Glacier hike and west coast drive

November 21, 2010

We woke up early before our hike, which was at 8:45am, thinking that the little village of franz Josef would be hopping early since everyone comes here to hike the glacier, but when we went out walking at 7, it was like a ghost town so we went back to the "hut".



At nine, we got ready for our hike. Once the guides told us what to do, we got all of our gear and were off to the glacier. From the car park, it was an hour walk across the valley to actually get to it. Once at the beginning of the ice, we put on our crampons (spiked boot covers for walking on ice) and headed up the glacier. It was out of this world walking on all of that ice. I learned a new term, too: "goat walking". It means walking up a hill zig zagging like a goat...I love it!












The whole hike was four hours and afterwards, we got back on the road to drive three hours to punakaiki, which is probably the most scenic coastline in new Zealand.






Dinner was at the punankaiki resort. The restaurant is right on the beach and we walked on the beach afterwards...and then went to see the pancake rocks (the main reason for stopping in this area). Stay tuned for pictures...

Next up tomorrow...underworld cave rafting

-- Post From My iPhone

Why Won't She Just Go The F#%$ Away???

Sarah Palin, you are an absolute moron. You have no credibility and it shocks me that ANYONE even listens to you. Anyone who thinks they can see Russia out of their window should NOT be in politics. It's interesting that when she wrote her book and went on her book tour, she skipped the cities where most of the "educated" people live and instead, opted to go to the redneck towns where they will believe anything that's shoved down their throats (especially if it's in church!). It just amazes me to no end that she is still getting airtime...

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/03/24/2010-03-24_sarah_palin_aims_to_take_back_the_20_in_wake_of_health_care_reform.html

"You betcha this fur is real! Skinned fresh from the wolves that I had shot from airplanes. God bless us all!"

Respect of others

I don't understand how people can blatantly waste other people's time. Do we not have any respect for each other?

I waited on a street corner for almost 20 minutes after the set meeting time today for a confirmed FREE tour. I was also there ten minutes before our set time also, to make sure they would find me. I had told her that she would find me by my white baseball cap so there was no confusion. We had emailed quite a few times confirming the day and time. She also had my phone number.

After waiting like an idiot, I finally left. That was two or so hours of my weekend that I will never get back. I am so irritated with people!

Short people and general admission concerts

Dear Roseland ballroom,

I want to thank you for last night's awesome concert: adele and the script. It was an amazing show with two great artists. Now, with that said, I just have a one little issue to talk to you about.

I want to know why you are laid out so flat and long. Being a fairly short person, I usually wind up standing right behind some amazon basketball player. It never fails...

Maybe when you were being designed, they should have taken this into consideration, because I know that I wasn't nearly the worse off by far. Of course, if we were VIPs, we could have sat above in the balcony or on the little side stage and had wonderful views, but unfortunately, we are just the little people. You know all about us...the fans...the ones who pay for the music..the ones who support the artists that play there. I have seen other shows by your colleagues, like Webster Hall and Highline Ballroom, and have not had this same problem. Maybe you could take a few pointers from them?

It seems to me that if you wanted to be so big and accommodate so many people, like your big brother Radio City Music Hall, you should do like him: have a slanted floor (or even some seats would be lovely!).

You probably get tired of us shorties complaining, but you should think about us people that keep you in business because without us "little" people, there would be no you.


Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Devin Newmeyer

Ain't outsourcing grand?

With the unemployment rate getting higher and higher everyday, I find it really funny (not in the ha-ha way) that our government doesn't really seem to be doing anything to stop outsourcing like we were promised. Companies are still outsourcing as much as before and more Americans keep losing their jobs. I don't want to sound vengeful, but I really do hope all of these banks and other companies that have sent our jobs overseas so they could save their money to put into some fat-ass executives pockets, go down. I am so sick of our capitalist ways. I am directly a victim of this ridiculous greedy scheme and I know many other that are, too. So, America, if you want the economy to get better, PLEASE don't patronize companies that outright outsource...

Unemployed but not dead

Being a direct victim of the economy crash, you would expect one to be pretty down having been unemployed three times in the Past year. It's getting really old, but I am trying to be optimistic about the whole situation. I am so tired of working third shift and I feel like each time I take a job working that dreadful shift, It takes another year or two off of my life. When I am on that shift, I try so hard to workout and eat as well as I could so as not to upset my body's biorhythms anymore than they already are from being up all night. Of course if I have to work another job on that shift, I will do it for now because I have to work.

I am trying not to let it get to me but going on like normal with my life and my travelling obsession. I am planning a trip to new Zealand for next year, which is definitely doable!

Blinded

I went to the doctor today for stomach pains. When I got home, I had briefly talked to my father before going to bed and what I expected to hear was what I almost heard. I was told that I am probably missing "important vitamins and minerals" from not eating meat. Of course, I got a little miffed because I had to remind him that this has been going on LONG before I became a vegan so that has NOTHING to do with it. Why are so many people blinded by what they are told?? The funny thing is..the doctor never mentioned ANYTHING about what I was or wasn't eating.

Oh, and if milk really "does a body good", then why does it have to be pasteurized to be safe to drink?? ..just a little something to think about...