The White House

The White House…

Thursday the 18^th of August, we woke up early got organised and checked out of our hotel we walked to port authority and got on the Peter Pan bus at 8am to Washington D.C, very tightly crammed bus but there was free wifi so I wasn’t complaining, we got to D.C about 12.30pm we then went on a mission to get to our hotel, we walked down the street two blocks with all our luggage to the train station we stood staring at the map for about 10mins until we asked for help, only  cost $1.85 and one transfer and we made it to Foggy Bottom, two blocks away was our hotel the River Inn which was amazing! Kitchen, so much space, best shower ever! We were so hot and tired by the time we got to the hotel from lugging our luggage around we had to rest for a bit.

Then it was time to get walking yet again, we headed down to the waterfront and walked along the river to the Lincoln Memorial, what a huge building just for a statue but it was amazing, from the Lincoln memorial you look out over the reflecting pools, except they were all dug up which was kind of disappointing but it was still a good view. We then walked along to the World War 2 memorial and then up to the Washington Monument.

Every chance we got we took a rest it was so so hot and we had done a lot of walking, we couldn’t wait to get into an air conned museum, first stop was the Natural History Museum which was really cool, they even had the bones of a New Zealand Moa!

I really wanted to go into the Smithsonian Castle because I thought there was something exciting in there but turns out it’s a really cool building but it’s just and Info centre. We then went to the Air and Space museum which was fun. But we missed the National Museum of Art it was closed when we got there. After all the Museums we headed to the White House, at this point it started to rain and thunder and lightning, but we toughed it out and we waved to Barack and Michelle and had our photo, we then walked back down to our hotel, found a supermarket and got some food for dinner, the boys made us Nachos, we had a couple of drinks at the hotel then we wandered down the road to Georgetown which kind of reminds me of Parnell or Ponsonby.

Friday, Rach and I woke up and headed back down to Georgetown to go to Georgetown Cupcakes, they have a TV show on the food channel called DC cupcakes so we had to try them I got a lava fudge cupcake it was delish, we then headed back to the hotel to pack up and got back on the train to the bus station and here we are free wifi on the bus best invention ever! Back to NYC talk soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Empire State...

Finally made it to NYC…..

After a long flight (sitting on a stand still plane) I made it to New York, I got a cab and met Rach at the hotel in the lobby was so funny to finally see her again. Then we headed down to time square which was just round the corner we walked past hotel carter and I said oh heaps of people from camp are staying there and next thing you know I see three people from camp Natalie, Katie and Tom it was so bizarre then from the hotel comes Carl, Abbie and Jess was really cool to see them again and how crazy to bump into them in the big apple. We then walked thru time square to T.G.I.F were we met Simon, Leonie and Mike so cool to spend time with New Zealanders they said the word jandels and I expected someone to say no flip flops haha. We then went to a little bar and then back to the hotel about 2am ish.

Day One in the Empire State

We woke up about ten am and headed across the road from breakfast, we then caught the subway from time square down to Spring Street in Soho and walked around Soho, we nearly missed the Kardashian's store it had the smallest signs but we went inside and had a look around, we had to get let in by security and then they had another security guard inside, for a tiny shop it seems a bit extreme but I guess they are who they are and everyone knows them. We then continued to walk through Little Italy basically just a few streets with a lots of Italian restaurants and shops saw a lot of handbags, then we walked through Chinatown not that exciting just a street full of Chinese shops, from there we walked to the Brooklyn bridge which was super busy but it was so cool, we walked all the way to Brooklyn and went to a little pizza place which had a huge queue out the front but Rach and Si had already been so they knew to ring and order, we then got our pizza and headed down the street to Brooklyn Bridge park, we sat in the park overlooking the bridge and the city eating our pizza.

After lunch we then walked back across the bridge and down to the 9/11 Memorial Site where they have a lots of info and artefacts and the plans for what is being built there, it was really sad. We then walked past were ground zero was, it just looks like a giant building site. From there we walked around the waterfront to the ferry terminals and caught the free Staten Island ferry, we went right past the statue of Liberty then on the way back the sun was setting over the harbour it looked gorgeous. By this time we were all exhausted from all the walking we had done so it was nice to sit down.

