Jordan & Petra

We just got back from Jordan, and loved every minute of it. I was really excited to go to Egypt, and I had some high expectations and kind of knew what to expect, but Jordan totally surprised me. Looking at the big picture of things, I think Petra has been my favorite site that we have visited thus far. Most of you probably know Petra from the third Indiana Jones movie. I thought that the temple that holds the Holy Grail, the treasury in real life, was all there really is to Petra, but that building really only scratches the surface. There is a monastery that is very similar in building to the treasury, and the monestary is a 987 step hike, that has ancient steps carved into the rocks part of the way up. It was awesome! The picture above is me and Erica in awe.

In addition to these two well know sites are some other massive tombs where we spent all afternoon exploring and hiking in and out of. We could climb all over in, around and on top of them, it was awesome just to explore and climb! The best way to describe it is Southern Utah with an ancient history twist. I absolutely loved it. Anyone and everyone that ever gets out to this side of the world should never miss Petra.

This is the canyon you walk through to get to the treasury, and the rest of Petra.

These are the 987 steps you climb to get to the monastery. Such an awesome hike!

This is what we climbed up those 987 stairs to get to...worth it? Maybe? It was way awesome. You could get down right in front of it and climb inside too. Most of them only had one big room, despite what we see in Indiana Jones.


This is one of the tombs along the canyon opening. This is one that we climbed all around and over. It was awesome. Once you get into the ruin, there are a bunch of random partial staircases on the cliff that we went exploring on.

Egypt

It has been brought to my attention that I have not blogged for quite sometime. I have to apologize for not doing so, but life gets pretty crazy. Anyway, most of you know that I am in Jerusalem. I am loving every minute here, and can’t believe how quickly the time has passed!

Instead of backtracking I am just going to jump into a recent update. Last week we went to Egpyt. It was quite the experience. As you would imagine, kind of a tourist place, so you have hagglers everywhere you go and they drive you crazy. They are the most persistent bums I’ve ever come across, shoving stuff in front of you, on you, and doing all but throwing them at you. Sheesh! We were all way sick of them after the first day. Our touring went really well, and everyone stayed healthy for the most part. Egypt isn’t exactly clean, it’s super hot, and the water is really questionable therefore, so a ton of people get sick. But we did alright as a whole.

Ancient Egyptian history has always fascinated me, so I really loved seeing a handful of the sights and items I always studied. Anyway I would love to give a play by play, but that would bore everyone, so here is a list of all my favorite sights and some pics. Also I thought I would a plug in for some insights I gained on my trip. Enjoy!

Favorite sights and events in Egypt:
§ The Pyramids—lets be honest, they are pretty sweet.
§ An hour long Camel Safari through an Egyptian town and village.
§ The Karnak Temple.
§ Ramases II mummy, the guy totally had red hair, crazy huh.
§ Ramases II MASSIVE statue at Memphis.
§ The Valley of the Kings, so cool!
§ The Nile Faluka ride.


Things learned from Egypt:
-I don’t like brown shower water, call me high maintenance, but I just don’t find it inviting.
-We have no idea just how good we have it.
-I hate being haggled, but actually kind of like bargaining. They are not the same!
-I feel all powerful and extremely intimidating if I have my sunglasses and a backwards baseball hat on (only when dealing with market peoples).
-We are so small.

This is the nile with a couple of Falukas in the back ground. On the horizon you can see some pillars and such, that is the Luxor temple. We went there and it was sweet! But I think I liked the Karnak Temple better.

This is the Valley of the Kings. There are a ton of tombs here, including the famous King Tut. Unfortunately they will not let you take any pictures inside the tomb. Anyway, apperantly the pharaohs were getting sick of grave robbers, so try try and avoid them from breaking into their tombs, they wanted a more conspicuous burial spot than the pyramids. The only problem was, they really believed in being buried under a pyramid, so their spirit could climb to heaven. Anyway then found the perfect solution when they found this valley with a pyramid shaped peak at the top. It was a nice try, but grave robbers still took all the treasures in their tombs.

