Happy Sunday! Right now the sun is shining and the sky is blue, almost as if Wellington is trying to apologize for keeping me up most of the night with rain, wind, thunder, and earthquake tremors. I’m hoping this kind of behavior is not going to become a nightly occurrence as the seasons change, although I suppose I would eventually adjust. This week has been more of the same old routine as we power through the now three weeks left of classes. But who wants to talk about that? Travel plans for June are much more exciting!
In addition to my trip to Tonga with Laura and Nicole from June 3-9, I will now also be traveling to the very bottom of the South Island with Laura and Jessica from June 10-15. We start out in Dunedin, head down the coast by way of the Catlins and their penguins and seals, stop overnight in Invercargill and head up north to Queenstown via a drive to Te Waewae Bay at the very bottom of the island. Supposedly it is absolutely stunning, but what isn’t in this country?? Once arriving in Queenstown on the night of the 12th, Laura and I will head out early the next morning for a tour of Milford Sound on Laura’s 22nd birthday! And to think that I had to go to class on mine…how lame! After spending the 14th exploring Queenstown, we’ll head back to home base for our exams. I’m hoping to convince someone to do some traveling up north with me around the Auckland region after the 21st, but for now we have no definite plans. It’s crazy to think about what I will be fitting in to the next month and a half before coming back home to “reality.” Once we get through the next three weeks and four essays, I’ll be much more excited!
This past Friday was Friday the 13th. For any of you who do not know, I have celebrated the passing of this day since a young age when I realized that some people looked at me funny when they found out I was born on Friday the 13th. To celebrate in traditional Welly fashion, we took to the streets to party! After more fondue at our new favorite place to eat, we tried something new when we stopped by a bar on Courtenay Place called the Minibar. Their sign about mule specials lured us in, and I’m glad we stopped! Yes, I said mule…not as in the animal, but as in the alcoholic beverage. It is composed of vodka, flavor of choice, mint, lime, and ginger beer. Delicious! I will certainly attempt to recreate it back at home, although I suppose I’ll have to make do with ginger ale. As a side note, it is apparently quite exorbitant to buy alcohol here compared to back at home. Seeing as I turned 21 while in Welly, I haven’t had the pleasure of purchasing alcohol back at home, but it sounds like it was better to start here and then return home! Even a beer or a glass of wine (or even a shot, apparently) will easily run you $8 here at a minimum, with any kind of cocktail being at least $15. Even when you calculate in the exchange rate, it’s still pricey. After talking to Alex and hearing about a 2 for $3 beer special (I mean, it is beer, but still!), it sounds like drinking at home is much easier on the pocket. I’ll feel like I’m getting a deal all of the time!
The next three weeks of blogging will probably consist mostly of “woe is me” type detail as all of my deadlines approach. But don’t give up hope! I promise that there will be worthy stories and pictures once June rolls around. Until next week, kia ora!
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