Okay, I'll be the first to admit "I'm lost". Well, I know where I am, but have no idea where I'm headed or how to get there. When I last left off, I had just done some paragliding on the North Island. Since then I've had and interesting time. I never thought I would be homeless on the streets of Wellington or that I would sleep on a bench outside the train station, but here we are.
After I left Hastings I was going to start traveling back to the South Island. I told the woman at the back packer I found a cheep bus ticket and she helped me out by finding me a 3 o'clock ferry ticket from Wellington to Picton. It was very nice of her but I should have double checked her handy work. I left the next morning with the cute English girl from the backpacker and took the 5 hr bus ride to Wellington. After I got there I said goodbye and headed for the Ferry Terminal. I walked in and informed the nice chap that I was there for the 3 "o'clock" ferry. He informed me that I must be at the wrong ferry since they didn't have a 3 o'clock ferry. I knew I had the right ferry, but unfortunately I didn't have the right 3 o'clock. The nice chap informed me that I had a 0300 not 1500 departure time and that I was 12 hrs late. He could see my despair and he re- booked my ticket for the next 0300 departure since the rest for the day trips were full. I was going to look for a backpacker to crash at, but they were all full for the Rock 2 Wellington concert that weekend featuring Kiss, Poison, White Snake, and Ozzy Osbourne to name a few. So I was homeless until my Ferry ride.
So I went to the Te Papa museum (which is free) and checked my back pack into the free coat check and visited the museum for 3 hours. Then I ate some food on the water front where I saw a huge stingray. Next I took a nap on a bench outside the train station before checking in my luggage at the Ferry. I then slept in their terminal until boarding time. The ferry ride is 5.5 hrs and is normally really beautiful but it was night, so I slept. They had Harry Potter and Bratz playing for movies, but I slept the whole way. When I got to Picton, I waited for the sun to rise before leaving the terminal. I next wandered around town until it was a "decent" time to find a back packer. The first place was full, but the next just had an opening (as I paid, the women changed her mind and they had to turn her away as they gave me the key) I spent the day hiking and returned to the BP for free pudding.
The next day I hitched to Nelson and had one of the funniest rides. This Austrian woman picked me up. She claimed just just learned how to drive an automatic car. She was wrong, she does not know how. Ever time she stopped she would shift into low. Then at about 50k/h she would shift to 2nd. At 80-100 k/h she would shift to drive. That poor little transmission on the hire (rental) car was taking it hard. Plus because you need to apply the bake to shift from park, she would hit the brakes whenever shifting. It was too funny watching to tell her the truth.
When I got to Nelson, all the backpackers were full so I hitched a little way out of the city to a small camp ground. It was a nice place, but a little too far from town with way too many sand flies (just like black flies). The next day I hitched a ride back in and found the sister BP to the one I stayed at in Picton. This meant more free pudding. This was also Easter and all the stores were closed. I really needed to find some food, but nothing was open. The next day my self and a fellow traveler took the free bikes from the BP and headed to the beach. My old man would love all the sand dollars we found. At this point I was getting stressed b/c I didn't have a farm to work on and I was spending money too quickly. However, good things come to those who wait and before I knew it I had two WWOOFing opportunities.
The first place was in Richmond which is just south of Nelson. This was the best place yet with only 4-4.5 hrs of work a day and all the fresh peaches I could eat. Every meal was made with food from their land except dairy and bread. I guess the venison also wasn't from their land, but a friend of theirs had shot it nearby. After work, I would take a bike into town or out to Rabbit Island and walk along the beaches. Very relaxing and a good addition to the trip.
The next farm I was at was in Mapua which is about 15 min from Richmond. The Hosts ran a woodworking studio where they made wooden bowls. I thought this was interesting because that is what my ancestors use to do back in VT. Again, I had 4hrs of work a day and then trips into town. Most of the time the host would drive me to Richmond or Motueka and I would hitch back. One afternoon I had to turn a ride down when the driver was so drunk that he could hardly talk and when he went into the store to buy a pack of cigarettes, he almost fell over. I like getting rides, but I'm not desperate.
After all that work, it was time for some fun before heading back home. So to start this off, I went on a backpacking trip of the Abel Tasman. WOW, my pictures don't do it justice. This was a walk through lush rain forests surrounded by sandy beaches.
Saw some great wildlife including lots of birds. At night we had Possums fighting outside the tents and if you went out with a flashlight you could easily find 5-10 of them. We also saw lots of baby seals. I talked to some guys doing some kayaking and they said the seals would jump up and ride on the kayak (I've seen pictures so I know it's true). I heard wild boar and even some Stags roaring.
