Last Post

Hey, thanks everyone who read or is still reading this blog.  I had a great time in New Zealand and then continued on to Thailand for a month.  I guess I just didn't have time to continue with the posts but now that I'm back in America I would love to show anyone who would want to see them pictures and tell them stories.  This is the end of this blog... peace.

Winter Break

For winter break me and some friends did the Abel Tasman track in the north of the south island.  We spent three nights in huts.  Overall it was a great trip, weather  was good, and we even took a day off of hiking to just hang out on the beach.  The tides were really crazy, the water moved over a hundred yards inland during high tide at certain places!  We also saw some crazy glow in the dark bugs while hiking in the dark.  I went swimming for a second but as it is still winter, it was pretty cold.  Anyways, it was nice to get out in the wilderness for a couple days.

A cool wood tepee during the first couple minuets of our hike:
Just some cool stream:

One of the huts we stayed in:
My great hiking crew:
During high tide the water would probably cover all this beach:

Also during the break my roommate Greg and his parents had us in for a night at their house, they were very nice and hospitable... cooking us a great meal.  We spent two nights in Kaikoura which is on the east cost.  Overall it was a great trip.

The Catlins

So, a couple weekends ago I went to this place on the south-west coast of the south island of New Zealand called the Catlins.  A lot of it was like a rain-forest and there were tons of waterfalls.  I went with some friends... Liza, Alex, and Duncan.  Anyways it was a bunch of short hikes and some cool views, here are some pics...

Nugget Point:

The World's Rarest Penguin:
A Seal, or Sea Lion, or something:
A cool waterfall:
This waterfall was huge! We ended up hiking to the top:

Mountain Trip and Some Pictures

I got a car, a 1990 Subaru Legacy!  Split it with a Duncan, a friend of mine from Scotland.  This past weekend we gave it its first test taking it on a road trip to Wanaka (a ski town) and then up to Treble Cone.  The road to Treble Cone is beautiful but also very steep and full of switchbacks - one of the sketchiest roads I have ever been on.  Treble Cone is a great resort, the snow and weather was great.  The second day we were low on gas so we hitchhiked to the mountain (which is still very acceptable in NZ).  Later, we hiked up to the peak for a little powder.  Anyways it was a great weekend trip, here are some pics...

Me, Duncan, and Liza after hiking to the top of Treble Cone: 

Two beautiful waterfalls on the way to Treble Cone:

Me and Liza surfed this beach a couple weeks ago:

This is one of me at Cardrona:

During the first week we took a ride on the Taire Gorge Train:

Pictures Round 1

The Hexagon Rocks:

Dunedin seen from the top of Mt. Cargill:

Me chasing sheep:

My roommate Alex loves to take "jump pictures," here is one of me:

St. Clair's Beach:

My First 3 Weeks

Hey all, my time in New Zealand has been crazy and so much fun up to this point.  I feel like I am always doing something or about to go somewhere.  School is very easy, it only takes 50% to pass, and my grades don't really count so it has left a lot of time for adventure.  My Kiwi hosts are great, I love the people I'm living with, and all the other DU people here.  Driving on the other side of the road is a little crazy, took me a little to adjust and I would be lying if I said I haven't turned onto the wrong side of the road and immediately corrected myself.  I've had tons of fish and chips, they are huge out here. I'll list a couple of the things I have done in the last 3 weeks...

• I entered an eating competition at Velvet Burger, ate five burgers between at team of 3 in around 5 or 6 minutes... we were 10 seconds off winning a $50 bar tab, but more importantly, we got free lunch.
• I have been surfing a couple of times.  I can get up for a second before I fall off, pretty funny but I'm getting it.  Brianna has been my tutor and has taken my to two sweet beaches to surf at, thanks a lot Bri!
• I spent a week up at the mountains in a place called Wanaka.  We snowboarded at Cardrona two days.  The first was very misty, could barely see a couple feet in front of me but it cleared up some the second day and that was much better.  The entire mountain is above the tree line which is a little crazy, very different from Colorado but I can't wait to go back.  For spring break we are competing in this collegiate games festival up there so that will be a week long of craziness.
• Me and Greg climbed a mountain called Mt. Cargill and then went to see something called the organ pipes which are a bunch of identical hexagon shaped rocks... I'll try to upload a picture.  Also me and a neighbor named Liza went on a very muddy hike through a forrest/mountain area that was pretty sweet.
• Me, my flatmates, friends, and neighbors went to an All Blacks game which is the national New Zealand rugby team, it was really crazy and the whole town was alive.  Unfortunitly we lost to South Africa but it was tons of fun anyways.
• The nights have been crazy, I'll say that.  Everyone here likes to party and there is a fun downtown area.

Well thats it for now, I'll try to put up some pictures so everyone can see what I'm talking about.  I miss all my friends and family and wish everyone the best.

First Entry

Hi all, I thought a blog might be a good way for me to share pictures and stories about my travels with everyone.  I'm in New Zealand right now and am having a great time exploring the country with my new friends (and some I already know because there are about 15 DU students here).  I'll put some pictures up soon.