I fell in love..

Well I fell in love with New Zealand. I know I have said that that before about Chicago, Santa Cruz, and probably even Australia, but none of them even compare to New Zealand. It is my new favorite place in the whole wide world, and I can tell you for certain that I will go back to the South Island one day. This country is a kind of beautiful I've never seen before. It is a mind blowing, jaw dropping, makes-you-say-oh-my-gosh-every-time-you-turn-a-corner-then-sit-there-speechless kind of beauty. 


Abby and I spend the past 8 days taking in the scenery and making great memories. Let me try to explain our trip..but I'm warning you there will be a lot of pictures and a ton of words, so get comfy.

We landed at Christchurch airport pretty late, so our day 1 was spent with about 40 strangers sleeping along a wall in the airport lobby. As soon as the clock hit 4:30 a man who loved his job entirely too much, told us it was time to "wakey wakey" and head out. Abby and I were so confused and just watched everyone, as they packed up their things, and left. Since the rental car place wasn't open yet, we headed to the food court to get a few more hours of sleep. That in itself was an experience.

After not driving for 6 months, it felt so good to be behind the wheel and be the one controlling the car! Notice the headband on my left wrist..just a reminder to stay to the left (as if the sticker in the car, and signs along the road weren't enough). Don't worry yall, staying on the left wasn't nearly as weird as I thought it would be, and there were only a few times that we accidently drove on the right side!

We checked the weather before we left Oz, and it looked like we were going to have pretty crummy weather while we were there. The first half of day 2 looked like this: 

so I'm sure you can imagine our excitement when the clouds started to clear and we were able to stop and look at these beautiful lakes on the way to Queenstown. 

Lake Tekapo

Lake Pukaki

The water was stunningly beautiful at both lakes. The blue was so rich that it almost looked neon. We tried to come up with a way to describe the color for a while after we left Lake Pukaki, but neither of us could come up with appropriate words. 

When we got into Queenstown, we both immediately fell in love! It is such a sweet little town and you can just tell that all the people love everything about being outdoors. It was so nice to be in a place where we wern't judged for looking like a scrub..so different from Melbourne! After we checked into our hostel, we went to the Queenstown Gardens, watched an 8-piece bagpipe band play at the lakeside, and had dinner on the rocks by the water.

Day 3 started off with us driving all the way to Milford Sound and taking a crusie. We forgot to change our clocks when we got to NZ, so we woke up two hours late and weren't able to stop and take pictures along the 4 hour drive, but the good news is that our boat didn't leave us!

Again, not the best weather but the fog added such an eerie and mysterious feel to the whole thing. Thankfully the fog lifted a little throughout our cruise.

Abby and I decided to get the full experience and brave the cold, wind, and rain by sitting on the top deck for the cruise. It was worth it even though we couldn't see everything you could on a clear day.

We were able to take our time driving back to Queenstown, and stopped all along the way to take pictures. 

Waterfalls were EVERYWHERE! They said that some of them aren't normally there and were just from all the rain they were having, but I wasn't complaining. I loved them!

This dang bird is called a Kea. We were stopped on the way back to Queenstown, and he landed on our car. Some guys told us they they like to eat the rubber on cars, and if you're not careful they will tear it apart. Are you kidding me?!?

We found a snow tunnel, and if you really think a little sign on the ground is going to stop us from exploring, then you're wrong!

When we finally made it back to Queenstown, we walked around the town centre and had dinner at Starbucks. I'm sure you're thinking 'you were all the way in New Zealand and ate at Starbuks!?' Well people, places close early and it was our only option! 

Day 4, the day of the incident. It started off great!

We took a gondola to the top of the mountain.

The mountain overlooked Lake Wakatipu and all of Queenstown. We rode a luge halfway down the mountain and took the gondola the rest of the way down, only to discover this...

