Hey! We're going to Fiji tomorrow... Just wanted to catch up before heading out of NZ. We have absolutely loved this country! Excited to get to Fiji to relax in the sun and get certified scuba. Only 3 weeks until we are in the states. We are looking forward to seeing everyone in CA and AZ and can't believe we will be home in Chicago in 5 weeks. Love you all and thanks for taking this amazing  journey with us! Love you!Publish Post

These are the Karekare black sand beaches.  Not only was Xena: The Warrior Princess filmed here, and the Oscar winning "The Piano", but Eddie Vetter almost died in the monster rip of the surf while visiting.  I'm not sure if he wrote "Black" because of this, but one can dream.
Kelly hitting one of her first golf balls in 17 years.  The form is nearly perfect... nearly. 
The Bridal Veil Falls near Raglan
Auckland from a distance
Our residence for the night
The Running of the Sheep, a very big deal in Te Kuiti.  This was hilarious... it was the big event of the year, supposed to be 2,000 sheep pounding the streets like The Running of the Bulls.  However, most of the sheep found an escape route leaving a mere 250 to run the streets for our enjoyment. 

These are the dolphins at the Bay of Islands in the very north of NZ

The "Hole in the Rock"    Aptly named if you ask me.
Two idiots

These are the Hot Sand Beaches.  If you are a geology buff, ask me some ?'s about this one.  If not, just know that hot water rises through the sand every day, both 2 hours before and after low tide and it is damn hot!
I took a picture of this guy's ass.  So sue me
This is gonna be a bumpy ride





WE LIVE !!!!!!!!!

This one is fun because this is the big picture in those people's experience, but I was excited and therefore make up the background of their photo.  I'm not sorry!

Kelly loves the taste of fresh mountain river water... especially in her nostrils

Mt. Doom, from a whole other side. This is the view from the Tongariro National Park, one of our recent Great Walks  
The Emerald Pools, aptly named as well. One of the highlight of the walk
The Red Crater

Hello all! It feels so good to finally be caught up with blogging. Sorry it's been so long but wifi has been a bit hard to come by. We just arrived in the North island yesterday and are staying in the most fabulous place ever! Tomorrow we plan on heading to do another Great Walk and then hope to do a class 5 white water rafting trip in Rotorua. We have been having a great time in New Zealand. The bungy in Queenstown was the biggest rush ever. We had such a great time visiting with our friends Naomi and Michael in Chirstchurch. Thank you so much to them for their hospitality and delicious meals! We also throughly enjoyed our wwoofing experience with Dave, Kirsty and Jessie May. The people of Little Wanganui and Karamea were so welcoming and so much fun. It was truly our home far away from home for a couple weeks. We are leaving for Fiji on April 7th and then head back to the states on April 26th. We are really looking forward to seeing all of our friends and family in California and Arizona before heading to Mexico for Molly and Trevor's wedding. This has truly been an absolutely amazing trip and we feel really blessed to have been able to experience this all. 

Also, Momma, I know this is a little belated, but we can't possibly thank you enough for everything while you were here. We had such an amazing time with you and Eddie! Thank you! Love you!

Abel Tasman

Kayaking in the Abel Tasman National Park

Bird sunning itself
The scenery was beautiful
The Split Apple Rock 
Our rental car/bed
Bri still sleeping in the morning... looks comfortable, huh?

Milford Sound

Sleeping seals
Double waterfalls at Milford Sound
Our cruise ship that took us on a hour and a half tour of the sound

Queenstown

After our 134 m bungy jump (over 400 feet). In the background is the hanging tin box that we jumped from
Oh God Oh God Oh God
Preparations
The point of no return
Made it back in safely
Getting ready to jump, peering over that ledge is insane!
I think he's ready. This is the only time in my life that Brian has admitted to be nervous about anything. I was freaking out

Little Wanganui

Our last day at the Little Wanganui Hotel where we wwoofed (willing workers on organic farms). I worked behind the bar with Kirsty while Bri worked in the kitchen with Dave. Our duties included housework, feeding the chickens and pigs, collecting eggs and minding their 4 year-old, Jessie May, who's pictured with us above
Jessie May drinking a beer
Partying with Dave
Helping Eugene tend bar

Takaka

Bri recovering after our 80 k Heaphy Track. Notice the best Jenga ever in front of him
The sunset in Takaka, where we finished the walk

The Heaphy Track, the longest of New Zealand's Great Walks

This is what I thought of the Heaphy. I'm wearing a garbage bag to try and protect myself from the freezing rain. It could have been a beautiful walk but it was cold, wet and windy about 70k of it! Plus we did it in 2 1/2 days instead of the recommended 5 days. We literally limped to the end
Bri found a cave
Crossing one of the many swing bridges on the trek

Little Wanganui... again

Back at Little Wanganui, after a night of fishing We are eating the snapper we caught sashimi style, raw with wasabi and soy
Dave cutting up the fish
4 of the 8 snapper caught that night
Al sending out the fishing buoy. There are 26 lines with hook and bait attached. They send the torpedo out for about an hour, then bring it in and see what was caught. 
Our clothes have never had a better view!
The sunset at Little Wanganui
Jessie May was our tour guide to the caves and arches at the Oparara Basin
Bri and Jessie May in one of the big cave
I took a good picture
The Little Wanganui Pub
Bri built me a cake for my b-day...sharing it with Dave and Kirsty
Bri's BIG gift for me on my bday. It was really sweet. Inside was an assortment of cheeses, wine, razors, peanut butter, tim tams (the best chocolate treat) and a celebrity magazine. 
Our neighbor, Tony, had a bit of a fishing accident
Playing on the beach with Jessie May and Sami, their puppy.