Hey all! So it's been a few weeks now since my last post, which is mostly because I haven't been on any big weekend trips since the last one to the Coromandel. However, a couple weekends ago, a bunch of us went surfing at a beach about 45 min. west of Auckland, called Piha. We managed to cram 9 of us in an 8 seater van. Not the most comfortable, but probably the most affordable way to get there! On the beach, there was a huge rock, called Lion's Rock (from the water, it's supposed to look like a lion) that you could climb.

Can you see the lion??

View from Lion's Rock

Before surfing, Mike and I played with this incredibly AWESOME dog, Ozzy!! He was the best frisbee receiver ever, and I wanted to take him home with me!!!


It was my first time surfing and I will definitely say I was happy with how it went. After getting hit in the face with my own board when we first walked out into the waves for carrying my board wrong, I eventually made it up to my feet a couple times! I think Eugene was the only one to actually ride some waves, and I realized surfing was a lot more difficult than I thought. It was so frustrating to put all your energy into just walking out to the waves, and then have a wave come and push you right back to your original spot! I definitely want to try it again sometime though!!


We were all pretty wiped after surfing, so we found a place for fish 'n chips and watched the sun set. Between 6 of us girls, we took a LOT of sunset pictures.


Courtesy of Kathleen Wamser

The past couple weekends, I've just been staying in and around Auckland to save money and spend a little more time on schoolwork. One night last weekend, we went to a Karaoke place where you pay $30 for a group of people to have an hour in your own little room. I was exhausted that day, so I didn't sing too much, but it was still a really fun time!

All of us singing "Living on a Prayer"!

Looking back at my journal, I've realized I've done a bunch of other little things, but that's all I can write about with pictures for now. So I'll just have to save the rest for stories when I get home (if I ever come home)....yeah, I went to the Auckland Domain today, which is where I go to run, and it has several trails and gardens and ponds (I have to take pictures sometime because it's truly amazing). Anyways, I found this really sweet tree that looked perfect for taking a rest in. Well I did just that, and sat in the tree for a good hour and I'm pretty sure it was the most peaceful and serene experience I've ever had. But it made me not want to leave New Zealand (or the tree, for that matter)

We have our mid-semester break starting on Friday, but I'm leaving this Wednesday because I have a LOT planned in two weeks! Everyone I know is travelling to the South Island at some point, and most are staying the entire time. However, I'm having a friend come to visit me in Auckland from the 13th-17th, and then I'm going to visit another friend in Sydney on the 19th. So before that, I'm going down to the South Island. By myslelf!! I'm pretty nervous about it, but so excited to see what happens! I don't really have many plans other than staying with a friend of a friend for a night when I fly into Dunedin. Then I'm taking a bus to Queenstown (adventure capitol of the country) and bungee jumping an hour after I get there! The only other thing that I'm for sure doing is taking a cruise to a beautifully scenic place called Milford Sound . Then I have 2 days to make it up to Christchurch to fly back to Auckland. The goal is to meet friendly people while I'm in Queenstown who are heading north, and maybe hitch a ride with them! If that doesn't work, then the buses will work. As long as I make it back to Auckland on the 13th safely, it will be a success in my book!! :) This experience of knowing every decision I make is solely my own has been such a fun ride so far, and I can't wait to challenge myself the next couple weeks and see how independent I really am!!