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Christchurch to Wanaka: 30th April: Wednesday
We picked up our car and went and bought a camera pink Olympus one which you can drop and shake and get wet and it wont break, 8 mega pixel. I told the guy that we had seen it for $399 down the road (it was $499 in the shop) and he gave it us for $399 great, a saving of $100! So we set off on our road trip to Wanaka from Christchurch which takes 5 hours! Fantastic journey the most amazin scenery you could ever ever see, I cant imagine what country you could go to to see better, challange me if you must! It was basically a straight road for a couple of hours and we were going 137 km / hour, no idea what that is in miles and there was no speed signs to say what speed you should be going, we were going the same speed as everyone else, and whilst we were busy looking at the scenery we get pulled over by a road side cop in some kind of mustang sally! (state trooper as Mike calls it!) Cant believe it! Gave us a $400 fine! And he said if we were going 3km per hour more, Mike would have had his liscense taken off him for 28 days! Oh dear, so then we had to keep to the speed limit of 100 when EVERYONE was overtaking us, why didnt they get pulled over???? Okay we didnt let it phase us, we carried on looking at the larmas and sheep and cows on the road to Wanaka, stopped off half way to get a toastie and late, looked at the bluest lake we had ever seen, went and had a look at a quaint old church overlooking the lake and got back into our Corolla to continue our road trip.
Wanaka day 1: 30th April: Wednesday
Oh my god! It is soooooooo beautiful! Just a little town enclosed by huge mountians all around it with lake Wanaka on the edge. We had a look round the town, checked in at the purple cow hostel, which is $70 a night, the hostels here and in Queenstown are not cheap! The purple cow had a HUGE kitchen which everyone bought their own food and drink, labelled them and put them in the fridge. Me and Mike bought some beers and I cutely labelled them "Hayley & Mikes Beers" It had woks, fryers, coffee machine, grills, everyone was chopping onions and making their own a la carte menu! We had a game of table tennis, paid for our extautionate room, and unpacked. Very basic, not like the gorgeous So Hotel we had just stayed in, I need to get used to this, I love staying in gorge hotels! We just had a look round town, went to Woody's pool bar to drop off a C.V for Mike, got a subway and went to bed.
Wanaka day 2: 1st May 2008: Thursday
Checked out of the purple cow, hopped in our Corolla and started on the "To Do List" Which I had written for me and Mike to do that day. Loads of stuff to sort out:
1) Get a NZ bank account: We did this, just needed passport, driving liscence and address.
2) Photocopy C.V's and distribute round all Bars, We went round all the bars and restaurants but were told the same thing everywhere, that this is the quietist time of the year and all the locals hours are getting cut so they dont want to employ anyone for a good 4 - 6 weeks yet when the season kicks in - come back then. Spoke to a few people and they said that we should just go once a week and keep checking, so they remember us. So thats what we will do!
3) Go to Tangos cafe: Didnt do this as I really really want a bar job, and not to work in the day, I might go there though still undecided.
4) Go to our House on Rimu lane and introduce ourselves: Done, house is nicer than I thought, really cosy, very busy. Lovely garden, showed us how to use the firewood, gas, recycling etc. The couple go to see her family in Switzerland every winter, really nice couple. We signed the contract and I need to deposit the money into their bank this week.
5) Pay $400 fine at bank: Done, no comment
6) Get Grandad birthday card: They have about 2 Grandad birthday cards and they are crap so might try and have a look today, I looked up the address on the internet as he is staying in Las Vegas, the receptionist said she will pass it on for me, I also told them it was his birthday so hopefully they may do something for him also!
7) Find accommodation for Queenstown for a week: Looked on the internet and they are a $100 a night for a double private room! I'm not paying that when the So Hotel was $100 a night! So we decided to stay in Wanaka and rang round a few places to house share for 27 days until we move into our house on rimu lane. Whilst we were doing this we got ANOTHER fine for parking in the wrong direction! Even though it wasnt a one way street! $40! We went to the council to appeal but they were having none of it: Rahhhhhhhh! Okay back to accommodation, We went to this MASSIVE house where there was about 10 people sharing. When I had called him earlier he said he was a bit busy and tied up and to meet him later at the house. We met Richard there at 5.00 and whilst we were waiting we saw a van pull up with a deer attached to the roof rack and blood pooring down the van, Mike said that he must have just killed that deer, Me and mike said we couldnt kill a deer and was going to drive off, but we were there now so we went and knocked on and had a look round the house. Richard said that when I called him he was just getting the deer over the fence! The room in the GORGE house wasnt available for a week so we declined, but it had a cream leather couch, flat screen tv, free tea, coffee, cleaning equip, cookies, bike and internet! $330 to include all bills. We then met a woman from the Real Estate company who was showing us a cottage down the road. This is where we are now and where I am writing this. Mike said it is a shed, but I dont think it is its nice and cosy! We got it for $280 a week including bills and its our own little place. The woman next door was a little sweet lady with lots of makeup. I said I feel like and Hansel and Grettle and mike agreed. The Shed / cottage is FULL of flowers, flowerey bed, flowery tea towls, flowery wallpaper and curtains (you get my drift!) I will take some pics and attach them! Everything is very old, but very very clean!
8)Buy a mobile: Vodafone is the only network we can get over here and they cant unblock the phones we have. New old nokia phone is $100 and a sim card is $30. We dont really want to pay that for a old crap phone even if it is new! So we are looking for a second hand phone but no luck so far.
Once we signed the contract for the cottage and paid the $500 deposit, we went for a big shop at the supermarket New World. We spent $100 and went back to our cottage in the woods. It was a relief not to have to go out and pay $40 for a meal which we have been doing every day and night so far! I know I said I would never eat food from a freezer again, but I have to to save money! Me and mike had a frozen Spag bol and chow mein and bought some top notch vodka! We unpacked our shopping and bags and made our little home for the next 28 days home, hoping we wouldnt get poisoned by the witch living next door! (only joking she is loverly!)
Wanaka day 3: 2nd May: Friday
Okay just woke up, made me and mike a cup of tea, bowl of cheerios and a rack of toast (yes we have one of those little toast racks). I accidently put salt in the tea instead of sugar as mike greatfully spat it out on our bed covers! I poured them away and made them again! We have a little electrical bar old school granny heater which is making our little living room quote cosy, we have had it on since 7.00am this morning and it is 9.05am now. For some reason we keep waking up at 7,00am? This might be because we keep going to bed at 9.00pm! We are just so tired, we need to try and stay up a bit later and get up a bit later I think! Okay, i'm off, going to have a shower and get ready for another day in Wanaka. Its getting quite cold here now and its raining cats and dogs outside, which makes me not want to leave my cosy cottage.
P.S we have a sign that says "Geroge FM" on our Corolla which Mike wants to get rid of (I think he thinks it will ruin our street cred) He is worried it might stand for some gay radio station!
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