GDC 2011

Trying out google's embedded calendar

Alpine Meadows

Another resort on the checklist. We hit up Alpine Meadows on Saturday. Fun place, we spent a lot of time on the back. It is a bit farther away than Squaw.

1. Kirkwood - 12/13/2009, 1/22/2010
2. Sugarbowl - 12/19/2009
3. Heavenly - 1/9/2010
4. Squaw - 1/13/2010
5. Northstar - 1/24/2010
6. Alpine Meadows - 2/6/2010

Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts 2009/2010

So I am trying to hit as many ski resorts in Lake Tahoe as I can this winter. I have 5 so far and should be able to get ~8 or so.

Here is the list so far:

Kirkwood - 12/13/2009, 1/22/2010

Sugarbowl - 12/19/2009

Heavenly - 1/9/2010

Squaw - 1/13/2010

Northstar - 1/24/2010

Alpine Meadows

Sierra at Tahoe

Boreal

Homewood

Maybe others.

Kirkwood:

Sugarbowl:

Heavenly:

Squaw:

Northstar:

-Justin

Tongariro Crossing, Waitomo Caves, Rugby

Today we wanted to hike the Tongariro Crossing up around a volcanic peak but were stopped by high winds and cold weather.We did a shorter 5 hour hike to the Tama Lakes instead. Here is the lower lake, and it was pretty cold at that point so I am quite bundled up :)













Yesterday we had a fun adventure type experience in the Waitomo caves, saw some underground glowworms, rode an underground river, and did some spelunking :) This is a shot of us rafting in the dark.















The day before was a Rugby game in Hamilton and some excellent surfing at the Raglan beach, but we crashed early afterwards (It slipped my mind that it was Robbie's birthday, sorry Robbie and Happy Birthday ).














The day before was our last day at Auckland. We experienced the trendy area of Auckland, Ponsonby, and hiked a little nearby hill overlooking the city. We actually stayed out until the bars closed that night!

First set of Photos.

Robbie holding our beer's in Auckland at noon on St. Patty's Day.




















A traditional Maori sculpture in the Treaty House in Waitangi.














Sailing on a ship used in the America's Cup.














Perched atop Mt. Rangitoto after a nice warm-up tramp (hike).

Well Here is some sort of Blog, although no promises on how often I will do this. Our itinerary so far has been fairly packed. We were in Auckland Monday and Tuesday and we climbed Mt. Rongitoto and went sailing in an old America's Cup ship (with very low winds). We then rented a car and had an exciting time driving a stick shift, on the left, through downtown Auckland, up hills, and trying to parallel park. Fortunately I didn't hit anything, and nothing hit me :) We drove up to Whangerai (Fang-er-eh) and ate dinner and went to a Bar for St. Patty's day. In the morning we made it over to a little town on the coast, Tutukaka, for a scuba dive trip at the Poor Knight's Island. It was a pretty amazing dive, we saw ray's, scorpionfish, lots of snapper, and schools of little fish. There was an underwater cave with a little air bubble in it that we were able to get into and breath :). Then we headed farther North to Pahea on the Bay of Islands and Robbie and I swam to one of the Islands, then swam back quickly because we forgot to put on sunscreen. Anyway good times so far and no major mishaps.

Belgian Beer & Munich

Belgian beer is very strong! Nic and I found that out the fun way at Delerium Cafe in Brussels. We also had our first two days in Munich where we went to the Andechs Monastary and had lunch and to the famous Haufbrau House. Although Nic is having a hard time finding enough to eat at times. The germans love their sausage, beef, and pork.

Travel & The Damage

So Nic and I are chilling in our Hotel room in Amsterdam for the moment. We are about to head to Brussels for a night, and then off to Munich for several days!. Yesterday was a pretty rough 30hours or so of travel for me.

I started in Sacramento Airport flew to Denver, flew to london, took an hour long tube ride to the train station, took a 3 hour train to Brussels and then a 3 hour train to Amsterdam, and now I am heading back to Brussels :) Yeah, not how the original plan was supposed to go, but we are just winging the first part of the trip.

Nic's pay as you go phone didn't work and the bank blocked his ATM card. So he had to email me to tell me where he was, and transfer money through Western Mutual with a nice fee.