Ava

Hi everyone! We know our active blog-followers have been disappointed by the lack of updates lately, but we want you to know it's not because we don't love you :) We have spent the past few days traveling around New Zealand's north island in our campervan (which looks like an old VW bus, but has a futon, water tank, portable toilet, and a makeshift kitchen rigged up in the back). No wifi means no updates, so we're taking the opportunity to pass along a few notes on our travels from the comfort of the extremely large car ferry between the north and south islands. Here's some of what we've been up to lately:

*We toured the famous glowworm caves in Waitomo, enjoying beautiful cavescapes and seeing the tens of thousands of bioluminescient green worm larvae which dot the dark cave ceilings

*We went spelunking, floating on an underground river, over small waterfalls, and climbing through small cave tunnels in a way that made Nick realize he wasn't quite as claustrophobic as he once believed

*We camped at a beautiful beachside overlook, atop sandstone cliffs and watched the stars. In the morning, we decided to clean off by swimming in the Tasman Sea, which was far warmer than either of us expected. We were alone, aside one sad lone surfer (there weren't any waves) and a couple horses.

*We rented bikes and rode along the Whanganui river, past small homesteads, over rolling hills and alongside unique New Zealand flora, stopping only to marvel at the perfect, Shire-esque quiet of the riverbank, the hordes upon hordes of sheep, and the most emo horse either of us will ever see.

Hope you've all enjoyed following along. We'll put up some pictures when we have better Internet. Talk to you from the south island!Read more