Home Sweet Home

Hello all!

This week marks my 6th week home from New Zealand. It was hard to leave New Zealand, but I have gained the perspective being home. I am so appreciative of the life, family, friends, and abundance of love I have here in California - not to mention the warm, sunny summer! What I have to say is, since I had to leave NZ, that I am so thankful this is what I get to come back to. I am around Southern California with the eyes of one who is showing her stomping grounds to someone for the first time. While everything is familiar, there is a freshness to everything that I see and notice. It truly makes me recognize the beauties and details of Southern California; the place I know is home.

I want to thank everyone all for your support, love, and consistency in following my travels through Australia, Fiji, and of course, New Zealand. It was an experience that has impacted me and a part of my heart will forever be left in the South Pacific - I feel so blessed to have been able to have had this opportunity, I think of it daily and I know God has used this time I had abroad to strengthen me.

Goodbye Came Too Soon

This is the end of the line for me. I now write from the shores of California and the heat of its inland city, Riverside. Home has pulled me back to reality and torn me away from the land I grew to love.

My last few weeks in New Zealand were covered in much quality time with the people I would miss greatly. It boiled down to the little moments we had together and how grand they could be just through the company of each other. Countless hours were spent talking, laughing, and just soaking up each others presence.

The goodbyes we had to make were so many that it seemed like they would never end. For a solid week my heart was losing one person after the next - and by the end, I became overwhelmed with the emotions. Shutting down, each goodbye got easier and easier; until the plane fight home. As soon as I settled in my window seat, I looked out at the country I gained a love for and I cried. I felt as though the person inside me was kicking and screaming as she was being forced away from a place she wasn't ready to leave. I hadn't prepared myself for this reality, and it hit me hard.

The memories live inside me, and not a day goes by that I don't reminisce on my time in New Zealand. Being home is not bad - but having to end something that was so grand is what tears my heart up. As my life has to continue on ward, I will always carry with me the lessons and love I learned while being in NZ. The relationships I have created through this time will continue on, and the unique bonds I formed will never lose importance.

While goodbye came too soon for me, the dream I lived remains present in my daily life here in California, and always will.

A Romantic Getaway - FIJI

'Bula' in Fiji!

This past week, Jen and I were fortunate enough to travel to wonderful FIJI!! It is nearly impossible to explain paradise in words, but I will do my best to express how extraordinary this place is.

We spent our entire week in one location, rather than island hoping as many do. We were situated on Waya Island at Octopus Resort.
"Waya Island is one of the largest in the Yasawa group of islands - or archipelago. It is to the northwest of the Vitu Levu which is considered one of the main islands of Fiji (Suva and Nadi are on this main island)."

It is here that I left a part of my heart. Being able to spend a week in one spot, we were truly able to emerge ourselves into the community and culture of the place. We met and enjoyed the company of many Fijians as they are such a friendly and warm group of people. One smile from a Fijian will touch any one's heart in a brilliant way.

We had the opportunity to travel to two of the four villages on Waya Island and as we ventured through their living space, Jen and I felt invasive of their home, but Fijians don't view it in that perspective. Instead, the Fijians welcome us with 'Bula' and bright smiles and the children embrace excitement at the presence of visitors. Even though their space is confined and their homes are with the lack of furniture, it doesn't matter - it is extraordinary how much joy and love still fill the lives of the Fijians. The simplicity of their lives is something to be envious of. When we ventured over to the primary school for the children of Waya Island, the students flocked towards us. Speaking and learning in English in school, their communication with us was fantastic and their curiosity lead them to draw us into conversation. This school is completely funded by the Resort through the money it receives from guests as well as any donations guests wish to contribute and its condition of facilities were very good. I was truly impressed with the openness of the Fijians towards us visitors, and it added to our experience greatly.

Lying in the sun with a good book to keep us company is how most of our days were spent. There are no better ingredients to a perfect Fijian day than losing track of time completely and soaking up the warmth of the weather. Though, thanks to the Resort, there were different activities to take part in daily. Jen and I took time to learn how to basket weave, make jewelry, and snorkel. We also partook in the evening volleyball game: Fiji vs the rest of the world, and the evening beach bon fire. Each night, we ate dinner all together as guests, family style; it was a wonderful aspect to the community of Octopus - a great way to meet people and stay connected.

Overall, I have learned a significant lesson from the land of Fiji. It is not just the sparkling turquoise water, or the strikingly green hills, nor the soft white sand - but it's the tranquility, the laughter, the relaxation, the peace that makes Fiji beautiful. It becomes so easy to lose oneself in the silence and stillness, in the beauty. Fiji possesses a beauty so pure. In its natural state, not trying to be beautiful, not trying to be anything, but just being is where its beauty lies. It's beautiful in its simplicity and luxurious in its beauty - and is a place where one learns to appreciate the joy of finding beauty in simplicity.

