Sam's BlogLet Sam motivate you and read his lastest musings and observations.

As I arrived at Auckland International terminal 2hrs late, one of the first things I noticed was the amazingly large people these islanders were. They are tall and big and consists of a large proportion of New Zealand population; their tallness, their large heads and bodies, their large heads. Their large facial features including big lips, wide eyes and the most amazing of smiles with their white teeth showing.

I jumped into a cab at 1.30am and headed over the other side of the city to the North Shore. The cab driver was a fellow Indian, complete, with a turban and Indian accent. After swapped Indian journeys he then dropped me off at my accommodation which I was only there for about 4hrs in total. Just enough time NOT to get a good night sleep before speaking to 80 business people at a breakfast and 160 young girls at 9am. After leaving the all girls Catholic High school and 2 standing ovations, I was picked up by Grant.

Grant is a middle aged guy that drives a ute / truck. Have you noticed recently the size of the average ute is getting bigger, they are like mini trucks. So here we were driving about 3 and a half hours in a diesel mini truck South East of Auckland to a place called Mt Maunganui. Mt Maunganui is on the North Island round about the middle but on the East Coast. It is part of the Bay of Plenty, a wonderful and breath-taking place and a population close to 300,000. It is New Zealand’s fastest growing city and there is new infrastructure going up everywhere. The best way to describe this region is it’s similarity to the Tasmanian Mountains and the funky community and relevant culture of that of Bondi beach; but obviously a little colder.

Grant takes me to his home on the mountains above the city and the view is, plain and simply put, one of the BEST views I have EVER seen on the planet. It stretchers out over the greenness of pine plantations to the fingers of land and the ocean combined. And then you have the mountain itself. It is situated on the end of a flat piece of land, and is a mountain that is around 232metres above the sea which surrounds it. It is breath-taking!

I finish the day sitting in front of an open fire chatting to these amazing people that built the house. They are the Mt Mosaic creators and are a fine example of brilliant hospitality. We chat about life, and changing the world through relationships and connectedness. As we chat, the sun begins to settle and we can see the amazing beauty of creation and I sit here wishing that my wife and family could be here with me… actually I wish that every person on the planet can see, experience and marvel at the awesomeness of creation at it’s finest… which just happened to be right here in my opinion!

So after finishing my first ever day in New Zealand, I ponder at the similarities of Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand is a beautiful country with many areas and people that are waiting to be discovered. I have loved this place from the moment I stepped off the plane… I’m really looking forward to the next few days… nite –