Day 111

Well, Merry Christmas everyone. We had a really quiet Christmas but it was a lot of fun. Definitely theIt was a nice and relaxed day. The day after, the NBA opening day games were on tv here. Miles and I were set on watching all of the games, so we made sure we had time for it. The gym is closed this week, so we don't have very much to do. There is a huge rainstorm with thunder and lightning here. We're hoping that it doesn't turn into a cyclone. Carey and my mom got a really bad infection on their bums. It looks like a big, black hole. We thought that they were weird spider bites, but the doctor told them it was an infection and gave them antibiotics. It looks like they are going to fine in a couple of days which is a relief. There still aren't too many things to write about, so I think I'll take a break from posting again until there is more excitement.

Day 104

There hasn't been much to post about, so I have been skipping them for a while. Sorry about that. Well...We have officially been away from home for over 100 days. Miles and I have continued playing basketball at the local gym almost every day. We are also getting ready for a small Christmas. We have decided on going to a music festival down south when we're done housesitting here. I think we will be volunteering to get in free and my dad might play some. It sounds like a lot of fun. My parents and Carey have become members of a local country club with cricket games and have spent a little time there. I'm sorry there aren't many exciting things to post about. If anything does happen, I will definitely blog about it.

Day 96

Another mellow day today. Miles and I played some more basketball. Other than that, we just did some homework and relaxed. It rained heavily again and we had to wait for it to stop before we went to the gym. There isn't much to do around here because we have a lot of schoolwork to do and no car. Miles and I might go play some more Bball tomorrow. We really like having access to this nice of a gym. That's about all there is to say.

Day 95

Today was pretty great. Miles and I went to the basketball gym and played for a few hours. It was perfect. The general manager of the stadium had balls for us to use and it felt great to play again. After we walked home, the whole family took a walk to the local manmade lagoon/pool. We picked up dinner on the way home and are now lounging around. I'm pretty sure that we'll go shoot around again tomorrow and maybe every other day that we can. It's been too long.

Day 94

Still not much happening here. We went to a gorge to swim yesterday and then to a river to look for platypus's/platypuses/platipi. Carey and my dad saw one, but my mom, Miles, and I didn't get to. There was also a heavy storm with thunder and lightning. We almost ran out of gas on the way home, but made it to a gas station just in time. My dad took the rental car back with Carey and they stopped by a local basketball gym/stadium where a local pro team plays. There were teams my age practicing and my dad talked to the guy running it and he said I could go there and shoot and maybe work out with a team. I think I'm going to go check it out tomorrow because it's been so long since I played. Hopefully I can get some practicing in.

Day 92

We are starting to settle into the house we're sitting. We have been taking it easy and doing homework mostly because of the heat. It is CRAZY hot. It is hard to do anything except swim. There is a nearby pool that I think we might start going to. There is also a skatepark nearby that Carey and I checked out. It isn't very good but is better than nothing. There are more parks a little bit farther away that we might look for on a cooler day. The best way to deal with the heat is cold showers and naps. We are right under the hole in the ozone, so the sun is pretty brutal. You can't spent too much time outside during the noon hours. Here is a random photo because I don't have much to talk about.

This is a high exposure photo that I took during a big lightning storm in Port Douglas. The lightning was the brightest that I had ever seen (Daytime would occur when it would strike). It is blurry because I took it in a car ride, but you can really see how bright It was. This was taken in the middle of the night.

Day 89

We have had no wifi! I haven't been able to post for the past week or so because we have been moving around a lot and without internet. We made it successfully to Cairns and stayed there for a couple of days. It was really nice and they had the nicest skate park that Carey and I have been to. It is the biggest park in Australia! We have done a lot of swimming, but not in the ocean due to crocs, sharks, and jellyfish. After Cairns, we went to Port Douglas and stayed for a couple of days while going on hikes and to zoos. My favorite thing so far was hand-feeding kangaroos. We saw a lot of different animals in the wild and in captivity. We pulled an all-nighter driving to Mackay from Port Douglas last night. Now we are going to stay here (in Mackay) housesitting for a month. Here are a couple of photos to make up for the lack of posting:

Day 77

This has to be a short post because I am writing it on my iPod. We made it safely to Australia and are driving up the coast towards Cairns in a big campervan. It is nice and hot with a ton of wildlife. I will post the next time I have wifi.

