Flightless Birds

The Kiwi bird is New Zealand's national bird. It is flightless, almost completely blind and endangered. It is not as majestic as our Bald Eagle. Doug was not a big fan of the choice thus allowing me a glimpse of what we may have felt if Benjamin Franklin had gotten his way and our national bird were the wild turkey.
From the moment our plane landed in New Zealand (NZ) I was in love. After a week in the country I was ready to pack up my life and move down. There are tons of hills and mountains and everything is beautifully green. The roads are narrow and wind through the mountains. It takes forever to drive anywhere because there are no straight roads. Nothing is open late. That was interesting to discover as we traveled and found very few people roaming the streets at night (even on weekends) and most places closed up at 6pm. Time just doesn't travel the same in NZ which is probably why we traveled back in time returning to the United States. (Literally, we left NZ at 7pm and got back to LA at 12pm the same day, saved 7 hours.)
I wish we could have spent more time in NZ. Because we only had 7 days, we only saw the north of the north island. We spent 2 days in Auckland, 2 days in Rotorua, 1 day caving in Waitomo and 2 days in Hamilton (but we stayed in Raglan).

Auckland

For sure the highlights of the trip were caving and the All Blacks game. A friend, Adam, who is currently living in Wellington, NZ recommended going to the glow worm caves. As soon as I heard about it I was sold. We booked a black water rafting adventure. Black water rafting is what they call floating down a river underground. It was amazing. Our guides Andrew and Vash were fun and the rest of our group were cool. In preparation for our adventure we were outfitted into wetsuits. Here is how this went: first we put on our swimming suits, next came a potato sack like sweater to keep us insulated, next booties, then the wetsuit (bib style), then a wetsuit jacket. No, we are not done. Then we had boots, shorts and helmet with headlamp. We even had a cover for our hair so that it didn't get caught in the ropes. Basically everything had some layer except our hands which we would discover we wish we had.
Once we finally got all our gear on and we were trained on the equipment we headed out to the caves. We abseiled (repelled) 120 ft down into the cave. Then hiked through the water further into the cave. A quick zip line in the dark (very freaky because you didn't know where the end was) and we jumped off a 15 ft cliff into our tubes to float around the caves. We finished our trip with a quick visit from our friend the eel and then climbed out a series of 3 waterfalls. Basically it rocked!

Repelling into darkness

Check out our sexy suits

The only thing that came close to it was the All Blacks rugby game. So here is a quick background. One of the reasons for the trip to NZ was my sister Kelly served her mission in NZ. Doug was an elder from my her mission. Doug studied at BYU and has family in Utah so I have hung out with him a few times. So I consider him my friend. Anyway background done. When we were planning our trip I noticed that the All Blacks would be playing, but I couldn't figure out how to get tickets. So I emailed Doug and man did he come through. He was able to get us tickets to the SOLD OUT game. It was awesome. I got all decked out with a jersey, beanie and scarf. The last thing I needed for the game was to understand anything about rugby. Lucky for us Doug's cousins went to the game with us so between Doug and his cousins these 3 Americans figured out what was going on enough to cheer and boo at the right spots.

All geared up...GO ALL BLACKS!

Overall the trip was a huge success. We learned to draw penguins (of course we saw some too), we hiked a volcano (dormant...for now), covered ourselves with mud in a mud bath, hiked where wild pigs could have killed us, ate fried mars bars, saw the tallest Maori carving, drove on the wrong side of the road (no one died and no accidents), saw kiwi birds (even if they couldn't see me), had a brother in the Hamilton temple forget my name after every baptism, ate the most delicious burgers you could imagine (seriously so great), enjoyed a delicious Maori meal and watched the haka up close and personal.

Exploring the volcano turned military fort

See I can draw

Enough said

There is always time for a merry-go-round

Hell's Gate Thermal Reserve... it stinks (trust me)

Oh it Burns!...Just Kidding

Dinner...

