Flying into the New Year

Welcome back to our blog!
Are you bored yet? Hope not because we're not quite done!
Kendra left a little cliffhanger on her last update regarding where and what our next destination will be. Well I can alleviate the suspense (I knew you could hardly wait) by telling you that Kendra and I are now back in Thailand for the 3rd time looking forward to some more fun in the sun. Damn you guys must be getting sick of hearing that on this website, sorry about that, well not really, we love it!

Kendra's last update had us as far as Dunedin and the Otago Pennisula in the South Island. We were originally unsure of what would happen after that as our rental was going to expire but luckily we were able to extend it until our flight on the 27th (for the original price) (not sure why I'm mentioning this). Now because we had been so efficient in touring the country we had already completed Kendra's South Island Itinerary (see my last update for info on "the" itinerary") ahead of the schedule and found ourselves with an almost 10 day gap in activities. So, naturally we headed back to Queenstown to meet up with Brian and Dale to muche (sp?) off them for as long as possible before they kicked us out. Actually as Kendra already mentioned Brian and Dale were absolutely awesome to us and suprisingly they welcomed us into their home for the second time (suckers...just kidding ;) ).

While we were at their place we kept ourselves busy (mostly watching movies, sleeping in late and watching movies, thanks Mike). Daggy took me off to a back road sheep/cattle station called "The Branches" one day (don't worry as far as I can tell the rumors about Kiwi's and sheep are still just rumors) and while he mustered cattle up the valley I was set loose for the day to explore the countryside. No trails, no signs, just fields, hillsides, rivers and lakes! Kendra stayed in town with Dale taking in the sights and sounds of the local town, Arrowtown. I also spent a couple hours at the local pub meeting rugby players and farmers alike, one of those visits got pretty inebriated, I mean, exciting, ending in a cab ride, late night snack and another sleep in. Kendra spent those times having reportedly several bottles of good white wine and keeping Dale up with conversation and laughs. Oh yeah and also keeping the boys up especially George playing all manner of board games until, I'm pretty sure, every game they owned had been played at least once.

Unfortunately After that week off travelling, we reluctantly had to hit the road again leaving the Daggs to have Christmas without us nosy Canadians around. At this point I have to say a huge THANK YOU to Brian, Dale, Michael and George for letting us stay and treating us like one of the family...it was awesome you guys...sob...(thats Kendra sobbing in the background).

We were on the road again. Two items remained on Kendra's Itinarary, Mt. Cook, and Christchurch. The first day we drove to Lake Pukaki making it just before sunset. Lake Pukaki offered spectacular views of Mt. Cook, New Zealands tallest mountain, and the sunset was phenomenal. We slept overlooking this lake in the visitors center parking lot (no we are not hobos) and were treated to a sunrise that was even better then the sunset the night before. That day we drove into the Mt. Cook village and did a short 4 hour hike up to Hookers Lake before getting back on the road and stopping for the night at another beautiful lake called, Lake Tekapo (pronounced take-a-poo, hehehe, poo....sorry its not funny I'm just imature). This is where we would spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, a fitting tribute to a year of travelling, a dinner of steak and potatoes and a breakfast of cereal. It was easier to forget that it was Christmas being that it is summer in New Zealand. However, we still found ourselves nostalgic about missing the Christmas festivities with everybody back home.

That day, Christmas day, we drove to Christchurch and stayed for the night at yet another body of water on the nearby Banks Pennisula. On the 26th we returned our car. I have to say, we definetly did not have the same attachement to this car as we did for the ABBA van and wasn't sorry to see it go, just sorry that our New Zealand adventure was over.

Christchurch is another beautiful New Zealand city, we explored it that afternoon although unfortunately we didn't get a chance to see much of it as we had to pack our bags and get ready for our depature the next day. I have to say that New Zealand is an amazing country as you may have noticed from our updates. I recommend that everybody visit this great country at least once in their life, beauty, friendliness and adventure await all who make the trip! (I know we're going back - 2011 Rugby World Cup...)

And where did I say we were, thats right Thailand. On the 27th we flew to Singapore, on the 28th, after a wonderful night sleeping on the floor and benches of the airport, we flew to Phuket. Just like that we were back in the middle of SE Asia, and why did we come? Why would be backtrack to a country we had already visited twice on this trip? The answer is two fold.

1) to postpone again as long as possible the inevitable trip home and the end of this amazing trip.
2) to get Kendra, who can't imagine going home without a tan, the chance to get one before the dark cold nights of the Albertan winter claim her.

I mean 3 fold.
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wait for it...
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3) to get on our BOAT, thats right, our 8 day/7 night liveaboard boat trip that will take us to the Similan and Surin Islands and some of the worlds best dive sights....more diving! Suprise!

Oh yeah, we are pumped about this one! We leave tomorrow the 2nd after 5 days enjoying the beach, sun, and a hell of a New Years party last night here in Phuket! Trust us, we are suprised as you are. It came together because one of the dive instructors we got to know back on Koh Tao is a partner of this liveaboard dive and sail company. He emailed us back in November and offered us a deal we couldn't refuse, so here we are! All I can say is check out the link and prepare to get jealous, sorry but its true. My god you must be sick of us by now.

So we're off on one of our last adventures. Kendra will let you know how it all went in about 8 days/7 nights. After that its Beijing, the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and then, well I can't believe it, Home.

Till Next Time,
Mike and Kendra

PS.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!