Fun is.

I've re-thought my travel goals, and here is what I am thinking:

• 2011 Munich - Oktoberfest
• 2012 OZ / Fiji
• 2013 China and / or Japan
• 2014 Africa

I will also be throwing in some domestic / continental plans. Talks about getaways to the Caribbean, visits up to Montreal, maybe another run in Vegas? Lots of amusement parks, roller coasters, hiking, mountain biking, skiing... you name it.

Fun is.

NZ: day 7

Day seven, we were back on our early morning routine to get on the coach for some traveling. We headed north west out of Queenstown and aimed for our final destination of the day, Franz-Josef.

One of our first stops was a gorgeous waterfall. We'd seen so many thus far on the trip, but this one was different. The water rushed down so hard that there was an apparent motion effect. If you stared at the water for about 30 seconds, then look at the ricks right beside it, the rocks look like they are stretching. Pretty cool.

After that we continued on the road. There was one portion where there were many long, one lane bridges. We often had to pull over an wait for other cars or coaches to pass. we always made sure to say hello to the boys who drive the Kiwi Express buses... although they had a very deserving nickname...

More crazy street signs.

Around noon we arrived at our first stop for the day - Fox Glacier!

We boarded our helis and prepared to hike on top of the glacier.

When we were inside, there were headsets for us to listen to the pilot talk, and more importantly to down down the loud thumping those things make!

We got a tour of the glacier from above...

and finally landed at the helipad on the ice. Here is my friend

Lisa coming out now.

It is crazy windy when those things come in. We all had to crouch down on the ground so that the wind would not take us away on the slippery ice.

We were then fitted with crampons and off we went!

We had two guides for our group. Once we got a little up the glacier, one of the guides stopped and gave us some glacier 101. He explained how they are made and what makes Fox Glacier so unique.



What is that you say? Well, most glaciers move around a couple centimeters a year. They crawl slowly across land. Fox Glacier moves at a rate of 6 centimeters A DAY! It's the Lambo of glaciers!

Because of the speed, the guides say that the glacier is different every singe time they hike it. Here is a few looking upwards, just as the sun was trying to peek out.


We continued to hike along the glacier...

..saw some cool sights... and yes, that IS my cell in my hand! lol


Then I had a moment of sillyness! There was a small cave that was large and slippery enough to slide down... I went for it!

As you can tell by some of the comments, everyone thought I was nuts!

But it was fun and I did it. Yes, I was cold the rest of the time, but it was worth it.

Unfortunately there was a big muddy puddle right in the middle of it. I got a little dirty!


and here is our entire group that went hiking that day.


After the hike, it was a quick ride over to Franz-Josef, which is another large glacier in the area. We stayed at a cool rain forest lodge. The rooms were quite basic, but it was all that we needed. A lot of people partied that night, I ended up having a quiet night, playing cards and talking with a few friends until it was time to go to bed.

NZ: day 6

The last full day in Queenstown.

Believe it or not, I don't have a single picture from this day! So any pics I post were found on the internet.

The morning started our early, again. I had another adventure packed day, first off Jet Boats!!!!
When we arived at the river site, we were given some instructions by the crew, and quickly boarded the jet boat.

These boats go through narrow cannons, skip over sandbars and do 360 degree turns at high speeds. I really enjoyed the ride, although it was only about 10 minutes long. It was fun, and I laughed hysterically the entire time.


We did have our pictured professionally taken, but none of us liked how they came out, and they were quite pricey, so no one bought them.

After the very quick, but exciting ride, we walked over to the rafting site. we were fitted with wet suits, life jackets, helmets and boots. It was time to go Whitewater Rafting!!!

As a majority of our group made their way into the buses, two of us stayed back and got onto a separate van. We were arriving at the launch site in style, by heli!

The heli ride was quick, but quite nice. We flew over the river, along the ravine. At one point we saw the teeeny bus, far below on a narrow, windy road. I was very thankful to be above it all, having the birds eye view, instead of the bumpy bus which probably would have given me motion sickness!

We landed, then had our safety lessons before dividing into groups and meeting our guides. Each boat held 6-8 people. We had a fun group, and I was fortunate enough to be able to sit in the front, along with my heli buddy, Vercoe.

Our guide quickly gave us the basics and we were ready to get into the water. The entire trip was quick, maybe about a 2 hour trip. We went through a few sets of rapids, I believe the highest we went through was category 4. It did not really compare to my rafting trip in West Virginia many years ago. Although there were some interesting experiences. We rafted through a narrow cave, where the boats were just barely narrow enough to fit in - we had to pull in our paddles and only two could direct us along. At the end of the tunnel was a small waterfall and a set of rapids to follow it. That was quite a finale for the rafting trip.


