For the record, llamas do spit. I have firsthand knowledge on this after trying to herd them back into their block. It certainly caught me off guard so I stopped doing that and let them wander around in their new pen.
I neglected to add last post that I find myself living with a family that has four teenagers living under the same roof, although I only really see 3 of them as the eldest recently graduated high school and has taken to being out most of the time. I find dinners to be highly amusing as most of the conversations sound wildly familiar to me, I think I may have had at some point in my life. More and more I have my face buried in my hands silently laughing at the arguments and comments that circle the table, oh the innocence of youth. I certainly find myself looking forward to dinners especially for the youngest member of the family, Carlos 13, is the king of overreaction adds a spiciness to the dinner that no food can replace.
Most days I cycle into town and wander around because it is so close that there really is no excuse not to go. I finally found myself wandering through the botanical gardens the other day and was amazed at how huge the place is, the sheer cost of maintaining a place like that is staggering. But like I said Christchurch is the garden city and is aptly named. I’ve also been through the art museums, sorry to say to the Summercamp house I still need Janice or Fatty to explain modern art to me, and had amusing times in them as well.
I meant to post a few days ago on the 3 month anniversary of me being in New Zealand as that means I’m a quarter into my year of kiwi-ness, also a good reminder that I have to start cycling again. As I mentioned in the last post i’m heading out to Akaroa this coming Monday for the day to check out the one French outpost here in New Zealand and then I’m going to start heading for Lake Pukaki and Mt. Cook. It’s as close as I can come to crossing the south island without actually crossing it. I’ll get within stones throw distance to the Fox Glacier but that will have to wait until I go up highway 6. I’m aiming to stop in Dunedin or Invercargill for a few weeks to wwoof again and as I’ve finally gotten the book I can peruse the listing of hosts without the internet and found some interesting hosts, hopefully they have space available.
I did get to see the second half of the superbowl including the halftime performance. I think that was the most Americans I’ve seen since landing here in New Zealand. I sat in front of a kiwi who was getting coached through how the game works from a guy from New York. I need to find a kiwi to explain cricket to me like that as well, though I’m not sure there’s any hope to truly learning that game. It was a good game, definitely missed the portugese sausages and the backyard bbq though.
I added a few pictures from around town.
Kiwifruit (Chinese Gooseberry)