USA! Yay?

Its been 2 weeks since I've returned home to the States. And what a couple of weeks it has been. Adjusting back to American time and culture was both really difficult and really easy at the same time. So let's discuss the pros and cons of being back in the U S of A.

Good Things:

• Getting to see my mom at the gate.
• Real coffee. With cream. And Splenda.
• Pizza. Real, delicious, 16 inches for $12, NY, thin crust Pizza.
• Bagels.
• Discovering Edam Cheese exists here.
• Getting to see Kiersten after her first semester in college and baking xmas cookies to celebrate. Also, realising we ate 1/4 of the dough and made the cookies twice as big as they were supposed to be.
• Christmas decorations with snow instead of shorts.
• Visiting Delaware and hugging about 20 people I've missed way too much.
• Continuing to hear "i hate you, you're tan" and "did you lose weight?"
• Rediscovering the amazingness of the people that I live with at UD.
• Learning to play the saxophone. Again.
• The speed of the internet. And it's relatively low cost.
• My dog still remembers me.
• Diners.
• Mom made a repeat Thanksgiving dinner. With Oma's stuffing. It seriously doesn't get better than that.

Bad Things:

• My stomach CONTINUING to get mad at me whenever I eat. or drink. anything.
• The whole stupid, 21-year-old, alcohol thing.
• Realising that after being completely settled in with 3 people in a house, I have to start all over. With people who have been together since Sept. Luckily, I love them already :)
• The obnoxious snail paced American legislative system.
• Having to read the daily synopsis of Shortland Street rather than watching it.
• Cold weather. (and yes, I know I said snow was good)
• Everyone has the same accent as me. And now I chuckle when I hear it. For this, I personally blame Elizabeth Zucco, Lauren Baier and Maggie Ray. Maggie also gets blamed for pointing out the speed at which I talk. I am totally conscience of it now.
• Newburgh <>
• No positive exchange rate. When I have a dollar, its just a dollar.
• Speaking of money, a pocketful of coins is not worth as much as I have become accustomed to. Also, the money all being the same colour is really boring.
• The fact that everyone I spent the last five months with is a minimum of a four hour drive away. And a maximum of a 22 hour flight.

I'll update this if more things come to my mind.

Merry Christmas,

Liam

So long Pacific...

In 5 hours, I leave Fiji and the Pacific behind me for (most likely) a long time. Let me tell you, the feeling is bittersweet.

I would almost rather say goodbye to my Dad at the gate and get on a different plane, bound back to Wellington. But at the same time, I'm super excited to see my family when I get off the plane in New York and to see long lost friends. It's going to be a whirlwind of three weeks until I get on yet another plane to head to Ireland. But that's a story for another day.

My day today was spent lying in a hammock for about 10 hours. I can only hope the plane is just as comfortable. I highly doubt it.

Can't wait to see everyone reading this and a few that aren't. :D

- Liam

Bula!

Bula from Fiji!

With only one more day left in Fiji, I can't believe how fast this trip has gone. While the days have taken forever to end, they have somehow managed to speed up, as they always do.

Since our arrival in Fiji, we have been sweating. The weather here never gets colder than about 22 degrees celsius. And in Wellington, it never got higher than 20. So I'm certainly much hotter here.

On Friday, we took a tour down along the southern coast to Suva, the capital. From there, we boarded long canoes and were motored up the river for at least an hour, through the pouring rain to a remote mountain village. There, we were greeted with a ceremony in which we were able to sample kava, which is a local drink. It is not alcohol, but does numb your tongue as novacaine does. An interesting drink for sure. It was awesome to visit this village, try some local cuisine and meet the natives.

On Saturday we took a boat ride out to a smaller island and did absolutely nothing. A bit of sand, a bit of sun and a lot of dozing. Basically relaxing on a beach with a cold drink. An awesome day. Hopefully tomorrow will be a repeat.

Sorry for no pictures, but I can't access my laptop here.

Can't wait to talk/see you all on Sunday!

- Liam

A Family Affair

Hey everyone,

Sorry I've been totes slacking on this blog thing. The past week has flown by and there has been little time to sit down and write.

Right now I'm in a small town called Frankston South, which is about an hours drive south of Melbourne. The best part about being here has been meeting new family! My dad's cousin has lived here for the past 20-odd years and it has been fantastic meeting her and her family. Melbourne is an awesome city that suits me better than Sydney. There were many similarities to Wellington, minus the hills of course. A plethora of cafes and bars dot the city and I was lucky enough to visit a few with my new found cousins.