The square building behind us is the holy of holies at the Karnak Temple. The Karnak Temple made the list of extra cool things because of all the really cool hieroglyphs and symbolism. In the background you can also see the Obleisk of Queen Hatshepset. It was a pretty sweet place.

I totally owned that camel...sort of. His name was "George Clooney," but I think this is what they tell all Americans, cause I talked to about three other people that had a camel named George Clooney too. Anyway, my George was the real one.

10 "Truths" about ME!

So I guess I have been tagged, which means I am suppose to post ten things you probably don’t know about me. So here is what made the list:

1. I eat seafood everyday, usually lathered in mushrooms.
2. I Loooove sushi.
3. I live by the phrase, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”
4. I have my long fingernails painted bright colors weekly.
5. I make a six figure income.
6. I was voted MVP for the softball and golf teams.
7. I am fascinated with spiders and bugs.
8. I dislike outdoor activities, but thrive on huge dance parties.
9. I don’t have a passport, and don’t really plan on getting one anytime soon.
10. I am very conservative & like to stick to my comfort zone rather than thrill seeking activities.

Hahahahahahahahahahaha…if you are the least bit familiar with me you would know that that isn’t exactly spot on.

Here’s the reality of things:

1. I hate seafood. And…mushrooms? Aren’t those poisonous?
2. I hate sushi. Raw meat? Yuck!
3. Let’s be honest, I’m kind of a cynical/sarcastic person. But deep down, kindhearted…sometimes.
4. If I can see the white on my fingernails, they’re too long. And the feel of fingernail polish annoys me.
5. Yeah, if you convert it to pesos! I’m a college student; therefore, I’m poor.
6. Softball and Golf aren’t exactly my strong points; I can pull off most sports, but when I am handed a bat or club I suddenly turn into Adrea (my sister) and lose all hand-eye coordination.
7. I suffer from arachnophobia…thanks to my mom.
8. I thrive on outdoor activities. The activities, the gear, the atmosphere, I love it all, and I’m always looking for opportunities to get out there and try something new. I don’t dance. And I’m not a big party person. I would much rather hang out with five or six close friends playing games and just enjoying life.
9. I love to travel and will have actually spent 6 months out of the country in 2008. I actually was in three countries on my birthday…just a random crazy fact.
10. This one is partly true. I am a conservative person and like my comfort zones to an extent, but I’m kind of a thrill seeker. I love the rush of bungee jumping, sky diving, and extreme sports. It drives my mom crazy, but I can’t stay away.

The Kepler Track

Wow! Last week ten people from our group had the most amazing experience of tramping the Kepler Track. The Kepler Track is rated in the top three best tracks in New Zealand, so we’re talking world renowned backpacking routes, and it did not disappoint!

It is a 36 mile loop just out side of Te Anau. The map of the trail is if you were to stretch the loop out into a line, that is the trail from a profile view. So as you can see, the first day you are just heading straight up. We did just over eight miles, seven of which were steep switch backs through a forest, that was green and beautiful. Just shy of the summit we had lunch under the limestone cliffs. We all wished we had brought our climbing gear cause it looked like some good climbing. Once we made it to the top the view was incredible. You could see Te Anau and the flat farm lands surrounding the area, and opposite of Te Anau are steep mountains and the south fiord of the lake.

This is the “hut” we stayed in. They call them huts, but as you can see, it looks like our own little Rohan palace. The huts are on the more popular trails in New Zealand, and you kind of have to stay in the huts, which is not a bad, but it kind of softens the rough edges of backpacking. The huts provide a burner stove, toilets, and bunk beds, and people from around the world. I think there were only one or two locals on the track, the rest came from Australia, Israel, and all over Europe, and the good ol’ USA. At this first hut there were caves that were ten minutes from our hut, so our group did some spelunking. We probably ventured into the cave for thirty or forty-five minutes and never got to the end, so we have no idea how deep they really do go! They were totally amazing.

