couchsurfing is brilliant

couchsurfing.com is the best.

if you are not a member and love to travel, neh . . . if you would die without seeking new adventures in distant lands, you HAVE to join this community.

because of couchsurfing.com, i currently have a place to stay in auckland the day i get there. AND, an airport pick up. how awesome is that? i am connecting with people who are almost as obsessed with new z as i am, and feeling more and more eager to travel to my island.

join join join.

off my soapbox now:

i am still needing to save about $2000. i want a cushion and that amount should provide it. i also need $$ for and eye appointment and health insurance (i need the h.i. in order to enter the country with the visa i have). yay univeral healthcare! oh, wait a minute . . .

not scared about the whole $$ situation. god will provide. i just gotta have faith, faith, faith. thank you george michael (after being a christian for a million years, it took a lyric from an 80's classic to teach me about trust and faith. and, i am being completely serious. ask me about it someday, and i will tell you the story. it involves a rusty car, the blinding sun, a hilly road, an out-dated radio, and a gay pop icon).

also, in related news, my dear friend anna neale, a.k.a. turkey-butt, might be visiting me in nz for christmas. that would be amazing. AND amy grieve, a.k.a. tuls, might also visit in february. hey, its the thing to do. julie in new zealand is a pretty big deal. i guess they have to see it to believe it. consider this a formal invitation to come visit the islands (its only a few grand to fly there).

until next time.

details concerning the galavanting

i bought a round trip ticket with qantas for a pretty nice price.

i depart 30 august 2008 from chicago to auckland, nz with a layover in los angeles.

at this point, i have a return ticket for 18 dec 2008, but i will, as of yesterday, not return on this day.

i applied for a working holiday visa and was approved a few days ago. and i currently have the visa and i am ready to go. with a working holiday visa, i can stay in new zealand and work for a year, and i can travel in and out of the country as well (but i dont plan on it. maybe to aussieland).

its going to be a few more months, and i have about 2000$ more to save.

but i am not worried. i am energized. and God definitely provides and has given me this opportunity. i feel blessed and freaking excited!

julie

and hey, if you know anyone there, or people you know, know anyone . . .let me know!

aotearoa in photographs

i thought you all would better appreciate where i was going if you could see some pictures (they are not ones i have taken, but ones i found via google images. my own will follow in about six months).

first up to bat is a map of new zealand. i am sure not everyone knows where it is or what it looks, so take a look:


i am flying into auckland. do you see it? it is at the north part of the north island. quick fact: new zealand is made up of two main islands: the north and the south. i will be traveling to both. also, quick side notes on auckland. it is the biggest city in new zealand, roughly over 1 million residents and it is home to the tallest man-made structure in the southern hemisphere, the sky tower.


this is a picture from the south island, attempting to capture the serenity of the southern alps. the southern alps are home to mt. cook, franz joseph glacier, and insane amounts of extreme sports. i for one have no intention of skiing or snowboarding while in nz, but i am planning on going up to the fj glacier. apparently its awesome, but pricey.


and this here is abel tasman. it is located on the north part of the south island. it is named after the explorer, abel tasman, who was the first whitey to see new zealand. and get this... he first spotted new zealand on december 13, 1641 (or 42, i can't remember). for those of you who don't know, that is my birthday. well, 240 some odd years prior to it. anyway, this area is an amazing area to camp, hike, swim, kayak, build sand castles, spot dolphins and whales off the coast. if any of you know rachel melby, she went there. she has AMAZING pictures posted on her facebook, if you want to take a peek. they are great.

well, that is enough for me right now. two posts in one day? that's pretty phenomenal. i hope you enjoyed some tidbits and pictures of nz. i will post again soon.

js

those of you taking a gander at my virgin blog, must have heard the news. your friend, julie, has finally stopped talking the talk and started walking the walk. that's right, fellas. i am heading to new zealand. . .

this little old blog here is going to be serving a few purposes. before i make the trip over there, i will be updating about what's happening here, stateside. how the money is rolling in, if a get the visa i want, job opportunities, contacting and connecting with people way over there, that sort of thing. the other purpose will be to keep a record of my travels. where i am, who i have met, any cute antidotes, my thoughts about island life. i hope to be able to document my travels as best i can. i am not gonna lie, not the best at this sort of thing, but hey, i will make an honest effort (i have a feeling i will do better than i think because hey, i am going to NEW ZEALAND!!).

alright, that's it for now. i am going to attempt to upload some pictures of new zealand and get this blog looking shnazy. peace.

jewels