Leaving New Zealand

We are about to leave New Zealand pretty soon. The weather looks like it will clear up enough for us to leave on Sunday.

Finally I'm leaving this country where I've spent the last year of my life. If all goes according to plan I will not be returning for some time; who knows, maybe never. It is not without regret that I leave. I've made a lot of good friends here, and I've met a bunch of interesting people. I've come to enjoy the culture here; nowhere else in the world (except Finland) have I seen people too drunk to start their own vehicles, only to be helped in the procedure by their good friends. I've improved my English greatly while living here; I've learned to include "cool", "sweet" "cheers" and "aye" in even the shortest of sentences. I've enjoyed some great scenery and some not-so-great fish and chips.

All in all I'm glad for the time I've spent here, and it is a bit sad to leave. I'm grateful for all the experiences I've had here. All those drunk nights at the Jeff's Joy campground and the runs down the Rangitaiki River. I'd like to thank The Auckland Uni Canoe Club (AUCC) for that, and for all the other
places we paddled and drank together. I will not forget the close calls on the river or walking out from Jeff's Joy run in pitch black through logging fields for 6 hours because we didn't make it down the river because night fell.

Ed, Owen and Ash: thanks for the trip up Mt. Cook, it was awesome and probably the best view I've ever had. We should meet to climb some other mountains some day! Also thanks to the rest of the people at AURAC!

All the people I've spent time with at Uni; thanks for being entertaining, young and good looking!

ANSA Auckland: We will meet again "home" in Norway, thanks for all the great parties and trips together.

Thanks to Vanessa for being my flatmate my first half year here, and for cooking me great food all that time!

I'll miss all the nights spent in the back of my campervan, but alas; he's gone now, you can probably pay him last respects at Pick-A-Part. Oh, just got sidetracked, well, anyway, thanks to all the people mentioned, and to those I've met along the way, but forgotten to mention!

Cheers!