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Still in New Zealand!

Hey,

 

Well sorry I haven't written for a while! I actually wrote a big group e-mail the other day saying everything we've been doing and I have no idea why it sent blank. Oh Well!

 

Anyway things are going well with me; although, I have been homesick the past couple days with lots of stress regarding flights and stuff. Right now we are in Paihia, Bay of Islands. It's in the Northland so right at the top of the North Island. It's right in a bay and there are 144 islands so it is really beautiful. We've actually been staying with Sarah and Ricky who are 2 girls that I lived with in Surfer's Paradise, Australia.

 

I got a job with the City of GP starting May 1 so when we went to change our flights, we found out that the airline was completely booked up and we were on a massive waitlist. There ended up being 1 day for all of March and April and it was April 30 getting home May 1 so I would have started my job on May 2. They ended up rescinding their offer of employment cause I was going to miss the 1st day of orientation and safety training.

 

Now I'm close to broke so we have to work for a while. We were going to go to Australia and work on the island resort Emma was at but I just got a big e-mail from her saying that they just got airlifted off the island in 120km/h winds. She’s down in Brisbane staying with a friend’s mom. They had to leave so quickly that they didn't get any time to pack so they have nothing with them. She might be coming to NZ sooner now which would be wicked.

 

I guess working on the island is definitely out of the question now so it looks like we are going to work here for a bit then travel the south island for probably 3 weeks then head home for around the end of May.

 

Other than that we just sold our van the other day to a young couple from Arizona travelling with their 5 year old daughter. They ended up buying it for $600 and we only paid $100 and travelled for over a month in it. Other than that not too much is new. Please give me a quick e-mail back letting me know how things are going back home as I really, really, really miss home!!. Take Care and Talk to you later!!

 

                                                                   LaRae

Selling the 'Blue Bomber'

Hey Mom and Dad,

 

I just thought I would let you know that we just sold the van for $600 which is really wicked because we paid $100 for the van, $150 to the auction, $200 the other day on our last road trip on a new wheel bearing and a bit on oil so all together we figure we put about $ 500 into the van. So we travelled the entire north island in such a cheap way and the best way possible then did so well on selling it. It's great too because in NZ you have to have registration and a thing called Warrant of Fitness which is a big inspection on the vehicle to ensure it is roadworthy and both were to run out in less than a week. Because of that we were kinda worried about selling it but it just goes to show how wicked the "Blue Bomber" is.

 

It's good cause that money will pay for our flights to Aus and sometime this week Chris and I are going to do a 12,000 ft Sky Dive for only $129. Some big special going on right now so we are really excited. We sold it to a young couple from Arizona that are travelling with their 5 year old daughter and they were really pleased with it. Anyway I hope you have a wonderful day and I am always thinking about you. I Love you so much!

LaRae

Camping in New Zealand

Hey,

 

I'm so sorry I haven't written in quite some time. Well we got to NZ after the scare of making the plane and hung out in Wellington where we flew into for 3 days. We found out about a car auction there and ended up buying an old 1984 Ford Eurovan and yep she’s a beast but such a good time. We only paid $100 for it at the auction and some backpackers had just dropped it off that morning. It has a double bed in the back a table with a stove and propane tank, all pots, pans, plates and cutlery, pretty much everything we needed for camping. So we hit the road and stocked up on groceries then just camped.

 

We have literally been out in the forest just finding angler accesses around lakes and rivers and camping just Chris and I with absolutely nobody around and rarely making it to town only to stock up on beer, ice, and cold foods. New Zealand is absolutely unreal, so unbelievably gorgeous (I promise I will send some pics one of these days when I find a place that I can). On the north island, it is hills, valleys, mountains, lakes and rivers and that’s pretty much it. There isn't even really too many large cities, just smaller towns. It is pretty much all nature here. I definitely love it as we are going at our own pace but I am very sick of being dirty. Other than that, I don't really have too much exciting news. Other than that I miss everyone so much back home and will be home around April 10 is the plan.

 

                                                                   LaRae

 

 

In New Zealand!!

Well I am finally in New Zealand...arrived last night at about 1am and it's great to be here but kinda sad that I had to leave Australia. I was definetly getting used to the perfect weather everyday but a new experience has begun. It started off as quite the gongshow as Chris and I hopped on the wrong airtrain and headed the exact opposite direction from the airport when luckily my dad called and I was telling him that we were just heading to the airport when the guy behind me overheard me talking and let us know the bad news. We were both freakin as we arrived at the airport at about 5pm and had to leave on an international flight in about 40 mins time (oops!). Somehow we actually managed getting on the plane which was relief and now we're set for smooth sailing.

We flew into Wellington which is at the very bottom tip of the north island. We are headed to a car auction tomorrow morning hoping to find a steal of a deal (Piece of crap beater) for $500 or so and just road-trip all of NZ at our own pace, camping along the way.

Sorry I haven't written for so long but we have definetly been on the go for the past bit. I will be buying a New Zealand SIM Card tomorrow so that way anyone can get a hold of Chris or I. Other than that I'm not sure exactly what we will be doing for the next bit but will try my best to keep the updates coming.

Love you!

LaRae

Scuba Diving - the Great Barrier Reef

I was on the internet and got thinking that it has been so unbelievably long since I have e-mailed you so I figured I would give it a whirl! I was looking at the date and I can't believe that I have just about been in Australia for 5 months bizarre hey? Or should I say Eh? Gotta live up to my Canadian expectations.

Chris and I just bought a deep water dive for tomorrow out on the Great Barrier Reef and I am so extremely excited. We are doing an actual Scuba Dive going down 28 meters. The Reef is honestly the most amazing thing I have ever seen, it is so colourful, and the fish are gigantic. They are so big and there are hundreds of them everywhere. When we went snorkelling on the Whitsunday, it was so exciting even just from the surface. There are so many turtles and everything, as you can tell I'm kinda pumped.

Well I said my final farewell to Emma last night then she and Kelsey caught the midnight bus back to Airlie Beach. Both of us started to cry so it was kinda hard. We were talking to Chris and talking about possible plans but I think we might stay in NZ for a month longer and she is going to come to NZ a month later so Chris and I will do one month of it on our own and then one month with Emma. That would mean that we would fly home on April 10 instead of March. It was kinda cool because Chris was talking about maybe staying over there for like a month extra just by himself and just go to the mountains camping, which is cool. I never thought he would want to leave me. It's all just up in the air right now because it is impossible to make plans while travelling but we are just getting ideas.

I'm definitely getting over my bad stage of homesickness and now starting to get it through my head that if I can do even any extra time it will be worth it. I'm going to run but I know you know this already but I can never say it enough, how so unbelievably important you are to me and how much this trip has made me realize how important you and dad are to me. You have given me so many amazing opportunities in life and I LOVE YOU for everything in this entire world that you have ever done for me.

Anyway, I have to run and eat my traditional supper of Pasta and Salad. So I love you and will definitely give you a call the day after tomorrow and let you know all about my diving experience on one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Love LaRae

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