This weekend I went to Waihi Beach with Hannah, who is a girl from my Geochemistry paper. Her family lives there and it was her sister's birthday on Sunday. Her home is two blocks from the surf and every time that we walked the beach I picked up shell upon shell. Apparently I was picking up all of the boring ones according to Hannah, but I thought that they were pretty! :O)

Saturday morning, we went to her Grandparent's house which is on the water. They have avocado and kiwi fruit orchards and also raise sheep. Man, it was a neat place and the lambs had just been born, so I was in love. Hannah's Nanna put out an amazing spread and because I'm an American, she made me my own pot of coffee while the others had tea. I would have been fine with the tea, but hey, put some coffee in front of me and I will not complain. I must admit that seeing Hannah interact with her grandparents made me want to hug mine.

We then headed to Mt. Mangokino in Tauranga and hiked around its base and picked up even more seashells. We passed a couple who had just pulled a younger couple off of the rocks who were soaking. They could have been pulled out to sea and it reminded me that while the sea is beautiful, but pretty brutal... not something to messed with.

The next day we went to the hot pools for her sister's birthday party and then hiked through the Orokawa Scenic Reserve to see the most beautiful untouched/preserved beach I've ever seen (probably the only one too!).

Today, we hiked through an old mine and a beautiful gorge that I cannot remember or say the name of. We then went to a wonderful cafe across the street and I indulged by getting a strawberry milkshake and a chocolate muffin. :O) Delicious.

On the way home, Hannah insisted that she take a picture of me in front of the L&P bottle in the town of Paeroa. L&P (Lemon & Paeroa) is New Zealand's most famous soft drink. It was originally made from water from Paeroa's natural springs, carbonated and mixed with lemon. It's a more diluted/softer version of Sprite, but stronger than lemonade. I'm beginning to become a bit addicted to it, not to mention that it shares my initials: L&P. The saying on the bottle is "World Famous in New Zealand".

International friends and myself were talking and said, "do they realize that that saying doesn't actually make sense?". I've been told by the Kiwi's that it's a pretty typical Kiwi saying, which in general don't make sense. Oh New Zealand. :O)

Hannah had taken it up herself to show me all the unique things about New Zealand and it's a well founded goal because when I'm talking with Kiwis I usually interupt the conversation no less than 5 times with "what does that mean?". So... here's a list of what I've compiled thus far (and can remember):

dear = expensive

togs = swimsuit

jersey = light jacket/sweater/shirt

bubble log = rice krispy treats

torch = flashlight

heaps = lots/loads

tramping = hiking
College = high school/secondary school

Uni = tertiary school

biscuits = cookies! (which are really dry here)

chips = fries

common sayings:

she'll be right = no worries
'good on ya'' and 'sweet as' = cool beans

eh? = you know what I mean?

cheers = thanks

flash = (something is...) awesome/extravagent/over the top (but in a good way)/ neat-o
gutted! = man, that bites!
wicked = awesome

They also really enjoy chicken-flavored potato chips, cheezy weezies, deep fried mars bars, their hot water bottles for warming their beds and think that 55 degree F is freezing. I have to admit that I'm not that miserable here, though I have been told not to fear, spring is coming! Whoot!