Afterward we again saw some disapointing photoes, and did not purchase any. The above pic is a stock photo of the waterfall we went over. we then peeled off our wetsuits and relaxed a bit. I had a bite for lunch, then headed back into town with a few people.

I had a second attempt at sky diving, unfortunately the weather again prevented flights from taking off. I had my money refunded and gave up on skydiving for the trip.

One of my new friends, Han, she and I walked around town looking for a way to spend the afternoon. We tried to find a spa that would take in any type of walk-ins, but we were unsuccessful. Eventually we headed back to the hotel and did some laundry.

I showered up and headed back into town to go up the gondola for what seemed like the millionth time. A number of friends were jumping from the Ledge site, which is where I had my 3rd jump the previous day. we all laughed and cheered on everyone's jumps, then went as a group back to the infamous Fergburger.

The rest of the night was spent chatting and having a few drinks, as our last night in Queenstown drew to a close.

NZ: day 4

There was no need to set the alarm for a wake up call while on the ship. In the morning the engines started with a loud roar that got us all up and going. Some of you may know that I have a strange bathroom phobia (specific to toilets) so I was trying to avoid using the toilets at all cost. In the morning I had to cave in, and it wasn't the end of the world... but boy do I hate bathrooms on boats... and airplanes... and trains... *sigh*

Anyway, it was a misty morning and we had a nice hot breakfast while the boat started its cruise out into the chilly Tazman Sea. We took off from Harrison Fijord (snicker) and headed out along the shore to look for penguins. There were a few penguins along the shore, but they were too quick to get any pics of.

The morning was foggy and misty and completely transformed the cliffs from the day before. The number of waterfalls tripled overnight and the fog gave it all an eerie feeling.

We cruised out into the Tazman Sea. The water became very choppy and the boat rocked around a LOT. There were quite a few people who were battling sea sickness. I was one of the crazy few who were on the deck, watching the boat crash with the waives and jumping each time we crested a waive to see how far the boat would travel.

Then I got wet. A few large waives crashed over the front of the boat and I was absolutely SOAKED. Of course this was a small overnight excursion, so we did not have our suitcases with us. My only pair of pants were absolutely dripping wet. One of the crew members was very nice and offered to put my jeans in the dryer. I quickly put on my bathingsuit bottoms and handed the jeans over. This is the result...

Don't you just LOVE this look?

Anyway, we carried on. Back towards the shore to have a sight seeing tour. The mountains were incredibly high, and the waterfalls were roaring. To give you a good perspective, see the ship under the waterfall? That boat was a little larger then the one that we were on.

We then looked for seals, and were successful! There were a few seals just hanging out on this rock. Apparently there are a few seals here almost all the time.

And here is more perspective of how many waterfalls were around us.

We finally returned to shore, and got off the boat. We got back on the coach and it was time to head towards QUEENSTOWN!

As we left Fijordland, the sky cleared right up and it was a beautiful sunny day. We stopped by a HUGE lake to take a few pictures before the craziness would begin...

...it was time for my first bungy jump!!!!

The coach stopped at the infamous Kawarau River Bridge jump site, also called the K-River Bridge. We all piled out. Those who were only watching headed out to the observation platforms, those who were jumping went to check in.

There is this long check in process where they weight you and you fill out tons of forms and literally sign your life away... then walk up to the jump site.

I was not nervous until the very last minute. That only was because I tricked myself out of it. I refused to think about what I was about to do. I merely though of each action as we moved along...

...I'm filling out paperwork
...now I am getting weighed in.
..oh! Time to walk up a big staircase
...boy its nice outside, look at the pretty scenery.
..its warm outside.
...nice old wood bridge. I like how it looks.
..wow look at all the equipment up here...

hello nice man.
I have a big number written on my hand. Which side do I go to?
...ok, time to get hooked up
(this is my new friend Bec getting fitted with her harness)

Then it was time to wait until my turn. we filed into one of two lines, based upon our weight. I started to get a little nervous, but I was still ok. They were blasting Queen's Greatest hits, and I distracted myself by singing along a bit. I chuckled when "Another One Bites the Dust" came on. Then I laughed even harder when "Who Wants to Live forever' came on.

Then it was my turn. I sat on the ledge, as I was hooked up... yes, that is me on the platform right there. Props to my friend Han for capturing a few great shots...

Then the big moment....

Yea, I freaked out a little. But I did it. I was scared, I did not want to let go of that little handle next to me... then I did not want to let go of the guy who was talking to me. I don't even remember what he said to me. I just remember calm whispering in my ear.. and him saying to look out into the distance and not down.

I finally let go of the bridge. He counted down and in my head I said "F*CK IT!" and jumped.

