Bungee Jump - Check. Sky Dive - Check. Glacier Hike - Check. Helicopter Ride in New Zealand - Check. Sea Plane Ride thru the NZ mountains - Check. Luge down a mountain - Check. Cruise thru a natural sound in one of only two fjordlands in the world - Check. Jet boat thru a mountain river - Check. Snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef - Check. Do it all in one trip - Check.While 2008 was a big travel year for us (a move from the States to Australia, two trips back to the States, and numerous trips around Australasia), 2009 is shaping up to be the year of guests as we look forward to visits from both Carey's and Greg’s families. The first visitors actually arrived before the New Year. Greg’s Mom and Dad made the trek down under for the holidays. While there seemed to be a lack of holiday festiveness, adventure and adrenalin seemed to be an equally enjoyable replacement.
Words nor pictures could do justice to the idyllic places where we spent Christmas and New Year’s - New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef. Anyone who has seen the Lord of the Rings understands that New Zealand is an amazingly beautiful country with a uniquely diverse variety of landscapes. And anyone who has ever watched Animal Planet understands that the Great Barrier Reef is not only home to the world’s largest variety of sea life, but the reef itself is actually the only living thing visible from space. While, the following pictures will not do justice to the beauty (and hilarity) of our most recent trip, hopefully they at least give you an idea of some of the amazing adventures we were fortunate enough to experience as we rang in 2009.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Down Under!
