GO THE ALL BLACKSSS!!!

These past few weeks have been crazy! Papers, trips, homework, and rain, a lot of rain. After traveling to the Bay of Islands and seeing Cape Reigna and 90 mile beach, it was time to book more trips! What I love about Auckland is that you can go from city life to complete wildlife in a matter of minutes. I saw the black sands of Piha beach on the western coast of the city. The coastline and city are separated by the Waitakere Mountain Range. The remoteness reminded me of home.

Rangitoto is the very large symmetrical shield volcano in the harbor. They are very strict on what you bring to the island because they are trying to keep its natural habitat. After a long trek battling oncoming rain, we made it to the top of the volcano and were rewarded with a breathtaking 360 degree view. Rangitoto is such a prominent figure in Auckland, it was so cool to actually be on the volcano and see the city from its prospective.

I was able to go to another island this week. Only this time I was driven around while tasting wine!  The wine tour on Waiheke taught me one very important lesson, I will never be able to keep up with my mother. The island was gorgeous and the vineyard we went to were all so different. After the tour we had to take a 50 minute ferry back to Auckland. Because it is labour day weekend there were a lot of people on the ferry and the five of us ended up sitting in the front row facing the rest of toe passengers. I quickly fell asleep and when I awoke I found that the four other girls had also fallen asleep. As I made eye contact with one of the older members on the wine tour I immediately started laughing at the sight of us. While we were passed out he had been drinking steadily with his wife, we looked like such amateurs. I am glad we were able to give everyone a good laugh.

Tonight is a pivotal point in New Zealand's history. My host dad explained that the country in on the verge of either an economic boom or a severe economic recession. This will be determined by the outcome of tonight's Rugby World Cup finals where the All Blacks will be playing against France. Not only is it a huge deal that they are in the finals, but its even better that they are playing France. These two teams have history. In 2007 France kicked NZ out of the quarter finals with a call as controversial as no goal and wide right. France scored a try off of a forward pass to win the game. Not only do the two teams have history, the two countries do.  In 1985 the French sunk the Rainbow Warrior while it was docked in the Auckland Harbor, killing one man. NZ was protesting France's nuclear testing in the middle of the Pacific. With that said, GO THE ALL BLACKS!

Tonight will be an amazing night and I can't believe that I am here to witness it all! I am so lucky and I will be cheering loudly!!!

GO ALL BLACKSSSSS!!!