New Zealand is cold and rainy...:( The place we stayed at last night was called "Outlaws" and it was all done up in a saloon theme. I guess they were trying to make us feel at home :) There played country music in the restaurant, even working in Robert Earl Keen's "The Road Goes On Forever". That was a surprise.

I'm not really sure where we are going because I haven't memorized the itinerary like I usually do. I know we are staying at Lake Ohau tonight. Other than that, my two main concerns at the moment are getting my ski cap from the bus and finding a New Zealand Rugby jersey that doesn't cost a huevo and a nalga.

Just about to leave Airlie Beach, Queensland, but I thought I'd leave a little update. We spent 3 days sailing around the Whitsunday Islands on an honest-to-goodness sailboat. Snorkling was cool.

We leave in a few hours back to Sydney for the night before leaving (again) the next morning for 7 days in New Zealand.

I'm fine, except for my camera breaking. I won't be able to get it fixed until I get back to the States :(

Quick Australian language lesson

Australia is a very verbally lazy country. They shorten pretty much every word and refuse to pronounce other letters completely (like 'r' at the end of words). Here's a little mental list I've been keeping:

Sunnies--sunglasses

Bikies--bikers, as in motorcycle gang members; Calling them "bikies" is a little deceptive, they are actually pretty dangerous and were responsible for a lot of gang violence back in the 1970's.

Truckies--long-haul truckers

Brekky--breakfast

Arvo--afternoon

Footy--football, usually rugby but it depends on where you are.

Swimmers/Cossies--swimwear; cossie is short for "costume"

Rellies--the "relatives", as in family

Stubbies--short running shorts or beers that come in short bottles

Uni--("you-knee") university

Schoolie--someone in grade school or high school; Their version of spring break here is called quot;Schoolies Week". All the kids flock to the Gold Coast and party. Remember, the drinking age is 18 here.

Unco—clumsy, oafish; short for uncoordinated

Povo--to look poor, cheap, etc., shortened form of "poverty" sort of; as in "I don't get paid until Friday so I've been eating Ramen noodles for lunch for work. I must look so povo."

Pressies--presents or gifts

Next Monday (Nov. 10) we leave for a sailing trip in the Whitesundays which is a chain of islands near the Great Barrier Reef (the world's largest living thing, did you know that?). After that, Ana and I are going to New Zealand for a week. This means I won't get back into Sydney until Nov. 25 so I'll be pretty quiet until then. And since we are moving out of our house this week, I'm not going to have a phone number anymore so email is the best way to reach me.

Everyone have a good Thanksgiving for me! I'll be back home on Dec. 9th...