So you want to fly around the world to become an au pair, quit after two weeks, and then travel around the country...

I have been a bit quiet over here but it's not due to a lack of internet or things to write about. Quite the opposite, actually! I took a trip to Milford Sound yesterday and it was dream-come-true in the most literal sense. I sat down multiple times today to try to write about the whole experience but I just can't quite yet. Soon, though! Soon I will capture as much of that as I can.  There are also roughly 400 pictures from that trip alone that I need to sort through.

Oh, this is you? Pull up a chair because I'm a fountain of unsolicited advice.

1.  Underpack. I am someone who tends to underpack and I like it that way. Sometimes I take it to an a bit of an extreme, like that one particular occasion I unintentionally forgot to pack underwear. Have I mentioned that Target is my favorite corporation? For this trip I brought one decent-sized checked suitcase and a smallish/medium-sized hiking backpack. I thought I would have a home to use as a base when I was traveling but… nope. 

Do not bring that checked bag. Get a medium sized pack and keep it to that. Otherwise you will think you are really clever for taking the back way to your next hostel in order to avoid having to dodge the masses of tourists lining the main street through town. Although this route is the same distance you will seriously underestimate the grade of the hill up which you will are about to lug your suitcase and backpack. 

This segment is maaayyybe 1/15th of the hill.

You're not even 2/3 of the way up.

Welcome to Struggle Street.

You will have regrets. 

You will have even more regrets when you're very literally sweating it as you're being pulled down that (unnecessary, because you could have taken the flat, tourist-laden street) hill by the aforementioned suitcase while balancing the backpack you're hauling.  You will wonder why you always forget that going downhill is just as hard as going uphill.  Because you are insecure about overpacking you will also want to shout to everyone on the street, "I did not overpack for the trip that I thought I was taking!" Leave your suitcase behind. 

2. Always, always have chocolate on your person. Always. You will reach a point where you think that you've probably consumed a lifetime's worth over the course of a single month and then deny yourself for a couple days. Don't do that because regrets. You will probably become concerned that you're developing some sort of emotional eating problem. It's okay, you can deal with that later.

3. Take pictures of the oddities and absurdities you find along the way. 

easy there, killer.

not sure if you can make that out 

(I had to snap this one really quickly because the shop owner was lingering around)

but that is some sort of skin care product

made from sheep placenta.

4. Read those hostel reviews. Read 'em real good. 

5. And then take them with a salt lick because sometimes the nicest hostel that got the most fabulous reviews is full of crazies, or the mostly-nice hostel that got so-so reviews is full of awesome new friends.

6. Libraries make for a great cheap rainy day activity. 

7. Plan, plan, plan in advance and research what you want to do. And then go read another two guidebooks. You might be tempted to only do a limited amount of research beforehand and talk to locals once you get there. By all means, talk to locals and people who have been traveling around. Remember, though, that you will unexpectedly quit after just a couple of weeks and then be scrambling to figure out your life. Do a little research more research ahead of time, Skippy. 

8. If you have a smartphone, take screenshots of walking maps while you have internet so you don't have to pull out a map when you're walking around or, worse yet, get caught without any directions.

9. Oh, you're public crying again? Please refer to #2.

10. Do fun things! Sure, they're more fun when you can share them with someone else, but they're still pretty fun when you do them solo. Go out and explore, make some new friends, let your feet take you wherever they may, and see what the area has to offer!   

Later!
Chey

An Ode to My Brother

a study in matching Christmas sweaters, then and now.

This place! This place is unreal. Touristy, yes, but for good reason. Queenstown is a ski town through-and-through. Ski shops and rental stores line the streets and although it is nearing the end of the season as the temperatures start to warm up, it is not uncommon to hear people on the street making plans to go skiing with their buddies the way you might make plans to grab coffee with friend. My brother worked in a ski shop for quite a few years and although he hasn't had much of a chance to go snowboarding in recent years, he's an avid boarder. It's one of those things that makes him truly happy. I think of you with every ski shop I walk past, Brian! Along with your more typical ski slopes, there are several companies here in Queenstown that offer heli-skiing, where you take a helicopter ride to the more remote locations of the Southern Alps! (Are you dying yet, Bri? Have I convinced you to get here ASAP?) 

