In honor of the amazing, unforgettable past three months, I just wanted to share this picture of our beautiful family in our awesome MORP outfits that we got for each other We sure are a good-looking group!

We finished up our trip with delicious Indian food (per tradition), some good ol’ Essence and Hawk and Prey, and a few awesome reflections on the beach by candlelight. We also exchanged letters and signed each other’s Down Under maps before packing up and heading to the airport.

To my wonderful group: as we go our different ways, remember that life is full of farewells but also of hellos. As one chapter of our life closes, another one always opens, and it’s for the best. As they say, don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened! I have really enjoyed getting to know you guys, and I’m thankful that media/tech will help us keep in touch. Take care, and stay awesome

Love, Anna

Hello all blog followers,

First off, I would like to thank you for following our blog throughout the trip and for commenting and showing interest in our many adventures.  It has meant a lot to us

Now, on to the blog:

Monday morning we woke up super early and headed out to Fitzroy Island!  We spent Monday diving and snorkeling in the GREAT BARRIER REEF! It was breath takingly amazing.  Tuesday consisted of more diving and more snorkelling!  We got our certifications on Tuesday also, so we are now officially certified to dive for the rest of our lives!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOHOOOO YEAHHHHH WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE YAYYYYYYYYYY!  As you can tell, we are excited.

When we werent diving or snorkelling we were hanging out at our ridiculously nice resort that we were staying at.  Somehow after a trip of staying in shady hostels and spare rooms in peoples houses, our last few nights ended up being in an incredible resort where we had maids make our beds everyday.  What the hell?!?  It was awesome though and we all had a great time.

We spent our nights at Fitzroy talking about our experiences that we have all shared together in the last three months as a family.  We remembered funny, sad, serious, happy, shocking, and plain old crazy moments going over the entire three months.  We also talked a lot about what he have learned throughout the trip and how we have grown/changed over that time.  Oh, and we have a few surprises for you parents when we get home… mwahahahha.

ANYWAYS… Today is our last day together and we are all very sad to go, but understand that we all have amazing things ahead of us as well.  We are going to party super hard all day today, and that means a delicious BBQ in the park, dressing up funny, a traditional Indian dinner, gelato, and then some all nighter action.  Should be EPIC.

Thanks for reading yall, I hope you’ve enjoyed my crazed ramblings.

For the last time,

Yours truly,

Ori Michael Gutin

Shalom everybody! (That hello in Hebrew if anyone was wondering…)

After we left the house of Buddha on Monday morning we began FREE TRAVEL!!! Wait wait wait.  Didn’t we already have free travel?  Oh what a good question Ori, but you see – our trip is sooooo awesome that we have two free travels! AHHH poop in my pants thats amazing!

So what did we do this past week? Lets reminisce…

Monday we hung out on the beach at Noosa Heads all day taking in the hot Australian sun, and dont worry mothers– we had our sunscreen on   At night we had another outstanding group meeting led by Brian Hallberg the great!
Tuesday we took a day trip to Frazier Island! The day was full of bumpy roads, rainforests, SKINNY DIPPING, and colored sands.  Who ever knew colored sands could be so much fun…

Wednesday we learned how to surf! Well, really we learned to fall off of our boards a lot and to laugh at each other… Still loads of fun though Then Jeff the magnificent came to pick us up and he took us back to his place to stay for the next two nights.

Thursday was our last hike as a group :’( It was an awesome hike through the amazing Australian rainforest.  We stopped for a while and wrote letters to our future selves about this trip and what we have learned and what we dont want to forget.  Who knows when Simone & Skyeler will send them to us… could be 1 year could be 10!

Friday we got ON A BUS and then got on a plane to Cairns!  This group really enjoys spending time in confined indoor spaces.. Once we got to Cairns we all just hungout and enjoyed the beautiful day.  At night we went for a nice walk in Munro Martin Park and we even met some of the nice locals! They wished us the best of luck in Munro Martin Park.  Then we got some ridiculously tasty gelato and headed home.

