Last stop-Tauranga

So these are my last few hours before heading back to civilization. A few things I won't miss: mullets, hot and cold water coming out of different faucets, and unclear road signs. Things I will miss: dramatic mountain landscapes, the smell of the ocean, driving through a canyon and attempting to eat greasy fish and chips, the somewhat annoying kiwi accent, the choice between a full or half flush, kiwi radio, drinkable yogurt, cheese, licorice, and living out of a car. I enjoyed another day at Taupo-they had a bike race so it was a very busy place to be. I also tried to reach Elvor several times (friend from Skagway 6 years ago) but after a few hours of not being able to, I gave up. If something takes too much effort I just don't see the point after a while! She's had a lot of doctor's appointments making it difficult to find a good time to meet up. I think she was offended, but I tried to explain my end of it. My time has been short and I feel happy with what I have done and seen. I've heard from everyone that I have seen New Zealand so fast, but to me it's been perfect. Next time I'll remember to bring my own personal photographer so I can sometimes be in the photos.

Rotorua stinks!

It's not that I don't like it here, there's just a strong smell of sulfur in the air!

I just visited a Maori village and enjoyed watching the dances and songs. They have these all over the city-usually with thermal pools and souvenir shops. I think when I get back I'll have to learn the war dance from the All Blacks-the New Zealand rugby team. Don't know how I'll spend the rest of the day, but my time is so limited I feel a little pressured to cram things in.

Dog kennels and catteries

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm trying not to feel like I'm missing out on something, but I am! Not really, I only have a few days left here and it's been great. I've made the choice the last couple nights to stay at hostels that are right in the city center and magically above bars. So those have been a little rowdy. I have come to the realization that I think I look like a really nice person and that's why I get all the weird guys after me. Maybe it's time to change my look? I spent yesterday in Taupo soaking up the sun by the lake. Very nice. Today I'm off to Rotorua to meet up with a friend and hopefully to catch a fun, touristy show. I'll come back and do the haka (war dance) for all of you! That's it for now!

Napier-home to Americans and Asians

I couldn't believe how many Americans were in this town today-and I didn't even have to hear them speak, you could just tell! Didn't really put it all together until I saw a sign in a store welcoming everyone from the cruise ship "Millenium" Made me miss a windy town up north. Actually, the last 2 nights with 60 mph winds has made me miss it more. I've had to move my car every 2 hours because I won't pay for parking. After doing this the first time I noticed my back tire was flat. And guess what?! The rental company won't pay for damage to tires! Thinking I'd have to pay hundreds of dollars, I drove the car (yes, I know that's bad) to a Firestone place and they said they'd "have a look." In less than 20 minutes they had patched up the tire, filled all the other ones, checked my fluids, and even cleaned my "windscreen"! And it was FREE! No wonder I keep coming back to this place-it's amazing! What tire place does that or am I just clueless? I may stay here another day because I won't be able to meet up with a friend from Skagway, then head to Rotorua for some real culture, then Mt. Maunganui to see Elvor. That should wrap things up!

Kaikoura take two

I'm back in this little town and I'm pretty exhausted. I drove all the way from Queenstown, even stopping to grab a picture of Mt. Cook. It's warmer than it was last week, but the sun is still hesitant to come out. I'm hoping I can soak up a little during one of my stops before I have to leave in a week. I wanted to stay at a different hostel-this one is really cozy and the owners are super friendly. I did end up driving a monster truck! I stopped in and chatted with the 2 guys running the company-Ian is a stunt driver and just finished doing a couple commercials-one is for the new mini cooper which should be on in the states soon. The other is for a Red Bull competitor called "V". He told me all sorts of stories and got me excited to drive a purple Taurus (it's a Chevy)-an experience I couldn't do anywhere else. He's quite the talker and persuaded me to go for it. It was a lot of fun, but I have to admit that the jumpsuit really made the experience worth it. I'll post pictures, don't worry! Looks like I could be taking the ferry back to the north island tomorrow or Wednesday. I just have to be sure I get to see a couple more people and maybe stop in a few towns that I really liked. Hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving-save me some pie!

Last week in Paradise

It's been a few days. I was able to cram in another day in Queenstown and met some very young Aussie boys. We had a good time dancing that night. I headed to Milford Sound the next day-it was gorgeous. Decided to do a little cruise and saw my first penguin. (Pictures above.) I am now in Wanaka, which is also very beautiful and a bit smaller than Queenstown. I think I need to start heading north again and make my way back so I will be able to see Elvor. She finally emailed back-I was wondering if she had died. It should be good to see her, although I don't think she's doing well. I think I'll squeeze in a show to see the haka (native dancing) and just might go ride around in some monster trucks.

Good on ya!

I decided to hang out a little longer in Q-town. It's gorgeous here, even reminds me a little of Skagway. I did a little hike once I arrived yesterday, walked around town, then found

a hostel close to town. I did a very brave thing and went out to a bar all by myself! There was live music and a pretty good crowd. I ended up chatting with a bunch of Irish guys and made sure to sneak out once it got creepy. Today I enjoyed a really nice hike to Mt. Crichton. I've noticed that they'll have a sign showing how much time the hike should take. So I make sure to beat it every time! I think this one said 2-4 hours and I made it in 1 1/2. I was pretty proud of that! It's a gorgeous sunny day, although a little chilly. It's tempting to buy a nice winter coat when they're on sale now, so I'll be thinking about that. The weather might not be too bad for Milford Sound, so I may head that way tomorrow.