Yup, we came down the mountain and we had a flat tire. We called AA to come help us change the tire, and after waiting almost 2 hours we decided to take matters into our own hands, and started changing the tire with the help of some strangers. Of course, the AA guy shows up about half way through, and after he kicked one of the nuts down the drain, he had to go back to his office to get a super magnet to fish it out. The guy ended up being hilarious and even though we were really annoyed with him at first because he was late and he wouldn't admit that he kicked the nut down the sewer, we had some good laughs with him and he really was helpful. 

That took most of the afternoon, so we spend the evening walking around Queenstown. We ate at this place called Fergburger and it was incredible. I haven't had a hamburger that good in who knows how long, and they had real BBQ sauce!! 

As we were walking around after dinner, we found a pub called Cowboys. It was like a piece of stereotypical Texas! There were American flags all over, a mechanical bull in the corner, the barstools were saddles, the fabric on the benches said 'God Bless America', and there were a few longhorn head hanging on the wall. The only thing that didn't fit was the music. You would think they would be playing country, but instead they were playing songs from the late 70's and early 80's. Weird, I know.

After exploring, we took the highest sealed road on the South Island and drove to Wanaka. 

Day 5 I was able to scratch something off my bucket list. I WENT SKYDIVING! 

And not only that, I did it in the most beautiful place in the world. I wish I could show yall the views I saw as I was free falling for 45 seconds at 120 mph!

After we went skydiving, we went on a hike with Karen, the lady we were staying with. Karen met my uncle Dave when the both lived in Alaska, and thanks to that connection we got a place to stay for two nights, breakfast, dinner, a hiking buddy and our own personal tour guide! 

Diamond Lake

Lake Wanaka

When we got back from our hike, Abby and I explored the town, and spent some time at the lake just taking in the beauty, and enjoyed the dinner Karen made for us!

That night, we went to see Sherlock Holmes 2 at Paradiso. It was a small movie theater that had comfy old couches everywhere for people to sit. There was an intermission where they sold freshly baked cookies, and homemade ice cream. It was such a neat atmosphere! I loved it!

On day 6, we woke up early to head to Fox Glacier. We took our time driving, and stopped multiple times along the way.

Lake Wanaka

Blue Pools

Fantail Falls

Pretty coastal drive

We got to Fox Glacier just in time for our half-day hike. We had a blast with our guide, and he loved having us in his group even though all we did was laugh at him the entire time. Thanks for the entertainment Dino Dean.

After the hike, we drove 20 minutes out to the coast to watch the sunset.

If you looked over your shoulder as you walked onto the beach, you could see Mt. Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand.

Seriously, there is nothing better than a sunset on the beach!

Day 7 was our long day in the car. We left the west coast at 10 am and got to the east coast at 1130 pm. I love that we can say we drove from one side of a country to the other in one day! We made plenty of stops along the way, and had a blast blaring country music the whole time!

Just another pretty lake

Rivers were all over. I didn't expect to see so many!

Lunch on the beach. I can't get enough of the coast.

This part of the drive was voted one of the top ten most beautiful drives in the world, and I'd have to agree!

Pancake rocks. Scientist have no explanation as to why the rocks have formed this way. 

When we finally made it to Kaikoura, we just pulled over at a scenic lookout and slept in the car! That night, I think I saw more stars than I have ever seen before. I've heard that you can see more stars from the Australian outback than any other place in the world, so if I make it out there I'll let yall know which one was better!

On day 8, we woke up early and watched the sun rise over the Pacific Ocean before heading back to Christchurch. We spent some time walking around the 'red zone' in the city centre of Christchurch, and while it is very obvious that the city is still rebuilding from the earthquakes that keep happening there, it was actually in much better condition than I was anticipating. 

And yall.. the sheep!!! No one can go to New Zealand and ignore the sheep. They were EVERYWHERE!!! There are 60 MILLION sheep in that country, and we passed so many fields filled with them!

Everyone needs to go to this country at some point in their lives. Seriously, the most gorgeous place I have ever been! I can't wait to go back!