Bay of Islands

June is now upon me and I officially have only 4 weeks left in this beautiful country of New Zealand. I consistently ask myself where the time has gone and I can't help but smile because I know that each moment I have had here has been marvelous! ...and I still have 30 more days to cherish!

This past weekend, Jen and I set out on an 8 hour bus ride to the far northern part of the north island. The Bay of Islands it is called, and that is just what it is. A bay with roughly 145 islands off its coast makes for a beautiful destination.

Our first day there, Jen and I took a sailing trip around the bay. There were only five of us on the boat, making for a quiet and quaint experience. It was magnificent sailing through the bay and seeing many of the various islands - though we actually only covered about a third of the bay, I still was able to capture the marvel of how expansive the space was. In specific spots, we were able to view the open space of the Pacific ocean, knowing that the closest land was Fiji thousands of miles off, it brought me a whole new perspective of where I was. There truly is nothing like sailing in silence and noticing the serenity of nature untouched. We were given an hour to explore one of the islands, something that drew breath away from me as the beauty of such a remote place was so captivating. It was a beautiful day - something very rare to see now entering into winter here, but feeling the heat of the sun once again and seeing the land meet peacefully with the water was beyond picturesque. A gourmet lunch on the boat was just a mid day treat as we then continued to travel through the vast bay. It was a trip that I loved!

The following day, we took an organized trip up to the most northern point of New Zealand - Cape Reinga. Here is the location where the Tazman Sea of the West meets the Pacific Ocean of the East. It was not a definite line of the waters meeting, but a vague change in water color passed through the entire ocean, leading us to believe that was the separation between sea and ocean. It was great to know that we were at the tip top of the island and any other land mass was thousands of miles away. LA lie in a northeast direction 10, 474km away! We dropped off in a rain forest on our way back, something that constantly reminds me of how vibrant the greenery is here! This land is not shy to shout color into the world - such distinct colors paint this place so brightly.

Each morning, we were awake before the sun rose, allowing us to experience sunrises on the bay. It was a spectacular vision; one that reminds you of how special of a gift each new day truly is.

Overall, this trip was delightful and a great reminder of how beauty is captured by this land called New Zealand. I will never forget and always miss driving along the highway and having rolling green hills on either side of me, or rivers and lakes as I just travel from point A to point B. It makes one appreciate the journey and not just focus solely on the destination :)

The passing time

Things have been very quiet here for me during this month of May. These days, the sun appears less and less while the rain pours out more and more. Days of constant rain, days with cold wind chills, days of thick fog - these are days which keep one inside...and this is only fall! Winter is to settle in come June. I can't imagine it getting colder or worse, but it apparently does!

On some small notes, I have still been getting doses of adventure. Just in this month, I have been to two Rugby games. Our home team: Waikato Chiefs are doing extremely well - facing South Africa Bulls this coming Saturday for the Championship title of Super 14! First time our Hamilton Chiefs are in the finals! Rugby is quite an exciting game as the ball never stops moving and these massive guys crush on one another in no padding at all!

One weekend this month, I took a small trip to Whakatane (f - aka - ta - nie) which is East of Hamilton on the Bay. I truly enjoyed this weekend by myself - being on my own schedule, having my own time, and doing whatever I wanted to do was a nice escape. On Friday night, I went to a pub and listened to the live music playing there, while Saturday found me on the shore of the bay for 3.5 hours: reading, journaling, and sleeping. The hostel I stayed in was very quaint - owned by an older couple, it was well maintained and set up as a house. There were only 5 of us staying there, and on Saturday night, we all watched Night at the Museum together. The entire weekend was such an enjoyable time for me!
To finish this month off, this weekend, Jen and I are traveling 8 hours north to the Bay of Islands. It is at the northern part of this North Island and said to be nothing short of magnificent. The following weekend, after our courses are completed, Jen and I are traveling for a week to FIJI. Upon return, I will have time here in Hamilton before I take my finals to finish up, then have a short time before departing to LA. It is all becoming a reality that time here is closing up - and it truly is a sad fact to think about. These upcoming adventures will distract my mind from that thought for a while, and I refuse to begin a countdown!!

Birthday Celebrations in NZ

This past weekend was my birthday weekend. As I turned 21 on May 2, my friends here made sure I made the most of this special occasion.

