Weekend 5 - Mt. Taranaki

When I was little and I got upset I would say "I want to go home". Even to this day when I am upset I feel the desire to utter these words. Although, we never knew what I meant by 'home' because half the time I said it when I was at home. But I think that the home I was yearning was in essence no home at all. I wanted to escape whatever it was that was upsetting me. This trip has been an escape.

There is one feeling I love the most in life and it is the feeling of having absolutely no purpose. I love these moments because they are rare and have to be captured to be appreciated. It is in these moments that we must conquer our mind which is telling us to plan or to do instead of just be. When I have no purpose I feel what it means to exist, to simply breathe and feel the air passing in and out of my body. That is what life is, the air we breathe, the sensations we feel... When I am in this content purposeless state nothing is a means to an end everything just is. Nothing has a purpose other than to live. The tree is not there to serve anyone, it is there to exist. But its existence provides a home for the birds, shade for the horse laying beneath it, oxygen for us to breathe. It fits beautifully by just being. That is what nature does, it serves its own purpose but it all fits.

In contrast to the peaceful state we were in the day before, lacking purpose other than just taking in the world around us. The second day we hiked 25 kilometers (a 3 day circuit) in 7 hours. It was taxing, but we had a goal and we were going to achieve it. So we went up and we went down and we went up again as we went over mountains and through valleys letting our feet do the work as our minds wandered aimlessly. It was hard to fathom the distance we had covered as we looked at the trail cutting across the land behind us. It felt good to accomplish the goal we had set out on, it felt good to have a purpose.

This weekend reminded me that escape can come in many forms. Life is whatever you want it to be... if you're not happy with the picture, change the angle. 

Weekend 3 - Lake Taupo, NZ

I don't feel gone. I don't feel away. I feel at home. At home with the land. At home with the sea. At home with the people who surround me. It feels extraordinary and I feel more alive. I feel alive in the adventure of it all. The sense of knowing with the knowledge that it is all still entirely unknown to me - if that makes sense. I ignoratnly believe I know this land but I know this land does not know me and it could swallow me whole. This land is a sacred place, well the world is a sacred place, but it took this trip for me to realize it. 

Driving through the landscape my breathe is taken form me. The freeness with which the land flows like waves frozen in motion mid break. (maybe that is why we have white capped mountains, they were the rouge waves that rose too high and froze in the cool alpine environment) I think it's funny when we line the road with fences. I know it is to keep the sheep in, but somehow it seems to represent man's struggle with the environment. We act like we control it, we fence it in like we have the power to do so. But our efforts are weak in comparison to the giant mountains that lie behind our mediocre fences. Separating us from it - removing ourselves from the wild from which we came. It's sad and it's feeble. We are sad and feeble in the society we have created. We create an us and it mentality with the earth. We place ourself above the land - but just because we walk upon does not mean we are above it. The jagged white caps of the mountains. That is a glimpse of what the earth can be. And they stand as a reminder of how thankful we should be for gentle rolling green hills we inhabit. 

We become accustom to our environment and fail to realize the beauty it possesses. We fence ourselves into a world of false safety - we are the kings who have conquered and divided but we did not conquer anything but one another. That became apparent to me here in New Zealand where the environment rules. The kids here do not major in politics or business; they major in biology and geology. They place a focus on the environment that we lack and it is refreshing. It is nice to see a lake that is blue and clean. It is nice to see roads that go around mountains and not through them. They are not at one with the land here but they do respect it.

Weekend 2: Abel Tasman, NZ

I found peace this weekend. The sand, the salt, the sea, the stars, never before have I been so content. I felt at one with the sand and sea. My skin is burnt, my hair is matted in sand, my feet are cut, my ankles are bit and I could not be happier. I feel at one with the rocks I climb, the ocean I swim in, the sand I sleep in. There is a Buddhist mantra: No conditions are permanent; No conditions are reliable; Nothing is self. All is at one in peace and harmony between the soul, the body, and the earth. I felt that sitting atop the rocks looking out into the expansive sea. 

