Beauty and the Beard:
Bound to Wander

We got a later start this morning. We had to clean up and pack to get check out of the studio. Our swim suits and towels were still wet and smelly despite the soak in the sink, so we had to get creative with the packing and loading of the car. We worked on the blog a bit and then left the key in the lock box around 9. We went back to the Ciabatta Cafe and Bakery for another Brekkie and some sandwiches for lunch. We left a napkin on the tourist wall that resembled a note we found at a restaurant in Italy during out Europe trip. We then headed to the city center to take a stroll around the lake. There is a big island in the middle of the lake, but pictures don't do it justice. We also walked around the gardens near the lake and chased some blue chicken-looking birds. We then loaded back into the car and set off toward the north coast. We had to stop for gas, which was  exorbitantly expensive. $5 USD per gallon! We spent the next 3 hours driving along wi...

After River Rats dropped us back at the studio, we quickly went to shower an pack for our next activities. We arrived at Te Puia, the Māori Arts and Crafts Institute and geothermal park around 4:30. We were told we only had an hour before the parked closed to the day passes, so we had to move quickly. The park was a wonder filled with native art, cultural artifacts, and geothermal formations. The the self-guided foot tour was a few miles long with over 20 major stops and even more small hidden paths and vantage points. It was raining most of the time, so we were soaked by the end of it. We saw the big geyser, sulfur pools, bubbling mud pools, hot cave seeping steam. You could hear the water bubbling up from hidden holes and cracks in the ground. The park had a kiwi nocturne exhibit, but we couldn't take pictures due to the darkness. Kiwi's are strange little flightless birds that look more like giant fur balls with legs and long beaks. It was getting close to closing, and w...

We woke up a little before 7:00.  Kaylea made toast and coffee while Aaron uploaded pictures and videos. Shops wouldn't be opened for another hour or so, so Kaylea researched activities in the area. When 8:30 finally arrived, we loaded into our little car and went in search of breakfast. We found a bakery nearby called the Ciabatta Bakery and Cafe. They made an incredible breakfast sandwich called the Brekkie and they offered "gonuts" which were essentially doughnut cream sandwiches. After breakfast, we went back to the studio to pack for the day's adventures. At 10:45 we were picked up by the company that would be guiding us down the river for some white water rafting. On the way up, we signed waivers and received a quick and terrifying safety briefing. The guide went over all the ways the trip could go wrong. We needed to know what to do if we fell out of the raft, if the raft flipped over, if we got stuck in trees, etc. It was suddenly very clear to people on the...

Thanks to jet lag, we woke up absurdly early. Like between 5 and 6 AM. We tried to go back to sleep, but it wasn't going to happen. We ended up getting ready and going down for breakfast around 7. Breakfast was pretty good. Kaylea finished here plate of eggs benedict with smoked salmon. When the waitress stopped by to take the plate away, she asked how to we liked it. Kaylea looked at the empty plate and very jokingly said "oh I did not like it." The waitress was so surprised and slightly horrified while asking "Really??" Apparently she had not heard that joke before. Kaylea had to quickly explained that she was joking and it was very good, as the food was all gone. That would not be the last awkward interaction at this hotel. While checking out, Aaron chose to pay in USD with his credit card. The desk clerk immediately commented. "40 US dollars so Trump can build his wall." When she could not interpret our reaction as for or against the wall, she bega...

So we're back at it! This time we've traveled to the -almost- bottom of the world to see Aaron's longtime friend get married to his Kiwi bride. The timeline of our our adventure was a bit wonky to start; we basically skipped a whole day and literally flew into the future. Hi Mom & Dad! We're 19 hours ahead of you! Here's the breakdown: Leave from Dallas on Friday the 16th at 8:00 PM. Fly for 16 hours to Sydney - Arrive at 6:00 AM on Sunday the 18th. (SATURDAY DID NOT EXIST FOR US!!??)  2 hour layover. Leave Sydney around 8:00 AM - Approximately 2.5 hour flight.  Arrive in Auckland, New Zealand around 1:00 PM There you have it. We're time travelers. There was nothing too exciting to report from the flight except we were well fed and the staff was incredibly kind.  (looking right at you United) Also, there was no chair in front of Kaylea, so she actually had leg room and the seat next to Aaron was empty. We mostly slept through the ...

It's tough to blog and travel at the same time. It's also tough to get back from a vacation and attempt to sit down and write. We never got around to writing about the end of our road trip, so here are some bullet points. Day 9 On day 9, we drove from Florida to Savannah. Nothing too crazy to report on the drive. Day 10 Savannah turned out to be much better than we expected. What was supposed to be just a stopping point turned out to be one of the best parts of our trip. Neither of us knew much about the city before we went. We knew it was historic, but that was about it. The city is covered in cobblestone streets, small parks, and gorgeous housing. Art market, walking around the city Day at the beach. Dolphins! Day 11 Drive to Alabama Day 12 Climbing in Horse Pens 40 Day 13 Drive home Storm