The I-Can't-Think-Of-A-Good-Title Blog

I don't have time to write a whole lot. But don't worry, I'm keeping a detailed journal of what Sam and I have been doing on this Flying Kiwi Wilderness Expedition Tour. It's been an awesome two weeks, and I can't believe we're only halfway done! When I get the time, I'll put in some excerpts from my journal, but I can't now. Just letting you all know that we're still alive and in good health, and having an amazing time. Take care!

950km (580mi) in 6 Days

Sam and I have finally started that FlyingKiwi trip we've had planned since before we left the US. We started on Monday, but it was kind of a bad start because Ashley's car broke down as she was driving to the pick-up point, and we only just made it onto the bus. I felt bad just leaving her like that to deal with poor Jellybean (the car), but I know she understands that we had to take off. At least she had a couple of other people to help her out with the car. I'm really gonna miss that group: Ashley, Sojung, and Martin. We had a good couple of days in Auckland. Hopefully I'll be able to meet up with them later on after our adventure tour.

Anyway, now that FlyingKiwi has started, Sam and I are almost constantly on the road. We travel a long way each day, and I don't mind just traveling by bus over the country. It's very comfortable; we read, sleep, listen to music, snack, etc while the bus goes all over the island. It's very peaceful. We've gone on a bike ride, gone swimming, went to thermal pools, saw some waterfalls, etc. But the best thing we've done so far is a Waka Tour (a waka is a maori war canoe). We learned how to row, do a war chant/expression, and got to witness and be a part of a spiritual ceremony right in the maori guide's marae (a sacred meeting place). It was so fascinating. Most maori haven't stuck to their roots, but there are some groups that keep to their old traditions, wearing traditional clothes, speaking maori as their first language, still performing their sacred rites, and we got to see that on this tour.

There are plenty of walks and bike rides available during the course of the trip, and when we first signed up for this tour, Sam and I planned on doing a lot of that, but to be honest, it's so nice just sitting back and relaxing, not having to worry about transport, accommodation, or food, and just taking it day by day. It's also pretty interesting having to put up and take down our tents every evening and morning. Aside from that, I've been getting a lot of time to think. Lots of things to think about. I'm running out of time, so I'll write a blog about that later.

Other things:

- In about an hour, Sam and I are off to our skydiving. 15,000m (almost 50,000ft)!! Woot!

- It's been over a week since I've been online (it's hard to get internet access because we're constantly on the move). I'm on AIM right now, and I'm kind of sad that no one's online, but I guess it's not a good time, since it's Friday evening back in Chicago, haha. Oh well.

- Christie, I loved that book you sent me. It's been giving me a lot to think about, reflect on, and even pray about. Thanks so much. You don't even know how much I needed it. (By the way, Sam really likes that book you sent him, too).

Sorry if this blog was really random and incoherent. Hope you guys are taking care of yourselves!

|| edit ||
[10:23am Sunday, Jan. 20]

Nevermind. The skydiving had to be canceled because the wind was so strong. 30 knots, the guy said. Dang it. Sam and I were so looking forward to it! I guess we'll have to wait until we reach another spot later on in this tour.

I'm organizing more pictures on my pbase, so go take a look. There aren't any pictures yet from the tour we've been on, but there'll be some from the trip Sam and I took down to Wellington with Alex and Stuart.

On the Wanganui River

Sam and I just finished our 6-day kayak/canoe trip down the Wanganui River. It started up in Taumarunui (see if you can say that correctly), and finished 145km south (90mi) in Pipiriki. It's a pretty cool thing to do, and although it's a canoe trip, the Wanganui Journey is one of the Great Walks of New Zealand. Most of it is in a National Park, so all you see are trees, water, and rocks.

I was really looking forward to it, but honestly, it wasn't that great for me. Not because of the kayaking (that part I really liked), but because of the people I was with. Along with me and Sam were Stuart from England, Alex from Germany, and Trevor and Sheldon from Canada. Yes, I was the only girl. Most of the time I'm okay with that, as most of you know, and these guys were fun for awhile, but they're a bit extreme and the fun was over pretty quickly for me. Swearing all the time, talking about girls they did, and getting drunk twice on the trip. Even if I didn't mind that stuff, let's just add in the fact that it was basically like I wasn't even there. They were more Sam's friends than mine, and I know that if I wasn't there, their trip wouldn't have been any different. Yeah, I know, it sucks.

I started getting the feeling that it wouldn't be that great while Sam, Stuart, Alex, and I were headed down toward Wellington 3 weeks ago, because during that time I started connecting less with them, and when the Canadians joined up with us a couple of weeks later, I knew that I was out of the picture. Every once in awhile, I'd sit there and think, "I need a girlfriend right about now" or "I miss Christie and Cindy." But I guess I'm being really negative.

The trip to Wellington wasn't so horrible. We stopped at a lot of places along the way, and it was a comfortable trip. It was easier when there was just the four of us, and down in Wellington for New Years, we met up with more Hairy Berry people, and the 9 of us celebrated New Years together. Either way, that's all done, and Sam and I are currently back in Hairy Berry for a couple of nights.

We were finally able to open the package last night that you KUPCers sent. You crazy people. My friends here probably all think you're a bit nuts, particularly Bora (what am I gonna do with $1.25USD and a rock?). But thanks a lot for the presents, it was great to open up the cards and presents as though it was Christmas, and I was really touched. A side note though: who sent the bottle of dishwasher soap, and why would you send it? The bottle was empty by the time we opened the box, and it was all over the other stuff. Anyway, we're looking forward to using all the stuff you sent: the ramyun (thanks Geej, we already cooked up a couple), the books (can't wait to read them), the waterproof stuff (wish I had them during the kayak trip), the flashlight/pocketknife (they're awesome), and lotions/cream, afterbite, and bandaids (all to be put to use very soon). I think I remembered everything.. Anyway, thanks you guys! I love and miss all of you.

Dang, there are so many little stories I wanted to post, but it'll take forever. Sam and I are in Hairy Berry a couple of nights (we stopped here on our way to Auckland to pick up the package), and we've decided to head up to Auckland with Ashley (CO/WY) and Sojung (Seoul) tomorrow. It was awesome to see familiar faces here at Hairy Berry. This backpacker really is our home away from home, and it's really nice to have a base to come back to after lots of traveling. Anyway, in Auckland Sam and I are starting our month-long adventure tour on Monday, traveling throughout New Zealand.

Here are some pictures from the past month.

Sam and 3 other guys played War (four times) on Christmas Eve after discovering these plastic guns at the local $2 Shop.

Before we left Hairy Berry, Sam and I left our mark on the wall. Pretty neat design, eh?
Look familiar?
From LOTR! It's the infamous party tree next to the lake in the Shire.

This is from Rotorua, around the thermal pools. Even though the air was pretty cool that day, it was really hot on the bridge because of the steam.

There were a lot of places we went to, and I've got more pictures, but you can see those on pbase once I've got them all organized. With this, I'm signing out and I hope you all had a very good New Years.