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Through out our time of traveling, we’ve noticed different countries display their warnings in many ways.  It was actually quite amusing so it became a hobby of ours to take photos of ANY silly sign we came across (whether warning or not).

A place that speaks Colin’s language…

gotta love the picture of the man drowning…

I don’t know about you, but “SAFE” is the first word that crosses my mind.

Ok… so who’s idea was this?  or is Microsoft that desperate…

This is one of my favorite signs because it says so much in one little picture.  But really, what on earth can you do to prevent this?

By Colin and Andre’a Feldhaus

{matchless}photography.com     wedding and portrait photography

So, I’ve had this idea for a blog post for some time now… our year 2009 in review… in pictures… only pictures (well, with titles as well).  I thought it would be fun and a little different, so here it goes.

2009’s most random moment:  Zorbing

This is an activity found in New Zealand where you roll down a hill in a big giant ball with a little water in it.  Pretty much it’s like being in a hamster ball.

2009’s most disgusting:  eating a grasshopper!

2009’s most scary moment:  Bungee jumping

2009’s most nerdy moment:  the odometer

I will admit that I love it when there are many of the same numbers in a row on my odometer.

2009’s biggest accomplishment: the Rimu Nelson Lakes Hike

This was a 3 day hike in the mountains of New Zealand.  We climbed up to 1700 meters with a 30lb backpack on! WHEW! You should check out Active New Zealand, they really have some great tours going.

2009’s most hilarious moment:  the human castles in Spain

Ok, the human castles themselves are miraculous, but how can you not laugh at this picture?

2009’s most crooked building… that we saw:  Germany

2009’s coldest day EVER!… ok not really, but it was pretty cold:  South Island of New Zealand

Yes, that water coming out of the faucet is really frozen.

The most south we’ve ever been in 2009 (or ever):  Southern most tip of New Zealand

2009’s most confused moment:  trying to do a video project in Spain, when you can’t speak Spanish… and they can’t speak english!

2009’s best architecture:  the Sangrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain by Gaudi

2009’s all around most memorable moment:  straight up trading our NZ van for an iphone!

Definitely will NEVER forget this moment!  Thanks Jeremy!  Colin never parts from it!

by colin and Andre’a Feldhaus

{matchless}photography.com     wedding and portrait photography

Well, it was about that time.  Our one and a half year adventure in Australia and New Zealand was now to a finish.  We flew out Tuesday evening the 23rd.  But before we flew out, there was some business to be done… the big trade.  I must say, Jeremy and Eliza were a huge blessing in our lives.  Not only because of this life saving trade, but because of the friendship and encouragement they gave us.  Colin and Jeremy were like two peas in a pod.  They had an instant bond when macintosh computers were mentioned – and it just grew from there.  Then, what started as a simple joke about trading a van for an iphone – slowly started to get some consideration, until the day came for us to leave and the van hadn’t sold.  So, the trade became offical.  Thanks Eliza for your super skills of photo documenting this memorable moment and event… It’s not one that will soon be forgotten in our lives!

It was definitely a bitter sweet day for us.  We were so excited to come home and see family.  On the other hand – when you live in a country for a year, it kinda becomes your home.  We were sad to leave the green grass, hills, rain, snow, mountains, and seeing at least 5 rainbows a day.  It was also very hard to say goodbye to our new “family.”  From the start of our time in New Zealand, the Marlar’s opened their house to us, while we got situated and figured out what we were going to do.  I’m sure it was hard at times to have two extra people in the house (for almost 2 months), but they never showed it.  Casey and Callie became like two more siblings to us.  We watched movies together, played tons of cards, went to basketball games, and even some mornings got up super early so we could all go to the YMCA to play b-ball.  We got to be a part of their lives and see the wonderful work they are doing in their church.  I can truly say Scott and Rissa Marlar the two most selfless people I know.  They gave up their lives in Texas to come serve and help a church in Auckland.  God is doing amazing things there and wish we could have stayed longer.

Here is our final picture with the Marlar family before we headed off to the airport.

Just a picture with Callie and I.  We bought matching shoes – and this picture makes us look like bobble heads!!

Jeremy and Eliza came to the airport as well.  We all ate dinner together in the food court then the Marlars left for a meeting.  These two stayed and played some cards with us to help pass some of the time!  Then, it was off to the terminal… time to leave New Zealand.

We truly had a life changing experience these last 1.5 years.  God has changed us and we made some great new friends.  It’s impossible to put it down in words, but I hope the blogs of our adventures has given you a glimpse into a part of our journey.  We are excited to see what is in store for us next!

By Colin and Andre’a Feldhaus

While in Auckland, we met some awesome people.  One couple (who oddly enough, live in the same house as the Robertson’s did when they were in New Zealand)  took us to Muriwai Beach one day.  We went late in the afternoon and stayed until right before sunset – which was around 4:30 – 5:00pm… early, i know!  It was pretty windy, but we all bundled up and enjoyed the sunshine while it was there!  Here are some photographs of the beach.

Colin loved the silhouette of the birds.

The lighting was amazing with all the rays shooting through the clouds.

We also saw this neat rock wall that had amazing texture.  I kinda wonder how the rock got that way…

This is Jeremy and Eliza – the couple who took us out here.  (Jeremy is the one that traded his iphone for the van.)

Just a hilarious photo…

By Colin and Andre’a Feldhaus

When we weren’t staying with the Marlars, we stayed with another awesome family.  It was with a lady names Louise and her son Liam.  Liam fell in love with Colin and looked forward to wrestling with him every evening.  He was the cutest kid and had so much energy.  Here are some of the photographs we took.

