Rangitoto Island

Took ferry to Rangitoto Island to check out the lava caves and volcano.


Cool crawl through cave pictured left. Ferry ride over. Great views from the top.

Day 2 park run

Fun times last night in youth hostel. Group of irish, couple of girls from london, and Brazilian guy. believe it or not we have karaoke machine in the youth hostel so that was a good time. today i went on run in great park and took a few climbing pic. I plan on meeting up with george the brazilian tonight to watch the All Blacks play France in rugby. Then who knows. I hope to be in the back country by tuesday.

Youth Hostel Life

Made it in to Auckland > in hostel for night or two to get my feet on ground. So much to report > bit of a situation in customs. apple in bag that i forgot about > ended up costing me 200 dollars. Hostel suprisingly nice. Basically like a college dorm room > cost equililant to around 15 US dollars a night. Nice people there too. Just had dinner with Marnie at this real authentic nz place you might have heard of... its called Wendy's they have great old fashion hamburgers. I think i will go back now and see whats doin at the hostel. Great to finally be here. The pic is me outside my youth hostel in auckland.

Here at last

Met Tom at the airport and I am at his place now. Getting ready to head to youth hostel in auckland. Funny story to come concerning customs...

In photo to left, i climb light pole in Albert park in Auckland. I plan on watching the All Blacks dominate the rugby pitch tonight against the French.

Glad to see that that Pit beat Detroit in the cup finals.

the night before it begins

The wait is nearly over.  I leave for NZ tomorrow afternoon.  It hasn't truly hit me yet that I will be in such a distant place so soon but it will hit me soon enough.  As you can imagine, I greatly look forward to my journey overseas and eagerly await the adventures to come.  

Pretty much all of my trip is unplanned.  I have a list of places i want to see, mountains i want to climb and hikes that i want to go on.  But as for a schedule or obligations of any kind; there are none.  

I will be living out of my backpack.  Everything I need will be in it.  I enjoyed the task of simplifying everything i own into the bare essentials.  I have a small stove and will be living in a hammock. 

When I am not on the trail, I will be staying with NZ families.  There is a great deal of organic farming in New Zealand and I will be working 4 to 5 hours a day in exchange for room and board.  It is in this way I will travel the two islands of some of the most beautiful countryside on planet earth.     

2 days before depature

Just got back to Memphis from Colorado. These pics are from colorado where i spent  a week with the fam.  Good times. New Zealand bound in 2 days.