Day 72

I have made it safely back to Christchurch and am getting ready to leave New Zealand on Thursday. We head out of here at 6 a.m. and are landing in Melbourne, Australia. We have a lot to do to prepare, but are looking forward to a new adventure. Let me give some details about the past few days. My dad played well at his gig in Nelson, and then we kept driving. We then saw a lot more sights (The clearest body of freshwater in the world, glow worms, a filming sight in the making for The Hobbit, pet a baby sheep, etc.) We have been camping out all over the Northern part of the southern island in a new place almost daily. We also got to swim in the Tasman Sea, which was a little bit cold, but great. We have a 6 berth camper to relocate in Australia and then will most likely be housesitting. We also got an offer to spend the holidays with a big Aussie family that sounds like fun. I will have wifi until the flight, so I'll try to get another post in.

Day 63

I haven't been able to post for a while for a couple of reasons. A total lack of internet is the main one. We went to Dunedin and had a ton of fun. Carey and I did a lot of skating in some really nice parks. Carey is getting crazy good. He put together a sponsor me video and is going to try to get on some sort of company soon. We did a lot of hiking and saw a lot of sights in Dunedin. Some of the sights were the steepest street in the world and boulders, which I will include photos of. We also did a little bit of farm work. Since then, we went to Queenstown and now Nelson. We got a small campervan and have been sleeping in it for about a week. My dad has a really big gig today in Nelson, and it has been publicized well. There are posters around town and he had a big spot on the front of the entertainment section in the local newspaper. We have seen a lot of sights, too many to tell about in fact, but I will include pictures. In a couple of days, I think we are going to fly to Australia. It isn't for sure, but we may house-sit for a while. I'm not sure when the next time I will post is, but hopefully these photos will count for a couple of days.

 

 

Day 54

We got a lot of work done yesterday, but didn't get home early enough for me to post. Carey got his head shaved, which is a big difference from his lion's mane. Today we drove out to Methven and are staying in a nice lodge. I think we will be away from Christchurch for at least a few days.

Day 52

We had another day at the library and then came home and had some dinner. For dessert we had ice cream with milo. It is like chocolate malt powder and is really good. I think we are going to leave the city tomorrow, so I might not have wifi for a couple of days. Hopefully there is excitement in the near future.

Day 51

Not too much happened today, but it was very productive. We got a rental car and then headed to the library. At the library, we were all on computers doing school and work. I got 5 or 6 assignments done and downloaded 2 movies and 2 albums while working. I felt pretty accomplished. The weather was great here the day that we came, but it's getting pretty stormy. It rained a little yesterday and is looking like it might rain again. I have no idea what the plan is for tomorrow.

Day 50

The past couple of days have had so much going on but no internet to post. We left Cook's Beach and then headed to Auckland for a night. We stayed at the Unicorn Motel again and my dad had another gig. The next morning we picked up our camper from transfercar. It was huge! It held all of our things and slept us 5 comfortably. We drove south and stayed at camper parks along the way. We took the camper on the ferry and made it to the South Island. We then continued south and stopped at a few more parks. The scenery is amazing. There were points of the drive with snowy mountains on one side and a beach with surf on the other. There are tons of sheep and reindeer too. We made it to Christchurch and are staying at a friend from the cruise ship's house. Carey and I went skating yesterday afternoon, which was Halloween, at a nearby park and Carey broke his board. It isn't all the way through, but he'll need a new one within a week or two. He has no money for one so we aren't sure what to do. I have taken some pictures, but not enough to upload a whole roll. I did, however, make a .gif of looking off of Shakespeare's Cliff near Cook's Beach. It was an almost 360 degree view of ocean and islands off an overhang. I have wi-fi for at least a few days while we stay here, so I will definitely post tomorrow.

