things we like about nz...

What is there not to like, really? The list is so long....
but here are a few of our favorite things:

1) The food: YUM! Pies, which are so bad for you, but oh so tasty, yummy ice cream, Schok chocolate (which may even deliver...), Mt Dew in funny little fat containers, ANZAC cookies, marshmallows. So many good foods! Josh found his absolute favorite ice cream bar, the Big Bikkie. My favorite was the fruit whips...whipped, for the girls....this is one of the ads, and the commercials were even better..


2) Then there's the animals that look like foods...
Oreo cows...
Guinness cows!

And 'wandering stock' in general...



3) Road things: roundabouts! And the road signs! And the funny peeps with their goggles in their old car!



4) The tramping. And the mountains!! So much fun.

And all the super fun outhouses.

5) The people. What's not to love?? We love the people that I worked with--here's Ann when I dyed her hair pink!

Warren and Cia wearing her Lady Gaga wig!

6) Tidy Kiwi signs. This one was in a lady's toilet.

And here's a tidy Kiwi rubbish bin.

7) Large Statues of Interesting Things! Such as carrots, bread, cows, big bottles of L&P (it's a soft drink, world famous in New Zealand!).


8) Awesome art everywhere. This piece was on the way to the Wellington airport and is my favorite. all the colored squares turn at different speeds depending on the winds. I figure that Monica's Ian can figure out how to make one so we can put in in the yard.

The fountain on Cuba street in Wellington.

And the stone sculptures are amazing!

And one of the artists that was at the art gallery that Josh worked at was also super fun--her name is Tina Drayton, and as a reminder to myself, the website is studio86.co.nz, she does commissions!

9) The playgrounds. The kids here are so lucky. Mountains, octopuses, crazy bungy things, skateparks galore...


10) Stubbies! The short shorts that all the guys wear--from teenagers to the oldies--make me giggle. And now Josh has a pair. :)

6 months gone in a flash!

Holy cats! On Friday, 9 July was my last day of work (for now!) at Ruanui Health Centre in Hawera. Six months went by way too fast. We really enjoyed our time in Taranaki, and all of the lovely people that we met and worked with and hung out with.
So on Thursday we had a little lunch/cookout at work, where everyone said very nice things and gave us presents--presents! Isn't that the nicest thing ever? And then folks came over to our apartment to have some more celebration time. We loved it.
And then we had to pack and clean on Saturday. Sigh. At least Warren and Cia (and their adorable granddaughter Mereana) were around to pack up what belonged to the clinic, and kept us company. Deb and Honk came over as well, as they also had to pick up the chairs they brought over so we'd have seats for everyone!
So here's our fun lunch on Thursday: Here's Parewaho, Moko, and Ann

Check out that beautiful buffet table! These guys really know how to put on a feed. :)

And a nice group shot--what a good looking group!

The gals who know everything: Moko and Carol manning their front desk station.


Anneliese in action.

And then we had our shindig on Friday night. Honk hamming it up as usual.

Leisa (with a gorgeous brand new haircut) and Anneliese on the roof...they had to go out for a cigarette break (though both of them are QUITTING, right girls???), so I told them they had to go on the roof. Funny.

And then we headed to the airport on Saturday with Warren, Cia, and their adorable grandkiddo Mereana. She looks super crabby in the picture, but she was good as gold for the whole trip.

Our last view of the mountain and the Pouaki Range...till we see you all again!

Lake Dive

Our last weekend! Be prepared for lots of mountain pictures. Just a warning. So for our last weekend we were deciding between going to the group of three mountains about three hours northeast from us or a hike that goes to hot pools about four hours from us. We couldn't decide. And I really didn't want to drive. So, we stayed in good old Taranaki. Saturday we headed out to the Dawson Falls visitors center and were treated to this lovely snowy mountain:

Our hike was to the Lake Dive hut, which is only about a three hour hike in, but goes up and down and up and down! Here's Josh standing in with the trees with the ground covered in lava rocks. It was kinda surreal.

The weather forecast was a bit iffy but it turned out to be beautiful both Saturday and Sunday. Yay!

Josh basking in the sun!

Here's the hut, which is in a great little spot, over looking the lake and the mountain. The mountain has TONS of snow, so it made for some really pretty pictures...
This is Josh in our little hut that we had all to ourselves! It was the first time in all of our hiking it happened. It had an awesome fireplace that made it nice and toasty. We dragged the sleeping mattresses out to the big room so we could stay warm.

Look at that gorgeousness! This picture was literally take out the window of the hut.

Josh making a fire. Good job, man. Good job.

Sunset over the lake...

The hut doesn't have any lighting, of course, but Josh brought candles. Lots of people do that, but we never have, but since it gets dark so early now it was very helpful. Candlelit dinner!

I got up for sunrise. It was frosty on the grass.

And an early morning moon.

Hello, mountain man! Josh getting ready for a muddy hike back.

These are two of the three mountains (Tongariro, etc) we were considering hiking this weekend...remember they are a three hour drive away! It was such a beautiful clear day.

We saw this little guy on hike back to the car. Way past his bedtime. I think he's a ruru.

This is Mt Taranaki and the Pouaki range on our way up to New Plymouth.

More gorgeous beach when we stopped to see the lighthouse on Cape Road.

And the actual lighthouse!

I love the mountain.

More pretty beaches.

It was a great, low key weekend on/around Taranaki. Just what we needed before our upcoming wanderings!