Car!

Sophie stumbled across this 97' Mazda 626 Station Wagon. so we decided to check it out!

240,000km (~150,000miles), inspection is due soon but the only problems we saw failing inspection were the two rear tires. I noticed in the records there was a radiator replacement. So noticing the engine I could see some oil build-up around the heads, seems like it overheated at one time and slightly warped the heads. It's been driven almost 20,000 km with no problems, and if we keep checking on the heater gauge, oil and radiator we could get away with the problem.

Barry met up with us to check out the car downtown. He had started at 2,000 NZD, and after a week decided 1600 may sell it faster. I pointed out the head leakage, and said I'll take it for 1500. Not bad, with Sophie and I splitting the cost i came to 525 American dollars each! It's a gamble with the engine, but worst comes to worst, we lose 525 each.


It also came with a lot of stuff! a tent, sleeping bag, 2 Frisbees, cooking equipment, bedding, and air mattress and yes, that weird wooden duck. All of these things Sophie needed anyway, so it only made the purchase more reasonable.

I met up with Barry downtown, treated him to a beer at a bar downtown and sorted out all the paperwork. Pfft paperwork? I gave him 1500, I made a bill of sale (even though i didn't have to, just precautionary) walked to the local post shop, and in less than 10 minutes we had waited in line, paid 9.20 for change of ownership and i officially owned a car in New Zealand. This is not the nys dmv.

Barry and I walked to the car, Barry gave me a few tricks he's learned for working and traveling from many trips around the world (main tip: be open for any job, he worked skinning sheep when he first got here) and I jumped in the car and left.

The Life

Currently I'm resting because I feel good about my fluid mechanics test I just took, just finished my homework for the week and I am about to start studying for the rest of the day for my test tomorrow in Classical Mechanics.

After tomorrow's test I will pick up sophie and my car, and this weekend i'm going to the ENSOC BBQ (one of UC's biggest parties, typically over 2,000 people) and Seafest, a musical festival on the shores of Kaikora.


It's about 70 degrees out, sun shining, and a cool breeze. For me I'm calling this the official start of spring. I'm taking a walk through the gardens across the street enjoying a Corona.

This is the life.

The rate of studying is inversely proportional to the temperature outside

It's Sunday, the 26th of September, and I've woken up rather early, knowing I have some things to do, no, a lot of things to do. I drive off into the city looking at cars for sale and return back with my head set at "Luke study away". I come back to my flat, run into my friend Tom who asks me to come with him to the Vegetarian Expo.

Tom: "Wanna come to the vegetarian expo with us"

Luke: "I should do some studying"

Tom: "Aww, that's too bad ,it's really nice out"

Luke: "Yea, it is really beautiful out"

Luke's Head: "It is REALLY beautiful out, and this is another excuse to ride your motorcycle"

Luke: "Yea I'm in"

We go to the expo, and thinking I could get my veggies there, turns out to be just over-priced tofu and strange power bars so thickly packed with fiber, you could taste it, no you could feel it, it was so hard to swallow.

So we leave shortly, It's still nice out. The gorgeous botanical gardens are right across the street.

Tom & Brian: "You wanna walk around the gardens with us?"

Luke: "I Should do some studying"

Tom: "Aww, that's too bad, it's really nice out"

Luke: "Yea it is really nice out"

Luke's Head: "It is REALLY nice out, and all the flowers are in bloom in the garden"

Luke: "Yea let's go"

I'm glad I did, the botanical gardens are absolutely beautiful. All the flowers are out, there are fields of Daffodils and the each tree is a testament to natures beauty. The Avon river runs through the center, where people are kayaking or couples are having picnics on the shore. Christchurch is the "Garden city".

I did take photos, but for some reason I cannot find them on my computer. Bummer!

We reach the end, and a bar is nearby the flea market were headed to:

Brian: "anybody want a beer"

**follow same suit as above**

Luke: "Yea I'm in.

I'm very glad, but guilty at the same time I went to the bar. Its 2:30pm , sun shining in this beautiful patio outside of the bar "Dux de Lux" and I am enjoying a very good beer. It's called a "Ginger Tom" and is an alcoholic Ginger Beer. If you like Ginger Beer, this is even better. We discuss how it doesn't get much better than this, and they only reinforce my correct decision to stay in New Zealand for twice as long as they are.

I feel sorry for a lot of international students, many are leaving as soon as finals end, which means they will have been in New Zealand for about 4-5 months. They can only travel during weekends and spring break, unless they skip Monday and Friday classes. I highly recommend taking two semesters abroad. You get the feel for things, discover a lot of different activities to do the first semester, and then continue your favorite activities the next semester. You also get a feel for the country as a whole better, by experiencing all four seasons, which radically changes the experience. You also have three months off in between semesters to do whatever you want.