The trip began with a ferry ride from Wellington to Picton. With the wind in our hair we sailed into the sunset. Being on the ferry reminded me of my childhood moving to Alaska. I remember having such a fun time on those ferry rides and when i walked past the children’s play area I smiled, my mind reliving the good times. 

Once we arrived we  drove to Nelson where we stayed for the night. The next morning we woke up and rented kayaks and we were off on an adventure. We chose to go to mosquito bay, around 15 km up the coast. Seemed easy enough until we faced the mad mile… Here the waves swallowed you and the wind ripped the paddle from your hands. It did not help that it was also beginning to storm. This was the hardest paddle I have ever faced sea kayaking and it was exhilarating. The motion of the waves rocking the boat, the knowledge of their power, yet overcoming them rising above and smashing down just before the next hit. Let’s just say its a good thing none of ys get sea sick.

Once we arrived at camp we found that we had chosen a secluded island beach surrounded by jungle to become our new home - or might i say paradise. We happily ate our sandy pb&js, And i fell asleep on the beach. By the time I woken up my beach had turned into an island and the sun had set long ago. I scurried to my hammock - jumped in sand and all - and snuggled in for a fantastic but chilly night of sleep. 

The next day we paddled around the area and decided to explore the Tanga Arches and Barkes Bay. The arches came first. We paddled and paddled and looked at the map and could not find them. We saw some small rocks that had arch like qualities but were unimpressed. So we parked on the beach a little ways away and had lunch. The beach sand was like corn bread… yeah corn bread. But it was amazing none the less - pure, undeveloped, uncrowded, nature at its best. After some sand and peanut butter we decided to climb the rocks. Naturally I ran across the boulders watching them fly beneath my feet, not thinking twice just trusting that my feet will find earth beneath them as I bound along. When i rounded the corner I saw the arches for the real beauty that they were. No they weren’t what we expected, no they weren’t large and flashy. They were better. These arches were magnificent and sent shivers down my spine. So I climbed and I climbed until I was high above. And there at my perch I felt at home. Surrounded by jungle, ocean, and rock I was happy. 

From there we went to Barkes bay. The tides here are insane to say the least. Every cycle boats go from 6 ft deep water in a lagoon to sitting on the hard ground of a dry wasteland. How one place can be so different over the span of half a day amazes me. Were they trapped by the tide or were they living with the tide in harmony? I guess i won’t know. 

That night was the first time I truly saw stars.  As I stared into the expansiveness of the milky way I was swaddled in the solidarity and insignificance and comforted by it. Time and space are forever, it keeps going even when we may not and we get to live in the presence of it. I find comfort in that. Whether we are here to acknowledge the stars or not they will always shine bright. The consistency is an anomaly. But they will always be there and I like knowing that the beauty is forever even though I may not always be able to see it.

Paddling the next day was fun but the highlight of the day was lunch. After living on a loaf of bread, a jar of jelly, and sandy peanut butter for three days… lunch has never tasted so good. I love the fact that you can appreciate a simple meal so much more when you have been in the absence of it. We weren't starving, not even close, but we severely underestimated how much food to bring (boys eat a lot more than we thought). But we embraced the emptiness in our stomachs knowing that once we filled them, we would appreciate it much more. Or at least that is how I like to look at it. 

This trip was incredible. The simple things matter most: people who care and people who are happy. It's the little things in life that can provide the most value to it and make you the happiest you have ever been. 

Thoughts on Sheep Chasing - Wellington, NZ

I wanted to elaborate on the time I raced a sheep… 

It all happened quickly, the sheep taking off, me deciding to chase it; but what did not happen quickly was the chase. Let’s be honest, sheep are not the quickest of animals and I was on a bike, if I wanted to catch the sheep I could have caught it. But instead I kept my distance and chased it. I did not realize this until a day later, but I guess I never really wanted to catch the sheep. The thrill was in the chase. I thought I wanted to catch it, I acted on the opportunity to catch it but I never caught it - instead I chased it for ten minutes. I found that I did not want the enjoyment to end. The goal was to catch the sheep but I  valued the fun of the chase much more than whatever would happen when I caught the damn thing. What would I have gained? The glory of saying I caught a sheep? 

