Save the Date

Life is not measured by the 

number of breaths we take,
but by the number of moments 

that take our breath away.

It is rare for me to get mail, so you can imagine my excitement when I came home from work this week and saw a letter on my bed. I quickly ripped open the envelope to find a "save the date" card for Courtney's wedding (my former boss and amazing friend.) Congrats Cor! I am so happy for you!

For some reason, that "save the date" stirred up some emotions in me and got the wheels turning in my head. It made me think about how our lives are a series of "dates" and important events that often follow a particular order. Babies are born, we celebrate their first birthday, we celebrate their first day of school, darn they grow up fast and now they are graduating from high school and marching to "Pomp and Circumstance", then they are off to college, how four years fly and they graduate from college and get their first job in the "real" world, they meet a nice boy or girl, get married, buy a house, have kids, then the cycle starts all over again and then we die. The Germans refer to it as "the system." My friend Stephanie from work, said that in Germany you have to be part of the system or you will be "lost" and won't get a good job or be successful. In Germany, they put kids on a track in school at a very early age. At age 10 (4th grade), they already decide what type of school the "kinder" will attend and thus determine what type of career they will have as adults. I thank my lucky stars that I was born in the U.S. because I wasn't the strongest student growing up. If I had been on a particular track, I may have never gone to college and had as many opportunities that I have. I am so glad that I was able to work hard and choose my own path.

Many of my friends are celebrating milestones and specials occasions in their lives. Weddings, homes, babies…all very exciting things. But every time I get the exciting news from someone, it makes me realize how different my life is and how I am not part of the system anymore. I was, I definitely was…graduated in the top of my high school class, went to college and graduated Summa Cum Laude, had impressive internships, had a great job and at one point was on the track to a marriage and house. But sometimes the system is broken and it doesn't feel right. Instead of being part of the system, I decided to follow my heart and leave the routine behind. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. And you know what? I am am completely okay with that! I recently decided that I am going to start taking online classes at the South West Institute of Healing Arts in Arizona. I found something that interests me at the school, so I am going to take classes simply because I want to. Just like how I am in Taupo right for an interview for the Mount Rupheau Ski Resort. I need a job, so I thought why not work at a ski resort , get a free season pass and have easy access to something I love to do. And I am happy to announce, that 10 minutes into the interview they offered me a job and I start next week. That means within the next few days I need to pack, find a new place to live and find a mode of transportation. Crazy stuff! So as you see, life isn't about being on a track anymore…it's about dabbling. Life is like a buffet, so why not try a little bit of everything?!

I am sure at some point in my life I may celebrate the "special dates" that Hallmark makes millions on. Maybe I will get married to my life partner in a beachside wedding, maybe I will pop out a couple little monkeys, perhaps I will get my lab and house (or loft) with hardwood floors and brick walls. I am excited about these moments, but I am doing my best to put them into perspective. By that I mean, I have heard so many people say that their wedding day was the happiest day of their lives. I get it, it's your day, you are marrying the one you love and all your loved ones are their to celebrate with you…of course that sounds amazing! As I look back on my life, I have so many days filled with happiness and they weren't necessarily days that I planned for my whole life. The day I climbed La Tour Eiffel with Mindy, the day I tackled Tammy while snowshoeing in Colorado, the day I went sledding with Shelley, MacKenna and my Mom in Wisconsin, the day my Portland family rented a cabin and made our own Christmas stockings, the day Team Bridget/Amy took on Team Marty/Mac in an interpretative dance competition, the random day Marty and I got in the car and drove around the state of Washington for 18 hours just to see the sites, the day my NZ family went hiking and climbed through a mudslide and waded through a river….those were all just random days in my life, but those are my "save the dates." 

So save the date, mark it on the calendar, cherish the big moments, but never forget to enjoy the small ones too. Those random days that are filled with laughter, tears and smiles are the ones you will remember and cherish when all is said and done.

Mount Ruapehu

The Amazing Faces of Oakside

Travel not only stirs the blood...It also gives strength to the spirit.
~Florence Prag Kahn

My hands and arms are covered in bruises and cuts. My back hurts and my legs are tired. 11-hour shifts, six days a week and all for a measly $13.00 NZ dollars an hour. I never in a million years thought that I would be in New Zealand packing fruit, but I wouldn't have it any other way. There is nothing glamorous about being a kiwifruit packer and some days are unbearable. However, I wouldn't trade this experience for anything for one simple reason...the people. In my short time at Oakside, I have met some amazing people from all over the world. I am learning about different cultures and I am learning to speak a few different languages in exchange for helping my new friends with their English. Rather than me telling you about each of them, I thought I would let them tell you in their own words.

Hola! Mi nombre es Carmen Maria Alvarez Rodriguez y soy de Meico, naci en el D.F., pero vivo en Torreon que es en el norte. Me encanta viajar, conocer nuevas culturas y gentre y algun dia me encantaria escribir un libro.
(Hi! My name is Carmen Maria Alvarez Rodriguez and I am from Mexico. I was born in D.F., but I live in Torreon, which is in the north. I love traveling, meeting new cultures and people and one day I would love to write a book.)

