A weekend in Kenya

So I was in Nairobi, Kenya for work as we opened our new John Deere office there. So I took the opportunity to stay the weekend before heading to South Africa to visit my team! I went to Mount Kenya - amazing! I stayed at Sweetwater Tented Camp on a game park where animals are every where! It was amazing and beautiful! I will post more about the hike to 14,000 ft on Mt Kenya as well as the safaris soon. But here are some pictures:




Start of my hike!




Giraffe from my tent




Sunrise on Mount Kenya and giraffes at the watering pond




My tent



My view from my tent



The Camps restaurant



Kenyan market on a Sunday




Nuyuki, Kenya - farming village

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A fun weekend in Singapore

The Formula 1 race is a big weekend in Singapore! The only night Formula 1 race and it's through the downtown streets of Singapore. I can see (and hear) most of it from my apartment. Saturday night we went to the race - mostly for the concerts! Got to listen to some great music and enjoy the time outside as the cars race by.
Also, it is the Autumn Festival in a week- a big holiday for the Chinese. Singapore has some great festivities going on to celebrate especially in Chinatown. Here are some pictures from a weekend in Singapore!




Chinatown celebrating Autumn Festival



View of the race course from my apartment after a rain storm... But then the weather cleared up!



Formula 1 race



Maroon 5











Autumn festival

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Hiking in China

Another fun hiking trip with Beijing Hikers! Today we went to the Intelligence Valley. And it was a beautiful blue sky day! Always love those in Beijing! We spent the day hiking and enjoying the weather.
We then had lunch with a local farmer with all home grown food. Berry good! And we finished the day hiking up to the Great Wall! Every hike should end with the Great Wall! Here are some pictures!




The start!




Proudly wearing my Packer shirt!




Beautiful day!








A small lake




Crossing some streams




Going up




Me and the Great Wall




At a tower




A cave




Resting at a Great Wall tower








Hello!




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Visiting the South Island, New Zealand

I got to spend some amazing time in New Zealand! Always on my list and when Lena said she was going before she moved back to USA, I had to join her! And it is amazing! I loved the beautiful mountains, cold winter weather, and friendly people of NZ! Everyone was so kind. Lena and I started in Queenstown - a cute little town in the South on a lake in the mountains. It was lovely. We spent a day at Millford Sound  - we cruised around the sound in a boat and headed out to sea. It is the 2nd rainiest place on earth so the waterfalls were flowing. We enjoyed our water taxis into town for fish and chips too! Next we started the drive north to the glaciers! We spend a couple days in the Glacier Country. One afternoon we kayaked along a glacier lake. It was like glass - you could see complete reflection of everything including the moon on the water. And of course the mountain scenery was perfect! Next we hiked a glacier! Fox Glacier is incredible. I loved hiking on a glacier. Especially when settled in between mountains. We hiked all day wearing crazy attachments to our boots so we wouldn't slip on the ice. The best part of the day was when we got to crawl through some of the ice. Really amazing! Next we headed back to Christchurch! Part of the town still closed due to the earthquake but the rest of the town is lovely and the people continue to be so kind! Lena headed back to Singapore but I stayed another day to ski Mount Hutt! What a great day! The snow is a little icy in NZ but it was an amazing day skiing on the Southern Alps! I loved it! I can't wait to go again. And skiing in August was perfect!
What a great trip! I can't wait to go back and do some more hiking and skiing! Had a blast! One of the top 5 places I have ever been!!!! Thanks Lena for a great trip!

The South Coast

Lena and I hiking Fox Glacier

Fox Glacier

On the glacier

Inside a tunnel

I loved hiking the glacier

Breaking the ice

Lena and I on the glacier

West Coast

Beatiful Day

Jump shot during a hike

Jump shot with a waterfall

Lena and I hiking

Views are incredible

Sking Mt Hutt

The Southern Alps

Loved skiing the Souther Alps

Queenstown



Kea



Bus to Millford Sound




Getting on the boat



Millford Sound






Waterfall at Millford Sound



Lena and I as we get close to the waterfall



A little town in NZ - so beautiful!




Having a local beer while the locals watch the ruby game




Water taxi!



Beer and fire after glacier hiking!




Queenstown