Driving up the West Coast

Here are some more photos of our drive up the west coast. The driftwood art is in Hokitika, a small beach town that's beautiful. Carol also attempted a drive and right after pulling into Hokitika she forgot what side of the road she was on and she nailed a curb. Next time I need a new tire she will be receiving an invoice. The fact that I've had about 20 new tires in my lifetime will be blocked from my memory when that happens as well.

Here are the pictures....

Hokitika Gorge

This was probably one of the most beautiful things we saw when my parents were here....

It's June...Already?

I constantly find myself taking pictures of things or thinking of things that I say in my head "will be great for my blog". Somehow, I never manage to actually get those things to my blog. So this morning I set my alarm at 5 to get up and go to the gym. I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed, but decided this morning instead of working out, I would rather do nothing than update my blog. So consider yourself lucky. I'm doing you a favor and not me since I ate McDonald's yesterday....and the day before.

I have been in New Zealand now for almost 8 months. The time has flown. This time last year I was being told I was crazy. I started a great job in January, bought a house in March and decided to move around the world in June. My parents constantly got the 'ohhhh well good for her' from people wondering why they would let me do such a thing. First off, they didn't really let me. I did my research and came to them with a plan and said this is what I want to do. Anyone that knows me, and has for the last 27 years, knows that when I make up my mind there's no stopping me. I wasn't called the Mayor of Reed for no reason. They questioned my timing, but gave me their approval to do what I was going to do. Once they came to visit, they understood. This place is amazing. I mean utterly amazing. Words can't describe it and pictures can only do it so much justice. Queenstown is probably one of the most culturally diverse places in New Zealand. I could make the drive from Arrowtown to Queenstown everyday and still be awe. My dad said it reminded him so much of the valley in California where his family grew up. I have met a few people from Colorado that have said Arrowtown reminds them of Crested Butte, which is where my aunt and uncle live. So to me, this place is just a mix of everything beautiful. As the sun moves across the sky it casts different hues and shadows across the mountains. When there is snow on the tops of the mountains and the sun is coming up or down, it's crystal clear. Knock on wood, but it's a miracle I haven't gotten in a wreck because I spend more time looking at the scenery than the road.

I continue to get wedding invitations, baby announcements, pictures of the beach and pictures of all my friends together and I always say 'aww I wish I could be there'. I wonder if I'll be the old cat lady because all of my friends are married with kids and then there's me off gallivanting. Then I remind myself, I'm only 27. I have a whole life ahead of me. My friends are ready for families, I'm ready to travel. And with thanks to Facebook, I can keep up with all of my friends exciting life events even if I can't be there. If I find someone that wants to come along trotting the globe with me, then perfect. Until then I'll continue to travel, do what I want to do, meet amazing people and see the world. Oh and I'll never be an old cat lady because I don't even like cats, I'm a dog fan.

So when I left on this 'journey' my plan was a year in New Zealand being a grocery scanner or taxi driver. Then off for a year in Thailand teaching English. My year is 3/4 of the way over here. Everyones question now is 'what are you doing in September?'. I don't know. If I can survive the winter, then I would like to stay for another summer. December-May is the most amazing time here. I often ponder what I am going to do for a 'career'. Not just a job that gets me by, but something I can imagine myself doing forever. I love event planning and sales and marketing, but I get bored because I don't feel like I am having an impact. I love to volunteer, but unfortunately it doesn't pay the bills. So ss my year in NZ has gone by I have continued to ask myself what's next and what do I want to do with my life? I have decided I want to be a pediatric occupational therapist. When I worked at Springhill, I constantly found myself in with the OT and the speech therapists with the kids. I spent a lot of time volunteering at Mulherin Home or with children at St. Mary's Home. Their is no better way to combine it all than to be an occupational therapist.