Since Canberra, we have driven down to Melbourne through the Great Dividing Range and along the coast of the Southern Ocean. Our first stop was Jindabyne which is a ski town. However, when its warm and sunny out it's hard to believe that snow ever falls here. But the signs for ski shops and snow chains assured us that it was indeed a ski resort town. Our main reason for stopping here was to climb Mt. Kosciusko which is the tallest mountain in Australia. At 7310 feet, its the tallest mountain that I have climbed. The hike itself was pretty easy, but started out with

a cloud surrounding us, cold weather and 30 mph winds.

Uncle Bobby and I were a little hesitant but we knew that the hike was #1 on Dad's list for the trip so we stuck through it. Luckily for us, just as we arrived at the summit, the sun broke through the clouds and we were able to see everything.

In the end, the tramp was pretty awesome and it's pretty cool to be able to say that I climbed the tallest peak in Australia. (These two pictures are of the same stream. One was taken when we were climbing up the mountain and the other on the way down. The difference is awesome).

After that it was two days of small towns and the coastline. The small towns absolutely reminded me of New Zealand. I love the small town vibe over here and it was great to be able to stop in some more, just to meet the locals, get a coffee and see what strange thing each one is proud of. The coast is also really pretty. Australia may have some of the most desolate landscape that I've seen on this trip, but they also have some of the most beautiful beaches.

And now I'm in Melbourne. The last two days have been great here and I'll be sad to leave my newly found cousins (and Australia) in the AM. But now its on to Fiji and then the USA. These past few weeks, and past few months have flown by and I have a new respect for time. It never stands still, so take full advantage of every minute.

More from the South Pacific soon,

Liam

'tis the season

Kia Ora,

So in both New Zealand and Australia, the Christmas season starts immediately after Guy Fawkes Day (5 November). I must say that it is really weird seeing Christmas decorations in early November. In the US, we wait until after Thanksgiving before going full force into the season.

Well, today was Thanksgiving. Weirdest Thanksgiving of my life. No parade, no stuffing, no turkey, no pie, no Braveheart. It just didn't feel like Thanksgiving without these things. Our hope was to find a restaurant serving Kangaroo for dinner, but we were unable to do so. Instead, we went to a Chinese restaurant, where we all ordered duck. This immediately reminded me of the movie A Christmas Story. As the Christmas season in the movie ends, thus did mine begin. Once we left the restaurant, the Christmas lights across the street lit up and showed us that Christmas has truly arrived, both here and in the US.

Eat lots of turkey America. Happy Thanksgiving! :)

- Liam

The Tropics

Welcome back all,

Back in Sydney now after a few great days in Tropical North Queensland. We visited Cairns, whose name is the most ambiguously pronounced name that I’ve ever heard. While in Cairns, we spent two days on the Great Barrier Reef, snorkelling and the other day exploring the tropical rainforests that surround the town. I’ve snorkelled before but this was the best yet. The water was absolutely pristine; a bale green-blue colour that was only outdone by the colours of the coral themselves. We were able to see coral, fish, sharks and even a turtle! Unfortunately, no underwater camera for me, but I did manage to get some shots of the beautiful water.

On day two we travelled up the mountains into the rainforest. We took a scenic railroad up the hill and a cable car back down. Both offered stunning views of the valleys below us as well as the forest itself and some great waterfalls. Once in Kuranda, the village, we saw some wildlife up close and personal. I was able to pet a kangaroo and even cuddle a Koala!

We also spent some time with the local Aboriginals and learned how to throw a spear and a boomerang. They also performed some tribal dances and taught us the basics of didgeridoo playing. I also got some private lessons from a didgeridoo shop in town! The didgeridoo is a really cool instrument that requires a huge amount of breath control and air. Definitely a great experience to learn to play though.

Our last day in Cairns was also spent on the reef where we were once again stunned by the natural beauty present there. Sunburned and tired, we caught a few hours sleep before the red eye flight back to Sydney.

The weather in Sydney was gorgeous today and we took a ferry ride to Manly Beach which offered amazing views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Tomorrow, it’s off to Canberra and Melbourne. It’s hard to believe that I’ll be home in less than two weeks time...

More soon!