Saturday and Sunday we spent studying.  We studied math, physics and economics. HA Yeah right.  We were in a scuba course!  The course was a lot of fun and we had a ton of fun with our instructor Sir Matt!  On Sunday, Simone, Skyeler and Morgan also went snorkeling! They spotted lots of turtles because Morgan is some kind of turtle magnet…

Thats all I got for you folks.

Your dedicated blogger,

ORI GUTIN

p.s- Hi Gutin family!  Hopefully you all check this blog so Im not talking to no one right now…

What up family and friends!! It’s Zackariah here coming at you with this weeks blog update!
First off I’d like to apologize for delaying in posting this weeks update, I take ownership for the delay.
Now on to business.
Last week we finished up our final day on the Groovy Grape Tour of the Outback. On Monday we went on an incredible morning hike threw the Kings Canyon. To start off the day we had to climb up “Heart Attack Hill.” By the top of the hill we were all huffing and puffing, but our efforts were quickly rewarded with a view over the surrounding outback and the canyon below. We continued our hike and along the way we stopped for lunch and a cool swim in “The Garden of Eden.” I swear, I’m not making these names up. Australia has a bunch of funny names for its different locations. After the hike we wanted some more bus time so we took another road trip back to Alice Springs. Let me tell you guys, a lot of interesting and hilarious things happen “On A Bus.”

The next day we said our goodbyes to our dear friend Ben, an amazing person who sadly had to leave the group. Ben we miss you very much and the group wanted to give you a shout out. “Ben, we all love you and we hope everything is all good in the hood.”

Earlier in the week we drew names of another person in the group and we were suppose to write a letter to that person telling them what we appreciate about them. While we were on layover in Sydney the group exchanged its letters of appreciation to one another. There were some tears (not really), some laughs, and a lot of smiles. After that the group atmosphere took a change for the better and we slipped into the preforming stage.

Tuesday night we arrived at Chenrezig and we were soon off to bed.  Over the course of the next week we went to teachings and meditation classes in the Gompa which is where the bhuddists do their worship. We learned a lot about how bhuddists conduct themselves in their daily lives such as having compassion for all living beings and practicing mindfulness. We learned about the Tibetan conflict and about the history of the invasion by China.  We also went on a hike one day during when the group was “In Silence.” The hike was threw a pristene rainforest and underneath a waterfall.We encountered a big goanna lizard that walked right under the picnic table we were sitting at and then he walked off and started sunbathing. I personally got to meditate next to the waterfall and it was incredible to say the least. For the week we ate an array of vegetarian meals such as pumpkin soup, rissoles, potato salad, dale soup, split pea, and of course VEGGIES!

I asked the group to write down what they thought of the Chenrezig experiance and here is what I got.

Oreo Ori, aka Ori
What a week. In the past 2 1/2 months I have spent two weeks in a Fijian village, one week on a farm, one week at a Marae, one week at an adventure center, and now at a Buddhist Retreat Center. Its safe to say that this has been a trip of “firsts”. Chenrezig has been so indescribably amazing – from the delicious healthy food to the incredible warmth and kindness you feel when speaking to the nuns and monks. Each moment here has been special. We have learned about the story of Buddha, the basic principles of Buddhism and even how to draw a Buddha! I know that I will leave this place having grown as an individual and I am truly thankful for that. The love, kindness, and compassion emanating from Chenrezig has reached me and I will carry that with me in life. Thank you to all made this week be as memorable as it was and a real big thank you to The  Zackanator for being as smooth as butter.
Love, Ori
Big Mama Mo-Mo, aka, Simone
Being back at Chenrezig felt like going home, spiritually. I feel like my week at Chenrezig helped me get a more in depth understanding of Buddhism. I am a student of Buddha. And Ori is awesome! I love that kid!