To my besties, I know I said we should all go to Sydney, but scratch that. We are going to New Zealand, so start saving now! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!! xoxoxoxoxoxo

an aussie christmas

The holidays were great over here on my side of the world. Since it's the middle of summer, this time of year brings all sorts of outdoor activities. 

Carols by Candlelight brings out thousands of viewers on Christmas Eve to watch Australian stars sing Christmas Carols. Here we are at the rehearsal on the 23rd that cost a fraction of the price. I'm not too sure how I feel about Christmas in the middle of the summer. I'm never going to complain about being able to go to the beach, but it was so hard to get into the Christmas spirit when the temperature was hovering around 100.

We spent Christmas day with the Lancasters, and they were so wonderful! They took such good care of the three 'orphans' who celebrated the day with them. They even got us each our own stocking.

They knew we were far away from home, so they wanted to have the most Australian Christmas possible. That meant we got to spend a few hours at the beach! 

My family was so sweet and made me a Flat Megan video since I couldn't be home with all of them. I have watched it a few times and have laughed out loud every time. 

Summer time means all this deliciousness is in season! 

For New Years, I spent the afternoon having a picnic down by the river with my friend Em. The weather was absolutely beautiful, and we got to see two different firework shows! 

Jan 1 was nice a hot, so we spend the morning laying out on the beach! What a way to bring in the new year!

love you all! hope you had a blast celebrating the holidays! 

Things I miss..

Well I just passed the 5 month mark of being here in Melbourne, and my list of things that I miss has grown quite a bit. On top of everything I listed in THIS post, here is some more things I miss about home. Stick with me, this list much longer.

OUR TARGER. I say “our Target” because there is a Target here in the CBD. The logo is the same, so it tricks you into thinking you are walking into familiar territory but you aren’t. This Target is more like a JC Pennies or Dillard’s. The good new about this Target is that I don’t have to worry about emptying my bank account every time I go in.

BBQ SAUCE. I love me some bbq sauce, and Australians just don’t know how to make the stuff. Even the “Americanized” versions can’t compare.

AQUAFRESH EXTREME CLEAN TOOTHPASTE. They have some imitation version of Aquafresh, and while it is extra foamy just like the real thing, it’s a disappointment.

BLUEBELL ICE CREAM. There is nothing like it in the whole world. I never realized how lucky I was to grow up on this stuff. They do sell Ben & Jerry’s but even my sweet tooth can’t bear to spend $12 for a pint of ice cream.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. I was never a regular watcher of this show growing up, but for my last few years of college this show provided me so much entertainment. I was able to watch the episode hosted by Jimmy Fallon, and it was so freaking funny. WHAM BAM THANK YOU PEG

JIF PEANUT BUTTER. Choosy moms choose JIF. I’m not a mom, but if you’re asking me, I’d always choose JIF. 

LAWRY'S SEASONED SALT. Hanner where you at? Can I get a SHA NA NAAA NA!

PANDORA. Just one of the many websites that I don’t have access to over here in oz. 

PILLSBURY CRESCENT ROLLS. Can’t find anything like em here. Not even an off brand. Just looking at this picture is making my mouth water.

MY BIKE. This isn’t an actual picture of my bike, but I did have a fun little cruiser at school. I loved going on bike rides and having one here would be pretty convenient. If I weren’t so cheap, I’d spend the $100 it costs to buy one here. 

BAGELS. I didn’t even know I liked them so much, but when I don’t have the option to buy them, they are all I want. I did see some at the store a few weeks ago..4 bagels for over $4. It went on my splurge list so maybe I’ll go buy them soon.

MINUTE RICE. This stuff is incredible! Boil the water, add the rice, and its ready in 5 minutes. Here, you’ve got to wait the full 20 minutes after you put the rice in or it would be like you’re eating little tiny bricks. 

QUESO. And Mexican food in general. But especially queso. 