I used gifninja to make this because I didn't have very much time and there were to many photos for other sites. I hope it works alright, I think it might be a little slow. Here is the .gif!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 44

We went to the hot water beach today. It was a lot of fun and pretty weird. The water was cold, and then you would walk on the beach through a little puddle and it would burn your feet. We eventually got the perfect temperature and sat in the homemade hot tub for a while. After the beach, we took a little hike down to Cathedral Cove. That was also a lot of fun. There were caves and rocks to climb on, but the water was also pretty cold. After that, we went to a winery/restaurant that was amazing. We learned a lot from the owner and the food was great. My parents and brother loved the drinks as well. I recommend anybody in the area to go there. It's called Purangi Winery. We also secured a 6-berth camper to take from the Auckland Airport to Christchurch in two days. It was also free because it needs to be relocated. There is a website that has campers available for relocation called transfercar. I took a video of me jumping off of a rock at Cathedral Cove, but it isn't uploading correctly. Maybe I will try when i have more reliable wi-fi.

Day 43

We left Auckland and made it to Cook's Beach. We are staying at a nice place for not too much money. It is pretty close to the hot water beach, which we are going to tomorrow. The hot water beach is a beach that if you dig down, hot spring water bubbles up and makes a pool. You can only go at noon or midnight for the tide to be right, so we are going at noon tomorrow. We just took the ferry across a river to a small town and had really good Thai food. We also found an OK skatepark that Carey and I may go to soon. I still want to get my dad a gig on a cruise ship and will try calling some as soon as possible.

Day 42

Last night was crazy. All of New Zealand was watching the rugby game and the All Blacks won. The streets were filled with fans screaming and crying. Then today, there was a parade through Auckland with the players. The whole city was watching that as well. I think tomorrow we are going to get a hotel room and calm down for a few days. While we're there I want to try to get my dad a cruise ship gig so that we can have food and passage in exchange for him doing a few shows. If anybody has any ideas or places to contact, please let me know. Thanks.

Day 41

So yesterday I went to the shop to get that Almost complete and it was gone! I was really angry because all other boards were really expensive. Today I went to Cheapskates, a common skate shop in NZ, and saw a  Girl board for 250 NZ. I decided to get it and got to talking with the guy who worked there. When it came time to buy it, he gave it to me for 200 and gave me a phone number to call if I want to go surfing when I go back up north. Thanks bro! Then I got some super glue for my shoes at a $3.50 store. Since things are more expensive here, this is like their dollar stores. Right now I am in a pub watching the world series with my family, and then Carey and I are going skating. Tonight is going to be really crazy. The world cup final game is tonight and the crowd will be huge. The entire city is blocked off because of it. Let's go All Blacks! I don't want an angry riot.

Day 40

I haven't been able to post the last couple of days for a few reasons. The wi-fi ran out at the motel we were staying at, and then we went to the Occupation. That is where we are staying, in our recently bought tents and sleeping bags. The Occupation is a huge group of people from all over with the same views about Wall Street camping out in tents Aotea Square to spread awareness. They have been there for 8 days without being kicked out and stay there, always NONVIOLENTLY, for as long as they can. There are at least 50 tents filled with activists. It is most easily compared to a miniature Live Oak Music Festival with no drugs or alcohol allowed. There is a lot of music going on and hopefully my dad can impress some people. Here is the link to the Occupy Auckland website. I am also thinking about getting a skateboard because there are a lot of spots here, and Victoria skatepark is AMAZING! I went there with Carey a few days ago, but couldn't take photos because it was too crowded. There is an Almost complete at a local shop for 229 NZD. This might seem steep compared to the US, but it's actually the best deal that I've seen. Auckland is great and I am hopeful for the future of the Occupation.

