Christmas!

Here is our real live Christmas tree :) We've definitely upgraded from last year's Christmas potted plant :) The branches are a little droopier than at home...since it's summer here and the tree doesn't have a chance to really harden off at all... so it was a bit difficult to hang the ornaments..BUT, here she is, and ain't she a beaut!! (PS. I had to work all last week so Manuel and our friend Neil went to go pick up the tree - and he picked it out all by himself! not too bad I say!)

Hanging in the doorway is Grandma Bebout's partridge in a pear tree decoration that I have always really loved and this year it means all the more! Nanny Bebout passed away to go be with Pappy Bebout this past week, and if there is one thing that will always remind me of her, it's Christmas time! I loved her sugar cookies, her Christmas decorations and how she always called her couch "the davenport".

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Hong Kong part 2

Carrying on with my visit to Hong Kong...

Not only did I have a layover in HK on the way to Germany, but I had one on the way back as well. I stayed (by myself - yikes!) in a private room in a hostel for 2 nights. I read tons of reviews online before choosing my place...to make sure it wasn't too sketch :)

It certainly was not like any place I have ever stayed...

Here is the hallway outside of my room


And here is Jackie Chan :) only made of wax..

On my first day of exploring I decided to take the world's steepest cable car journey (literally) up to "The Peak" for a view of the entire Hong Kong area. I was all excited about my big day out and my list of sights to see...until I got outside and it was about 200 degrees...then all I could think about was my air-conditioned room..BUT, I stuck with the plan and trooped on anyway. In line for the cable car, I overheard a couple in front of me talking and accidentally mistook them for kiwis...big mistake when they are actually Aussies! After chatting a few minutes they felt bad that I was all alone and decided to adopt me for the day! I literally went everywhere with them after that, and saw much more than I probably would have otherwise :) Even though I told them my name was Nicole, they called me Nikki right from the start :) They even bought me lunch!! I heard fantastic stories about the war in Nam and riding Harley's all over the world:)

Here we are posing at the cable car platform :

Here's the view from the top. Hong Kong is HUGE....and the buildings are so tall and skinny!
They didn't even make fun of my giant sunglasses! they just loved me for me ...
Here's that peak tram that I was talking about...

Take a look at these really skinny double-decker buses! They could squeeze through anywhere!

This is the Hong Kong MTR underground subway. Sure was empty when I got on...

Okay, so some of you may know that I have a fairly strong aversion to Chinese food.... All I can say is that I was VERY brave for lunch with my new friends. I ordered something off of the menu which I could not read, by just picking out one of the pictures... Apparently I ordered noodles with mystery dumplings....but the good news is: it didn't make me want to vomit :) I actually enjoyed it!

I loved how everything was matching green :) And that can of green tea sure was yummy...
Despite my bravery, these are a few things that I definitely did NOT eat...

hello, billboard city...

All over the city was bamboo scaffolding. It looked terrifying.


Here is the inside of my itty bitty tiny private room/broom closet. It was literally just a bed. I couldn't even open the door the whole way. This was my private little potty which I was glad to have so I didn't have to walk down the sketchy hallway somewhere... I could go from the bed to the bathroom without touching the floor....you know if i needed to...not that I tried....
Hong Kong is one of those places that you really don't need more than a few days. I would like to someday see more of China, but I think I could be done with Hong Kong... But at least I can say I've been. I've got the spoon to prove it :)

Hong Kong

So back in July when Manuel and I went to Germany, my flight had a short stopover Hong Kong. (yes, I flied by myself....Manuel and I have a bad habit of booking flights that are not actually together...). Anyway, on my way to Germany, I had a full day in Hong Kong by myself to explore... I made a sight-seeing list but didn't actually get very far on it because it was hot as blazes there and I got a little lost a lot....but I was going to be in HK again on my way home from Germany so I just went with the flow (promising myself to do better at planning for the next go-round..and get a map!)

Here is part one of my adventure!

I think I took this picture from the train... on my way from the airport onto Hong Kong island.

This is Pottinger Street, a really cool stone step street with market vendors lining it.





Billboard overload!

These hot pink fruit things look pretty cool...

This was a very very ornate temple up about a thousand steps...

This was my last visit on my day in Hong Kong, before taking my blistered feet back to the airport to catch my flight to Munich. Hong Kong airport was actually pretty fantastic. I paid something like NZ$15 to take a shower and brush my teeth in what was essentially a private fancy hotel bathroom...no bedroom...just a bathroom with all the amenities. It felt so great to get on my flight clean! I also had some extra time to pass after the shower and decided to treat my tired feet to a pedicure :) Sometimes it's not so bad traveling alone hehe....

Wanganui Road Trip

Last weekend we took a traintrip/roadtrip to Wanganui for Wendy's birthday BBQ. This was Michelle's first look at New Zealand outside of Wellington. The weather was good, the friends were good, the Moore Wilson's coffee was good, and the mini-carrot cakes with cream cheese icing was Goooooood :)

This is the inside of Wellington Train Station....early in the morning.

Wendy and Michelle taking cash out of the atm in preparation for the antique shopping that would take place in route...
We sat in the very front of the train :)

Here are a few shots of the countryside outside the train windows :






Our train ride ended in Paraparaumu, where Wendy's mom picked us up to continue our trip by car.



We stopped for yummy brunch with Wendy's mom and her Nana and Michelle and I split the egg's benedict and pancakes (our usual savory/ sweet combo)....so so good.


Look what we found in Wanganui!!

Little lambies!! (with leashes....)


They were like the inside of Ugg boots. I wanted one.


These are the chickens (called "chooks") that live at Wendy's mom's house. We got to feed them.

Windy Wellington

So, I'm trying to upload a video on here for the first time....we'll see how that goes.

Today has been SO windy up on our hill. Manuel went out with our flipvideo to make a small documentary about what we look out to on a (almost) daily basis... It's basically like there's always a hurricane coming.

Recent Projects...

We've been doing a lot of work around here to get ready for summer...and I've been trying to finish up a few of my projects that have been started. We've done a lot of yard work the past few weeks as well (apparently no one has bothered pulling any weeds here for about 5 years..). We are also getting ready to plant a veggie garden in the backyard!! I am so excited! Here is the update:

In the background of this picture, you can see a jungle of weeds that will become my veggie garden. We spent DAYS digging it out and getting the soil ready. We are leaving a few pretty bushes in there, including two pink Camellia bushes, and two mystery berry bushes that will be revealed once they finally bloom.

This is what the garden plot looks like, including a small brick pathway that we found after clearing out the weeds :)

Here is a sample of what I will be growing : Tomatoes, cucumbers, red capsicum, beetroot, courgettes, lettuce, a pumpkin, sweet peas, radish, spinach, corn, and sunflowers! Oh, and a potato that I found in the back of the pantry that has a big sprout growing out of it :) We'll see how that goes...

And here is the update on the table that we bought:

It has apparently been out in the weather for about 5 years..... and really silvered. I borrowed my friend's belt sander to sand it back to life.


Here I hard at work (and well protected with goggles and earmuffs).

Ta-da! This is the table after one coat of oil. Isn't she a Beaut!!

(now I just have to finish the chairs....)