March 15 March 22 March 27 April 14

April 14 - Guess Where I Am!
Hey! It has been so long since I got to wirte to everyone or that is how it seems, even my typing has gone downhill. SO much has happened! I can't get over it!

So, the last you herad was that I was in Christchurch, planning an insane bike trip. Well, that's what I did. I left very late on Monday, I had already stayed one night longer than I had wanted. There was all the little details to sort out on my bike, you know, like how to get all my luggage to fit on. I also had to go through my luggage over and over trying to cut it down plus adding the wieight of tools and things. All that "be prepared" stuff. Well, this little old bike shop was the perfect place. They had a large, sturdy handmade bike rack, it was basically wrought iron. That's a pound or two. They even had an antique motorcycle saddlebag. I think it's from the 50's. It cost me $10 US which was probably a little much, It was bent out of shape and all dusty but I brought it down to a carwash and the manager there was very nice and helpful. He gave me full access to the utility sink and all the cleaning supplies and I scrubbed the thing down. I even put car pollish on it till it shined. So Impressive but still heavy. Detail. Whatever. The thing was that it was a rainy dreary day and it got worse as it got later and all this took time but I was still stubborn and determined not to spend one more night in the hostel. I found the perfect sized tarp on sale for $1US. Pretty cool. On monday I also departed with my dear pink sweater, did I write to you about that? I thought I told someone. It was actually a very difficult moment I was so close to crying. The thing is that I'm sure it'll just be thrown out because it was so badly torn. Sigh.

So, it's pouring rain, I'm lost within half an hour and then I'm wet. I am also feeling totally stupid wearing one of those little emergency ponchos and the thing is aired up like a balloon. I'm trying to see around that and deafened by it's flapping. SO I got lost some more in order to find a Salvation Army to buy a real raincoat. I was sooo turned around and backtracking. I think I spent 2 hrs in Christchurch just being lost. After that the wind picked up, I was on the wrong road and the bridges I was crossing had such a strong wind that I had to walk across. Then it got dark, the luggage case sort of came unattached from the luggage rack and I had to work on that at a gas station. Basically, I am just trying to get across to you how bleak everything seemed. I really wasn't in a bad mood about it. It all just made me curious as to how it would all work out. It was dark by that time and people gave me directions to a campsite but there was no way that I was going to pay money to be cold and wet and miserable. I can do that for absolutely free. So I got on the road that would connect me to the right road and there, just when I turned on to it was a lit up little community church with and overhang. So I pulled right under that. The church was unlocked, there was a meeting going on about answered prayer and I got to sit and listen to that and then the discussion. After that I got to meet the people but I was too shy or too ashamed to ask for a place to stay. I was just hoping to sleep in the church. I finally gave myself a good talking to and went back in. What do you know but I was taken home by an elderly couple, given tea, a warm bed and a hot shower, the next morning they took me shopping and I bought some rain pants then I was off. Dan, he gave me the suggestion of wrapping my feet in plastic bags. Awesome. I was warm and dry for my first full day o! f bike r iding. It's 226k from Christchurch to Greymouth. I biked, slept down some little road the first night.

The second day I was offered a place to stay a day's bike ride from Greymouth. I was walking up a steep hill when a van stopped for me. We stuffed the bike in, hiked around some strange rock formations and then camped 8km short of Arthur's pass. Hey, Aunti Linda, remember that box of Thai rice we bought? I donated that to our supper pot and I was able to have a hot meal. I even had a tent to sleep in.

Day 3 I walked and biked up Arthur's pass and at the top I could see the 16% grade, the looong hill. This would be the first test of my brakes. Isn't that great. I also had a brilliant idea. I put on my raincoat which is long like a duster, and stuffed the corners into bungee cords behind me. Basically, I was hoping for the effect of a sail. The wind was totally against me so I think it did slow me down a bit. My brakes were giving off new notes that I hadn't heard and as I got closer to the bottom I could definately smell hot rubber. I was hoping it was just a permanet smell that had collected from all the vehicles that had passed through. Almost the whole day after that was spent coasting or flying downhill. I covered over 50km. I got to Jackson around 4:00. Jackson is a pub and that's it. From there I was invited to stay with a couple for the night. The next day one of thier friends drove me and my bike 23km to the next town and I was in Greymouth Friday afternoon just like I had hoped.