It was exhilarating. The free fall was amazing, but the kick back and swinging around was just thrilling and felt great.

Next thing I knew I heard a voice yelling "grab the pole" and he sounded miles away. I looked around and saw the pole right in front of me. I grabbed it, and I was slowly lowered and guided into the raft.

I laid there and basked in the afterglow.

The guys in the raft asked me how I felt and if I liked it. I remember telling them that it was better then sex.

When the unhooked me, he asked me to do a sit-up so that he could get me at a better angle. I looked at him and said "what's a sit up?"

lol - yea, I was out of it. He then said, look at your knees, and that made so much more sense.
They asked me where I was from and used what became my tag line for the trip "you know ESPN? It's broadcasted from my hometown" The guys liked that line.

The raft went to the shore, I climbed out of the boat, thanked the guys and headed up the very rocky gravel path in my bare feet. Ouch.

After we all jumped, it was back to the coach and up to the hotel. We checked in, had a little time to shower and get ready to head out to dinner for the night.

There is a mountain gondola right in Queenstown. At the top there is an observation deck, restaurant, luge track and The Ledge... more on all of those for day 5... but tonight we had dinner at the restaurant.

View from the gondola


My gondola partners...

Lisa and Katherine. Yes, Katherine is a ginger, and we all decided early on the trip we would help her find her soul while in NZ.
And me and Katrina.

Of course I had to take one of my infamous self portraits!


The restaurant housed a HUGE gourmet buffet. I had prime rib, lamb, chicken, fish, sushi, TONS of veggies

a bottle of Sav Blanc...

and DESSERT!!!


Yea, afterward I thought I was going to POP! We ALL ate and ate and ate. But the good news is that later we went to a bar and danced and danced and danced until we were all drippy with sweat. At the very least I burned off the calories.

At the end of the night I took a taxi up the hill to the hotel, and was in bed at a relatively early hour (around midnight) and it was cloudy out so still no Southern Cross.

NZ: day 2

We had an early wake up for a hot breakfast before our first day on the coach. I quickly learned about some foods that are common in NZ and OZ - but not so much back in the states. There were recognizable foods like scrambled eggs, lots of fresh fruits, toast and coffee... but there were also roasted tomatoes, baked beans, maramite, and 'bacon' - I put bacon in quotes because it was not 'American bacon' - it was a slice of ham. I asked some of my new Aussie friends what was the deal with baked beans at breakfast. For them it is a common breakfast food. I explained that we have it as a side dish, more commonly for cookouts, summer meals, picknick, etc. I tried a little of everything and was reminded that I really don't care for baked beans. For fruits there were also peeled plums and LOTS of kiwi - which were both very tasty.

We piled onto the coach and took a quick scenic tour of Christchurch - which is called 'ChCh' by the locals. We were shown some government buildings, botanical gardens, shopping areas and lastly, the most known landmark in Christchurch - the cathedral. We were given about an hour to check out the downtown area before we had to head off.

The first thing I did was head for the cathedral. It was consecrated in 1881, has a rose windown and wooden ribbed ceiling.

I paid $5 to climb to the top of the spire. The entry was guarded by a heavy coin-operated door. I went through the narrow door and climbed up the narrow, windy staircase to the top. Once I was at the top, I needed a few minutes to relax because I was so dizzy from the assent. There were four observation decks, providing a 360 degree view of the city. Here is what the Cathedral looks from above.
After returning back to the ground, I still had about 45 minutes to discover the area. I saw that some markets were being set up. I browsed the shops, making mental notes of what was available and the prices. I ended up purchasing 3 carved bone necklaces, one for myself and two for gifts. I knew that there were multiple Maori symbols (more on the Maori later in the trip) that were of significant meaning. I picked out a fishhook for myself since its purpose is to protect the wearer and bring good luck, especially during travel. I browsed a few shops, until it was time to board the bus and move along.

Our next stop, two hours later, was the teeeeeny town of Geraldine. Geraldine is home to the worlds largest jersey. It's even listed in the Guiness Book of World Records.


I did not specifically look for the jersey - but since I was right in front of the 'museum' I decided to pop in and take a look. It was totally a gimmick to get people to come into a wool shop. As you can see the jersey is on display right in-between shelves of sweaters and the like.

While in Geralidine I had my first NZ styled fish and chips. I chose a grouper and it was VERY tasty, although quite greasy and the newspaper it was wrapped in got ink all over my hands. I had it made 'takeaway' which is the term they use for 'to go' - in fact, the few times I said 'to go' I got funny looks from the merchants. I suppose when people from OZ and NZ come to the states they get a funny look when they say 'takeaway'

On the way back to the coach I saw a fudge shop, bought myself a piece of blueberry fudge and climbed back on for more travel time.