When we got back to Manhattan we caught the subway up to Grand Central station and it was most defenelty Grand, didn’t realise it was as amazing as it was, for a train station it was beautiful. From there we walked up to the Empire State Building, the queue was seriously long to go up to the observatory deck but we toughed it out and made it up and we were so glad we did it was dark by this time and the city lights were amazing a 360 degree view of the city a definite must if you come to New York. From there we caught a taxi back to the hotel and chilled for a bit, then we headed down to McDs to use the internet, were I bumped into Natalie, Katie and Tom again such a big city yet I bumped into them twice. Then it was time for bed after our long day of walking.

Day Two in the big Apple..

We woke up similar time, got organised and then started walking this time we headed from the hotel up toward central park, we detoured thru Rockefeller centre which was so cool, in winter they had a ice skating rink in the middle, it is a bar in the summer, apparently they have the xmas lights there as well, we walked around then headed down 5^th Avenue, for those who love to shop this is the place to go all the big names, Prada, Gucci, Armani, Harry Winston, Trump Tower, we didn’t go into any shops but it was amazing just to walk down the street and see them all, we then found FAO Schwartz with the giant piano, so of course we had to have a play on it, they had some amazing toys in that shop, a Barbie foosball table if you’re willing for $25,000.

From there we headed across the road to the Plaza hotel Rach and I walked into the lobby it was very fancy if only we could afford to eat there. We then wondered over to Central Park, so amazing a huge big park in the middle of a giant city, there were lots of people there eating their lunch and sunbathing running thru the park, it was nice to walk thru the trees and the fresh air. We walked up about ¾ of the way then grabbed some lunch then headed back down the other side we stopped outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a photo then back into the park to find the boathouse and the mall (frequent movie appearances you’ll see from the photos) we then walked back to the hotel from central park, Rach, Si and Leonie headed down to lower Manhattan to have dinner with a friend and I caught up with my friends from camp for dinner, we went to planet Hollywood then to an Irish Pub.

Off to DC now will update asap, ps on the Bus to DC using the internet weird free WiFi loving it!!! xxx

Florida

Longest road trip of my life, went to this weird little area called South of the Border which was south of the border for South Carolina was so colourful and had some weird crazy shops and big Mexican statues (photos will explain). Then we got to Rachel’s apartment in Gainesville about 9.30pm and chilled out watch a movie then went to bed, the next day we went tubing down a spring which was so cool, we hired but inner tubes and literally floated down he river it was so relaxing and the water was delish as it was so hot, it took about an hour and a half but was so nice to do the water was really clear and there were lots of turtles along the way so a wicked day. We then headed to Rachs Uni the University of Florida and walked around and checked out the Swamp which is the football stadium it was huge, and was seriously hot this day. We also checked out the basketball stadium and pool complex very very flash. We then drove to Tampa to Rach’s dads place and we got some food and then went for a swim in the pool, the next day we all slept in late which was awesome so nice not to be told when we needed to wake up. So Friday we just chilled out by the pool all day was so relaxing and so hot thank god they have air con in the houses! Friday night we had drinks and played drinking games finally got to play beer pong which I had never played before and my team won! 

Saturday we had another nice lie in then we just chilled out as the weather wasn’t the greatest in the evening we went to a mall right in Tampa which was massive and really really flash and we then had dinner at a restaurant called the Cheesecake factory had a nice bit of steak which was really good! Sunday we went out for breakfast more like brunch then we headed to the beach, the weather said the temperature felt like 103 deg f which is so hot, the sea water temp said it was 31 deg Celsius and it felt like it not like the sea at home where it is usually cold to get into this was like stepping into a bath it was really nice though. We then went home and got showered and went to another beach to watch the sunset and had dinner at a restaurant on the beach was really nice, then just chilled out back at the house. I packed my suitcase ready to go in the morning!

Monday woke up got organised then got dropped at the airport got my flight from Tampa to DC fine then got to DC and got my connecting flight got on board taxied out onto the tarmac and sat on the plane for two hours then we went back to the gate and they told us our flight was cancelled so we had to get off the plane wait in a huge queue and re book our flight so I did all this re booked for the 6pm flight got on the plane and here we are sitting on the tarmac and have been for the past hour I was meant to arrive in NYC at 4.20pm today yet I am still in DC on a plane arghhhhh seriously frustrated. Apparently there are storms in NYC and I heard someone saying the subway was flooded so that is obviously why we haven’t arrived yet but hopefully we will get there tonight fingers crossed.

To be continued …………………………………………………..