Quick note: I wrote the above last week which was part of a very extensive e-mail which I hope is recreated below because it all got erased. SO ANNOYING!

Well, in Greymouth I splurged on a single room cabin at a campsite. It turned out to be a waste of money though. Campsites aren not the same as a hostel. You have to walk a block to the kitchen or bathroom and the kitchen was totally bare of any sort of cooking utensils. I found this out after I did all my grocery shopping. I should have known. Well, I was able to borrow some thing from the caretakers. It drizzled rain all Saturday. I didn't mind that. I stayed inside, slept.

On Sunday I headed on my way to that hippie place that I was directed to at the rest area. They weren't expecting me of course and after a little hmm and hawing they let me stay. I was totally lost as soon as I arrived. I didn't understand where they were coming from. SO I just listened and tried to catch up. I drew all I could, the house was so rustic and homey. I also got to have a firebath which is a tub outside with a fire underneath to heat the water. They also had oils and things in it. It made me think of marinating. I fell asleep during thier music jam. We slept and ate on the floor. The food was fantastic and wholesome. I was content to leave in the morning as they discussed the portal near the staircase that they had seen people go through. They also found great meaning in seeing faces in pictures. Usually the pictures were of faces. Bob Marley is the leader. I think I was rushed in to things a bit. If I had the time or the patience I could probably pick up on some of thier ideas.

Mon, I rode as far as I could but I left late so got almost to Westport before it was way too dark and I slept in a pasture. I used my tarp as a swag instead of a tent and I was all cozy. It was great, beautiful stars. In the morning I was up bright and early to go and see some seal colony then in to Westport where I splurged on some icecream and found that I was at least halfway to my destination. I had also gone a bit out of my way and had to do some backtracking. I was on the road and not as grumpy about the hills. Some days it was a struggle just to stay balanced. I would work and work to get over a hill, have a little downhill cruise and then up another hill. Sometimes I would be yelling at the road by the end of the day. Going to Greymouth was the best though. Just perfect. the hills were mostly downhill and they were just slow enough so that I didn't have to put on my brakes. I just prayed that no cars were coming. Did I tell you also that there was a particular one lane bridge that also had a railroad track going across it? You had a narrower road to drive on so that you wouldn't fall into the rails. I was just heading onto it when I was passed by a police car. They drove on ahead and then stopped at the end to block oncoming cars until I came up behind them. I thought it was quite sweet. My own police escort. Anyways, Monday, I pulled up to a tavern around 3:00 for some soup. I had that, rested my bum and listened to the locals. Soon I was finding out that one of the guys has been working in Noth Dakota for 4 seasons. Soon we were talking fishing and he really got into it. By the time I was thinking of my monotonous bikeride I was finding out that he was headed in the same direction and would be looking for apple picking work. So cool! Well, is what was really cool was that he had a van with room for me and my bike and he was happy to have us along.! I had a free campsite that night and a free meal. He, his name is Rob, was so helpful. So the next day we arrived in Motueka, he drove me around to orchards while I tried to find work. They didn't seem to be as desperate as everyone said because I was getting the run around. Alright, so the first place I went to turned me down. We had to head out of town a bit and the second place the guy seemd real nice. I think I was a little riled up to be meeting people. I was so excited at not having to bike all that way, at meeting a prospecitive fishing colleague, at the chance of apple picking and all the money I had saved over the last couple days. I was just psyched. So I took it out in my "interview" I went on about how badly I wanted to experience apple picking, I was willing to start that minute, how I liked outdoor work and was used to that type. I probably shouldn't have said that I didn't care about the money or that I could work an extra 5 days than I planned or I would work for less. But I said it. Finally he told me to come back at 1:00, 3 hrs. That's when I went and got on the internet and lost the whole message. It took me about 3 hrs.

