Hello from Cambodia. I have so much to update. Last I wrote we were still in Thailand just leaving Railay. From Railay, we headed to an island called Koh Tao. I pretty much fell in love with it. Koh Tao is famous for it’s SCUBA diving. I figured I should partake! I first signed up for what they call a Discover Dive, which teaches you some basic skills for a supervised dive with an instructor. I wanted to make sure I liked it first before getting certified. Turns out, I don’t just like it, but absolutely love it. There is nothing like being able to breathe underwater amongst coral reef and the most amazingly beautiful fish. I saw all sorts of them! We saw a stingray, barracudas, squid, and I’m pretty sure every single fish from the movie, Finding Nemo. So I decided to get my Open Water Certification. It was 3 ½ days with a small class of three other people, a Romanian couple and a French guy. My instructor, who was amazing, was English and has been diving for 20 years and living in Koh Tao for two. We had a mixture of class time/watching video and then our skills and dives. It was so fun and I learned tons! I can’t wait to go again!

We stayed in Koh Tao for just over a week because we loved it so much. We then decided to venture on to a new country. We actually couldn’t stay in Thailand for our full trip because we didn’t have a visa. Now, we’re in Cambodia. Not before a looooooooong journey. We took a 3-hour boat from Koh Tao to Chumpon where we boarded a bus at 7pm in the evening. The bus arrived in Bangkok at about 4 or 5am where we waited for a van to pick us up to then head to the Cambodian border. We finally arrived there around 4pm. Not so fun! Our one big mistake of the whole trip is soon to come. To book transportation from one country to another, you walk into one of the many travel agencies and they put it all together for you… boat, bus, van, etc. Well it always works out, but we kind of got screwed on this one. The van that took us to Cambodia dropped us off at a “Tourist Center” so that we could exchange our money. Over the last year, I’ve had to learn New Zealand dollar, Thai Baht and now Cambodian Riel. I have so much give-up. So they tell us what the exchange rate was and we believed them. Come to find out several days later, they screwed us out of about $75-$100 or so. We’re not sure how much. We should’ve known too because we never got a receipt. Oh well, lesson learned.  If that’s the worst thing that happens the whole trip, then we’ve managed pretty well! We also came to find out that everywhere in Cambodia takes US dollars! In fact, they use it more than the Riel. So weird.

We first arrived in a city call Siem Reap. We checked into a really nice hotel, which was such a nice treat after the horrible journey from Thailand. The staff was all super nice, which makes such a huge difference when you’ve been travelling for so long. We became good friends with the Cambodian bartenders. They’re amazing people. They thought it was hilarious to teach us cuss words in their language.

We spent some time visiting the famous Angkor Wat which is the largest temple complex in the world. It was pretty amazing and very old! It was built back in the 12^th century. We didn’t actually explore the whole place because, well, it was 100 degrees and our Tuk Tuk driver happily drove us around the site instead of making us walk. The heat is about to do me in. Glad I saw the temple though.

The following day, we had to make yet another agonizing bus journey down to the southern coast that was promised to be about 8 hours but ended up being about 13. I’m so over buses! I have to say I really 

did enjoy the first couple of hours just watching what was happening in every city we passed. The people all have their own trades. They might sell fruit, make jewelry, carve wood, construct Buddha, etc. They are hustlers though… begging for your money. The average monthly income per household is $40!!! It’s insane. You can really see the poverty here and it’s very sad. The children on the beach are always trying to sell you something. Locals say not to buy anything though because it encourages them not to attend school. They ask you to buy something, you say no, and then they ask “maybe later”? If you say maybe, they then ask you to promise and pinky swear. It’s best just to say no and then ignore them or you’ll be sucked in.

As of now, we’re in a city called Sihanoukville, checked into the cutest little hotel called Coolabah about 50 meters from the beach. The owner is so friendly as well as the staff. They have great food and it’s clean. That’s basically all we could ask for. Oh, and it’s super cheap. Only about $30 US dollars per night split between Taylor and me. Tomorrow, we’re going to go diving again. It’s a full day with two dives. Can’t wait!!!