Hallo, Hoe gain ditto. My naam is Kate Grant. Ek is van Suid Afrika AF. Ek is die enigeste kind en my family en ditto is nie so lekko nie. My verjaarsdag is ap die 25 April zdi en sisal 27 ewes. Ek hoop my Afrikaans is reg. Want ek ka nie dak nie en my had is see anti ek het kiwis gepok.
(Hello, how are you? My name is Kate Grant. I am from South Africa. I am the only child in my family and it is not so nice. My birthday is the 25th of April and I will be 27. I hope my Afrikaans is good enough because I can't think or write properly because I have been packing kiwifruit.)

Hallo, alles goed? Mijn naam is Martijn Robert en ik hom muit Nederland. Reizen voor mij is een instelling.
(Hi, how are you? My name is Martijn Robert and I'm from Holland. Traveling to me is an attitude. Peace!!)

Hola, mi nombre es Geri! Soy de Argentina, Cordoba! Tenes que visitar Cordoba! Estas invitada! Ya tenes casa en donde Quedarte! Es un gusto haberte conocido Amy! Tenemos que organizer una comdia todo juntos así nos conocemos mas. Fuera del ámbito de los kiwis!! Espero poder viajar y conocer mucho mas de NZ! Y quien sabe, capas que podemoa hacerco juntas! Un beso!
(Hello, my name is Geri! I'm from Argentina, Cordoba! You should visit Cordoba! You are invited! You have a house you where you can stay! It is a pleasure to have met you Amy! We must organize a dinner all together so we can get to know each other outside of the kiwi ambiance! I hope to travel and know more about NZ! And who knows, maybe we can do it together! Kisses!)

Hallo Amy, Mein Name ist Stephanie Galtz und ich komme aus einer kleinen Stadt im nördlichen Duestchland au der Ostsee. Wir Kennen Uhus vou der Arbeit bei Oakside. Wenn du dieses Buch nocheinmal liest kannst du dich bestimmt an das Mädchen erinnern, die mit ihrem Freund im Van geschlafen hat. Ich wuensche dir noch eine wunderschöne Zeit in Neuseeland! Liebe Gruesse, Stephanie
(Hello, my name is Stephanie Glatz and I living in a little town North of Germany on the East coast. We know each other from the work at Oakside and we are packing neighbors. When you read this again you will remember me as the little girl with her friend and slept in a van. I wish you a beautiful time in New Zealand! Nice regards, Stephanie.)


My co-workers are all amazing people. I find spending the long days at the packhouse with them is very inspirational. Being in this type of environment makes me want to spend the rest of my life traveling. We live in a very big world and there is so much to see. Caskie Stinnett once said, "I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine." I couldn't agree more! Although there is a little more routine in my life right now because I punch a clock, things are ever-changing. With each new experience, each new situation and every new person I meet...I grow as a person.

Carmen also shared her favorite quote with me and I think it is very fitting (especially since we are in Middle Earth.)  "Not all those who wander are lost." J.R.R Tolkien.

The Kiwi Experience

She works hard for the money

So hard for it honey

She work hard for the money

So you better treat her right.

~Donna Summer

Many people come to New Zealand and take part in the legendary "Kiwi Experience." It is a hop-on, hop-off bus adventure filled with twenty-something backpackers who are looking to travel and party. If I were about 10 years younger and had a little bit more money, I would probably be interested in joining them. However, I am seeing a whole different side of New Zealand and getting the REAL kiwi experience. I made the decision to come to New Zealand on a whim, so I didn't plan and save money like most people do. I knew I had to have a balance between work and play during my trip. Over the last three months I have been doing a lot of playing, so now it is time to work!

Richard (my new roommate) helped me get a job in the kiwifruit industry. I work for a company called Seeka, which is New Zealand's largest kiwifruit grower. They also operate more than 20% of the industry's total packing and coolstorage capacity. I work at the Seeka Oakside Packhouse. On my first day we were told that our packhouse would pack 4 billion boxes of fruit this season, which equates to 4,000 boxes a minute. We have 600 employees and three production lines that work around the clock. I work on Line #1 and my shift is from 8:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m., Sunday through Friday. The packhouse operates 24 hours a day, so there is also a night shift that works from 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. The picking & packing season will run from March to June.