Last week at Camp Emerson

Saturday we had our normal scheduled day and for our evening activity we had gold rush like first session except this time I got to stay in the lower camp section so no bandits stole my money. I was in red team this time around. Sunday again we had normal classes and then for evening activity we had cultural night, so during rest period Anna and I made Anzac biscuits and afghans ( we had people asking us why we were making racist biscuits haha) then after dinner we went back to set up our table we also had a bag of pineapple lumps which everyone loved, I had my NZ tattoos from home that I put on everyone especially those who had already gotten Australian ones, and we had a video playing of the haka so the dining hall was basically set up with different stalls all our of all the different countries. After that we all had to sing our national anthems so Anna, Tom and I sung ours but the music was so slow we were out of time most of it but it was fun.

Monday thru Thursday we had normal classes again one of the evening activities we had gladiator which was were all the hillcrest and explorers ( the oldest campers) dressed up and we had to battle them in different games so all of the daises Bunk A and Bunk B (my bunk) had to verse a few gladiators, was really fun but we got rained out (a storm was meant to arrive). The other nights we had a lower camp girls pool party but I had to lifeguard the hole time but that was ok, and we had another talent show which was really good one of my girls told jokes which was super cute and there were some other awesome acts.

Friday it was pack up day, we had a sleep late and then we packed all the kids stuff we had to help most of them but at least they didn’t have as much stuff as the 4 week girls. Then we had a free swim and it was then time to get dressed for banquet this time we went as gangsters, we had Marv’s diner for dinner at banquet again, then after banquet we went back to bunk and got changed into our club Emerson outfits, having the little daises we only stayed at club Emerson till 11pm then we went back to bunk and the girls had a bit of a slumber party and put their mattresses on the floor.

The next morning the explorers woke us up at 6.05am instead of 6.30am and they were so loud this time much louder than the first time around. Then it was time to go to breakfast then the kids that were going on buses left so yet another big tearful goodbye on the basketball courts, all of my girls got picked up by car, so we had a kind of visiting day from 11am till 2ish. After all the kids were gone we started packing up our areas we got in canoes and dragged the big inflatable toys around the lake back to shore which was actually kind of fun!!! We then had our last staff dinner together which was delish nice bits of meat was very good! Then we had our last staff party at club chameleon which was a really good night out as always! Then we got back to camp about 11.30pm ish and we did karaoke in the dining hall.

Sunday was the final clean up so we all headed to our areas and we just had to get all the pool stuff put away which didn’t take too long then we helped out the other areas and had a really good lunch, after lunch we were able to pack up our things and finish cleaning our bunk, then it was another goodbye, saying bye to all the staff which was really sad as I don’t know if I will ever see some of these people ever again so there were a lot of tears.

Then it was time to road trip to Florida…………………………………………..

Last week with my Junipers!!!! Hello Daises

Saturday and Sunday we had our normal scheduled classes, Monday was our day off we got a van and went to Albany not Albany on the North Shore, Albany in the USA. We went to a mall and hung out as the weather wasn’t the greatest.

Tuesday was our last day of normal classes, which was good we played games and gave the kids free swim for most of the period.

Wednesday morning I woke up at 3am to someone dropping some letters in our doorway, we all knew it was colour wars the next day so  I knew it had something to do with that, when I woke up I gave all the girls their letters and we opened them they were from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry telling us we had been accepted to the school with the term beginning on the 20^th of July. Everyone was very very excited even more so when the Harry Potter music played over the loud speaker around the camp, we then headed up to the dining hall where there was a giant sorting hat on the front porch, all of the campers then got called up in groups to determine what house they were in. Then lastly the councillors got called up and we headed into the dining hall which had been set up like Hogwarts, I got put into Gryffindor house we had our red capes waiting for us at our tables.

Our captains were then announced the Gryffindor captains were Anna and Jaime, we then headed back to bunk to get changed into our house colours mine were red and yellow, two of the colours I don’t really own, we then went to our house meeting points and worked on some chants and songs and things like that.

Then we split up into groups lower camp girls etc and went to the activities for the day, we did this all day, like volleyball, quiddich , dobby sock hunt, protect your pin, puzzle, chess and all sorts of things.

The next day was much the same, we had a tri wizard tournament in the morning with a relay race at the pool and lake which I had to lifeguard for then other activities in the afternoon, we then spent the rest of the time working on our fight song and finishing the banner, we also had to set the dining hall for dinner that night. After dinner we performed our fight songs in front of everyone and presented our banners and skits. Then the winners were announced, Hufflepuff won but everyone had an amazing two days, they were the freaking hottest two day we’ve had at camp it was rather disgusting actually, after all the kids went to bed, we went down to the pub for a much needed drink and to celebrate Tanya’s birthday!

