Its been a while since we have last up dated our blog. So we are going to give you a summary of the last month. We have both started our jobs which are going well. Stevie is working in Merivale and I am based in Riccarton.

About a week after we moved in Jenny and Camile sisters from Columbia also moved in. We have also befriended a guy from northern England called Chris. We celebrated Camile's Birthday on 19th January with a bbq. It was that evening that we felt our first earthquake. 4.8 on the ritcher scale. It was a weird feeling. The ground moving and everything shaking. Nothing compared what the poor Christchurch people have gone through, but for our first one it was strange.

We have done a little big of exploring around Christchurch, but nothing major. Loving the shopping in Riccarton Mall. We have been our drinking in the Fox and Ferrett, had meals with work at the Lone Star. Stevie and I went to the History museum to see an exhibit on Captain Scott and look around Hagley Park and the botanical gardens.

In the CBD is a makeshift Mall which was where a popular shopping street once was. They have recreated this mall using Shipping containers of different shapes, sizes and colour.

We had taken Chris under our wing. He is only 19 and its his first time from home. He is a nice guy, but can't cook to save his life.

Stevie works Sundays so Chris and I have a Sunday man day where we start off with a bacon and egg butty and then go man shopping.... We are hoping with more money we can replace the shopping element with an outdoor pursuit.

On the 4th February my Sister Kim turned up with Kerry her girlfriend. We have managed to get them a room in the house we are living in. It helps has now we can do group shopping and have other people to chill and explore with.

It was on their second day that they experienced their first earthquake which was only a 3.8 i think. The 5 of us have headed out at the weekends to the parks for picnic, play badminton and volleyball. We all looked around the remains of the cbd. Its empty and derelict. They have created a few 'space fillers' makeshift pubs and chill out areas.

We have felt a few earthquakes now, so when they do happen we are all use to it so it does not have the exciting effect that our first one did. Although Kim still goes Crazy.

We all cook one day a week now as we have built up a small group. Chris gets worried when it is his turn to cook as he can't cook. which is pretty funny. We spend most of the time trying to talk in his accent because it is funny.

The house is full now. There are 2 Columbian girls, 3 Irish Guy, Fijian Couple, German guy, Russian couple, 4 Philipinos and a Sri lanka guy.

We all hang out together around the house and try and have a bbq when we can.

The Canadian girl who took over our lease in Auckland broke up with her boyfriend so moved down with us for a week, but broke Chris's heart when she went home after a week. 19 and single. He needs a woman, apparently she regrets it now. I guess you make hasty decisions when you go through a breakup.

I was send to Wellington for 3 days with work. It was my first experience to flying for work and them paying for everything. It was a good trip though. In the evening I wandered around the CBD. It was different than our first visit. The city was busy. The harbour was full of joggers and skatters. Rowers were in the water and the bars/restuarants alone the harbour were bustling with people.

On 23rd Feb Stevie, Me, Kim, Kerry and Chris headed to the Hagley beer festival. I was hanging from the night before but couldn't let the team down.

It was huge. Over 100 beer stalls. we got there around midday and it was mega busy. We stuck to Cider most of the day. After a few Ciders we all were up at the stage dancing away to Ahorabuzz, Kong Fooey and Supergroove. It was a brilliant day in the sun. We met up with an English couple Carl and Jo, who I had met through a friend at work. We had a few beers with them before we staggered off home......