Latino Girls' bums really do swagger!!!

Hi all! Happy New Year, hope you all had a good one, and all the best for the year ahead. Bring on 2013!

My 2012 ended with a trip down to Auckland, with a very special (and pleasant guest) after about an hour of convincing! So worth it!

Last night

I did my goodbyes in Paihia, before Sandra and I headed on a 3 hour bus ride down to Auckland, and arrived for what can only be described as an awesome, unplanned night. Sitting in one of the bars with live music and varied company. But our personal favourite was Steveo, who helped to make my last night in New Zealand so memorable! I spent the next day getting my last few things together before leaving New Zealand on the night of Friday 28th December 2012.....

.....had a 12 hour flight.....

....to arrive in LA in the afternoon of Friday 28th December 2012...........WHAT!?!?!?!?

I was only meant to be stopping over in LA for 5 hours before heading to Denver.....but due to storms in Denver, they changed my flight company completely and flew me all the way up to Newark 8 hours later. Before eventually heading all the way back down to San José. Arriving in Costa Rica at about 11 on the Saturday morning.

The view from the hostel balcony in San José

I stayed in San José just for a night, before using my finest Spanish to get me a bus ticket down to Manuel Antonio, about 4 hours south of San José.

Somewhere between San José and Manuel Antonio

Spent pretty much all of New Years Eve surfing with Californian boys Kai and Tyler (who am I kidding, everyone in Costa Rica is from California) before drinking in our hostel, then tryna head to Quepos for the night scene only to have to head back to Manuel Antonio as no ATMs had any money in them, just in time for midnight! Sorry to any taxi drivers we clearly upset.

The mass pour down at about 7 on New Years Eve

2013......Sandra feeding the habit....STILL, from so far away!

Tyler and Kai

Hay, Chica!

More Aussies!

Manuel Antonio beach on New Years Day...pretty as!

On a long long long walk on New Year's Day to get some money from an ATM, this walk actually made me ill!

Monkey playing in the tress

I should've edited this video first, but its taken too long as it is!

On New Year's Day I woke up (late, but) feeling fine. I wanted to do the National park, but needed money so worked to the closest ATM which was miles away, got back and just passed out for like the next 2 days! My head was seriously gonna explode! I woke up the next day, some how packed my stuff, got the bus to Quepos, got my bus ticket, then the bus back to San José....I slept all the way. For the first two days of 2013, I think I was only awake for about 18/19 hours.

I arrived in San José to meet my new group, before eating then heading straight back to bed. A conversation from being woken up by my roommate, Gareth, on that night:

"Mike, do you know that you were sleep talking"

"Erm, ah, no but I can definitely believe it"

"OK, well is there anyway that you can stop"

"Haha, no sorry dude!"

Serious question I got asked! Although a little later that night I did wake myself up saying "¿Cómo está?"......maybe speaking Spanish in my dreams freaked me out too! I also found out in the morning that at some point in the night I shouted out "living the dream" (which I can only assume was done so in my full on 'ampshire accent, as it was well over-pronounced back to me). But that whole thing just made me crack up....I said I was sorry, but to be honest I was way too proud and found it way too funny to be sorry.

That day we headed north onto La Fortuna where I spent my very chilled out birthday at a waterfall and an orphanage  PS thanks for the cards and messages, and presents (I've already started adding to the list)!

From our hotel in La Fortuna

That night Steve and I lied, and managed to get out on a sick as Grade 2/3 White Water Kayaking trip for the following day:

Tame start

Nailed the whole river! BOOM!

More photos to following, in my next post.

We then headed East to cross Lake Arenal before heading south onto Monteverde yesterday

Crossing over Lake Arenal

The sun set from the hotel yesterday (where I am currently)

Headed out to a local club yesterday in Monteverde....seriously them Latino guys can salsa ..well! I loved watching! Trying it was a completely different ball game! I wanna see more of that. But I've honestly never felt more white in my life! And today I headed to Senderos De La Reserva De Santa Elena with Annmarie

Arenal Volcano

And that brings me pretty much up to date.....let's see how long I can keep this up whilst travelling around!

So tomorrow we will be crossing the boarder into Nicaragua, which will be double figures of countries from me on my travels, and country number 2 of Central America. It's been a fun 9 days of varied weather and scenery! Time to move on up and on!

The first rule on "How to Swim Safely" in New Zealand is "Learn to swim and survive"! - Yep it's that time.....Only in New Zealand's turn!

I'm gonna start with an obvious one here, but with only 4.5-5 million people here, and a predicted 50 million sheep (that's 10 sheep to every person) it's enough to make a Welshman jealous!

I've never seen so many sheep in such a small space

New Zealand traffic jam

Another traffic jam!

It's not all that 'great'

Them leaves can be deadly!

Don't stand on the Heli Pad!!!!

Nice way of putting it!

I would love to have a concrete 'park' this small named after me! You must've done something great Brian Smith!

Ahhhhhhh yeeeeeaaahhhh, "Epic" beer!

In case you were unsure on how to do it!

.....Stick to sheep!

