So here it is January and ever since January of 2004 this month has always brought about a pang of sadness to my heart. The reason being that the first four months of 2004 were quite possibly some of the best of my life. It was then that I was able to pioneer my college’s brand new study abroad program, the Pacific Rim Study Abroad.
Man was I hyped and excited for a four month journey across three continents, five countries and more cultural boundaries than I ever could have imagined. Not to mention the lifelong friendships that I would forge and the “Sweet As” adventures we would partake in! (Sweet As is a common Kiwi saying for something that is really cool) (Kiwi is another word for a New Zealander).
We started our trip with a couple days in Beijing China, then spent four weeks on the north island of New Zealand, then two weeks in Sydney Australia, and the outback at a hostel that has no roads to it (gotta go by boat) then back the China for six weeks, studying and traveling all around including Xi’An to see the Terra Cotta Army, and then to Japan for a day, and to top it all off we had a two week stopover on the island of Oahu on the way home.
Now you are starting to grasp the reasons why I say they could be the best four months of my life.
Anyways, a new group is partaking of this adventure right now, and when the photos pop up of their musings and journeys, it always brings me back to the same sullen path of wonderful memories.
So I decided to post a few photos of some of those great memories. If you don’t like them, sorry, this post is more for the writer than the reader… 
Here is a shot of me on the Great Wall
This was taken on Piha Beach (a black sand beach) about 45 minutes outside of Auckland, New Zealand.
A couple of cool Beijing Street Cops…
The infamous live scorpion that I ate…video below the picture…
For the video click HERE
The Opera House…
And finally, some of the crew that went surfing with Uncle Robbie at Barber Point on Oahu…
And last but not least, this time of year it is nice to look at a picture that warms you up, so here is a shot of Josh Boyer and I watching a sunset in Nanakuli on the West shore of Oahu.
Well memories fade, but photos always help…I’m ready to go again…
Flashback to the Good ‘Ol Days