Although I haven't gone skiing or snowboarding in at least seven or eight years (or had any desire to do so because I am rarely never-to-never on speaking terms with w*nter) I've found myself tempted to hit the slopes here. It's probablydefinitely not happening because my travel insurance absolutely does not cover skiing or snowboarding accidents and that is a surefire way to be certain that Clumsy McClumserson over here would injure herself. 

My first and only thought right after "Holy beautiful" as I was flying over the Southern Alps on my way to Queenstown was "oh my gosh, Brian would be losing his mind!"

Wish you were here, bro! I would definitely, absolutely, 100 percent stop my winter-shunning to go boarding with you. :) Hop on the next plane here, yeah? You know you want tooooo. Promise you won't regret it!

Miss you, love you!

C

a word on my geriatric ways

Queenstown is known as the adrenaline capital of the world. The oldest official bungy jumping site in the world is here and it has totally set the tone. Adrenaline junkies flock here to get their fill of bungy jumping, sky diving, canyon swinging, whitewater rafting, skiing and snowboarding, and more. I have heard so many people nonchalantly discuss bungy jumping the way one might say, "oh, maybe I'll make some pasta for dinner," or, "I went for a nice laid back swim at the beach yesterday." I don't know. If I were to ever go bungy jumping or sky diving (it's not not not ever happening; you're welcome, Mom) I think I would probably walk around exclaiming daily to anyone who would listen, "I jumped out of a plane/off a ledge head-first and I liiiiived!!!" I dunno, that's just me. 

Anyways. Being here has more than reaffirmed my geriatric ways. Bungy jump? Canyon swing? I'll go on that scenic tour of Milford Sound instead, thanks. And maybe that trip to a farm to watch a sheep-shearing demonstration. (I haven't done these yet but I will! As soon as the weather is nice again)! Speaking of the weather, yesterday was really stormy. There was a thunderstorm that lasted pretty much the entire day. I love a rainy day every now and then but everything I was hoping to do was weather-dependent. Staying cooped up in the hostel didn't sound very appealing so I ventured out. To the library. 

The hostel where I stayed in Auckland had a pretty stellar set of book swap shelves. Amidst the many travel guides and German books and an unfortunate number of copies of Fifty Shades of Grey I happened to spot a copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which just so happens to be the latest of the HP books that I had read. I picked it up hoping that it would entertain me on the rainy days and, well, Potter Mania: I've got it. (again). Ever since I finished reading it I have been itching to get my hands on books five and six (and the first four, too, if I'm being honest). Unfortunately books are crazy expensive here (That paperback costs as much as a weeks-worth of groceries? Yeah, nope), so I've been waiting until I could make it to the library and crossing my fingers that they would have copies. And...

success!

I can't get a library card because I don't exactly have a permanent address at the moment
(minor details)

but I certainly don't mind hanging out at Queestown's cozy branch.

There is a mountain outside that window

that you can't really see in this picture because of the clouds.

You're just going to have to take my word that it is perfect and pretty.

this is bliss.

Visiting libraries has been one of my favorite things to do while I've been in New Zealand, especially when when the weather hasn't cooperated with my outdoor exploring. I hadn't really considered them when I was planning my travels but I think I will include spending at least a couple hours in a local library in all of my future travel plans. Today I had to run a few errands so I couldn't stay for long but I can't wait to make my way there again soon to pretend I'm at Hogwarts and browse the stacks.

Wish you were here!
Chey

**My mom would like to receive credit for suggesting the library when I was sick of being cooped up in the hostel for too many rainy days in a row in expensive Auckland, so... hi, Mom. :)

An Update

The past several weeks I have had pretty limited internet and as a result I have not been great about keeping in touch. For those of you who have emailed and messaged and otherwise contacted me--thank you! Those messages have meant so much and been so encouraging to me! Now that I have better internet I will be getting back to all of you! I figured I would write one giant update, though, for those of you who have been asking.

