New Zealand

[dorkpie]

So I'm planning a 3-month trip (mid-May to mid-August) to New Zealand next year, and I am in need of guidance/advice.

1) Anyway, the main reason I want to visit is to experience NZ (river-rafting, sky-diving, hiking/climbing, swimming, visiting the national parks, etc.), but I was also hoping to get a job while I'm there. Now, I have a Brazilian passport (though I live in the USA and am considered a permanent resident), and according to what I've researched online I won't need to apply for a visitor's visa if I'm only staying for three months, but considering the fact that I want to work, too, I'm having trouble finding which temporary work visa would apply to me. Does anyone have any idea, or would you recommend I talk to a travel agent?

2) As for where I want to go, I was planning on starting either in the North or South depending on which airport I land in, and then making my way to the opposite end of the country. I have some spots that I want to visit (e.g.: Queenstown, Fiordland, Rotorua), but again, I'm having a hard time finding someone who's been there and can advise me on how long to stay or where to go first or where to not go at all, or can advise me on a more feasible travel plan.

It's my first time traveling out of the country on my own, and I'm having some trouble finding someone in RL that's a) visited NZ, or b) has travel experience. I'm hoping I have more luck here!

The mall...

[cathepsut]

I walked over to the mall last night. It only opened again a few days ago apparently.

In May it looked like this.... Fast work! The part that was completely destroyed is actually not open yet, it had a building fence in front. But the front looked finished.

I walked around for a bit and looked at the shops, then made my way up to the 7th floor, checked out the cinemas and picked a Japanese fastfood place in the food court. Very greasy, very cheap, very satisfying. On my way out I stopped on the ground floor at Starbucks and got a carrot cupcake and a soymilk latte. In Europe I would only go to Starbucks if I was desperate, but after several days of Nescafe and very bad hotel coffee it was tempting. Sadly it was really weak. Ok, it's always weak, but this was even more so -- maybe Thais like really thin coffee and Starbucks adapted? The Starbucks in China definitely serves stronger coffee. Oh well. Across the street from my hotel is another Starbucks, perhaps I need another sampling.

When I got back to the hotel last night, I actually worked till 2am. I was totally shattered today! Went to lunch with the people from work -- snails, mussles, crab, shrimps, fish... -- and then proceeded to work again till 10pm. Done for now.