Everyone told me I was crazy for wanting to travel with a dog. If I had thought traveling alone was hard, how was it going to be when I had a pet? How often would I stop? Where was I going to stay? What if I couldn’t find anything dog-friendly?The questions were endless, but I was determined.

I knew America was big. A sideways glance at a map can show it’s one of the largest countries in the world. I never expected this to be a small journey, but there’s one lesson I’ve picked up that has put a lot of things into perspective for me: When it comes to traveling, there’s a big difference between traveling for pleasure and traveling for business.

It’s no secret that California has had a rough time the last few years.Between the drought, the fires, and the fact that everyone in the world wans to be here, I’ll admit, I started looking at California with jaded eyes.As someone who grew up just outside of the perfection that is Yosemite, I always had an appreciation for nature.

I had three WWOOFing experiences during my time in Aotearoa, but I must admit, Gilly's involvement in the third one made it the best.

All three experiences occurred in close quarters with each other, but I’d arranged the final one before I left California.

I was initially contacted by Ruth, who I’m insistent is one of the kindest souls I’ve ever encountered. After my week with her, she arranged for me to help out at the Stubbs’ farm.

When I told my bus driver I was hopping off in Waitomo, he responded, “Why? The only thing to do there is Blackwater Rafting. You’ll be bored out of your mind, but good luck.”

I didn’t let his negativity sway me. He didn’t know about the connections I had in Waitomo who assured my lack of boredom.

To my surprise, hardly anyone else knew this was a filming location for Narnia. I didn’t realize I’d be the only one excited about that aspect, but no matter. The mind of the fantasy author is not one to be questioned or tampered with, and just as I did as a child through the forests of Yosemite, my mind took me into the world of Narnia.

A week wasn’t a week in New Zealand unless accompanied by at least one major mental breakdown. Each meltdown came in waves, and fear always acted as its driving force. I’d suffered through Auckland and feared I wouldn’t enjoy the trip — only to find the Williams. I then got comfortable at their residence until it came time to face the fears again.

During my research about ways to save money in New Zealand, I found Willing Workers on Organic Farms, or “WWOOFing.”

Part of the comfort zone I stepped out of coming to New Zealand revolved around my work life. I knew how to do what I was familiar with, but I wanted to learn what else was out there.

My original plan upon arrival in New Zealand was to check into the hostel, buy a ticket for the Sky Tower, and jump off of it.

I even booked my hostel right next to the Sky Tower so I wouldn’t get lost.

People didn’t think I could survived this trip, and I wanted to make a statement, start bold and do something that evoked adrenaline and proved I could do whatever I wanted.