Countdown

 In a few days we're off on another adventure, not as long but much farther away, five weeks in New Zealand!  Our first visit to the southern hemisphere. Kia ora!

The first week we'll be staying in Hamilton while I (along with my Breast Friends dragon boat team) participate in the International Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Festival taking place on Lake Karapiro. Denis will be checking out the caravan we've rented for the following four weeks, and of course, cheering us on.

As a team living in the frozen north, we haven't been in a boat for over six months! That's a bit intimidating but we've been working hard at dryland training and for the last two months have had a weekly session on ERGs (rowing machines adapted to paddling). We also have had three sessions in paddle tanks. We will have one practice session in New Zealand (1 hour).

While I've been busy with that Denis has been going over New Zealand maps, planning routes, booking ferries, listening to YouTube videos of slang/accents and taking online NZ driving tests. Left hand driving and lots of roundabouts!

This week packing is the big issue: how many pairs of shoes do we really need?



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