Kia Ora!

18 DEC 08 - Thomas' Hotel, Christchurch, New Zealand

We made it into Christchurch last Monday after a strange and annoying commute from Indonesia. Leaving Bali, we thought we were giving ourselves plenty of time to take it easy through check-in, security and the always probable 'unknown.' But we were incorrect. 3 hours was not enough time as it turned out.

What happened was, I almost didn't get to come to NZ at all. How this almost happened was because the airline company, JetStar, really didn't want to let me get onto the plane. Specifically, 3 individuals working on 1 computer were very concerned about me not having a return ticket back to the US. They said that it was suspicious that I'd be traveling to NZ if I didn't either have a work visa or a return ticket. Every person who enters New Zealand for Holiday has an automatic 90 day holiday visa- this does not allow you to work, just to be here for 3 months. I would have this visa and have 90 days to figure out my next move.  I really couldn't understand why they felt like it was their problem, but they really wanted me to be aware that it was. It wasn't like these were Customs or Immigration people; these were half-wit employees who were literally running behind the counter to a dozen other employees gossiping about whether or not it was ok for me to get on the plane or not. What the heck was I gonna do if I couldn't get on the plane!? We asked what options we had, they did not provide us with any suggestion except blank stares and finger pointing towards the exit door.

After Heather showed them her working visa, they gave her both of her boarding passes and looked at me like I needed to figure something else out. So the only way to get on the plane, it appeared, was to purchase a departing ticket from New Zealand. But for some reason it was impossible for me to buy one from them. This again was more confusing because how can one not purchase an airline ticket from the airline company at the airport? All the employees could offer were big unhelpful smiles.

In the most panicked moment of my life, I sprinted down to the nearest Internet cafe that was hopefully open and hopefully had a printer to buy a really expensive ticket. It was totally rediculous because the outcome could have been super crappy all over one stupid piece of paper. Why was it their problem? But in the end, we both made it on the plane with a one way ticket to LAX in hand that will never be used, and arrived glossy-eyed and delerious in Christchurch at about 3:45.

It took us about 1.5 hours to get through customs and security. I was really nervous about getting my tent through. I've been dragging it around this entire time because I want to go camping a lot while we're here but don't want to spend so much money on a new one so the prospect of having it confiscated made me anxious. NZ has strict Bio rules and absolutely will not allow any plant or food items into the country. Any camping gear must be inspected. The last time I came, I lied to the agent but got away with it. This time, I figured there was too much at stake to be jerking custom agents around so I was all charm and smiles on my way through... if you can believe that!

Heather was really nervous too because the claims card clearly stated that if you coming here for a working permit, you needed to have your printed visa, bank statement and some other forms that we didn't have on us. This came no suprise to us because we've been trying our best to miss flights, get held up and/or just not being prepared at all on our way into new countries. (We don't recomend going about it this way.) Seperatly, we think we are each fairly intellegent and functioning adults but together we make the most mentally challenged travelering pair ever.

But our angst was all for not. The immigration guy swiped our passports through and all of our visa information came right up on his monitor and that was that. Stamp, stamp, stamp and we were good to go!

The health care recruiter that has been working with Heather for the last year met us at the airport and drove us to the hostel. Since then we have been busy getting all of our ducks in a row and are now situated. We signed our housing lease today are movng in this afternoon!

Our address is

6/53 Gloucester Street

Christchurch Center, Canterbury

New Zealand

if you go to maps.google.co.nz and punch in our address, you can totally see our apartment building. You can also pan around and see the street from all angles. We live right across the street from the Art Gallery and down the way from the city library. One of the worlds largest botanical garden /urban parks is two blocks to our west. The hospital Heather is working at is a softball's throw away too!

Up on Sugarloaf Scenic reserve looking down onto Christchurch!

They say that for every one person in NZ, there used to be 17 sheep! That's like almost 100 million sheep!!! These two gentlemen were snacking on some grass when we out on a drive.