New Zealand Update Monday Nov. 26th

So, where to begin really. . .
Saturday Nov. 17-18
The flights went well. The first flight I talked to a guy for several hours and then we watched the move No Reservations together. . . I had quite a good time with him. Seth. Anyway, after that 5 hour flight I had not much of a wait in California (I already forget which city I flew out of, I think it was San Francisco) and off to Auckland North Island New Zeland. The flight was 12-13 hours and I slept almost the entire time. Except for eating, so it was really not bad. I never read a bit of my Stephanie Plum novel! So then a short flight from the North Island to the South and it all went well.
So as for our group. . . I'm with Active New Zealand. We have 11 Americans, 2 Brits, and 2 Germans. Sometimes the Brits are harder to understand than the Germans! We also have two guides, Richie and Ange. Our trip is the Rimu if you want to check it out at www.activenewzealand.com

Monday, Nov. 19th
It's been a week that we've been traveling around together. . . I'm not sure if I can remember everything that happend that far back. . . well we started out with a short drive from the airport to a coastal spot where we had a little picnic- and most of our lunch meals are like that, just outside in front of something really beautiful and scenic.
Then we stopped off at our accomadations and got ready for some snorkeling!!! in wetsuits. It was ice cold water. But imagine this amazing beautiful moutain and then the ocean in front of it and then you get in the water and swim around in it a bit. I shot my whole underwater camera- we saw some seals and picked up an octopus out of the water and we ate two things right out of the sea- kina and paua I think. Not two things I really want to have again. I touched a lot of seaweed. Then that evening we stayed in this little Bed and Breakfast right in front of a mountain and a little creek. Had wine and milled about getting to know one another.

Tuesday, Nov. 20th
The next morning we headed along the East Coast north to Blenheim and a winery where we got to taste a few wines. I wanted to buy a case and ship it home but alas it was $100 just to ship 6 bottles. No wine for Christmas. . . sorry everyone. Forest Estate Winery I think it was called. We learned about the grapes and how if there is a threat of frost helicopters will actually come in to fan warm air down on the grapes. Like herds of helicopters. I'm learning all sorts of useless interesting info like that! Then we split into two groups kayakers and hikers. I was a hiker.
So we headed out with out backpacks to the Nelson Lakes National Park-Lake Rotoiti I believe. A lake infront of moutains again- so we went from this gorgeous coastal region to a beautiful mountainous vineyard region to an alpine lake area. Really I don't know how to express how beautiful it is all over- Just wait till I bring my moutain of film back then you can see for yourselves. . . back to the hiking. This is where it gets a bit embarassing . . . We had a three hour hike in- with our backpacks mind you and I immediately fell behind. I mean, it's partly because I was taking pictures but also partly because I'm not in shape. And most of the other people are runners- triatheletes actually. But Patty was also a bit slower so we met up and walked in together. Stuck our feet in the lake. . . ahhhh. Patty is from Georgia, she is 54- 4 kids I think. And she left her husband at home because he was too busy working. She is an artist and does airbrushing. So, we walked to Lake Head Hut. No electricity, no flushing toliets. . . But man food eaten after hiking never tasted so good!
We eat a lot of veggies here so I'm probably a lot healthier this few weeks than I ever have been before. I've decided I like hummus and real fruit drinks. And they have these little round cracker/chip type things that are fabulous.
So also staying in the hut, which consists of a kitchen, a table and a bunch of bunks all in one big room, was a group of teenage girls. They taught us the game of slaps, and we tried a Tim Tam Slam- which is a choclate cookie wafer that can be used to suck up hot chocolate- Milos is what they're called here. It was all quite primitive and a bit disgusting when you have a bunch of very sweaty people that can't shower but we still had a great time. . .

That's all for now. I think I've been on this computer for an hour. . . I need some very fresh windy windy air and a bit of shopping.