First day 10 June 2014 Tuesday

After two long flights, I finally arrive at New Zealand. Excited to collect my campervan, I fidgeted while queuing to get my passport stamped. It was torturous to wait as the queue was moving really slow. Approaching the counter, I realize that the custom officer would ask questions like "did you bring any food?" to ensure that tourist will not bring in prohibited items. After ten minutes, finally it was my turn. The officer was very friendly and recommended some places I could visit. Thinking that I could just collect my backpack and meet with my cousins, I quicken my pace. To my horror, I'm not done yet! I still have to get my backpack checked. The officers literally open the bags and checked. By the time, I was done with the customs, It was already 3.30 in the afternoon. My cousin, Louis, hurried to called the campervan company as we were late. We were supposed to arrive at 2 in the afternoon and collect our campervan by 3.30pm. Thankfully, the campervan company was still open and was still willing to send their driver to pick us up at the airport. While waiting for the shuttle bus to pick us up, we went to purchased prepaid card to use. Listening to the salesman speak, my sister and I were mesmerized by his voice. Lost in his voice, time seems to pass by quickly. From afar my cousin, Eugene, hurried us as the shuttle bus have arrived.

Hurriedly, we went to join my cousins and depart to collect the campervan. It was freezing. Seeing the heater at the campervan company was like seeing our life savior. We gathered around the heater and waited for the person in charge to bring us to our campervan and have a tour about van. This time round we put on our coat and head out to the open. The rain cause the temperature to drop even lower. Shivering in the cold, we listened to how to use the different facilities in the campervan. Shockingly, we have to empty the toilet waste by hand! None of us were willing to do so. Trying to avoid the fate of emptying our own biological waste, we came into agreement to minimize the usage of the toilet. As it was winter, daylight is short. By the time we were done with the tour, the sky has turn dark. Afraid yet excited we drove off to our campsite. Definitely, there would be some hiccups along the way as my cousins are not familiar with the van and the direction.

Arriving at our campsite, we quickly grabbed our essential belonging, we head off to walk to the nearby mart to purchase our grocery. Walking in the cold, my fingers started to feel numb. Stopping my cousins, I quickly put on my gloves. Halfway through the journey, we realized that we have taken the longer route. We walk by a shop selling take outs. The aroma of food seems to be calling out to us. Hunger strikes us. We stepped in and ordered fish and chips to share. Surprisingly, the price was affordable and heap. Taking our food with us once again we stepped out into the cold. Stopping in front of a hair salon, we dived into the food. Hungry people are indeed scary, we finish the four fish and chips in five minutes. With our stomach fulfilled, we continued to head off to the mart only to realize the mart was just next to us. laughing at ourselves we stepped into the mart and started to shop. As usual, we bought lots of stuff costing a little over two hundred. 

Back at the campsite, we took out the utensils and groceries that we bought and headed off to the kitchen and start to cook .The knives provided were terrible. I cut myself while trying to cut the carrots. Nevertheless, I continued to cook. After an hour, the food was ready to be served. Being youngsters, we took photos and sent it to our parents. Looking at the time, we were shocked it was ten! Quickly we finished our food. While eating two other group of people stopped by us and gave us their share of grocery as it was their last day in New Zealand. By time we're done, it was closed to midnight. Time for asleep. Good night!