Well I am in Nelson, right now. I like this town it got good downtown, but a quiet feel to it. I head towards Ambel Tazman tommorrow to do little tramping (backpacking) in arthur range at least thats the plan. I am becoming little more comfortible in doing nothing and just enjoying being somewhere different. However, I am looking forward to Asia, where I think things will feel more foriegn. New Zealand is beutiful and all, but feels alot like the states and next to all different language being spoken most days I forget I am on the otheside of the world.

River crossing!

Ah New Zealand at it's finest.

This on the way up the copland pass, beutiful huh!

Rules of Hitching.

1. Be Patient
2. Be Patient and ask locals where they hitch for that matter talk everyon they might end up the "ride"
3. Always be flexible and hold onto your bag of earthly possessions
4. Get Perment Marker
5. Get Carboard (Do not leave sign in cars, what are they going do with it)
6. Know the way you want to go and way you do not
7. Smile - sweet old people trust the smile (They pick you up most)
8. EAT a Huge meal before you Hitch. You are now on there schedule.
9. Pray alot (No psyco axe murder please!)
10. Walk/stand/ Jog/ talk self when no is watching and remember this all part of the fun.

That's right I been hitching NZ. So far my best fet is Oxford literaly a farm town 50km out side of Christchurch to Queenstown (way down south). 8:30 I started walking towards town to 6pm it took me. I am told it actually a 6 1/2 hour drive straight through.
I got picked up all kinds of people. (In order) A farmer on his way to Christ Church with few pigs, a young Canada couple just on Holiday, A ecologist, a nice older couple from Arizon who picked me up in middle of nowhere (Thank you God for them!!!) and lastly a father and son from Hollend who were generous enough to speak to me in English. Funny enough the last ride was the tightest of all. If we crashed I probaly would never moveD!
Tommorow I head toward Mt Aspiration and probably stop in WAnaka to pick up supplies for a sweet 4 day trek on semi-remote part of the park. All depends on the weather. Oh Mt. Cook got bailed on because I needed a ice axe and crampoons for Copeland Pass and I have no so.. whoosh off I go in another direction.
I will do a photo post when I get out of the backcountry. This computer is difficult to attach a cable to. If you like to give a shout out to the Big Guy for me. Please ask for safety for me on this trek and always for a good hitch for where ever I am going.

Well I am in Oxford, NZ hanging out with Katie Chambless who here for WYAM. I been here since Saturday afternoon and enjoying this quient town. I been using the adventures mode of transportation of hitch hiking to get around NZ. I thought I start making my way to Cook Mt to do copland pass today or tommorrow, but I have a raving case of the Fiji runs that refuses to go away. So I think that instead I will head to Queens Town and give my body a chance to rid myself of this nasty bug. Then I hope that I can get trekking in the woods.
I am happy to report that I did do some hiking yesterday up Oxford mt. It beutiful cloudy hike to start, but the rain moved in about 2 hours into hike and drove all of us hiking down off the mountain. In fact, it was raining so hard that trail turned into small creek as we all sloshed our way down. Nontheless, it fun adventure and it was hard not think around the corner that Frodo or sam might jump out. The trees around here are covered in this thick black funges that gives everything a look of once being in forest fire. And, yes there are sheep everywhere and even few scottish cows that remind me of the ranch.

A beutiful sunset on mana island
This was veiw out of my hostels many front doors. Sorry I do not have enough time on my hired internet connection to flip it. So turn your head sideways and enjoy : - )

I write to you from Christchurch, NZ a beutiful town that remind alot of England. Fiji was truly amazing. It's was like hawaii but cheaper. I spent most my time on Mana Island, a typical resort/local village island. Most of my days were spent laying on the beach, swimming and more swimming in the ocean, snorkeling and reading. I got to play a pick up game of rugby one- touch with the local fiji population (15 on 15) and even scored a try! The best part of the island was I hung out same people every day so go to be pretty good friends with quiet a few of them. The snorkeling and just island atmospher of mana is incredible and I recommend it anyone off to fiji.
Now that I am in NZ I am trying figure out how I plan get around island to do some backpacking. I been looking at cars and also trying to maybe hitch with few people who go by the national parks I plan to hike.
For those of you who are worried about me having no friends over here; don't be. The average backpackers are the most friendly people you will ever meet. You run into someone start talking and lone behold you are booking the same hostel together.

Tommorrow is the day I been waiting for and thinking about for last 6 years; it's time to leave the country. I have alot of mixed feelings a bit of excitement, nervous, restlessness and unbelief. I have racked my brain continously trying figure if I am forgeting to do something important, but at last my window is closing which weirdly is relieving. What is done is done and what is not done... well it might just have to stay that way. So I head off to fiji and country apparently tetering on a coup. I guess I wanted adventure and I am about to get it.

This is me in Steamboat before I left the States.