Love Bus

We just payed the deposit (750NZD) on a camper van from !
We called on twice Sunday night, which was their Monday afternoon, and talked to Michaela. First, Jason asked all his questions, then we discussed our options. Finally we called back with our decision the book a 3 month rental.
Some questions we asked were:

1. Can I reserve a Manual/Diesel?-"A/C not important, and CD player would be super."
   
2. What happens when it breaks down, exactly?
3. Are there restrictions on driving in any areas? 90 mile Beach--"NO"
4. Roadside assist? Tow to Town...money back or provided car if more that a day of service.
5. Paymen?t...creditcard or bank transfer, after 1pm, KIWIBank (in all the post offices)
   

So next we need to make a bank acct with kiwibank.

Cell Phone

Nice... Jason and I bought new cell phones with SIM cards from TMobil. Okay, I got my unlocked Motorola SLVR from eBay for about $175 and the SIM card from this local audio store on Jordan lane. (They have a bunch of used cell phones.)


Now with my nice Quad Band cell, I can bring it with us to New Zealand and buy a SIM card there. Also I can save a bunch of information like contacts, addresses, birthdays, etc. and it is a storage device so I can put mp3's on it, and with the video I can make a small movie with recordable sound...but actually we have a digital camera for that.


Well, I guess I'd better get loading info onto the phone...that's the tedious part. Doh!

Got it!

Ok, I have my new passport with my new name--Quinn, along with the marriage certificate that I sent in with my application. Great. What's next?

Oh yeah, the back yard. We've got to stack wood and clear brush yet from where we chopped down 2 huge pine trees. I would like to have it ready by fall so I can plant blueberries there.

And I suppose I need to figure out this computer thing--blogging, uploading pics, usernames and passwords, and what else?

List:

• learn to use digital camera
• store pics on disk? CDRW?...
• make list of emergency numbers, info, and house key placing
• Who will take care of Ki? (renter, parents, friends?)
• organize files for BBP, and make flyers for the year
• settup GMZC newsletter (start Spring issue ahead of time)
• what clothing to bring?
• Hiking/Road Recipes (make accessable on internet, blog?)
• addresses and birthday list (on internet)
• cell phone (buy in New Zealand? call Telecom)

Got 'em!

We have bought our tickets! We picked them up Wednesday from the travel agency--New World Travel. After searching on our own for 3-4 weeks we decided we could afford $1500 per ticket. After turning in our desired itinerary to the travel agent, Sandy, she went to work haggling the prices. In the end she got us a better price then expected including her commission. Sweet! So, we are officially leaving from Huntsville, AL February 15th, 2007 and returning May 8th! Our next immediate step is to purchase travel insurance within the next few days, and for me to update my passport since I have changed my last name to Quinn.

Ki in garden

Ki in garden
Originally uploaded by shelleyland.

I'm still wondering who will take care of our Kiwi when we're gone for 3 months...

Planning: Early Stages

Hope to hear from a travel agent today. I want to set up a time to ask her a bunch of questions. Maybe Jason and I will use an agent, but for the moment, we want to plan everything ourselves, in hopes of saving money.