My trip on the South Island started out in Christchurch, where my friend Elliot picked me up from the airport. We spent that first night in his friend's home there. A lovely plot of land on the edge of town with horses and the most adorable dog, Louie. Louie and I played fetch till I thought my arm would fall off. The next day, we drove West across the South Island toward the coast. We drove through Arthur's Pass, which is where Elliot and I did our first walk. We stopped in Hokitika, a town famous for their Pounamu, otherwise known as Greenstone, a native stone to New Zealand. It is considered a treasure in the Maori culture, and is highly valued. The most precious stones are ones found in the South Island of New Zealand, and cut and shaped by hand. They cost hundreds of dollars due to the laborious efforts into creating them.
We drove to a town called Okarito, on the South Island and stayed in this little house on the beach. Valentines Day was spent with a group of Elliot's friends and co-workers. We grilled on the deck, sat around the table overlooking the ocean and talked and laughed for hours. Elliot and I went on a moonlit bike ride to the beach later that night and enjoyed the reflection of the stars in the sea. The midges (sand flies) here are HORRENDOUS! In photos later of my legs, you will see their work has been well done! They bite little chunks of your skin out, and leave marks as if a giant mosquito had sucked your blood. When you're moving, they leave you alone. But if you stop moving even for one second... ATTACK!! I DESPISE them. Literally they swarm and your legs are just black with them. It is so gross. Luckily, they can't bite through clothes. So on the West Coast of the South Island, you wear long sleeves. I was originally naming all my blog posts after Patty Griffin songs. However, to better keep track of what I am writing about in each post, I am going to use more boring and generic titles. Doesn't mean I don't still listen to her heavenly sounds nearly every day. Xx Well. I have made it to the South Island. The landscape is equally as beautiful as the North. I am in this amazing little beach town called Okarito. Tonight Elliot and I will start our walk in Arthur's Pass. I am continually in awe at New Zealand's beauty. Xx A beautiful dinner of fish n chips on the lakeside brought a smile to my face and comfort to my belly last night as Hata fed me my last supper in Raglan. Every day I am awed at New Zealand's majesty and beauty. Everything is fresh here - even the chips (French fries) taste fresh and delicious. I am on my way to Christchuch in the South Island to begin walking. I now have only the pack on my back and two eyes continuously soaking in all the beauty here. Hata and his family were such amazing hosts. I have learned immeasurable amounts in just the week I have been here. I am blessed. Xx Well.. New Zealand continues to awe me at her beauty. Yesterday I hiked this gorgeous waterfall known as "Bridal Veil Falls" ... The only Bridal Veil Falls I have hiked is located in Provo, Utah... This one here displays so much more majesty. Hata is quickly becoming my mentor and guru. He and I discuss philosophy, spirituality and nature for hours on end. New Zealand is one of the last places on Earth relatively untouched as a whole. The government even respects the land. The farm animals here are raised naturally, grazing the green hills, organically eating and organically producing; miles of free range to roam. Instead of being cooped up, side by side by side, living in their own feces, shot up with hormones to produce more meat, at a faster race, so more people can sit on their butts in a drive through, gorging themselves with the pain of the animal who was fattened far beyond their natural size, simply for profit. Bridal veil falls was peaceful. There was no tram going up it (as they tried in Provo,) traveling to the top simply so trash could be thrown down the falls over and over again. It was free. It was beautiful. It was respected. There are these amazing trees here, called Ponga trees. These are like giant tree ferns. In the sunlight, they are the brightest shade of green I have ever seen with my naked eye. They grow in families on the hillsides, and depending on how the light strikes them, they glow many different shades of green. They look soft, like silk, and flutter lightly in the gentle breeze. I have fallen in love with them, as with most all the scenery here. After hiking Bridal Veil Falls, Hata drove me along the coastline. Most coastal highways I have previously driven are paved and slick. They are smooth and the ocean is a gorgeous deep blue... Here, however, I was driven along a backcountry dirt/gravel road through nothing but farmland with a few scattered houses run on solar or no power at all. Placed delicately on the mountainside, they overlook miles and miles of green rolling hills and forested tress one direction, and miles and miles of turquoise blue/green ocean the other. The ocean here is a color unlike anything I have seen - even in the Virgin Islands. In the sunlight it glows a turquoise much like the bridesmaid dresses I originally picked for my wedding... Only clear and pure, all the way to the bottom of the sea. It sparkles and the clouds create shadows across the ocean-top. Accented by rolling, untouched hills... It is truly paradise. We