Kiwifuit owe their name to a bird, native of New Zealand, named "kiwi." Although most parts of the world refer to the fruit simply as kiwi, you will be quickly corrected in New Zealand if you don't say kiwifruit. Kiwifruit plants need at least 240 frost-free days to grow. The best place for the vines to grow is in a moderately sunny place, where they can grow across a trellising system. My roommates Richard, Marcus and Jessica all work for a local grower and are in charge of picking the fruit during harvest season. Marcus describes his job in the following way, "Pick kiwis as fast as you can and be a slave." Classic! Each picker carries a bag on their chest and picks the kiwifruit from the vines above their heads. According to Marcus, they aren't referred to by their names but rather than the number on their bag. Work has been delayed this year because of the rain and also because a disease called PSA which has infected the vines. Sadly this disease (caused by pollen that they believe traveled here from Italy), may have a drastic effect on the vines and threaten the future of the fruit industry in New Zealand. If they can't control the disease and contamination, there is fear that within three years the entire kiwifruit industry in New Zealand could disappear. 

Once the fruit has been picked, they load it into giant bins and ship it to packhouses in the area. At Oakside, there are three "lines", which each have 60 plus employees working at any given time. There are several positions - quality control, sorters, box makers, packers, stackers and fork-lift drivers. After it has been loaded into the machine, they sort the fruit and then it makes its way down the conveyer belt. The machine sorts it by weight and then it is distributed to each packer based on the size. We have various box sizes, for the gold and green kiwifruit. In under 30 seconds I load 33 or so kiwifruit into a tray/box and then cover it with plastic and then close the box. If I take longer than 30 seconds, then I am screwed. It is imperative that you keep up a solid pace or the kiwifruit will begin to pile up, fall on the floor and then it becomes damaged product. 

This may be the most physically demanding job I have ever had. My back hurts and my hands are full of cuts. However as I stand there for 11 hours a day, I use this time to dream about my future. I brainstorm money-making ideas, dream about travels and think about friends and family. I also have met some amazing people at the packhouse - the type of people who will be lifetime friends. Most of the employees at the packhouse are from Malaysia, Taiwan and India. And then there is the rest of us…our little lunch crew looks like the United Nations. My new friends are Carmen (Mexico), Martijn (Holland), Kimberly (Japanese Kiwi born in America) and Kate (South America). There are a few others from Argentina, France, and Chile. I haven't confirmed it yet, but I believe I am the only American working in the packhouse. Richard, who is a supervisor at the Orchard, also said that in all the years he has been doing this he has never had an American work for him. I am not quite sure what that means. Do Americans not travel to New Zealand? If they travel here, do they choose not to work? And if they work, do they choose to get a more glamourous job? Well whatever the reason, I am slowly changing their minds that not all Americans are bad people. 

Although I am not a fan of the work and the long hours, I am grateful to have a job. I am also grateful for the people I have met through the job. If it wasn't for them, I don't think I would make it through the day. I will pack fruit until my next work opportunity comes along. Until then, I will continue to work hard for the money.

In the Distance I Saw Light

I could not see for the fog in my eyes
And I could not feel for the fear in my life
From across the great divide
In the distance I saw light
The Maker - Dave Matthews Band

I came to New Zealand in search of something. Perhaps clarity, inspiration, peace, adventure or maybe even direction. I am in the most beautiful place in the world and I'm having an amazing time, but over the last two months l've been just as confused as when I left Portland. I had this idea that I would come to New Zealand and all the answers would instantly become clear. But a few weeks ago someone said to me, "Sometimes you have to become more confused to get to a place of clarity." At the time I thought she was crazy, but over the last few days her statement has began to make sense to me.

This morning I went to the beach for my morning run and meditation session on the hillside of Mount Maunganui. As I sat there and listened to the sounds of the ocean and watched the waves crash against the rocks I began to cry because I felt a rush of pure and utter happiness. I have been so worried about having a plan or understanding why things happen, but recently the light bulb went off and I realized that there is no reason to stress or worry about it because there is a plan for me beyond my control. Small decisions I make, actions of others in my life or unexpected circumstances completely determine my future. Let me try to explain…

My entire life I have dreamt about living on an island and by the beach. Growing up in a landlocked state this seemed next to impossible. I don't know why, but deep down I have always longed for this…and here I am, in my 30's, living out a lifelong dream. I started thinking about my entire life and how smalls decisions and actions have lead me to where I am today. Since I was a little girl, I also dreamt about working at Walt Disney World (WDW). Walt Disney was one of my heros growing up because I found his rags to riches story fascinating. I also admired his vision and ability to turn his imagination into a reality. After I graduated from college, I decided I would take the leap and move to Florida to work at WDW. I packed up the car and drove across the country with my mom for one of the best adventures of my life. I lived in Florida for a year and worked as the International Marketing Coordinator at WDW.

After my internship ended, I was drawn back to the Midwest because that was where my family and my boyfriend (of six years) were. I moved home and within three days my boyfriend broke up…but as they say, as one door closes another opens. In that same week, I got offered the Marketing Coordinator job at the Target Center Arena in Minneapolis. Since I saw my first concert at the TC many years before, I had dreamt of working there and in the entertainment business. After I started my boss told me that they hired me because of my experience at WDW. My first concert at the venue was Dave Matthews Band and I remember standing next to the stage with the photographers amazed that I was there...I had landed my dream job at Target Center.