The countryside was dramatic from the very start. We drove through areas of highland ranching, with countless sheep and cattle roaming the mountains. In the background we could see the Southern Alps, stretching high above the country, snow-capped year round.

The dramatic mountains are attributed to the fact that NZ is right on the intersection of two tectonic plates. The Pacific plate is pushing under the Australian plate, pushing those mountains to the sky and leaving for some un-stable and volcanic activity below. Hundreds of earthquakes happen per year, but many are not felt because they are so far below the surface.

Our next stops were the three large glacier lakes on the Southern Island. First up was lake Tekapo. Since Highland ranching is an essential part of Kiwi life, herding dogs are treasured. In front of Lake Tekapo there is a bronze statue, paying homage to the Shepard dogs of NZ.



Our tour guide, Sarah, offered a contest. The first traveler to run off the coach and dunk their head into the water would earn free admission to an ice bar we would be going to when we were in Queenstown. Ben, a young Aussie, ran off the coach and won the competition. We all learned quickly why it was a contest - the water was just above freezing - and remains that temperature year round.

The lake had a very rocky, unstable shore, which we all explored. It was very windy, and a bit chilly as we all explored the shore.

The glacier lakes are such a bright blue because there are many minerals that were ground down and reflect light in that manner.

This is one of my favorite self-portraits from the trip. I just love how the wind is blowing my hair into swirls!


All around the lake, and throughout the countryside there were lupins everywhere. I took the opportunity to get some shots close up.

The Church of the Good Shepard is tiny and sits right along the lake. It's said that there are gorgeous views of the lake form inside, but there was a wedding going on as we were looking around, and could not go inside to see.


We then headed to the next glacier lake, Lake Pukaki. In the distance is Mt Cook, but its difficult to see since it was cloudy. Mt Cook also has a Maori name, Aoraki. Many areas in NZ have both English and Maori names. Mt Cook is the highest peak in the southern island of NZ, measuring at 3,745 meters (12,316 feet).


It was time to board the coach again, and make our way to our home for the night. Along the way our bus driver, Danny, would honk the horn and explained that he was encouraging 'sheep aerobics' by getting them to run around in the fields.

We finally arrived at Lake Ohau, which was a small, older lodge with spectacular views of the lake from the back deck. We ended the night with dinner, drinks and getting to know each other a little better.

NZ: day 1

I spent the morning wrapping up a few things for work, finalizing my packing and a quick waxing session before heading out. I was tired. Very tired. I did not get to bed until somewhere around 3am and had to attend a teleconference at 9am.

Before I knew it, I was driving my Jeep into my grandfathers garage, getting my bags into my Dad's truck and hitting the road.

We talked quite a bit on the way to Trumbull. I talked about some of the things I was looking forward to seeing and doing. I left out the fact that I was planning on doing 3 bungy jumps - I figured that would be better information to share afterward.

Dad surprised me with some cash. He had gone to AAA and got some NZ and OZ cash exchanged for me in advance.

Next thing I knew, we were pulling up next to Brenda's car and saying our goodbyes. I had a small bag that was going to serve as a purse and document holder. It broke as soon as I saw Bren. We brainstormed on how to fix it, then headed inside the mall for a bite to heat.

After a trip to Johnny Rocket's and Target, we were ready to hit the road. I was antsy to get to the airport, and traffic is so unpredictable around NYC. The lack of sleep started kicking in, and no matter how hard I tried, my eyes were getting heavier as we got closer to the airport. Then we were there. JFK's international terminal, and looking for the Qantas signs.

Terminal. Such a funny word. I really hope my flight would not be terminal!

Anyway, bags out, time for goodbyes and off to check-in. The process went quickly. I had one (very cheap) bag to check in and my hefty backpack crammed with everything and anything that would keep me entertained for all those hours or flying. Time to go through security, browse duty free and find my gate.

I was tempted to do a little shopping, but refrained. first of all, I was not eligible for duty free shopping while at JFK, since my first flight was domestic. I browsed the shops and thought of things I might like to buy, then found the gate. I had about 3 hours to kill before my flight boarded. I found a comfy chair and parked.

I was tortured the entire time. Right in front of me was this funky Best Buy vending machine with Nintendo DSs, iTouches and any other small electronic gadget that might help you kill some time during long flights.

I reluctantly refrained. I also stared longingly at the bar right night to the gate. I thought one beverage might be god to relax, but then one would turn into two... two might turn into three and who knows how I'd feel by the time the flight came around.

I pulled out my book and red. A lot. When I boarded the plane, I read more. By the time I landed in LA I was about 2/3 done with the book AND I had watched the movie UP, and made friends with a cute pair of Aussie twins who gave me some tips for my time in Sydney. I think I somehow stopped time in order to get all that done.