- Liam

The land of Oz

Its been almost a week since I left Wellington. I can’t even begin to describe how weird it has been to be without a home. It’s really hard to grasp that I won’t be returning to Landcross Street. Unlike my South Island adventure, which eventually returned me to my “regular life,” my time in Aus and Fiji will result in my return to my actual life. And again, I can’t even begin to describe how excited I am to be back in New York & Delaware.

Having Dad here has been fantastic. We landed in Sydney on Monday and Dad basically passed out in bed as soon as we arrived in our hotel. But after the hours he had spent travelling, it was totally understandable. We both slept well that night, I was emotionally drained from the last few days. On Tuesday, we rented a car and drove northwest of the city, towards Lightning Ridge. This tiny town is one of the first places in “the Outback” and is the only place in the world where black opals come from. We did some self guided tours of the region and then descended into an opal mine turned sandstone sculpture gallery. Wicked cool. For anyone who hasn’t seen an black opal, they are absolutely gorgeous. They certainly surpass the diamond in natural beauty and come close in price. Our drive out and back to Lightning Ridge included interesting characters, emus, kangaroos and heat. The temperature has been at least 40 degrees since we arrived. And that’s Celsius...

We spent yesterday in the Blue Mountains, one of the many “World Heritage Sites” located in Australia. These mountains constantly appear to be covered by a blue mist which is actually caused by the eucalyptus trees that fill the area. We did a few short hikes to see many different areas of the park which culminated in a train ride up the steepest railway in the world. At its steepest, it measures 52° and has a gradient of 1 to 1.28. This officially beats Baldwin Street in Dunedin in both gradient and thrill. While we were both nervous about the strength of the cable pulling us 450 metres (in length and 250 metres in height), Dad was definitely more vocal about it. Today it was the remainder of the drive back with a quick stop at the Olympic Stadiums, where the games of the XVII Olympiad were held in 2000. There was some pretty cool stuff to see here and I hope to be able to visit another set of stadiums soon, maybe when the games are being played.

After getting back to Sydney, Dad and I took a walk across the Harbour Bridge and I finally got to see my first glimpse of the Sydney Opera House. Less than 6 hours I was inside, about to hear the Sydney Symphony perform the fourth concert in their Prokofiev Series. On the program was Lieutenant Kije: Suite, Piano Concerto No. 5, The Ugly Duckling for Soprano and Orchestra and Peter and the Wolf. This was an incredible performance. The pianist who performed the concerto was fantastic. His body became one with the instrument and after a resounding amount of applause, he played a solo piece. I swear, he had 6 hands.

The most interesting part of this trip so far has been traveling with Dad. While New Zealand and Australia have very different cultures and accents, there are certain things that they share. And on these points, I have a clear advantage over Dad. My favourite moment so far has been when we went out to breakfast for the first time and Dad was asked if he wanted coffee. His response was simply, "yes." However, this is not such a simple question in Australia or New Zealand. As I've explained before, coffee is very different here. Dad's still adjusting.

Another great moment has been "teaching" Dad to drive. Even though he's successfully driven on the left side of the road before, I have way more recent experience. Almost every turn is preceded by "ok, so a wide right now?" And no matter how often he flips the windshield wipers on instead of the turn signals, it never gets old. And I chuckle every time. Uncle Bobby joins us tomorrow and I can't wait to help a new person adjust. Or hide some secrets and just laugh some more.

Kia Ora,

Liam

So long Aotearoa...

Last day in New Zealand.

It's currently 9PM here in Sydney and I haven't slept in about 36 hours. But these have been some crazy awesome hours.

After a 2AM drive to the airport with Maggie and Emily, I hung out with them before they had to go through security, on their way to Brunei and Thailand. Then it was the waiting game. People were crowding through the arrival gates from San Francisco, Santiago, Apia and Perth. But all I cared about was NZ5 from LAX. Finally, I started to see luggage tags from L.A. and then, a bright blue Delaware sweatshirt appeared in the doorway. I cannot describe how amazing it was to see him. After days of tears and depression with people leaving, it was great to see someone I hadn't seen in so long.

I got to show my Dad the smallest bit of New Zealand, but I think he loved every minute. From the view on top of Mt. Victoria to the beer at lunch, he was pretty happy with his 10 hours in the country.

Next we boarded our flight to Sydney and it was way harder for me to deal with than I had imagined. As the plane started off down the runway, I realised that I was going to take off from New Zealand and wouldn't be there again for many years, if ever again. The memories will live vividly in my mind, and I'll always be able to look at pictures, read this blog or chat with a friend about the amazing time we spent together in Aotearoa.