Shloobie Skyeler, aka “Big Papa Sky”, aka Grandpa, aka Skyeler
This week I ate yummy food and was contacted directly by the enlightened spirit himself.
I love Chenrezig!
By, Skyeler

Banana Phone, aka Anna
I have learned a lot about Buddhist practices such as compassion, enlightenment, karma, reincarnation, meditation, prayer wheels, stupas and mantras. I spent the week not killing any bugs (including mosquitoes!) I read four books, ate vegetarian, practiced a day of silence and drew the Buddhas face. I am thankful for the chance to have gotten to visit and stay at Chenrezig.
Anna

The Raisin Lover, aka Charlie, aka Katie
I’ve learned more about myself during my time at Chenrezig than I have during any other part of the trip. During the two days of silence that I participated in I learned I expend too much energy on talking and not enough about being aware of my thoughts and working with both the positive/negative ideas that pop into my head. After fully participating in meditation I’ve realized I could reaps its benefits. After the week I feel refreshed and my mind feels clear.
P.S. I love you MOM, DAD, HARRY, SPANK, COCO, MORGY AND BISCUIT.

The Secret Hammer, aka Brian
I learned a lot about knowledge and how to work with my mind. Thank you Chenrezig!

Loud Bag, aka Molly
Deliciously insightful experience.

Mad Hatter, aka Maddie
I have reached a new point of clarity in myself. I’ve learned how to be mindful, especially in eating (Yes dad you will be happy to see I don’t inhale my food anymore)!  I’ve also learned that happiness comes from within, no external things or people can change that. I would also like to give a big shout out to the fam! Bubba and Riley you were in my dream the other night and I saw your cousin last week!

Here is a perfect example of a preforming group

Annie Bananie, aka Annie
I’ve enjoyed learning about mindfulness, compassion, and karma. It was cool learning how powerful the mind can be – how it can be the root of our sorrow and yet the root of our happiness. P.S. I’d like to give a shout out to Zamboni and Lucy.

Morgis smorgis,aka The Captain, aka Morgan the girl from Oregon who should play the organ, aka Morgan
I had a great time having the opportunity to practice being present and learning about meditation. I think I learned a lot about how to be mindful with my actions and my words. I loved learning about the history of Buddhism and all its lessons. I’d like to give a shout out to Ally from Annie
Love, Morgan

Zackariah, aka Zackanator, aka Zack
This week has been a week of reflecting about what the past 3 months have meant to me personally and about how I should use my energy to help others. I’ve realized that I’ve grown a lot and I’m proud that the group can see it. I hope to continue to grow for the rest of the trip and for the rest of my life. I’ve also realized how grateful I am for this amazing group of people that have given me love, support and helped me grow into a better person. Learning about mindfulness had to be the biggest lesson I learned while at Chenrezig because I can see how what I say and do effects my life. Good or bad our actions have results, good or bad.

The group would also like to give a big heartfelt shout out to Barbara Hallberg. We all really appreciate the pastels, harmonicas, and chocolate that your awesome son shared with us. THANK YOU

Thank you friends and family for continuing to read our group posts and we all miss you very much! Also we want friends and family to know that your always in our thoughts and we tell each other about you regularly.
With love,
Zack and the rest of the group

This week we explored the dryest state (central Australia) of the dryest continent. We began our journey and spent alot of the day in the van. The second day we went to a quirky art exhibit. Inside there were figurines and sculptures. The artist himself taught us the history of letters which dated back to the early creation stories. He taught us the meanings of letters that make up words such as America, Australia, and Obama. Afterwards he showed us the meanings of our names and also informed us that the boomerang was created in Australia to hunt kangaroos. We then visited a coal powered plant which provided 30 % of South Australia with power. Our last stop we visited the biggest and saltiest lake in Australia.

Day 3:  Today we woke up early and drove to Cober Pedy, one of the biggest Opal mining places in the world, where 80% of the worlds’ Opals come from. We spent the time exporing mining sites and went to an Opal museum where we learned how Opal formed and about the mining process. That afternoon we went to a kangaroo orphanage and learned how they rehabilitated abandoned joeys ( baby kangaroos).  That night we did a lesson on privledge and learned more about the segregation that sometimes occurs based on sex, gender, age, race, and sexuality. Our hostel that night was a cave. We learned that 75 % of the people in Cober Pedy live in houses that are dug into stone.

facts about kangaroos:

-if the environmental conditions are too bad kangaroos can retain a fertilized egg for up to 5 years until they decide when they want to have their pregnancy

-a joey is the size of a jelly bean when it moves into the mom’s pouch

Day 4: Today we spent most of the day in the van. We arrived at Ayers Rock just in time for sunset and watched the sun set over Uluru ( the sacred site of the Aboriginials).

