Zipline, Volcanoes, and White Water Rafting, Oh My! (Saying Goodbye to Wild and Beautiful New Zealand)

"Well, my bags are packed and I'm ready to go..."

It seems appropriate to begin this post with the lyrics from a song. Kathy and Tony (my New Zealand host family) sing constantly. Tonight, on our way over to their son's house for our last "tea" (dinner) together, they sang a duet in the car and I almost started crying. I'm going to miss them so much. What a blessing they've been - and will continue to be - in my life. We have made a life-long connection.

This exchange experience has impacted my life in so many ways, and at so many levels. I have a notebook full of insights and inspirations and as I return home and take time for reflection, I look forward to soaking in a new perspective, and blogging about it.

For now, I'm going to bed for the last time in New Zealand. Tomorrow, I'll step back on to a plane and fly backwards in time... leaving winter behind... returning to summer... through the wonder of a 21 hour international flight experience. Until I'm back online, I leave you with a sampling of pictures from the experience of a lifetime.

Me with my New Zealand forever friend - Kathy

Exchange "Sisters" - Kathy, Janice, Crissi, Anne-Marie

At the Mayor's Ceremony - Janice, the Mayor, the Mayoress, Crissi, the American Ambassador to New Zealand

• We were invited on a field trip to Parliament with one of the schools we visited

My host and school principal, Kathy, surrounded by all of the children at her school on the night of their production

Our Host Families: Tony, Kathy, Janice  AND  Crissi, Anne-Marie, Kerry

Family, friends, great food and wine, and celebration with my host family

Wine Tasting!!! New Zealand has GREAT wine!

Anne-Marie and Kathy making sure our "American Independence Day" was celebrated in ?style?

Snapshots from Wild and Beautiful New Zealand

Zipline! (Yes, we started up at the top, "flew" down at 100 mph, and ended up down under that bridge!)

Volcanoes!

White Water Rafting!

P.S. Watch out for eels! (They are actually quite cute... Here we are feeding them...)

All Things Beautiful...

... And a Few Random Shots...

I tried every food offered... This is "White Bait Fish in Eggs"... Look closely for the eyeballs

New Zealand Gumboots!

New Zealand Rugby! I love it!

Shopping!

I LOVE the Maori culture... I'll be blogging about it!

Our Message in the sand to Sister Cities... 

"We Love Sister Cities!"

        CHEERS!

The Notebook

For the past 2 weeks, I have been going non-stop while having the experience of a lifetime... in New Zealand! As most of you know, I love to write. I have been carrying a notebook with me everywhere I go and documenting my adventures. I want to remember every moment. I have had very little time to blog, but I've tried to keep you connected to my journey through periodic posts. Today, Crissi and I are leaving with our NZ families to go on "Holiday" for a week and will not have Internet... But I will have my notebook and camera... So stay tuned. I cannot wait to "show and tell" the stories of the people, places, and experiences I've had, and the insights gained, through this amazing opportunity. Thank you again and again, Sister Cities and my supportive family and friends... I can't wait to share more of this adventure with you!

Lord of the Rings! (Warning: Contains Corny Tourist Poses)

Our hosts arranged for Crissi and me to go on a 1/2 day Lord of the Rings Tour where we were taken to some of the places the movies had been filmed. The tour guide provided us with a lot of interesting facts, one of them being that the filming industry is now the 2nd largest employer in New Zealand, thanks to Peter Jackson. For any of you who are Lord of the Rings fans, I will "wow" you with some of my other newly acquired knowledge upon my return.

Living with New Zealand families for this travel experience has immersed us in the local culture so we have not really been perceived as "American tourists"... until this day. Crissi and I cut loose and just went with the whole tourist package for this one, and we have the pictures to prove it. We had fun being silly and laughing while we enjoyed the breathtaking scenery of "Lord of the Rings."

Prepare to be amazed as you look at photos of scenes from the movies... and then see my identical pose in the exact place it was filmed... ; )

In the shot below, you'll have to imagine the added tree roots...

On Location...

Afternoon Tea on the Tour

I warned you... More REALLY corny tourist shots...

My favorite part of the tour was the temperate rain forest - One of only 3 in the world...