holy shit on a stick -- it's almost December! I've been here a month, and haven't even put on my pack b/c of the surgery....only 4 days til "go time."
been writing alot by hand, and i regret that those thoughts aren't up here. the problem is that my laptop (1) has limited power, and (2) doesn't work well when it's bright outside, so i have been resorting to pad and paper.
today is a good day. last nite, on the rec of the antarctic guys, i pulled into McKee Beach at dusk...it was a state-run campsite with every available spot taken -- except the very last spot, tucked-into the trees, which I claimed. the tide was out, so the "beach" was 300 metres of muck...i was tired, and bummed. they made it sound like i was going to be able to build a big bonfire on the beach...i even had bought some weenies for the event!
well, it was all good when i woke up this morning to the most beautiful day of the trip thus far...my neighbors had pullled out, and the tide pulled in...i woke to the lapping of waves, and sun-kissed sea breezes in my tent. it turns out that my spot in the trees was a perfect natural sun shelter, right on the high-tide line, with filtered sunlight and birds chirping away.
the other thing that made it a great day is that THE OZONE HOLE APPEARS TO HAVE PASSED! hallelujah on that one. i mentioned in a previous post that the ozone "hole" over NZ is actually a periodic event related to the breakup of the seasonal hole over Antarctica. ...for much of this trip, the sun was just way too bright...like the light in your eyes at the dentist. it was painful to the skin and eyes, and created a kind of surreal and not totally pleasant effect.
today, the sun seemed like normal yellow summer sun...such a welcome change.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
November 29, 2008
Divine campsite last nite right on a little bay flanked by steep, piney slopes (Whatamango Bay...Whataname!). Meet some dudes playing frisbee and they turned out to be support staff for the Antarctic research station at the South Pole!!! they had recently finished working through the winter down there, when they are basically closed off to the world. these guys originally hail from Alaska and Colorado, and we had a great time shooting the shit and watching the stars come out. they are northbound.
today, i drove to nelson on the Tasman Bay. the roads here are endlessly windly marvels of engineering. average speed is probably 30 mph.
I had my first moment of real fear getting off the ferry yesterday: i couldn't find my ipod shuffle. this would have been a disaster, as its the huge assortment of music i loaded on it that keep me sane when homesickeness or loneliness start pawing at me. it is amazing how much a single song can give you strength, and bring your head around to your mission. (this is something i learned in so. america back in 1995).
Kiwis are so mellow.....this dude drove up on me while i was taking a slash in his driveway way out in the stix...i thought he was going to say something nasty, but we was just like, "how's it go, mate?" (which is kiwi for "how's it going?"). I said I was sorry to be pissing on his land, and he said, "no worrries; you gotta pisss, then you gotta piss." (I should note that dude had what looked like a hundred or so fresh beef ribs sitting int he back of his truck, baking in the sun.)
T-5 days til i pull the stitches.
Divine campsite last nite right on a little bay flanked by steep, piney slopes (Whatamango Bay...Whataname!). Meet some dudes playing frisbee and they turned out to be support staff for the Antarctic research station at the South Pole!!! they had recently finished working through the winter down there, when they are basically closed off to the world. these guys originally hail from Alaska and Colorado, and we had a great time shooting the shit and watching the stars come out. they are northbound.
today, i drove to nelson on the Tasman Bay. the roads here are endlessly windly marvels of engineering. average speed is probably 30 mph.
I had my first moment of real fear getting off the ferry yesterday: i couldn't find my ipod shuffle. this would have been a disaster, as its the huge assortment of music i loaded on it that keep me sane when homesickeness or loneliness start pawing at me. it is amazing how much a single song can give you strength, and bring your head around to your mission. (this is something i learned in so. america back in 1995).