Day 37

We made it to Auckland and my dad is currently playing at the Guitar Association of New Zealand. Last night we stayed at a really cool backpackers accommodation place a few hours away. We woke up this morning and drove to Auckland, where we are staying in the Unicorn Motel. We all fit in a room, which has two rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, TV, and wi-fi. It's a pretty good deal! We have the room for two nights and then I think we are going to rent a camper and drive it to Christchurch. We aren't completely sure what is directly ahead of us, but I am excited.

Day 36

No time to talk at all. We are about to leave the bach and will probably spend the night in a hotel halfway between here and Auckland. We are almost finished packing and cleaning and then will be o our way. I don't know when the next time I'll have wi-fi is, so this might be goodbye for a while.

Day 35

It was a lazy day today. Mostly all that happened was homework. It was too windy to fish and now it is raining, so we didn't get outside much. My mom made some really good homemade mac and cheese for dinner that filled us up pretty well. We are leaving the bach either tomorrow or the next day and heading to Auckland. My dad has a gig there in a few days and somebody is going to stay here, so we have to roll out. Tomorrow will probably consist of packing and cleaning, with homework wherever is possible. Hopefully we do some more sightseeing soon so I can take more pictures. Oh, and good job to the All Blacks. They beat Australia and are heading to the finals to play France. I have a feeling it won't even be close.

Day 34

I have nothing to do really, seeing as how it is raining in New Zealand, so I decided to do a post. Yesterday's didn't really count. I just typed a big essay for History class and my brothers are both doing homework. My mom and dad left a few minutes ago to go explore. I have no idea where they are going, but they took the rental car because of the rain. The skatepark that Carey and I went to yesterday was in Kerikeri. It was a lot better then the one we went to in Kaitaia and there were no Maori's trying to fight us either. I don't do much skating anymore because of my previous broken ankle and I have no board or helmet, so I usually just take pictures of Carey. I actually got one picture yesterday, though. The New Zealand vs. Australia rugby game is in a couple of hours which is a HUGE deal. The winner goes on to the final to play against France. We heard that the reaction to whoever wins will be pretty dramatic, so we are hoping for the All Blacks. I am actually starting to understand and like the game. I would play it instead of American football any day. Here are a few photos from yesterday that I said I would upload. The waterfall was great to see!

Day 33

We did so much today! We saw almost the entire Northern Island. We went to waterfalls and skateparks and all kinds of places. I took quite a few pictures and will put them up later because it's a little bit too late right now. I am pretty tired, so I can't write a ton. I want to do some fishing and homework tomorrow. I'll also try to upload the photos soon

Day 32

Just barely made the post for tonight. It is 11:30 in New Zealand. My dad, Carey, and I all tried fishing again today and caught 0 fish again. I actually got one bite though, so maybe I'll have more luck tomorrow. We got some homework done and took it easy mostly. I am still pretty sick and I think Miles might be getting it. Lastly, I am thinking of just putting what day it is as the title of each post. This is a test, I'm not sure if it will last.

Maori Thugs

Today, my brothers and I went to the skatepark in the closest city to the Kerikeri Peninsula. I can't remember the name exactly. Anyways, these kids showed up and wanted to use Carey's brand new board after they borrowed a kids scooter and broke it. Carey said no and they kept bugging and then tried to fight him and I. Some other kid got there and they fought him instead while we left. They ripped Carey's favorite shirt and pushed us around a little bit. After we left, we got some grub and then headed to the Northernmost part of the island. There were a lot of great sights to see, and we learned a lot about the history of New Zealand. I took way too many pictures, so here are a few. These are the ones that I kept from Facebook.

