We had a rowdy beginning to the new year, friends, food and festivity. It was a black & white theme, our profile photo is from the gathering. A final throw-down to begin the year right... 
The week that followed was busy busy. There is a lot to handle before an extensive trip. Australia initially denied JD's visa. Sordid past? Didn't like his passport photo? We may never know. After a nice note to the embassy in Ottowa Canada (go figure...) he was approved. Kimberly was instantaneously approved. In fact they may not let her leave. Apparently a shortage of redheads or some such thing...
Of course, despite our best efforts, we will surely have something come up at an inauspicious time... Figuring which friends we can pile the inconvienence and hassle of mail drop, financial oversight, package drop, and emergency supply staging is a challenge. Who deserves which headache? They say they love us now, but love is fleeting (just like time...)
All the long-term travel books refer to packing light. Neither of us can pull off the one shirt, one pair of underwear, one pair of pants thing. Our primary packs are less than 50 pounds, much to our surprise. Renting dive gear is reasonably safe, especially from a PADI 4 or 5 star facility, however, renting climbing gear is just not a good idea. JD thinned out his climbing rack, but you still need certain basics.
We also made solid arrangements for our first few days lodging in Auckland. Jet lag, and getting used to living tomorrow when our biological clock thinks its really yesterday, and a dozen hours of travel will need to be diffused.
Our initial transition will be on the Big Island, just outside of Kona. We are 
typically Maui people, so this will be new and different. We are as pasty white as two Seattlites can be. It is possible that we even glow in the dark. If we tan for three days we can make it to alabaster. Burka time... SPF 3000. We'll just have to spend as much time underwater as we can. Not like that's a bad thing though. Besides, JD needs a good sinus cleansing after his weeks of living with cats.We left Seattle just in time. Aparrently another big wind, snow and freezing temps system rolled through last night. Most school districts will be in session until the end of June, maybe even into July, to make up for lost days.
JD is still working on the SmugMug photo hosting site. Links will be applied as they are created.
Its All Good!
Love
JD & Kimberly
