This is the end, my friends...

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Trip Start Aug 28, 2008 Previous
Entry Trip End Feb 28, 2009

  Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand
Saturday, March 7, 2009

Well, its come down to this... after almost 7 months of traveling, I am finally getting ready to wrap up my "official" gap (half) year.  Just to brief you on some of the activities that have happened since my last full entry, Gary, Ryan and I had a great week sailing around the Bay of Islands, down to Cape Brett, and almost as far up as Cape Reinga... with almost no catastrophes :)  Then, we did two great days of diving exploring the Rainbow Warrior wreck and the Poor Knights Islands, the best sub-tropical diving out there.  Having dropped them back off in Auckland for their flight home, we said our goodbyes and held back the tears.  The next day I caught a flight down to the Queenstown in the south island.  Here, I planned out seven days of adventure, which included a day of mountain biking, sky diving in Wanaka, and a full day-long glacier hike at Franz Josef Glacier on the southwest coast.  I felt like I was back in Ireland with the amount of rainfall this area gets per year... btwn 9-15 meters!  Still it keeps the glaciers growing up there, as I learned, because it keeps adding fresh ice to the top of the glacier.  Today was a long bus ride back into Queenstown for a "possible" bungee jump tomorrow (still trying to convice some people to come with me).

On Tuesday, I will begin my return trip home, but not before making just one more stop.... in Munich, Germany... to visit the lovely Miss Nicole Richter, whom I met in Nepal while hiking Annapurna.  Having kept in touch these past few months, she has been a good travel friend and has invited me to try snowboarding with her and her brother in the Alps of Bavaria.  Honestly, who could turn that down!  Should be a good time, though Im not looking forward to FREEZING weather!

So, this is it... the last entry.  I thank you all for reading and getting engaged in my life out here.  I have learned many lessons out here, probably too many to enumerate... but here are a few, many of which are good life lessons as well:

1.  Never underestimate the importance of good underwear.  You will potentially have to live in one pair for several days w/o a wash.  Invest wisely.
2.  People all over the world actually love America.  No country receives as much praise except perhaps Canada.
3.  Travel by yourself but never alone.  Learn to make friends and the world just unfolds around you.
4.  You get what you pay for.  If something is really cheap... anywhere... it probably is actually really cheap.
5.  Don't rush into anything.  You always have options.
6.  If someone tells you to go somewhere because its "really excellent", promptly avoid it... unless you intended to go there anyway.
7.  Don't be afraid to be a tourist once in a while.  Sometimes there's a reason the road is less traveled.
8.  The world, like at home, is full of idiots.  Use discretion in how you spend your time.
9.  Learn to accept kindness, even when it is least expected.  Just pay it forward in the future.
10.  Finally, the world is a small pond.  Try your best not to pollute the pond.

See you all on or after March 28th!!!!

p.s.  New pictures @ http://picasaweb.google.com/matthew.zerbo

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Me and Nicky

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