Spring Snow

Hanmer Springs

To delay the inevitable task of settling down and finding jobs, we stopped by the tiny town of Hanmer Springs. The only attraction in this place are the hotpools consisting of about 8 different pools of varying temperature. We managed to stay in the water for about 4 hours, but you have to jump from one to another. After a while a pool which is about 36 degrees celcius becomes cold, then it's time for the 41 degree pool. It was freezing outside and raining the entire time but as long as you stay underwater (but not your head underwater for fear of getting meningitis) you're ok.

We woke up to snow the next morning. My favorite day of the year is the first day of snow so I was quite excited. However, the day proved to be slightly different than a winter wonderland. About and hour on the road on the way to Christchurch our car decided to seize up and spin onto the grass. Immediately someone stopped and helped us push it out. Another minute on the road and the same thing happened, the tires stopped moving and we were left stitting half on the road, half off. But once again, Kiwis to the rescue. A nice man stopped and drove me into town as Jon stayed with the car. Normally, I wouldn't just ride off with a stranger, my parents taught me better than that ( I don't take candy from them either), but he was a trustworthy guy and drove me around the tiny town for an hour trying to find someone to help us. He even gave us his phone number and address and told us to stop in for a coffee at his home in Christchurch. In the states it seems as if we are always afraid of each other, but here everyone helps one another and there are no alterior motives.
To make a long story short, we got the car off the road and the station couldn't find the part that we needed (front differential, whatever that is) so we were stuck here for the night. Hopefully we will get out of here today. It's an omen that we shouldn't settle down quite yet and get jobs. I've gotten really used to not working.