Sites of Ideas about Bicycling through New Zealand

Looks like I'll need multiple trips to New Zealand to have all the adventure I want. This trip I won't have time to enjoy a bicycling trip (but perhaps I can squeeze at least one day of cycling in). A friend asked for cycling trip info, and I found these four sites that look tantalizing - especially the first two:
Here are links to four web sites I found for bicycling in New Zealand. Let me know what you end up doing.
http://www.activenewzealand.com/?gclid=CMaJ_b2GlJcCFQOaFQodbSkv-A

http://www.pedalerspubandgrille.com/rides/nz-grand.htm?gclid=CKL_ttKHlJcCFRgqHgod-kWo-w

http://www.vbt.com/Warm-Winter-Destinations/New-Zealand/New-Zealand-The-South-Island-2008/Bicycle-Tour-Details.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_keyword=default&gclid=CP_SxqGHlJcCFQSPFQodMBKl-Q


http://gorptravel.away.com/xnet/search-2.tcl?destination_id=149&activity_id=1

PLANNING YOUR VISIT

I think it would be possible to spend my entire trip exploring Northland. They have an amazing website to help you plan your trip including activities, lodging and cultural treats. Before you abandon North Island for the call of Queenstown on South Island, be sure to surf this Northland site: http://www.northlandnz.com/visit/

I had no idea that there is just as much adventure to be had on North Island as on South Island. If you want to scuba dive, sail, kayak or go sand tobogganning, consider spending some time in Northland. Oops, have begun drooling with excitement so Kia Ora for now.

Hey, Now I'm Reminding People of GI Jane!

I saw my podiatrist yesterday and he thinks my current "look" resembles Demi Moore in "GI Jane" so this weekend I hope to meet a younger man like Ashton Kutcher. . . .

Biggest concern about the military look would be if Bush decides civilian women can be shipped off to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan based on haircut.

The journey is what it is all about

My hair is starting to grow back in nicely and the tattoo has completely warn off. My hair should be back to normal before long. I am starting to think about when I want to travel to NZ. I look forward to the trip and all of the cool things to see. As for the hair, honestly I have realized that I really like my hair! LOL. Being a redhead I kind of feel like an important part of my identity was removed. I guess it is because I was used to people making comments on my hair from an early age when they noticed the red color. Now that unique part of my identity has just started to resurface. I think I appreciate it even more now. I am glad I had this experience because it has made me think a little about things like that. Our physical presentation to the world and how that affects how we view ourselves. I think there will be great discoveries and even more experiences ahead on the trip and I look forward to continuing this journey.

Close up on a fading billboard & DOUBLE VISION

OH WHERE, OH WHERE, HAS MY BILLBOARD GONE?

I Must Suppress the Tomboy in Me with such short, short hair

Today, I learned that if I don't want to be viewed as a lesbian with short, butch hair, I should not attach my metal water bottle to a belt loop on my jeans by a carrabeaner. My hands were full, so I thought it made sense to exploit the carrabeaner -- never thinking sexual preference could be indicated by a haircut and a carrabeaner.

Admittedly, I should have picked a loop back more toward my butt rather than two loops from my belt buckle. With the bottle positioned on my upper left thigh not far from my zipper area, it did give me a semblance of a swagger. Okay, it practically swung between my legs -- but hey, my hands were full. I guess it was more Rosie O'Donnell of me than Audrey Hepburn, but I was being practical.

Anyway, I found out from the guy running lights for my friend's play that with my short, short hair and my water bottle striking my thigh, as I entered the theatre, he pegged me to be a lesbian. When I was explaining my faded henna tattoo and remarked that "barely there" hair makes people think I'm either punk or gay, he told me he had thought gay -- with the water bottle. I immediately unhooked the carrabeaner from my belt loop.

At least I no longer seem to strike people as a chemo patient, but with my henna almost completely faded, I'm not that convincing as a billboard either.

Tonight I just used a hand mirror to inspect the back of my head. You can almost make it out the henna tattoo if you know you are looking for: "NEED A CHANGE? HEAD DOWN TO NEW ZEALAND" The website address has completely vanished.

