Bike vs. Lauren

After a long walk in the rain on Tuesday, we decided that hiring bicycles to ride to the closest beach 40 mins away was a good idea. It was at first.

The beach was excellent, by the way, since it's a kite surfing beach so we got to watch amazing tricks these guys could do!

After the beach we decided to stay close to the beach and have dinner with our new friend Sonja. After dinner we though we better ride home. It was around 9pm and completely dark (sunset is 6). I got on my bike to find out both tires were flat. I decided to ride it anyway as it was still faster than walking. It was making a loud flapping noise that made people stare. Either that or they were staring because Cindy and I were wearing headlamps and looked hella dorky.

Going was alright although I was constantly worried that I'd throw a tire, until we left town and started riding in the complete darkness, oh and the dogs.

Literally 45 dogs barked and or chased us as we rode home. Okay only a couple actually chased us. One particularily I could feel it's breath on my leg. Both Cindy and I were pedalling as fast as possible. And at one point Cindy even said "Oh God!" It was terrifying! I'm pretty sure French speaking dogs hate me.

The good news, we made it back. And it only took an hour! Fortunately Cindy switched bikes with me halfway. It's one heck of a workout riding a bike with 2 flat tires while being chased by mean French dogs.

C'est la vie

Mo'vember

We first heard of this from a Kiwi named Sam, who was the lead singer at a Halloween show in Christchurch. He was dressed as a very convincing Jack Sparrow. He informed Cindy that he was excited it was Mo'vember so he could grow out a moustasche for the month. We both thought this was a bit odd but funny.

Later in a very tiny village by the sea named Bluff, known for it's mussels, we saw an advertisement for men to grow their Mo. This ad had the most famous stasche we all know and love, Tom Seleck's.

Anyway, turns out the Mo grow is a nationwide campaign to raise awareness and funds for Prostate Cancer. Or to "fight the flop" as one poster said.

Sweet az.

Things found on TV or in a newspaper in NZ

TV: darts, extreme sports, horse racing, Monday Night football (on Wednesday morning)

Newspaper: 1 in 5 New Zealander's brain at risk from boozing, Ice cream more hazardous to health than expected--can cause Type 1 diabetes and schizophrenia (A1 Fat), Hermit sighted on Stewart Island.

Li'l Josh

Quotes by Li’l Josh our wise beyond his years 20 year old friend in Christchurch:
“You can by crack with basketball cards there.” speaking of Detroit, MI

“She wasn’t even a big filly.” In reference to a girl who broke all legs off her chair while sitting on it.

Never turn your back on a hooker

Today we saw a naked Hooker surfing and rolling in the sand on the beach. Get your mind of the gutter!! We mean of the sea lion variety!

Being Poor

Ways we are pinching pennies: (although NZ doesn’t actually have pennies anymore)
1.Searching car for remnants of food.
2.Accepting all donations
3.Looking through all free food cupboards at hostels
4.Searching for money on the ground/beach
5.Sleeping in car
6.Hunting/gathering/fishing/trapping
7.Whistling a tune for food
8.Counting down hours and minutes until bank transfers go through
9.Looking in all couch cushions in hostels
10.During free meals, eating 3 times faster than everyone else and taking Tupperware for leftovers
11.No drinking—unless offered to us for free, then yes of course.
12.Lauren going off coffee milk. Cindy down to one soda a day.

Lessons learned in Australia

1.There is no penny or quarter, and frequently no change is given for less than ten cents.
2.Campervans (either vans or rvs) are popular and painted with various icons like Scooby Doo or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
3.Emus are very scary looking.
4.Sweet chili sauce is served with everywhere.
5.The date of the election changes each year and is named by PM. $30-35 fee if you don’t vote.
6.Australians eat lots of fruitcake and beets. (There is a whole fruitcake aisle in some grocery stores.)
7.No shrimp on the barbie or Foster’s beer. We were told that they send that “crap beer” to America.
8.Sausage Sizzles are excellent fundraisers. (Cindy’s Sausage Sizzle benefited the Square Dance foundation of Rockhampton)
9.Any word longer than 4 letters abbreviate by adding an “o” or “ie” to the end of it. Some examples include: Fremantle = Freo, registration = rego, Brisbane = Brizzie
10.Kingston Station in the outback has had 2 inches of rain since 2004
11.Australia is home of the ute. (looks like a version of an El Camino)
12.Clubs are very strict on entry and by no means will accept people in street wanting to come in even if the bar is empty and they aren’t closing for 2 hours.
13.Trading hours = opening hours
14.Flies gravitate towards eyes and mouth.
15.No fruit/veggies/sugar cane/horses can be transported between states.
16.Sand is better kept on beach rather than tent/car.
17.Cask wine (goon) is evil.
18.Toohey’s products were very good to us. Much better than cheap American beer.
19.When driving on the left, the wipers and signals are located where they are when driving on the right. (much more confusing than it sounds!)
20.Everyone traveling in Australia is either Irish or German.
21.Iced coffee milk is a healthy way to start the day. Milk is also available in double shot, cappuccino, mocha, chocolate, mint, strawberry, vanilla malt, banana, pineapple, as well as standard. Samples of milk are given in the grocery store. Lauren’s favorite brand was M or Big M.
22.Kangaroos eat grass. Koalas live in eucalyptus trees.
23.2 million feral camels are in Oz. The population doubles every 8 years.
24.One place sand always collects even if you are very careful: bellybutton.
25.Back packer towns really know where it’s at!

Kiwiland

OMG, I just saw a hobbit.