Coast to Coast...

 There certainly are some pretty things to look at on the west coast of the south island.  The pancake rocks of geologically mysterious proportions here are made of limestone and are ever changing in the beautiful but powerful and unforgiving sea.

And, here some tall grasses between the pancakes and the mountain forests on the same west coast blow in the wind.  I think the wind never ceases here.  Some of the trees in just a light, light breeze look as thought they are blowing in the fiercest of hurricane wind.  Everywhere you look, here in New Zealand,  there is something quite beautiful and something quite comical as well.

I hitchhiked from the west coast to Marlborough about a week ago now.  It was a fun adventure, met some nice people but, since then, I have gotten a new mode of transport.  I borrow a nice road bike from a friend and have been doing many-a-many tasting of the wine with this puppy!

This is what I bike through and past everyday....beautiful Marlborough and its wonderful...everything...

This is where I am: Marlborough

 Distances to my favorite places/people/dogs as the crow flies:

Knoxville: 8366 miles
Tahoe: 6970 miles
Phoenix: 6986 miles

So far!

Beijing, China: 6431 miles, but it sounds better if you put it in kilometers because it sounds further: 10,349 km.  Oh, so nice.

Life can be oh, so tough.  Here is a map and the 411 on my location.  I am outside of Blenheim in a tiny village called Renwick in the province of Marlborough on the northwest of the south island of New Zealand.  Life is good here.  The sun shines, though this summer has been fairly cool I am told, and mountians loom in all directions, the sea is close and the grapes are growing.  Yum.  Work in the winery starts tomorrow so my life will change a little bit but, I will still be loving every minute.  I hope you are too.

I ride through vineyards on flat straight streets, taste fresh picked pears and laugh at funny sheep in this small horticultured town.  This area is the most famous for grapes in NZ and touts a fairly reputable name as a wine growing region throughout the world.  I feel lucky to have this opportunity...and to drink it too! Cheers, mates!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlborough_Region

Now that I have left good 'ole China, one really gets a nice perspective on things. So here it is: my last love to Beijing #1：the food...煎饼 JianBing...so freaking good

I have been in New Zealand for over three weeks now.  I am happy: the food is fresh and delicious,yummy things grow everywhere, vegetables grow everywhere, fruit trees everywhere (especially the grape variety!)...but even so I am still thinking about my favorite Chinese street snack.  I fled China without posting this "number one" thing from Beijing entry.  Gotta give China a little love for feeding me so well.  Enjoy!

The traditional egg and spring onion pancake is by far the best street food in Beijing.  It makes me happy.  And yes, I do believe happiness can come in the form of food.  Because for me in Beijing, everyday, I find happiness in the delicious textures and fragrances and fillings the street carts and food stands have to offer.  This, I will miss.  

JianBing.  Whoa.  Though similar, no two are ever quite the same.  Equally delicious, yes, just different in small ways.  For example, I had one in Gulou hutong the other day that used three sauces instead of the typical two.  Don't really know what those sauces are, I can guess, but I don't really care-it is so freaking good.  I had one in Chengde, where the imperial summer resorts are, it was the first one I tried where the chef used two eggs instead of the typical one.  The batter in that one was also a little sweeter.  Was it good?  Absolutely.  

The best ones have an unexpected vegetable (or seed, or sauce) added to the mix while cooking.  Once, near the Yonghegong Lama Temple, I had one with black sesame seeds.  There has also been occasion to have tou dao si 土豆丝 added to the mix.  This is julienne sliced potatoes cooked in too much oil (yum!) with a little spice.  MmmmMm.  

Really, there are just so many options here.  But the classic is what got me hooked.  Simple and magical: plain batter spread over a hot flat iron skillet, an egg cracked on top, spread out on the batter, two thin spatulas flip the big thin crepe-like cake, toss a little spring onion and parsley on top of the hoison and chili sauces, add the fried rice wafer thingy, fold it up, put in a handy carrying device/plastic bag and you have got a classic Jian Bing for all of two minutes and 4 yuan.  Told you: happiness can be bought...

Even though I love me some mutha-luvin' Jian Bing, this is more my style:

These mushrooms were growing on the side of a mountain overlooking a gorgeous blue lake, Roturua Lake.   

NZ, it ain't Tennessee, but its the place to be.

NZ is wonderful...WONDERFUL I tell you!!

This whole trip has been amazing.  There is so much everyday I can't even begin to break into the seal of the treasures of travel I have found down here.  I will start with a few blips and try to let it absorb.  This place is a gem.

A day at the beach on the northern tip of the south island.  Caves and arches, dunes and small pools, through beech forest and fields of sheep to crazy rocks and baby seals; its all here in walk of a couple kilometers.

 Abel Tasman national park, where I spent four days on a bay only accessible by water, has unbelievable gold beaches below rocky cliffs through the thick temperate rain forest.  The inlets and bays are amazing and the marine life in the marine reserve is overflowing.  We played with some seals on our kayak on day, picked some fresh mussels the next.  

Our team: Clay, Sanaz and myself on Whariki Beach

Right now I sit, happily, in the surf town of Westport, on the west coast of the south island NZ.  Its rainy and I welcome this time to rest (especially after the BIG party we made with the locals last night!)  The last two weeks have been a wonderous addition to my trip/life. I can't believe things can look like this.  My eyes actually are having trouble absorbing all of the beauty surrounding me.The forests are cool, physically cooling to the skin, and the green in the trees and plants is the green that taught all other green how to be.

Its lovely, just lovely. The sea roars and rolls, the mountains are tall, the people laugh all the time and the birds are talkative, funny and friendly little things.  

And the sunsets ain't bed either...

Made it...New Zealand...

I arrived in the land of spectacular!  Coastlines a plenty, mountains strewn about and a few sheep rolling around too. 

The Kaikoura peninsula: green pastures filled with love and sheep and cows, the ocean cracks below the cliffs and the snowy mountains come right up to the sea.  Amazing.

Sheep!

I am going to love it here.  In one day I swam with wild Dusky dolphins and then rode my bike around Marlborough wine tasting.  Oh, hello, NZ. 

Seeing as how I don't start work for the winery for a few weeks, I am running around the south island with my friend Clay from Tahoe.  We are meeting cool people, staying cool places and going into the forest.  Last night we kicked it with a multitude of glow worms in the green mussel(delicious!) capital of NZ.  This place is freaking awesome, eh?