Day 31

Another Slow Day

We mostly just lied around today and then went grocery shopping. Later, we went to the beginning of 90 Mile Beach, but it was too stormy to go all the way down. I think we might in the next few days. I also got a couple of photos and will upload them soon. I hope these colds don't last!

Day 30

Getting Sick

Carey is sick and I can feel myself getting it too. I guess that means I won't want to do anything tomorrow, so I can get a lot of school work done. Because the weather was a little bit nicer than yesterday, I went for a super long run and tried fishing again. The fishing ended with a broken line and 0 catches. I think retirement is in the near future fore me. I know that I haven't uploaded photos in a while and I still need to put together that video. I don't want to put photos up until I have more than a few. Once I get some more pictures, I will definitely put them up. About the video, I haven't gotten around to it because I need to get caught up for school. I will try to make it as soon as possible. Hopefully the school won't take too long.

Day 29

New Zealand Weather

There isn't much to say about today, except that there was a major storm. It was pouring and the wind would almost blow you over. It was also pretty cold, so we mostly just stayed inside. I had some nice, home-cooked meals and got a couple school assignments done. If you think about it: October in New Zealand is like April in California, so the rain makes sense. I hope the sun comes out tomorrow so that I can go swimming and fishing, but I will need to do a ton of school work either way.

Day 28

The Bach

Sorry that I couldn't post yesterday. We didn't have internet, but now paid for it so I think I can post everyday for the next week or so. The place we are staying in is really cool. We are on a little peninsula about 5 hours from Auckland and there is public beach access a few houses away. The water is nowhere near tropical, but it isn't horrible. The closest that I could compare it to is Southern California in the winter. There isn't any surf at the beach right by us but we went swimming and it wasn't too cold. I also tried fishing at about sunset and watched the rugby games tonight. We went grocery shopping, so we won't have to go anywhere for a while. Our family is planning on using this time away from society to get  work and homework done. I have something like 60 assignments to do in order to be caught up. Even though I'm a little stressed about the school, I am loving the isolation here.

Day 27

Another Adventure Tomorrow

Today began with my brothers and me searching for a coffee shop with wi-fi and power outlets to do homework. It took us a while, but we eventually found the perfect place and did a few homework assignments while eating breakfast. When we got back to the house we are staying at, my parents and Deborah (our hostess) had brought back pies. Pies are common meals in New Zealand and are filled with all sorts of things, such as: chicken, steak, vegetables, bacon, eggs, cheese, and ground beef-a.k.a. mince. After sampling quite a few of these, we ate dessert. The dessert was all different types of pastries from the same bakery where we got the pies. With all of this, we drank some New Zealand milk. After all of the eating I've done here so far, I came to this conclusion: All food is better, fresher, and richer in New Zealand-atleast up until this point. I also lent Carey some money to buy a skateboard and he took the bus downtown and went skating. [IMPORTANT-do not wait to buy things in New Zealand if you are going on a trip. Everything is way more expensive and I heard it is even worse in Australia. Carey's board was a pre-made complete for 260 New Zealand Dollars (still over 200 U.S.). Almost everything can be more than double what it is in The States.] For dinner we had some local pizza that was really good. Then we made some grapefruit juice from the tree in the yard and had some Hokey Pokey ice cream. I can't explain what this is, but it is huge over here. It is super good as well. Tomorrow we take a 4 hour drive up to the North part of the island and are staying in a house by the beach until possibly the 21st. I can't wait to see what it's like.

Day 25

New Zealand

OK. A lot needs to be said in this. For one, I am sorry that I have taken so long to post anything. The wi-fi costed 65 cents a minute and was very unreliable. It adds up fast, so I decided not to use the internet. I am over 60 assignments behind in my schooling now because of it. Secondly, the cruise was AMAZING! There were always things to do and people to meet. I took advantage of the pools and gym quite regularly. The food was great and it was all included. We were the only american kids on the ship, so we learned a lot about places we are going to. Also, Carey and I caught a glimpse of the elusive Green Flash. Now Tahiti...what can I say about that? It was so perfect. I did more in those three days than I have in a year. Thanks very much to the Murphy family, I hope we can make it back soon. We swam with stingrays, sharks, and whales, went wake-surfing, and more. Words can't even describe how much fun the last few weeks have been. I will hopefully have a video up of some of the snorkeling and such in a few days. We're in New Zealand now and will be for up to six weeks. I am really looking forward to the future and am stoked with the trip so far. Keep checking the blog because I will try to post daily now that I'm on land.

