Saturday, January 30, 2010




happy on a ferry to rawene...sunset at the tree house....colors that I couldn't pass up on the road....the beautiful beautiful ocean....

looking down, the ground can hold beautiful things....







a beach at the end of kerikeri pennisula....a shot from a moving car in the hokianga region.....the turbulent waters at cape regina, this happens to be the pacific ocean side.....the pink beach

geothermal wonder.....




Coming together....

Do I start with the pink beach, the intentional farm, the infected insect bite, or where the ocean meets the sea? The last few weeks have seemed like months; I am constantly confused by time and its passing. When I calculate the days and realize I have only been gone a month, I am in disbelief. I am doing really well. At first, when I arrived to my parents, I was a little depressed. I think I was decompressing from all the rush of the last few months in Portland, reflecting on the actuality of my decision to leave for awhile, and just hanging with my parents can test my nerves. We did some great hiking though and I drank and ate myself silly, but was eager to move on.
Traveling on my own has been amazing. I surprise myself with the ease of how I get myself from one place to another, without any plans. I feel a sense of confidence that I have missed, and I am so utterly content with each moment. I have hardly been alone, meeting so many people. I love the excitement of a new person, a new story to hear, a interesting comparison in cultures; a complete stranger turned friend over conversation.
I did meet up with a familiar face from back home, Will. He met up with me in the small coastal town in the Bay of Islands; Paihia. We drove along the coast to the only accessible northern most tip of New Zealand, Cape Regina. It is where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific ocean- a greeting of wild waves and turbulent waters. The Maori, the indigenous people of NZ, believe this greeting represents the feminine and masculine coming together-ironic that the water is so wild there! We sat on a bluff and looked north towards Indonesia and south towards the south pole. We were closer to the South pole than home! On our mini road trip, we stayed near a pink sand beach that was full of beautiful shells and tide pools, plus a beached whale. We spent the night eating fresh red snapper and listened to the Maori history that is so present in the Northland.
As an adventure, we decided to find the hitchhiker that Will had picked up along the way to meet me. With only a street name, we found him at the end of a dirt road and the beginning of a enormous sustainable farm, inhabited by a family of 30. I felt we had stepped back in time. We found our new friend with the direction from Gilbert, an incredibly sweet and kind hearted man who had lived there his entire life; he said "follow the track into the bush, keep right of the creek; they live in the hut above the swimming hole"--so we did as we were told and were welcomed with a dinner and free place to stay. There was no electricity, they grow everything they eat, from the wheat and corn for bread, and the cow for its milk. Everything is cooked on an open fire, everything is done by hand. We slept in our own hut further up the creek, hugging a waterfall. It was so amazing.
Will and I said our goodbyes and I was on my own again....for twenty minutes...until I met Shaun, and we traveled on our own little road trip through the most beautiful valley and harbour, the Hokianga Region. He surfed while I played on beaches, we hiked to hidden coves, stayed in a tree house, drank with some Scots, and traveled across the mainland on back roads with no names.
I spent the last few days settled back in the Bay of Islands, relaxing from my adventures....only a few days left in New Zealand...

Thursday, January 14, 2010

....just following my nose....
what would i do without my handy sense of direction??

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

It's only been a week since I left Wainui, where my parents live, but it seems like months to my feet and eyes. Wainui brought me rest, amazing food and wine (thanks mom and poppy!), quiet days for reading and sunbathing, and time to reflect on my new direction. One night my mom, our friend Lynnie, and I made our way to Arthurs Pass; the southern alps of the South Island. We "tramped" our way up a riverbed, over Woolshed ridge, to an unbelievable view of the surrounding mountains. One of the most difficult hikes I have done, I was in awe that the two 60 yr old sassy "hobbits" were right at my heels! We celebrated with wine, giggles, and a beautiful sunset!
I made my way to Nelson where I met a traveling companion, Brian, with a car (bonus!) and we spent two days in the incredible Abel Tasman National Park. Memories of my time here four years ago with my sis and friend made me wish for a few familiar faces! It is so beautiful; the clearest water I have seen, views of hidden beaches, seal colonies, waterfalls, and romantic sandbars. Traveling by car enables you to see the secrets of New Zealand; that or your bike, I wish I had mine! Brain and I explored dirt roads to deep caves, valley views, and tasty wineries. Amazing Chardonnay!

Now in Wellington, I am trying my hand at couchsurfing and got lost in the botanical gardens which was the best smelling place to get lost in! I have walked miles around this city, eaten delicious vegan food, and sat in a bar that could have been in Portland. I am meeting up with a friend, a french Canadian woman who I connected with immediately, for a drink tonight.
things are good, real good.....




d.e.s.i.g.n.....i see



a bar in wellington that reminded me of home...a pathway through the forest to the largest hole in the southern hemisphere...clear turquoise water of abel tasman national park....a sandbar in the sea where i ate my picnic....

Sunday, January 3, 2010






P.a.t.t.e.r.n.s




....standing alone, the view of a single tree that I see everyday. Sunset after a long hike in the mountains. my first day at the beach, it was beautiful. the garden and the hills. candlelight from the treehouse.......