Midterm Break Part 2

So the second part of midterm break.  Absolutely Incredible.

Kaikoura. Two nights. A coastal town on the east coast in between Christchurch and Picton, on a peninsula, with huge mountains right along the ocean.  We walked around town, went whale watching and saw two huge sperm whales.  They are beautiful creatures, and also pretty mysterious - they surface for about 10 minutes, so it was quite the race once we spotted them in the boat 2 miles away to get to them before the dive deep down in the ocean for about an hour to find food, or at least we think that's what they do.  We saw seals bathing and playing and yawning  and slouching/lounging around of course, what they are best at!  We saw albatross dancing and gliding over the ocean.  Drawing cows in the middle of their pasture, where they would stop to look at us for about 5 minutes, wondering who we were and what we were doing - but they made the best models!  Going to the local bar and hearing live, low key music - so much nicer and different than a usual Friday night at school of pop songs.  Walking along the beach.  Making our own food.  The best chocolate chip banana muffins.  And of course, drawing A TON!!!  And the most incredible sunset I have ever seen in my entire life - that stretched from over the golden hills to the ocean on the other side.

Okay - well you are basically all caught up now!! After midterm break, we came to Melbourne, Australia.  We are here now for two weeks.  We are doing printmaking at this real artist's workshop - it is beautiful.  Melbourne is an amazing city - with so many museums and art galleries and art festivals going on, and so many parks and a river and on the ocean, and, the most perfect thing for me while I'm here: the library has an Australian picture books exhibit, and another museum has an exhibit on Disney fairytales - how perfect is that!!!

Midterm Break

So we just got a whole week off for midterm break! I really cannot believe it is half way through already - but then i can believe because we have done so many amazing things! So for break, me and two of my friends, Talia and Erin, were on the South Island of New Zealand traveling halfway down the east coast.  We stayed in hostels each night, cooked our own foods some nights, scheduled what we wanted to do that morning, and were completely on our own.  It was really refreshing and wonderful - and I felt so independent.

First Stop - Picton.  One night in a cute hostel.  Hike.  Food.  Gesturing Drawing at the beach ( we got some stares I think while we were drawing one person in strange postures).  Meeting a boy from Switzerland who we took to dinner because it was his birthday and he was by himself. Open air carriage train to Christchurch.

Second Stop - Christchurch.  Two nights in a hostel in the city.  Taxi driver tells us of the earthquakes that hit two weeks ago.  So when will the next one hit? We don't know, he says - maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow night, who knows? That's great to hear right when we get in.....But no worries - we were alright!

Walking around the city. Indian food. Drawing in the botanic gardens. Art Museums and galleries.  Bus stop to top of huge hill to see all of Christchurch below us and visiting the Sign of Takahe - a fortress-like castle turned restaurant that was really cute. 

I have 3 more nights to write about-  and only 3 minutes left on the internet cafe - so come back soon to see the rest of the midterm break trip! It includes whales and seals too!!!

I'm in Melbourne, Australia now and for the next 2 weeks!!!!


Thanks to everyone  who is reading this - it means so much to me that I get to share this with all of you!

Love, Megan

Abel Tasman National Park

So at the beginning of this blog, I was hoping to watch the world with glittering eyes and I would see magic everywhere.  Well.  That's what happened here.  Abel Tasman National Park.  Every place we have been to is incredible, but this one, is just beyond incredible.  We stayed right near the beach in a lodge, went to the beach for sunsets and sunrises and nighttime listening to the waves.  We hiked through foresty jungles that looks like the minpins or faeries could live in.  This is a place I really can't describe, so I hope these pictures give you some kind of feeling as to how it was to be there.

Wellington

We were only in Wellington for two nights, but it seemed like an amazing city and we definitely made the most of it! Going to museums, on a long hike to the top of Mt. Victoria, walking around the city, and eating at the best dessert place in the world! Think passionfruit cake and ginger vanilla cookies.....

LOOK AT THIS SLIDE!  right on the waterfront! wear just socks, and you are golden!!!

Beautiful view of Wellington from the steep hike up Mt. Victoria - so worth it.

Talia on the BEST SWING.  doesn't it look like you are just going to fly into the city?  I name Wellington the best playground city I've ever been too!!!

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Soooo --- I'm way behind, probably about two weeks behind.  So I think to catch up quick, I'm going to let the pictures do the talking with just brief explanations!

About 2 weeks age we were in Tongariro National Park on the North Island (for those Lord of th Ring fans - Mt. Doom is there!)  We went on an incredible hike - 8 hours and we saw the most amazing things!!!

 Volcanic Crater at top after climbing the Devil's Staircase

 Where I ate lunch :)

 Volcanic Lakes

 Not on the same hike, but the sunrise on a shorter walk, see the pink glow? That was way in the distance!

Drawing while sitting along side a road (watercolor and colored pencil).  P.s. We has some snow too! On the mountains of course......

Quick Stops!

So here are some places we stopped, just while driving from one place to another - -but they are so wonderful, I had to share them!

Cathedral Cove (about 2 weeks ago, while going from Auckland to Tongariro)

Isn't this the funniest little rock island? And birds were sitting right on top!

 The archway at the beach...

 View from the top of the 30 min. down to cathedral cove.  We spent about 3 hours there, just drawing and playing games and running around and swimming -- this was one of those places where i got to it, and we had just been in beautiful places before - and i realize, in order to not get overlysaturated with all this beautiful - i really need to take it all slowly and one day at a time - and it has been amazing!

Pupu Springs (About 4 days ago, while driving from Wellington to Abel Tasman National Park)

 This is one of the magical places I have been.  The water is so clear - I think the clearest in the world.  You aren't allowed to swim in it, but the ducks can! And I could see the feet of the duck paddling underneath, it was so cool! And if you can see in this picture the rings or water a little right of the center -- that's where the water comes up for the spring - it just comes out of the ground, with no rhyme or reason - truly magical!

 Look how clear it is! So beautiful!