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS! I know Christmas has come and gone already, but no one put of Christmas lights here! I would say that the Grinch lives here, but then I’d be offending people. Learned that lesson the hard way. 

I also miss unlimited internet, trucks, cable, chivalry, enthusiasm for holidays, award shows, boys in baseball hats, & garbage disposal. 

xoxo

2011: what a year!

Dear 2011,


Boy, you sure did go by really quickly. You brought some great memories and laughs with you, and I don't think I could ever forget you. Your friend 2012 is almost here to visit and I'd appreciate it if you could tell her to take her time. I don't like the way you years come and go so fast. 


You stayed for 12 months, and while I could easily pick a million things I loved about you, I thought it would be fun to reminisce for a minute and choose one thing that stuck out in my mind from each month. 

January kicked off the year right with a mini project reunion. At Winter Conference I got to see 9 people from my project family! 

February brought a snow day! We spend the morning building a fort and forcing our friends to stay and have fun with us! We watched movies and cuddled to stay warm, then all made dinner together as a family!

SPRING BREAK! Mid-march we packed the cars and drove to Mexico for a few days. Easily the best of the six spring breaks I got throughout my college career!  Sitting in an empty pro baseball stadium wasn't bad either!

In April I got to celebrate the wedding of sweet Reeders. It has been so fun to be involved in the weddings of these roommates! And now Megan and Stephen are expecting a little bundle of joy! 

May was gradation! As a student, this day couldn't come quick enough. As a recent grad, I'd do anything to go back to those times.

 Team Time in June! This was my going away party and most of my best friends came to the lake to hang out one final time! Such special people to me!  

July brought the biggest adventure of my life. I hopped on a plane with this girl and moved around the world! 

Wait a minute, is that the Sydney Opera House?! Yeah it is, suckers! In August I got to spend a few days in this beautiful city and literally could not get enough of this harbour. LOVED IT!

In September, Abby, Em, and I went to our first Footy match. Here we had no idea how the sport was played and it looked like extreme chaos on the field, but we loved it nonetheless. 

In October we escaped the city and spend the day hiking in the Dandenong Mountains.

I don't actually have a picture of what I remember the most about November, so this will have to do. In November, we celebrated Thanksgiving! Even though we are thousands and thousands of miles away from the Land of the Free, we weren't about to let the tradition die!

December helped one of my dreams comes true: I got to spend Christmas day on the beach!!! What better way to end the year than crossing something off your bucket list!?

If 2012 is anything like you it will be a year for the books. 2011, I loved having you here. See ya never

life as I know it

Well people, my world here in Australia was just rocked. Our friends have left to return home to the States. Their time here in Oz is over, and we have lost half of the girls that live on our street, along with two wonderful couples. I have been fortunate to be thrown into friendships for most major changes in my life. Transferring to Tech, I just joined in with Kim’s group of friends from the dorms. Those friendships continued to grow through college, and the friendships of the fab5 are still strong today. Going on Summer Project to Santa Cruz was over 50 forced friendship. You really have no choice but to become besties with those people, and a year and a half later they are still people who I care for deeply and have a special place in my heart. Coming here, there was a group of people who understood us right away. They knew what it was like to go through this change, and were able to be a great support to me over the past four a half months. They could have survived without us coming to Australia, but we couldn’t have survived without them.

I have always thought it is easier to be the one leaving than the one that is left. The one that leaves gets to go experience new things, get into a new routine, and has the excitement of unfamiliar ground. The one left has to find a way to continue their old routine, a way to survive without the familiar. Being in this position is not a fun place to be.

For their last night in Melbourne, we had a team dinner and then spend the night walking around the city looking at how they have jazzed it up for the holiday season. It was quite nice waking around in shorts and a tank top (:

So to Bess, Nicole, Nina, Michelle, Katherine, Lori, Chris, Jessamyn, and Jordan, thanks for everything! You have made my time here what it is and I'm so grateful for yall! Enjoy the greatness that is America!