Highlights from Samoa

Our vacation from the vacation: March 8th - 17th.

• We visited 2 islands in Western Samoa: Savaii and Upolu.
• Our accommodation consisted of beach huts, called fales, over the water or beachside.
• We swam and snorkeled in the warm turquoise waters.
• We rented a car (with another couple we met along the way) and drove around Savaii and saw how the locals live, explored the lava fields, and saw the blow holes at high tide.
  
• Spent a lot of hours in the hammock, reading and enjoying the beautiful scenery.
• It took a 4 hour bus ride, where we were crammed in with the locals (typically 4 people per bus bench) to the south side of Upolo where we enjoyed 2 wonderful days on a sand beach.

So long to New Zealand

Well our final day has arrived. We're mixed emotions of course, sad to leave our new friends and fantastic country, unsure about how our week in remote Samoa will fare, and excited to see our family and friends again.

So here's a smattering of last weeks pictures in Auckland and Northland as well as some final thoughts on our trip:

Here's Janwyn excited to be on Rawawa Beach on the East side of Cape Reinga, the northernmost point on the North Island.


Heading home on our overnight cruise. We had a fantastic time in the Bay of Islands snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, and drinking Tui Beer.


While staying with Giselle in Auckland, we helped Graham with his unveiling of Marama Organic Meats to the customers of Farro Fresh Foods. Here we are in front of Graham's new sign honoring the occasion.

And here are our two time hosts themselves, Graham, proud South Otago Farmer, and Giselle, who's home we graciously visited in lovely Parnell, Auckland.

Here I am, offering some freshly grilled organic meat. There were plenty of takers during the two weekends we visited Farro Fresh.

And with that, the top five things we're looking forward to back in The States:

5. Spoons that are conveniently mouth size!
4. Finding a job, making our new home, and creating a new garden
3. Having a coffee from Muddy Waters on Belmont in Portland
2. Screens on windows
1. Seeing Yin.

Hope to see everyone when we return from Samoa!

Trusty's Sold!

Well it took about a week - including 3 fruitless days in the dismal Auckland Backpackers Car Market - but Trusty has found a new owner. It's destined for a high-mileage life of toting Caden, a Buzz Lightyear carrying precocious four-year-old we met yesterday, back and forth to pre-school. The best part is we'll keep the car through Friday 6 March so we can take it on our trip to Northland this weekend. First stop there: an overnight cruise on the Bay of Islands aboard the Rock: Check it out here: http://www.rocktheboat.co.nz/.

Adventure Activities

Earlier this month Corey and I journeyed to Rotorua, a city known for adventure activities. As many of you know we have have had bungy jumping and sky diving experiences before, so we were looking for something different, something uniquely New Zealand. In the morning we were up early to join the fine folks at RaftAbout who run both white water rafting and sledging trips down the Kaituna River. Sledging is where you are actually IN the water, kept afloat by a boogie-board-like contraption with handles. With a helmet and fins, you manuever your way down the river punching through the rapids as they swallow you....it was fantastic! Below are some pictures from our sledging experience.

After sledging we continued the adrenaline rush with Zorbing. Diving head first into a rubber sphere padded with air, they throw in a bucket of water in with you and then and launch you tumbling down the hill. Think washing machine cycle and rollercoaster put together.

It was great fun! Ask us later and we'll have to tell you more stories.

Here's Janwyn coming down a rapid:

Corey and Janwyn in the Kaituna River:

Corey and Janwyn trying to "surf" the rapid side-by-side:

Corey doing his best against the current to stand on his sledge board:

Video from on top of the Pinnacles!

Warning! It was apparently quite windy when I shot this, but you can't argue with the view!

Trusty is up for sale!

Here's a picture of the nicely cleaned up "Trusty" the Nissan Sunny. We cleaned, washed, and waxed her up yesterday. And today Corey took her down to the Backpacker Car Market in downtown Auckland in hopes that we'll get a decent return on her. The folks at the market said she should sell in 3 days...let's hope so!

Tongariro Crossing

Hello all!
Attached are some pictures of us on the Tongariro Crossing, which is regarded as one of the best one-day hikes in New Zealand. We actually completed this hike a couple weeks ago after our 5-day canoe journey down the Whanganui River (pictures still to come). We actually passed on hiking the crossing when we were here during our first trip to New Zealand (March 2008); mostly because we felt we weren't equipped with the right equipment, shoes, etc. But this time we had hiking boots, which I was glad for.

To make the 19km crossing you have to arrange transport to the beginning of the track and from the end. Hundreds of people do the crossing everyday and are rewarded with stunning views of Mount Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro. The 3 volcanoes make up the Tongariro National Park, which has been named a World Heritage Site.

The only thing that was sort of a turn off about the crossing is the number of people doing it. You are constantly passing people, and people are passing you. We constantly had to pull over for the last 2-3 hours of the hike when my knee started giving me trouble again. Unfortunately the last part of the track is well laid with stairs...of which I could only step down one at a time. Corey was very patient with me and I had to take it slow in order to get down the mountain...but I made it! Again, we were amazed at what people wore on this hike. The elevation was pretty high (don't ask me how high...that's a question for Corey) and at the top we were pretty exposed to some strong winds. I was glad for my rain jacket to shield me from the brutal wind and my beanie. But we saw peoplewalking in slip on canvas shoes (Vans) and jeans!

Anyways, enjoy the slideshow below or click here.


P.S. gotta go pick up Corey now...he's probably done surfing.