...and a show

Proof

Hamilton Temple

Hiking

Being one with the falls

Fried Mars Bars... you know you want one

More photos on Facebook

Sydney or New York

After 3 flights and 17 hours of flight time (over 30 hours of traveling) we arrived in Sydney. Our flight from LA to New Zealand was 12 hours and then we hopped onto yet another plane to Sydney. We arrived on Monday morning after leaving Utah Saturday night.
We had a great hotel location. We were only 2 blocks from Darling Harbor and within walking distance of almost everything we did. Luckily our hotel room was ready so we were able to check in early. We cleaned up from our flight then hit Sydney for 6 days of exploring.
Sydney is awesome. There is something very familiar about the city. It feels like a smash up between New York and San Francisco. It is a big city like NY, but is more open like San Francisco. We ate breakfast at cafes, bought snacks from corner convenience stores, saw millions of Chinese people and besides a few minor accent issues (and the Chinese people of course) we could understand everything being said. I didn't even feel like I was in a foreign country.
Our first day we spent exploring Darling Harbor. It was so beautiful. I could have sat in a cafe drinking my hot chocolate, eating banana bread all day and simply loved every minute of it.
BUT we didn't do that. We went off exploring the city.
In no particular order, we watched Harry Potter 3D on the largest IMAX screen in the world (don't be fooled by the 3D, it only had 10 minutes of 3Dness...lame), shopped at Paddy's Market (basically just like Canal Street in NY), ate sushi from a conveyor belt (it was sanitary), buffet at Sydney Tower (the floor moves be careful), walked around a tree forwards 3 times then backwards 3 times (it was Sydney's famous wishing tree and I really wanted my wish to come true so don't knock it), discovered the most gigantic bats ever were just hanging around in the Royal Botanic Gardens (seriously huge and scary, but they didn't hurt us...luckily), explored a submarine and destroyer, learned all about swimming suits or lack there off (Swimming Suit Fashion exhibit at the Maritime Museum), put our feet in the ocean, pet a koala (yeah that is right I got up close and they are so cute promise), took pictures inside St Mary's Cathedral (it wasn't allowed, but I didn't know that until we left...oops) and rocked out to Ben Folds (yeah I know your jealous).

Cool water fountain at Darling Harbor

Playing in the sub. Couldn't believe their wasn't a size limit for sailors, I could barely fit places.

Those bathrooms were small

Rachel & Erika posing with the guns on the destroyer.

Excuse me I have a important announcement. "I'm a great destroyer Captain."

The results of my Tim Tam Slam. The most amazing way to eat a cookie discovered to date.

St Mary's Cathedral

Check out the Royal Botanic Gardens

Cool trees everywhere

There were gigantic bats just hanging around the garden

Oh Yeah we discovered a wishing tree. Make a wish and walk around 3 times forwards, 3 times backwards and your wish comes true.

Sydney Opera House

Ben Fold's concert at the Sydney Opera House...so good!

A day at Bondi Beach

Whale watching turned out to be dolphin watching

Harbor Bridge

The aftermath of eating Vegemite

BEST Part of the trip. I got to pet a Koala.

Looking good in our 3D glasses

Last views of Sydney...not too bad

More photos on Facebook.

Family Names

Last night I went to the temple with my friend Danny and Jannifer to do baptisms. They both have special underwear so they can go anywhere they want, but I'm stuck in the basement (for now).
Most of the time I go we just walk in and do temple names, but this time my mom had given me some family names. It was super cool to do the baptismal ordinance for family. Because I'm kind of a dork, I put the names in order of my favorites. Just a reminder I knew nothing about these individuals beyond the birth date (1767 thru 1817), where they lived (Austria) and their name. But I still felt compelled to classify them.
First was "Eleonara Altmann." I really loved her name, Eleonara, therefore she was my favorite and I wanted her to be baptized first. Next was "Alzbete Benisek." Her name was the strangest so she got to go next. Then came "Rosina or Zofie Benisek." Who couldn't love someone that you were a little unsure of their name. Next came the Maria Anna's. First "Maria Anna Novak" then "Anna Maria Altmann." I just liked that their names were flipped.
My family is pretty cool I would say. I hope they enjoyed my little game last night and that no one was offended. Maybe they will find amusement with my name. Because really is it Annette or Annie.

Utah State Fair

I promise I will post about AUS and NZ, but I'm waiting to get all the pictures from Erika and Rachel so you have lots of stuff to look at.
But in the mean time there are still fun going-ons. Last night a group of friends and I went to the Utah State Fair. Let's just say, go big or go home. Big corn dogs, big yellow slides and big awkwardness.
We were late leaving for the fair so we were starving and hit the food as soon as we got into the fair. Of course at the fair you have to try all the fried food goodness. They had fried Oreos, friend Twinkies and fried candy bars (oh memories of NZ). I opted for the foot long corn dog. I have to admit it was a good corn dog. It wasn't like the ones you buy at Costco and heat up in the microwave that are soft and a little soggy. Top it off with a strawberry & banana smoothie and you have a great dinner.

