ActiveSteve's Blog 2007/2008 Fiji and New Zealand Stephan Meyer Table of Contents New Zealand Prep Going Well Sunday, November 18, 2007............................................................................................. 6 Leaving on a Jet Plane Tuesday, December 4, 2007.............................................................................................. 8 Long LAX Layover... Wednesday, December 5, 2007......................................................................................... 9 A Lifetime in a Day Thursday, December 6, 2007...........................................................................................11 A Day Makes a Difference Friday, December 7, 2007............................................................................................... 13 Cyclones, Sickness, and Sunny Days Saturday, December 8, 2007............................................................................................15 Paradise Found Sunday, December 9, 2007..............................................................................................17 Kava for Hire Monday, December 10, 2007.......................................................................................... 18 Scuba Dives and Crab Races Tuesday, December 11, 2007.......................................................................................... 20 Farewell Fiji, Time to Work Wednesday, December 12, 2007..................................................................................... 21 First Day in NZ Thursday, December 13, 2007.........................................................................................24 2nd Day Biking in Auckland Friday, December 14, 2007............................................................................................. 26 First Official Day of Biking Saturday, December 15, 2007..........................................................................................27 Another Day, A Lot More Hills! Sunday, December 16, 2997............................................................................................29 47 Possums Monday, December 17, 2007.......................................................................................... 31 Riding with the Ents Tuesday, December 18, 2007.......................................................................................... 32 Another Long Day... With Rewards Wednesday, December 19, 2007..................................................................................... 34 To The End of the NZ World! Thursday, December 20, 2007.........................................................................................35 Rainy Russell and Partying in Paihia Friday, December 21, 2007............................................................................................. 38 Glow Worm Sightings Saturday, December 22, 2007..........................................................................................39 Looking vs. Seeing Sunday, December 23, 2007............................................................................................42 Season's Greetings from Orewa Beach Monday, December 24, 2007.......................................................................................... 44 Soggy 60k on Christmas Day Tuesday, December 25, 2007.......................................................................................... 45 Of Cricket and Wickets Wednesday, December 26, 2007..................................................................................... 47 Late Start, Longest Day and Hot Springs Thursday, December 27, 2007.........................................................................................48 Jumping Higher in Coromandel Friday, December 28, 2007............................................................................................. 50 Shortcuts for Shorter Days? Saturday, December 29, 2007..........................................................................................51 Gold Mines and Great Hikes Sunday. December 30, 2007............................................................................................53 Biking from Waihi to Tauranga Monday, December 31, 2007.......................................................................................... 55 Happy New Year from the Future Tuesday, January 1, 2008................................................................................................ 56 Fine Day of Biking Wednesday, January 2, 2008........................................................................................... 58 Filled with Culture Thursday, January 3, 2008...............................................................................................60 Putting the Mountain back into Mountain Bikiing Friday, January 4, 2008................................................................................................... 61 PassiveSteve Goes to Waikite Thermal Pools Saturday, January 5, 2008................................................................................................63 Mountains for Breakfast, Freefall for Supper Sunday, January 6, 2008..................................................................................................64 Jet Boats Rock! Monday, January 7, 2008................................................................................................ 66 Rainy Day Riding Monday, January 8, 2008................................................................................................ 68 On the Road to Mount Doom Wednesday, January 9, 2008........................................................................................... 69 Scaling Peaks in Sunshine Thursday, January 10, 2008 Friday, January 11 2008 Saturday, January 12, 2008..............................................................................................70 Ceiling of the North Island Sunday, January 13, 2008................................................................................................73 From High up to Down Low Monday, January 14, 2008.............................................................................................. 74 Back to the Tasman Sea Tuesday, January 15, 2008.............................................................................................. 76 Taking a Fast-Forward to New Plymouth Wednesday, January 16, 2008......................................................................................... 78 To the Top of Taranaki! Thursday, January 17, 2008.............................................................................................79 Spending the Day in New Plymouth Friday, January 18, 2008................................................................................................. 81 Day to Forget Saturday, January 19, 2008..............................................................................................82 Making a Run for the Coast Sunday, January 20, 2008................................................................................................84 Sunsets and Suburban Trains Monday, January 21, 2008.............................................................................................. 85 Getting Cultured in Wellington Tuesday, January 22, 2008.............................................................................................. 87 Another Cultural Day in Wellywood Wednesday, January 23, 2008......................................................................................... 89 Spectacular South Island Thursday, January 24, 2008.............................................................................................90 The Road from Havelock to Nelson Friday, January 25, 2008................................................................................................. 92 Sampling Middle Earth Beer Saturday, January 26, 2008..............................................................................................94 Paddling in the Park Sunday, January 27, 2008................................................................................................95 Of Atoms and Hills Monday, January 28, 2008.............................................................................................. 97 Waiting "Pans" Out Tuesday, January 29, 2008.............................................................................................. 99 Back to the Coast for Recovery Wednesday, January 30, 2008....................................................................................... 101 Short Day to Paradise Thursday, January 31, 2008...........................................................................................102 An Eyeful of ActiveSteve Friday, February 1, 2008............................................................................................... 104 Rainy Start, Sunny End Saturday, February 2, 2008............................................................................................105 Ahead by a Century Sunday, February 3, 2008..............................................................................................107 Welcome to Glacier Country Monday, February 4, 2008............................................................................................ 109 Tackling the Fox Tuesday, February 5, 2008............................................................................................ 110 Happy Waitangi Day Wednesday, February 6, 2008....................................................................................... 111 Apologies for the Delays Wrapping