drove for hours along the coastline from town to town, stopping periodically to chat with cows or sheep out of their gated acres, grazing wildflowers along the roadside. The animals here just emit an aura of happiness. The meat tastes different too... Almost more... Clean? Even the mcdonalds here apparently post on their boxes which fields the meat comes from - WOW! Very different than big business corporate 'merica. I am learning so much about surfing from Hata, his beautiful daughters and nephews and nieces. They truly do work to live, instead of living to work. It is a beautiful mindset and lifestyle. Everyone in Raglan races out to catch the surf immediately after working. The houses here are simple and just what people need, not filled with wants and desires. I am learning to slow down and just breathe in each moment. It is truly beautiful. The other day Orcas (Killer Whales) were swimming in the bay here. The Bay is this curve of ocean water, entering Raglan with a park built around it so people can enjoy in many forms and fashions. It was so fun to run with the whole town out to the ocean to ooh and ahh at the majestic whales, blowing ocean water out their spouts. There was quite the great clan of them there - maybe up to 8 or 10. Babies even!! So I obviously was excited about that :) There were paddle boarders and small-boaters out in the Bay right next to them! It was so beautiful. The general population of Raglan has a deep love and appreciation for land and the ocean and truly takes the time to appreciate it. Though I leave Friday to the South Island for a few months, and many more lands of New Zealand are yet to be seen by these two blue eyes... Raglan has captured a part of my heart that will never belong anywhere else. I will not be surprised if, when I extend my trip, I end up spending several months just in Raglan. The Spirit of the lands of New Zealand are so different than anything I have ever experienced... It is like Hawaii, El Salvador, California and the mountains of Colorado all packed into one... Just populated with much less people, trash, and money, and filled with much more farmland, respect and spiritual wholeness. I am in love <3 Xxo I MADE IT!!!!! I am officially in the country of my dreams. It hardly feels real. I arrived the afternoon of Sunday the 8th (NZ time... Saturday in the states) after nearly a 24 hour journey to get here.
*Random note: All of my blog post titles will come from Patty Griffin song lyrics or titles. She is an artist that has inspired me in countless ways. Her art has been there for me every day over the past 10 difficult months. Whether her words join hands and skip with my smiles, or cradle me in a pool of tears; she speaks to my soul. Her words comprise a large portion of the boost of courage that enabled me to click "purchase" on a plane ticket to the place of my dreams 5 months ago. If you haven't listened to her... Check her out: http://www.pattygriffin.com/ #pattygriffin The morning of my flight out of SF, I awoke to a disturbing voice message from the airlines, letting me know my flight had been cancelled. What!!! Needless to say, I somewhat freaked out. My first and only freakout ((thus far)) regarding this journey. After multiple phone calls, I was informed that due to weather, I would not be getting on a flight out of SF till the following day - which would ((obviously)) mess with all my other flights. I gave up the battle and purchased another domestic flight from Oakland to LA. ((Crossing my fingers the original airline credits me for that flight.)) One thing I have learned in this recent change of "floating with my river" ((my new life philosophy,)) is that: It is what it is. It all works out... ..............................One way or another. I flew from Oakland --> LA --> Nadi, Fiji --> Auckland, New Zealand. My flight from LA to Nadi was 11.5 hours overnight....... Not bad... If you are actually able to get a little shut eye. But alas, the universe found it humorous to test my patience on my way to the other side of the world, and I was literally stuck smack dab in the middle of a family... Not just any family, mind you. A family of 11 adults, and 10 children..... 10 children, all under the age of 10.... -_- For those of you who know me well... This is like my worst nightmare, basically hell. The flight was overnight, and any hopes of sleep to avoid jet-lag that I had previously entertained were immediately diminished. Thank goodness for Nyquil, earplugs and "eye patches" (some people refer to these as eye masks... I think eye patches sounds cuter.) I guess feet tend to swell on long flights... When I took off my shoes in the airport I was shocked to discover my feet had gained 10 lbs each!! A photo of my swollen feet rests below this post.. I never knew they could get so big!! Don't worry, they are back to normal :) It was ALL more than worth it, as my other photos clearly speak for themselves. ANYWAY! I finally made it. My wonderful friend Hata and his daughter Dana picked me up in Auckland and drove me to their beautiful home in Raglan. Raglan is this gorgeous beach town comprised of rolling green hills, healthy, well-fed farm animals, these spectacular purple wildflowers that grow in bunches nearly the size of my head, and a sky that blesses the land with pouring rain one minute and bursts of sunlight the next. The