giant German lump

The perfectionist in me has started writing this first blog entry a hundred different ways and could probably go through another hundred without ever being completely satisfied with what might constitute the "perfect" beginning. I say "poo on the perfectionist" I'm just going to start writing. I welcome you to follow along because you're my friend and family and you'd want me to just start this and stop worrying about being perfect. So here goes. Oh, and I promise to try really, really hard not to use too many smiley faces :-)

It's my fourth night in NZ and just hours ago I set off from Auckland to ferry on over to Waiheke Island. It felt really good to be on the ferry with the taste of the salty mist coming from the water, the wind in my hair, (the smell of garbage coming from the bins I was sitting next to but was too tired to move,) leaving the city behind. I've always lived in cities and I'd really like to slow the pace of life down a little bit. (Waiheke's population is only 8500!) The bus I needed to catch was right there when I got out of the ferry terminal so things were going quite smoothly. The ride was beautiful and the scenery was breathtaking. The scattered homes and the lush vegetation really reminded me of driving around some of the more remote areas of Oahu...a slower pace in paradise. As I walked down the road from where the bus let me off to the secluded hostel I couldn't help but smile and feel like I'd chosen the perfect place to start my adventure. I sent a few emails to wineries yesterday and have already received a positive response from a popular vineyard on the island. They will start harvesting next week and can use my help with picking and possibly in other areas of the winery as well. I'll find out more in the next few days. Yay, all is going according to plan. Well, sort of. I'm writing now from my bunk bed having a bit of trouble trying to get to sleep. The cute secluded hostel in the middle of paradise is...er...not exactly what I expected. I knew that leaving my very comfortable life in San Francisco would come with some challenges, but so soon?! Right now, my face is about a foot and a half away from a giant German lump sleeping above me in a room that reeks of damp and old, with carpet that feels wet through my socks (no shoes allowed in the hostel) -- oh, and there are mosquitos.

Good night.