New Zealand continuing on day 1…

I spoke to a few people before we got on the “coach”, including Bin, Dougy, and Morgan, all Aussies, as well as Yelena, the New Yorker/Russian whose luggage didn’t show up.  We left for the Bay of Islands on the bus where we got the lowdown from Kathy and bus driver Phil.  Rule 1:  Do not be late.  Being late results in a karaoke fine… a song NOT of your choosing.  Rule 2:  Do not do anything stupid like forget to turn in your hotel key, or lose your boarding pass to the ferry, or transport bees or pig semen to the south island (there is an actual sign for that).  This will also result in a karaoke fine.  I was able to avoid all fines. 

Our first stop was to see the Kauri trees at a protected forest (see pic from a few days ago).  It was only a little taste of what was to come, but it was nice.  Very green…  Justin, a 29 year old UK bloke who had just come from Tasmania, started up a conversation with me.  Really nice guy.  George, who proclaimed himself to be Georgeous, jumped into the conversation, letting us know that he was a hair stylist.  I soon found out that he’s kind of a closet case, who always has to let people know that he has slept with half of the women in Australia.  He also is known for making unwanted advances towards women.  He’s pretty much a man whore.

That night we all had dinner in the town we were staying at (Paihea) at the hotel next door to the one we were staying in, where I met Herschel, the CSI from LA, a really nice, quiet, and generous guy.  Afterwards we went to a local bar the Pipi Patch, which was too loud and very hot, so I went outside to chat with three hilarious Aussie girls:  Leigh, Vickie, and Melissa….

Wow, this is only day one and it’s taking forever to get through… this is going to be long…  and I’ll only be entertaining myself, which is fine by me.

How cruel.  I have to go half way around the world to meet someone amazing.  I guess it’s my own damn fault.

I wanted to see everything as soon as i got to NZ, despite being sleep deprived because of a crying baby on the plane that would scream every 30 seconds in uneven intervals to always keep you on the edge of your seat.  For god’s sake people, don’t bring your small children on board a plane unless you want to do so at your own risk.  If they scream the whole way, ESPECIALLY when it’s for 13 hours, you should be tortured to no end.  I’m not joking. 

At 5 am I took a shuttle to the Mercure Hotel, tried to sleep in the lobby, but was asked not to do so by the manager.  Instead he gave me a key to a guest bathroom where i was able to take a shower and feel a lot better… I will continue tomorrow…

Here are a few obscure pics from day 1 and day 2 in New Zealand… The first one i took while heading to the Mercure in Auckland to meet the tour, and the other two were taken at the bay of islands on day 2. 

Mist in the Distance

Not Alone

Alone

I’ve been talking to Leigh for the past few hours…  I miss her so much.  She’s trying to convince me to move to Australia… 

her:  i miss u!!!!
me:  I didn’t think you felt this strongly
me:  i mean
me:  i knew you liked me, but i didn’t think you did that much
me:  damn oceans
me:  I curse you PACIFIC!
her:  where’s moses when u need him?
me:  he he
me:  that’d be a long walk
me:  and i hear the trenches can get pretty deep
me:  it’d be worth it though
her:  it’d b worth it
me:  u read my mind
me:  okay, that’s just scary
her:   so about this thought u had about coming to australia…………………….

How is it possible to feel so strongly after knowing someone one week?  It’s completely irrational. 

It’s late, and I’m tired, so no writing today, only pictures from Day 1 in New Zealand

Auckland

Somewhere near the Shire

Kauri Tree

It’s only the beginning, there is so much more.  Unfortunately I can’t upload all 1400 photos I took, only the best ones…

I miss Aotearoa. 

I miss her.

Sometimes beauty is impossible to put into words.
And sometimes pictures cannot even begin to capture the emotions that stir within, when one is in the presence of that perfection.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try.

Starting tomorrow…  Aotearoa                   (aka Middle Earth, aka New Zealand)

The sky was on fire today.


I’ll be back on April 19th.  I’m off to another world.

20 hours remains…

It rained butterflies today.

2 days remain…

I just talked to Dave, and he mentioned lucid dreams.  He reccommended a good book with a step by step process to have dreams you can control.  That is something i definitely have to try. 

I’m working on one last lym before i leave for New Zealand.  I’m going to bring a journal so i can write while i’m there because i’m not going to be writing on here for 2 weeks.  The time difference is 21 hours ahead of what it is in Cali, so i should be used to getting up early and going to bed early, but i know i’m going to be getting up late and staying up late, because there is no way in hell I’m going to bed early when I’m on vacation. 

3 days remain…

tired
restless
wired;
descent
desired
ascent

Only 5 days left until New Zealand…

Here are some photos (click to enlarge) i took last November at

Joshua Tree National Park

Chasm

Walking through a painting in a lucid friend’s dream,
The storm clouds rolling in to the reality which I deem
Unreasonably cold and unbearably sad,
For it’s the blinded who are consuming the visions we once had.


- broken_optimist


(extended version to include warmth)