Hello everyone! 

I must apologize for having taken so long to write another entry, although I suspect you have managed to keep yourselves occupied in absence of such 'newsworthy' updates as mine! 

All is well here in the land of the long white cloud. I will be brief in my recap compared to all that has happened, because I must go to sleep soon before beginning my journey with wwoofing!  Most recently, I finished up all my studies at the university.  It was a nice semester, and upon reflection, I consider that it was more intellectually challenging to me than courses back in the US, because more genuine, deep thought was required on my behalf.  My exams went well, except for the carpel tunnel syndrome I suspect I developed in the course of writing essays for three hours nonstop!  

After finishing with school, Joey and I embarked last Wednesday on our week-long trip that has just come to a close.  Our first stop was New Plymouth, home to nearby Mt. Taranaki.  But on the way, we couldn't help but stop to buy some candies and fresh fruit on the side of the road.  No ice cream for me, though! Did I tell you I'm vegan now? Well now you know. Unfortunately, we arrived to New Plymouth far after sunset, even though it was only 7pm.  I believe it was the winter solstice that day, and combining that with the absolute absence of any street lights in rural New Zealand made it quite a depressing drive. It felt a bit like driving in a bubble in space.  

But New Plymouth was actually quite nice.  We had quite a bit of sushi during our trip, partly because it's tasty but also because we discovered it is the best possible vegan fast-food when you're traveling.  In New Plymouth, we stayed at a comfy lodge outside the town, where we socialized with a lovely cat named Egmont, after one of the names of Mt. Taranaki.  We found the grounds and general scenery to be beautiful across our journey, with lots of green grass, nice smells, and beautiful flowers.  This was especially so when we went to some incredible greenhouses in a park in New Plymouth.  They had wonderful displays of flowers and plants that really took up the whole space vertically and horizontally, so it was like walking in an enchanted forest of botany.  Another stop in New Plymouth was obviously Mt. Taranaki, but we didn't do much climbing on the snow-tipped mountain.  However, we enjoyed saying hello to a goat and some cows on the roadside along the way.  We made lots of furry friends during our journey.

From New Plymouth, we drove to Waitomo, where we stayed in another nice hostel.  We went to a wildlife park, where we got to say hello to some birds, cows, goats, horses, ducks, a peacock, a huge scottish cattle of some sort, and more.  We also fed them some pellets, which made for slobbery hands by the end.  Joey caught a video of me throwing some pellets on the ground for birds to eat, which then turned into a horse demanding handfuls of food while the birds swarmed, and after that a pig chasing me around for his share.  It was quite a scene!  

Also in Waitomo, we saw one glow worm cave and another cave, and while pretty and interesting, we came to affirm the pre-existing belief that the activities we prefer are those that are least touristy.  So, after our semi-engaging caving trip, we took off to Rotorua, home to the sulphur vents which carry with them that lovely rotten egg smell we cherish so much.  

But it was a grand time, really.  We stayed at Cactus Jack's, a run-down cowboy-themed hostel run by an amicable character named Paul.  Upon our arrival, we chatted for quite some time, and were then invited to watch the rugby game on TV.  It was quite interesting, mostly because I spent most of the time figuring out what the rules of the game were!  But the people at the hostel were truly nice and that made it so enjoyable.  

Our first full day there, we went to a great place called Rainbow Springs Wildlife Park.  We saw some birds and kea and kaka and our first pukeko, and then returned later that night to see some kiwi in their homes.  They had a large outdoor enclosure where four kiwis lived, and we actually got to walk in (quietly) and observe them digging for some yummy creatures in the soil.  This was truly unique compared to other kiwi activities where you stare at them through a thick pane of glass.  

Cactus Jack's has a lot of murals and paintings throughout the place to give it a western feel.  And on our second day there, I actually spent most of my time painting a mural for Paul, which was really great fun.  It was a big wall that had half the mural done already, and the other half had been chipped off and removed. My task was to complete it and make the two halves into a whole.  I really enjoyed that.  The mural was of an indian chief whose face was emerging from a lake, and it said "Big Chief Sitting Pool." Pictures of that and all other things will take some time to get themselves online.

Another stop in Rotorua was Te Puia Village, a Maori cultural site that had a hot spring, mud pools, weaving and carving exhibits, and cultural dance. Again, we felt a bit too much like tourists there, mostly because we were.

And finally, we arrived in our trusty rental car to Auckland.  We were reminded quite unhappily that traffic really does exist! Being in a country of only 4 million people, it is easy to forget that truth.  But Auckland has over 1.2 million people, and I must say the traffic getting to our destination was more painful than crossing the George Washington Bridge!

But we were able to appreciate Auckland thanks to our tour guide and friend, Ian.  We met him a while ago in a Wellington cafe with his girlfriend, Elisabeth, and we were grateful to have been invited to stay with Ian at his lovely home here in Devonport.  It's a beautiful beachy town in close proximity to Auckland city, yet far enough away that you can enjoy the beach and the beautiful area without any stress.  When we went into the city, Joey and I ended up finding a few good book sales, and combining that with a vegan restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet, our day was quickly filled! But we bought some great books, and I am excited to dig in!  And today, we were privileged to have received a wonderful tour from Ian of his Devonport town, and it happened to be a gorgeous day.  If there really are four seasons, winter makes no sign of himself here in Auckland.  We saw a lookout post and a Writer's House, a cave and beautiful shorefront, a lake and also a volcanic shore.  The beautiful sun and natural attractions were quite nice, and then we stopped by some greenhouse gardens in Auckland.  

Tomorrow, Joey and I depart for our newest adventure, wwoofing. We will be living on an organic farm for two weeks, where we will be working in exchange for food and housing. It looks as though some of our tasks will include selling eggs, baking, and selling baked goods, in combination with doing real farm work with the 100+ animals the family has.  After that, our journey will quickly come to a close, and we will be back in the US by July 24th.  

I am quite certain that I have forgotten quite a few things we have done, and have used the word lovely or beautiful or quite quite too often, but that will have to do for now!