What can I say...really

Smoothie goodness

Talena, Jeff and I got a little too much of the awkwardness for the evening. We paid $1 to see the smallest woman in the world. As soon as I walked in I felt like a horrible person. There really is a small woman in the room. The excitement to see a women seating a big person's hand is gone as you see a small midget who looks very sad and shy. A sign indicates she doesn't speak English and is from a foreign country (I think somewhere in Africa, but not sure the country name). She doesn't make eye contact and she looks a little scared. I felt so horrible being in there looking at her. We said hi and she sort of smiled. We tried talking to her to ease the awkwardness, but it didn't help. We quickly left feeling ashamed of ourselves for going in there and looking at her. I promise I am not a horrible person, but I felt like one last night. Don't do it. It seems funny when you see the sign, but when you walk in you will leave sorry.

Not sad enough that we couldn't take a picture.

To get over our shame we decided to slide on the big yellow slide that is a staple at the state fair. The last time I had the pleasure of this excitement was when I was little. Rebecca decided to sacrifice the pleasure of the slide to take photographic evidence of the 9 person slide off. Unfortunately, I don't have the pic, but I do have a pic of the slide that someone else on the internet took...so enjoy.

Next we explored the animal houses. My favorite is always the "rabbit ranch." I love the cute bunny rabbits. I grew up with a big white bunny we named Roger Rabbit. It was a sad day the day my mom sold him at a garage sale. I have tried to make her feel bad for that ever since (not really though). But I did call her last night and ask if I could buy a bunny and keep it at her house. She said no.

Sheep! The best part were the purple warm-ups

We finished off the fair with a walk through the fine arts, photography and craft sections. Who knew you could get a ribbon for sewing a gigantic hamburger.
I left last night learning never to pay money to see a small woman and having taken last place in the slide off, but I at least I left with a carmel apple (my favorite).

Me and Amber at the fair

Yeah the Davis county exhibit. Hey Viking!

My new boyfriend. We meet in the Tooele county exhibit.

Good On Ya

I have spent the last 2 weeks traveling. First to Sydney, Australia and then New Zealand. It was an amazing trip which I could probably spend pages and pages writing about. Actually I did. I was really good and kept a journal while we were traveling. I have attempted this every trip, but have failed after the first 2 days. This time I succeeded. But pictures say a thousand words so stay tuned because I will probably do this over a few posts.
To get started here are a few of my favorite things from the trip.

#1 Banana Bread
Yes I know it seems weird to say one of my favorite things was bread, but it was really good bread and I ate a lot of it. Food in Sydney was not cheap, but when you ordered toast you got toast. They had thick slices of bread at all the cafes. I am pretty sure I ate my weight in banana bread. Breakfast of choice!

#2 "Good On Ya" & "Sweet As"
Everyone in New Zealand says "Good on ya" and "Sweet as." I mean when a 70 year old grandma and grandpa says "good on ya," you know that it is good stuff. To immortalize these phrases I bought a sweatshirt, it reads "Sweet As translation: I confirm that what you are proposing is good by me".



#3 Rugby
Because of our super awesome friend Doug we were able to attend the All Blacks vs South Africa rugby game. If you don't know rugby, South Africa is currently #1 and All Blacks #2 and it is hardcore sport. Rough like football, but no helmets or pads.
The game is played over 2, 40 minute halves and like soccer the clock doesn't stop. You can score 1 of 2 ways either a try which is grounding the ball (no spiking) in the opponents goal area or kicking the ball over the goal posts (similar to football). Kicking awards you 3 points and Trys are 5 with 2 extra points for a kick after opportunity.
The final score was 29 to 32 for South Africa. We were disappointed, but it was an exciting game and I think we are now big rugby fans.

At the game with all my All Blacks gear

#4 Aboriginal Art and Maori Carvings
I love art. Especially art I find while traveling. We were really lucky to be traveling in areas that have interesting native cultures and the expressions of their culture in art forms were amazing.
The Australian Aboriginal art was some of my favorite. I loved how simple patterns and shapes held so much meaning.
Maori carvings were beautiful and shocking. I say shocking because one type of carving is their body. Today's Maori tribes tattoo their bodies and sometimes their faces using ink and tattoo guns you would find in any tattoo parlor. But they used to cut (carve) the skin several times and then added ink to the exposed tissue.
Both cultures were interesting and I loved being able to learn about them through their art.

Tallest Maori Carving in the World

One of the men in our Maori show, example of the tattoos

#5 Fried Mars Bars
My sister Kelly served her mission in Wellington, NZ and one of her favorite treats was fried mars bars. In honor of her and out of curiosity for all things sweet and delicious we found a fish and chips shop that served fried mars bars. Coated in a donut like batter these candy bars were the most fattening and therefore the most delicious food (if you can call it food) we ate in New Zealand.