My first road trip!!

Monday was Labor day in NZ, meaning long weekend!! I had to work Friday and Saturday, but I had Sunday and Monday off with my flatmates. We went on my first road trip in NZ. Here's the first picture I took at an overlook on the side of the road. You might not be able to tell from the photo, but it was really quite beautiful!

3 of my flatmates and I drove to a place referred to simply as, The Mount, or also known as Mount Maunganui. We hiked up The Mount to look over the beach town below. There were sheep of course. This country is lathered in sheep and cows. I've heard there are 13x more sheep than people in NZ!! Anyways, after the hike we found a hotel and were ready to eat. We spent the evening hanging out in the hotel where I found myself extremely sleepy for some reason and went to bed before all of them.

The next day we drove to Waihi beach, the town where Michelle lived when she was a kid. Then next to Karangahake Gorge. Along the gorge was a path that a tram once drove. There were tunnels built into the walls of the gorge for the old tram and when you walked in them, it was darker than dark. I, of course, was scared and had to hold Michelle's hand the whole time. On the ceiling in the tunnels where glow worms! They looked like little laser points all along the top. The place was really cool.

The last stop before heading back to Hamilton was Paeroa. We stopped just for a few minutes,but I was told every tourist had to have a photo in front of the huge L&P bottle. L&P is a NZ soda made in the town of Paeroa. I forced them to take the picture with me!!

My new stomping ground

I made it! I'm in New Zealand!! I arrived to Auckland on the 4th of October where Michelle was there waiting. Michelle is a New Zealander I met when I was an au pair in Switzerland. Anyways, she and her sister picked me up from the airport and we took a drive around the city. Unfortunately it was quite rainy that day, but despite it, we had a picnic in some gardens. Then we took the hour and a half drive to Hamilton, where I'm staying. I got to meet Michelle's family and then made it over to my new house!! I'm living with Michelle, Jason, Jimmy, and Josh in a cute little house. I took a video and lots of photos.

A couple days in I decided I'd need a bike to get me around and after following a couple of different ones online, one morning I got on the computer to find a lovely red bike advertised at $1!!! Can you believe it! I bought it right then and later that afternoon my flatmate took me to pick it up. Isn't it beautiful. I ride to work, to the gym (oh yeah, I got a gym membership too, keeps me busy!!) , and then on weekends when Michelle isn't working we go on long rides. She also found a great deal on a bike online so now we can ride all over town together!
Speaking of...I found a job!! The first week I was here, I kind of just hung out, got over jet lag, etc. and then the second week I went out hunting. Monday I had little luck, but then Tuesday I walked into an IBIS hotel, asked if they had any openings, and then 3 hours later the manager called and scheduled an interview. It all went well and the following week I started as a waitress in the restaurant. I do a bit of waitressing and bar tending, neither of which I've ever done. I'm catching on pretty quickly and it's starting to be more fun since I have an idea of what I'm suppose to be doing. I've dropped my fair share of silverware and mixed a few wrong drinks, but overall, I'm really liking it and not doing too bad.
http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-6690-ibis-hamilton-tainui/index.shtml

When I'm not working, which is often since I'm working only part time, I try to explore some of Hamilton. There is a beautiful river that runs through town and it is really close to my house. I've been on runs, walks, and bike rides along it. It's really great. Here are a couple photos from the path that runs along it.


Another site in Hamilton is their gardens. Michelle and I took a bike ride there just this past weekend. We made a sushi picnic and took a look around on the best day since I've been here (it's been pretty rainy). They have an international section. Can you guess which countries this gardens are from??

China, Italy, England, India, and America. Of course America has the worst one; it's all concrete with a pool.

Anyways, I'm settling in nicely and enjoying all the new things around me. I know there is lots more to see and I can't wait. And, in case you were wondering, and I really haven't even seen very much of NZ, it's just as beautiful as you imagine.