New Zealand has been a very calm part of my trip.
I spent most of my time in NZ in Christchurch working at a hostel and exploring the city.
I did end up getting to see my friend Bryn just over this past weekend. We had a good chance to catch up and I saw some beautiful parts of Southern New Zealand.
So, to wrap things up, here are a lists of firsts for you.
First time:
in a lot of countries - Ireland, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Kenya, South Africa, and NZ (also Qatar and Dubai - but they don't fully count)
sleeping in a cave
having an extended conversation with a monk
having acupuncture
picking my own - guava, cocoanuts, star fruit, pomegranate, wild chillies
seeing bananas growing
riding three to a motorbike
having mehndi (henna) done
teaching an art class
teaching a gym class
eating - raggie ball, ghee, a cricket, a fish caught off the side of the boat, milo, fresh cocoanut milk (and many other things)
sailing to a tropical island
fainting
being very close to wild elephants, lions, baboons, guinea foul (my new favorite bird)
riding in a matatu
riding in a tuk-tuk (auto rickshaw)
wine tasting
harvesting grapes
making mud bricks
having the women sleeping on my shoulder go into seizure
working in a clinic
trying to say any word involving a 'click'
missing a flight
spending Christmas away from home
going to an outdoor symphony
seeing more sheep in one day then I have seen in my whole life
puking on a boat (only because everyone else was doing it - think "Stand by Me")
seeing the Atlantic Ocean from the South East side
seeing the Pacific Ocean from the South East Side
seeing the Indian Ocean (from the North and South)
and many many other things
Thanks for reading about me and my travels. Thanks for all of your kind notes and e-mails. Hopefully I will see you all soon.
-Emily
