Making Lovo

Making Lovo from Ross Ballinger on Vimeo.

We're catching up on our videos...enjoy! This is from Fiji.

Meet & Greet: Tommy & Lauren

This is the first installment of (hopefully) many "Meet & Greets." We'll showcase those we meet on the road, inspire us, or just make us laugh. So, let us not wait a moment longer...

Meet Lauren Eriks and Tommy Gordon, our car companions! I met Lauren in Nantes, France when we studied abroad in the Fall of 2005. As we were planning our trip to New Zealand, Lauren and I realized that we were both going to be there at the same time. On top of that excitement, Lauren was going to be borrowing a friend's car and graciously invited Ross and me to hop in...we accepted!

Miss Lauren Eriks of Interestingly, No hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is an avid traveler who is fluent in French and is on her way to learning both German and Spanish...jealous right? Lauren is quick to help out in any situation and usually can answer any question we have ranging from English grammar to the rules of figure skating. I stopped her this evening to ask her a few questions regarding her trip in New Zealand.

Why did you pick New Zealand?
This is the one place I might not have done if I didn't do it now.

Why are you on this trip?
Of all my desired world travels, this is the least practical. I might become responsible some day and I don't want to take that chance.

What are you excited for on this trip?
Since I've already seen Peter Jackson on his couch, eaten a "savory ball," and seen a penguin...I'm excited to see a whale and go skydiving.

Favorite color?
Indigo.

Where will you go after this trip?
No idea. D.C.? Ann Arbor, Michigan?

What's your favorite travel inspiration song?
The soundtrack to Lord of the Rings.

If you were to have only one thing with you on your travels, not including the "important things," what would it be?
My camera. I'm a picture whore.

What's one piece of travel advice you'd give to others?
Always say yes to desserts!

Sir Tommy Gordon comes from Grand Rapids as well. In fact, that's how he knows Lauren...they grew up together! We are a lucky group because Tommy is fluent in Spanish (we need no pocket dictionaries with these two)! Tommy writes an ever inspirational blog at The Counterclockwise Flush and Other Revelations. You know the person that is always positive and really can make you laugh in any situation...that's Tommy. From our first meeting with him it was like we had known him for years. Here are some of his thoughts on his travels and New Zealand...

Why did you pick New Zealand?
Mainly because of Lord of the Rings. I saw the movies and was like, "Where is that?" It stuck with me.

What's one thing you want to accomplish on this trip?
I want to challenge my notion of normal. I'm not sure of my definition, but I already feel it changing.

What's your favorite animal?
Fox.

Where will you go after this trip?
South America or Denver.

What's your favorite travel inspiration song?
"Shoes" by Chris Volpe and "The Longer I Run" by Peter Bradley Adams.

If you were to have only one thing with you on your travels, not including the "important things," what would it be?
Harmonica. I'd have no choice but to play it all the time.

What's one piece of travel advice you'd give to others?
Pack light and bring a hat.

Well, there you have it! Our first installment of "Meet & Greet." Be sure to check out their blogs and get their 411 on the road trip.

Day by day

There we are...in case you forgot what we looked like.

Tomorrow, Friday the 26th we embark on a 5 day tramp called the Rees-Dart. Therefore, we won't be near internet for a while. However, we have some posts lined up for your enjoyment while we are attempting this fairly rigorous hike...6-8 hour days...everyday. Don't worry, my mother knows when we're returning and says she'll call if she doesn't hear from us early next week. Who is she going to call? I don't know...mothers seem to have a secret network.

So, we thought we'd give you a pictorial update from our past week! Enjoy!

Nugget Point

Waves crashing at Curio Bay

Ross...being Ross

Day hike near Milford to Key Saddle

The 4 Best Friends at the top!

Milford Sound

The view of Queenstown from our hostel porch

Another one...

Us.

The Coconut Throw

Long over due...

Coconut throw from Ross Ballinger on Vimeo.

Good Morning World

Botanical Gardens

Since being in Christchurch, we've spent a lot of our time walking. We've never woken up in the morning being so sore from walking...but we've managed it. On one of our walks we decided to take a right and see where it would lead. To our delight we discovered the beautiful Botanical Gardens of Christchurch. So many beautiful flowers and trees. The picture above and below was a section of hydrangeas. You know in "The Wizard of Oz" where there's a horse of every color? Well, there were hydrangeas of every color. The most beautiful color of purple was there and I instantly thought of only two people who would love the color the most...my brother-in-law's mother, Bonnie and my Grandma Bergum who passed away a couple of years ago.


Likewise, my mother, Ross' mother and my sister-in-law Karin would have been there for hours upon hours.


Ross and I laid around in the grassy common area practicing hand stands and our back rollovers. The usual. We also enjoyed watching a group of people practice their juggling and smoking doobies. Good times, good times.

Coffee Love

The best coffee treat we've had!

"Our Spot"

This is where we went everyday after to work to read, lay and think. It should never be understated when one finds a great spot. A place to relax and a place that inspires you. Where you feel confident about anything the future may hold. We just laid there for hours watching the clouds pass, the wind blow the trees and listening to the day pass.

Where’s your spot?

We made it!

Another two days of hitching were extremely successful! Last Tuesday we got a wonderful ride from Levin to Wellington from a lady who is starting an animal sanctuary. Then after our ferry ride from the North Island to the South we made it to Blenheim, better known as wine country. Then we woke early on Wednesday to make it from Blenheim to Christchurch in one 4-hour ride from a dairy farmer and theology student! We are thankful.

Blueberry Art Farm

For the past week we have been living and working at our first WWOOF farm. It’s an organization that connects travelers with farmers who need work in exchange for meals and accommodation. Great gig. Our first farm was called Blueberry Art Farm and we stayed with Maggie and Jo.

We arrived by foot on Tuesday morning the 2^nd of February. As soon as we arrived we knew we were at home. Maggie and Jo’s greeting was nothing but warm and friendly. They run a blueberry farm that produces fruit from Christmas time to about now, mid February.

In addition to blueberries, Maggie and Jo have alpacas, sheep, run a B&B, Jo makes woodprints and Maggie creates and makes hats! Their workshops would make anyone envious, especially us.

Our work on the farm consisted of general garden to dos, Ross weed whacked and I racked up the victims, and we took down several meters of wind break netting…hard work!

Then our afternoons were spent relaxing. It felt great putting in work in the morning and a couple hours in the afternoon and then to just sit and enjoy the surroundings. This place has done nothing but inspire us even more to have a farm. Maggie and Jo just started farming a few years ago in 2006 and now have a successful and happy farm and home. It was a truly beautiful place that we promised to return to!

*If anyone is on their way to New Zealand and wishes to stay at Maggie and Jo’s B&B, here is their website: http://www.blueberryart.co.nz/index.php