New Zealand may be famous for its silver ferns, but we found gold ones. On our way to hang with twelve dancing princesses in the Hunua Ranges. ;)
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Auckland has really grown on us over the last 8 months--it's got some great things going for it (including the best dumplings I have eaten, ever). We've met some wonderful people here, had some great experiences, and have really only scratched the surface of what this city has to offer.
But, we have some news: Josh got offered a job in Christchurch. In April we'll be moving to South Island, and we expect to stay there for another year. It's a little bittersweet for us--the bitter being more time away from everyone we love back home; the sweet, a 16+ hour road trip through the New Zealand countryside, and a chance to experience life on both islands. Even though we'll still be in the same country, the move feels just as big as when we came here for the first time. We're really excited, but as often happens with big changes, that excitement is flavored with a touch of nostalgia and fear of the unknown. Who knows what's next in this adventure? Come what may, we can't wait to tell you all about it! We've been lucky to live within steps of a nature reserve. (Granted that does mean extra mosquitoes when hanging out on the porch at night, but nothing is perfect.) Beaches come with so much work (getting sand out of your clothes, constant sunscreen application, burning anyway) that as much as I love and appreciate all the beautiful beaches, nothing can beat the cool shade of a dense forest. Needless to say, having one right outside my door has been my own little version of heaven. In moments when I've felt stressed, overwhelmed, cynical, or any other choice sentiment from the emotional grab bag of adult life, these woods have been a balm to my wounded sense of wonder. I love the hypnotic, mythical bird songs, the helicopter-like flutter of wings flapping at high speed overhead, and even the relentless buzz of what must be a million cicadas. And I love all the damp, earthy smells that change with the seasons. On one walk, right around Christmas, I swear I could smell cinnamon, and then later on, ginger. I rounded a corner on the path and found this: I had no idea what ginger and ninjas had to do with each other (aside from being famously Asian) until I found this article from the Wanganui Chronicle: What a delicious problem. I'd be happy to take some of that extra ginger off their hands--you know, to help the cause. Another day I took a different turn on my hike and the woods opened up into this flowery clearing. Suddenly I looked up and found myself face to face with this beauty. In that moment I would not have been surprised if a pegasus had swept me up and sequestered me off to some enchanted castle where I would sleep for 100 years and...you see where this is going. In that moment it felt like magic had not abandoned me. As we get older I think we need those moments more than ever.
So thanks, woods. You've been good to me. Josh passes a cat cafe every day on his way to work, but we had no idea until a blog entry by The Curious Kiwi pointed it out to us. The place is tucked in the middle of a busy industrial neighborhood that's so unremarkable it still took us a minute to find even after we knew it was there. There's a separate dining area to use if you prefer to eat/drink sans felines, but the basic premise is to have coffee while enjoying the company of a room full of cats. This idea is genius for so many reasons. First of all, it never hurts to have a gimick. If I have a choice between going out for a coffee and going out for a coffee WHILE snuggling a kitten, I will choose to have a snuggle with my coffee every time. It also means I can enjoy a little furry company, but never have to clean up after them or worry about who will check on them when I'm on vacation. It's like being an aunt: you get all the fun, and none of the hassle. It's an especially perfect arrangement for us because Josh adores cats, but is also miserably allergic to them. Coming here meant we could enjoy them but then bolt when things started to go itchy and runny. Lastly, if you're a cat, living here is like winning the lottery. It's full of toys, playmates, nooks to explore, and it has drawbridges! I was also really surprised at how clean it was. The only thing that could possibly make this a better idea is if they used the cafe as a vehicle to find homes for cats who need them, because I'm sure they would get adopted in a heartbeat. Of course, once you live in this magical cat playground, nobody's house is going to be able to top it. I found one cat just staring at a corner, really intensely. I thought it was a little strange until I read the sign just above him. I forget exactly what was on the sign, but it went something like this: If you see a black and white cat staring at the wall, don't worry, he's not catatonic. He just really misses Mike, whose office is on the other side. He's not allowed in the office, so pick him up and give him some love. He'll feel better. Ok, the sign did not actually say "catatonic"--but come on, serious missed pun opportunity there. Also, just the fact that this sign had to exist is seriously adorable. Just look at him: so full of devotion and yearning that his little cat heart might explode. All this cuteness doesn't come free though, there is an admission fee. Josh and I went on Friday night, when they offer you a dinner deal to go with it. It's not a ton of food, but the whole thing isn't a terrible deal considering how expensive eating out in NZ tends to be. Also, this place is really popular so unless you're planning to go in the middle of the day on a Tuesday, you have to book in advance. That takes some of the fun out of it for me. Part of what makes this kind of thing enjoyable is the spontaneity. You'd never put "eat an ice cream cone" on your calendar. It's practically made to be a whim. Like scheduling ice cream cones, booking time with cats feels weird. That said, ice cream is still delicious, and cats are still cute--scheduled or not. If you're local and want more information the above button links to the blog we found it on.
Some of you have been asking about the recent earthquake in Christchurch. We were in Auckland at the time, so we didn't experience it firsthand. We heard about it on the news shortly after it happened. Earthquakes are part of the deal when you come here. GeoNets estimates that about 20,000 earthquakes happen around NZ each year, although only about 250 of those are big enough to feel. (And New Zealand doesn't even make the top 10 for earthquakes around the world!) Severe earthquakes like the one on Sunday happen much less often. If you're interested in info on the magnitudes and locations of recent (felt) earthquakes in New Zealand, the button below will take you to a website that tracks them. I usually check it if I think I've felt a little rumbling, just to satisfy that age old question: earthquake or really big truck? This quake was one of many that have been part of the chain reaction the magnitude 7.1 earthquake of 2010 (including the much more famous 2011 quake) caused. At magnitude 5.7 this one was decidedly tamer, but it probably brought back some unwelcome memories. While it caused a huge chunk of cliff to cleave away and seriously rattled some people, I haven't been able to find any reports of serious injuries or deaths in this or any of the aftershocks that have followed. If you want to read more about the recent earthquake, its cause, and the likelihood of repeats in the area, the below button links to an article about it. It stands to reason that the people who remain in Christchurch five years after such a big earthquake must be cut from sturdy cloth, and some are saying that the media coverage of this has been overblown and even said the recent earthquake was not a big deal. People steadied their TVs, things fell of shelves, buildings were evacuated--all pretty normal in a place that feels the earth shake regularly. However, I can't imagine the people who witnessed the cliff falling would say that wasn't a big deal to them. (Note to self, don't live on a cliff in an earthquake prone area.) At least as an outsider, it seems natural to question your safety. The truth is usually somewhere in the middle, but given that the city is used to dealing with events like this, and everyone came out OK, I'd call that a win.
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