Day 5: Today we woke up at 5:30 am to see the sunrise and went on a 3 hr same hike through Uluru’s sacred site where traditionally boys would become men. That afternoon we went to the Aboriginial museum and learned more about their culture and traditions. After the mueseum Ori led a meditation on spirituality.

Day 6: Today we did a walk around Uluru and did a powerful activity where we learned about water scarcity/contamination/consumption.

facts about water:

-people who don’t have access to water live on 1/2 $ a day

- 1 % of freshwater is accessible to humans

-70% of water usage is in agriculture

- people in the slums have to pay 5/10 more times for a liter of water

Day 7: Today we did a 3 mile hike at Kings Canyon. We learned about sandstone. After that we had a 5 hour drive to Alice Springs where we finished our tour.

We are all really excited for Chenrezic Buddhist Retreat Center!

G’day Mates! Maddie coming at you with the weekly blog of the beuaoooooooooooooootiful week with the conservation of australia including Katie, Ori, Ben, and Simone. I would like to send a shoutout to the fam; Daddio (whats good), Tray, Beans, Auntie M, Bubba and Riley hope your all doing well! We started off the week with a stunning sunset ferry to the beautiful kangaroo island. Our time at Kangaroo Island was filled with full days work of volunteering in the native bush  We created piles for controlled fires and cut down invasive species such as pine trees. We spent the afternoon at the animal conservation, playing and feeding kangaroos and hanging out with some koalas. The kangaroos took a special liking to Simone, but not so much Katie – she got drop kicked by a kangaroo! We had an amazing time bonding with all of the animals. The next day, after work we headed to a beautiful beach for some relaxation and handstands. Our final day on Kangaroo Island we spent time at the “Little Sahara” which is one of the best sights of Kangaroo Island – with steep dunes, bright blue skies and the softest sand you can imagine. After we spent some time at the dunes we went to a dock and watched the sunset. After the sunset we headed home – but managed to get pretty lost so we ended up in the car for two hours instead of half an hour – oops! Nevertheless, we had a great time.

Thursday morning we headed back to Adelaide. We arrived at around noon and spent the afternoon exploring the Central Markets looking through health stores and sampling delicious food. That night we watched “Cool Runnings,” arguably one of the best movies of all time (hands down our favorite character was the guy with the dreadlocks). After the movie, we caught up on some sleep and then headed to Brookfield Conservation Park. We arrived sometime in the afternoon and spent our time exploring the conservation park. The next day we checked out the charcoal pits (about 100 years ago, the park was a major site for burning wood to create charcoal) and went on a nature walk. On the walk we saw lots of warrens (small burrows under the ground where wombats live) and saw lots of wombat and kangaroo poop. Ori actually ate some wombat poop which was pretty disgusting/funny. The majority of the day we spent trimming trees and pulling whorehounds (an invasive weed). The next morning we continued pulling some whorehounds, and then we headed back to Adelaide to reunite with the rest of the group. We missed the other guys, but Roo Crew had an AWESOME time together.

Also – special thanks to Kathryn our CVA leader! Kathryn was super cool, funny and smart and we are so lucky we had the opportunity to meet her.

That’s all for now – more updates soon!

Love,

Maddie

P.S HI SPANKY, COCO, MORGAN, AND BISCUIT!!!

Dear Spanky, Zambi, Lucy, Morgan, Biscuit…and friends and family!

      This past week we broke up into two groups to work on two different conservation projects.  I was apart of the Erye Pennisula group which was led by Skyeler. This group also included Brian, Zack, Molly, Anna, and Morgan. Before the groups split we watched ” The Story of Stuff,” an informational youtube clip that talked about how we are harming our environment and depleting the worlds’ resources.  Some of the facts were learned were: 80% of the earths original forests are gone, that we would need five planets if every country consumed at Americas rate,  Americans throw away 2.5 millon plastic bottles every hour, and 80 % of what Americans throw away is recyclable.  For those who had not seen this clip, this information came much of a shock to most and set the tone for the week to come.  