Two things are for sure: First, I'll miss this country and the people I met so much. Second, my life will never be the same.

Expect more from Aus soon!

Kia Ora,

Liam

The City of Sails

1 day left in New Zealand.

Today was an eerie repeat déjà vu of my first day in the country. After an amazing New Zealand style breakfast of eggs, sausage and bacon, and four hours of conversation with Franesca's mom, where we explained the importance of tipping American service staff, we drove to central city Auckland and walked around the harbour. The weather was overcast, chilly and rainy, identical to the weather I experienced on 4 July. I saw my hotel again and took nearly the same harbour walk I did 4 months ago. This time however, I was able to head to a pretty sweet bar I had seen on my last time here. After a drink, we headed back to Francesca's for an incredible classic New Zealand meal. Roast lamb, potatoes, kumara, pumpkin and vegetables. Yum. Now its some Rhys Darby (Murray from Flight of the Concords) stand up comedy.

Pretty soon I'll be taking Maggie and Emily to the airport. These will be my last goodbyes in New Zealand; a sign it's actually coming to a close. But then, only a couple hours later, I'll be meeting my dad outside of customs! As much as New Zealand will be tough to leave, spending the next three weeks exploring Australia and Fiji with my dad is going to be fantastic. I'm so pumped and I can't wait to share my time with you while I'm there.

- Liam

So long Wellington

2 days left in New Zealand.

After only 3 hours sleep, I was awake again. Final cleaning, packing and goodbyes were the order of the day. I was finally successfully checked out by my RA with 45 minutes to spare before my shuttle came to pick me up. At this point, I was in complete denial. But soon enough my shuttle was attempting a 12 point turn in our narrow street and I was saying goodbye to some amazing people.

First it was my flatmates. I know life will be so different without them. I can always count on Natalie for a good laugh, political bashing or just great conversation over a few bottles of beer. From our treasure at the pirate party to Shortland Street to the time spent with her in Blenheim, I am going to miss her so much. And she's the furthest away. It's not going to be an easy task to see her again in the future. He had already left, but without Kevin, there won't be spilled ice, sweet tea or constant 90s jams. I'm hoping that I'll be able to meet him in the city when his flight lands, to hear about the amazingness of his trip. And then there's Elizabeth. Who will I skype with from across the room? Whose true laugh will I be able to blast through the house, immediately breaking up any awkward silences? She has become a solid part of everyday life and it was really hard to say goodbye. Luckily, she lives in Ohio on the way to Ohio State, so a trip to visit Kiersten can include a visit to Elizabeth.

My neighbors have been fantastic as well. The American friends I have made will encourage me to get in my car and drive across our country just to see them again. And I hope to be able to visit New Zealand again to see Natalie, Jacob and all of the other Kiwi friends I have made.

After a lonely flight, I have arrived in Auckland. I picked up my rental car and headed to One Tree Hill, which has great views of the greater Auckland area. I spent the afternoon there, just reflecting on the experiences that I've had here. This has to be one of the most beautiful countries and I am so glad that I have been able to spend such an extended period of time here. I've seen and experienced so much, and I have made friends who will last far beyond the shores of Aotearoa.

I am lucky enough to not have to be alone for too long. Maggie and Emily are heading to Thailand on Monday and flew to Auckland a few days early in order to save a bit of cash. I picked them up at the airport and we are staying at Maggie's friend Francesca's house. Her house is absolutely gorgeous. Its located far outside of the city and the air is so clean and crisp. Its also far enough from light pollution that I can finally see the stars. And let me tell you, the Southern Hemisphere out shines the Northern Hemisphere by far.

More soon,

Liam

Goodbyes. For real.

3 days left in New Zealand.

Last day in Wellington.

I cannot even begin to describe how I feel right now. Its 4AM and I just said "Good Night" to Natalie for the last time. These past 4 1/2 months have absolutely flown by and I wish I could scrape a few extra moments in Wellington before it's time to leave. But alas, time is not so kind.

I spent the last 20 hours packing, cleaning, shipping packages & gifts and enjoying the company of my best friends here in Welly. Tonight began the true sense that this incredible experience is coming to an end. While a few people have already departed, including Kevin (who is off on a trip that will take him from Singapore to Hong Kong, Venice to Dublin before flying home in December), it almost seemed as if they would be back. It was tonight, when I said a final goodbye to a kiwi friend, that it all hit me. Harder than a ton of bricks.