After Sihanoukville, we’ve decided to head to Vietnam for our last bit of the journey. Hopefully by plane this time. Don’t think I can stand another bus. We’ll see. 

Chiang Mai and the Krabi Region

I don’t even know where to start since I last wrote. We arrived in Chiang Mai from Bangkok last Thursday. Since it was Songkran (Thai New Year), things were insane. The Thai New Year is a time for cleansing. The streets were filled with tourists and locals armed with water guns and buckets to soak you. We spent the day walking and partying the streets completely drenched. We even saw Thailand’s Prime Minister in the parade about five feet from us, which is a huge honor.

The following day, we set out for our trekking trip. We took a miserable, hung-over van ride out to the start of the trek with two Danish guys, a Dutch girl and a German guy. I was a little nervous because I didn’t bring any shoes except flip-flops and they recommended running/trekking shoes. Once we arrived, we met up with the rest of our group and our guides. There were four awesome Kiwi guys we hung out with most of the time. Taylor is just now starting to understand their accents and lingo.  Our trek was about three hours long. I had a blowout with my flip-flop one hour into the walk!!! Luckily, another girl loaned me her shoe. We all know how small my carny feet are. They were about four sizes too big but I was grateful! The Thai guides were laughing at me because they basically knew that was going to happen. Oops… should’ve planned ahead. We stayed the night in a tiny village with the locals. They had little huts made of bamboo and leaves, which we slept on the ground in. They were really cool people, but spoke very little English. They made us dinner and we all sat around a campfire where we hung out listening to all the crazy sounds of the animals in the jungle hoping they wouldn’t attack us in the night.

The next day, we went on another trek for about three hours walking the jungle. We also bamboo rafted down the river and rode elephants. I thought I would love riding the elephants but I ended up just wanting it to end. I thought it was really sad. A cool experience I guess though.

Our last day in Chiang Mai, we went to the Tiger Kingdom. That was my favorite experience so far! We got to cuddle the baby tiger cubs, which were possibly the cutest things I’ve ever seen in my life. We also went in the cage with the BIG tigers. I stayed right by the trainer. They were so intimidating. I petted its back and touched it’s tail, but tried to stay far away. So scary, but amazing! They are treated really well there. 

I have to mention one of our Tuk Tuk drivers. I, like an idiot, put my camera in my pocket. It must have fallen out at some point. I know Thailand is notorious for having a lot of theft. Well, I realized my camera was gone after we got out of the Tuk Tuk at our hotel. I just let it go. Didn’t want to spend any time dwelling on what I couldn’t fix. We came back to the hotel a couple hours later to find he had driven back and returned my camera!!! What an amazing person.

We left Chiang Mai and took a plane to Phuket where we arrived late in the night to go straight to sleep. The next morning, we got on a boat and headed straight to Phi Phi Island. I can’t even describe how beautiful it was. We just relaxed and hung out. So nice after a crazy week. Taylor and I spent the night watching a fire show. It lasted several hours and was so amazing. The performers were so talented.  I could’ve watched for hours. They got the crowd involved in the end. One of the performers twirled fire all around me while I sat in front of him on stage. I even jumped rope with fire! It burned me about four times, but well worth it! My mom and dad are going to kill me for that one.  Video on facebook to come soon!

We’re currently at an island called Railay. The scenery is stunning. I think we’ve decided to stay here for at least more than two days! We’re tired of moving for the moment.

That’s all for now. Will update again soon! 

Bangkok Thailand

I have arrived safe and sound in Bangkok. I left on Monday out of Christchurch airport in New Zealand to arrive in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia to then carry on to Bangkok. Luckily I met a girl at the airport who I took the train and a cab with to the city centre. Khao San Road is basically the hub of Bangkok where all the backpackers stay. We stayed in a not-so-nice hostel but it was a bed to sleep in. My first impression of Bangkok is just mass chaos. There are so many people. The amount of cars and motor bikes is overwhelming. Their driving is insane! When traffic isn't moving fast enough, the motor bikes drive up on to the sidewalk! You have to be careful and keep your eyes open. Also, the 'smells' (yes, plural) are pretty disgusting. It's everything from curry to dirty people. Oh and did I mention it is soooooooo hot! I mean, HOT and humid. I'm a Texas girl though, I can handle it. Aside from all of that, Bangkok is an amazing city! There is so much character and life. You see all types of people and there is never a dull moment.