LAX was an interesting experience. We landed in a domestic terminal then were shuffled onto a shuttle bus and brought to another gate then finally our plane. That is when I saw all the freaking HUGE planes everywhere. dozens of 747s and the new double-decker airbuses all around.

Freaking HUGE planes. Especially when you get used to DC-10s for the past few years.

Met a few Kiwi's and other random people on my flight and waited. It was now 11pm (pacific time) and I had been awake since 8am Eastern time... with only 5 hours to sleep the prior day.

I have to give props to Qantas. They were a great airline to fly with. As soon as we sat down they gave us schedules for the flight... dinner, snacks, hot cocoa, sleep time, fresh juice, water, fruit, duty free shopping, breakfast, time to land. Mind you there were also about 30 movies to choose from and almost as many TV channels and radio stations. Lots to keep you busy for all that time.

I was worried about that long flight from LAX to Auckland. Would I need to use the bathroom a million times? I hate airplane bathrooms, they always smell because people pee all over them. I hate climbing over people... but I'll never turn down my favorite window seats. I cocooned myself up, was utterly joyful that no one was in the middle seat. I read, I ate my meals, had a glass of wine, slept for a few hours, watched Harry Potter HBP, read more, slept more, watched The Hangover, had breakfast and got ready for landing.

There was no need for me to bust out the iPod and all my puzzle books. I was able to sleep and was not bored. Next thing I new, we were landing in Auckland around 8am the following day.

I had no Thursday November 19th. *poof* gone. It was now Friday the 20th.

When we landed in Auckland I could not help but giggle a little. Hartford has a larger airport then this!!!! We got off the plane, went through immigration, customs, bio-hazard / quarantine and I declared every freaking thing I could think of. I had to answer a few questions, my passport was stamped then I was off.

Then it was time to answer the universal question. I was now in the Southern hemisphere... time to put that Coriolis Effect to the test! I found the first bathroom and was quite sad to see that the toilets were different then in the states. First of all, they had two buttons to flush. That utterly confused me, but there was no tank and it was hooked directly to the pluming. I figured that this was due to it being an airport/ high volume location. When I flushed, there was no swirling of the water and it all went straight down. Oh well, I would have to test the theory later.

Luggage time. I was nervous because it took SO long for my suitcase to come off. Most of the passengers had already collected their bags and left... but I was still waiting. Beagles were around sniffing our bags and making sure we weren't carrying anything prohibited. I finally noticed that amongst the very few people who were waiting for there luggage was another person who came from JFK with me. That gave me a sigh of relief.

Finally I spotted my luggage on the carousel, and headed to my next gate. Yes, another flight. I had to walk about 15 minutes to the domestic terminal, but I did not mind. I did get a bit warm and was nervous that I'd be hot my entire trip, but I plugged along and got to the little domestic terminal and checked in my luggage.... AGAIN.

I was so thirsty I had bought a HUGE bottle of water and only drank about half of it at this point. when I got into the domestic terminal I saw that the only lounge was after security and I had a huge water bottle with me. I started to think about what my options were... drink it down, throw it away, wait outside in the heat. Then the security guard waived me on and I showed him the water bottle. he told me to come through. No taking off shoes... no going through my toiletries. Just scan my backpack and go.

That was VERY different then any security in the states.

Then I had 3 more hours to kill before the last flight of the day, Auckland to Christchurch. I found and internet connection and checked my email accounts. The Egg was on line and we chatted a bit. It was nice to chat with him, since I'd been going though some Egg withdraws before I left. I also was hoping that the trip would help me get the Egg out of my brain for a bit... but more on that in later posts.

Time for the last flight. This last flight was on a smaller (if you can call a DC-10 small) and for the first time I felt motion sickness. This would become a common feeling through out the trip. I popped some Dramamine and ate another in-flight meal... I swear all I did was eat and sit for 30-something hours. I was getting tired of it already.

Landed at Christchurch, got my luggage, called a shuttle and went to the hotel! Almost there!

I checked into the hotel. It was a weird set-up. One wall was all windows, and I was on the ground level. The curtains were open and I felt like I was on display. When people walked by I felt like I was supposed to waive at them or do tricks. I finally shut the curtains and gave myself a little sanity.

My first roommate for the trip came in. She was a nice Korean girl who had been living in Sydney for the last 13 years. Her accent was hard to understand at first, but I finally adjusted and we spent a good deal of time together. She went to explore the city. I wanted to shower since I felt DISGUSTING after all that travel and sweating in my clothes.

The shower was less then desirable but it was WONDERFUL. It felt so good to be clean again... refreshed and ready to explore..... the bar.