If you don't know what you're looking for, my head CLOSE UP reads: ".. EED .. A.. AGE? HEAD DOWN . . . ZEALAND"

In the meantime, studying my head in the hand mirror, you can easily see three scars on top of my head where hair isn't really growing. That's from the cat who jumped on top of my head when I was about three and came between the cat and my boxer. Fortunately, I don't remember the blood and the stitches from that cranial cat attack. Next time someone refuses to accept I had my head shaved for a trip to New Zealand, maybe I'll blame it on a cat claw dancing on my head when I was three.

GEE, MY BILLBOARD IS ALMOST GONE

After the initial trauma of having my head shaved. . . twice in one week, each day less of my henna tattoo is legible -- both fading and obscured by hair.

Despite the side glances from passerbys who believe I'm either a chemo patient or recovering from brain surgery, anyone who paused long enough to read my skull was intrigued. Now I feel like my head in disappearing into the punk scene -- perhaps I need to join a band. . . .

I've started wondering whether some re-applied henna over my hair might revitalize my tattoo. Or what if only the back of my head was re-shaved for a fresh henna tat? Would that make me some kind of mullet billboard?

If John McCain had seen one of our 30 cranial billboards, might he have desperately made Sarah shave her head? The day our heads were shaved, many billboards really wanted a henna Obama applied to the side of our craniums. Fortunately, Barack won without such cranial support.

A friend has a t-shirt that reads: "Once you vote Barack, you can never go back." I think we billboards will never quite be the same either. After all, now that I've shaved my head for adventure, I may just need to marry a Kiwi while I'm in New Zealand. Besides I'm old enough to have already been through one marriage. . . .

Kylie's report - opening eyes about Alopecia and Air New Zealand

The first two pix of Kylie were taken at a HUGE 3 block NO ON PROP 8 Rally where she wound up by accident. Kylie reports people at the rally had "HUGE questions about alopecia and the billboard."

The third photo is Kylie with her soccer team: "So you see the wide spectrum of people who have been exposed to my ad."

Hey, My Billboard still works! & I have disowned my shadow

Day 19 of being a billboard for Air New Zealand.  After a couple of days with little notice, a man came up to me as I headed toward our building on Wilshire Blvd. and said: "What's your head say?"

I was so happy to know my cranial sign still attracted some attention.  Since all the hairs on my head are still under an inch long, I want my sign to keep attracting interest in New Zealand and its signature airline until the last speck of Henna has faded.

 On a separate note, despite encouragement to keep my hair close to this short because my skull lacks dents, I still visualize myself with more hair.  When I walk home toward sunset and my shadow is highly visible, I think: "Who's that with the alien skull?"  The shadow of my head is so petite and round that I feel disconnected from it.

I just can't wait until my hair gets long enough to cast a shadow.  In the meantime, I'm getting more excited every day planning my trip to New Zealand.  

Terry's Billboard Pix from 11-7 cocktail party for Opportunity Green

These photos were shot by Samantha Lloyd-Gordon at last Friday's cocktail reception kicking off Opportunity Green at the eco-friendly Hotel Angeleno.

As I reported in a prior blog, many of the environmentalists I met last weekend at the conference would have volunteered to have the head shaved for an opportunity to explore New Zealand.

I learned so much at Opportunity Green that I plan to start a separate Green blog.  

It turns out that going green is great for businesses because the energy savings ultimately improve a company's bottom line.  Companies including Patagonia, Pangea Organics, Leaf Paper and Walmart are focused on being sustainable and helping other companies move toward sustainability.  Ultimately, what's good for the planet is good for business because clean energy leads to savings that help a white roof with daylight collectors pay for itself quickly.  Walmart sees the value in sustainability and is sharing its knowledge with other stores like Costco and Target.  

. . .to be continued. . .