I realised in that moment that it would most likely be years before I see him again, if we were even so lucky. Someone I've seen at least four times a week for four months will no longer be present everyday. It's a cruel irony that friendships can build so fast. In one sense, it's fantastic. We can easily assimilate into a new environment and feel comfortable. But it makes it so much easier to be hurt when the time comes to head elsewhere.

Tomorrow, I leave Wellington.

Tomorrow, I say many more goodbyes.

Tomorrow's going to be an emotional day.

And with that, I bid you good night.

- Liam

Un più giorno

4 Days left in New Zealand.

Today, I finished up (almost) the rest of my souvenir shopping. And then, some of us headed to Laser Force for four hours of laser tag and arcade games. For only $15! Normally, you'd pay $18 for a half hour of laser tag, so this is the best bargain of the week. We then headed to Enigma for some iced chocolate. An awesome last night out in Wellington.

- Liam

Spring Cleaning

5 days left in New Zealand.

In order to get my housing deposit back, I need to have a clean house. My hands smell like cleaner. The soap has completely dried out my hands. I saw things I didn't want to see.

Positive - It was raining.

Negative - I'm really leaving.

- Liam

Less than a week? Seriously?!

6 days left in New Zealand.

Today I had a day out with Lauren Baier. We started by stopping at the French bakery for some fresh pastries and then, after running some errands, got lunch at the first restaurant we both ate at and visited Te Papa, the New Zealand National Museum that both of us that have not spent nearly enough time in. All in all, a fantastic day.

Lauren has been one of my closest friends since I arrived in New Zealand. Most of our street was part of the IFSA Butler program, but Lauren and I were here pretty much on our own. We almost immediately bonded over our love of food. I've seen a huge amount of this country with Lauren, including my 2 week road trip around the South Island. There has only been one trip without her, and it just wasn't the same. And if that trip was an hint, life without Lauren is going to be tough. I know that when I'm home again, I'll miss her reactionary moods, upbeat party personality and our discussions of food, Shortland Street and other important aspects of life.

As my New Zealand life comes to a close, I'm starting to question how my life at UD is going to feel when I get back. Sure I'll be able to fall right back into my old routines; going to rehearsals, working, giving tours and back to classes. But how will my life be without what has become so routine here? It'll be such a different feeling for a while, and I'm not sure how that's going to affect me. But I guess I'll have to tune in then to let you all know how its going.

Here's some of my favourite pictures of Adventures with Lauren.

Till tomorrow,

Liam

Finished.

7 days left in New Zealand.

Today, I sat my last exam at Victoria University. I've successfully(?) finished my academic career here in New Zealand and it can't feel weirder. First, I don't ever think I'll be finishing a fall semester in the first week of November while putting aloe on a sunburnt arm ever again. Second, I have been here for over four months and it feels so much longer.

Four months is a tiny amount of time in one's lifetime and yet, these four months will forever remain vivid (I hope) in my mind. So much has happened in these 120 days and yet I feel as if they have flown by. It's sort of like Freshman year al over again. A bunch of people thrown into a new environment and have to try their best to get through the first semester. The 2007 Fall Semester flew by and so did that of 2009. Time flies, especially if you're having fun.

Cheers,

Liam

UV Rays

8 days left in New Zealand.

Sunday's forecast for Wellington: 60 degrees & sunny.

Monday's forecast for Wellington: 55 degrees & rainy.

And of course, today had to be spent studying. However, I did attempt to get as much studying outside as possible. And for the first time ever (and probably the only time), I got a sunburn while studying for my fall semester exams. The weather here is getting better and better but its even better in Australia and Fiji, making me really excited for what will be the hottest November of my life.

But for the moment...its back to the books and some aloe on my arms.

Till tomorrow,

Liam

Thin 'n' Crispy

9 days left in New Zealand

Today, I had an absolutely fantastic classic New York style pizza at Wholly Bagels. One of the things that can instantly remind me of home is a thin, crispy piece of dough with tomatoes and cheese on top.

The weather is still fantastic and of course, I'm still studying.

- Liam

Beautiful Thai

10 days left in New Zealand.

Today was probably the most beautiful day I've seen in Wellington. Of course it's just my luck that as the weather turns absolutely gorgeous, my final exam is just around the corner and study had to commence. After a few short hours in the library, I caught another voice recital at the NZSM (New Zealand school of Music) before just laying in the sun waiting for Natalie to get done with her exam so we could run downtown to run some errands.

