Super 14 game, but the Local Team

I got tickets through a friend of Jen's called Julie. Jen and I went with Michelle and Jim and had pizza's and beers at Michelle's before we went to the game.Finally went to the rugby in Christchurch.

The home team is called The Crusaders.


Dan Cater plays for them, in position No 10, he plays for the All Blacks, so he's the New Zealand version of Jonny Wilkinson - I've just traded one for the other !!!
The Crusaders were playing a Super 14 match against The Blues - who are from Auckland. I like the Blues and that is because the full team was in the foyer (signing posters etc) of the hotel I checked into when Stella arrived in Auckland.
I was all wrapped up warm, thermals and lots of layers on, but un usually it was rather warm.

The stadium is only 3/4 there as a whole stand is missing. They are up grading the whole place with the next rugby world cup being hosted by New Zealand. We where in the Tui (a large but also the name of a bird) Stand, but were seated. The ground is SO much bigger than the intimacy I am used to at The Newcastle Falcon's ground. I really did enjoy the game and the Tui's. If you bought 4 you got a free hat - hence my Tui hat. I must also say that I didn't drink 4 Tui's.

Final score was Crusaders 26 - Blues 22

Jar of Hot Chocolate ??

I met up with a friend who I have made out here, she's called Zoe and is from the UK. We met at the first place I did a temp assignment. We met up for a coffee and natter and had a hot chocolate in a jar !! We both whipped our camera's out and took photo's !!!

Was totally yummy and I think I'll be visiting there again :o))

One of My Housemates

Templeton

Day Trip to Lyttelton

Jen was away for the weekend so I thought that it would be rude not to utilise her car and go exploring. I decided to venture further a field cos I’m brave like and go to Lyttelton, which is just a 12 km drive south east of Christchurch. I toodled off with the radio blaring, onto State Highway 74 and to Lyttelton. The town is nestled on the other side of the Port Hills. The easiest way to get there is via the 2km long Lyttelton Tunnel, which “ejects you right in the heart of the town” (Rough Guide description), and surprisingly quite accurate!! Lyttelton is described as being “a world apart from Chch” and is located on the rocky walls of the drowned volcanic crater which forms the harbour and working port.
Lyttelton is the place where numerous European migrants arrived via boat and set foot on land, and after a small journey over the hill, would start their new lives in Christchurch.
Surprisingly there are no car parks, so I had to just find a side street to park on. This is truly a port town with all the streets named after places – maybe of home. There is Dublin St, Oxford St, Norwich Quay, I parked on Exeter St. I walked down and the main street, London St, which had quite a few nice looking little cafes. I think that I will go back there for breakfast or lunch one day.

The weather was forecast for the day was overcast but the sun managed shine it’s way through the clouds and gave me a glorious but cold day to enjoy. I wandered down on to the harbour and watched the huge containership being unloaded. The next thing that caught my eye was an old steamship docked on the wharf, I admired it and took some photo’s and then they stoked and fired up the coal powered engines, as the camera was still out I managed to get another touristy photo.

The town’s main attraction is the Timeball Station, which can be clearly seen from all round town and here is a fact for you – was built in 1876 built by prisoners. The Timeball Station was used by mariners to recalibrate their on-board chronometers on the descent of a large black ball down the pole on the roof. The ball is hoisted up its pole everyday at 12.57pm and at precisely 1pm it descends. There is a museum there and I did make the 1km steep walk up to the Station and was going to visit. The guidebook said it was an entry fee of $2.50, it lied as it was actually $7. I decided not to visit (I am a cheapskate) but decided to sit in the garden and enjoy the totally beautiful view (while getting my breath back as I really am unfit). I never seem to bore of the views here. There was a flag pole in the garden and after reading the sign, I worked out the 4 flags spelt out AHOY !!!!I came back via the back roads and just followed my nose home and am learning my way round. I was quite proud of myself for that. I did enjoy Lyttelton – nothing much to write home about – so a blog entry will suffice, but I would like to sample the tea and cakes another day.

Where I live

Thought that you might like to see where I live in New Zealand. This is the front of the house, it's an old style house and very traditionally kiwi. I'll take some from the inside and put them up soon. It's got 4 bedrooms, a lounge and huge kitchen/dinning room, sunroom and a bathroom. It's lush with lovely high ceilings. A bit big for the 3 of us and it feels like a walk to everything !!! But I really do like it here and am a little sad that we'll have to move out at the end of May.

More Wood Chopping

We only stopped last time as the chainsaw was blunt and it was getting to be rather hard work for Mike. Decided to go again and we picked a lovely clear blue sky day and managed to get a whole lorry full. No falling over or throwing logs towards peoples head – so all good. After we finished we rewarded ourselves with Popsicle ice lollies :o)) The wood pile has well and truly been replenished. We stacked a small pile by the back door, so when the temperature drops we can just open the door and get the wood, rather than having to go out the house and get it.
We’ve had the fire on 3 times so far. Mel is a real fire-starter. I’ve had a lesson in how to get a decent fire going and am sure I shall be lighting one by myself rather soonish.

Been in NZ 9 weeks & Chch 3 weeks

I know that I have been a way for 9 week now, but I have only just been in Chch for 3 weeks. Out of those 3 weeks, on of the weekends was Easter weekends, so not very long really. I have signed up with 2 recruitment agencies and have managed to work for a total of 5.5 days, which is not bad. Have just been for an interview through one of the agencies and I have a job for 3 weeks, starting on Thursday, which means I’ve had a week off. Fingers crossed as there is the possibility that it might go on for up to 3 months. Only down side is that it is right on the total opposite side of town from me, but hey ho, the pays better than the last place.

New Food Discoveries

I LOVE cheese and crackers now (either with spicy meat or quincessential) followed by a Monster Time Afghan cookie and a cuppa ……. Hhhhhmmmmm :o)

Easter Sunday

I decided that I really should get out of the house and utilise having Jen’s car. So I decided to follow my nose. I went up the hills, on more twisty turny roads, having to overtake LOTS of serious cyclists and found myself at a place called ‘Sign of The Kiwi’, had a nice looking café there, but just stopped to take some photo’s and then drove down the other side of the hill.

It is really gorgeous here. Lots of walking tracks, but I was wearing flat pumps, but think I’ll see about coming back here for a walk, they range from 30mins to 1.5 hours. Spent the rest of the day reading in the sun – heavenly, well it will be autumn soon enough, plus we didn’t really have a summer in the UK did we ?!!