Beginning Thursday night, a group of 12 of us went out to dinner to a lovely restaurant in town to celebrate my birthday at a time I would still be in Hamilton. As Thursday nights are a popular night to go out in town, we stayed for the evening at clubs and bars pretending like that day was my day :)

The weekend took us to Lake Taupo, 2 hrs south of Hamilton in the center of the North Island. As Jen and I had met a couple on the South Island as we asked them to take a picture of us, they invited us to stay with them anytime we wished to come to Taupo. Taking them up on their offer, we spent the weekend in their lovely home which overlooked the lake. They even invited us to a dinner party to celebrate the beginning of duck hunting with them Saturday night. It was a special treat to be in a home and with a couple who welcomed us as thier own.

The main reason for our trip to Taupo this weekend especially was for skydiving. Known as the skydiving capitol of the world, Taupo provides a 15,000ft jump over the lake. With clear skies, one can see both the East and the West coasts of NZ. As we thought of what we could do on my actual birthday, Jen and I thought, "What's more exciting than jumping out of a plane?!" In light of this, there were five of us which travelled to Taupo, making for an extended birthday party for me! As Saturday turned out to be a gloomy, cloudy day, no jumps were allowed to take place, so we had to wait until Sunday morning. This was a good lesson for all of us to just go with the flow and find joy even when things don't end up the way you had envisioned them to. Sunday morning was bright, clear and beautiful, allowing for a gorgeous jump.

It was a supurb birthday, and one I will never forget to be sure!

I have attached a link to my skydiving photos, because my words just cannot explain the experience well enough! Lets just say though that the free fall is insane: it is cold, and the pressure of the wind is intense making it hard to breathe as well as move any part of your body. You will see in the photos that my arms are always out and back, its because there was no way to fight the wind to put them anywhere else! Getting up to speeds of 200km per hour (more than 100mph), it feels as though you are in a tunnel of wind, cold wind! But as soon as the parashoot is pulled, all pressure is released and the most lovely, relaxed gliding begins - I reckon its the best part.

There is hardly any comparison to bungee jumping. As in a bungee jump, it is all you: you have to make the leap. In skydiving, the guide on your back does everything and there is truly no time for you to think about being scared. Your in the plane, just like any other plane ride, you see the ground below you, but before you know it, you are being scooted to the edge and off you go. Only once did my heart drop to my stomach, and that was when the door of the plane opened up - at that moment I thought "Oh God no. No I don't wanna jump out of a plane!" haha, but being moved around gave me no choice. Also, not having to be the one to push us out of the plane stole all pressure and fear away - I was just along for the ride!

South Island Excursion

A recap of my travels through the South Island of New Zealand!

Christchurch: Arriving by plane here in this West coast city, we immediately saw the English influence all around. Resembling a European city with corner apartments, traditional Cathedrals, and streets lined with autumn coloured trees, I was able to enjoy the beauty of the city, but felt a bit put out by its overwhelming English influence. We spent a quality amount of time in their botanical gardens which allow gondolas to float through the river, and I truly enjoyed escaping the city for a bit.

Akaroa: Continuing westward, we drove through the hills to the various bays of this peninsula. This place stole our hearts. We made several bike rides around various bays, and hiked through one of the hills (a hike that almost killed us with its direct vertical climb up!), but the most captivating moments of our time there was the cottage hostel we stayed in. Located right on Banks Bay, the front garden and veranda looked out straight into the water and hills, not to mention the precious couple who welcomed us into their homey hostel, I knew this place was a storybook come to life!

Lake Tekapo/Lake Pukaki: Heading directly East from Akaroa, our destination were the lakes that lie in the centre of the South Island. Lake Tekapo welcomed us with its large body of water that was completely aqua and the hills were strong and covered with forestry trees. Though the town was not much, Tekapo provided us with enough excitement as we awoke with the present of 3-4 inches of fresh laid snow. Everything white, crisp, and reflective of the sun – it truly felt like Christmas morning! Lake Pukaki was a beautiful compliment to our drive further inland to the mountain range of Mt. Cook.

Mt. Cook: These were mountains like I had never seen before. These mountains were massive in size, abundant in snow, and majestic in beauty. Despite warnings of overcast, raining weather, the afternoon we spent there was clear, sunny and bright!

Queenstown: This is one of New Zealand’s more famous destinations as it is known for its extreme adventurous opportunities. Of course Jen and I had to partake in the adventure, so we signed ourselves up for a bungy jump: 440ft into the depths of a canyon – third largest in the world. Fear did not come to me until I was in the chair getting my feet tied looking at the ledge I was about to jump off of – but once I jumped, leaving behind my shaky legs and light-headed self, the feeling of free falling for 9 seconds with speeds of 80mph is like nothing else. For a time, I was completely separated from the world. Alone in the canyon, it seemed as though I was free to do anything – I loved it!

