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
*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