Chapter 2!

So we have decided to go our separate ways, Jeff and I, and Beth, Adam, and Nick.  We moved out of our house on Atawhai Crescent this morning, and it was sad to leave a warm bed, and hot shower behind, but this is chapter 2 of our trip, and it was off to a great start with a Pizza Hut pizza and Jeff's and my first viewing of "Ghost".  Super cheesy, but hard not to love.

Jeff and I both had work today,  he in the orchards from 7-5, and I at the airport from 7-2.  I don't like working at the airport during the day, with all of the very bossy bosses, but I reckon it was my last shift there.    I was called to work 2 more days at the Nelson City Council Cafe! I am so excited!  Ironically enough though I was asked to Christmas lunch at 623 with my lunch buddies from the Council on Thursday, but cannot make it because I will be working at their cafe!  Most of them will be there Friday to have lunch with me before we head south, but I think Lorraine (my former boss) and Jillian (her super sweet sister) will both be absent.  I am just so happy to have been asked to work.  It's an extra $150 before we leave Nelson, and it gives me something to do while Jeff is in the orchards, because the alternative is quite boring. (Side note:  All people working in New Zealand receive holiday pay either annually or at the end of any contract.  Holiday pay is 8% of your earnings in that position, so I will receive another almost $200 from that!  Yahoo!)  Because we are out of the house as of today, Jeff and I opted to camp at a nearby site for the next 4 nights while we finish up work here.  That means tomorrow, Wednesday, will be spent puttering around town until Jeff is done work.  I might go to yoga or for a nice long hike, but we are not sure what the shower situation is at the camp site, and working out 3 days before you'll see your next shower is never wise.  Needless to say the library offers free wireless, so I will use the extra time to send out some e-mails before the holidays, blog before our Christmas hike, and skype with the family.

So we finally have our itinerary for the next few weeks (this is mostly for my parents who can refer back to this if they begin to wonder why they cannot get a hold of me for a few days at at time! Love you!)

• Wednesday - Friday of this week:  we are finishing up work in Nelson and camping by the Maitai river.  
• Saturday the 24th:  We will drive up to Golden Bay that evening and stay in a hostel Christmas Eve so we can finally shower and cook up a nice, big meal before our 4 day hike!
• Sunday 25th - Wednesday 28th:  Hiking the Heaphy track.  It is 4 days and 3 nights camping in the forest so I will not have any form of contact with the United States these 4 days, but the night of the 28th we should be staying in a hostel, so I should have internet then.
• Thursday 29th - Friday 30th:  We are hitchhiking (don't worry is is super safe here, and a lot of backpackers see the entire 2 islands by hitchhiking) back up to Golden Bay, so this may take up to 2 days, hopefully not.  Jeff's motorcycle may be in Nelson so we may drive back there to pick it up.
• Friday 30th - Sunday 1st:  Headed to Greymouth to meet up with our friend Markus and celebrate New Years at his hostel, and do some exploring of the area, and for Jeff's sake hope we come across some giant waves for him to jump in.
• Monday 2nd - roughly Thursday 5th:  Heading down the West Coast for some beach camping and frolicking and other tourist stops along the way.  We hope to also stop to see the Fox Glaciers (I believe there are other glaciers on the coast as well), and maybe so some sort of hike around them.  They are supposed to be amazing, but very touristy as well.  We plan to be in Queenstown by the 5th, and settle into a place (and find an awesome job) by the end of the week! :)

I am so looking forward to a new adventure despite the fact that the sunshine has returned to Nelson.  Knowing that we can come back to Nelson is a great feeling.  Telling the temp agency I was leaving made us both very sad, but it is time to move forward, and we can always holiday in Nelson just like the real Kiwis.

Final, random note:  New Zealand has something called Ginger Beer.  It is my new obsession.  It is sort of like ginger ale, but way better.  It is more opaque, but still has carbonation, and has a really strong ginger taste.  It is amazing and addictive.  It is unique in that it is the only non-alcoholic beverage here that is brewed by many beer companies, but the best of them isn't from a beer company, it is called Bundaberg Ginger Beer.  I am not sure if you could get anything comparable in the states, but I may have to bring some home.  Please tell me if you've seen anything like this at home!!!... (update: after looking online it looks like you might be able to find ginger beer in places like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods!)

Cheers!