      The drive to Erye Pennisula took a total of eight and a half hours. We arrived at the Wool Shed, which was the hostel which stayed at. In the back of the hostel was a sheering museum which included rusty sheering tools, weapons, barbed wire, and other random appliances. The hostel part was an old stable where we slept in stall-like bunk rooms. That afternoon most people slept, Morgan and I took a scenic run down by the beach and desert, and our run quickly became an obstacle course which included dodging lethal washed up lethal jelly fish and kangaroos.

          Day 1: 

             Today we got rid of Aloe Vera plants and green suculant roses that were growing by the ocean.  With our axes and pitch forks, we  got rid of the plants in no time and began weeding on the other side of the road. About 10 minutes into weeding, we heard Morgan scream ” HOLY SHIT” and saw a brown snake slither a foot in front of her. Morgan, who is petrified of snakes, quickly lost color in her face, and quickly evacuated the area. Later we learned that the brown snake is one of the top most deadly snakes in Australia. Due to the snake we changed locations and were introduced loopers ( huge garden clippers) and to the elipo pine tree, a tree that we became very familar with by the end of the week. That night we played telephone pictionary and shared alot of laughter.

         Day 2:

          Today removed elipo pine trees all day. The highlight for most of us was watching Brian try to hop a barbed wire fence. That afternoon skyeler lead a meditation where we imagined our mind as a garden where we must trim and remove all the evasive species in order to protect the native species ( a metaphor for the conservation work we were doing). We talked about how bad thoughts ( invasive species) can alot of times consume our mind, hindering us from cultivating the beautiful native species of our mind. That night Grant, our CVA leader for the week, took us out to dinner where most of us experiences our first snitzel. We concluded the night by reading Mutant Message Downunder- a book which describes a woman’s experience doing a “walkabout” journey with the Abiriginis throught the outback. 

a quote skyeler read during meditation:

“Around us life bursts with miracles- a glass of water, a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a catepillar, a flower, laughter, and raindrops.

If you live in awareness, it is easy to see miracles everywhere. Each human being is a multiplicity of miracles.

Eyes that see thousands of colors, shapes, and forms; ears that hear a bee flying or a thunderclap; a brain that ponders a speck of dust as easily as the entire cosmos; a heart that beats in rhythm with the heartbeat of all beings

when we are tired and feel discouraged by lifes daily struggles, we may not notice these miracles, by they are always there.”

      Day 3:

        Today we spent a half day removing more elipo pine trees. We spent our afternoon in the national park, exploring the beach. That afternoon we played the Tradgety of the Commons Game, where we used M&Ms to demonstrate how we were depleting the worlds resources. We watched the sunset on the jetty where a  fisherman accidently hit me with an Octapus as he was reeling it in. For dinner, Grant made us Aussie burgers which included an absurd amount of toppings which included pineapple and beets.

       Day 4:

        Today we moved from the wool shed to a hostel in Port Lincoln. That day we worked with a group of older women and we did more elipo pine weeding as well as getting rid of a plant which we called the cyclops. Some of the women worked at the site with us while others baked us yummy pastries and lunch. Our tea time included a huge assortment of scones, brownies, cookies, and pastries. For lunch we had homemade fish and chips. That afternoon we did fencing, got rid of an afternoons worth of work in 15 minutes. That afternoon Skyeler led another meditation where we explored the fundamental idea of Buddhism—-loving-kindness.

      Day 5:

        Today we removed more elipo pines and cyclops, we got alot of work done and had the afternoon free. We spent most of the afternoon exploring Port Lincoln and driving through the marina. That night we played ultimate ping pong- a game Skyeler taught us where we all line up around the pool table and alternate hitting the ball while we are running around in circles. That night we read an intriguing chapter about healing in the Mutant Message.

We are all looking forward to spending the next week in the outback!

Hello from Adelaide! (I would say from Sydney, since that was when this was supposed to be posted, but alas here we are)

Our last week of New Zealand was a whirlwind of incredible sights and car rides along the southern coast of the South Island.  Due to bad weather we had to change our free travel plans last minute, but I think all of us agree that it ended up being a great trip nonetheless.  After some brainstorming, and quickly booking hostels and a van, we decided that we were going to drive down to Dunedin from Queenstown and then pass through Curio Bay and loop back up to Queenstown for our flight to Australia. 