At 1:00 I unloaded my bike from Rob's van, made a phone call to Dick Hutchins and got to work. I was picking Granny Smiths. A normal worker is paid $26 a bin but they decided to file me semi-legally as not having a tax number. I don't have a tax number because I don't have a work visa, well, no tax number means they take out 40%! So I was making $15 for every bin. In the first afternoon I filled 2 bins. From 1:00 till 6:00 I made $30. That's New Zealand dollars. I wasn't too terribly enthusiastic about apple picking after that but I had at least made a days budget, hey I was keeping acitve, I was outside and I was learning to appreciate how terrible it must have been for cotton pickers.

I rode in the dark to Dick's. See, when Dad came over to New Zealand in 1973 or whenever, he met and stayed with this guy, Dick. Dad told me to look him up if I was in that area. In Christchurch i went to the post office, found one phone number that might be his and tried it. It was Dick. He was so helpful, offering to pick me up from where ever I got tired of bikeriding and all sorts of stuff. I arrived with fish and chips and he had a wonderful meal ready to be heated up. When I had called from the apple orchard he had sounded like he was alone and didn't have much for food. He'd offered a can of beans. Him and his family laughed at my fish and chips. So I'm gullible.

So I have spent the last couple of days at his place, I've picked 6 bins of apples in all. Today I went in for my last 4 days of work really sorry that I had said I would work and here they have hired a bunch of people, I'm no longer needed and I can pick up my CASH tomorrow. I think cash means that my work has been under the table, tax numbers and the lack of have not been mentioned so MAYBE I won't be getting merely $15 a bin. I was so happy to not have to work any more. I came straight to here to say hi to everyone. I'll probably be in Motueka till near the end of April. Then I catch the ferry and go back to North Island. Sat. night I saw a New Zealand movie about the Maori culture, called whale rider. Pretty good. Dick is a religous man so I have been having a great time with discussions.

Congrats to Bethany and going off to camp.

Happy anniversary Mom and Dad, I forgot to tell you that on Sat.

Is it really your 14th anniversary Gloria? Congrats

Peter, where are you?! Can you Goddards tell me anything?

There's a few New Zealand people that I have included in my group e-mail. I have had so much help from you guys in so many differant ways, thankyou so much. I've been given rides, a warm place to sleep, ice cream, treats and other food. I still plan on sending out some postcards soon. This is how I say hello to everyone and let them know what I'm up to. I try to be more personal when I have the chance otherwise I get pretty repetative

And you guys at Petersons, I didn't get everyone's address so can you forward this on?

Talk to you all later,
Love,
Rachael

March 27 - Christchurch
Hey all, a quiet day today. These past few days have been pretty quiet. We were up nice and early to head down to Wellington to catch the ferry. It turns out that I have a round trip ferry ticket! Awesome. I told you that I was able to work to pay for it right? I got to get to know Robert and Eddy, two funny guys. Here, quote for the day, " You know the world has gone crazy when the best rapper is white, the best golf player is black and Germany doesn't want to go to war," That's from Eddy. They also liked to compare US and New Zealand military forces. They figure our NYPD could take out New Zealand's military, they say they don't even have tanks and the newest equipment is leftovers from Vietnam. There was a bit of ferry mess up, we ended up on a real late one. Whatever, it all worked out. I sat and watched a beautiful sunset then we drove on to Christchurch and arrived about 1 in the morning. We had more problems finding the correct hostels and all that. Whatever. The main thing has been the show. We got it all set up. There's an agricultural fair. Anything to do with outside. There was 6 mills to assemble. A bunch of them were orders that were being delivered.