All good things must come to an end…eventually my position was eliminated and I had to find another job. But I will always cherish my memories and the friends that I made at Target Center. I was offered a job in Memphis, but I decided to stay and work at KARE 11 in Minneapolis. I wasn't sold on Memphis and I was also going to be in three weddings that summer (one being Amy's wedding, a roommate from Flordia.) Working at the station was a great experience, but there was always a part of me that missed the music business and yearned for more adventure and travel.

One night I was in SCF (my hometown) out with my friends and I ran into Mike, a family friend of my ex. This is one of those conversations in my life that I will never forget! Mike told me how he had moved to Portland, Oregon. As he described the city and his life, I instantly fell in love of the idea of moving West and being a free-spirit like Mike. However how could I, Amy Carrier, quit my job and move West…impossible?! Well, things have a way of working themselves out…whether I knew it or not, my heart held on to the idea of Portland. I went on vacation with my family to the West Coast in the summer of 2007 and I visited Portland for the first time. After the trip, my mom asked me out of all of the cities that we visited which city would I choose to live in…I said I loved Seattle and San Fran, but Portland seemed like a good fit for me.

Crazy circumstances unfolded and within one month from the trip, I landed the Marketing Manager position at the Rose Quarter and had moved to Oregon. As chance had it, Stevie D a former co-worker from Target Center happen to be in Portland working on the Aerosmith tour. My first weekend in town I met him out at the Good Foot for a drink and while I was at the bar I ran into Mike (the guy who originally put the Portland idea in my head.) How crazy, right?!?

My life continues to get crazy, about a year later one of my best friends Marty (who I met in Minneapolis and through connections at Target Center) decided to move to Portland and we became roommates. The next few years in Portland were amazing…filled with good friends, love, adventure, good food, amazing lattes and much, much more! As chance would have it, two of those friends I met in Portland happened to be Mike and Laura. I was so sad (and envious) when they told me that they were moving to New Zealand last year.

Less than a year later, circumstances in my life led me to the decision to take the leap and follow my dream of living abroad. So I turned in my notice at the arena, packed up my apartment and moved to New Zealand with Mike and Laura. So fast forward to last week, I was sitting in a cafe with my new roommate, Richard, drinking a latte and I picked up an entrainment magazine. I flipped to the back cover and saw an ad for Stone Temple Pilots in Auckland. Seeing that ad made me feel nostalgic and miss the life I once had. Later that night I went home and surfed Facebook (just like anyone does when they are missing home) and I noticed that my friend Stevie D was in Sydney (where I had been one week earlier.) So I shot him a message and asked who he was on tour with and if he would be stopping in New Zealand. Turns out, he is the tour manager for STP and was going to be in NZ that weekend. It is funny how things work out, because less than a week later I was up in Auckland rockin' to STP and then enjoying cocktails with the crew, band and my new roommate in the hotel bar after the show.

Coming off a great weekend we headed back to the Mount and I have enjoyed three amazing days at the beach with my new German (which ironically is the language I took in high school and college) roommates. Marcus taught me how to surf and we have also enjoyed beach volleyball pick-up games with Germans, Argentinians and a guy from France. I never thought this would be my life…ever! I got the call yesterday that I would begin fruit packing on Friday, so I am headed to Hamilton to move my mattress and pick up the rest of my stuff from the Knapps. On the way to Hamilton, I stopped by Hobbiton and chatted with the woman about the filming of the movie. She gave me the name of the production company, so I am going to make a few calls and see if there is any chance to get a job. If I have learned anything, everything happens for a reason and no dream is too big.

I tend to ramble and sometimes divulge too much personal information. However my point of sharing all of this with you, is so you will understand me when I say…that even though I don't have a plan, I see the light. I am starting to give up the unnecessary worry and stress that I have carried around for so long. I am going to stop worrying about the details and how to get to the end goal, because living in the moment, enjoying each day and doing what I love is the goal. This approach to life is what will give me balance, peace and happiness.

You may all think I am crazy and in all honesty, I don't really care if you do. I think I have found the secret to life…don't just live it, truly LIVE IT! When others doubt you or think your dreams are out of reach, don't listen. Keep them close to your heart and be confident in yourself. Look at every situation as an opportunity and appreciate every person you meet…you never know how they will impact your life. Not everyone has to go to the Southern Hemisphere to have an epiphany, but that is part of my journey and is the path for me to see the light.

The view I had this morning from the Mount.