My friend, Taylor arrived on Tuesday. I was incredibly happy to see her. I haven't seen anyone from home since last May. Thanks to Taylor's mom, we are staying in a really nice hotel. I immediately made myself at home. Took a nice long shower in a fancy bathroom, put on the robe and made some coffee. I haven't stayed in a nice place in ages!

Taylor and I walked to the Grand Palace, but not before a million different people told us wrong information. It's impossible to get a straight answer from anyone here. They all have an agenda to get you to buy something. We ended up just finding it ourselves by following the tourists. The Palace is pretty extravagant. It is the royal residence and also has a number of government offices. You have to cover your legs and shoulders, but they give you clothes to wear for a small deposit.

We leave Bangkok today to head up to Chiang Mai which is in the northern part of Thailand. It is Thai New Year so there is so much going on making it a bit difficult to travel around. We couldn't take a bus, so we are flying. Chiang Mai is supposed to be great for the New Year. We're also taking an elephant trek! I'm so excited. After Chiang Mai, we're flying down to Phuket to go to Phi Phi. Phi Phi is where the movie, The Beach was filmed.

That is all I know for now. We don't have a plan for afterwards. I'm staying safe and being cautious. Will update when I know more!

Hello. Remember me? I’m finally updating my blog! Sorry. I kind of forgot about it plus I didn’t really think anyone read it. I guess it’s about time to fill everyone in on the latest.

I am still living in the Abel Tasman area working at Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi and Abel Tasman Kayaks. It was kind of a strange summer if I can even call it summer at all (or at least what I’m used to). There was a lot of rain to say the least with not much heat. I guess I’m accustomed to 100 degree days, where here, it only got to the upper 80s on a hot one. The sunny days were awesome… just not enough of them. All the locals say it is never like this. It’s funny because it took ages for it to snow in Queenstown for winter and summer basically never started here! I guess I’m bad luck for the seasons. It’s still beautiful and the weather is pleasant.

I just finished applying for my second year visa. Come to realize I needed an extensive and EXPENSIVE medical check which included a visit with a doctor and nurse, blood tests and a chest x-ray. I’m pretty sure I already spent $650. It’s absolutely ridiculous, but there’s not much I can do. People pay big bucks to get to live here. It’s a bit nerve-wracking because I wasn’t expecting to have to do the medical check and now I’m down to the wire on time before I leave for Southeast Asia and before my first visa is up! Fingers crossed I get approved!

I’m sure most of you know, but I have a partner in crime this next go-round! Taylor Trippet, my good high school buddy, is coming to Southeast Asia with me for five weeks and then we’re headed back to NZ! I can’t even begin to explain how exciting it is to have someone from home here with me. I have met so many amazing people, but they just don’t compare to your friends from home. There’s just too much history with the people you grew up with. So with that said, I’m pumped. After we get back from Southeast Asia, the plan is to pick my car back up here in Motueka and head down to Queenstown for a little road trip. I got my job back at the ski field, Coronet Peak. Back to the snow I go... well… let’s hope there’s snow, otherwise, I’ll be out of a job until there is.

I can’t say what will happen after Queenstown. The company I currently work for is for sale. If there are new owners next summer, then things might be very different. I would love to come back, but who knows what’ll happen. I will either find a job elsewhere or head home! This is all visa approval pending! I might be heading home much sooner than I thought. Expect the unexpected!

Congrats to all the newly-engaged couples! It seems like every time I check facebook, someone else is engaged or having a baby! Very exciting.

That’s all for now. Would love to hear from everyone so e-mail me!

