It's been nearly two weeks since my last update! Yes, I slack. But then again, internet connectivity has been sporadic for us here in California. Since my last update we have done no less than the following (I've probably forgotten something):

- visited the Chinese Theater in Hollywood
- driven Mulholland Drive
- stayed with my friend Scott and his family in Bakersfield, CA
- fixed the cruise control on the car
- ate at Mclintock's in Shell Beach, CA
- missed riding ATVs at the Pismo Beach sand dunes because of time constraints
- visited Montana de Oro State Park
- had some great hot dogs in Morro Bay, CA
- visited Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA
- drove across the San Joaquin Valley to Yosemite National Park
- hiked up to Vernal Falls
- hiked in to Mirror Lake (which isn't a lake at all this time of year because it's dry)
- drove up to Glacier Point
- missed seeing a bear and two cubs at Glacier Point by mere seconds as they went over a ridge
- left Yosemite a day earlier than planned so we could pack our tent up while it was still dry (it rained that night)
- drove back across the San Joaquin Valley to the coast
- visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium
- didn't drive the 17 Mile Drive because they wanted $8.50 just to drive it
- met thomasj in San Jose
- visited the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA
- had some great sushi at Totoro Sushi
- visited the Big Basin Redwood State Park southwest of San Jose
- saw Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
- visited Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco
- ate clam chowder from a sourdough bread bowl at Boudin Bakery
- stayed with our friends Eric and Sarah in Hayward, CA
- ate Dim Sum in chinatown
- skipped riding on a cable car because $5 per person, one way, is a bit steep
- walked up to Coit Tower to take pictures
- stopped and watched some setup for filming of the movie Pursuit of Happyness

We now have put at least 6720 miles on the car since we left. Having the cruise control again is so much nicer, and sure helps with the fuel efficiency too.

The one thing we had booked ahead of time (back in august) was three days of camping in Yosemite, so most of our trip up until then had been roughly scheduled in order to put us in Yosemite at the right time. Now we have no more hard commitments, so depending on how soon we feel like getting to Canada we might be on the road for as little as a week more.

Once we get to Canada, the first order of business will be to collect all the paperwork necessary to send to the New Zealand immigration office so they can start processing my actual application for permanent residency. Depending on how long the paperwork takes, we expect to leave for New Zealand perhaps as early as the new year, or a month or two later. We would like it to be sooner rather than later, so we can catch the end of summer in the southern hemisphere. We plan to do this same sort of trip around New Zealand once we get there so we can figure out where we want to settle down.