Freshly arrived to New Zealand after miraculously sleeping on the 12-hour flight from Santiago. Initial impressions:

• Vast, majestic mountains, lakes and greenery that make one feel one is surrounded by a national park – constantly.
• Everything is pure and pristine, clean and new: the mountains, lakes and air, as well as the buildings, food and the people. Which is surreal…where is the poverty?
• Is everyone really this content and mellow and pleasant all of the time?
• Switzerland — but laid back and adventurous. The sun is SUPER bright (thanks to global warming?).
• My travel mates did the bungee jump from the bridge over a crystal-blue river that was the birthplace of bungee.
• And the most shocking factoid from this culturally…interesting?…place: Kiwi refers more to the furry animal than to the fruit — woo hoo!

Signing off so my travelmates and I can usher in 2006 before you all! 🙂