Hi friends and family. I guess everyone is gearing up for the holidays. It’s quite strange being in warm weather during this time of year. It still doesn’t feel like Christmas to me yet. At the same time, it’s kind of nice to not have all of the commercialization that comes with the holidays in the states. It’s much more low key here... really just about being with friends and family. I find it funny listening to all the kiwis say they find it commercialized here when they haven’t seen a Christmas on steroids like it is in the states. Unfortunately I have to work on Christmas Eve. Lots of people spend their holidays in the national park by the beach so we stay open in order to get them all to their location with our aqua taxis. Luckily we’re closed on Christmas Day. I plan to go to the beach with my friend Bella and her partner, Marius. Then Marius’s boss is having a get-together, so we’ll head over there. Nothing special, but good to be with friends.

We’ve had some torrential rains in the area. There was quite a bit of flooding which damaged lots of houses, roads and even part of the Abel Tasman track. The Department of Conservation are working tirelessly to get it fixed so people can walk the whole park. We even had an earthquake a couple of weeks ago! I was the only one that didn’t feel it because I was driving home from work. I guess I should be glad, but for some reason I wanted to see what it was like.

Other than that, not too much news to report on except that I absolutely love it here. I’m making tons of friends and I love my job and co-workers. We just had our Christmas party for work and it was good to see everyone let loose. Funny thing I’ve forgot to mention a while back... before I started my job, someone at work started a rumor that I was Miss Texas! Well clearly, I don’t look, or act for that matter, like Miss Texas. One night I was out with some friends and I had five people come up and ask me about it. I’ve never been so confused in my life. I’ve found that this is such a small town and EVERYONE talks. They all know your business and find out fast! I can’t even go to the grocery store without seeing someone. Just last week I crawled out of bed to run to the store (looking pretty crappy) and saw three people I knew. I do miss that a bit about Dallas... it’s a big city.

I think I have decided I want to stay one more year. I spoke to immigration and I can get another working holiday visa. I can go back to my old job in Queenstown at the ski field and then come back for the summer to the job I have now. I’m just having too much fun to go home at this point, plus, I still have jobs here. It’s hard because I definitely miss everyone so much! At the same time, I just don’t want to lose out on this opportunity. So my plan (pending funds) is to do a bit of travelling in Southeast Asia for April and May and then come back to NZ. Maybe this will persuade people to come visit me?!?! I know, I know. Fat chance. Maybe at least mom and dad.

I hope everyone has a happy holiday and an even better new year!

I’m all moved in here at my new home. It’s quite perfect actually. I have my own little back house in Brent’s (my flatmate) backyard.

I use the kitchen and bathroom inside his house and usually hang out in the living room if I’m home. There are always people in and out of the house. Sally, his girlfriend is usually here. She’s from Canada and just a super nice person. Brent’s four-year-old son, Olly, is also here a couple of nights a week, plus Brent’s one million friends that I cannot keep up with. He grows most all of our vegetables in his garden in the back and usually catches several fish for the week. He’s quite self-sufficient and “Kiwi as” which just means he is exactly what you would picture someone from New Zealand being like. I couldn’t have asked for a better place with great people.

Lately, I mostly just work. I really like my job, but there is so much to learn!! It’s crazy. We have so many different trips and there are so many moving parts. It’s quite easy to mess up! A couple of times a week I work in our little booth at Kaiteriteri beach.This is my favorite!! It’s an amazing view and I kind of get to do my own thing since it’s quieter than being at our base in Marahau. Shania Twain even has a house there!

I’ve been trying to take advantage of going out on all we have available since it’s free anyways. My friend Alex from Queenstown just recently came in town and was pretty excited to get into the National Park. We did an overnight trip called the Royale with Cheese. We took the Aqua Taxi (fancy name for a boat) and hopped off at Bark Bay. We walked about a four and half hour hike back to Anchorage Bay where we stayed on a house boat for the night. It’s actually a hostel on water. Pretty sweet idea! The guy that owns it really wants me and my co-workers to book people on for the night while they’re on our trips so he let me stay there the night for free as incentive.

The next morning, Alex and I got up for our five and a half hour kayak trip. We met our guide back at Bark Bay and kayaked all the way back to Kaiteriteri beach. Luckily, it was really windy, which normally would be a bad thing, but worked in our favor that day. The kayak guides set up a sail where basically two kayaks hold on to one another side by side. Each person holds the end of a sail and we high tail it back. It’s pretty fast and cuts down so much on the paddling time.