Tonight, we went out to dinner at a nice Thai restaurant with a mix of Kiwi and American friends to celebrate our time together here organised by Allen, my across-the-street-downstairs neighbor. It was a nice dinner, but highlights the current theme of Landcross Street: leaving. People have already left and its shocking to know that I have only a week left in Wellington. Who knew that four months could go so fast?

Cheers,

Liam

The Island and a small piece of Americana

11 days left in New Zealand.

Unlike the last two days, today was packed with new adventures in Wellington. Lauren and I left Landcross street this morning and after a few stops at the grocery store and Le Moulin, a French bakery, we met Jacob at the ferry terminal. The three of us boarded the ferry and made our way across the harbour to Sommes Island. This wildlife refuge was once home to internment camps for anyone who sounded foreign to the Kiwis during both world wars. We spent almost three hours exploring the island. It was so beautiful, mostly for the fact that it is so untouched by mankind. We saw weta bugs, exotic birds, a baby blue penguin and of course, sheep. Lauren and I were excited to hear Jacob say that he saw some "really awesome, weird swan thing" but were so disappointed when we discovered that it was merely a Canadian goose. Oh well...

The last time I explored with Jacob & Lauren was in the Christchurch botanical gardens, back in September when we went kayaking. These are two of my favourite days in New Zealand. Jacob has been our unofficial tour guide in Wellington. Every day with Jacob starts with a planned activity and is followed by several random ones scattered all over the city. Lauren and I can always count on Jacob for a great day.

After exploring the island as best we could, we returned home for dinner before heading back to town to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day. Popularised by the movie V for Vendetta, this holiday is celebrated only in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It celebrates the day in 1605 when Guy Fawkes, a Catholic in England, planned to blow up Parliament. He failed, and this is celebrated annually on 5 November with fireworks and festivals. The fireworks were great to see, since I had missed July 4th at home, and the carnival was fun as well. Topped off with a chai latte at Enigma, one of my favourite cafes, this was a fantastic day in Wellington.

Blog in brief: Jacob is Wellington's most enthusiastic tour guide and the weather's finally good enough to give me a sunburn.

Until tomorrow,

Liam

Gotta love food...

12 days in New Zealand.

Today, Elizabeth and I cracked open a container of Peanut Slab ice cream. A "Peanut Slab" is one of Elizabeth's and my favorite New Zealand candy bar that can best be explained as a a Mr. Goodbar on steroids. The ice cream did not disappoint. After a long day of gift shopping, this was the perfect end. We recalled the amazing food that we have shared together here in 6A, something I'll miss a lot, especially since Elizabeth leaves for the South Island on Saturday. While I'll still be able to eat some of the cuisine I've made here in New Zealand back at UD, there are some things that just won't be the same. Besides the obvious brand and ingredient differences (unless I get the Kiwi pie shop in New York to ship me a huge supply...) cooking for myself won't be the same. I'm so used to cooking while the 6:00 news is on and I really enjoy cooking for another person. Maybe someone in HKLZ will want to cook together...

Blog in brief: Cooking is better when you're in New Zealand with Elizabeth.

Cheers,

Liam

Music & Dance

13 days left in New Zealand.

Today, I had a very simple, new experience. However, I was able to see Elizabeth and Emily perform in a pretty sweet dance performance. There were a number of different styles of dance displayed, including break dancing, Malaysian dance, hip-hop and Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art/dance. This was the first time I had been to something that resembled a campus event and it was great. There are so many events that I attend on Delaware's campus and it was fantastic to get that feeling from Victoria after four months

I also had the opportunity to hear Saint-Saens Violin Concerto performed by my neighbor at his second year recital. Just like the dance event, it was fantastic to be attending recitals again. When at home, I have to attend 20 recitals a semester, which I typically dread. However, going to just two here has made me realise how much I actually miss them.

In short, dance + violin = missing Delaware.

Till tomorrow,

Liam

Time Flies...

14 days left in New Zealand.

Each day from now till 16 November, I'm trying to do at least one new thing in New Zealand each day and post a new picture from somewhere in New Zealand that I haven't put up before.

Today's new activities:

• Coffee at Espressoholic.
• Eating spaghetti on toast with cheese.
• Seeing the Wellington Youth Orchestra perform.

Something new tomorrow!

