Pretty and not so pretty.

Okay, now I'm really going, but wanted to give you at least a couple visuals from my trip so far. :)

And just so there's no misunderstandings - I am having a great time.

Sorry about the photos...

So I added a few more pics, but accidentally added some duplicates. Sorry about that. I'll add more variety when I get to a faster computer lab. I do have some nice ones now.

I also have more to say, but will have to do it another time. This place is about to close and I'm going to go grab some food. Getting up early tomorrow and driving to Napier. Hoping to get there in time to join a wine tour. I'll let you know.

Climbing and driving.

So things are going well in NZ. I spent my last night in Auckland at a friend of a friend of a friend's place. It was great. My host was extremely accommodating. He gave me a comfy bed, good directions,travel advice, a nice conversation and he even cooked me dinner. Thanks Robyn.

I left Robyn's place in Westmere, Auckland early Thursday morning. I took the bus down to city center where I got my rental car. I decided to rent because it gives me the most flexibility as I go. Which is especially nice since I'm not really sure where I'm going. So I got my car and drove south. I needed to be in Rotoura by 5ish, but had plenty of time to get there, so I took my time and stopped off at Mt. Maunganui. I had a nice lunch by the water followed by a hike up to the summit. Now I had done some walking in Auckland, but clearly that didn't get me in shape. The supposedly easy hike to the top nearly wiped me out. I made it, but was totally embarrassed each time I was passed by joggers and the elderly. It must have been jet lag. In any case, the hike was beautiful all the way up and even better at the top.

After returning back to the ground I treated myself to an ice cream and I was on my way to Rotoura. I was pretty proud of myself for being such a good driver. After all, I was in a foreign country, driving on the left with the driver's seat on the right side of the car all by myself. Well, things were going well. Stupid round-a-bouts. I'm not exactly sure what happened. Although, I'm pretty sure it was my fault. And after we pulled off to the side of the road, the scruffy kid laughed as he explained that it was my fault and that I cut him off. "No worries," he said. Sure, no damage to his car. He had a big truck with those huge black bars all over the front bumper. They protected his vehicle, and put a pretty good dent in the side of mine. Hmm. Well, it's a rental. I have insurance. Lesson learned. But now I'm even more nervous in the stupid round-a-bouts.

I'm here.

So I landed in Auckland without a problem. In fact, the flight over was actually quite nice. It was only half full, so I had an entire row to myself. It was wonderful. I had dinner, took a sleeping pill, layed down and we were there.

I took the airbus into Auckland. The first thing I noticed was how incredably nice everyone is here. Including the bus driver, who got me exactly where I needed to be. I was meeting the girl I planned to stay with for the first couple nights at her office at town hall. I arrived a bit early, so I grabbed some coffee and started flipping through my guide books. I decided to check out the Sky Tower. It's the tallest self standing point in the southern hemisphere, I guess a couple meters higher than the Eiffel Tower. And as it turned out it was just around the corner from me. I also thought it may be a good way to get my bearings. The views were great. Even though I knew that Auckland was surrounded by water, seeing it all was still a bit surprising. And because the Sky Tower is in NZ, it was no surprise that people jump from the top about every five minutes. So that kept me entertained for a while. I think the Sky Tower is worth a visit, but I have a feeling it's a tourist thing. Kinda like the Empire State Building in New York. The locals just don't go up. But that's okay. I'm not a local.

I met Deborah at her office as planned. I met her on couch surfing. I don't think I've posted anything about that yet, but it's a great site that allows travelers to meet and stay with locals. Check it out if you like. couchsurfing.com Anyway. Deborah is nice. We grabbed lunch and then I left my bag at her office as I wandered around. I'm not sure if it was me just being tired or overwhelmed or what, but in general, I was not impressed with Aucklalnd. At least not my first impresstion. It seems like an average city, nothing really standing out. I had been told this before too, so maybe that was scewing my opinion. I'm not sure.

But the next day, after a good night's rest, it seemed better. I walked all over down town. Again, all the people I ran into were extremely kind and helpful. Then in the afternoon I took the ferry over to Devonport. It's an older part of Auckand. I had a lovely afternoon over there. It was a much less typical city. No McDonalds, Denny's or Starbucks. So I hung out there for a while.

