about only contract work so that is awesome!

Everything looks so new and well put together as we drove home from the airport. The clarity of everything is stunning. A huge blue sky swallows up most of the view and then there's a blanket of bright green grass. All the buildings pop out the colors almost neon. Everything is in a variety of fonts and sizes so it gets all jumbled up into a colorful collage as you drive by.

We went grocery shopping at not one but three different supermarkets. I didn't recognize too many brands so I had to take a stroll down every aisle. Here's a few things that are different. The yogurt comes in cartons, pancake mix comes in cartons as well! You just add water and shake it up and pour.. The local cream cheese is more of a butter spread.. it has a stronger taste. But, we found Ketchup! I was so stoked..since we had some chips in the car. They wrap the chips (fries) in newspaper to keep it warm and it is super cheap to get really good tasting ones. They put fresh pepper and squeeze lemon on them for you.. mmm!

Well we are off to get our first mince and cheese pie! I've been craving one for over a year now when I first tried one last year in August.