The second day was interesting. The weather in New Zealand is something else, and when you get into the backcountry it is just amplified. We were told that there was a possibility of showers and snow on the ridge we were hiking the majority of the day and winds of 50mph. So to try and stay ahead of the weather, we quickly ate breakfast and headed out to hike the ridge. We managed to stay ahead of the snow, if it ever did snow, but the wind was inescapable! Wind on a ridge, makes very interesting hiking with a 30lbs pack. Most of the time we were walking at a 45 degree angle, but with the strong gusts and calms we were staggering all over the place. I think we added on an extra mile to our track because it was impossible to walk in a straight line. On some of the sections we would just have to get down low and sit on the ground until the gust would die down. I totally felt like I was climbing Everest minus the snow.

Once we got off the ridge and into the trees it was so calm, and beautiful. The trees were awesome, and different then anything I have ever seen. Once we made it down the mountain and into the hut, it started to pour, we were pretty lucky. Since it was raining we just hung out in the tent, and everyone took at least an hour nap. After feeling rested, some of us braved the rain and set out for a waterfall that was twenty minutes from the hut. I was really hesitant to go because of the rain, but the hike was beautiful and the waterfall was awesome! We all wanted to get in and swim, but with no promise of every drying off we all decided to against playing in the water fall.

The last day was our big day. Since we were cutting out the third hut and just heading straight to the car, we had to travel 18 miles by the early afternoon. So we go up at six and were out the door by seven. It was still fairly dark, and the birds were going crazy! During this part of the hike we decided to space ourselves out, and instead of talking, just listening and getting a feel for the area. It was an awesome experience. The early morning really is the best time of mountains. After hiking through endless forest, we eventually ended near a lake where we ate lunch on the beach. We did make it out just after two, and all sat down and enjoyed talking our hiking boots off. Once we all tried to get up, we also felt three days of soreness that had been mounting. At church the next day, you could spot us all from our stiff limps and moans when we moved.

These are some random pictures from the hike as well:

I Can Fill Cavities!

And by cavities, I mean putting Styrofoam and insulation in the crevasses of a house, which I came to find out is referred to as filling cavities in the construction world. So Brian watch out, I’m right on your heals. I came upon this enriching activity through the organization which many of you may of heard before, Habitat for Humanity. Habitat is a growing organization that builds homes for those in need, and gives them a hand up rather than a hand out, but giving them a no interest mortgage, and selling the house to them at cost rather than fair market value. The houses are built by volunteers, and are going up all over the world. With numerous sites and projects going on, Habitat completes a home every 24 minutes! Pretty awesome huh. I was one of the lucky few from our group that was given the opportunity to spend multiple days building a house in our small Invercargill community. Construction has been a lot of fun, but at the end of an 8 hour day of making, shoveling and pouring cement, I was ready for a back rub and a long nap! The wall you see in this picture is the wall we filled with cement on bucket at a time. It was a long day. We also spent time putting up dry wall, doing insulation, and working on the ceiling plates.

Reversion to Elementary School Life

Recently my friends and I were contemplating our daily routines here in New Zealand, and we were surprised at how many parallels we found between life on a BYU study abroad, and life in elementary school. In fact we came up with a list of 15 reasons why we feel like we are back in Elementary school. Here they are. (Oh and by the way that is all our bikes at the local swimming pool, not a bike shop. We pretty much over take any bike rack, when we all meet at once place. It's quit overwhelming in such a small town.)

1. I pack lunch to school everyday, in a lunch box.
2. I trade food items in my lunch with other peers.
3. I eat a peanut butter and Jam sandwich every day.
4. My meals are all prepared and purchased for me.
5. I ride my bike or walk everywhere.
6. I call my friends on a landline and ask if they can come play.
7. I ask permission to have friends over.
8. I can’t be out past dark.
9. You can easily bribe me with Cadbury chocolate and treats.
10. Pizza Hut is the established place for Birthday dinners and parties.
11. Sleepovers are only allowed on the weekend.
12. My clothes are washed and folded for me.
13. Ice cream and pizza are the most exciting meals.
14. We stay in the same room everyday all day for class.
15. We aren’t allowed to go anywhere without a buddy.