Happy times!

Imagine this back home! The sign would always be in the green! "Chance of Rain"....now that'd be different.

Exciting reads!

Spelling's over rated anyway!

In case you weren't sure which one the bananas are!

Sooooo Kiwi Bro

For a sport you love so much....

....You even have a whole channel dedicated to it...

....But I can't mock it too much....or can I!?!.....38-21!

OK, back onto me! And what have I been up to? Not too much, working a lot of tours really. Getting stuff together for South America, the final leg of my travels. I had Andy and James come and visit (My Californian friends from Queestown), which led to a social life in Paihia which has carried on since they left. Thanks to Bettina, Betta, Isabelle, Christina and obviously Sandra for that....now I have no money!

Paihia Beach after yet another all-nighter

The walk home

I also finally got out on the Mack Attack on Friday

Awkward 'smile' pose! Sandra and I.

Big waves!

Cape Brett Lighthouse

Grand Cathedral Cave on the left, and Hole in the Rock on the right

Saturday, unknown to us at the time, but these were my last two tours:

My last Twilight Tour on Saturday

....And my last Night Safari tour, also on Saturday

Tom, from back in my Mt Hutt and Methven, head back home to Kerikeri, so we meet up on Saturday night, and we headed to Cable Bay on Sunday....great weather.......sooooooooo much ice cream!

An actual New Zealand traffic jam

Cable Bay

I then woke up on Christmas Day, to still crappy weather, that didn't stop me heading down to the beach!

They came off in the sea

I had a massive Christmas lunch round Pete (Taylor's Dad) and Stacey's, before heading back down to the beach

And again in the sea a bit later with Isabelle und Sandra (that's not a spelling mistake either Mum)

My Christmas Cards in my room. Thanks guys!

And finally, earlier this afternoon I finally got down to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, which is the location where the Brits signed the treaty with the Maoris back in February 1840...

War Canoe

Only in New Zealand would you get suburbs like this!

So it's time to move out of my comfort zone again as I'm leaving yet another country. When I leave New Zealand on Friday night I will have spent exactly 5 months in New Zealand, working from Queenstown, all the way up to the Bay of Islands. I'm planning to leave Paihia tomorrow at some point and head to Auckland, stay there for a night (hopefully catching up with Tom again), get a couple of vaccinations done on Friday morning before flying onto my next destination......Costa Rica. I've had an amazing time here, and love the relaxed kiwi way of life, even if it's not completely for me, I've enjoyed it. And the people here are so friendly, it's crazy! If there was a country that ever deserved and believes in good karma then New Zealand and it's amazing people are it! Never have I been in a place where if you stop on the side of the road in your car, other people will stop to make sure that you're OK and that you haven't broken down, or where if you're just walking down a street people will offer you a lift even if you haven't asked, it's Hitch-hiking without the hitching! I feel I've achieved a lot here, but I do also feel it is time for me to move on and conquer the last leg of my travels before heading home! I'm also annoyed cos I was about a month away from New Zealand being easy to leave, but it only takes one person to mess that up!

But, as always, I would like to thank a few people: Thanks to all the staff at Aspen Lodge in Queenstown, when I first arrived in New Zealand you were all so helpful. Also thank you to Andy and James, for actually making Queenstown worth being in.

Thank you to Louise for re-offering me a job up Mt Hutt, perfect timing as well, I was ready to jump ship before I got your email. Thanks to Tom, Phil, Ali, and anyone else who let me crash on the couch on my nights off of the Mountain...I had some fun fun times in Methven! To be honest, I'll do it quick, thanks to everyone up in Mt Hutt and Methven, it really was an amazing time! The character of that place was second to none! That list is huge!

Thanks to anyone who ever drove me anywhere! New Zealand aint the easiest place to travel around without a car! Thanks also to Anke in Abel Tasman, and Eric in Wellington! Germans everywhere.

Thanks to everyone who I had a road trip with over the months here too! New Zealand really is an amazing place to explore! DON'T FLY OVER IT....DRIVE THROUGH IT!

And thanks to Taylor, Ruby and little Amber for hosting here in Paihia. I've enjoyed my time here, and have loved working on the Kayaking tours, meeting some amazing people. I wish you all the best for the growth of your business, it's a fantastic idea you've got going up here, and I wish you all the best with baby number 2 coming in April....just remember "Mike"'s a great name if it's a boy! Or "DeShaun". Also thanks to all of your family for there help, ideas, and good times whilst I was here including Christmas lunch yesterday! I have learnt a fair amount up here, and enjoyed my summer (which ends in two days (for a month and a half)).

To everyone who reads this:

MERRY CHRISTMAS
FROHE WEIHNACHTEN (I've starting learning)
¡FELIZ NAVIDAD (I really wish I knew a lot more, but I'm getting there. Hopefully it improves drastically over the next few months).

Hope everyone also has a Happy New Year, and best wishes for 2013! I'm gaining the day back that I lost last year, making this the longest year in my life. And I'm off to see the Mayan ruins too, as we weren't all destroyed 5 days ago!