I need to go to sleep because it is my last sleep in New Zealand. That's one of many precious things that Gilly and Greg say, "only 3 more sleeps 'til Emily Rose gets home," or "only 2 more sleeps until your birthday!" So, only one more sleep in NZ. It's strange because I've realized that New Zealand is really the only home outside of school that I've ever known. I spent my whole life up until this past year in school, but this was my first year of life where I made my own home, my own routines, my own life from scratch. Friends I graduated with have spent this year establishing lives in cities across America and growing settled there, calling those places home. Though my life here has been semi-nomadic and based out of backpacks, it is still the only life I've ever had for myself in the vast, wide open, post-college world. In that sense, leaving feels like it might feel to take a leap and quit your job, pack up all your things, and move half way across the world, instead of simply returning from a trip.

September 1st marked the first day of spring here, and the sun sang out its new season proudly. The sky was cloudless, the breeze warm, and the trees blossoming. I took the bus trip with Ron for two days this week. We paid a daylight visit to the giant fig tree that dad and I only saw under the cover of darkness, then spent the night out on a beautiful beach in Northland. We got there in time to walk on the beach, where we took a hike up a steep hill to a lookout. On the way back down Ron led the way down this slippery, muddy chute of a path and slid the whole way down. I was clinging to the grass behind him, yelling out about how he better not die because if I kill him, Margaret will kill me. Ron made a legit dinner and I saw a lovely sky of stars, which I hadn't seen in so long because there hadn't been a clear night in so long. I slept on the little couch in his "living room" and woke up at the perfect moment to peak out the curtain and see a brilliant sunrise. I wriggled my sleeping bag over to the windshield and pulled up the blinds, then snuggled back in to watch the scene from the warmth of my "bed." It was awesome. We also stopped in and met some of Ron's campervan safari friends and they were just lovely. The man writes and sings country music about traveling in New Zealand and he gave me one of his cds, which will be my soundtrack of choice for my next road trip. We also went to the country's only oil refinery where they have a perfectly scaled model of the entire plant, down to each and every valve. The model was used to built the plant in the days before computers and it is easily one of the most incredible feats of human engineering I've ever seen. It was one of those things that I'm so glad isn't my job. It seems an utterly impossible thing for my brain to produce. Anyway, we had a great trip and I'm completely sold on the idea of campervan/buses now. If your house is on wheels, you are always at home. I don't really understand why we don't all do it.

I spent all day today hiking Rangitoto, the picturesque volcano in the Auckland Harbor, with the Shine Family Daughters and their partners. It is always exciting to walk across lava paths and craters. One of the warning signs on the map at the wharf said, "Caution: the heat rays from the lava can be very intense." Hikers in New Zealand need never worry about the hazards of snake bite or bear attack, but do watch out for the lava flow.

Tomorrow I pick Maggie up at the airport at midday, take her back to the Shine home for a big party in celebration of: our going away, Emily heading back to school, Becky heading to her 8 week work experience in Samoa, Greg's birthday, which is today, and Ron's six-months left to live date. After a few hours of celebrating our many joys, Maggie and I will head back to the airport and take off for the Cook Islands. I can't believe it. I'm so excited about everything. EVERYTHING! I feel terribly sad when I think about all the goodbyes that come with leaving New Zealand, but I'm overcome with gratitude for all that I've encountered. I couldn't possibly have the words to express the depth of my thanks. So, instead of focusing on the sad things about leaving, I want tot concentrate on the exciting things. I'm so excited about his party at the Shine's, and the Cook Islands, and then that feeling of landing in America and staying with Katherine and Jodi, and then to North Carolina, my most established home. There are so many beloved faces to see in the coming weeks!!! Thus, I will focus on the excitement to come, and my gratitude for all that I've learned and loved this year.

Plus, I still think I'm coming back to be a logger. Seriously. But I'll still explain that later. I'll write more, but not until America.