However, the process is quite tedious when your major was Hospitality and Tourism Management. I have about 10 prerequisite classes before I can even apply for school. So I have found online classes at Alabama and Troy. Troy has an amazing new online set up and they have instantly responded to all of my emails. Alabama on the other hand, has been a total nightmare. Sorry to my whole family and their alma mater, but I sure hope the people they employ are not alumni, because they lack knowledge and sound depressed. I have found one lady, Michelle, and she has been the only one to help me and she even acts like she enjoys it. So as many of you can guess, I will be writing a lovely letter about her helpfulness since I love comment cards and telling people what they are doing right and wrong...since I know all ya know? Just kidding. I would love to start school in the Fall of 2014, but that's probably a bit optimistic, since I still have to have undergone a majority of the prereqs, take the GRE and actually apply to school. I would like to go to South, but it's quite competitive, so I will just have to see where the pieces fall. So there you all have it. I have a life plan! I don't know much more than that, but it's a start!

So today I am feeling thankful. Thankful for this place, thankful for my job, thankful for the friends I have made here, thankful to my friends and family at home that continue to send mail, packages, calls, text, emails and telegrams and thankful for the opportunities to travel around the world. I PROMISE, yes PROMISE, it won't be another month before I post. My brain is bursting with thoughts and my computer might implode with all of the photos it's dying to upload. Brace yourselves, because I am about to make up for lost time.

LOTS of LOVE, XO

It's Autumn in Atown!

Surpriseeee I'm back!!! We have had such amazing weather I haven't been spending too much time on my computer, but here are some beautiful photos of what the leaves look like around here at the moment!

Family Reunion....around the world

So my grandmothers brother, my dad's uncle and my great uncle....(all the same person)....and his wife just so happened to be in NZ the same time as my parents. We were able to meet them for a coffee on my parents second day here. It was such a cool thing to do. They have been on a trip where they go to lectures and such while they travel. Like my dads post said, they are overachievers, just like my grandmother, my dad and ummmm me? or maybe Russ? Or maybe neither of us? Sorry, Grammie, to inform you that gene didn't get passed down! My dads whole family is from California, so with us being in Alabama we really have never gotten to see them, spend time with them or get to know them. In October of 2011 we all went out to Cali for my grandfathers 80th birthday. I have to admit that I wasn't really looking forward to going that far to hang out with family I didn't know and my grandparents 80 year old friends :) In return, I had THE greatest trip. Not only did we all get to hang out, we sat around one night looking at old pictures...like from the first camera days. I had the best time visiting and story telling with everyone. I saw my grandparents with friends they have had for the last 70 years and it was such a treat. My grandmother is a laugher and is rarely ever unhappy, but I saw her laugh more than I have ever seen her laugh in one weekend. It was very evident that both of their hearts were still in California with their friends and their past. It sounded bizarre when a few months back they said they were moving from Atlanta back to California. What 80 year olds say that? Only cool ones!

Needless to say, spending time with Uncle Scotty and Aunt Kitty was just as much of a treat. They have lived a super interesting life and I admire anyone that has done the travel they have. I think my parents felt it was as exciting to hang out with them as I did, especially all the way around the world!

I love presents!

After uploading the 613 pictures I took on my parents trip, I realized it was going to take me a great deal of time to upload some of my favorite ones. However, the trip started with some excellent surprise courtesy of my parents and my great friends!!

Genny sent me "herself". She now is with me everyday! I had just been saying that now that I have a side table I needed to add some pictures from home. JLO, aka Jason, Laura and Owen sent me their Christmas card, so I now have Owen hanging out with Genny and me next to my bed. They sent me some fabulous chap stick, hand lotion called '27 wishes' with a little philosophy on it that describes my life, and my FAVORITE, Justin's peanut butter spreads. Buy yourself some and thank me. Allison sent a true taste of home: Mardi Gras gear! I made everyone at work taste a moonpie. I'm not really sure they understood how excited I was to introduce them to Mardi Gras. On Sunday Funday I made Gareth wear Mardi Gras beads all day and made my friend Connah drink from a tervis tumbler that explains that the real Mardi Gras started in Mobile. Booyah! I of course used the hugger for my own adult beverage! Thanks friends, you really brightened my day!!