To celebrate, we spent a half of an hour in Minus 5 Bar – a bar that is a freezer, literally. With a temperature of negative 5, we were provided with gloves and heavy coats since everything in the bar was made of ice: benches, glasses, and all ice sculptures as decoration – a definitely unique experience.

Despite all its offers of extreme adventure, Queenstown also was such a welcoming town. Situated right on Lake Wakatipu, the town grows outbound and up onto hill. So quaint with its town centre and shopping boutiques, I would have enjoyed staying here longer.

Quote from Queenstown store: “Chocolate makes my clothes shrink.”

Te Anu/Doubtful Sound: Waking up early one morning, we drove south east to the town of Te Anu in order to travel Doubtful Sound. The Sound was a definite highlight to our trip. Heading on the cruise ship out to the Tasman Sea, we travelled through mountains with a small mist hovering at the top of them. We were able to see a pod of dolphins and a group of seals seeing how the water was more still than it usually is. In a moment of silence, we were able to witness the Sound as it naturally is – peaceful, yet full of life through the voices of birds we heard. In so many words, it was beautiful and majestic.

Arrowtown: This was a small stop along our drive, but one well worth it. A small town located in the valley, it consisted of a town centre of only two streets. Yet along this were boutiques, restaurants, and the greatest ice cream shop: Patagonia, where Jen and I fell in love with their banana split ice cream. Though it still doesn’t out live ‘hokey pokey’ ice cream which is honey comb flavour!

Lake Wanaka: This is where we celebrated Easter!! Waking up on the lake, again with hills surrounding, was the perfect way to remember the beauty of the gift of life. With two beautiful days of sunny and clear weather, this lake was crystal sparkling.

Franz Joseph Glacier: While this town had hardly anything to offer, the draw was the expedition to the famous glacier. It was a 45 minute walk to get to the base of the glacier where we then had to clap on our snow shoes so that we could begin the climb up. Despite the torrential down pour, the time we had on/within the glacier was magical. A mountain of ice we were descending upon in the mist of two other large, not ice, mountains – it was quite the complex. But a trip such as this one really makes one recognize how small they really are when there can be such a large mound of ice to climb about.

Punakaiki + Pancake Rocks: Continuing our voyage north, we stopped in the small costal town of Punakaiki, known for their Pancake Rocks. These rocks are composed of layers of thin rock stacked on top of one another – hence the name. Situated in the crystal aqua waters of the Tasman Sea, our lookout walk along the coast from the top of the cliffs provided us with beautiful views of the rocks in the vast water. As the water crashed upon the lower ends of the rocks, more of a realization occurs as to our weak place in a planet that is so much more than we understand.

Abel Tasman: In the north east cove of the tip of the South Island lays Tasman Bay. Here Jen and I sea kayaked before venturing into the bush for a hike. Kayaking is such a refreshing new look at the world. Resting upon the water, one begins to view land as the constricting force which prevents the abundant water to come to an end. There is such freedom which resides with being so connected to the sea – its one thing to observe it; it’s another to be upon it.

Our hike allowed for expansive shots of the water and its relation to the curving hill sides rolling into the shoreline. Again, a beautiful bright, sunny day blessed us with its presence – bringing about a gorgeous reflection upon the water.

Farewell Spit/Golden Bay: At the very northeast tip of the South Island is where the land dwindles out to a thin peninsula, Farewell Spit, wrapping around Golden Bay, with the Tasman Sea on the east side. Here we ventured out on horses! A three hour horseback ride left us extremely sore, but with one of the greatest memories of the trip. Riding on the top of the hills, with deep valleys on one side and water on the other made this journey one right out of an epic story. As my first horseback ride that I can remember, I truly enjoyed when we got into a canter (an almost gallop) with the horse; there was such adrenaline during one of those rides!

Nelson: The most north city the South Island can claim is, once again, on a hill which descends down to a water front. Here Jen and I stayed for several days at a hostel which was a home – with only less than 15 guests, it quickly became a comfortable environment we could rest in. My favourite portion of our stay here was our bike ride along the river in the quiet of a hidden trail, after which I hung around the park and befriended many dogs. I was also opened up to the true essence of a scene out of a novel where I sat under a London Plain tree, large and abundant in leaves, out looking the green grass and those which ran about it.

Wellington: The capitol of New Zealand resides in the southern tip of the North Island. We travelled there by ferry and re-entered the northern land. As our last stop of our trip, Jen and I treated ourselves with a day of shopping and the second day at the National Te Papa museum. A relaxed time in this spread out city on a hill and its artistic culture gave us a good closure to an amazing trip!

So as not to add anymore, I will close with saying that my South Island road trip (where driving proved to become quite natural on the left side of the road) was more than I could have imagined. Though in the end, I realize that a life on the move does not compare to one where a stable home is there to welcome you at night.