Christmas.

So this last weekend was Christmas (obv.)  We ate lots of food, played games, chatted, opened presents, the usual.  I got some great gifts...a nalgene water bottle (apparently made from plants!?), a travel tripod, TWO travel journals ("We expect you to write a lot.  If you find yourself not doing anything.  Then do something already!  And write about it."), a 2012 planner, luggage tags with our very own family photos on them so I'll know what bags are mine!  In considering that all I put on my christmas list was a plane ticket, I've had a pretty good turn out.  And then of course, other great gifts not mentioned, and candy and clothes etc.

Dad and Nate had fun looking at the New Zealand map I have...mostly to see where the railroads are.  They are partial to trains and told me I have to ride at least four.  And see a steam engine.  And take photos.  (They sent me three emails with links so they must be serious.)  Liz might not be game to ride four trains.  But she said she'd do one...if I did something crazy with her like skydiving or parasailing or something like that.  (!!!!)

Speaking of crazy, a couple people have asked if I'm going to go bungee jumping.  I don't think so.  It just doesn't look fun.  Free falling and then bouncing up and down several times makes me feel like my insides are going to get all tangled up and my extremities will snap off.  And then throwing up after.  Sorry if that was graphic.  It just doesn't look fun.  Also, I'm pretty sure this is fake...but....THIS.

We also tried to do a little research...like I guess NZ is a monarchy?  But I swear someone told me it was a democracy.  But something about the Queen?  And they use the dollar, but they don't use pennies, so they round your purchase up and down (genius!).  The reason Wanganui is sometimes spelled with an h (Whanganui) is because it used to be that way.  But then there was a vote to spell it without.  But of course, not everyone agreed, so it seems like you can spell it whatever way you want to.  I was also told that a "wh" makes a "fvvvvv" sound....so does that mean Wanganui and Whanganui are pronounced differently?

Who knows.  But I'm going to stop because I'm betting all the above information is wrong and I sound like an idiot.