Photo Oppt! The Pretty Places I have been

Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown

Ship Creek, Haast, South Island

Milford Sound, South Island

Nugget Point, South Island

Lake Pukaki with Mt Cook in background, South Island

Milford Sound, South Island

Kakanui Beach, South Island

Hollyford Camp, Fiordland, South Island

Hahei, North Island

Fiordland National Park, South Island

Good-Bye to the Dream!

The season of Living the Dream has come to an end. Soo Long My Old Friend. It been filled with beautiful sights and even more beautiful people. Oh the memories that will live on.

Bestest Easter EVER!

It was an Easter unlike any other. My mom and Carli in New Zealand, Dr. Eddie, and to honor Jesus' rise from the dead, the resurrection of tonsillitis.

I had gone to the Doctor the day before, but the antibiotics were not reducing the inflammation of my tonsils, making it more and more difficult to breathe. To say I was a miserable bitch is an understatement. I told the Doc to chop my head off at the shoulders. He replied I would need to sign a consent form before they could honor my request.














Dr Eddie's Illustration of my tonsils

I had to get blood tests to determine what I had, which apparently means Emergency room in this country. I was a little freaked out. The nurses were nice. I was treated within the first half hour being there. They let me sleep in a room until the results came back and gave me a warm toasty blanket. The most unnerving part of all of it - no NYPD in the corridors, no gun shot wounds, nobody dying. WHOA! Where the hell am I?

The blood tests were to determine if I had viral tonsillitis or glanduar fever aka MONO.

Carli: "You freakin' hussy! Stop making out with Irish boys!"
Me: "Sorry, I couldn't help it. I promise I will never kiss another boy."
Dr. Eddie: "Well . . . .that's a bit extreme."
(mom just laughing in the background)

I had viral tonsillitis. WooHoo! A shot of steroids and I get to go home!

I began to slap the back of my right hand as the nurse walked in "This is where the ROIDS go." "Dr. Eddie said you were entertaining . . ." replied the nurse.



Carli: "Ok less of this [being in the hospital] and more of this"

Hey! Let's Jump Out of a Plane.

Favorite quote about New Zealand from Carli:

"Does anyone have a real job in this country? They are either jumping off sh*t, taking pictures of people jumping off sh*t, or taking pictures while jumping off sh*t themselves"

So here are the pictures of all the above :)

Carli and I climbing up to 13,000 feet

Mom preparing to be the first out of the plane.

Mom is the first to check out the view of Abel Tasman

Carli!

Bye Bye Plane!

If you are gonna jump; JUMP!

Day 2 of Mom and Carli in NZ: Bungy Jumping at Nevis. A 134 meter jump, the 3rd highest in the world with an 8 second freefall. Oh Snap!

Carli hesitated at the ledge and flashed her 'I need my mommy' look to us. The bungy attendant had to ask her to let go of him repeatedly. He told her to pick a rock on the horizon and lean forward as he counted down from five. " five, four, three . . . " he pushed her.









Mom jumped like she was waiting her entire life. Look at that form! Perfect Swan. She came back up the platform hooting and hollering " Whoo! Whoo! WOO! I felt like a bird!"






As for me, this was my second bungy at Nevis and coincidentially I am wearing the same thing in the first jump. Here it doesn't matter how many times you do it your adrendaline is still rushing as you waddle up to the ledge.

Carli Quote: "After Nevis, all other bungy jumps are like stepping off the curb."

Fancy Dress Party in Queenstown

For our last trip through Queenstown, we decided to have a 'fancy dress up' party for our finale dinner at Winnies. Many of our passengers popped over to the local Salvation Army to find some inspiration. I, too, found my outfit at the Salvo, but I still looked too normal. So I had to spice it up with my mom's travel pillow.

Drew (tour driver) was completely freaked out. Couldn't look at me with out cracking up and walking away. It was an eventful evening with many highlights. Guys shouting at me that I was a terrible mother as I sipped my wine, a woman giving me the worst look as I bellied up to the bar to order a drink, and I gave birth to the red travel pillow on the side of the dance floor.