It was 4pm and I had to meet my group for 6, so I did not want to leave the hotel. I went into Speights Ale house, ordered a lovely porter and took in the scenery. It was a warm, breezy day. People were on the deck chatting. I sat at a table and just took it all in.

OMG. I was in New Zealand. I was half way around the world from home. It was a different day, a different season. The language was the same, but the accents I had never heard. I decided to order a little food. I ordered an 'entree' of venison kebab on a pita with fresh salsa and hummus. It was amazing. I had another Porter with it.I wasn't feeling homesick, it was too early for that. But I felt off. I don't quite know hoe to describe it. Then I looked up at the TVs in the bar. I saw that ESPN was on, and there was even a commercial for the company I work for. That put a smile on my face... like it was a sign that home was still there. Go have fun, it will all be there when you get back.

6pm rolled around quickly and it was time to meet the group. I was introduced to the tour guide, saw a LOT of young faces. It was easy to tell who was traveling with friends and who was on their own. We all did some paperwork and talked to those who were nearby. The accents made it easy to tell who was roughly from where. I quickly made friends with two guys from San Fransisco, Jack and Jim. Jim and I hit it off well rather quickly. We were snooping at every one's paperwork trying to figure out where everyone was from. We quickly learned that there were very few Americans on the tour and the Aussies were on full overload.

This was a good thing.

After our little meeting, everyone pared off and went separate ways. I joined a small group in the bar and talked with a few people in the group. This is where I met Ruth from Perth who just graduated Uni and was going to go into agricultural veterinary practice (her name was easy to remember, because my grandmother's name is Ruth). I also met Luke and Dean - who are brothers. Luke is an agricultural vet and will be moving to the UK in a few months from now. I thought that was a crazy coincidence to have two vets right there. Dean was going to Uni still.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the term 'Uni' that is like saying 'college' in the states. But people don't often commute to Uni - its goes with living on or near campus... whereas in the states when you say 'college' they can be either living there or commuting. I also met Michael (who knows card tricks and bears a strong physical resemblance to Jack Black, but cuter) and Stewie... Stewie came to be the adopted little brother to many of us. He's from Sydney and just barely turned 18 right before the trip. We sat together for a few drinks, and I ended up eating again because I was STARVING for some reason. Come to find out 'entree' is equivalent to an 'appetizer' in the states. I thought my kebab was small and I then understood why I was so freaking hungry again!

We sat at a table outside, it was warm and the sun did not go down until late. It was well after 9pm and it was still dusky. It finally grew dark close to 10pm. I got sleepy and headed back to the hotel room to get some rest.

It was going to be an early rise to have breakfast then bags to the coach for 730am.

I get by with a little help from my freinds...

...both IRL and non-IRL friends!

Now that I am in the homestretch to my big trip (54 days! eeeks!) its time to get down to business. My time in NZ is all planned out for me, since I will be joining a tour. My responsibilities around NZ are 1) how to get to JFK 2) keep myself entertained (or unconscious) for 24-26 hours on an airplane 3) get my luggage and 4) get to the hotel. Everything else from Nov 20 (still think its weird that I loose Nov 19th) through Dec 3 is planned out for me.

I am staying an additional night in Auckland on Dec 3rd, then traveling to Sydney Australia for 3 nights (4 days)

The Sydney leg of the trip is 100% my responsibility... lodging... traveling... things to do... all me. So I have been reading my guide books, websites, sending out emails to tons of people... and have finally got my lodging booked. I wanted to try a hostel, so that I can learn to see if this is a good way for me to travel in the future, but I was nervous. I was not sure about cleanliness, safety and comfort in general.

I found a hostel that had great reviews from many locations (including from people who actually LIVE nearby.) So my choice was good, but will I like it? I am going to sample by only staying one night. The next two nights I am going to be in a hotel. I searched high and low... then I found the gold mine. A five star RIGHT in the harbor. Great reviews on this place, and I am paying a bit for it - I think it will be worth it, since I will have roommates all throughout NZ and in the hostel. 2 nights of alone time in a high-end hotel sounds quite nice to me.

So my list of things to do is still huge, but it's getting smaller.

Next task... plan out all the activities!

The Bite Deepens...

I've always been an adventure and adrenaline buff... but supervised and under control. I make sure that I don't hover too close to the point of loosing control of whatever I am doing, but sometimes I do. I love to drive fast (although I don't do it with any one else in the car) and I especially love heights. A couple years ago I rode a class 5 rapid series in West Virginia, and I am not afraid to travel alone. So now I think it's time to put those two together. I know I've mentioned my travel bug... and its biting harder and harder right now.

I've been poking around at the different Contiki trips. When I traveled to Italy in 2006 it was through them. Since I had such a good experience, I am quick to travel with them again - especially if I am traveling on my own...