Queenstown Highlights

Queenstown

Queenstown was probably my favorite place we have visited thus far. It is a very charming town that is right on a huge lake, and has the feel of Park City because of the surrounding mountains. Queenstown is also known as the adventure capital of New Zealand. There are a billion things to do there, but unfortunately they all cost a billion dollars to do. The activities vary from jet boating on rivers, river surfing, bungee jumping, parasailing, a luge, jeep rides, sky diving, heli biking, and much, much more. Being presented with these options, we were hard pressed to decide which activities to do in the two days we had there. I finally decided on bungee jumping, river surfing, and jet boating.

Probably the best out of the three was the bungee jumping. They have three jumps to choose from, so after contemplating the options I went with the Kawarau Bridge jump. It was the first bungee jump in the world, so it has quit a bit of history. The bungee jump is placed on a bridge over the Kawarau river, so you can choose to be dipped in the river on your jump or not. And you also get an amazing ground rush because you come so close to the river surface. It was amazing!

The second activity of choice was river surfing. This was a blast! River surfing is pretty much taking a normal boogie board, that is usually used to surf waves, and surfing down a river rapids with your board, fins, and of course, a wet suit and helmet. You surf the river for about 3-5 kilometers then at the end of the float you have the option of doing some cliff jumping, having a go at a gigantic rope swing, or a steep waterslide into the river. The water slid into the river was awesome! You go down the slide with you boogie board, and because of the steepness of the slid and the flotation of your boogie board you go skimming across the river for about 30-40 feet!

Jet boating was also a ton of fun. They take you out on these Jet Boats that go 40-50mph up and down these narrow river walls, and do 360’s multiple times. I was quite nervous to get in the boat because I could see the bottom of the river easily, and it was not deep in the least! So when we took off going 40mph I was shocked we weren’t chewing up the propeller and blowing holes into the bottom of our boat. Apparently these boats were designed by a New Zealander, for this specific river, and they are designed in such a way that they do not need more than four inches of water to project. Crazy huh!

All in all, Queenstown was a blast!

Random New Zealand Pics

White Bait

Since I have been in New Zealand I have expanded my horizons considerably. I not only eat fish about once a week, I enjoy it, with the exception of the featured dish of white bait. As you can see in the picture, it is a small fish with no vertebrae. Therefore New Zealanders scramble the whole fish up in eggs and eat them for Sunday Tea. When they come out they still have their eyes in tact, so your dinner is starring at you as you eat it. I could only stomach a few bites, and luckily I think my refrain went unnoticed for the most part. Unfortunately Katie and Megan had to eat the leftovers for dinner the next night. Sorry girls.

Bluff & The Catlins

Recently my host family took us to a place called Bluff. It is the most southern part of New Zealand, apart from Stewart Island. So the coast line you see behind us is the closest you can get to Antartica on the South Island. Pretty cool huh! You would think that it would be covered in snow being this far south!

The picture above was taken at the Catlins. This particular coast is referred to as the petrified forest. The rocks down below are petrified wood. It was pretty cool. We also visited a beach in the Catlins that occasionally has dolphins swimming in the bay. We lucked out cause that afternoon there were a dozen or so swimming in the waves. The water was freezing, but we all got in to swim with the dolphins. If you would just tread water in a group of two or three the dolphins would come quite close. It was amazing! I only had one get within about ten feet but there were a handful of people that had them swim right by them or underneath them. The coolest part was watching them surf in the waves and jump out the back side. You could see it really well from the beach.

Our Road Trip

Aukland

The first day or so of our trip we spent most of our time driving and seeing the country side. This is a picture of one of the look out points we stopped at. The country is very green and has lots of rolling hills.

Whitianga

In Whitianga we stayed at a holiday park near the beach. It is here we started our tradition of playing ultimate frisbee at pretty much every beach we came across in the last two weeks. We also had a devotional on the beach the next morning since there was no branch or ward services within a reasonable distance.

Hamilton

In Hamilton we stopped and spent some time on the temple grounds, but unfortunately we didn't get to do any baptisms or sessions.