Day 24

Cruise in the Morning

Tomorrow I embark on the 15 day cruise from Honolulu to Auckland through Tahiti. The boats name is Rhapsody of the Sea and has a lot of fun things to do. The wi-fi is really expensive, so I don't know for sure if I will be able to post regularly. I will try my best, though, and will be posting whenever internet access is available. Until then I will be relaxing on a cruise ship. Haha, doesn't sound too bad at the moment. Also, there is now a donate button and ads all set up. These are an attempt to make money from this blog for the trip. Any little bit helps. I have been trying to get my blog out there from many means. If you have any suggestions, let me know and please tell your friends to check it out. Thank you to everybody that reads this!

Day 8

Two More Days

We leave Hawaii on a cruise ship to New Zealand Wednesday. We spent today preparing for leaving the country. The first thing that needed doing was making sure every laptop was in top shape by going to the Apple Store. Then we went to different stores to try to get situated for snorkeling on the trip (They are must haves for Tahiti and the Great Barrier Reef). Here is a little list of what I am bringing, other than what was already packed.

1. Aqua Sphere Goggles-$25 It is actually quite hard to find the right pair of goggles. These things are amazing. They seal to your face like no other pair of goggles in the world and never fog up. A little bit expensive, but worth it.
2. Snorkel-$5 Not a name-brand, in fact it was the cheapest one I could find. All the other snorkels were pretty expensive, and I really only need a tube that I don't have to pick up my head up to breathe.
3. Fins-$? Some pretty nice swim fins that fit really well. I don't know the price exactly, but I think they were somewhere around $20-30.
4. Aqua Socks-$7 Yes, these things do look pretty lame. That is probably one of the reasons that they are so cheap. I would normally never get them, but I would rather wear geeky-looking shoes in the water that nobody can see, than step on a stonefish and DIE. I think it was a smart purchase.
5. Wallet-$7 I got a black, leather wallet that looks super businessman-like for cheap. It might seem like a pointless buy to most people. You need to understand that my current wallet is very fat and heavy. It is also red, so it sticks out like a sore thumb. This new wallet is super thin and light. You can't see it poking out of my pocket, and it isn't a burden to carry around. In other countries there is a lot of pick-pocketing on tourists, so I thought that this would be a better choice.


Day 7

Birthday Boy

Today was Carey's 18th birthday, which is a pretty big deal. We spent the day doing whatever he wanted. This consisted mostly of relaxing and eating good food with a little bit of surfing and swimming mixed in. Out of all of the places that we ate, I think that Ted's bakery was the best. It is a little place with breakfast, pastries, and BBQ for lunch and dinner. We had a ton of pastries and a few breakfast meals that were all super good. The prices weren't too bad either. We also went to Matsumoto's Shave Ice for snow cones, and they were all right. I didn't think that they were quite all that they were made out to be, but still pretty good. We didn't even take boards out until around sunset because the surf was so small, but the session wasn't half bad. It's just always good to get in the water here.