Kiwis are so mellow.....this dude drove up on me while i was taking a slash in his driveway way out in the stix...i thought he was going to say something nasty, but we was just like, "how's it go, mate?" (which is kiwi for "how's it going?"). I said I was sorry to be pissing on his land, and he said, "no worrries; you gotta pisss, then you gotta piss." (I should note that dude had what looked like a hundred or so fresh beef ribs sitting int he back of his truck, baking in the sun.)
T-5 days til i pull the stitches.
Nov. 28 -- Cook Strait, southbound (Between North and South Island, NZ) --
I am currently on the ferry that connects the North and South Islands. This thing is big enough to be its own nation-state, with a movie theater, playground, etc.
Wellington was really fresh. Probably the first choice for living outside of the US on a full-time basis. The similarity to Southern Marin visually is almost surreal. Culturally, it is not a "world city", but it does have a dense urban core, and it also has more flavor than any other place I have seen...plenty of young, hip lifestylers; lots of buzz. and the real estate is fuckin dreamy.
I went back under the knife yesterday to correct my initial surgery...this ends a month of challenge, less in terms of pain, more in terms of being alone in a foreign country with a medical problem and, more than anything, having to be PATIENT with the healing process. I have spent an inordinate amount of the first month here in cities, burning money way too fast, not getting outside enough, and generally not doing what i came here to do.
I think that all ends now as I head over to the So. Island. I should be healed and pack-worthy in 6 days. My postings are going to be less-and-less frequent, as I will be out on the trail. Looking forward to the adventure and miss every one!
Wellington was really fresh. Probably the first choice for living outside of the US on a full-time basis. The similarity to Southern Marin visually is almost surreal. Culturally, it is not a "world city", but it does have a dense urban core, and it also has more flavor than any other place I have seen...plenty of young, hip lifestylers; lots of buzz. and the real estate is fuckin dreamy.
I went back under the knife yesterday to correct my initial surgery...this ends a month of challenge, less in terms of pain, more in terms of being alone in a foreign country with a medical problem and, more than anything, having to be PATIENT with the healing process. I have spent an inordinate amount of the first month here in cities, burning money way too fast, not getting outside enough, and generally not doing what i came here to do.
I think that all ends now as I head over to the So. Island. I should be healed and pack-worthy in 6 days. My postings are going to be less-and-less frequent, as I will be out on the trail. Looking forward to the adventure and miss every one!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Wellington -- Nov. 25
Windy Welly (Wellington)November 25, 2008
The Wind.this town is definitely living up to its name...gale force winds all night and this morning (literally!). i woke up watching planes descending into the airport...they were flying right into the wind, and they were like almost suspended in place, making constant adjustments left and right as the winds buffeted them. I also saw a couple of the big inter-island ferries and tho I am supposed to take one today, the sailor side of me says you don't get in a boat when the wind is blowing whitecaps in puddles in the street. we'll see.
36th Bday DinnerI went to The Flying Burrito Brothers for my 36th bday dinner...had a virgin Pina Colada, nachos, and a combo plate. New Zealand is the ONLY place outside of Mexico that seems to have authentic Mexican food other than the American Southwest. This was GOOD Mexican. I capped the celebration with a big chocolate ice cream.
Weather, Ozone holeThe elements here are nuts. The only comparable place I can think of is the Black Rock Desert, where you are constantly making adjustments (hot, then cold, then wet, then dry, etc.). there appear to be like 3 different weather systems at any given point in time, as judged by layers of clouds. when the sun comes out, it can be NUCLEAR. the whole in the ozone is palpable. i did some research and found that the hole forms seasonally over the Antarctic, breaking up around November. There is no constant hole over NZ. Rather, the dissipating ozone hole releases "bubbles" that migrate north until they break up. Thus, ozone holes over NZ are more like "events" that come and go.
The day I climbed Te Ahora, granted I was high off my ghourd on Apo Prednisone, but it was so clear that there was no atmosphere. the sunlight had the quality of a halogen bulb. you could look into the distance, and b/c of the particulates in the air, things looked normal. but up close, it was painfully bright -- white, really -- and blinding. each time the sun peeked out intermittently between clouds it was borderline painful b/c it was so painful. any sun contact to the skin was uncomfortable. it was sketchy.
