November 1st, 2008

Today we are proud owners of a Nissan minivan with seats that fold up in the back to leave lots of room and go flat in the front to make a perfect surface for a blow up bed.  We went to a car market.  Kinda like a swapmeat for cars. Some were super junky.  A lot had been converted so that the back seats were taken out and replaced with lifted wood frames and mattresses.  This would be nice, however, there are three of us, so this made seating a challenge, and we didn't really want to get someone's super used junky mattress. So, we went with a regular van that we can convert however we want. The guy was asking NZ$3300. The boys talked him down to NZ$2900 plus we insisted on the NZ$130 car inspection that checked the engine, the car history, driving test, everything, plus the NZ$10 change of ownership (that you do while waiting in line at the post office...trip out!) That comes to roughly NZ$1013.33 per person. Now, with a rate of .63 to the dollar...that's about $640 per person!  AWESOME!! :)  

And our party officially begins!  Tomorrow we are heading out!  Bye bye hostels!! WE ARE SO SICK OF THEM!  Four nights in a hostels and we're already stir crazy.  We want out of Auckland too.  It's not that great.  It's nice, I guess. But we've gotten to know the central areas like the back of our hands and we're tired of it. We could spend a little money and explore the islands around here by ferry, but we'd rather save the money to get out and go explore!  

We will be heading north first.  It's still pretty chilly here, so we want to stay as far north as possible until the summer season kicks in in a month or so.  So we'll head north to the Bay if Islands, I can't wait to swim with dolphins. There are a lot of B&Bs looking for cleaning staff and gardeners at the moment, so we'll probably head up there and then pick up some odd jobs before heading somewhere else. 

I did take pictures of the car and us buying it, but I don't have the camera on me now, so I will post them later...or tomorrow. :)

We do have a cell phone now too.  I'll post that when I post the pictures!!

Ari has been writing a private blog, and he'll post it when he's ready.  So don't think he's forgotten you!  

We miss everyone, but we're super excited to get going and see what we have heard is an amazing country! :)

xoxo

Alissa