To Everything There Is A Season

A time to gain, a time to lose

A time to rend, a time to sew

A time for love, a time for hate

A time for peace, I swear it's not too late

~The Byrds

The leaves are starting to change color, the hot summer days have now "chilled" to an average of 20 degrees Celsius and rain showers are becoming more of a regular occurrence. As we say goodbye to summer in New Zealand, it is time to welcome many new changes in my life. On Thursday, I packed my bags and moved to Mount Maunganui. I said goodbye to my roommates, Mike and Laura, who have become my second family. I also said farewell to the apartment on Lorne Street which has been my home-base since I arrived in New Zealand in January. Even though I have been sick, my last week is Hamilton was filled with lovely girl's days, crazy nights out downtown and lots of great walks around the lake. When I moved to New Zealand and would tell people that I was moving to Hamilton, the #1 response was, "Why Hamilton?" It gets a bad rap (and according to my new roommate it's the chlamydia capital of the world), but it is actually a quaint little city. It's filled with so many great little cafes, hidden nature walks within the city limits and is home of the most beautiful public gardens I have ever seen. It was bittersweet to leave, but it is time to pack my bags, head where the work is and start a new chapter of my Kiwi adventure.

Laura, Lindsay and I packed up the car and road-tripped to the Mount. It was a beautiful day, so we went straight to the beach. When we arrived, we saw a crowd of people so we headed over to take a closer look. The Travel Channel was filming a show about New Zealand and they had built a beautiful Maori sand sculpture and were performing a haka, which is a traditional Maori dance. We jumped in as extras and played the role of "excited crowd members"…I even gave my character a Southern accent for a little extra flare. After the filming, we hiked to the top of the Mount and took in the amazing views of the beach and city. To reward ourselves for the hard work, we hit up the gelato stand and then walked around the CBD and did some shopping. It was a lovely day with the ladies and a special visitor all the way from Wisconsin, Flat Stanley. My cousin Tanner, who is in second grade in St. Croix Falls, sent me his Flat Stanley. We toted "Stan" around with us everywhere and we were pretty excited when he ended up on camera for the Travel Channel.

Within the next week or so, I will start packing kiwi fruit at Seeka Oakside. Typically the season starts in mid-March, but due to a disease that is killing the vines the fruit is not maturing at the normal rate. Thousands of people come from all over the world and work for 3-6 months during kiwi fruit season. For most of them, they can make more money in those months than they can in an entire year in their own country. Since the work is in Te Puke, I have moved in with my friend Richard who also works for Seeka. There is also a cute German couple, Marcus and Jessica, living with us. The two are working for Seeka, but are actually picking fruit.  We enjoyed our first night in the house and all sat around the dinner table and discussed differences in American, Kiwi and German culture. We also swapped NZ travel stories. Marcus, Jessica and their friend were snorkeling and their van (they were living out of) was recently broken into and they lost everything. Their clothes, packs, computers, ipods and all of their money were all stolen. They had to borrow $200 from a local cafe in order to buy Petrol and drive down to Richard's house. They are currently filling out forms for the insurance company and applying for new visas. Makes me realize how smooth my travels have been!

It is quite funny living in a house full of accents. I can't understand half of what my roommates say, but perhaps this will be a good way for me to brush up on my German. I think having international roommates will challenge me and broaden my horizons. On a sad note, my friend Lindsay had a family emergency and is cutting her trip short. Lindsay has been an amazing travel buddy and roommate. We have traveled all around New Zealand and Australia together and I will cherish my times with her. I am sad to see her leave early & not have her there to work in the packhouse with me, but I am so glad that I had the chance to become such good friends with her. Best of luck in your travels Miss Lucia Sue!

The only constant in life is change, so I must be flexible and open to what life brings me. As the Byrds said, "To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose."

The Mount

Like A Rolling Stone

How does it feel
To be Without a home
Like a complete unknown
like a rolling stone?
~Bob Dylan


I can relate to Bob Dylan's lyrics because in the last month I have been living out of a backpack and have spent approximately 20 nights in either a hostel, hotel or bach. We have been traveling quite a bit over the last month both in New Zealand and Australia. In the beginning of March, Laura's friends Heidi and Aaron came to visit so we booked a bach in Whangamata in the Coromandel. Because we had company in town, Lindsay and I had to rent a car for the weekend. Our little economy rental car didn't have AC or a radio. However that didn't stop us from having a great roadtrip. We rolled down the windows and used my ipod speakers to rock to everything from Bon Jovi to Otis Redding. The trip to Whangamata took a little longer than expected because we kept stopping at all the tourist attractions, including the giant L&P bottle in Paeroa. When we arrived at the beach, Lindsay and I went straight to the beach. I just took in the sites, while she combed the beach for treasures.


The next day we headed to Cathedral Cove (Te Whanganui-A-Hei), the marine reserve which is located on the Coromandel peninsula. It is named after the cave located there linking Mare's Leg Cove to Cathedral Cove. When we arrived at the cove there was a giant fence and danger sign warning hikers to not enter because there had been a landslide. Like typical Crazanks (Crazy Yanks), we hopped over the fence and headed to the cove. We hiked 45 minutes to the cove and had to crawl over several piles left by the slide. When we got to Cathedral Cove we had to shimmy ourselves down a slope where the slide had taken out the staircase. It was a tad chilly, so we just relaxed and enjoyed a nice little picnic at the beach. When we got home, a few of us decided to go for a nice run along the beach…it was amazing! Later that night we went back to the bach and enjoyed a nice kiwi dinner, which consisted of lamb & rosemary sausage, salad and red wine. On Sunday, we went for another run and then headed to downtown to treat ourselves to a latte and some lovely conversation. Later that day we headed to Whitianga for a day at the thermal pools called The Lost Springs. I felt like we were at a tropical resort because of the foliage, native birds and waterfalls. After the pools, Lindsay and I parted ways with the group and headed to the Mount to crash at Richard's. We got a call earlier in the week from Seeka saying that we both got jobs packing kiwi fruit, so we needed to head to the packhorse to fill out our tax forms. We also drove around and scoped out the hostel that we will be staying at while we pack fruit. We will truly be living the life of a migrant worker!