I also had another friend, Fraser come in town. He and I worked at Coronet Peak together this past season. We did a hike up to Mount Arthur. Fraser was a guide at Franz Josef Glacier so this was super easy for him while I felt I was near death behind him. I’m not sure of the exact altitude of Mount Arthur, but the last Department of Conservation hut said 1,310 meters. Of course I’ll remember that number since it’s my favorite sports radio station!! We hiked a good two hours up from there, so it must have been quite high. The winds were seriously far past gale force! There were several moments when Fraser turned around and I had been blown to the other side of the track. I’ve never in my life felt winds like that. We got to about 200 meters away from the summit and had to turn back. There was too much snow on the top and neither of us had the proper shoes, plus I probably would’ve been blown away. Kind of frustrating we were so close, but for the better.

Well that’s just a little update. Sorry there are no pictures. I almost crashed the computer for some reason trying to upload them!

I was so happy to talk to Whitney before her wedding. I was terribly sad I missed it, but I know everyone had an amazing time. CONGRATS TO THEM! I have a day off today, so it might be time to head to the beach! I’ll try and keep the updates coming! Talk soon!

Road Trip + Motueka

Updates… where do I begin? So much has happened since I last blogged. I think I last left off while I was finishing up the ski season at Coronet Peak. As always, it was sad to say bye to all my friends in Queenstown… flatmates, co-workers, friends, but I was really excited to make my next move.
Five friends and I took a four day west coast road trip from Queenstown to Nelson which is at the top of the south island. I can’t remember if I last wrote about this, but I bought a Nissan Bluebird with 181,000 kilometers for $1800. Here's a picture...

