Beer, beer, and more beer. So, I decided to make a big portion of my trip devoted to wine... I mean beer. I guess after making homebrewing a hobby, it's nice to see what the professionals do and how they do it. So, while I was in Boston, I stopped over at the Sam Adams brewery, which is now used for test batches. They had us all try eating differently kilned barley and smell their hops. I think I was the only one who actually ate some of the hops and then proceded to rub it on my neck like cologne, but hey we all have our individual tastes ;)
At the end of the tour they have some beer tasting. Unfortunately, they chose to display some of their normal/average beers. Therefore, I had to cross the street to the pub to try some of their more interesting brews. I have to say that my favorite was one of their IPAs. They make 2, one tastes average to bad, the other is great. I wish I could remember which one was which...
The other major brewery I checked out was Stone, over near San Diego , CA. I had no idea that their production facility was so large. They're even expanding beyond what I saw. I have to say that their facility is really nice. There is a bistro at the front that has a huge selection of beer, some of the finest in the world. I was a little sad that I had to drive.
The last stop was Pizza Port, which is a pizzeria that has a few small fermentors. They are actually very famous in the beer world and after trying some of their beers, I can understand why. I had an amazing American Stout, one of the award winners, at the particular Pizza Port (their are 4 locations all brewing different beer). The location I chose was right down the road from the aiport... how convenient.
It's strange to see snow when living in a place where it never snows. I had a window seat on my flight to New Zealand and was watching a Pink Floyd documentary during the flight. It's rare that I fly with the fancy airlines that have enetertainment seats.... but I got a good deal on the tickets. Anyhow, every time I'd glance outside, I'd notice the clouds. Finally, on one glance, I realized that the clouds were actually New Zealand. 
Taking a break from the daily Melbourne grind, it was time to see the mountains. I spent a wonderful weekend with some of my closest Kiwi friends. The only downside is that I was sick all weekend. We stayed in a lovely resort with spa and all of the skiing essentials. The resort also had an amazing view. We could see the lovely Southern Alps out of the back balcolny. 
I gave skis a try. This was my third day on skis and I'm beginning to think that they're more fun than a snowboard. This is particularily true if one can get the beautiful colors of the 80s in their ski set. 
