The Deringers Down Under

Hot water beach

2006-08-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

FIJI, FLIGHTS and FRIENDS

2006-07-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

FIJI was fun. The FLIGHTS were long. We love our FRIENDS. We are finally home and ecstatic to be here! This will be the last post on this blog, but I'll send you our new blog address when I start one. It won't be as exciting, but I'll still post pics of anything exciting that we do.

Anyway, we had a great time in Fiji! When you get off the main island it is a very beautiful place. Unfortunately, Fijians are not educated on environmental issues, so there is a lot of pollution on the big island. Once you take a boat to any of the islands, though, you are instantly blown away by the beauty of God's creation. White sand, crystal clear water, dense vegetation, coral reefs, tropical fish, etc. I know you just want to see pictures, so I'll stop writing, but just know that we appreciate all of the notes that people wrote us. Being so far away really makes you appreciate the people at home. Okay. So there it is. Check out the pics and call us to catch up. I'm out. T.

Isn't it amazing that He made this?

A coral reef around Fiji as seen from our plane.

The day after we arrived, we found our way to Natadola Beach. So beautiful and uncrowded!

Yeah, he looks good! But that's the biggest wave he could get to in Fiji!

I asked our taxi driver how you eat sugar cane, so he pulled out the machete from behind his seat (scary) and got us some.

This is how you eat sugar cane...

...or like that!

The next day we took a day cruise to Malamala Island. Absolute paradise (except that we weren't alone).

This is Malamala as seen from the boat.

This is the market in Nadi (pronounced nan-dee).

When you come visit me I'll show you the great mask we bought there!

No, this is not an optical illusion. Our friend Serevi is a big man! And Shane really is that white! His wife Melissa is holding their newborn, Peter.

Don't you just love the fact that a coconut is just sitting on the beach?

This beach is just down the road from Melissa and Serevi's home. Nice, eh?

The boys are gazing into each other's eyes as the sun goes down in Fiji.

We spent 2 days in the Yasawas (islands off of Fiji) and this was the view from our hut.

At this moment, I was not thinking about Victoria.

Our hut had a comfy hammock that I just couldn't balance on. Good thing we don't have a video camera!

We went exploring and found this tree growing from the ocean floor. So pretty!

Sunsets are unrivaled in Fiji. See for yourself!

This was our hut at Nalova Bay on Navola Island.

Shane loved snorkelling and even fed the fish! The rice went over alright, but the pancake was a big hit! Yep, I've got pictures.

Shane MADE me walk up the hill, and I whined all the way, but what a view!

From the top you could see all sorts of inlets and bays.

This island was postcard perfect! I'll miss you, Fiji!

Fun In Jungle Islands - FIJI

2006-07-25T15:25:00.000-07:00

BULA!! (hello in Fijian)

We are having a great time in Fiji! We have been staying with our friends Melissa and Serevee in Nadi and have been exploring the beaches and the islands around here. We have some amazing pics, but I'll have to post them on the weekend when we are home and not paying for internet!

We have been to Natadola beach, Malamala Island and Nalova Bay on Navola Island. We picked up a beautiful mask from a local market and have experienced public transit at its best and its worst. Today we are heading to Suva for a day, then to the Coral Coast for surf (hopefully), then finally back to Nadi on Friday to grab our stuff and go! We leave Fiji on Friday night, but because we are crossing the date line, we also arrive in Victoria on Friday night. It's something like 15 hours of travelling, so please pray for our safety and our sanity!

So, I'll post Fiji pictures when I get home and I'll see you all soon! If anyone would like to join our camping trip to Tofino on August 11 and 12, email me and I'll give you the details. The site is booked and it's very cheap. Ta ta for now! T.

Australia - Speed Sightseeing

2006-07-16T02:08:00.000-07:00

HIYA!!! We actually made it to Oz! Thanks to the Lord's answer to our prayer, we sold the van in NZ quickly...the night we posted our ad...for what we paid for it! Amazing! So, we bought tickets the next day and flew out the next! We only had 4 full days, so we crammed in a lot of stuff!