During the first day of our road trip we took our lovely twelve seater van the four hours to Dunedin where we got to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the Otago Peninsula.  Upon our arrival Maddie, Katie, Molly, Brian, Anna, Ori, Ben, Zack and I all decided that we were going to spend the rest of the evening going on a wildlife tour while Annie caught up on some yoga.  The tour involved seeing the rare yellow-eyed penguins along with a great deal of playful seals and other natural wildlife along the coast.  The next day the group split up to either go kayaking or to go mountain biking.  Skyeler, Maddie, Brian, Katie, Annie, and Anna all went kayaking, which got pretty interesting when a lightening storm came and they all ended up getting out of the kayaks for shelter in the woods.  Apparently while they were there a lot of interesting dances took place…  Meanwhile Ori, Simone, Molly, Zack, and I all went mountain biking for the day while Ben stayed back and explored   Our bike trip included a nice, easy detour up the steepest street in the world, which we (of course) all conquered without a sweat.  After that we rode along till we got to the actual biking trails where the more experienced bikers (Ori and Zack) broke off from Molly, Simone and myself.  I can definitely say that we all had a great time biking through a spooky forest and also on a BMX course.  On the way back we encoutered some intense hail so we took a nice break and got some hot chocolate until it passed. 

The following day we were on the road again and made some incredible stops that included Tunnel Beach, which is sort of what it sounds like just so much more awesome that what we could have predicted it to be.  We also traveled to Nugget Point, Purakaunui Falls, and Jack’s Blowhole.  The highlight of the day was definitely buying different relishes at a little beach house by Jack’s Blowhole.  The next day we managed to spoil our eyes some more with some amazing scenery.  We started out the day stopping at the Gypsy Gallery, which no words could possibly do the quirky, wonderful place justice.  You’ll just have to take my word for that it was probably one of the best stops that we made during our whole trip.  After that we headed out to Cathedral Caves and ended the day by traveling to one of the three petrified forests of the world.  Later that night we all participated in a Hunger Banquet (which I won’t spoil for you in case some of us want to hold one once we get home) where we all gained insight about our food consumption in comparison to the rest of the world.  That night, Ori, Maddie, Molly and I all slept in the van for the night (when I say sleep I really mean we all silently tried to get comfortable for hours until morning). 

During our last day of free travel we went down to Curio Bay where some of the group went hiking and the rest visited a wildlife center that contained a lot of birds that are native to New Zealand.  We then traveled back up to Queenstown and ended our trip with a nice group dinner.  I think I can speak for everyone when I say that New Zealand will be greatly missed, but all of us are excited for the new adventures that await us in Australia.   

See you soon,

Morgan

Dear friends, family, and other people who have stumbled across our humble blog somehow,

Sorry that this post is a little late.  It was meant to be posted after the farm and before Blue Mountain Adventure Center, but I was caught up in exploring the amazing cities we have been in and kept pushing it off.  Better late than never though, am I right or am I right? Im right.

So, lets get bloggin…

Bula! Oh wait we’re not in Fiji anymore.. Kiora! (Thats hello in Maori for all of you who havent spent a week at a marae which is probably most of you.) After we left the farm we began our journey down to Porongahau for our stay at the Marae with the local Maori people.  We were welcomed on Sunday afternoon with a traditional ceremony in which we were introduced by a mountain, the rockies, and a river, the mississippi, that represented us.  We also shared an exchang of songs where they sang a Maori song and we sang “This Land is Your Land.”  I know, I know, but it was the only one we all knew!  Throughout the short four days that we were there we participated in many amazing activities: visiting local elementary schools, weaving flowers with Flax, making homemade jewelery from local materials, learning traditional music and dances, and most importantly emersing ourselves in the Maori culture.  The people we had the pleasur of meeting there were so incredibly caring, welcoming, and eager to us about their lives.  We were only there for a short time period, and only got a small taste (which we all thought was mind numbingly delicious), but it felt like we were at home there by the time we left.  We were all very sad to go, but of course our journey must continue on.  And as Dr. Seuss would say, “Dont be sad because its over, be happy because it happened.”  Next we spent a week at BMAC and to read about that you can read the blog before this one written by the wonderful, fabulous, and most certainly unique Brian Hallberg. 