Well, my hair is growing back (with amazing speed according to my co-workers) and the tattoo is completely gone now so I'm experiencing life as a (very) short-haired-girl.  I have a few observations: 1. I really like being able to take a shower whenever I want and not having to do anything to my hair 2. I still find myself reading Glamour and paying attention to hairstyles even though I've got a good 6 mo before I need them again 3. There are a lot of women out there whose hair is not doing them any favors (I feel like I've got guy goggles on now and can pick out the women that do and don't use their hair to their advantage) 4. I am allowed to be judgemental about hair because everyone else is judging me (I can feel it) 5. My favorite thing is getting home and taking my hat/scarf/etc off  6. I would keep my hair short forever if it weren't a social stigma- I don't like people staring and then quickly smiling 7. I've never felt so edgy before and it's inspiring me to wear crazy clothes 8. I'm acquiring a very fun scarf wardrobe and am skilled in wrapping them 9. I can't wait to go to new zealand and am having trouble getting the time off- what the hell! I shaved my head for this give me a few freaking weeks off without pay ok!!? 10. Any of you semi-bald guys out there looking for a very short - haired date?  This is not going very well as far as the singles scene......

Will I ever want to come back from NZ?

Now that I've begun planning my New Zealand adventure, I wonder if I'll want to come back.  If you are planning a trip, you may want to check out a few websites:

For scuba diving, I'm planning to go out with Dive Tutukaka - the only activity operator in New Zealand so far who have been awarded the Qualmark Enviro Gold logo and were also founding members of the Northland Sustainable Tourism Charter: www.diving.co.nz 

It looks like I'll spend three days in Tauranga Bay in the Bay of Islands for both cultural and eco adventures including visiting the Waitangi Treaty Grounds (www.waitangi.net.nz), taking a Maori canoe (waka) trip with www.taiamaitours.co.nz and going kayaking with Richard Israel from Northland Sea Kayaking (www.northlandseakayaking.co.nz )

Next there will be sand tobaggoning in Hokianga followed by a forest walk with Maori guides - http://www.footprintswaipoua.co.nz/index.html

and I haven't even researched a visit yet to the wine country from where our Kiwi billboard Paul Carton hails.

ARE YOUR BAGS PACKED YET?

Andrew's Billboard is a Hit at a Hockey Game

One of our billboards, Andrew Shanks, shared this report on his Air New Zealand noggin:

I went to an ice hockey game the other night and was in the first row of the section with a full crowd behind me. I could hear everyone behind me talking about the message on my head. Curiosity got the better of alot of them and they had to ask more.

The guys directly behind me initally thought I must work for Air New Zealand and were amazed that Air New Zealand's employees were so dedicated to the cause! HA HA!

Being in the front row, I made a point of standing up as much as possible on any good plays to get as much exposure as possible. By the end of the game I was feeling like quite the VIP in my area. Just walking around the back areas and waiting in lines for food and drinks was a laugh because everyone wanted to talk to me about New Zealand while waiting in line. They had either been or knew someone who had or wanted to go themselves one day.

Of course, I told them that Air New Zealand was ready to take all of them there any time of the year!

Saturday at the Green Opportunities Conference

The eco conference at UCLA was fantastic.  Tomorrow I'll blog in greater detail about the event.  The cool thing Saturday was that my head/billboard seemed to only attract positive attention.  Even better, two women said that they would like to go to New Zealand as much as me -- enough to shave their head for a trip!  Several men at the conference also said they would happily present their craniums to Air New Zealand for a chance to head off for a Kiwi adventure.

At the after party Saturday night, I found out even alcohol can be grown sustainably. Barbelles, a green bartending service (www.barbelles.org) served up sustainable cocktails in bio-degradable cups.  I tried a vodka tonic made with Crop Cucumber Vodka.  It smelled like cucumber and went down clean and smooth. 

Day13 as a Billboard

See how many hairs are now on my head?  And yet my Air New Zealand message remains.  Sadly, the Air New Zealand web address is growing more and more obscure.

The hair on my head feels like puppy fur.  When I rub my head on some level, I think, Good Dog - which is not necessarily healthy for my psyche.

Tonight I went to a cocktail party for Green Opportunity, an eco conference at UCLA this weekend.  My shaved head was as welcome at this eco event as it was my gay friend's wedding.  A few guys said they would happily shave their heads and be a billboard in exchange for a ticket to New Zealand.  A few people had been to New Zealand and said it's one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

One woman, however, did admit that she initially thought I was either in chemo therapy or a lesbian -- so I still worry this look may make it difficult to find the right guy.  It's a shame I signed up for Match.com one week before my head shaving.  But then again I wouldn't want to be with someone who lacks a sense of adventure.

Report from a Kiwi - Paul C.