Day 6

Pearl Harbor and Waikiki

This morning my family and I went to go see the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. It was really sad, but a good experience. I think that anybody who comes to the area should go and take the free tour. There is a lot to learn, like how it was sunk in 1941 and is still leaking up oil. After the tour, we spent the rest of the day in Waikiki. I didn't really think that it was all that it's made out to be. It was fun, but it was a lot like any other big city and very touristy. For dinner, we went to this AWESOME place called Rainbow Drive In. It has been around for 50 years and is still amazing. Probably the best restaurant that we've been to so far. Everybody should try their homestyle Hawaiian food if they can.
The following are a couple of photos from the memorial:

Day 5

All I Did Today

I don't have very much to say in this post because I was surfing all day. I couldn't get any photos due to being in the water the whole time. There was a slight swell, but I think it's backing off in the morning. It's too bad because Sunset Point was really fun!

Day 4

Great Road Trip

Today we spent the day driving along the entire perimeter of Oahu. We made occasional stops for sightseeing and eating. The Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut Farm was amazing! They had all sorts of free samples and things to see. I didn't even know that I liked macadamia nuts until today. We also went to a cool little state park with no people and beautiful, clear water. There was an island maybe a 1/4 mile off shore that we swam to and hung out at for a bit. It was paradise.
Here are just a few random artsy photos from the day:

Day 3

Settling In

Man, am I starting to like Hawaii! My brother, Carey, and I borrowed some old, beater boards and went out to Sunset Beach. It was so great. The surf was like nothing I've ever been in, plus the water was like 80. It's a little reefy, but fun if you're careful. When it started raining really hard, I didn't know that was going on. There is warm water, hot air, and then rain for random two minute periods? Anyways if you have never been to Hawaii, go. But I recommend bringing your own boards if possible.

Day 2

And We're Off

I haven't been able to post lately due to lack of wi-fi, so I am sorry. I left Oakland today at 10:30 and am now in beautiful Hawaii. We are staying with a super nice family right by Sunset Beach and are loving it. The trip has officially begun. We have a week here before we move on to New Zealand. I might not be able to post as often because of obvious reasons, but I will as regularly as possible. Here is a photo of the delicious pineapple ice cream, waffle cone I got from the Dole Plantation

Day 1

Made It

Barely made my daily post, but I did. The countdown clock isn't exactly right, it's just counting until the 12th because that's the day I leave town. My plane leaves on the 13th out of Oakland. We are almost ready to leave! It is getting very close.

1 Day Remaining

Oops!

I am really, really sorry to all of the people that read my blog(probably 2 or 3, but hopefully more). I missed my post for Saturday, but I'm just going to act like this is it even though it's Sunday. I will write another one tomorrow, or I guess it would be today? Well either way, there will be another post and to end on a good note, I got a nice photo camera so I can take and post some pictures during the trip. Good night to all who are reading this right now, if any. 2 Days Remaining

Sweetness

I had to give away my dog, Sweetness, today. She will be missed by many, but I hope she is happy in her new home. That was a big step, but there's still a lot more that needs to be done. Until I am sitting on a beach in Hawaii, it is going to be a tough road.

3 Days Remaining

Counting Down

It is getting close. The final goodbye's are beginning. 4 Days Remaining

Starting to Stress

There's not much time until I leave, and there is a lot that needs to be done. Nobody is packed, the house isn't cleaned out, and the storage unit isn't filled. Everybody is working and we have no idea how we are going to be ready in time. But whatever happens, we will make the best of it. I am super excited.

5 Days Remaining

Waiting

I am having trouble sitting here, knowing that in a week I will be in tropical Hawaii. I cannot wait. For now I spend my days packing and doing my online schooling. Well, and a little bit of fixed gear bicycling. Anyways...

6 Days Remaining

Home

I am back from the last trip until the big one. My surfboard is sold and it is just starting to set in that we are really leaving. A lot has to be done in a short amount of time.

7 Days Remaining

Having Fun in Malibu

Spending my day surfing Point Dume and eating piecakes.

8 Days Remaining

Last Trip to Malibu For a Year

I am leaving in a few hours to go visit my family in Malibu. It's going to be my last time seeing any of them for a year, which is a pretty big deal. The surf is looking good, so hopefully I can get some waves while I say goodbye.

9 Days Remaining