As a group we ar continuing to get closer each and every day.  We make each other laugh and smile regularily, but we also enjoy serious discussions and debates about gender roles, the environment, and risk assessment.  We fight sometimes, but fighting just shows we care, and if one things for sure- this group cares a lot about one another.  We are like bread and butter, pb and j, cheese and crackers, cucumbers and pumkins.  (wait what?)

Well anyways I hope youve enjoyed my crazy ramblings.  My name is Ori by the way.  I think its always nice to know the author of the fine literature that you read, and this my friends, is most certainly fine literature (and yes that is self proclaimed). 

Goodnight and Goodluck. 

Ori Gutin

After we left the Marae, we headed to National Park Village and stayed in a hostel there for the night. The next morning, we got picked up to go to Blue Mountain Adventure Center in Raurimu, the next stop on our journey. We started off the afternoon with a few team building activities, involving tires and planks of wood and wooden mushrooms, and then we did a high ropes course where we bonded through conquering fears and supporting each other. The next day, we went on a short hike to Taranaki Falls, where we rappelled down the rock face right next to the waterfall! We also had the opportunity to have some solo time in the comfortable ferns of the area, taking in the beautiful scenery. We then stopped by a ski lodge area, where one of the scenes from Lord of the Rings was filmed (whoo!).
The next morning, we dressed up in wetsuits and went white-water rafting down the Whakepapanui River, which was a lot of fun. Some of us even did some self-guided rafting (scary, but it worked out okay–no worries ). After we got back from rafting, we were mysteriously told to pack our big packs for a night in the woods, which we ended up spending on our own, alone in the woods. It was a challenge for some of us, but we made it through the night (in silence, too). In the morning, we came back together as a group and hiked back to Blue Mountain. That afternoon, we went caving, which involved a lot of tight squeezes, like Pooh Bear’s Crack and the Birth Canal Chute.
The next day, due to intense gale-force winds, we had to forego rafting for a second time, and instead we started off the day with another team-building exercise, where we transported a block of cement across the underbelly of a bridge and along the road back to the lodge. In the afternoon, we gave back to the beautiful Blue Mountain Adventure Center by lugging wood and sewing/ironing holes in the wetsuits.
From Blue Mountain, we headed to Wellington, where we spent one full day exploring the city, including the amazing Te Papa Museum, the national museum of New Zealand. This morning, we flew into Queenstown, where we’re currently updating you from Pinewood Lodge. Tomorrow, we’re off to free travel adventures down near Dunedin/Otago Peninsula

But before we go, we just want to send some love and appreciation to our loved ones back home…look for your child’s/sibling’s/friend’s name and feel the love!