Lindsay and I went basically straight from our Coromandel trip to Australia. We hopped on the Naked Bus to Auckland and flew New Zealand Air to Sydney. We arrived in Sydney on Tuesday night, just in time to check into the hostel, grab a nice Mexican dinner and take in the amazing Sydney skyline at night. We walked down to the nearest harbor and each enjoyed some American candy. We called it an early night and headed back to the hostel for a "good night sleep" (which is never possible in a hostel. We decided to stay at the Original Backpackers Hostel in Potts Point near Kings Cross. It was a cute little neighborhood. The streets were lined with trees, hostels, quaint cafes and quite a few dodgy strip clubs.


On our first morning in Sydney we spotted the Coco Cafe on Victoria Street and headed there for brekky (breakfast) and a latte. I enjoyed the most amazing fresh tomato, avocado, olive oil open-faced sammy on artisan bread. While we sipped our lattes (local roast Campos), we discussed the GFC with Grant, the cafe owner and then exchanged travel stories with a lovely, young couple from Ireland. They told us about their recent travels to Thailand…and it made me want to go even more! (So if anyone wants to come visit & go to Thailand with me, I am looking for a travel buddy.) After brekky, we headed to the train station and made our way to Bondi Beach, which is located about 7 km from the Sydney CBD. While looking at a map at the bus station, a man stopped us and asked if we wanted help. The minute he heard our accent he instantly started to rave about Napa Valley wine and how much he loved wine country. It was rather cute (but he's right, Napa is amazing.) When we finally arrived at the beach, I was in awe. The beach was amazing! The sand was like nothing I have ever seen before and the water was filled with surfers. While we chilled on the beach, we met a nice girl from Chicago who was living in Sydney for about six months. She told us her story and also gave us a list of places to visit. That night we headed out on the town and went to a bar called O'Mallys. We sat next to a Southern Irish man and a guy from Scotland. I swore the Irish guy wasn't speaking English because his accent was thick and I believe he was extremely intoxicated. The sun had wiped us out, so we called it an early night and went back to the hostel. Our German roommates, were fast asleep so we had to creep around in the dark in order to get ready for bed. (Traveler's note: always bring your head lamp!)


The next morning we went back to the cafe and enjoyed a latte to go as we made our way downtown. We took the path along the harbor and that cuts through the Botanical Garden. There are amazing views of the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House from the garden. We made our way to the Opera House and for kicks decided to see if there were any tickets available for that evening. Belle & Sebastian and Carmen were sold out, but they had a special going…a tour of the SOH and a ticket to the opera, The Barber of Seville for $85. Tickets for that show were usually $280, so it was quite the deal…and come on, you can't go all the way to Sydney, Australia and not see a performance at the Sydney Opera House. The tour was worth every penny. It is a phenomenal building and it was so interesting to learn the struggles they went through for it to become the icon it is today.


Later than night we took the train back downtown and I saw my first opera. I remember sitting there thinking, "Wow, I am in Australia while my sister is at home giving birth. It is amazing how different our lives are right now." At about 2:30 a.m. (which is exactly when Shelley was scheduled for the c-section) I was awaken by rowdy people in the hostel and I couldn't fall back to sleep because I just had this weird feeling. I kept thinking about Baby Mason and had this feeling that something wasn't quite right. At first light, I got up and ran to the communal area to use the computer. I had 3 emails from my mom - the first telling me that they were headed to the hospital, the second telling me that Mason Phillip Guptil had arrived and then a third email that said that they were taking him to the NICU in the cities because he was turning blue and his oxygen levels were low. I instantly broke into tears and I didn't care what all the other travelers thought of me. At that movement I wanted nothing more than to be back in Minnesota with my family. I was literally on the other side of the world and there was nothing I could do. I was able to gchat with my Mom and get an update, but they didn't have any answers. I didn't want to ruin Lindsay's vacation, so we decided to walk downtown and go to the Sydney Wildlife World. On our way we stopped at a little cafe to get our morning latte. After I ordered my latte, I made my way to the bathroom and saw a quote on the wall that changed my frown upside down. It said, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." In that moment, I knew I had to stay the course and not fly home. I came here to find something for myself and I need to stay true to that and do my best to be a support for my family from afar.