Today is my last day in Auckland. I'm getting a slow start. It's been pouring all night, so I'm not too anxious to get out there.
I rent a car tomorrow and drive south. I'm going to try to get town to the glow worm caves before heading over to Rorotura before dark. So that's the plan. I'll check in again when I can. When I get a chance, I'll upload more photos on my link. Although I did add a few yesterday if you'd like to take a look.

Okay, I'm off. More later.

Dreams

So does it count as a reoccurring nightmare if the nightmare occurs three times in the same night? Well the other night I had a dream where I woke up on the morning of my flight and I wasn't packed. I hadn't even started. I think I was confused about the date or something. I was so freaked out. I rushed to the airport in a tizzy with a half-packed bag. But I missed my flight anyway. I woke up a bit frantic. This happened three times.

I guess I've been stressed about packing. I'm actually a little embarrassed about how much I've let the smallest stuff get to me. For instance, I got this new pair of sneakers. I ordered them online. They fit great and they're incredably comfortable. However, the color is a little lighter than I expected. It's really no big deal. But I got myself all worked up thinking I'll be the dorky American spotted a mile away in white shoes. I'm lame. I know. I scuffed them up a bit, and they're much better now.

All the new liquid travel rules have been a bit of a challenge, too. See, I'm trying not to check a bag. I'm just taking one backpack with a detachable day pack. And packing it is no problem. It's the one quart-sized bag with 3 oz or less that's giving me issues. I had no idea how many liquids, gels and lotions I use on a daily basis. Let alone three months. But after a bit of research and advice, I got some great travel products. Paper shampoo, paper laundry soap and paper hand soap. It's pretty cool. I'll be washing my hair with a piece of paper that looks a little bit like one of those Listerine breath strips. I haven't tried them yet. I'd better do that tomorrow. Check out flight001.com for the cool stuff.

Well anyway, I did a packing test run and it looks like everything will fit. Even the liquids. And I won't look like a dork. At least not any more than I do every day at home. I feel much better. No more nightmares. Last night Vinny Chase gave me a back massage. I should watch Entourage every night before bed.

Well, I moved.

Here's my new place. Cozy, don't you think? That's where all my stuff will live for the next few months. Can't wait to see where it'll be unloaded. Your guess is as good as mine.

So I left Atlanta for the second time. I was ready, but it still makes me sad. I love the city. And all the people in it. But I'll be back to visit. And who knows, maybe someday I'll move back for a third time. You never know. I certainly don't have a master plan. Maybe one of these days I'll map one out. But probably not.

The last couple weeks have been all about moving. I moved into a POD and then I drove down to Baton Rouge to help I my sister and her new fiancé, Alex move into their new home. So needless to say there's been a lot of lifting, cleaning, painting and sweating. But we did manage to squeeze in a bit of delicious fun at the New Orleans' landmark, Café Du Monde. Pretty yummy.


So now it's back to trip planning. I leave a week from Saturday. But really, I've given up on planning. I'm just going to show up. I'll figure it all out when I get there. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?
Please don't answer that.

Australia is a lot to tackle.

I mean, let's remember folks, Australia is not only a huge country, it's a continent. That's something I sort of forgot until I really started thinking about it. I knew I wanted to visit Australia. I always have. And what better time then on this big trip. But when I had to choose actual dates for when I wanted to be where, Australia threw me for a loop. I want to see as much as possible, but I'm trying to allow myself time to really see things. Spend enough time to get a true taste of the local culture. Or at least do something memorable so I'm not in a tail spin the entire time. SO. I decided to make it simple. Two weeks - two locations.

First is Melbourne. I've heard it's a wonderful city. Modern, young and lively. It's also an advertising city, so it'll be good to see what it's all about. After spending a few days in Melbourne, I'll fly way up north to Cairns. I chose Cairns because it's a great spot to explore the Great Barrier Reef. It's a tropical city lined with beautiful beaches and an amazing sea life. So that's where I'll be. I signed up for a 5 day class where three days will be on a boat. It looks amazing. Check it out if you like: http://www.prodivecairns.com/5daylearntodive.html

There you have it. I'll be exploring Australia's city life and sea life. I have a feeling both will be beautiful.