This town.

Queenstown, the most fun carefree place, but also the demise of us all. Everyone tends to go overboard; at least in the beginning. You go out every night and blame it on "this town".

Some say, "I could never have a girlfriend in this town".

"This town makes me go out all the time".

"This town has made me do some crazy things".

I am not one to point fingers. Yes, I have blamed "this town" too, once or twice.


So what makes "this town" so different than all the rest? Well here's my theory... Someone way back when New Zealand was discovered (around 1700 and something) came here to get away from all of their worries and troubles to just let loose, and it snowballed into what it has become today.

Sometimes, I feel kind of bad for Queenstown, it gets such a crazy drunken wrap.

Poor, poor Queenstown, is this who you really are?

Vaginamite Monologues

Sunday night and Monday Morning were adventurous.

My night began with a bang.

Work was busy.

Full of...

Bad boys.

Bollywood babes.

Birthdays.

Barefoot Ladies.

Burnt Blondes and Bronzed Brunettes.

Babbling boisterous tourists.

After work, I went out on a boat cruising the lake with two others until 6:30 a.m.

Mr. H, a true legend of Queenstown, introduced his boat to me: Her name: Vaginamite.

I was peeing off the back of the boat from the Heineken I had guzzled down, and I literally almost fell in from laughing so hard.

I watched a beautiful sunrise, listen to a bit of chillaxin music, even got to drive the boat. All in the hands of good company, while listening to songs about Mr. H's past encounters with Terintino, Apple, and Gwenith Paltrow.

Just another typical end to an amazing night, and early morning in Crazytown.

Just another Sunday Funday...

YEsTerday was well spent.

$105 on taxi rides, but well worth the company.

Cliff, who I feel like I have know since birth, invited me over to the lovely home he is staying at while visiting from Texas. Cliff works with different people, some actors, singers, clothing designers. His latest project brought him to Queenstown, where he was suppose to stay for a week, which turned into a month.

We had a delicious lunch, some chardonnay, outside in the sunshine looking at the most spectacular view.

I love my cheese!

Watched I am Legend, Glee, and some E true hollywood story's in the movie room.

The home was just stunning.

The perfect Sunday Funday to unwind, relax, sit back and enjoy a peaceful day.

The 12 days of soberness..

On the first day of soberness my body gave to me... a hangover because I was drinking the night before.

The next 11 days were quite a challenge. I found myself doing things I hadn't in quite some time.

Running, biking, hiking, learning to play the guitar, cooking fabulous healthy meals, you get the point. I was very productive.

On the 11th day, yesterday, I had to bartend a private function for one of their kids first birthdays. Case in point, an adult party.

At one point, I was asked, "Do you drive? We need you to get some more Heineken."

I responded, "Of course I do, but I haven't tried it on the LEFT side of the road yet".

"Have a drink! No really have a few drinks!!" they kept saying.

4 glasses of Moet & Chandon later, I was starting to feel like I was on top of the world.

By the end of the night the adults made their way into the bouncy house.

I took a$60 cab ride back to town where I went to my place of employment, and proceeded to have many more drinks.

I don't remember much, except that I woke up this morning with a jar full of capers, tabasco, and feta cheese lying in the bed next to me.

When I went to look for my camera to see if I could piece the night together, I found 2 toy guns?? Absolutely no idea where they came from.

I made it home.

I apparently ate something, but I'm still not sure what.

And I had a great time.

In the end, sad to say, there was no 12th day of soberness.

I.

just.

didn't.

make.

it.

A Bootyful day...

I went for a 2 hour bike ride yesterday, with the intent of making it to the famous "Jacks Point" only to realize it was MUCH further than I anticipated. A two hour bike ride the day after a 6 hour hike 1700 meters high, with no breakfast... Maybe not my best idea yet.

In my attempt, I was able to see the "Other" side of Queenstown.

Just across the lake, there are beauti$ul homes (the architecture is very IKEA style if you will), lush landscaping (my dad would REALLY appreciate this, as he owns a landscaping company!), endless walking paths (suppose to be bike path as well, but I ran into a bush or three) and... construction!!

I had to stop and carry my bike at least 6 different times, up and down hills, the path randomly ended a few times, and I even sledged through a few mud banks. I am calling this...

MY BOOTYFUL BOOTCAMP of 2010.

You get a total body workout and get to see some fascinating views along the way, and your Booty will get one hell of a burn.

If there were a sign for my workout, it would say,

"This is for people with a GOOD fitness level.

If you can dodge a wrench you can dodge anything-Patches O'Houlihan".

Let's just say I can dodge a wrench or two after this one...

The BIG Ben...

Wow! What a day! I hiked the Ben Lomond trail today with 3 others from work (Eric, Mairi, and Dav). It is one of the highest points in the surrounding area. It took us just about 6 hours, and was well worth it once we got to the top.

As we approached what looked like was going to
be our final destination, and then turned the corner only to find another steep terraine to climb, Mairi yelled out, "No wonder this shit is free!" Seriously, who would really want to guide this hike? you would have to be crazy...

The trip was amazing, a definite MUST DO if you are in Queenstown, but it's a must do 1 time and one time only for me. I think next time I should eat more than 1/2 a PB & J, an apple, and some nuts while climbing 1750 meters high.

The views were spectacular and the pictures do NO justice as to how high we were and how breathtaking it was all the way up there!

My body hurts, I have a headache, I'm sunburnt, and probably won't be able to walk in the morning, but I have the biggest smile on my face right now from the beauty of it all...

By far one of my best days yet in Crazytown!!!!!!!

R & R...