To all those who don't speak Kiwi - (technically Maori, New Zealand's native tribe), here are two phrases to pack for your trip: Kia Ora (also the name of ANZ's flight magazine) literally translates: "be well/healthy" -- it expresses good will or gratitude -- typically not a sentiment found in traffic on an LA freeway.

Kia Kaha means: literally 'be strong'; roughly "be of good heart, we are supporting you"

To study more New Zealand English, go to: http://www.tvwiki.tv/wiki/New_Zealand_English

Paul reported to Sarah, our billboard wrangler: Kia Ora. The owner of the company wasn't too pleased --

Owner: You need to grow your hair or wear a hat cause you look like s*%t!!!

Paul: Oh well !! (but dreaming of New Zealand)

Although Paul viewed his billboard as water off a bald head, his employer didn't think much of his free speech.

On a brighter note, Bugs & Daffy loved my head at Magic Mountain.

Paul says a variety of people were intrigued and enthusiastic about his deployment as a cranial billboard. It was especially entertaining to watch reactions while waiting in long lines for a ride. Just seeing people's expressions as they wanted to look -- but tried not to look until Paul encouraged them. Once Paul welcomed their viewing, people were "all up in the business (when, how, what)."

"One business man actually from New Zealand called me the smartest person he has met in a while (the complete opposite from the comments from my own boss!!! Gee, maybe I need to look at my work status????).

If Air New Zealand needs any more promotional assistance from Paul's cranium, he'll be happy to step up (as would I this moderator -- if I could keep at least the peach fuzz covering my pate).

Paul says: "I would be glad to represent Air New Zealand & my country that I love!!!!!
I thoroughly enjoyed every part of this journey from the selection , the shaving and the comradery of all that were selected."

Go, billboards -- what an adventure this has been. And yet it's nothing compared to what awaits us in New Zealand -- a land of pristine beauty calling all kayakers, divers, rafters, parapenters and hang gliders!!

Mark M's Halloween Report

Before heading off to Toronto this weekend to attend an airport concessions conference (which he anticipates will be interesting), Mark shared his Halloween report:

"Halloween was interesting; I wore an Obama mask, but I really got attention when I took it off. I shared my story with everyone at the party (parents of kids that our kids go to school with). It turned out that that several of us had been to New Zealand previously, so we spent about an hour recounting our adventures and favorite places down there. I think the consensus was that jet boating and black water cave tubing are tops!"

WOW! I was looking forward to adventures scuba diving in Northland and the Cook Islands, white water rafting and parapenting in Queenstown, NZ -- and now I must research jet boating and black water cave tubing!!!

Gee, will we billboards want to return once we arrive in the land of adventure?

Vann Johnson's Halloween Adventure

San Diego 10/31/08

Vann reports that his Air New Zealand walking Cranial billboard costume attracted a lot of attention. As you can see he tried to capture bits and pieces of the land of adventure with pictures of rugby, beer, sheep, an Air New Zealand plane along with a map of New Zealand from Kia Ora (Air New Zealand's flight magazine).

No trick, heading down to New Zealand will be a treat!

HURRAY! OBAMA is our new President!

Since many of the cranial billboards expressed a willingness to have a henna OBAMA tattoo put on the side of their head, it seems only fitting to say THIS BILLBOARD WILL SLEEP WELL TONIGHT.

Change has come to America.  Many who first saw "change" on the back of my head initially thought I was promoting Obama rather than Air New Zealand.  See how powerful subtext can be?

I've Developed Empathy for the Follicle-Challenged

Gee, having my head shaved has been an eye-opener and a head chiller. How do bald men or women do it? My head shivers as I walk to the bus stop in Santa Monica each morning. I now have some pimples on my head from the oil of sunscreen. I didn't want my head to burn. Now I don't want my head to have zits. Geez.

Prior to being a billboard, I was a bit of a hair bigot. I could appreciate a bald man having nice features, but I'm definitely more drawn to guys with thick luscious hair.

Now on the elevator with my head covered with hair about 1/20 of an inch long, I'm envying the men who are bald on top with hair on the sides (whom I used to think of as "chrome domes").

At least now I know one of the things I'd like for Christmas -- got my two front teeth -- NEED HAIR.