We flew into Brisbane and stayed with Shane's friend Mike for 2 days. We walked around Brisbane (great shopping) the went to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where we cuddled a koala named Mark (I have a picture!), fed kangaroos (technically wallabies, but whatever) and saw tonnes of native Aussie animals like dingos, wombats, lorikeets, kookaburas, emus, and alligators. Then we headed down the Gold Coast to Surfer's Paradise (a nicer, newer Waikiki) and Shane surfed Snapper Rocks with a local (he had a fin!) Then we went to the famous Byron Bay lighthouse, spotted wild kangaroos and surfed at Coff's Harbour. After sleeping in Newcastle in the rain, we drove to Sydney in the rain. We attended a Hillsong service (amazing campus) and saw Sydney's lights from across the harbour. We didn't know if the sun would come out for us, but it did so we spent the day in Sydney then snuck a sunset surf in at Dee Why beach. What a way to end our days in Oz!

I know there's more I want to say, but I'm sleepy and I have to get on another plane tomorrow morning. So, good night, enjoy the pictures and I'll see y'all in less than 2 weeks! yay!

Congratulations, Ryan and Lori!!!! (they got married!) See you soon!

This guy needs a teddy bear!

"Finally! Someone who will eat out of my hand!"

"I don't care how HIGH you can jump! I'm still taller!"

How cute are these guys?

This guy was just waking up when we walked by! Sooo cute!

Shane is carving at Snapper Rocks! I think he's looking at his finned friend!

THE Byron Bay lighthouse. 1901, I think.

I still can't believe we were at the Sydney Opera House! Did you know it was designed with orange segments? I'm not even joking. Really.

And there's the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The train we took from Turramurra crossed it! Very cool.

And here is my cute husband in Sydney, Australia. What an adventure!

Aahh...warmth!

2006-07-01T22:43:00.000-07:00

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!! How were the famous Victoria fireworks this year? We had our own celebration down here with an early soccer game and some croissants, but that's about it! I hope you all appreciate the beautiful country you live in and the freedom that comes with it! Canada is truly God's country! Anyway, enough patroitism.

We left the south island a few days early and said goodbye to Kurt and Rhonda (and Olivia and Li-li) in Christchurch. We saw more seals in Kaikoura and Shane had one last surf. As soon as we got off the ferry, the weather was awesome! We said goodbye to Aphra and Jacob in Wellington then headed to New Plymouth and Raglan for surf. We're just about to head up to Mount Maunganui for a big swell, then we'll see the Coromandel and head to Auckland for our flight to Fiji. I can't wait for my pasty body to get some sun! The north island weather is so different from the south and today's outfit (tank and light sweater) were a welcome change from thermals and touques!

So, stay posted for one more picture post from New Zealand before we head to Fiji. See you Victorians at the end of this month! Peace out! - T.

2006-06-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

A cold morning at Lake Matheson
Mt Cook and the range reflecting at Lake Matheson
Franz Josef Glacier
Our Bungy!
Tracey pushing hard at Puzzleworld, Old Roman toilets
the Church of the Good Shepherd
Tracey "surfing"
after the Shotover Jet in Queenstown
Tracey and the tram
Christchurch Cathedral
the bluff, New Zealand's "Southernmost" point
Tracey, seriously, she was upset
but she did finally find some penguins!
Nugget Point
Purakaunui Falls

Taranaki to the South Island

2006-06-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

Picton-New Brighton

2006-06-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I hope you all enjoy these pics. Tracey and I will probably put some more up soon, as we head to Dunedin and Queenstown. Enjoy!

Brrr...