Mom and Carli Visit New Zealand

Queenstown is Mom Approved!

My mom tried to surprise me by bringing my best friend / sister Carli to NZ, but I foiled their surprise in the Queenstown airport bathroom. Wah hahahaha! I know your airport routine Missy! And I sniffed you out like a german shepherd searching for cocaine.

It was still a surprise, just a little less impact outside the bathroom stalls, but still a delightful sight.

April Fools!

Awe, look at the happy group of tourist enjoying the sights of Milford Sound. Isn't that a pretty waterfall in the background? What a great idea . . .let's take a group photo.

You know what is an even better idea ?!? Let's convince the captain to steer the boat into the waterfall.

HAHAHAHA!

Wet Zealand : One F'ed Up Trip

Yes, we were cursed on the second tour. I can honestly only think of two . . .maybe three days without rain.





























But what doesn't kill us makes up stronger. Right?? Well, the challenges kept coming.


First: a stubborn steering column that tried to be fixed by three different mechanics.




Second: if you are going have a flat tire, might as well go all out. Now that is a shredded tire. Fortunately, through the ingenuity of one of our passengers, the spare tire was on in twenty minutes and we were back on the road.

Third: now that the steering wheel and tire is fixed, let's go four-wheeling at the the Mount Cook Department of Conservation, clip a rock, and peel the door outward away from the bus. AWESOME!















"I don't know how to fix this . . . . I'm a banker. I just buy a new one," said Tommy, our Swiss passenger.

After unhinging the door, the guys tried a variety of methods to 'fix' it including "Maybe if all of us stand on it . . ." After many attempts, the door was bent back into a 'usable' state via the pressure of our 2 ton trailer.

We had to use our ratchet straps to secure the door as best as we could until we could get to a bus mechanic to properly fix it. We were soo ghetto.

Despite the road 'obstacles' and weather, everyone kept in good spirits and had good time. Our dysfunctional relationship with the bus was half the fun.

AGW = Amature Glacier Walkers

That's what Ruben and I thought the acronym on our borrowed beanie meant. Actually it means Alpine Glacier Walker; not nearly as exciting.

But either way, we are HARDCORE, fearless Fox Glacier hikers ignoring the warnings and signs of how 'dangerous' the area is.




















Maybe its like the Chinese restaurant. Um . . . I'll have #24, the one where I get washed away after being knocked unconscious from glacier ice. Oh, I get a free soda with that? I'll have a Sprite.

Crossing the RiRo

After previous attempts, I finally got the opportunity to join the crew and hike the Tongariro Crossing; a 19.5 km moderate hike through alpine scrubs, volcanic rock formations, and tropical forest.











It was on this hike that Ruben, won my heart as my most favorite passenger of the second tour and possibly all time. Think the Dutch version of John Gara. (Yes! that good.) As we were climbing the steepest part at kilometer 7 to get to the cloud covered crater, he peered over my shoulder and asked "Have you ever seen Britney Spear's music video 'I'm not a girl not yet a woman?', I think it was filmed here . . . " I turned around laughing and he was off, climbing up the mountain signing Britney at the top of his lungs " . . not yet a woman . . all I need is time . . "













And the singing didn't stop there. That beast of a climb inspired further sing-along moments including 'Aint no mountain high enough' and 'Hallelujah.' We also asked Jesus to send us a sign if we should continue and at that moment the holy spirit texted us about Vodafone's BestMates promotion. Jesus and I are best mates. I didn't know he had a cellphone ?!?!

#1 Cycle I have ever done.

On the first tour, I convinced 8 people to join me on a 58km crack of dawn cycle to Mount Cook from Lake Pukaki. It is probably the most beautiful cycle I have ever done in my life and I have a few cycles under my belt to make that statement.


