Our Three-Week Routine

Riding on a high from our recent job loss, life seemed good again. That is, until we realized that we were losing money fast... and now we weren't earning any.

I had about a half a day of panic before the next job rolled in from one of the other temp agencies. This time, I would be working as a housekeeper at Arrowtown House, a luxury boutique hotel run by one couple. It would be every day for the next three weeks. It was PERFECT! Except for the whole waking up at 6am every day, without a break for weekends... But with money on the mind, I accepted immediately.

Franz Josef & the Rainforest Retreat: the Beginning

After another gap in communication (sorry, Dad), here's a recap of the last few days...

Tuesday evening (Jan. 20) - Hokitika
Mariah and I befriended a German girl from our hostel, who agreed to join us to see the sunset and some glow worms. We stayed at Sunset Point until the sun dropped below the horizon, and then headed to the other side of town to the forest where the glow worms could be viewed.

Thumbs Up for New Zealand

Well, we’re officially in New Zealand! A lot has happened since the magical layover. Let me try to summarize...

Saturday

We arrived in Christchurch completely exhausted, and somehow found our way to our hostel, “At the Right Place.” We chatted with one of the backpackers there, an Australian named Steve, who invited us to join him in going to a shopping center with him and two of his friends. We joined them and got an immediate glimpse of the quirkiness of Christchurch by playing Giant Jenga (to the apparent pleasure of the crowd that had gathered to watch).