Goodbye for Now Dunedin

Waikouaiti Beach, out where Alex's friend Johnny's family lives, 1/2 hour north of Dunedin.

Well, I'm down to the last day of my 2013 New Zealand trip and have that bittersweet feeling of a good trip ending. It's been a great stay: I got in a good backpack in the first days, the conference and the work that followed were quite productive, I spent time with New Zealand friends, and I got in several surfs and bike rides. Really, I couldn't ask for much more ... well, the tide could be low right now so that I could get out for one last surf :).

The down side of being away for two weeks is the time away from Jen and the kids -- I'm a family man -- but it's also good to have some time to reflect. What new insights have I gained over these past two weeks? Well, I've been feeling that it's one thing to be blessed and enjoy life, and quite another to be generous and to help others. I'd like to do more of the latter.

Anyway, leaving Dunedin again, my thought is that I have unfinished business here. I think I'll be back, and I'd love to return for a longer stretch before too many years go by.

Later, from Auckland: Just boarding the flight for the States. Being away from the family for two weeks sucks, but leaving St. Claire (pict below), where I stayed, and surfing sucks too. I almost wish I didn't have this brief reminder of how much I love it.

Alex and I, St. Claire, April 2011. This is one of my favorite places on earth.