2006-06-03T15:52:00.000-07:00

I'm writing in blue because that is the colour of my lips! Not really, but it is sooooo unbelievably chilly down here! Frost on the windows of the van each morning! That's cold!
We took the Bluebridge Cook Straight ferry over on Friday afternoon then drove to Blenheim. We woke up to a market taking place across the street so we bought a kettle for making tea and New Zealand made wool toques. At least my head is warm! We pretended to be posh and went on a wine tour at the Montana Brancott Winery and sampled 5 wines...only 1 made the cut! Mmmm..dessert wine...
We're in Kaikoura, where we woke up to an Oneil surf competition this morning. We're heading to Hanmer Springs right now to warm up in the hot springs, so don't feel too sorry for us! We'll get some more pictures up soon of the spectacular snow-covered mountains and rolling hills next to the ocean. Signing out...T.

Last Days on the North Island

2006-05-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

Well, we're heading south for the winter. No, really. We're heading south INTO winter. We've got our touques and gloves and longjohns and we're set! Before we go, though, please enjoy some sunshiney pictures of our last few days on the north island...(sob sniffle)...WWaaahhh!!!

At Muriwai Beach these rocks have been carved out by the ocean. A blowhole formed and splashes water with every surge. Amazing!

I'm no Moses, but what I CAN do is throw my arms up at the same time that water splashes. Impressed?

Who blew a bubble around the sun? And how?

I'm glad I didn't have to pick that one! I got to climb inside of it, though!

Last days at our home on Tay Street. Shane's playing with me today because there is no surf.

No, no, no, Shane! Just the WATER falls down Whangarei Falls!

From sunrise to sunset (no exaggeration) this is what we saw! And they're too hard to eat still!

Sunrise at Tay Street, one last time...

2006-05-25T02:55:00.000-07:00

Promised Pictures

2006-05-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me...with hathead...and yummy cake...
Why am I wearing a touque and puffy vest in May? So wrong!
He's not just a cute electrician! Shane is getting good at capturing moments! What a shot!
Speak of the devil...
Shane just finished surfing and showering OUTSIDE at The Mount...crazy man!
With the artificial reef in sight, Shane won't even stop for a picture!
I know a few guys at home who would love to get a piece of this action!
I thought I could get back to shore between waves...keep laughing, Shane!
I can't pretend not to love staying at The Mount...skies like this are in abundance!

Who's Having a Birthday?

2006-05-20T02:21:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I know!!! I'm no good at keeping blogs up to date. So sorry. Since the end of April, though, not much has happened. We have been picking kiwifruit (not kiwis because the people call themselves kiwis and look at you funny when you say you're picking kiws and keeping a few in your van) and that has recently ended. I did it for a few more days than Shane because he scored a great electrical job. He met a man in a cafe who knew a guy who knew a guy...we're lucky the Big Guy was in control of that one! What a blessing that was! Now I can go shopping! Kidding, kind of. Tomorrow (the 21st) is my birthday so I WILL get SOMETHING.
Other than work, we hit Raglan on our days off again so Shane could surf Manu Bay some more. He's working on pumping? Carlo, Jordan, Jon, Aaron - does that mean anything to you? We also visited stinky sulphur-smelling Rotorua and saw cool mineral pools and springs. I'm sure SOMEone could get used to the smell, but not this someone. Egg salad to the nth degree! Yuck! Except for the air, though, it was a very clean city. Their government gardens are spectacular! You'll see pics in the next entry.
So, May is almost over, June we will be touring the south island, July is Fiji and home! Time flies when you're waiting for the rain to stop so you can pick kiwifruit. I'm not bitter. Tune in next time for some pictures and a much happier (and older) Tracey. Happy birthday to me...

Tauranga, the tramp and Taranaki!!!

2006-04-25T04:05:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! SO sorry this update is a little behind schedule. That's what living in a van does to you. Regardless, we miss you all like crazy and we're looking forward to catching up in 3 months with all of you and making new memories. Before I start singing a sappy love song, I'll say toodles and don't forget to drop us a line. Here are some pictures that really don't do this country's beauty justice.