So after my latte and revelation, we stopped at a shop and got a free boomerang throwing lesson. We eventually made it to Wildlife World and saw kangaroos, koala bears and a giant crocodile. For our last night in Sydney, we went to the Rocks, which is the hotspot in Sydney. It is located right under the Harbour Bridge and is lined with so many cute bars and restaurants. Lindsay and I made our way to a couple different spots and did our version of a progressive dinner. Our time in Sydney was amazing! It is one of my most favorite cities in the entire world and I definitely want to go back there again.


So there it is…I will continue to be a rolling stone…without a home and into the unknown.

Hope You Had the Time of Your Life

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road

Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go

So make the best of this test, and don't ask why

It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

 "Good Riddance" by  Green Day

In the middle of February, Laura, Mike, Lindsay and I packed our bags and embarked on a roadtrip through the South Island. The trip was amazing, but it was definitely a test for all of us. Over 3,000 windy kilometers, a 3.8 tremor, a fatal earthquake in Christchurch, and a broken & abandoned car, but we can count our blessings and be thankful that we can look back and cherish the memories from the trip.

On February 17, Arran gave us a ride from Hamilton to Auckland so we could catch a flight to Christchurch. Domestic flights in New Zealand are like nothing I have ever experienced. No one checked my ID or luggage and the security was minimal. We arrived to a chilly Christchurch a few hours later and Phillipa, a traveler that Laura's parents met, picked us up from the airport and took us back to her house. We enjoyed a nice evening getting to know Phillipa and Aaron (her husband), drinking Speights and planning our route and sightseeing destinations on the map.

The next morning I was awoken by a giant boom and a shaking room. I laid there for a seconds and tried to wrap my head around what had just happened, so when I emerged from the bedroom Phillipa told me that it was a 3.8 tremor. She told us about the September 4th earthquake and said that people had sort of become numb to the tremors…but who knew that only a few days later the city and people of Christchurch would devastated by another fatal earthquake. On Friday, we hopped in Berlina (Phillipa's parents Holden) and headed West to Queenstown. The New Zealand countryside is like no other because the terrain changes every few hundred kilometers. On the way to Queenstown we stopped at Lake Tekapo, which is an intense turquoise color caused by the 'rock flour' from the glacier's headwaters. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Cook from the Church of the Good Shepherd view point but unfortunately it was a bit cloudy the day we were there. We also made a stop at Lake Pukaki and saw someone getting married on the cliff…so amazing! As we approached Queenstown, the Gibbston Vallery Winery caught our eye. We detoured to the winery and enjoyed a tasting and a platter from the Cheesery. A short time later, we arrived in Queenstown and checked into our hostel. We stayed a Nomads and it was crazier than I could have ever imagined. The Kiwi Experience bus was there, so the hostel was booked with 20-somethings looking to get crazy. Lindsay and I shared a dorm with 10 other people, none of which we ever met because no one was ever in the room. While at the hostel we did meet a nice girl from Canada, who had been traveling around New Zealand for 3 months and had already blown $15,000. She decided to stay in Queenstown and had just landed a job at AJ Hackett (which is the company that invented bungy jumping in NZ). She currently was working in our hostel for 2 hours a day in exchange for free accommodation. We went out that night for drinks at a few local waterholes, but called it an early night because we had decided to go white water rafting the next day and save our energy for my birthday celebration.

On my birthday, the ladies got up and ran the lake in Queenstwon, got lattes at Halo and hit up a local farmer's market for cupcakes and empanadas. Later in the day we loaded on the bus and headed to the Shotover River, which is a grade 3-5 and the most popular white water rafting destination in New Zealand. We had to take the winding road up into Skippers Canyon and it may have been the scariest ride of my life, because the van and trailer were basically on the edge of a cliff and at times the tires would hang over the edge…so scary! On the bus, we met Troy and Yun from Colorado, Josh from Canada, and river guide, Nolan from Memphis. We all became fast friends, so the Colorado crew joined us in our boat for the day with rafting guide, Clarke. Clarke was originally from the UK and taught many interested facts…for example, Fornication Under the Concent of the King, where "OK" comes from and the origin of the two finger gesture the French/UK use to express their feelings for each other. Rafting was a great way to spend my birthday! Later that night our new friends met us out for drinks at a bar called Red Rocks. My 31st birthday was definitely a memorable one (or at least what I can remember after the shots.)

Sometimes a memorable night turns into a slow moving day. I ended up taking a 2-hour nap by the lake in Queenstown, while Mike and Laura hiked and Lindsay explored the town. After a few hours of recovery, we hopped in the car and headed to the Milford Sound, which is the Fiordland region. The drive into the sound was beautiful because there are giant rock cliffs with so many waterfalls you can't even count them. We also drove through the Homer Tunnel, which runs 1270 m and remains unlined granite.  When we arrived we checked into the Milford Sound Lodge and I called it an early night. Ironically, two French girls in our room had also been on our rafting trip with us and out that night at Red Rock. That is the thing about traveling around New Zealand, it is not that strange if you see familiar faces and run into the same people. In some ways, that is a nice feeling.

