Alberta bound

After an awesome day together my Aunt and Uncle dropped me back off at the airport to catch my flight to Edmonton. I will be spending the rest of the summer until around August 19th in Edmonton working. I was in Edmonton last summer with a leadership program with Campus for Christ for four months. In addition to volunteering and my involvement  with Campus for Christ while I was in Edmonton last summer I also worked Monday to Friday at the Outdoor Room, a landscaping supply, design and construction company. This year I have gone back to work for the same company and am living here in Edmonton with Leah, one of my friends I met here last summer. So Alberta bound I was .. three hours delayed and without baggage ..but in no time I was back in Canada and headed ‘home’ to my new apartment.

Outdoor Room 2010

end of the summer work party last year

yepp this is me

and again ..

Good Morning San Francisco

Flights went fairly smoothly as I left New Zealand, it was a long haul but there was no delays on my flights from Christchurch to Auckland to San Francisco.  I had a ten hour layover once I arrived in San Francisco, which I spent with my Uncle Brett and Aunt Mary. We had a lovely day together, getting to know one another and exploring San Francisco. We went and saw the San Francisco Botanical Garden, visited the coast by their home in Pacifica, saw the Golden Gate bridge and had a amazing meal at the Cliff House right on the coast. 

looking out over San Francisco as the fog rolled in

bye New Zealand I will miss you

On Friday morning I woke up early finished packing up, had one last good byes and then met up with Karen and John for coffee, a quick shopping trip and then lunch before we said our final goodbyes as well when the dropped me off at my gate in the airport. It all seemed so surreal at the time to be actually leaving New Zealand...

I miss New Zealand but more than that I miss the people.. I am so thankful for all of the people I was able to meet in New Zealand and for the times we shared !

one last day at Lincoln

I arrived back in Lincoln after an awesome time up north with Chris and Che’ on Wednesday night. I really enjoyed my time with them and the chance to go back to Punakaiki and experience Arthur’s Pass by train - I honestly couldn’t have spent my last week in New Zealand a better way!

After getting back though, I had to study for my Recreation and Tourism Management exam the next morning. My exam went well on Thursday and the rest of the day and long into the night was spent saying good bye and then eventually packing up. I went for lunch with Kate at our favorite Bakery in Lincoln and then went quickly into Hornby with my friend Nicole. Michaela and Melissa took me out for dinner that evening and helped me pack up all my stuff fitting it all back into my one large suitcase and backpacking bag. 

Arthur’s Pass - sorry road not this time..

Another round of earth quakes hit Christchurch on June 13th.. closing down the train that I was to be taking only two days later. Thankfully however the train opened back up one day earlier than expected allowing me to enjoy the TranzAlpine train trip through Arthur’s Pass that I had wanted to do for quite awhile. I had been waiting to do this trip until the weather had gotten colder so there would be snow on the mountains. 

I spent most of the trip in a carriage at the back of the train where you can stand outside. Being as cold as it was I was the only one out there most of the time enjoying the view and cool, crisp air as the train traveled through mountain tunnels, across bridges, beside rivers and then eventually through the Canterbury Plains..  

Punakaiki - take two

Wednesday morning I went back to the Pancake Rocks during daylight before catching my bus to Greymouth where I would be getting on a train for Christchurch. 

one last visit to one of my favorite places in New Zealand ... Punakaiki round two

Punakaiki, where the pancake rocks are, is one of my favorite places in New Zealand and I was happy to have a chance to go back there one last time. So early on Tuesday morning after saying good bye to Chris and Che’ I hopped on a bus headed down the west coast. I spent the afternoon in Punakaiki relaxing on the beach, and going tramping (hiking) in Paparoa National Park. Late Tuesday night I went down and watched the high tide come in over the pancake rocks under a full moon and the stars - what and incredible night! 

a beautiful day in Nelson

On Monday Che’ and I toured around Nelson and had a great day together. We went to downtown Nelson, visited some more pottery shops, walked along the Tahuna back beach, and took a hike up to the ‘Center of New Zealand’ before having lunch by the Maitai River. After lunch we did some more shopping and went to Rabbit Island and Mapua Wharf.

I took lots of pictures during our ticky touring around  but sadly somehow they have been lost and I only have a few from the sunset as we left Rabbit Island which I have included below...

Golden Bay & Richmond

Sunday Morning Che’ and I went for a walk up to a look out over Ligar Bay at the Abel Tasman Memorial, and then took a walk along the Ligar Bay beach. Before going back to Richmond that afternoon we also went to The Grove, an incredible track through an old native forest and ancient rock formations (the old sea cliffs) out to a view of Golden Bay.  We also stopped at PuPu Springs, Waikoropupu, and did a short walk there as well.

looking out from the Abel Tasman Memorial 

Ligar Bay & Che’ 

Ligar Bay

The Grove 

Chris & I at The Grove

PuPu Springs

a blue haron at PuPu Springs

lookout on Takaka hill

 Che’ & I