Waitomo

The next stop in Waitomo was quite interesting. The is the town we did our black water rafting! It was awesome. You basically are treking/floating thorugh caves with inner tubes, wet suits, and headlights. this is where we saw all of the glow worms which are beautiful! The next night in Waitomo a small group went for a beach run. It turned out it was a black sand beach with awesome waves. We were there long enough to see the sunset. It was incredible. Our group decided to swim across a tribute to get to a better beach, so I was the first to try it. I swam about thrity to forty yards furiously across the current that was slightly stronger than it looked, arriving to the other bank out of breath, but feeling pretty good about myself...then the rest of the group walked across, cause someone smarter in the group found out it was only waist deep. Yeah I felt pretty stupid.

Rotorua


In Rotorua our group did the luge, which is similar to the alpine slide, but you are on widder concrete tracks so you can pass people. Our group had some pretty interesting races. I have noticed that they don't worry as much about risk management, cause people aren't turning around and suing every time they get a scrape. It's fun, but probably not very comforting for you mom...trust my judgement though.



Taupo


After spending an afternoon in Taupo our group ventured to Mordor. The hike to Mordor is actually called the tongariro crossng. It is about a 10mile hike! Since it was so long we couldn't actually hike up to Mordor and back due to time restraints, but we did do the track that went pretty much to the base. It was long and awesome. We ate lunch at the top of the volcanoes and the ground was steaming in several places! I thought it was going to blow any second. Just kidding mom.




Wellington

In Wellington we went to a museum. And saw only a portion of the city, but it seemed like a very plesant city, that I would love to spend more time in. From Wellington we took a ferry to the south island which was quite windy. I look like I have a face lift because the wind was out of control. There is actually another picture I took with a friend from the front of the boat and we look 30 pounds heavier or 10 stones heavier as they would call it here, cause our pants are blown full. I chose not to post that one. :)

Picton

The south island is amazing and very green. Unfortuantely my camera died when I was taking pictures on the ferry so I missed a lot amazing landscape pictures of Picton. But the picture above was a bush walk we did on our way out.

Chrsitchruch

Christchurch was probably the most eventful place. It was the only place where we actually had rooms and beds to stay in, which was very lucky on our part because it was the only day that it rained on our whole trip (up until now we have been staying in our tents at what would be equivelant to a KOA). I said that Christchurch was the most eventful because four people including myself are still recovering from an inflatable toy the Kiwi's call a pillow. The pillow was a blast, but probably not the safest playground equipment in the rain. On my way off the pillow, I was trying to make a quick exit, slid off the edge and landed with significant velocity on me left cheek. Unfortunately unlike Tyler in this picture, I didn't land on the pillow, I missed it and fell on the wet hard sand. I could barely walk the rest of the night. I still have issues with sitting on the ground, but my recovery is in the works, don't worry mom. The next day in Christchurch we spent the day walking around the city and town square, and browsing through the shops.

Greymouth

While traveling from Christchurch to Greymouth we drove through two national parks and hiked to two glaciers and a waterfall. The mountain passes were amazing. It reminded me a lot of Alaska with the towering green mountains and frequent waterfalls.

Invercargill

We are now residing in Invercargill where I will be gonig to school. This picture is from a barbeque we had the day after arriving. In this picture is my roommate Lisa and two other students we are staying with the mom of Diane, our host. So we get together with them to have Sunday Tea (dinner). The sign above us is a welcome sign, but you can't read it very well.

I'm alive and will be posting soon!

Hey guys! So sorry it has taken me eons to post something here. I have been in New Zealand for three weeks now and finally settling down...some what. The first two weeks our group traveled the North and South island and I have taken about 700 pictures. I'm going to file thorugh and post the good ones. But I just realized me and my roommate have to go soon or we will be late for Tea (dinner). I'm still getting used to all the different terminology. But I am really enjoying the New Zealand life. Keep your eye on this blog cause it's going to get exciting...its been a little boring I know. I love you all! By the way the pic says, "Hey Fam," it was a good idea, but a little hard to read.