I have tested my bike a couple times. The first time I tried out my front tire. I thought it was going flat but it turned out that it was just never filled properly. I wasn't able to figure out how to fill it but I did learn how to let out all the air. Smart. Yesterday I biked from the fairgrounds into Christchurch. It was 30k or so. I'm not real sure. I biked 26k and arrived in the outskirts of Christchurch. That's when I turned around to find that my purse with my digital camera, passport, visa card, cash and most importantly, my journal (j/k), had fallen off my little carrier. Cheap elastic band. So I turned around to bike all the way back and hope it hadn't been picked up or run over. Luckily I had it wrapped in my bright pink sweater and there it was, just around the corner. Barely 100 yrds. That was a relief. The only thing is that my sweater now has 2 big holes right in the middle of the back. Basically the bundle fell off pretty much right away and dangled by the spokes till they wore away and snapped the bands. Now I really look homeless. I'm glad to have an excuse to get a new sweater though. I've had this one a long time and bright pink isn't my favorite color but I'm too sentimental or too cheap to discard something that is perfectly fine. That reminds me I have just enough time to head to a secondhand store. I think tomorrow Robert and I will be going to Nelson. Eddy flies home for a wedding. The show ends today. I should be over there helping. I got ahold of a wwoof book, farm stays. It was free once again so I copied down a bunch of addresses and am looking forward to staying with some people. There is one place with no phone and no electricity! A lot have horse riding. That reminds me, Dad, I don't think I'll make it down to Stuart Island. I don't have the time, especiall! y on a bike. I think I'll stick to the West coast and around Nelson. I'll still be able to take in lots of scenery, slowly. talk to you all later,

Love,
Rachael

March 22 - Getting Ready to Head South
Well, today has been a relaxing day. Kerris and Chris took me out to their new house that is being built. Chris has been using the bobcat almost all day and it was so cute to watch thier son be so enthralled. Sorry, I should get you up to date.

I am still in Rotorua. I am getting all mixed up on e-mails though because I am not able to send them the same time that I write. Like today. Anyways, I stayed at the hostel and began to get into a real slack sort of mood. I just watched tv really. On Monday I got a call from Peterson's Sawmilling that one of the secretaries was going to let me stay with her for a couple days. She picked me up and brought me my mail that I had had forwarded from Glen Ayle. Donna is a model and has a little modeling agency on the side. I came to work with her the next morning. When I walked in the door Rosie asked if I had any plans for the day. I never have plans in the morning. Rosie is the first lady I met from Peterson's, she picked me up for a tour of Peterson's. Well, it turned out that her sister and friends who are visiting from England were going to a park that is all thermal activity. Sulphur, steam, boiling mud, cool stuff. It was a great day well spent. After we got back to town everyone went thier seperate ways and I walked in to Rotorua. I basically looked at stores and things. I called in at the office later and ended up on a little roadtrip with Joyce. She had some parts to pick up for the sawmils. It was beautiful, scenery, hills and sunset. Joyce was great to talk to and couldn't let me visit New Zealand without trying thier famous Hokey Pokey icecream. It's a lot like toffee icecream but the bits are hollow so they're more crispy than crunchy. We finished the evening off at Marama's with watermelon. Donna was working late teaching modeling. I rode home with her, spent another night, went with her to Peterson's and then I walked to a tourist attraction, a farm exhibition and a little walking park. Now that I think about it I don't think it was quite worth it. I enjoyed the walk more. I also got to see some glass blowing. I didn't have a place to stay for Wed. night and expected to be dropped off at the hostel. The office already had people to take me in Friday and Sat. It was really odd and wonderful, I had no idea what was going on or what was being planned for me but everyone else was taking care of things.

That Wed. night I went home with Chris. His wife is Peterson's daughter and works at the mill as well. I met thier kids and set about watching a 3yr old and 1yr old run around in opposite directions. My lesson for the night was taught to me by Aria. She went inside and got a drink of water, that soon turned into running around on the paved driveway and chasing the cousin, Jessica. A 3 yr, a glass and pavement sound like a bad combination to me so I popped in the house and grabbed a plastic cup to trade with. When I got back outside all that was left of the glass mug was shards and Aria was busy picking up the pieces with a bloody finger. "But it doesn't hurt," she kept trying to tell me. We had to get Aria inside to Daddy and that's when Mom came home to find contented little Javiar sitting in his carseat by himself outside on the porch. What good timing.

Thurs. was sawmill testing and I wanted to be sure to see that since I have never seen our sawmill running. As I waited I found myself filing tax invoices to earn back my $56 ferry ticket. Awesome. So I filed away, saw some sawmills, had a great day listening to all the talk of the secretaries. Then Kerris and I hurried over to a police auction. Goody. Auctions are great fun and with the reminder that I have to carry what I buy it was pretty easy to be picky but I did walk away with a 10-speed. An OLD one. I paid 20 bucks for it and that's New Zealand dollars. $10 US! I have a new plan for exploring South Island. I bike till it gives out on me, hitch hike to the next town and by my bus ticket from there. Chris has also heard of some area down in South Island that is absolutely desperate for work with fruit picking so I'll be looking that up. I also have contacts so I could volanteer at a national park for a couple of weeks in exchange for room and board.