1. Ailie, Shane and I snagging avocados from the neighbour's yard in Tauranga...

Just strolling along the main beach at Mount Maunganui...
The guy with the camera has been picking kiwifruit too long...I think his hand is still twitching! But don't our outfits look 'choice'?
Just before the storm came we walked along the beach and grabbed some shells...
Look at all those kiwis! I just want to pick them all! Pick pick pick pick...
On the west coast just outside of New Plymouth are these cute little islands called 'Sugarloaf Islands'...I would have called them 'The Gumdrops'...mmm...
If Shane keeps eating those chips he's gonna look like the guy in the background!
We took a nature walk on Mt. Taranaki and Shane couldn't stay on the trail...
Mount Manuganui and its main beach in all its glory...(we spend a lot of time here!)
Mt Taranaki, also called Mt Egmont, was the mountain they used in The Last Samurai to represent Mt Fuji. I can't wait to see it covered in snow!
After the tramp my last name should have been 'Payne'! I know, I'm a wimp...whatever...
On the last day of our tramp, even the weather couldn't take away from the views! Incredible!
From way up high on the Queen Charlotte Track, you can see forever! How beautiful!
Some farmer is lucky enough to live here...
Shane and big tree...that's all...
Shane feeding a tame local New Zealand bird called a Weka...he really liked scroggin (trail mix)...
Guess what we're having for dinner...MUSSELS!!! and lots of 'em!
I know I look super-imposed in this pic, but I was there! Honest!
And maybe in this one, too, but we were really there...and we have blisters to prove it!
Can you believe the colour of that water? The forest we walked through felt almost tropical with palm trees every once in a while and the mountains were so amazing!
Aphra and I on the ferry from Wellington to Picton to start the tramp. Over 3 hours, $120 each and not nearly as nice as BC Ferries. I will never complain again!
Shane looks way to happy to be waiting for our little boat to take us from Picton to Ship's Cove.
Jacob and Aphra being their usual silly selves! Catch anything, Jacob?
A gorgeous sunset at Foxton Beach northwest of Wellington.
The unknowing happy couple awaits their 4-day grueling tramp in Marlborough Sounds. Will they make it out alive? Yes, but with injuries and wounds to remind them of their adventures.

30,000 Kiwifruit

2006-04-07T21:33:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

It's almost been 2 whole months that we've been gone and we miss you all like crazy! Even though we talk about home a lot, we are not forgetting to pay attention to our experiences down here. One in particular that I would like to forget, though, is kiwifruit picking in Te Puke. I can't even believe how hard fruit picking is...neither can my arms! They are so tired I could barely paddle out this morning! Regardless, "work will make this trip all the better" is what I keep telling myself. We're heading down to the south island for our 4-day tramp over Easter weekend so we'll post some phenomenal pictures for you after that. Thanks for all the notes and emails keeping us updated down here. We'll see you in a few months!

2006-03-29T23:17:00.000-08:00

I managed to get some more pics up but I messed up the template while uploading. This will probably be my last post. Tracey is gonna go "wild as" when she sees what I did here. Ciao...if you like it leave a comment so she doesn't harm me!
1- This is a pic from a gravel road leaving Raglan, where we stopped to take a pic of remnants of a cyclone over the coral sea
2- A pic of us at Bridal Veil Falls
3- Bridal Veil Falls
4- Us looking over at BVF
5- Shane hanging out at the top of Mt. Maunganui
6- Tracey surfing with her new board
7- Us at a monument in Wellington
8- Leaving the hot water beach in Kawhia
9- A random sunset in NZ
10- So many sheep, they even make sheep sculptures
11- Dolphins on our day cruise through the Bay of Islands. They were literally everywhere. Many different kinds as well as babies, riding the wake all around the boat.
12- I think that we are tourists, snorkelling in the Bay of Islands
13- The hole in the rock on the day cruise
14- A dolphin jumping beside the boat
15- Sheep everywhere!

