April 25 - 8 pm

Strangest feeling, this being my last night in New Zealand. After all the build up, dreaming about coming here, talking about doing it someday, a few times having plans fall through, and then an opportunity and perfect window of time opening up, and everything falling into place, making all of this possible. I don't know exactly when or why I developed an infatuation with New Zealand, but now that I've traveled almost every inch of the country, it seems even more alluring. And that there is so much more to see here. I hope I can come back again someday.
It's been hard traveling the past 8 weeks on my own. I knew it would be, but it was even harder than I thought. I hoped it might change me into more of an extrovert, but it actually just made me realize that I am an introvert, and that's just me. I have no problem talking to people. I just feel more comfortable in my solitude. That being said, I have missed my friends and family heaps and I can't wait to be back with my people in about 41 hours.
I very much enjoyed my last full day in Queenstown. It is ANZAC Day here - a national holiday in NZ, similar to our Veterans Day. So at 9 am I heard the faint sound of bagpipes getting closer and closer. There was a parade right outside my door! Not exactly a parade, just bagpipes and pretty much the whole town marching along with the bagpipers through town. All the shops were closed until 1 pm. I walked around by the lake and laid in the sun for a long while deciding what I wanted to do today. The weather was perfect. Mostly sunny, warm, fall day. I decided to hike up to the skyline gondola. It was a good climb, close to an hour to the top. Worth it for the view. And it saved me $26 for hiking instead of taking the gondola. It felt good to get one more big walk in before I have to sit on an airplane or in airports for 22 hours.
I had my last spaghetti meal here for dinner. And I've been going through my stuff, getting rid of food and junk that I've been carrying around all this time. I should have room for everything I'm bringing back! Barely!
I can't believe I leave tomorrow! It's not weird packing my stuff. I do that almost every single day, and move on to the next town. But this time I'm packing up for good! Leaving the country. Flying over the ocean, the equator, and the international date line! And I don't know when I'll be back!
When I think like that, it's hard to leave, but I'm ready.
Not sure what I'll do tomorrow morning. I have until 2:50 pm. Maybe I'll go bungy jumping again.
Ha, yeah right.
Time for the Mario kart competition in the tv room.

April 24 - 9 pm

It was so sunny and lovely in Wanaka today! And that made all the difference in my attitude. I had a fantastic morning walking around Lake Wanaka. So many people out on the beach and in the street. I could live in Wanaka. I kinda wish I would have rented a bike to ride around the town and the lake. They have lots of good cycle tracks. So when I come back someday..
But I had to leave Wanaka today to go back to Queenstown. Just two nights here before I go home. Just two more days! Really? Crazy. I'm staying in a nice hostel called Adventure Queenstown. I've heard there is a snorer in my room though, so I hope I can sleep through whatever happens tonight. I may have to get earplugs tomorrow if it's bad.

April 23 - 9:40 pm

The weather was better today. Perfect for my hike. Not a long one - just up Mt. Iron. It was about an hour and a half. Good lookout point at the summit. Gorgeous Lake Wanaka. I repeat, beautiful fall colors. I walked back into town after my hike and sat by the lake and ate my lunch. By then the clouds were filling in, so I was back in my down coat again, but it was still pretty comfortable temperature. It started to rain a bit later, and I hung out inside at the hostel drawing. The paint app on my iPad provides me with endless entertainment.
Mom told me that she'd pay for me to go to a movie here, so I took her up on that. And she had told me that she liked the movie Warm Bodies - a zombie romantic comedy - so I bought a ticket for the 6:30 showing. I thought it might be entertaining.. I mean the trailer featured The Black Keys song, Lonely Boy. I like that song. The movie should be good.. Nope! I thought it was quite possibly the worst movie I've ever seen. Worse than Twilight number one. Same cheesy, so-bad-it's-funny factor. But not as good as Twilight. Ha yeah, sorry Mom. Bad taste in movies. The theatre was really cool though. Small! Only one screen, couches and different old comfy theatre seats, only about 50 seats. It was funky. So that kinda made up for the lame movie.
Back to Queenstown tomorrow afternoon.

April 22 - 5:30 pm

Hanukkah. Harmonica. Wanaka.
Beautiful beautiful in the fall. All the leaves have changed. The lake is a perfect mirror.
It was nice weather too, until about 3:00 when it started to rain.
I'm staying at a nice hostel, just down the street, along the lake, from the city centre. I walked around a bit today, sat by the lake, went to the market. i want to go on a hike tomorrow if its not raining. I'll probably just hang out at the hostel tonight. There isn't much to do in town after dark. And it's raining.
Pumpkin soup and toast tonight. Giving myself a break from spaghetti.
No good books on the book exchange shelf, so I'm back to the iBooks on my iPad. I think I'll start The Jungle.

April 21 - 8:30 pm

Sunday night in Queenstown. Hanging at the hostel with the other lucky ones. We're going to watch a movie called Stolen Lives, I guess. But not for a few minutes. It was better weather today, so I spent some time outside, hiking Queenstown hill and then sitting by the wharf, people watching. And maybe eating another lamb Ferg pie..
My mom and dad got their puppy today. I wish I was home to meet the little golden doodle Wilson. Six days.

April 20 - 9:20 pm

Cold, windy day. It was hard to want to be outside, freezing, so I spent most of the day indoors. Library, hostel, etc. Finished reading my book. Watched movies with my hostelmates. But I did get out and do some souvenir shopping. I think I've been in every shop in Queenstown now. And purchased the few items that I could afford. Oh, and I got a lamb pie from Fergbaker, and I can confidently say that it is the best pie in New Zealand. I've had a few while I've been here, but none comes close to the Ferg pie. Mmmmm... Might need to go back for one next week! And let me just say that Fergburger is good, but I liked my Burgerfuel burger way better. Done. Glad I got that off my chest. Not sure what I'll do tomorrow. I'm hoping its nice weather!

April 19 - 2:45 pm

Queenstown is even more beautiful now than when I was last here. The fall colors are everywhere! Mostly yellow. Leaves falling off the trees. Spectacular. I got in to town after dark yesterday, so I stayed in and did laundry. I got up early though and have been wandering around town since about 9. It's nice being somewhere familiar, but I've been exploring areas I hadn't seen as well. The Queenstown Gardens were really nice. There was a craft market this morning that I found some goods at. It was sunny for a while, but it's turned cloudy and chilly. I think I can only handle one more week of this cold stuff. Then back to Utah, where it better be warming up!