To sum up New Zealand

Highlights:

Getting to stay with a friend as soon as I landed. I makes the whole experience that much more enjoyable when you are that far away from home. Thank you Dani. You are always welcome if you decided to visit Washington D.C.

Bungy Jumping off the Auckland Bridge for a wopping 40meters...2 times. As much fun as it was to just run off the platform, it's much more enjoyable doing a bungy the traditional dive off.

Getting to see both the Pacific Ocean and the Tasmanian Sea in one day.

Looking into the cone of a volcano. Even though the whole thing was grassed over it was very obviously a volcano I was looking into.

Taking a mud bath in the middle of winter outside. It was like being a little kid all over again sitting in a really big puddle digging around for the mud then smearing it all over myself.

Getting to see a Maori show, including the Haka which is a Maori war dance. Trust me it's really intimidating with them sticking their tongues out at you and opening their eyes all wide. I'm not talking about joking sticking their tongue out. I'm talking Kiss like sticking their tongue out. But then after learning some dances and some games the Maori play we got to have the best meal I've had this whole trip, a Hangi. Oh it's making me hungry just thinking about it.

Getting to hike (Tramp) the alpine crossing of Mt. Tongoriro, a still active volcano. This was huge for me. I'm not much of a hiker but not only did I climb up this mountain thinking at a time that I would never make it, but I did it all in the snow. Go Me!!! Plus it was worth it just to slide down the side of the mountain on my Bum.

Joining Stray where I met the best people on this trip: Colleen, Laura, Robert, Ian, Freddy, Anna, Maria, and of course Cougar.

Going to Able Tasman where I got to kayak for the day in the Tasmanian Sea, then I got to Hang Glide over it.

Franz Josef where I got to climb a glacier. I got to see snow and ice so pure you can't believe it till you see it. I was slipping and sliding through pure blue ice crevices and tunnels, and I even going to do a little ice climbing to get out of one of the tunnels.

Doing yet another bungy but this time the tallest in New Zealand and probably one of the most famous in the world, The Nevis. Just look it up and then you'll understand. This was a 134meter drop, that I nearly chickened out of, but I didn't and it's a very proud moment for me to look back on.

Getting to veiw Queenstown on a perfect day from the top of a mountain. It really is the most beautiful city I've been to. You can't get more perfect than to have mountains all around you.

Going to the Rugby Match in Dunedin with the All Blacks vs. France. It was more so the atmosphere and the people I met especially meeting Roger, Henry, and Kelly from California. Despite being sick it's one of the best sporting events I've been to.

Taking a cruise along Doubtful Sound. The purness of the green hills all around with only water seperating you, is better than perfect. I had even better because of the layer of snow. I have to stop just to catch my breath just thinking of the place. (I know that sounds chessy but it's so true. That place is what heave must be made of.)

Going on a Lord of the Rings tour. I got to learn so many facts not only about the movie, but about the behind the scenes, and the books. It almost makes me want to try reading the books again, and I definately can't wait to watch the movies again to point out all the places I've been.

Lastly, getting a taste of England, and getting me excited about England, in Christchurch.


Ok, so now for some observations I've made.

The land is perfect green even with it being Winter.

Everyone is so nice and patient. The info people just want to tell you everything they know. Most hostels I went to, they knew my name and remembered it, and no one got annoyed with all my questions.

At a bar, you order and pay at the bar, then you take your seat and they will bring you your food.

Toilets have two buttons. One of them flushs, you pick. The other, who knows what it does.

The main means of transportation around is by bus. Nakedbus is the cheapest backpakers bus, but there is also the Intercity bus. I just think it's funny that I rode on the Nakedbus, and no, no one was naked, at least not that I knew of.

New Zealand seems to want to be known as the land of extreme sports. No matter what city you go into, big or small, there is as least a poster, usually more, for Sky diving and bungy jumping and at least 3 for some kind of water sport.

New Zealand must pride themselves on all the natural disaters of their country, especially in the North Island. It's all about when this volcano erupted, or this flood happened, or check out the number of earthquakes we've had in the last year because we are right on a fault like. Everyone seems to love talk about them.

The ocean here is nothing like I've ever seem. It's the color of what you would expect paradise oceans to be. It is blue, I mean perfect blue, with some turqoise spots.

They do everything on the wrong side of the road. Not only do they drive on the left and have the driver on the right, but when walking along you pass people on the left. That threw me off more than the driving.

Well, welcome to a little sight to my thoughts. Hope you enjoy them. I will soon update from the land down under.