In Tauranga

2006-03-29T12:09:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. Tracey and I are in Tauranga now looking for some jobs...probably picking kiwis, stacking kiwis, storing kiwis, eating kiwis, getting sick of kiwis! I just added some pics, a few surfing ones for the guys back home. I'll try and add a few more tonight or tomorrow morning. Anyways, take care! (if some of the pics don't enlarge can you leave a msg please, so I can fix 'em)

2006-03-29T11:02:00.000-08:00

dropping in at Manu Bay
surfing at Manu Bay
Duckdive!
surfer at Manu Bay
Tracey...being...silly Tracey!
surfing at Ohope...trying to anyways
Tracey and the girls from high school
Tracey and her brand new "Hot Buttered" 7'4''
Tracey and I after our climb to the top of Mt. Maunganui

East Coast to the Bay of Plenty

2006-03-23T16:44:00.000-08:00

Has it really been 6 weeks? Unbelievable! Well, since the last post we changed our plans a bit but we are still having a lot of fun. From Raglan we drove to Wellington where we met up with not 1, not 2, but 3 high school girlfriends and their men (holla back Aphra, Jenni and Kristin!). We haven't been together in years, and whether it's a good thing or not, we are the same giddy teenagers we were when we met. Needless to say we had a blast in Wellington on St Paddy's day and even more fun chatting and catching up in the days following. Instead of staying in Wellington (no surf) we decided to travel for a few days with Kristin and Owen up the east coast and into the Bay of Plenty where we are now. The surf is pumping here thanks to a cyclone somewhere else, so Shane is thoroughly enjoying being able to stop anywhere along the coast and jump in for a few waves.
We drove to Hastings, Napier, Gisborne, Ohope, Whakatane and we are now in Tauranga where we will surf for a couple of days and maybe climb Mt Maunganui tomorrow. There are many places that we have seen that could easily become home in the future, but for now we're just enjoying our time together in God's amazing creation...and being reminded now and then with the occasional spanking by a heavy wave that He's in charge!
I'll post a few pictures when I don't have to pay by the minute, so until then please say a quick prayer for us and know that we are thinking of you and wondering what you all are doing at different times during the day.
Hugs and kisses...T.

2006-03-14T01:21:00.000-08:00

The sunset at Piha.

The glow worm cave entrance.

The sets rolling in at Piha, with Lion Rock on the right.

Part 2 of NZ Pics

2006-03-13T23:36:00.000-08:00

One of Tracey's sea shells
This above pic is the sun setting on Piha's black sand beach last night. It was awesome to see.
This is a view from Ocean Beach where I climbed a hill to see if any surf was happening.
This is a cave we found at Ocean Beach. I climbed in there and it smelled awful!

Hey everyone, it's a Shane Post this time. Tracey and I have left Whangarei for Wellington, although I'm quite disappointed about leaving the north part of the North Island. It's truly amazing and I sometimes have hesitations about leaving NZ. It's beautiful here.
Last Friday we went on a dolphin cruise through the Bay of Islands and saw so many dolphins it was unbelievable. They were "bow riding," playing in the current made by our boat, and seeing so many pods blew us away. We went through "the hole in the rock," a big arch formed by the power of the ocean, and there were so many fish swimming around the boat it looked as if we were floating "on" them. The cruise also stopped at an island where we went for a snorkel and a swim and Tracey tirelessly searched for sea shells.
The day before our cruise we stopped at a glow-worm cave and took a tour through water-made caverns full of stalagtites and stalgmites. The worms were itsy bitsy and they glowed a blue color when all the lights are off. It was pretty cool to walk under hundreds of them.
For the last couple of nights in Northland we stayed in a bach at Ocean Beach where we snorkelled around and did a bunch of body surfing. It was a really relaxing couple of days after all of the stress we have been enduring (just kidding about the stress).
Last night we stayed in the van at a beach in Piha. There were huge waves last night night but it died down quite a bit. We hired Tracey a board today and went out for a few hours. I was worked by the most powerful wave I have ever been in and had some hesitations about going back out. I didn't want to waste money on the wetsuit rental here so I wore my 5/4. It was brutal. The water temp is about 17 degrees and I was cooking. I think only the people who wear wetsuits will understand.
Tonight and tomorrow we are staying in Raglan, a small community full of people committed to surfing first and working second. It sounds like a match made in heaven. We plan on staying a few days before heading into Wellington to meet some of Tracey's friends from high school and get jobs. What an awful word. There are some pics above for you all and I hope you enjoy them. With me you'll probably end up with a bunch of nature shots but I'm sure you'll like them. We miss you all lots and until the next post...