Ben: During the last 6 weeks of being away from my home, I’ve learned to appreciate a lot about my parents. Mom, I can’t wait for your advice again. Dad, I miss your goofy sense of humor that makes me smile every day.
Anna: Hi Mommy and Daddy! I love and miss you both and appreciate all of your love and support, even from hundreds of miles away via email. I’m so thankful that we’re still close, even though you’re farther away now. Also, MEEEEM (hopefully you’re reading this so I don’t look so dumb), I love you! You’re the best sister anyone could ever ask for. Thanks for your prayers Wish you all could be with me as I travel and experience all these new things!
Zack: Mom, even though we haven’t lived together for some time now, being on this trip has opened my eyes to really how much you mean to me and how important you are in my life. I look forward to the next time we talk because we are so much alike. I couldn’t have asked for a better mother. I appreciate everything you have done, and you are an inspiration to me.
Dad, you teach me what it means to be a young man, and you are an inspiration for me. Our open and honest conversations have been a driving force in my life, and for that, I appreciate you and for taking care of me and making me take care of myself. I couldn’t have asked for a better father.
Simone: Mama, thank you for supporting me in everything I do, no matter how crazy it is. Thank you for crying with me and letting me talk your ear off at all hours of the night. You are a friend, a mentor, and a mom.
Daddio-you are so levelheaded, fun, and inspire me always to pursue my dreams. I love your positive nature-I always feel so happy and grateful for life after talking to you. Thanks for also keeping me in check and being real. Love you!
Maddie: Shoutout to my favorite homies, Dadio, TayRay, Beans, Bubba, and Riley. I miss you guys like you wouldn’t believe; not a day passes where you all don’t cross my mind. Every time I leave, I regain so much appreciation for you all. Dad…I could not be happier and prouder that you are my dad. Every day, I think of how supportive you have been in my life choices (and I’m not talking about dreadlocks and piercings-would this be a good time to tell you about my tattoo? JK). In the past, you have helped me find my way through so many decisions, and without you, I wouldn’t be in this amazing place that I am. I am the luckiest girl to have you guys as my family. AND BEN, THE BEST BIG BROTHER IN THE WHOLE WORLD. I brag about you every day and always think of you when I do something and think how you would love it. Congrats on getting the job at Yale, that is absolutely insane. I miss you way too much, and you better be livin’ it up at home. TayRay-I miss you so much, and any time I bring up the wedding, I get asked how do I approve and I just say I feel like it has been like that since day 1, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have been so lucky to have you in my life and can’t wait until you are officially part of the family (even though you already are). I also laugh thinking how many times you’ve had to help me with CRAZY situations, and I thank you endlessly for that. I love you all and can’t wait to reunite. Give Bubba and Ri a kiss for me. Much love, Madds.
Ori: Hey family, it’s me, Ori. I hope you remember me. I just wanted to let you know how amazing you all are. Mom, Dad, you two couldn’t be better parents. Nothing can surpass the amount of love you’ve given me throughout my whole life, but this trip is a close second. This has been an unforgettable experience, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough. Brother, At, Tal, and Yay, you all are the best siblings I could ever ask for, and I miss you all very much. I’ll see you in a couple weeks.
Love, Ori
P.S. Say hi to Lucy Beagle, Cholley, Sammay, and Lillay
Brian: Mommy, I appreciate the wonderful love and the reminders. Dad, I hope you’re enjoying your retirement. Peace.
Molly: Hey Daddy! Just wanted to say thanks for everything you’ve done for me. I appreciate you so much for always being there to help me and trying to understand me. You supported me so much in planning this trip, and it really helped me see how encouraging you are and how much you want for me in life. I know I take you for granted sometimes and I want you to know how much I love you. I miss you! Say hi to fatty and the little one! -Mo
Hey Mum! Thank you for supporting me and helping me so much in getting ready for the trip. I couldn’t have done it without you! Thank you for staying calm and being there always to talk things out with over cheese and wine. I love you and appreciate the time you give me!
Morgan: Hey Mom and Dad, it’s been a while since I’ve actually talked to either of you, but I’m having a great time on this trip so far. I just wanted to say that I appreciate both of you always being so understanding and so flexible with me. Sometimes I think I take for granted how great you guys have been to me. You’ve never pressured me into doing something that I’m not comfortable with. Thank you for always encouraging me and supporting me. I love you guys and I miss you. Say hello to Moe for me…oh, and Sean too.
Love, Morgan
Annie: Mom-Hope the upper right side of H.Y.P. is treating you well. This trip has made me appreciate our special friendship and the amazing memories we’ve shared. Not a day goes by where you don’t pop into my head. I can’t wait for you to come to Nananu and to spend the summer together. I love you to pieces. Muskie, Buskie, lovies, and abovies. xoxo
Dad-Thank you so much for this amazing trip and all the opportunities you have given me. I miss you so much and think about you all the time. Hope you had a great time in Switzerland. Love you to pieces.
Rucy-I saw duckies today-thought of you.
Love you Sam, Zambi, Gpadz and Grandmother
Katie: Lucy K and Daddyo: Hi guys! I don’t think I will ever be able to describe how much I love you both so I am not going to try. But I know that having both of you as parents makes me the luckiest girl in the world. Thank you both for supporting me in everything and being the most kind and understanding people ever. This trip wouldn’t have been possible without you both-I am having the time of my life thanks to you guys! I love you both more than you know. xoxoxo
Skyeler: loves his family.