These first 3 are just Liam making faces… typical kid stuff.

Liam punching Colin.

Colin probably dragging Liam around on the ground.

Tickle Time!!!!!

By Colin and Andre’a Feldhaus

We finally made it back up to Auckland to stay with one of our new favorite families… the Marlar’a.  We stayed with them for a couple months when we first arrived back in August – and they offered to let us stay with them part of the time we were back here.  I think we have adopted them as our family away from home.  Anyway, we had authentic american left over s’mores ingredients from our Active New Zealand trip that were given to us.  So, we’d been saving them to eat here with the Marlar’s.  Let the fun begin…

This was our solution to a “campfire”…  Colin be careful!!! Don’t burn the house down!

Rissa making the perfect brown – not burnt – roasted marshmellow!

Colin burning his again.

Look at all that concentration… only the best for Rissa!

Time to eat!

Sweet Callie girl making hers.

nice smashing and fork action.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm….

Chow down!!!

I don’t think the Marlars like s’mores… especially Scott.   They don’t miss American food at all!!!!

The only one missing was Casey.  We all enjoyed our s’mores making while Casey was working.  We almost felt bad… but not enough to wait!

By Colin and Andre’a Feldhaus

There was just too many pictures to put all in one post.

Here are some more of colin and I caving and crawling in tight spaces.

The only other person besides Colin, that could crawl through this tunnel was the tiny indian guy.  Way to go Colin… I got stuck.

The big race.  We all started in a straight line and had a race upstream in 4ft water.  The prize – a cadbury chocolate bar.  That being said, Colin was all in!  When the whistle was blown, the two boys that were on my sides, jumped ahead and showered me with water from their tubes and feet.  So i am in the back with my foot up in the air struggling to catch up… thanks boys…

Colin is no longer even in the picture because he was so far ahead.  I am in last place here – but, the two guys that were 3rd and 4th stoppped because someone lost their boot.  So while they were trying to pick it up and figure out who’s it was, I snuck into 3rd place!

Here’s the big winner – you can’t even see any of us behind him… I’d say Colin’s pretty serious about his chocolate!

The group again.

To end the trip, we had to come out where we entered.  This is where the rock climbing came in.  The cool part was, it was almost 7pm and pitch black outside.  The sun had gone down so we climbed up at night – and you could see heaps of glow worms all the way up.  It was an amazing time and something i won’t ever forget!

By Colin and Andre’a Feldhaus

While we were in Cambridge, we took a day trip out to Waitomo to visit the famous glow worm caves.  This was the last big adventure we had planned on this trip to New Zealand.  We have actually been looking forward to the Waitomo caves since we were last in the area last august.  We signed up for a 5 hour afternoon caving tour that included abseiling, viewing glow worms, black water rafting, caving, and rock climbing.  When we arrived, we found out the other 3 guys on our trip were all from Texas as well!  go figure – that is completely random and the odds of that happening are so slim!  So we started off getting suited up – and yes, we look very good and stylish.  Then it was off to the site to practice for our abseil right at the beginning.

Here we are practicing.

This is on our way to the entrance of the cave.

Colin led the pack as the first one abseiling down into the cave.

And me on my way down.

The group

Colin and I black water rafting.  I had to hold on to the rocks just to stay still so the current wouldn’t push me along.

carrying our tubes to the down stream a bit.

Probably shouldn’t be going backwards down a rapid in a pitch black cave…

At least one of us got it right.

Can you say COLD!!!

These last 3 photos are of us caving and crawling through tunnels – and yes they were VERY tight squeezes!

nice face colin…

By Colin and Andre’a Feldhaus

It was time to go see our friends the Badgers.  Colin had met Lincoln in Australia when he was working for John North.  (John and Lincoln both work for Ambassadors for Christ International.)  Lincoln and Rhonda Badger came down and surprised us one day (actually 2 days before we finished our work in Okarito).  It was so good to see them and spent 5 days at their home in Cambridge.

Rhonda is an EXCELLENT cook!  She fed us so well while we were staying with them… bacon and egg pie, potato and leek soup, and so much more.  Lincoln kept telling me how wonderful her homemade meat pies were – so lucky for us, she made them while we were there.  Colin asked Rhonda if I could sit in and watch her make the pies, so that I would be able to make meat pies back home.  So, Rhonda was brave and let me make them while she instructed me as to what I needed to do.

Here’s the pies in the oven…

And the final product… not to bad for my first meat pies ever!!!!

By Colin and Andre’a Feldhaus

So here it is… the Zorb.  The Marlar’s – who we stayed with in Auckland when we first arrived – told us how much fun this was and that zorbing was a must do!  So, here we are, at the beginning of winter… in a bit of rain and shine… going to hop in an giant human hamster ball with water… and roll down a hill.  It was hard to get motivated to get in a ball of water when it’s already cold outside, but we worked up the nerve.  We got our “water clothes” on and went to the top.  To our surprise – they filled the ball with WARM water!  kudos for that!!!  It was much more bearable sitting in warm water.

So here is us rolling down the hill.  It is absolutely the most hilarious thing I have ever done!  We both loved it and I remember Colin laughing the whole way down.

here we are at the bottom of the hill – inside the zorb ball.

and us popping out…

and us freezing outside, soaking wet, white as albinos because it’s not warm enough to ever wear shorts.  FUN FUN FUN!

by colin and andre’a feldhaus