New blog
Hello there. If anyone is still reading this, I’d like you to know that Greg and I are starting to blog again on http://zantinez.wordpress.com. The content will be really boring compared to this blog, as we are both now living in one place and working again. But someday there will be another “Adventures in <continent>”… 🙂
How to spin a dog in a circle
1. Obtain a wooden board at least 12″x6″ in size.
2. Insert dog’s teeth (both top and bottom) into board.
3. Pull on board until dog starts making “Grrrr” noises. (note: if dog does not start making “grrr” noises and/or lets go of the board, dog may not be suitable for spinning in a circle).
4. Holding board out in front of you, spin in place, slowly increasing speed until centrifigal force lifts dog completely off the ground.
More animal dreams!!!
This afternoon, as Greg & I were about to leave Marahau after our day of sea kayaking, we ran into a local who was taking his 2 Clydesdales for a stroll. I stopped to admire the beautiful animals and he said, hey, hop on, I’ll take your picture! And guess what happened next? OMG, I rode a Clydesdale horse!!! That’s another childhood dream I can check off the list… 🙂
Riding Clydesdale = maniacal happiness, according to this photo.
The horseman didn’t want Greg to feel left out, so while I trotted along, Greg rode in the carriage:
A totally awesome day!!!
Lazy seals
Yesterday we went to visit the local seal colonies in Kaikoura. I was expecting to see woofing, fish catching, shuffling, swimming, etc. but all we got was a bunch of lazy seals! No ambition, no drive, all napping all the time… Gosh!
The 5 pound Lobster
Holy shellfish. Right before we left the islands in Indonesia, Greg, Randall, and I decided to finish with a bang and ordered this 5 pound lobster at the local seafood restaurant on Gili Trawangan. Definitely the biggest one I’ve ever seen (in person). It was plenty to feed 3.
Mmmmm…. Delicious.
New Zealand culture shock
I am experiencing some culture shock here in New Zealand. I am simply not used to people everywhere speaking English. I have to talk to people now, ALL THE TIME. No more wordless transactions at the grocery store, no more constant offensive conversations in public with Greg – because everyone can understand us now. No more random shouts at us of “Hello Thank you You’re Welcome!”.
And driving a car for the first time in 10 months, on the left. If I had a dollar for everytime I turned on the windshield wipers or drove into the ditch on the side of the road…
Life lessons in the Kuala Lumpur Airport
I am writing this from the Kuala Lumpur Airport (in Malaysia). Yes, we are supposed to be in New Zealand right now. But sometimes things happen when you’re travelling…
Some things we’ve learned in the last 48 hours:
- Kuala Lumpur Internation Airport is very nice indeed, with many food selections and inexpensive internet terminals,
- The Pan Pacific Hotel is a fabulous place to stay, and is conveniently connected to the terminal, AND
- If you book connecting flights on different airlines, and the first flight gets delayed, causing you to miss your connections, and your plane tickets are non-refundable, you are up a crik withouts yer paddlez!
Yes, that is what happened to us. Our flight on AirAsia from Bali to KL was delayed 6 hours, so we missed our connection on Jetstar Airlines to Sydney. Fortunately though, we were able to call Air New Zealand before our flight was scheduled to leave Sydney and change to a different date, although we had to pay a fare difference and change fee.
So, you know how when you buy a plane ticket, there is always an option for an extra charge to buy “insurance” that you never really think you need? Now I know that it is for cases like this! Otherwise, a carrier such as AirAsia claims no responsibility for connecting, non-refundable flights you might miss according to their fineprint. All is not lost though, as Greg and I both have Travel Insurance through World Nomads and can recoup some of the costs through them (fingers crossed).
I have to say though, this situation, however frustrating, made me realize how lucky we’ve been in general this year with air travel. This is the first flight delay we’ve had of more than an hour and the only time we’ve missed a connection, out of the countless airplanes we’ve been on these past 10 months.
So… 48 hours and two new plane tickets later, we’re waiting to check-in for our flight to Sydney. Just a small bump on the road. 🙂
On our way to ‘Zealand
In an hour we leave Bali for ‘Zealand, with a 12 hour layover in Sydney within which we will get to have breakfast with Jill & Scott from Seattle. Exciting! More familiar faces from home. So… we probably won’t be able to post again for a few days, till we get settled in kiwi-land.
until then,
-g & f
Photos
Clustrmap
Adventures in Asia 