After a much needed night of sleep, I woke up that morning and realized I was in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Although it was pouring down rain, the Milford Sound was absolutely stunning. We headed down to the boat launch and ran the loop in order to see the waterfall. When traveling in New Zealand you have to do sightseeing rain or shine. We had hoped to do a good hike in the Milford Sound, but we decided to hit the road and head up the West Coast. We took Cardrona Valley Road to Wanaka. We scored an amazing little hotel in Wanaka (minus that fact we had to share twin beds). We got in a good workout, spent a few hours in the hot pools and then headed to town for our first real

meal in days. We found the most amazing Mexican restaurant called Amigos. That is one thing you take for granted in the states…Mexican food and affordable limes!

The next morning we headed downtown Wanaka to Dough Bins for some morning pies and then made our way up the coast to Franz Josef. When we arrived at the the Rainforest Lodge and checked in they told us that they had just felt an earthquake. However, it wasn't until we walked into the TV room and saw that news reports that we realized how bad the quake actually was. We instantly tried to contact our new friends in Christchurch and then the flood of messages from people the states started to hit my Facebook and email. Because we were in the car, we actually didn't feel the earthquake. My thoughts go out to those in Christchurch who have suffered from such a terrible thing and to those who have lost loved ones.

Once we settled into our bunk, Mike and I headed up to the Franz Josef Glacier. It was the most amazing site and if I had more time I would have loved to do the day tour that hikes up on the glacier. Later that night we went to dinner downtown, played some card games and then hiked into the forest to see the glow worms. Because of the circumstances in Christchurch, our plans drastically changed over the next few days. Instead of heading back to Christchurch like we are planned to get our camper van, we decided to drive the car up to Nelson and drop if off with Phillipa's parents. On our way to Nelson, we stopped in Punakaiki to see the pancake rocks and blow holes. The rest of the drive was quite beautiful (but still windy). We were low on gas, so when we drove into the town of Wakefield we spotted a gas station. However, when we pulled in we noticed it was closed (sans eftpos payment) and then our car died. We all had a bit of a freak out moment, because here we were stranded in a small town where everything was closed with someone else's broken-down car. We felt horrible, but we called Phillipa in Christchurch and luckily she has a friend who's parents lived there. Without a second thought, they jumped in their car and came to our rescue. They had to jump the car and then follow us to the next station where we could get gas in order to jump the car again. We then set off on our way with the confidence that we could make it all the way to Nelson. However, we pulled into a town called Hope and when we came to the roundabout that was under construction we had to stop and the car died. So we all jumped out in the middle of the road and pushed the car off to the side. Eventually, we pushed it to a parking lot and Rosie and Tom came to our rescue once again and dropped us off at a motel.

Once again, we had to change our plans. We no longer had a mode of transportation so we had to figure out which busses to take over the next few days. The morning after our breakdown, we took a coach bus and headed up to the Abel Tasman National Park. It was the most beautiful day of hiking and laying on the beach at Coquille Bay. It was exactly what we needed after the few rainy days and the mishaps with vehicle. But still, we were so lucky and should count our blessing for not being in Christchurch. We stayed two nights in Richmond and then headed to Nelson to catch the bus to Picton. The ride on the coach was quite entertaining b/c it was filled with middle schoolers were were heading home from college for the weekend. We drove through wine country, but were bummed that we didn't get to stop by for a wine tasting tour day. However, we had previously booked our ferry and bus ride home so we were on a tight schedule. We arrived in Picton in the late afternoon and checked into our hostel for the night. Picton was just one of those spontaneous nights where random things happened and it ended up being a ton of fun. We went to this odd local bar, then to the bottle shop and then to the local dairy for some chips. We sat outside under the stars and chatted with the man who ran the hostel. We retired to the room for some late night laughs, until I got a call from home and caught up with a loved one that I hadn't talked to in awhile.

Our alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. and we had to walk to the ferry. Lindsay and I slept for most of the three hour ride, but Mike told us it was amazing and there were 15ft waves hitting the boat. We arrived in Wellington around 9:30 a.m. and then hit the town for exploring. We went to the Saturday market (like Portland), got a vanilla latte (like Portland) and then went to the museum (Te Papa) and ironically learned about earthquakes and the colossal squid exhibit. Later that night we met Angela out for dinner and drinks. We had such a blast dancing in the crazy town of Wellington.

The next night we had to get up early and walk to the bus station, in order to take the Naked Bus back to Hamilton. The bus ride was about 10 hours long and drove us through most of the North Island. It is crazy to think that in a week and a half we were able to see a large portion of both the North and South Islands.

The trip definitely had its up and downs, but I wouldn't change a thing. It was an amazing experience, with great friends. Although we all broke on the bank during the trip, it was worth every penny! I feel so lucky to be able to have life experiences like this and to be able to see the world. 

My thoughts and well wishes to those in Christchurch.