Asheville, NC

Finally the car moves. In an attempt to get to New Zealand, the first thing we had to do was drive to Asheville, NC. And as a place to start our travels, it may be one of the better places. Nestled in the hills of the Smokey Mountains, Asheville is a wonderful combination of a mountain town, an eco village, and a sleepy southern 'burg. Even better than the city itself was being so warmly welcomed by our friends Jean and Boris, who we hadn't seen in years, as well as their great roommates and adorable son, Sava. With some world travelers in the bunch, we got some good tips, like exotic fruits to try in NZ and Jean's parting words, "remember, everything's temporary"! Pretty reassuring...