Friday morning we had a sleep late and breakfast in bed was a pity it was soo sooo hot and we couldn’t actually sleep in. Then we got breakfast delivered to our bunks, then it was time to start packing all the girls up, luckily I didn’t have to help as the bunks were stinking hot, I had to lifeguard instead so the kids that were staying could go swimming. After all the kids were packed up  we had a bit of a rest hour or two then we got ready for banquet, all the girl counsellors dressed up as hippies and the boys were dressed in Togas. After the dinner we went back to bunk and got dressed for club Emerson underage club pretty much, was so much fun dancing and the rock bands played, my girls bed time was pushed out till 12am, they didn’t actually get to sleep till about 1.30am and I’m pretty such Ildi and I were asleep before them.

Saturday was sad, we got up and had breakfast then went back to bunk to get all the girls backpacks as their luggage had already been collected and everyone met on the basketball courts and It was a crying session for about an hour while the buses left then my last girl went home by car. It was so weird I didn’t have any kids to look after I didn’t really know what to do with myself. I then moved bunks back into C bunk which is where I started during orientation. Then headed to the pool to lifeguard for the rest of the afternoon, then we all went out for dinner with the kids.

Sunday I got on a bus at 6.15am to White plains to collect some kids, pretty cruisy morning when we got back to camp I had to find the rest of my new little daises. Super super cute they are 7, 8 and 9 years old. We did swim tests and tours for the rest of the afternoon, then it was time for dinner.

Monday we had normal classes but the afternoon got rained out, same scenario Tuesday normal schedule but there was a huge huge storm that hit at like 2.30pm we had to get all the kids up from the pool to the dining hall then it started hailing and the power was surging few freak outs but was fun. So we spent the rest of the afternoon in the dining hall. Wednesday was day off we just went to a mall and to the movies just chilled out then came back to camp.

Thursday we finally had a full day of classes, our evening activity was campfire and overnight four of my five girls wanted to sleep up in the hill so I had to sleep out as well, had more smores which were yum, sleeping in the tent not so much we didn’t have any mattresses or anything we were just sleeping on the tent floor, then we woke up at about 6.30am and got ready to head back down to the bunks, and thank goodness it was a sleep late I jumped back in bed and slept till 9am then we were brought breakfast in bed. Today we are going to see the smurf movie yay super excited.

Saturday normal classes again!

 Photos on facebook take to long to upload on here!

That’s all for now can’t believe camp is nearly over its so weird!!!!!

Week Three

Monday we had normal classes, so hot though!!! Monday night it was our night off we went to Lake George which is in New York State we got picked up from camp at 9.30pm by a yellow school bus, it was only meant to take two hours to get to the lake but we didn’t get there till 1amish or something like that. Our bus driver was awesome we had rinks on the bus it was basically like a party bus, until we realise we had taken the wrong turn and had been driving for about 30mins in the wrong direction. We finally got to our hotel and everyone crashed.

On Tuesday we got up swam in the hotel pool then walked down to the lake which was about a 5min walk. We all had breakfast then wandered round the shops. It was too hot so we found the “beach” edge of the lake where there is sand and lifeguards which I found crazy hahah. Never find this in NZ, the water was delish super refreshing, we hung out at the beach most of the day then a few of us got went on a ferry ride around the lake which was wicked, took an hour and a half but we got dinner on board, really nice relaxing sail around there are some amazing houses on the lake with big water garages with all sorts of toys!!! After the ferry we got back on the bus and headed back to camp!

 On Wednesday we had normal classes again, our evening activity was the talent show which was cool to watch some very talented young kids at camp!!!

Thursday was trip day again, middle camp went to Jiminy Peak which is a ski field but in summer they have rides and things, they had a vertical bungee and a ropes course an alpine slide (luge) and what they call a mountain coaster. It was kinda crazy to begin with as the kids all just ran off but they stuck together well we got to join in which was fun!!! Then we got the bus back to camp.

This morning was an exciting morning, we got to go to a private screening of Harry Potter and the deathly hallows part 2 in 3d, it was awesome, our 3d glasses were even in the shape of Harry Potters glasses which I obviously kept haha, the 3d was weird though it was different to NZ’s 3d stuff. We got back to camp and had lunch then we had a normal day after lunch our last period is finishing at 8.30pm tonight.

Normal classes again today, evening activity is middle camp play Wiked Maddie a girl from our bunk is the lead so very very excited to see her perform tonight.

Better get back to my last period, can’t believe there is only one more week with my girls left gona be sad when they leave!

