What a weekend

What a weekend. I came back from Auckland on Friday feeling very tired only wanting to sleep in during the weekend and do nothing, but we had this trip plan to the mountain with a group of friends. It was "the July" trip of the month. I wasn't sure about going until next day when I got up at 10 past seven. Then I finally made up my mind, I was still tired and starting to get a headache which stayed with me the most of the weekend!! Now, that is Sunday and we are back, I am happy that I did go because it was a wicked weekend! We had so much fun. The plan was first to go to this hut, that I forgot the name, in Tongariro National Park but we ended up staying in a different place. We turn into the road that was to take us to our destination. Hamish decided to go for a walk while the other boys set up the chains in the front wheels. In his walk Hamish made a friend "Moka", he worked in the place for the season, it is still not clear to me who he worked for. Moka scorted us a long way into the park in his 4WD, we got stuck several times, lost the chains from the wheels some a couple of times. Finally, we made it to the top and we decided that place was just perfect for all the things we wanted to do. Some how we ended up helping the people at the ski lodge to set up the tow ropes; we spend the night in this great hut which had hot water, electricity, fireplace showersssss (not that I took one)! Sunday morning after having a nice breakfast we went to play in the snow, first a brief remainder of self-arrest and how to walk in snow in steep slopes and some bump sliding. I even tried snow-boarding.!! By 4 o'clock we decided to head back to the city. There are 7 km from the hut to the main road and it took us about 1 hour and a half to get down, the longest 7 and ½ km that have driven. It wasn't the best terrain for the old Van! It felt like if we were on a rollercoaster more that on a Van. Again we had to replace the chains a couple of times on the way down, and even a little bit of pushing the old Van to get her going! It was a great weekend, to top that off when I got home today and check the mail box, surprise, surprise there was a letter for Karina from New Zealand Immigration. The letter said that I was granted residency! Who would have though that it will only take 3 months! After a year of been in New Zealand, crazy !!! This last Saturday it is a year since I arrived to New Zealand to meet my boy!!! Time goes by very quickly.