An interesting aspect of this hike is that you need to do sections at just the right time. There are a few estuary crossings that must be made at low tide. I had a couple close calls, but those stories can be saved for latter.
I met a great English couple that I spend 2 of the days hiking with. One night we went out and collected Mussels for dinner and ate fresh mussels cooked in soup noodles. Boy was it good. Also as we collected the mussels, 4 baby seals came over to see what we were doing and played with us. Unfortunately I left my camera in the tent.
The last morning I got up early and made it to the end of the trail. I knew I was going to be on a remote road and hitching was going to be tough. However after 1.5hrs and only seeing 2 cars, a nice young chap picked me up and gave me a ride into Takaka. I then hitched back to the place in Mapua I was WWOOFing and took a shower and got some good hot food in my stomach. 
The end of my trip to date has been a lot of Hitch Hiking. From Mapua to Richmond, Reefton to visit Ged (former WWOOFing host) at the gold mine, Waipara, Kaikoura, and back to CHCH. That is about about 11 hours in a car and about 4.5 hours standing on the side of the road. The back packer I stayed at in Kaikoura as great, for $20 I got a bed and the use of a sauna, hot tub, pool, pool table, TV lounge, kitchen... Not bad!
So now I must get "cleaned up" and ready to travel north. I really need a haircut and a good shower. I'll be home soon, but on May 1st I head north again to Alaska. Before I left for Antarctica, Ian O'Brien (4 years old) drew me a map on how to get home but unfortunately I only caught on to the big arrow and the word North. Thank you Ian, but next time I'll get it right. I miss you all and hope to see most of you next week
Cheers
So I left CHCH a week ago, but before I left I ran into a couple friends from the ice. It was fun to see familiar faces once again and we even found a cool little bar with live music to spend the evening (although I stopped drinking after I left the ice but don't worry, it will only last a little while). I caught a plane to Wellington when I was going to spend the evening at the famous Beethoven House. I was told by a friend on the ice that each morning you are woken for breakfast by the sounds of the classical composer. However the true Beethoven house is full of drug dealing sketchy people. I saw maybe 5 deals go down in an hour from people that weren't even staying at the back packer. The dogs that lived there pooped all over the floor, and cleaning I don't think had been done since Beethoven was alive. However, I left the next day and was headed to Hawke's Bay via bus.
Halloween, I didn't find my icewife but I realize that is not what is important. I found some of the best friends anyone could hope for. The drunkenness of the evening was shared by all.
I think the Turkey Trot changed my attitude. I haven't run in 5+ years but doing this race didn't bother my knees at all. I finished in ~30th place which won me a shirt. Thanksgiving was a great time.
I've always liked snowmobiling, but doing it on the sea ice in Antarctica adds a little something extra you don't get in VT. I already miss the days when the sea ice was open for travel and we were regularly assigned to off station activities. 
We can't forget about swimming! What a great rush and accomplishment. This is one of the activities that in another 10-15 years I'll be sitting in a bar with friends and I'll get to whip this story out and awe them all. 
Operation Tiger Strike, our trip to AGAP. Altitude, cold, and remoteness added a touch of danger to this mission. I'm glad I got a chance to do it and will always be grateful I came back in coach not cargo.
Xmas was a fun time of year. Each department made a decoration to add to the party at the VMF (Vehicle Maintenance Facility). They included a striper pole from the waste barn and this reindeer with "rocks" from shuttles. Each party on the ice was filled with laughter, food, and fun. 
I'll never forget the two weeks of my life where the world literally revolved around me. More great people and interesting sights (ice tunnels, the dome, new station, Jamesways...)
The tour of the Oden was a lot of fun and now I really want to get a job working on a boat! This was also the first time it became a reality that the area out in front of the station really was ocean.
More good friends. I know I'll never forget these two clowns. We had many fun moments together including many Red Sox vs Yankees debates and trying to figure out how old Terry was. The best was the time I was harassing Betty and the guy she was working with looks at her and said "I don't think he likes your hat." (it was a Yankees hat).
Tanker offload was another fun time filled with new faces and job possibilities for next year. Plus it meant I got to see more boats.
Lastly there was Vessel Offload. This was not a fun time. For the first time since arriving in Antarctica I was truly cold. I also was now ready to leave. As the song goes, "24 hours to go" and I'll be off the ice until next year. It has really been an awesome adventure and I highly recommend it to everyone (Wanda, Diddy). I must now go finish packing up my room and say my goodbyes. Once again I must step into the unknown but I know a new adventure awaits.