I had it checked out before I bought it and it’s in good condition. It has some corky areas… sometimes the radio doesn’t work, it makes funny sounds going uphill, one of the mirrors is taped on, some small dings on the exterior, but I don’t care because it runs and got us to Motueka safe and sound. I love the attitude about cars in New Zealand. They are just to get you from one point to the other, not to show off how much money you have. Obviously I’m not used to driving on the left side of the road on the left side of the car (actually I’m terrified), so my friend Ester drove the whole way. Thank goodness.
We first stopped at Franz Josef Glacier where we did a guided hike to the top of the glacier. They outfitted us with warm clothes, boots and crampons. Yes, crampons. My maturity level turned into that of a teenage boy every time I said this word. They basically are ice picks that you strap to your boots to grip the ice as you climb. Very helpful! I felt like such a ninny because we had to stop twice for our guide to tape my ankles because of blisters. It hurts though when you’re climbing! I really enjoyed the experience. The guides are really knowledgeable and helpful making it very worthwhile. Plus how cool is it to hike a glacier?!? After Franz Josef, we made a couple of other little stops along the way visiting some amazing beaches, waterfalls and even some po dunk towns that I will never stop through again, but made for a good laugh. I forgot to mention I slept in my car for four nights… the VERY tiny backseat of my car. It actually wasn’t too bad. On the fourth day, we arrived in Nelson where my friends will all be working. They work for a small company that makes the frames for tiny helicopters which are used for filming and other various projects. Their bosses have an amazing house at the top of a hill overlooking the beach. They basically office out of the house and my friends are staying there until they find a place to live.
I stayed a couple of days with them just relaxing before I left for Motueka which is where I currently live. It’s just a short 45 minute drive from Nelson. When I first drove into Mot, I was a little scared. It wasn’t just because I would finally be forced to drive, but also because I realized I was on my own again and in a tiny town much unlike Queenstown with not a whole lot to do. I first checked into a backpackers’ called the Happy Apple. I immediately felt welcomed by the owners, Bill and Janet who I now feel are like my grandparents. The Happy Apple is really a great place. It has a huge backyard with hammocks and chairs. They even have a hot tub. I actually went to this particular backpackers’ because my friend Jen from Queenstown said her friend Ande stayed here who turns out to be a super cool guy. We get along really well. Initially I thought I would never be happy in this tiny little town. After just a couple of weeks, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. Motueka may just be a tiny beach town that you can drive through in about 10-15 minutes, but I love it! I love the laid-back lifestyle of the people, the proximity of the city, Nelson, the amazing beaches in the Abel Tasman National Park, the quietness that makes you just appreciate sitting and chatting with friends. For instance, right now, I’m just sitting inside blogging while it rains and couldn’t be happier. There are some really interesting characters that live here too. My favorite is Darryl. He’s an older guy who’s been traveling for quite some time and loves to get on the drink. I absolutely love to hear him tell stories. Sometimes he gets to laughing so hard that he can barely breathe. He cracks me up. He just got a new laptop and has NO idea how to use it. The first day he couldn’t even figure out how to open it. He’s sitting in the lounge with me right now and has asked me three different times to show him where his cursor is. Love him. It’s people like him that make traveling that much better.
I started my job this week at Abel Tasman Kayaks. I’ll be working in Marahau (the main office) about 20 minutes away from Motueka and also in the booth at Kaiteriteri, both right on the beach in the Abel Tasman National Park. I usually carpool with my co-workers. It’s a very windy road through the hills. You have to watch out for chickens, ducks and cyclists around every corner. There is no part of this road that is straight. My first week is just training, but I see why I need it. I have loads of information to learn about the trips they offer. Basically my position will be selling the various kayaking, walking and aqua taxi excursions in the Abel Tasman National Park to the customers. There are so many different options and I have to know everything about all of them including which beach it starts/stops at, tidal crossing info, length of paddle, accommodation in the park, etc, etc, etc. Seriously, the list goes on and on. They say the best way to learn the trips is to actually go on them (plus we get them for free). You don’t have to tell me twice. Last week, my co-workers Bella, Ida and I took a kayaking trip called the Big Tonga. Tonga Island is a seal sanctuary. We started out by taking the aqua taxi to a secluded beach where our guide showed us how to kayak. (Pause for break to help Darryl with his laptop for the fourth time). I’ve never actually kayaked in anything like these boats. They’re really big for two people with pedals for steering. It seems like it would be really easy, but after 5 hours of kayaking my arms had shooting pains! We kayaked around all the beautiful beaches and into several lagoons and estuaries filled with seals! They’re so cute! They swim right up next to your kayak. Apparently in the summer when the pups are young, they tend to be really playful and curious. They’ll hop right on top of your kayak. We also did a famil trip with our supervisors which included an aqua taxi ride to show us each beach, lagoon, estuary, tide crossing and Dept. of Conservation hut along with a 2 hour walk through the national park. By the end of the season, I will know every detail about this place!
Lucky for me, I have some great co-workers. I’ve already become really close to a girl named Bella who is from South Africa. She and her boyfriend were actually in Queenstown too and just recently moved to Motueka. He works as a skydiver here, so I’ll definitely be trying that as soon as possible. They moved in with a lady named Niki, who has a friend, Brent that rents out rooms in his house. As much as I truly do love the Happy Apple, I’m going to need a house since I’ll be working here until the end of March. I looked at several places, none of which I particularly liked. Brent’s was perfect. He works as a kayak guide here, but for a different company than mine. He has a really nice house with two rooms (or backhouses I should say) in the backyard. My room is huge with a double bed (which I haven’t slept on for my entire time in New Zealand), a small kitchenette, and closet! Brent is a cruisey, very laid-back guy. He’s barely charging me anything. I use the bathroom, kitchen and living room in his house. He also has a four-year-old son named Olly who is only there some of the time, PLUS, he has a dog named Girlsy who I’m already obsessed with. She’s only a stand-in for my dog, Roxy, but will definitely do!
So that’s an update! Just reading it back gives me tired head. I have to say I’m very, very happy with what’s happening in my life. I’m really appreciating the simple life and the new friends I’ve made. I feel truly blessed to have come so far. As always, there’s a room for any of you to stay in for a visit! Fat chance, I know, but the offer is on the table. Doesn’t Christmas on the beach sound appealing?? Thank you to everyone for the lovely e-mails. I love updates. I can’t believe I’m missing the Rangers in the World Series against the Cardinals of all teams! I’ll be rooting for them here while everyone else cheers on the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team for the Rugby World Cup. Although I’m starting to finally get into it! Cheers everyone!