Anyway, its time to combine the adrenaline junkie with traveling. I found this baby. Actually... I found three versions of the same thing. So I am thinking of November or December of this year - then it will be summer over there... and hitting the country. The trip includes skydiving, multiple bungee jumps, jet boats, white water rafting, horseback riding, sky gondola ride, sky swinging, river riding, tubing in an underground cave, spelunking, TRAPEZE COURSE!!!!, ZORBING!!!!, LUGEING!!!! 4x4'ing, bush walks, and helicopter flights.

Seriously!?!?!?!! What's not to love??? I'm so freaking excited about this. My next steps are to figure out prices and dates and book it.

Well, today was a waste of a day - but in a good way! I was SO tired when I got home this morning that I napped on and off almost all day long! I did do some laundry, I actually ran out of clean underwear! For any of you who have seen my underwear drawer, you would be amazed to learn that I actually ran out!

So laundry done. A coupla things done around the apartment, and a huge list of things to accomplish tomorrow.

My friend Dan will be stopping by tomorrow to help me move a dresser from my Aunt's apartment to my place. I'm looking forward to getting the dresser, but not looking forward to the move itself. Luckily Dan is a big burly guy who can hopefully carry it up three flights in one arm.

After the move, it will be time for more cleaning and last minuet errands and packing! When James gets out of work he and I are taking off to the DC area for a long weekend.

I'm really looking forward to spending some time with Jess and Olivier this weekend. It's been far too long since I've been down to visit them.

Travel Plans?

SO, I thought I had my next big trip locked down. Then Contiki had to go and announce a few new trips to their repertoire. I am stuck again.

Don’t get me wrong. I am still dying to go to Greece, but will that be my next trip? Or do I have to re-evaluate my decision?

This is the trip I was planning on taking. It’s a highlights of Greece, bus tour, and ends with a seven day Greek Island cruise with two pit-stops in Turkey (hold the mayo.)

But check out THIS bad boy. It’s a little less expensive, but it’s a small boat – really more like a yacht, which hops from island to island in Croatia. How COOL is that? My own yacht with 40-some-odd people. Pretty cool I think.

Berlin, Prague and Vienna would be pretty sweet too! But if I am visiting Eastern Europe, I would want to see Poland as well. THIS trip does not include Poland.

What’s a girl to do? I’ve got me some pondering to do!

Pro: there is only a 30 minute lay over between landing at Gatwick and flying out to Scotland. This means NO checking in luggage. I *so* would not have been able to do that. Nope. And no, a later flight was not all that reasonable, b/c then the layover would have been about 8 hours. Yuck and bigger yuck.

Con: see last post.

I did it. I made my decision and talked with the travel agent. I’ve decided to hold off and go to Greece in the Spring. It’s only 6 months later then originally anticipated.

Here are my reasons:

1. So that I can pay off my debt. I have been working very hard at paying off my credit card debt and if I were to book this trip today, I’d still be counting my pennies and barely scraping by month-to-month. With the salary I make (and more importantly WILL be making as of 7/1) there is NO excuse for me to be living from paycheck to paycheck.
2. Since the debt will be taken care of, I will also have ample time to save up and pay the trip in full prior to traveling. This means I will not end up paying extra money because of the trip balance sitting on a credit card.
3. I will have more time to save additional money, again, not charging my expenses away.
4. I’d like to buy a house or condo in 2010 (don’t laugh – it’ll be here before you know it! We’re already ½ through 2008!!!) Small changes like this will affect my long-term savings plan.
5. More time to LOOSE weight! I will have enough time to get into (and look good) in that size 12 tankini!
6. Contiki discounts 5% if you pay in full 6 months in advance of the trip!

My promises:

1. I WILL stick to my budget. It’s a very detailed budget and have enough “wiggle room” so that I will have some spending money for play and emergencies. I won’t be tempted to stray from THE PLAN.
2. I WILL book the trip in October – as soon as the dates and process for the 2009 tours are announced. Not only will this lock in my price, but it will also keep me honest with myself.
3. I WILL pay the trip in full November or December – just as long as it is 6 months prior to the departure date!
4. I WILL not back out on this trip at any costs…. I AM going to Greece!!! :)D

Additional PROs:

1. This will give me the additional vacation time to take a few relaxing days off and spend time with friends…. I will also have the vacation time to take off around the holidays.
2. I will have the additional spending money to pay for any local (meaning US) excursions I may have in mind….

Buyers remorse settling in….

I know what the right thing to do it… but will I? The financial light at the end of the tunnel is just months away. Between my tuition reimbursement check next month and the generous raise to follow… I’ll be able to pay off my credit cards in no time.