Fri was buying stuff for my bike, like a rack and a repair kit. The sales guy was great, showed me the cheapest way to get by. When I came in with my bike to get the rack fitted i had a sales lady and it was nothing but doom and gloom. Isolated roads, spokes breaking, lose bearings, the cables are old, the breaks will be bad. They are bad. And the seat isn't a female seat, like it mattered 20 yrs ago when the bike was made. I found a secondhand bike helmet and some brand new ugly biking shorts, you know the ones with the padded butt? Salvation Army, $5. The helmet though was at a pawn shop.

And today. Today Kerris gave me some cool shirts, like really neat. She shares the modeling business with Donna. She has also modeled and has lots of tips for me. I hope to collect a few more before I leave. Tomorrow we head to South Island. It will be with Chris's half brother, Robert and his work mate, Ed? Don't know, they have thier own sawmilling business with a Peterson. Cool. It's been an incredible time in Rotorua. With this bike I hope to cut down even more on expenses. I might make money, I'll be able to camp out more if it really is that isolated and my ferry ticket has been free. So cool. With everyone helping me out I have seen a bunch of sites and bought extra things and I am still at my budget goal, just a hair under US$20 a day. Kerris has helped a lot with common sense tips. I'm planning some pictures to send to everyone. I need to do more artwork! I've done some but has been crap. Talk to you all later.

Love,
Rachael

March 15 - Rotto Rooter
Why hello there. I can't believe it. I left Australia. I can't just get on a train and be back to the places that I want to be. The flight was fine, food! I got off in Auckland a big city. I was not in the mood for tolerating another big city but I ended up following a girl who had ordered an airport shuttle. Soon there was 7 of us and we all wanted to go to a hostel. They dropped us off at this big highrise hostel. The waiting room was full of backpacks and backpackers all hoping for a room. There was also a desk to arrange travel and tours. While everyone waited for a room I looked into leaving. Rotorua has a factory that builds sawmills. Dad bought one from them last summer and has kept in contact, even told them about me. I was supposed to go and meet these people. This sounded promising and friendly and it turned out that a bus was leaving that evening so I ran around a bit bought some bright yellow and bright orange icecream, a hairpin, whatever. It was something to do because I couldn't just hang around in the hostel, it was evacuated due to a wall that was on fire next door. It was great, all these fire fighters coming down the sidewalk. Maybe I should have taken pictures. The only disaster I want to take pictures of is if my plane blows up. No one has pictures of themselves plummeting through the air with a burning plane behind them.

So, into Rotorua by 9:30. I called Peterson's the next day, I was picked up by Rosie in a real cool car. It was red for all you car freaks, yes, I paid very close attention. I got the whole tour, met everyone. Everyone was so nice. Another secretary invited me over for tea because her daughter is obsessed with going to school in America. She wants to go to L.A. Dad, they look for families in small towns to host exchange students. We have an empty house now. Register at ef.com or fe.com. Something like that (it's ef, for sure). Her name is Marlena Martin. The hosts basically get to choose the kid they take care of. I think Ben and Casey could show her all over Minneapolis and all that. I had a great time that evening and it sounds like the reception area here is closing up. I might have to sign off soon. I might have a place to volanteer in exchange for room and board up here for a couple days and after that Peterson's has a truck going to Christchurch and I'll be on it. The secretaries were even trying to think of families I could stay with on South Island. I haven't heard anything but I have also gotten to meet an artist lady through Donna. We spent the day together. She showed me all over. It's been great. I haven't done much. I got totally lost trying to find my hostel from the bus station and I'd already paid for it so I had to find the Wall. Here it is. Did you know that Bungee jumping originated in New Zealand and that there is a bridge you can bungee off of that is 47 meters? The second highest bungee jump in the world is in New Zealand also, 143 meters (1 meter= 1 yard, 1 yard = 3 feet, MOM) Hmmm. . . .

Love,
Rachael