Up Over to Down Under

Thursday, March 3, 2011

What's new

We have been in Timaru for just over a week now. Its been a bit of a roller coaster ride of emotions since the earthquake but we are settling in.

Chad has a job at a bar in town and is volunteering during the day at the Salvation Army helping to sort donations and what not. I am getting used to working in Msk even though its definitely all very new and its hard to go back to placements almost 2 years ago to remember what to do! It's very interesting treating people in a different country....they describe having slight pain as having a "niggle" and usually say things are "average as" and say they are "getting sorted". I spend as much time trying to figure out what they are saying not just what injury they have.

We are pretty excited for this weekend because the family from Christchurch we stayed with are sending their kids here for the weekend while they go to a concert in Queenstown. Conrad, 14 and Cathryn, 13 will be here and we are planning on showing them around exciting Timaru.

Otherwise we are trying to sell our sweet campervan, and are going to book our tickets next week to Perth for around April 10th woohoo!!! Only 5 weeks until Western Australia!!!!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Timaru

We want to really thank everyone for the concern over the past few days. We were very lucky to have not been hurt in the earthquake and to have had such an amazing family help us out afterwards.
Yesterday, we left Christchurch and accepted a physiotherapy position for 6 weeks in Timaru, 2 hours south of Christchurch. After this position we will head to Australia and start our travels over there.
Thanks again for all the support.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Safe after Christchurch Earthquake

Chad and I are in Christchurch and would like everyone to know that although today was a very scary experience we are both safe and well. We are fortunate to be staying with a local family and will remain here until we can figure out our next move.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Christchurch

We have arrived in Christchurch and are getting ready for Ashley to start work in the next few days. The last few weeks of our 8-week south island travels were incredible complete with a wine tour, an epic hike, swimming with almost 500 dolphins in the wild and hanging out at an ocean front cottage.

Rees Dart - Rees Valley

Glacier pool on Rees Dart

Overlooking Matukituki Valley

Dart Glacier...it was huge!

Mt. Cook - New Zealand's highest peak

Testing out the wine in Malborough Region.....60 wineries within 10km!

Dusky dolphins in Kaikoura

View from cottage on the ocean

Saturday, February 12, 2011

38km...No problem....

Due to unexpected bad weather we ended up hiking 38km yesturday to avoid heavy rainfalls and prevent getting stranded on our latest hike....it was intense but now that's it's over and we are back in Queenstown recovering before heading to Mount Cook. I (Ashley) start work in Christchurch on the 23rd for 3-4 weeks and great news....its a neuro job!!!! Woohoo!!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Crazy and Insane!!!

It's official......Chad did the 134m Nevis bungy jump and I did the Nevis Arc, the world's biggest swing with a 70m freefall and 300m arc.

New Zealand continues to be crazy and insane!!!!!

Jumping off the edge!!!

Hanging out waiting for the drop!

Hike into the Mountains

Since leaving Dunedin, we spent some time mountain biking in a place called Alexandra and even got invited to dinner at some local's place.
We have also just finished a five day hike called the Caples-Routeburn Track. It was absolutely amazing, plenty of amazing moutain views. We are now hanging out in Queenstown and planning perhaps another long hike...