Old Zealand

My last few weeks in New Zealand have passed quickly. I'm writing from Auckland, where I arrived yesterday morning, after four months in Blenheim. In conclusion to what has to be one of the longest official harvests in Marlborough history, we pressed our final load of pinot grapes on Friday 8 June, nearly three months after receiving our first fruit.

My time in New Zealand has been wonderful. I've met great people and shared some amazing experiences. If I'm lucky, I'll see some of them this September in Napa for another harvest. I've also been able to save enough money to avoid working for the next 3 or 4 months while I bicycle through Southeastern Europe with a couple of friends from college. We're hoping to be on the road before the end of June. I've learned a bit about making white wine, seen the Southern Cross, and furthered my opinion that it's nearly impossible to drink a gallon of milk within an hour and keep it down for an additional hour (see below: warning, video involves vomiting and hilarity). I've found what I was looking for in France, and I only had to travel 13,000 miles to find it. But the real adventure is only beginning. Thank you to everyone back home who has supported me and accepted my paucity of personal emails. Thank you to everyone here in New Zealand who has made this experience one of the best of my life.

And now, without further ado, Vince and Josh learn that the Gallon Challenge isn't something to be taken lightly.