Summers B & B at Knowles Court Christchurch

... if you’re reading this, CONGRATULATIONS!!! And thank you so much for being so kind to us!

Abel Tasman was a gorgeous place with white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. The weather was overcast which was a shame; we had planned to do some kayaking but the water was just too choppy. So, after setting up camp, we all went for a wander on the beach. Here we encountered some Oyster Catchers. By the way they were acting, it was obvious that they were nesting as they were ...

... of heavy snow and no snow chains for the camper meant we had to head to Christchurch to make sure we didn’t miss our flight.
A day in Christchurch sightseeing and I think we were both glad to give the camper back. We really enjoyed our time spent in the van and I loved being back on a campsite but there is only so much time in a cramped van that a person can ...

... was in came second!!

Yesterday we had to be at the Glacier Shop to get ready for a hike at 7.30am. We were given out boots and equipment and then had a short bus journey to the glacier. It was great fun, hard work...LOADS of stairs to climb but well worth it!!! Walking on the glacier was amazing! Our guide said that it was warmer than it had been in a while on the day we went so we didn't need as many layers as we thought, but when you stopped ...

... being. We are to be human beings, not human doings. Life is about enjoying each place or experience with those around me instead of just the experience itself. 3. God has been radically changing my way of thinking regarding money and material possessions. He has been teaching me about living a lifestyle of generosity and hospitality, sharing whatever I have at whatever time with whoever is in need around me. 4. Loving and ...

Tonight, we had out first Outreach team meeting where we first worked on our India visa applications. Then, we did a team building exercise where we had to use strings tied to a rubber band to stack a pyramid of coke cans. It was really fun. After that, we spread out a huge piece of paper and prayed and wrote down vision for our team. It was really fun, and I am so excited about our team!

It was raining on Monday, so they switched around our afternoon schedule this week changing the activities around, and we did our base/community work duties today instead. It still rained a little bit and a lot for the last hour, but it was better than Monday. My friend/roommate, Amanda (from England), and I were assigned to weeding as our work duty last week, and we actually got really into it because the area we ...

... apartment in a quiet but central part of Christchurch at about 5.00 in the afternoon. D & B went out for essential supplies while Barb and I got showered and changed, (after 24 hours we more than needed to), and we had a great evening catching up over drinks and nibbles, before bed at a reasonable hour. Its now early morning and we are about to spend our first full day in Christchurch. The weather is cloudy but warm and dry but rain possible later, so more tomorrow (with pictures).

... to the tune of Happy Birthday. It was a priceless moment and afterwards everyone in the restaurant clapped and cheered. So now the whole ship knew - So much for me keeping it low key by not proposing in the restaurant!

After dinner we hit Skywalkers nightclub again and Barb took great delight in showing me how to dance to 'Nightbush city limits'

It was a surreal day and I have to say was up there as one of the best days of my life.

... up to reveal our mini kitchen. Basically, a little sink with a pump leading to a gallon bottle of water, some little compartments to keep pots, pans, cutlery etc, a little gas cylinder and picnic table with 2 chairs. Needless to say we NEVER cooked on the gas stove. We were staying at campsites all the time (much safer as people often get attacked when they just park up on the side of the road) so we just used their communal kitchens. So, while running us through ...

... of
the center. I had seen an ad in one of the guidebooks for the Belgian
Beer Cafe, which looked like a good place to eat dinner but I forgot to
get the address.


7:30
PM - So as we wandered around the canal, we saw a cool gothic monastery
looking stone restaurant that we decided to go into for dinner, and it
happened to be the ...