From the Sky Tower in Auckland

After a month of living in Auckland, yesterday I hopped on a plane headed to Queenstown! It was pretty cloudy, but as we were flying over (what I believe was) the northern part of the South Island I was that person who had her eyes glued to the window for the entirety of the rest of the flight. 

The bits of white right beneath the wings are snow-capped mountains, not clouds!

So... for those of you who were wondering (and those of you who weren't, too, apparently) I had a crazy change of plans. I originally came here to work as an au pair for twelve months but it became clear pretty quickly that it wasn't working out with my host family. It was a very very stressful couple of weeks and if you're a curious little badger I would be happy to fill you in on all of the details of that little situation the next time we're together in person because oversharing is my new favorite game. For now I will just say that unless I am self-employed I would prefer to neverever live with my employers again. But! I don't have any regrets about originally planning to au pair because...

a. I have made some really wonderful friends from all around the world!

b. I learned a whole lot in those couple of weeks,

c. The kindness I have experienced from so many people is beyond incredible and I will be sure to tell you about that soon!

d. I'm here! I'm here! I have been daydreaming of coming to New Zealand since I saw pictures of Fiordland when I was in elementary school. Coming as an au pair, and then changing my plans has given me the opportunity to explore the New Zealand in a way that I otherwise probably would not have!

I have met so many people who have said in one way or another that the best way to experience this country is to make fewer plans and let NZ show you the way. Although it goes against my Type A must-have-everything-planned-ahead-of-time nature I must say that I agree!

Solo traveling definitely has its perks! I think it would have taken a lot of convincing for me to come here on my own, but once I was here I found it was much easier to envision traveling by myself. I have enjoyed the freedom of it in terms of going, doing, and seeing what I want at my own pace. I've also appreciated that I've met some truly wonderful new friends, which I'm almost certain wouldn't have happened if I had traveled with a buddy! I must say, though, that more often than not I find myself wishing I could be sharing these sights and experiences with you! I constantly find myself wanting to turn to someone and exclaim, "Are you seeing this?! Can you believe that this is real?"

My most treasured experiences thus far have been those that I have shared with friends. Simply walking around, exploring new places, or having a meal are inexplicably that much more enjoyable when I get to do them with someone else!

I got to be roommates with sweet Taeko for a few weeks!

There is a crazy story behind this picture 

and I will share it with you soon

For now, though... 

Alena! I miss you! and I can't wait until we meet up again!

Landing in Queenstown was UNREAL. The decent into the airport takes you through the stunningly beautiful Southern Alps. (Sidenote: I was glad I hadn't eaten lunch yet because although I am not someone who gets motion sickness... the turbulence going over the mountains left me feeling more like I was on a roller coaster than a plane! So worth it, though)! And then you land and step off the plane onto the tarmac and I'm fairly certain the airport workers were rolling their eyes at me because I was open-mouth staring at the 360 degree views of the mountains. I found myself wishing my mom was here because she is a much better tourist than me. While she has no problem whipping out her camera and clicking away, I tend to forget that I even own a camera as I get caught up in soaking in everything, then feel uncomfortable pulling out my camera once I remember that I have one. Usually I later regret not having photos ;)

Just one little portion of the view from the bus stop at the airport!

and the view from my home for the next couple of days!

Case in point: my mom got her very first digital camera just days before a family trip to San Francisco. She took hundreds upon hundreds of pictures over the course of the week (which is overwhelming when you're used to having a couple rolls of film for an entire trip). As you look through the album my face goes from smiling to "are you really taking another picture" before I disappeared completely from the pictures at the end of the week because I flat-out refused to pose! She earned the nickname of momarazzi on that trip and has certainly lived up to it ever since. 

Mom! I wish you were here to be your stellar tourist self and document away! And also because I miss you. 

Queenstown, let's be BFFs!

As for what I'm up to now... I'm going to explore Queenstown and the surrounding areas, and then let NZ show me the way :)

Wish you were here!
Cheryl