Part 1 of NZ pics

2006-03-07T21:44:00.000-08:00

The view from the plane of Christmas Island. Inviting, isn't it?

Another day in downtown Auckland for Juan Valdez.

Whangarei (fung-a-ray) Falls just down the road from where we are staying.

Just checking out the magnificent New Zealand surf at Bayley's Beach in our wicked sweet van!

Sheep...duh!

Just another day at Ocean Beach hanging with the dolphins!

Shane is smiling at Cape Reinga because right behind him the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean are colliding! Who'd'a thunk it?

A staircase carved out of an old kauri tree in the middle of the Giant Kauri Kingdom store.

Shouldn't a lighthouse be a bit bigger?

Up over a sand dune and across a mountain side is where you'll find the other half of Ocean Beach.

From Hawai'i to Fiji To New Zealand

2006-03-03T21:32:00.000-08:00

Hello my people! SO SORRY to take this long to update...it won't happen again! It has been a whirlwind of events since we landed in New Zealand and we're just settling in now. I'll give a quick rundown of events now then post pictures later. Deal? Alright then!

On the 21st, we flew from Hawai'i (where lost tickets just about ruined our trip) to Christmas Island for a stop (where the airport composed of crumbling, weed-devoured concrete and a painted sign that says "Welcome to Christmas I" - they ran out of room). It was neat to fly over, but other than that...

Next stop - Fiji! Just overnight this time, but so humid and wonderful! I can't wait to re-meet the people we stayed with, Melissa, Serevee and baby-on-the-way! Wonderful people!

On to NZ - FINALLY!!! What an amazing country! And we've just begun exploring! We stayed in Auckland for a few days where Shane discovered the name of the disease(s) that robbed him of surfing in Hawai'i. Wanna know? You'll have to ask him! We met up with Jenni (friend from high school) in Auckland, saw the Sky Tower, a horse on the sidewalk and intersections that stop traffic completely so pedestrians can cross any which way! Crazy! We bought a van and drove north to Whangarei (fung-a-ray) where Aphra's (friend from high school) parents live. I am now staying with Calvin, Annmarie (who broke her ankle today), Shane, bees, spiders, cows, a crazy looking pig, mice (unless they've eaten their "last supper") and no hair dryer or straightener! And, surprisingly, I'm loving it! The life, not my hair! We have begun to explore Northland using Calvin and Annmarie's home as a base and we already have phenomenal memories and pictures!

On Thursday and Friday we checked out the local east coast beaches and Whangarei Falls, had an interesting lunch on the west coast, drove through Waipoua Forest and saw endless rolling hills layered with sheep and cattle. Today we went to a local market in town then drove to Ocean Beach where I collected beautiful shells and, yes, that's right, stood in the ocean a few meters from a pod of dolphins! They came right up to the shore! I've never seen anything like it! That has definitely been the highlight of my trip.

Well, it's getting late so I'll wrap it up there. I don't know if the pictures are going to work because the computer is acting up, but I'll try and post some soon. We lost a day during travel, so if you're in Victoria, I'm living in tomorrow but 2 hours behind you. Toronto, I'm 5 hours behind you and a day ahead. Got it? Good. I'll try to make a few phone calls next week. Mmmwah! Love you all! Thank you to those who have dropped us a note - they are much appreciated! Bye for now!