Will attach photos later!!

Ciao xxx

Can’t believe the kids have been here two weeks!!!!

The first week flew bye very quickly we got into our normal activity routine; everyone has to come to the pool so we see everyone. I have 1^st period lifeguarding, 2^nd teaching middle  camp girls which my bunk is in but I don’t teach any of them, 3^rd period I have lifeguarding then we have lunch and afterward rest period . All the counsellors are split into two groups for days and nights off A or B then for rest we are split into four groups so on rest periods we can actually see some of the A side. After rest period we have 4^th period and I teach lower camp boys, then 5^th period is my period off and then I teach upper camp boys in period 6.

 The first week at camp we just had normal routine one day we had a storm day, after breakfast we got back to bunk to clean and then a storm arrived which meant we had to stay in bunk till lunch time everyone was very very hungry and restless, each bunk had to be picked up by the vans and driven to the dining hall, we then had lunch and watch the 1^st harry potter movie.

Every night we have an evening activity the first week we had Wacky volleyball, minute to win it ( it is a game show in the usa you have a minute to play and win the activity), we had a pool party, friendship bracelet making,  lip sync. Every bunk got given a glee song and we had a few nights to practise and make up a dance routine to the song, then one of the evening activities we all performed them our song was only the good die young, we didn’t win middle camp but everyone thought we were second, very funny night especially seeing all the boys dressed up and dancing!!!

Monday the 4^th of July we had normal activities the after lunch we had a water carnival which we had to work, we had three stations, the pool, the slip and slide and the lake. We got to participate though every half hour we had off, finally got to try out the toys in the lake climbing the iceberg was a lot harder  than I thought, but it was fun! Went on the zip line as well and failed miserable fell off right away. The slip and slide was fun although I got a mouth full of soap at the end. That night we had a bbq and eat outside, then we had fireworks for evening activity which were awesome we went down to lake Emerson and they let them off the dock while we sat on the beach.

That night it was B sides night off , with day off the next day, we went to Pittsfield and got a motel, there was about twenty of us, the next day we went to the lake and hired a pontoon boat and drove around the lake for an hour jumping off the boat and swimming it was nice and relaxing, then we chilled out at the Irish bar/restaurant on the lake till 5ish then we went to the Berkshire mall and had dinner and looked around the shops then headed back to camp. Tuesday the rest of the campers had carnival day were each bunk had a stall each out bunk did munch kin munch were they tied mini donuts to string and people had to eat them without using their hands.

Wednesday we had normal activities, Thursday we had trip day A side was off so it was B side counsellors on, middle and upper camp went to a roller skating rink, I haven’t roller skated in such a long time I did get the hang of it eventually but it was the hottest place so people didn’t stay long on the track.

On Friday we had normal activities then during 4^th period a storm came so we had to evacuate the pool and we all headed to bunk, then we were in bunk until dinner, evening activity was just watching the 2^nd harry potter movie.  Then the lower camp performed their play in the theatre which was Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory it was very cute!!!

On Saturday it was visiting day! We had normal breakfast then cleaned our bunks until 11am which is when all of the parents and siblings etc arrived, the staff had an early lunch and then headed to our activities, the kids showed the family around camp and could use the pool or lake if they wanted to show their parents, we didn’t have many people in the pool but the lake got busy in the afternoon as it was a gorgeous day! At 4pm we had an assembly were some people performed then It was time for the parents to leave and say bye. We then had dinner, after dinner we had the best evening activity GOLDRUSH!!! Everyone in the camp got split into four teams  Red, Yellow, Blue and Green, we had to dress up in our respective colours and they had paint which the boys decided to cover themselves in! Then we all set up out on the soccer field where they had scattered lots and lots of pennies and big plastic coins, we had a few mins to collect as many coins as possible then we started again we did this a few times there were also bandits and sheriffs the bandits could steal from us and the sheriff protected us!!!  I was in Blue team and unfortunate the green team  won. We then headed back to bunk and had bunk party all the parents brought bucket loads of candy so we ate as much as we could then they came around before bed to collect it all, we are Bunk F and by the time they got to us they all ready had four big black rubbish bags full of candy.

Sunday we had normal activities and middle camp had a camp fire and camping only two of my girls wanted to camp out. We had songs and smores up at the camp fire they were delish!!!!!

 Anyway normal activities again today it is scorching hot!!!! And then it’s our night off tonight and day off tomorrow!!!!

Lots of love to everyone xxxxxxxxxxxxx