black sands of the beaches here were once volcanic rock... Though they now feel like sponges... Sponges covered with flower petals, with natural sea salts in the middle that sink into the soles of your feet. Walking barefoot has never felt so wonderful. The best pedicure out there = bare-footing a NZ beach. Raglan is known for their surf, and I am staying with the most wonderful local family, who live here for just that: the surf. Hata and his daughter Aria make surf boards. This family is just beautiful. So much wisdom. They are teaching me so much. I have only been here two days and I have already fallen head over heels in love. The salt infused wind, warm rain, soft Earth and flip-flopped constellations whisper to slow down, soak it all in, and live every moment for what it is: a moment in time, all I have. Just this moment in time. It is so beautiful. I will be here until the 13th, I then fly to Christchurch ((which is on the South Island)) to meet up with a buddy of mine, Elliot. He and I will walk together for a week or so, then he'll fly back to the states. I will continue to the bottom portion of the South Island on my own, as I begin my solo journey. I plan to do several of the "Great Walks" down in that area before I start on the backcountry Te Araroa trails in the bush. I am overwhelmed... Grateful, blessed, and humbled to have this opportunity. A journey of self-discovery, appreciation for this Earth, space to find love for myself through the wildflowers, lush rolling hills, mountain tops, ocean waves, sunbursts, and bright night skies filled with a milky way that appears as though I could reach out and touch her. Quitting my profession just as I was starting, selling loads of my stuff, stuffing my entire life into a 29 lb backpack, disconnecting from my life of comfort and trekking out alone with one pair of boots, a camera, and a passport aching to be stamped "New Zealand" was definitely not where I, even a year ago, envisioned my life being right now... ... AND... There is nowhere else I would rather be. Thank you, thank you to all those who helped me get here, in so many ways. Xx Written Summer 2014, still in SlC, prior to my trip.
City Lights City lights glisten and twinkle from your balcony I look out over building tops and street lights The twinkling of the insomniac city imitates the stars We become mesmerized by man’s creations As I gaze upward toward the natural sky… She is empty A vast ocean of navy fading into ebony Where are her twinkling eyes? I search for Mother Nature’s shimmering tears Which she only sheds at night My eyes scan the dark horizon for Her flowing strands of white hair Streaking the midnight sky Exploring eyes, Only find emptiness The heavens are void and black Nature and beauty drown In the incessant drive of humans to “better” the Earth Constantly creating, we Forget the Mother who created us The first great painter The mighty architect The angelic voice of wind, and thunder The gentle whisper of bubbling brook and chirping birds… Earth. We drown her teardrops in obsessive narcissism and Mimic her twinkling eyes with light, hard on the soul What is meant to bring clarity, only clouds vision Pushing our souls to work, play, cry, laugh - never resting From dusk till dawn we carry on Forgetting to gaze toward the sky and Thank the crescent moon for allowing us respite darkness Forgetting to fall in gratitude to our knees and Thank the full moon for shedding just enough light to show us she is still there, Yet not enough to wake our resting souls Forgetting to search for nature’s strands of glistening white hair Creating a painting through the night sky Life’s stories aligned, yet untold We lose sight of depth with Electromagnetic screens Illuminating our faces night and day With expectations that at the flip of a switch comes light With the forgetfulness that we were meant to sleep We drown our sorrows in constant entertainment and vigor We run our human species into the ground with Graveyard shifts and walmarts and pharmacies When all we truly need is sleep … And all due to electricity From your balcony, I once more gaze into the midnight sky Drained of her color and vibrant diamond eyes I catch a twinkle Through squinted eyes I see past our manmade city lights I pause to thank the moon, who shows her face in spite of fabricated illuminations I see a single twinkling speck A sparkle of hope A reminder that though clouded by chaos and hypocrisy… Nature lives on. She exists Regardless of our lacking She supports us though we destroy her She cries twinkling tears in the night sky, Even when we refuse to look I am reminded I am not alone I am a creature born of the dirt of the Earth And stardust in my hair I make the decision To thank Nature’s sky by night To live free in her Sunbeams by day To remember that… Perspective is everything Though nearer city lights may entice My soul belongs to the Earth And she shall never leave me wanting Thus, I shut off the electricity, and sleep With the fawn of the fields and birds nestled in their branches I shut my eyes with the setting of the sun And tilt my smile toward the sky, With the dawning of the new day I thank nature for her kindness In allowing me darkness to rest, And sunlight to live She truly is an artist. |
AuthorRachel. Archives
November 2020
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