This Week in Hawai'i

2006-02-17T20:28:00.000-08:00

Alo-o-o-o-ha-a-a! This week in Hawai'i we saw a lot of things - except for the sun! We got here just in time for an unusual stretch of rainy weather. Great! We still had fun, though, looking for a surfboard for Shane, shopping at an outdoor mall, visiting Pearl Harbor and taking the bus (for an hour and a half - yawn!) to the Polynesian Cultural Center. Here are a couple of pictures from Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday the sun showed up so we longboarded at Waikiki and I got a little too much sun. I can't show those pictures, though!Shane and Bernhard playing G.I. Joe at Pearl Harbor on Wednesday afternoon.

This anchor is the actual anchor pulled from the wreckage of the U.S.S. Arizona. It weighs something crazy like 19,000 lbs!

This memorial sits on top of the U.S.S. Arizona and you can look down into the wreckage from inside of it. The names of the 1,177 men that died on the ship are inside the memorial and a lot of the men are still inside of the wreck.
Shane was asked to be the chief of the visiting tribe during a presentation at the Polynesian Cultural Center on Thursday. Shane had to speak on behalf of his tribe and share a ceremonial drink with the chief of the other tribe who is sitting across from him. Shane had to speak in public! Ha Ha!
Shane and I are wearing fresh orchid leis from the Ali'i Luau. There was dancing, singing and lots of eating!
We took a canoe tour of the Polynesian Cultural Center. Very cool!
Just hangin' with the chief and his kids!
A Marquesas hut lined with tikis.Each village represented in the PCC participated in a canoe pageant on the river in traditional garb. Very interesting to hear the different styles of music of each place!

Well, we arrive in Auckland on Wednesday, so I'll write again then! Take care! And don't forget to type a quick hello!

Hawai'i Pics

2006-02-13T23:41:00.000-08:00

First days in Honolulu

2006-02-13T23:04:00.000-08:00

We got to Honolulu safe and sound and we are thoroughly enjoying the first days of our trip! It is so beautiful here that every picture you take is amazing! On the first day we went to Waikiki beach just down the road from Tony's condo (the guy we're staying with) in downtown Honolulu then I cooked for the guys (Shane, Tony and Bernhard - the crazy Austrian). Yesterday we drove up to North Shore and, since the waves weren't going off, we took the scenic route home past Waimea Bay where we saw humpback whales playing just off the coast and the guys went for a late afternoon bodysurf. In the evening, we watched the sunset at Waikiki, got cleaned up, then went for a late dinner. Today we walked for an hour to Waikiki, periodically getting caught in torrential downpours, and shopping along the way. We cooled off in the ocean, swung on these crazy vines, then went to the Honolulu Zoo where we saw the most hilarious chimpanzees! Oh, man...I love monkeys! Although misinformed busdrivers gave us awful directions, we finally made it back to Tony's where we are now relaxing and laughing at the pictures we took today. Well, until next time, hugs and kisses to you all! Candi and Caroline...send me your addresses! Check out the pictures under Hawai'i Pics.

2006-02-04T22:22:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that I started this blog 3 weeks ago, and now our trip is only 6 days away! Yesterday was my last day at work, today was Andrew and Sarah's beautiful wedding and tomorrow is our last day at church. There are so many people that we will miss, but this is the opportunity of a lifetime! It's getting harder to fall asleep, but here I go...

Pics

2006-01-15T14:08:00.000-08:00

Tofino!!!!

Countdown

2006-01-15T13:22:00.000-08:00

We are sitting at T -26 days and life couldn't be more crazy. We have a new neice, our miracle-brother Keenan is doing very well and we're packing up our Victoria life into boxes for the time being. This blog will probably be our only link to our friends and family for 6 months. Can we do it? We're gonna have to.