"Hey, I love flying Air New Zealand"

I forgot to mention that along with my cranium, Air New Zealand was well received at today's wedding. Todd and Bea have flown Air New Zealand a few times from LAX to London. Todd suggested when I fly to New Zealand I should try to get in one of the back rows of coach where there are just two seats per row rather than three. Although they haven't yet been to New Zealand, they love Air New Zealand!

Others at the wedding said I have a great cranium for a billboard and think a cranium is a clever way to promote an airline. One wife told her husband who is a pilot with United, "United ought to do something like this." Lloyd told me that he had read about the Air New Zealand promotion this summer in the LA Times but thought they were only looking for Kiwi heads to shave. Had he not been in Palm Springs last weekend, he definitely would have offered his cranium to the airline!

Neal and Gordon's Wedding - Shaved Head Acceptance

Today, at my dear friend Neal's wedding, I realized why I was so upset the other day when a man gave me a card for a "women seeking women" website. Since I still long to meet Mr. Right, the notion that my shaved head was some sort of Lesbian beacon made me panic.

This doesn't mean there haven't been times I have thought "If I can't understand men, why can't I be attracted to women?" But I'm not. Instead I'm drawn to men, usually one who is my polar opposite and very mysterious (like "why doesn't he call?").

After a week of mixed reactions to my cranial billboard, I felt greater acceptance at a gay wedding than I had anywhere this week - other than Fairfax High last Sunday and the Air New Zealand office Thursday night when our heads were re-tattooed.

The crowd of about 80 people was an equal mix of straight and gay friends and family. Perhaps I experienced such acceptance in my current state of "hairlessness" because gay people and their families know what it feels like to be ostracized for being different. This was very comforting since I had to drag myself to the wedding. As I dressed I kept thinking "How can I attend a wedding with my head shaved? Yuck. What was I thinking?"

Then I arrived at Maggiano's, felt great acceptance and witnessed a loving couple commit themselves to each other before God, family, friends and the State of California. I was once part of the Christian camp that uses scripture to discriminate quoting Genesis as stating: "God created Adam and Eve" -- not Adam and Steve.

I have since evolved and no longer try to pigeon hole people. Some people are wired differently than me. Who am I to deny any loving couple an opportunity to marry?

This is not to say I've evolved to the point where I am comfortable seeing two men kiss. But then again, I prefer movies that cut to the ocean and leave something to my imagination.

Don't all Americans have a fundamental right to the pursuit of happiness under the Declaration of Independence? How can anyone deny Neal and Gordon or any other couple (straight or gay) the right to marry and pledge themselves to each other if that gives them happiness?

Say Hello to my Old Doctor in New Zealand

This morning at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market, a woman read my head and then said: "My old doctor lives in New Zealand. Will you please say hello to Dr. Millford (or something like that) for me? Say Marla (or Marie or something like that) says hello."

I explained there's a North and South Island in New Zealand. She just said to please say hello. So I said okay. I hope her doctor goes white water rafting, scuba diving or parapenting because I'm not planning to schedule medical visits on my adventure. . . .

Later this morning I had a cranial doppler test to make sure a procedure I had in July definitely closed a flap in my heart called a PFO (google it). They wanted to make sure I didn't have any bubbles in my brain (they inject some agitated saline solution to determine this). The two first year residents, Andre and Te (sp?) who administered the test were pleased to see my shaved head as it made their job easier.

My doctor, Jonathan Tobis, M.D. was glad that there were zero bubbles. The irony is that I expected nothing less than zero bubbles, while he seemed a bit relieved. Given the fact I had my head shaved for a flight to New Zealand, perhaps it was logical for him to worry I might still have bubbles in my brain.

Which just goes to show Los Angelenos need to know more about the marvels of New Zealand and the importance of my mission as a cranial billboard.

Anyone I meet who has been to New Zealand seems to understand my willingness to give up my hair in exchange for a ticket.

Tomorrow I go to Neal and Gordon's wedding. They are tying the knot while it's still legal in case Prop. 8 passes. I've already warned them about my shaved head b/c I thought they might think my missing hair was a bad omen if I surprised them. Instead, I hope my cranium will signal great adventures ahead.

One question I have is whether a bouquet will be thrown. If I catch I'm assuming I'm promised the partner of my choice, despite my short, short, short hair status.