It reminded me how often we have goals that we strive toward, but why are these our goals? We set them because we believe we want to achieve them but I do not think we always do. Sometimes the fun is in the opportunities that arise trying to reach these goals, not actually ever reaching them. Why do we do what we do? Are we out to catch the sheep, or are we out the chase it? 

Adventure #1 - Hawkes Bay, NZ

On a first of many weekend getaways we rented a car and drove up to Hawkes Bay. The drive was fun but at times it was scary - it is very easy to forget that you are supposed to drive on the left side of the road. Minus a few scares we made it to our hostel unscathed. 

We woke up the next morning and checked out the local grocery store to buy some food for the weekend. It is always fun to look through these stores to see what the snack food is like. For the record, the peanut butter is much better here. 

After eating breakfast and packing lunches for the day we hired bikes for the day from a local bike shop. It was a simple transaction but Rachel's (the owner of the shop) demeanor was so pleasant that it left us smiling the rest of the day. She was not simply kind to us, she mothered us. She took us in and showed us the routes, the best eateries, the best wineries, her favorite rides, etc.But here that is not going above and beyond, that is how interactions go, people want to help one another live their life to the fullest. When we were signing papers she only had one of us sign a waiver and when we asked for the rest of us she just laughed and said “It is okay, we don’t each other here”. People here do not seem to be out to get each other. Society is not a shark tank, they have enough of those in the water already.

When we took the bikes out we went north up a coastal route. The views were beyond spectacular and my words cannot bring it justice. I have never felt so free… wind in my hair, smell of the coast, sun beating down… true paradise. We rounded the coast and turned inland toward the valley. Here we were met by rolling hills and beautiful vineyards. Naturally, we had to stop and taste some local wine and boy was it sweet to our parched lips. From atop the vineyard we admired the view and decided to head toward the farms next. Riding through the pastures we saw our fair share of sheep; I even raced one (an adrenaline rush for us both). 

We finally rounded back up and returned to our hostel after five hours of straight biking. Needless to say our legs were quite jello-y. We cooked a nice college student dinner of spaghetti in the hostel kitchen. I was an impatient cook (as always) and took the pasta out too soon, but all in all it was still a good meal.

We closed out the day with a midnight stroll on the beach. The massive waves crashed at feet numbing our toes and sending chills up our spine. The sea spray tickled our noses in the darkness as we sat and gazed at the stars. Orion was out in full garb and we argued over whether it was Venus or Jupiter we saw on the horizon. The memory does not even seem real. 

On our way back to the hostel we fulfilled our inner child by sneaking into a playground and climbing, hanging, and falling to our hearts desire. No worries to give even a passing thought to just like we were children once again. 

Already feels like home - Wellington, NZ

It surprises me how quickly we all adapt to a new place - how quickly we create a new sense of normal. The room I was given is already a safe haven.  The classroom is familiar like the ones back home. The streets are memorable - not by their characteristics but by the memories we have developed there. Yet, it has only been four days. It is surreal how quickly we accept change - turning the foreign into a new normal. We have settled. 

Arrival - Wellington, NZ

After an epic trek across the Pacific (aka the Air New Zealand redeye) we finally arrived in Wellington. Accommodations were made for us at Victoria University at Wellington (we feel like royalty sitting at our hilltop perch overlooking the shinning blue water of the bay). I have found that this capital is a triple threat, glorious mountains full of adventure, a city with life that parties on, and the blue sparkling water crashing into the sandy shores. It is a paradise that meets all needs. 

I cannot wait to explore the city further than I already have. I took the opportunity to sneak off and explore on my own which adds a whole new level to travel. It is an adrenaline rush going off on your own to conquer a foreign space. I like the challenge, the fear,  but mostly I love the uncertainty. Life is so many things to so many people and it is amazing what you can learn from just getting lost in a culture. We have arrived.