Mike and Hilary in New Zealand: It is what it is...

I can't believe it's been 5 months since I've updated this dang thing. I've tried a few times and failed, but here we are. I'll spare you excuses despite my considerable knack for them.

A lot of life happened between now and November. All of it deserves more time and words spent recounting it than I am giving it presently.

Here are the biggest things I remember that are worth sharing:
(As always, lot's of ordinary, boring, stressful stuff happened too. We haven't been living in a euphoric paradise state where amazing and only amazing happens. But it's much more enjoyable sharing the good stuff.)

1. For about two months, Cole, Kristin, Hilary and I lived and worked together in Christchurch. Mostly it felt too good to be true. From feasting on pork tacos and jumping in the ocean on Christmas Eve to skydiving in Wanaka on our big road trip, 'once-in-a-lifetime' was a recurring reality.

Cole and Kristin are incredible friends and people who you'd want to spend months together with in a different country. I could gush and gush about them, but I don't want them to feel too good about themselves. We laughed really hard, ate really well, and shared so many great conversations and adventures.

For a legitimate post about our time together, read theirs - http://theanthologyofus.com/those-were-the-days/.

Some quick pics:

Sunset dinner on Lake Tekapo

Paying tribute to Mt. Cook's formidable Centurian, Lyle

Picnic in the park in Queenstown

Fanciful flights in the Central Otago wine region

2. For two years running, Reuben has demonstrated his dominance in our friendship by flying around the world just to spend time with us. Last year in Adana, Turkey and this year in New Zealand. He's lived in South Korea for three years and now in Beijing for a few and we've visited him zero times. Not our best work.

This year we rented a campervan and road tripped hard. First Reuben and I did the South Loop - Akaroa, Arthur's Pass, Westport, Punakaiki, Greymouth, Fox Glacier, Haast, Wanaka, Lake Tekapo, and back. The next day, we took off again with Hilary to conquer the North Loop - Motueka, Abel Tasman, Nelson, Picton, Marlborough Sounds, Blenheim, Kaikoura, and home.

To read about those two trips in tireless detail, read here, here and here.

So so good. Thanks again, Reuben.

Quick pics:

Kayaking in Abel Tasman