A few other things that made my eyes go wide were dads selections of drinks and moms selections of food! I made buffalo wings last night and felt like I was at For Pete's Sake again. They have "buffalo wings" on the menus everywhere here. Problem is, they are just cooked wings with a side of bbq sauce. There is nothing buffalo about them. Silly kiwis. Tonight I made myself some french onion dip, bought kettle chips and acted like I was eating my appetizer at Callaghan's. Only problem was I didn't have a massive burger to follow. That's probably a good thing though considering my lack of physical activities these days. Anyways, thanks Mom and Dad, you too/two are the bomb. Two, because there's two of you and too because I meant in addition to my other gifts!


Pictures of our travels are to come! I am getting motivated again to blog, so please keep reading!

The Mackey's do NZ!

After an incredible 2.5 weeks with my parents visiting, I asked my dad to write about his thoughts on NZ. There are so many things that have become routine to me and I no longer realize how different they are from home. My dad is a great writer, so I hope you enjoy his random thoughts as much as I did! I will upload some pictures over the next few days.

"I know that bucket lists are popular these days, but Carol and I find it easier to just follow our kids. Doing so is more exciting than anything we could come up with. NZ is an incredible country. We took a lot of pictures, but seeing it in person gives one so much more - like live music. The people are wonderful, as well.

Catherine is doing great. She manages a small hotel/restaurant/bar in Arrowtown on South Island. The owner is onsite, but she pretty much has the run of the house (imagine that). His name is Peter. I know how he feels.

She rents a room from a Kiwi who's a little older than she is. He is a very nice, very low key guy. That is, until he got a few adult beverages under his belt and teamed up with his long time friend Fraser (that's Frasser, not Frazier). We hooked up with them last Sunday. Gareth and Fraser had a head start on the alcohol and their running commentary had Carol and I in tears. Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey would have come in a distant second in the duo category. Another friend of hers, Benny the cab driver, took us into the back country in his 4 wheel drive. He refers to his wife as "the old trout." Browns and Rainbows are venerated species around Arrowtown, so we heard that as a high compliment. All in all, Catherine runs with a good group of friends.

Kiwis are unfailingly happy and polite. Nothing gets them down. We are so used seeing folks put out for one reason or another that I began jonesing for some boorish behavior to make me feel at home. I twisted a few noses, spit on the sidewalk and even intoned in a crowd that perhaps I saw the Queen wearing army boots. All I got was "no wawries" and "sweet as, bro." The closest we saw a Kiwi given to anger was Fraser last Sunday. The bartender at the outdoor pub we were enjoying had the temerity to advise him that he could only drink his beer sitting at the table ("what's it come to when a man can't stand up in his own country and drink beer?"). Perhaps it was the 10 or 11 that preceded that one … Actually, I was with Fraser on that one.

If you read the local papers, you would assume that rugby and cricket are the national sports. If you get out on the road, however, you understand that the real national pastime is camping - yes, camping. Kiwis and tourists both rent full sized vans equipped with shower/toilet, frig and stove and hit the countryside. Every town has hiking paths that are marked and maintained, as well as areas to camp. It was really amazing though, given the landscapes, it makes perfect sense. If we are lucky enough to get back here, we're all over one of those vans (with some nice digs sprinkled in every once in a while).

Driving on the left side is like driving on the right side, only different. It took us a while to notice it, but people walk on the left side of the path or sidewalk, as well. Other cool things that the Kiwis have going for them:

the metric system - we have missed the boat on this one - Celsius, not so much;
anything nicer than shorts and a t-shirt is Sunday go to meeting wear;
blue Cod and Rock Lobster (or Crayfish, as they call them);
their wonderment at how little vacation time Americans take; and
tobacco is so expensive that you don't run into many smokers.

We had our small world moment when we hooked up with my mother's brother and his wife in Queenstown for a few hours one afternoon. They were in week two of a three week tour that included lectures every day and even homework. When these academic overachievers went through their schedule, it made me want to take a nap. Since they live in SF and we don't see them much, if any, though, it was a cool visit.

We took a lot of pictures and some video. When Zeb figures it out, I'll send a link for you to check the pics out, if you are so inclined."