Summer Holidays

It's taken me ages to do this, but I figure it's better late than never.

Over the 2 month long Christmas/Summer Holidays I did quite a lot. One of the first things I did was tramping, backpacking in "American", up in the mid South Island. I went with a group of scouts to the Welcome Flat Hot Pools. It was about an eight hour hike in, with beautiful scenery the whole way. I lost my photos when my computer broke, but there were water falls, swing bridges over rapids, cliffs, walking across rock slides, high peaks, and much more. Not the type of stuff you see everyday.

Rowing out to the motorboat.
Then it was Christmas. Everything was similar to back in the states. The only difference was that it was warm. We opened presents in the morning, I got an All Blacks jersey, and a NZ Flag. Then for a late lunch went over to my host Aunt's house. The whole family on Miranda's, my host mum, side was there.

Me and Ian pauaing

Then just a day or two after Christmas the whole family and my host grandad, Ian, went to Stewart Island. We were there for about a week, which included New Years. In that week we did quite a bit including water skiing and biscuiting (tubing) in one of the small bays on the Island, fishing for blue cod, pauaing, and walks around the island. Pauas are shell fish about the size of your hand, in the States they're known as abalone. You walk around the rocks at low tide when the water is around waist high, and then you use a dull knife to pry them off the rock.

Later over the holidays we went to Christchurch, then Clyde.
Christchurch is the third largest city in New Zealand, and it's where Alex's parents live. We were up there for a few days, and went around and saw the city. It's a very nice place, and it has a nice beach.
Clyde is a very small community in Central Otago, surrounded by mountains, and near a river. Harry and Dudley and I went mountain biking while there. It is a relaxing place, but not very interesting.

At the end of the holidays Tessa, my host sister came home from Argentina. It was nice to have someone my age in the house. She had a coming home party, and it was nice meeting her friends that came.