Market and Gardens

Today we went to Riccarton Market had a coffee and some lunch then went to the Gardens and chilled out with a raspberry and lemonade drink watching the usual guy doing tricks with glass balls:-)

Back to Square One

Well to cut a long story short we are not taking the job in Fox and now only applying for Motel/Backpacker Managers or Mark an ICT Technician job - so fingers crossed something comes up soon:-)

Little River

Today we went to little river to have lunch and a walk.

We paid $5 each to go in to little river campground so we could access some of the private walkways. at the top they had these comfy armchairs to chill on.

We then went over to birdlings flat to see if we could find some gem stones. We went to visit the fossil and gem stone museum.

New Job

Well we have officially landed ourselves a job now that will all being well enable us to obtain Work Permits. We will be working in Fox Glacier again one of our fave places in NZ and on the West Coast our fave coast!:-)

We will be Assistant Managers at Lake Matheson Motel - our coach driver Bernie (from 2007 coach tour) used to stay there apparently . The owners seem real friendly as do our Managers. We will share a 3 bedroom house with them and their son and another lady who is 32 and been cycling round NZ

Cant wait to be on the West Coast again and in Fox:-)

Lewis Pass and the West Coast

We had a great short break this weekend over on the Lewis Pass and the West Coast:-)

We left early Saturday morning and arrived at Lewis Pass Motel for 10:15 where we unpacked then set off for Maruia Springs hot pools. We spent an hour in the rock pools there before heading to Springs Junction for a coffee:-) was superb weather.

Then we went to St James walkway and enjoyed the view and also had lunch there

 

 

We then chilled out for the rest of the afternoon in the Motel room all fully self contained with superb views of the surrounding farmland and Mountains and two very friendly dogs, very relaxing place to stay and to escape the city:-)

Today we checked out at 8:30 and headed for Reefton a small township inland on the West Coast where we had a coffee and cake and made friends with the resident cat also chatted to bearded dudes at the Miners Hut
weather was rainy and windy so were glad to have got the hot pools out of the way when the weather was good! Found Sylvia Flats natural hot pools nestled off the highway near a rest area:-)

Stopped off in Culverden for lunch, chips and chicken and a coffee then spent a bit at Waikuka beach en route to Christchurch and home:-)

No Help

Well met with Immigration Consultant basically said Mark's current job is no good for applying for work permits - he would have to change to ICT Technician, failing that we get Hostel job that will sponsor us- back to square one looking for jobs to stay here - conscious of time limit now!! Dont wanna return to UK, would hate it!!:(

Quiet Weekend

This weekend we stayed around town so as to save money for our next trips away over the next two weekends.
Yesterday we went to Westfield Riccarton and had a coffee and look round the shops and today we went to the Arts Centre market had some lunch and a coffee then went round the Museum before heading to the Tap Room for a beer:-)

Spencer Park

Today we went to Spencer Park had a Steak sandwich using gas cooker then went to Seafield Park over the road and looked round Animal Park before walking round Brooklands Lagoon. We then went to the beach which had a sign saying sea contaminated due to sewage being pumped into it from Brooklands - No human contact advised!! On the way back to Christchurch we accidentally went through Brooklands and earthquake damage was evident especially in the road where parts were raised - we went to the Bre Moon Brewery which was expensive and had 2 lattes not very good ones and a custard slice and brownie to share $33 in total!! Then we went to Liethfield beach before heading home. Back in Christchurch we walked around the CBD and had another coffee at coffee corner again not very good! We turning into coffee connoisseurs:-)

another great weekend

well another sunny weekend. We went to sumner beach where we watched some scallies have a good fight (typical kiwi drunken hoons).

Later we went for a coffee and we are still getting pre GST rise prices oh yeah