Happy Birthday Vytas.

Vytas (or should I say Dr Masteika) is 28 today and I'm sure he is having a wonderful time somewhere in SE Asia. (Laos last time I heard.) 

I'm sure that for Vytas the most important event in the past year has been his engagement to Sally. Typically of Vytas he proposed half-way up a mountain.  

For most of the past year Vytas and Sally have been living and working in Auckland, NZ.  They have been able to visit the main LOTR location sites sending home plenty of photos for me to enjoy.

They seem to have embraced the NZ outdoor way of life with weekends spent hiking, camping, caving and trying out water sports.

As well as exploring the top of North Island they flew down to Wellington for a long week-end. Naturally the Weta Workshop was not to be missed. 

December 24th they flew down to South Island to start their travels. (In a proper plane.)

A surprise Christmas present from us was a helicopter flight up on to a spectacular glacier. 

Lots of hiking and other sporty activities around South Island before flying to SE Asia, Borneo, Thailand and Laos so far I think.

They've been jungle trekking to see the orang utangs, visiting temples, chilling out on beaches ....... 

 ....... Visiting more caves and communing with elephants in Thailand.

And they have another 2 months of adventures before returning to the UK. Keep on posting those photos Vytas.