Schools Out

So Mary Kate and I finished school! The last two days were canceled bc of severe flooding! So we didn't even get to say goodbye to our classes! We spent the weekend playing with the kids in our family and enjoying relaxing time before we headed to New Zealand for 2 weeks to travel around in a camper van! We flew into Christchurch and slept in the airport to wake up the next morning to get our Rental Camper. We started driving down to Dunedin and stayed the night there. The scenery is GORGEOUS. Straight out of Lord of the Rings-geek, I know. The next day we woke up to drive to Queenstown, which is a ski town with a ton of backpackers. It was in this faithful mountainous and breathtaking town that our van battery died. We had to call a company early in the morning and have the man come jump our car. It was also here that Mary Kate and I karaoked to 'Oops I did it again' by the notorious B. Spears. The next morning we drove along the lakes that were enclosed by mountains to 'Paradise Gates', where Lord of the Rings was filmed-don't judge me it was really pretty. After that experience, we continued our drive up to Fox Glacier where we hiked a GLACIER. Yes, thats right, we had on 'clamp on' claws to our boots and hiked around on this massive glacier of ice. It was ridiculous. But exhausting. With sore legs and tired minds we drove to Greymouth-where our car decided to die again. We went to the nearby gas station and decided to ask the man if there was anyway he had a jumper cable. He didnt. But his friend, Phil, who was taking a shower behind the gas station? could help us. So he jumped our car for us and we were on our way. We got to Panikik and got our car stuck at a picnic area...we had to push the car out of the mud...but we did it. We slept in Panikiki and the next morning continued our drive to Westport and up to Nelson where we are currently. We are exhausted and are trying to recoup before heading to the north island. Many more stories to come...at least our driving on the opp side of the car and road is improving...somewhat.....