- Liam

Food & Culture

Wellington has the highest number of cafes & bars per capita anywhere in the world. And yet, I've been to the same 15 restaurants, bars and coffee shops since I've been here. So yesterday when Kevin walked into the lounge and said "let's go out to dinner," Elizabeth and I couldn't think of a reason not to. It was that or left over ziti.

We headed to Sweet Mother's Kitchen, a restaurant that never seems to have an empty seat inside. This restaurant serves traditional American fare, and I think we were all excited to have a bit of comfort food. Chips & salsa, spinach dip and hush puppies soon filled our table, followed by a homemade mac & cheese, fried chicken, dirty rice and slaw. I have not been so satisfied with a meal in a while. The only thing missing from this wannabe American restaurant was Heinz Ketchup. But their horseradish laden cocktail sauce was good enough for me and we left there extremely full and happy.

Tonight, Elizabeth, Maggie and I headed downtown again, to Flying Burrito Brothers, Wellington's only TexMex restaurant. After another satisfying meal (shredded beef burritos this time) the three of us went to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Peter Pan. I was once again impressed by the quality of the performance. Totally worth more than the student rate of $20 that we were luckily enough to pay for it.

Happy Halloween!

- Liam

Hamster Balls & Parachutes

Welcome back,

Classes are over, essays handed in & only one more exam to go before I'm officially finished with uni in Wellington. To celebrate the end of classes, another road trip was in order. Myself and four other Americans took the long drive north, visiting Taupo, the Coromandel & and Bay of Islands. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough time to visit everything worth visiting in the North Island, but we made the best of our five days.

In Taupo we were able to see some of the natural hot springs that exist there and could even go swimming in a hot water stream. Definitely hotter than any hot tub I've ever been in. Taupo is also minutes away from Huka falls which dump 270 square metres of water every minute. The air being mixed with the water here causes it to have a shockingly bright blue colour. A short drive further north brought us to Rotorua.

Rotorua might smell like rotten eggs, but that's solely due to the sulfur emitted by the many thermal pools surrounding it. The number one attraction for me in Rotorua was the Zorb. Zorbing is basically climbing into a hamster ball that is eleven feet in diameter with a small amount of water and rolling down a hill. I know that it sounds (and frankly looks) ridiculous, but it was an amazing amount of fun and something I've wanted to do since I arrived in New Zealand.

Next was a drive to the Coromandel peninsula, famous for its beaches and natural beauty. We rented a cabin which was located an hours drive along a gravel road from the nearest town. Our secluded piece of paradise overlooked the Pacific from its jungle location. The cabin had no electricity, water provided from rainfall and a propane powered refrigerator. Being away from modernity is not something too foreign to me, but it was great to get away from the world for a couple of days. The beach was only a short walk through the jungle and we spent a couple hours there the next day, just soaking in some New Zealand sun and climbing on the rocks.

Our next stop was the Bay of Islands, about a 4 hour drive north of Auckland. We were supposed to have a house booked for this locale as well, but due to some miscommunication we found ourselves homeless. As it was Labour day weekend, all backpackers were booked for the weekend, but we were luckily able to book the last vacation cabin at a Holiday Park in Paihia. The next day, I completed another goal for New Zealand: skydiving.

For anyone who knows me, you know of my fear of heights and my hatred of roller coasters. Let me tell you that 12,000 feet is no small height. Luckily, with tandem skydiving, someone actually pushes you out of the plane, so once you're in the plane, you're also jumping out of it. It doesn't really feel like you're falling at all. It feels as if you're floating and a really strong wind is blowing at you. After falling 200 kilometres an hour for about 40 seconds, the parachute was deployed and I floated for almost five minutes, through some scattered clouds, to the ground. This was a rush that outdid bungee jumping by a mile. Best single experience in New Zealand so far.

After a boat ride with the girls while they went parasailing and catching some more rays on the beach, we had dinner with way too much food. We had chicken and beef already to make on the grill, complete with fresh made guacamole and asparagus. But our luck struck again when the owner of the cabin had a plethora of fresh caught snapper and offered us 6 fresh fillets to make on the grill. So we had a surf 'n' double turf for dinner and full to bursting, we headed to bed.

The drive from Pahia to Wellington along the West Coast of Northland is 13 1/2 hours with no stops. This made for a long day in the car. Luckily, everyone showered.

The north of this country is absolutely beautiful and I wish I had more time (and money...) to explore it. But the adventures will be confined to Wellington now, and I can't complain about that.

Till next time,

Liam