I spent the day yesterday at Lake Hayes with Polly and baby Tyler. Lake Hayes is nestled between Queenstown and Arrowtown. The water is MUCH warmer than Lake Antartica (aka the lake in QTown by my house), where when you take a dip it feels like an icebath for a sports injury.

Kids were playing in Kayaks, dogs running, mothers reading and shouting, "You need some sunscreen" to their kids. The dog in the picture below was a nutcase! I called it and it came running at me and this picture was the result. Pretty good, eh?

There were some sheep behind us (or lambs), I am still having trouble telling them apart. I am pretty much obsessed with them and I take a picture every time I see them!!

Tyler had his first swim, not necessarily his idea, but it was fun for us!

I read my book, attempted to play my new guitar, and really just had a lot of R & R.

It was just another average day in the life of a Queenstowner, and by average I mean nothing less than amazing...

Kiwi-ism's...

For the 6 weeks I have been in New Zealand, I've been introduced to a whole new vocabulary, constantly learning new words, (words that I don't think really exist in the dictionary)...

As I walked through town I stirred up an interesting conversation with a bystander. I told him my plan to relax by the lake for the rest of the day, he replied "Sweet ASS!" I was astonished and appalled that people were so blunt here. The next few days I kept hearing the catch phrase over and over and.... finally realized, these people were not commenting on the Hot Asse's of Queenstown, but Saying Sweet As! Which means, cool, awesome, or ... as the kiwi's also say mean or, my favorite, MINT!


..."All good?" My roommate Caleb would say this to me every time I came in the room. At first I though he was genuinely concerned about my well being, maybe because I had been drinking so much, Yes, I was pretty sure this was it! but in reality he was basically asking how my day was.

A few others;

Heaps: I know this one, but just haven't heard it in a while.

Togs: swim suit

Lilo: A floaty for the water

Jandels is the word kiwi's use for men's sandals. I still prefer to call them mandals.

I also find myself putting accents in sentences where they don't belong, because in the land of Kiwi-ism it is appropriate. And I am catching on wayyyy too fast.

Meeting local New Zealanders, more specifically Queenstowners can be a real challenge. I've found that most of the people you'll meet here are from London or are on a traveling Visa as well, and just working for a few months to enjoy the country. I lucked out and ended up living with 2 locals!!


The Queenstown, lifestyle is very different from anything I have ever experienced. The typical 9 to 5 job is Jumping out of a plane for 8 hours a day at 20,000 ft, flying a helicopter miles high, driving a jet boat through rough terrain while thrilling your new tourist friends, packing parachutes, operating the zip line, driving a tour bus full of rowdy hungover backpackers, or guiding people on amazing walks through the nearby rainforrest.

The life simple, meaningful, beautiful for some.

The life is fast, dangerous and nuts for others.

I am getting the best of both worlds.

Living local is living crazy.

In Q-Town, Everything is extreme from the sports to the drinking.

Welcome to Crazytown...

Mr. Right, or Mister Right Now?

I met someone really amazing only 2 days after I arrived in Queenstown. It felt like I had known him forever!!! I just knew this was going to be the beginning of a sublime, long lasting relationship. I knew this could really be something...

We met out one night. He's half french/ half dutch, which I found stunning. We spent the entire night together. He never left my side, what a gentleman.

As the relationship progressed, we had amazing conversations, but most of them I didn't seem to remember the next day, which I found unusual.

We started doing all sorts of things together. Mainly at night, (I should have seen it coming then) we would have dinner together, then go out to the local bars. Dance together, he's great at mingling. Makes friends with literally everyone he meets. Puts a smile anyones face. We look up at the stars on our walks home together. We complete each others sentences. Sometimes it's as if I can see right through him. It's like I know exactly what he's thinking and what he'll want to do next.

I think our best day together was Christmas Day. We played all day at the lake; a record breaking day full of dancing, running, and laughing, and then proceeded to the bars... I guess this was when I started to question our relationship. I woke up in the morning, unknown bruises; left alone with nothing but a hangover. I was sad that he wasn't there to comfort me. I missed him so much, but to my surprise he showed up later that day, and it was bliss all over again.

I would even get to see him at work. on most days he would visit me.

But why was it that every morning I would wake up sadness would take over and I would somehow feel it coming to an end? I was torn between the good and bad of him, so great and then so terrible. The highs and lows were starting to tear me down.

New Years Eve was the beginning of what I though might be the end. Luckily the only thing I lost that night was my mascara. Dignity successfully still in tact-

He was the flame in my candle. There was something so intoxicating about him. I loved that he can be smooth and full of finesse, but also harsh and straight to the point.

I kept trying to end it, but he would pull me back in. There's just something about him, something irresistible. His sweet citrus smell on a Saturday night or a Sunday afternoon. His bubbly personality. The rush he gives me as I consume him in my arms every time we meet.

His name: AL cohol, but I call him Booze for short. He goes by other names as well, Vodka, Pinot Noir and sometimes Champagne.

It's over. I am finally ending it, I say... until I hear my coworker convincingly utter "Lets just go have one to unwind after work"....

Turn... turn.... turn...

New Year. New Page. New Story.

2009 Was filled with wonderful things...

My life was a bit of a whirlwind; moving rapidly around and around.

Went from Being West Coast Cali Girl to East Coast Island Girl.

For the first time in my life, I actually felt home.

Loved Extraordinarily.

Drove most of the way across country (for the 3rd time) with only the best of company.

Became an aunt. exCiting!

And Moved to New Zealand; my biggest thrill, of 09, I must say. I wouldn't call it an accomplishment, for the simple fact that I haven't accomplished much since I arrived. Ok, maybe a great party host.

Here's to remembering the great past, but looking forward to what adventures lie ahead.

trUst me, there are some grEat stories in-store for 2010...