Half of the ride was riding along the lake. Fortunately we got a break while helping a farmer herd his merino sheep on the road before the killer ever-so-slight incline towards Mount Cook. Well worth it though.

Most Favoritest Passenger - TIGER!! Grrrrrrrr!

"Hello I am Terry and this is my harem" referring to the female passengers waiting at the pick-up point for the bus.

Terrance 'TIGER' Roberts, the 74 year-old Australian legend and token dirty old man of the trip. I knew he was trouble with the smell of 30 year-old scotch on his breath as he proclaimed that he just won the Melbourne Cup after 'mounting' a female passenger who was kneeling over a blue tarp. "Giddy-up Horse-y, WooHoo."

Despite his lack of social graces, this former air force navigator and brew master for Fosters is an inspiration taking on a grade 5 whitewater rapids in Rangitata and skydiving 13,000 ft in Abel Tasman. Go TIGER go! He frequently said it was his best vacation.

America Tri-Force Reunites

Somewhere between Haast and Fox Glacier, the Gordon's Outdoor Shop three-thirds of the Americans reunited randomly on the side of the road. Our crew was slowly making its way back to the bus after their glacier swimming romp in Thunder Creek when I looked up and saw these two fools. Mario and Rachel were traveling counter-clock around the South Island, while our group goes clock-wise. Mario being his calculating self, figured that day would be the day that we would cross paths, but who knew we would both be at a stop. Running into them made my day. See you two stateside :)

Karaoke Night

We always have our farewell/hello dinner at Winnies in Queenstown, but this time it happened to be karaoke night. The song books were passed around the table and my rendition of Whitney Houstons "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" is nowhere near it's public debut. My voice resonates so much, I could knock down two out of three of the little pigs' homes and 99% of the time I am lip-syncing the hymnals in church.

The MC sang her heart out to encourage all to participate and finally she had a willing volunteer singing Rod Stewart's "Maggie May." He was amazing and had the entire audience's attention. Our group closed the books and sank into their chairs when we noticed the whispers of our Irish passengers. This drunk Irishman wailing out "Maggie I wish I never seen your face" is a well-known Irish popstar that won "You're a Star," the Irish version of American Idol, a few years back.

Click on George Murphy's pic if you wanna watch him on YouTube.

Those who jump together, work together or . . .are just plain stupid. In this case all apply.

Being a professional Bungy Jumper with one previous jump under my belt, I was keen to have another go at it when Drew (my 'co-worker' who drives the bus) suggests jumping tandem.

I was nervous and convinced we would collide, be knocked unconscious, and drown in Waikato River. We took the plunge, leaping from a 154ft platform. Never had a team building exercise like this in Grad School.



Side note: this bungy jump station was Drew's summer job in high school.

On the Road Again

Today I start my new job with a Adventure Travel Tour Company going everywhere in New Zealand. I am very excited to look at the stars, ride my bicycle, sleep in a tent, and live by a campfire.

Since I will be on the road, I will not be updating the blog until the beginning of February, but you are always more than welcome to comment, send me emails, and write me letters.

2009 is mighty mighty fine!

Where is New Zealand from if it's not from the World?!

"Stop comparing everything to Top Gun. This situation is nothing like Top Gun." - Jermaine

It is New Year's day and of course there is a Flight of the Conchords marathon! Watching it again after living here for three months, well . . .it is spot on.

Jermaine: Too much mumbling?
Murray: Yeah . . .that was inaudible.

This is my everyday minus people breaking out into song and ya know . . that New York City thing.

They do think all Americans have guns. Hamish is a very common name. And the posters . . No really, that is how they advertise the country. The picture of sheep on the road is a 'traffic jam'. Nana's tea party - well I have been to Mary's 2pm tea party over Christmas holiday and the ginger biscuits were good!

I apologize to those who havent seen it. Really you should be apologizing to me. I thought we were friends? Netflix it NOW!

Oh yeah! I got a new job as a part-time model, but you know I gotta keep my other job ;)