New Zealand!

Ladies & Gents, boys and girls....were happy to announce that we've made it through the first week of traveling in New Zealand. We landed in Auckland NZ in the north island last Wednesday. We stayed the first 4 nights with our mates we met from England on our layover before arriving in Australia 4 months ago. We enjoyed catching up with them and exploring the city.
On Saturday afternoon we met up with Danya Rumore. We shot some pool and had a few Corona's with her and the boys.
We left Auckland last Monday morning to head to an island off the coast of the city called Waiheke Island...a beautiful secluded island with a popluation of 8,000. Locals say that number goes up to 50,000 during the peak summer! WOWZER! We went to a number of beaches lining the island. We camped for 4 nights on the island, right on the beach. Such a beautiful, fresh, fulfilling place.
Funny Story: Tuesday night we poped up our tent on the main beach Oneroa beach right in the village. This was the most populated of area's on the island which we went to. In reality...there really wern't many people. We weren't really sure what the camping restrictions were so we would sneak the tent up after the sun went down and hope that people didn't bother us. We put the tent right in the sand, tucked back in the trees. Since the island was quiet and we were in our tent, we went to bed before 10pm every evening...a nice change! So after we crashed about 2 hours went by until I was awaken by a frightened Sarah. She kinda flung herself ontop of me in order to open the tent door quickly. I said "Whats going on!?!" Sarah responded with "can't you hear the tide coming up?" That freaked the crap out of me because all I had running through my mind was that all our belongings were going to get drentched and we were going to be carried out somewhere in the Pacific ocean. The tide happened to be about 5 feet from running into our tent. We spent the night in a constant worried state...waiting and wondering if the tide would wash us away.

My internet time is almost out! Were back in Auckland now and heading to Lake Taupo to help out at Ironman NZ. We will be kayakers, crowd management and medical tent assistants! I can hardly wait. Sunday will be a thriller for the both of us as we will be jumping out of an airplane doing tandom skydiving! Whoorah!!! Honestly now were feeling alright about it but who knows what will be running through our minds at 15,00ft looking down from a flying plane. God help me...please pray! After Taupo our plan is to head south and enjoy the wonderful, nature filled, beauties of the South Island of New Zealand.

I recon we are both getting heaps excited about coming home. Were ready to have a killer last 2 months of our adventure and get back to somewhat of a routine in good ol' Sandpoint. Hope your all enjoing the blog postings...I'll try to put some pictures up soon!

Love and miss you all very much.

Cr

PS...I set a skydiving link to the company which we'll be diving with this Sunday in Taupo...its off to the right hand side of the blog below our profiles! Check it mate!