Now why am I playing with fire and booking a trip to Greece so soon?

The trip will set me back $4000 (including airfare) and I am sure I will spend $1500-$2000 while away. That is $6,000 that I am about to just drop without considering my current financial position.

I’ve worked SO hard to get myself to where I am. Is it really that important to go this fall? Greece, as we know it, has been in existence for a few thousand years – what is another six months?

I am seriously considering changing this trip to the Spring and being semi-responsible. I think I need to work up a mock budget and see how this looks on paper.

Ok, as you were all requesting…. Here are my events of the past weekend. It really was a good time. I hadn’t seen Jess in over six months, so this was long due. In addition, I was in desperate need of *something* that would keep my mind occupied for the whole time. I kept thinking that this was the weekend that Daniel and I were supposed to have been in Montreal. I was supposed to see a F1 race for the first time – be part of something that Daniel truly enjoys… and I have always wanted to go to Montreal, but yet have never been…

Anyway since I don’t have a lot of time and it was a busy weekend – I’ll get you caught up to speed with Thursday and Friday. Plus I don’t want to ruin a surprise for a certain someone! :D

Thursday evening I flew down to Baltimore. I took a later flight and landed somewhere around 10pm. We chatted for a while, caught up on the drama that became my life over the past few months and talked about what my future may hold. Since it was late and Jess had an early morning ahead of her, we headed to bed early.

Friday morning I had the wonderful opportunity to sleep in. Olivier and I had a leisurely morning and went to Starbucks for some breakfast. He and I chatted for a while, and I updated him on the drama as well. He only met Daniel the weekend of their wedding. Olivier and I had a nice chat, it was good to get a male perspective on the Daniel situation – and I do feel comfortable sharing and having the occasional grown-up conversation with him.

A friend of a friend of a friend was house-sitting locally. Jess had to work, but I was planning on hanging out in DC for the day. Lynda and I met at a local Metro station and immediately hit it off. We chatted so much that we rode the metro right past our station! We eventually made it back and headed towards the Smithsonian buildings. We strolled through the Sculpture Gardens, posed for some pictures…. Stood inside a giant vagina (dammit, I can hear the google hits already! – pics to be supplemented to the story tonight!!!!) and made our way to the Museum of Natural History. We saw all the dinosaur bones and whatnot. We also saw the Hope Diamond – that was pretty cool. I never realized that the diamond in Titanic (the movie) was based on the Hope Diamond…. I just thought it was a big pretty rock! Lol




Anyway, we then went through the mammal exhibit. Saw lots of skeletons and poked fun at the weird names we’d never heard of. We then checked out a butterfly exhibit that was HOTTER then hell! Ugh, it was awful in there. I was just standing and the sweat started dripping. Ugh. Anyway, Lynda had a butterfly land on he head and park there for quite a while.

Afterwards we walked across the Mall and to the Smithsonian Castle and the Freer Gallery. Before we knew it, it was almost 5 and time to meet up with Jess for dinner and head to the show!

We went to this cool vegan restaurant. I had this yummy rice, noodle and tofu dish. I REALLY need to learn how to prepare tofu, because it was quite tasty AND good for you! Next we headed to the car and headed to Towson to see the show.

The college town of Towson was cute. It looked like a fun town to go to school in. If anyone is contemplating Towson state – I say go for it! Lol

The theater was tiny – and I am glad! This meant easier to see the show. I was concerned because there were not a lot of people and the place was general admission. I thought it was going to get busy and uncomfortable. A few drinks and an opening act later, it was time! Lisa Loeb walked out on stage wearing a comfy looking sun dress. She is so tiny! I knew that she was petite, but I was not expecting THAT petite!

She played so many great songs. She played a few tunes off her new CD, Camp Lisa – but the majority of the song were from Tales. I could have died and gone to haven! She sang Waiting for Wednesday, Stay, Garden of Delight, and of course my favorite… Alone. In fact – the Alone story is pretty cool. She was taking requests. Jess and I screamed out “ALONE” at the top of our lungs what seemed like a million times. I thought she heard us and just was choosing to not play it. She was getting ready to play a song and it was quiet… Jess and I yelled it out again “ALONE!”

Lisa looked towards our direction and said “ooo, that’s a good one” and immediately went into an acoustic version. It was so awesome. She also played a few songs off of Firecracker and Cake and Pie. Eventually the show was over and she went back stage.

There was an announcement that she’d be signing autographs afterwards. Of course I brought my copy of Tales from home… but it was at Jess and Olivier’s house! So I bought myself a new copy and had it autographed. Jess and I also posed for a picture with her! Those pics of course will be up tonight!

Afterwards we headed to a local bar to have a few more beverages and to hang out before going home.