DiversitySo, NZ is notroriously white. I've actually found that there is something of a mix in the cities...lots of Indian and Southeast Asians represented, and of course, Maori and polynesians. As for the latter, I'm afraid to report that NZ, like every society I've ever witnessed, seems to have a class divide based on ethnicity. the Maori are not well-represented in the tourist areas. Also, this may be an unfair observation, but the only place that I saw Maori consistently in downtown Auckland was outside the courthouse. Bummer.
Nutritionso, I'm starting to provide more for myself food-wise. it's been tough. as i head to the So. Island, I have to be more self-sufficient. the key things to keep in one's diet are protein, vitamins and fiber. these can be the first to go when you are living on the fly, but they are very easy to keep in the mix w/supplements. thus, ive laid in protein powder, mutli-vitamins, and cyllium husk powder. my travelling kitchen at this point always has muffins, fruit, bread, cheese, fruit, pb&J and soup.
The Alternate Californiaas I've been cruising around Wellington, I am struck by how much it looks like Sausalito...and how everything I have seen has compared to some place in California. I am here to investigate the claim that NZ is more beautiful than California, and thus far, all I can say is that while NZ seems to share many of the same environments, I have yet to see anything that there isn't a comparable for in California. Let's see what the So. Island has to offer...
The Wind.this town is definitely living up to its name...gale force winds all night and this morning (literally!). i woke up watching planes descending into the airport...they were flying right into the wind, and they were like almost suspended in place, making constant adjustments left and right as the winds buffeted them. I also saw a couple of the big inter-island ferries and tho I am supposed to take one today, the sailor side of me says you don't get in a boat when the wind is blowing whitecaps in puddles in the street. we'll see.
36th Bday DinnerI went to The Flying Burrito Brothers for my 36th bday dinner...had a virgin Pina Colada, nachos, and a combo plate. New Zealand is the ONLY place outside of Mexico that seems to have authentic Mexican food other than the American Southwest. This was GOOD Mexican. I capped the celebration with a big chocolate ice cream.
Weather, Ozone holeThe elements here are nuts. The only comparable place I can think of is the Black Rock Desert, where you are constantly making adjustments (hot, then cold, then wet, then dry, etc.). there appear to be like 3 different weather systems at any given point in time, as judged by layers of clouds. when the sun comes out, it can be NUCLEAR. the whole in the ozone is palpable. i did some research and found that the hole forms seasonally over the Antarctic, breaking up around November. There is no constant hole over NZ. Rather, the dissipating ozone hole releases "bubbles" that migrate north until they break up. Thus, ozone holes over NZ are more like "events" that come and go.
The day I climbed Te Ahora, granted I was high off my ghourd on Apo Prednisone, but it was so clear that there was no atmosphere. the sunlight had the quality of a halogen bulb. you could look into the distance, and b/c of the particulates in the air, things looked normal. but up close, it was painfully bright -- white, really -- and blinding. each time the sun peeked out intermittently between clouds it was borderline painful b/c it was so painful. any sun contact to the skin was uncomfortable. it was sketchy.
DiversitySo, NZ is notroriously white. I've actually found that there is something of a mix in the cities...lots of Indian and Southeast Asians represented, and of course, Maori and polynesians. As for the latter, I'm afraid to report that NZ, like every society I've ever witnessed, seems to have a class divide based on ethnicity. the Maori are not well-represented in the tourist areas. Also, this may be an unfair observation, but the only place that I saw Maori consistently in downtown Auckland was outside the courthouse. Bummer.
Nutritionso, I'm starting to provide more for myself food-wise. it's been tough. as i head to the So. Island, I have to be more self-sufficient. the key things to keep in one's diet are protein, vitamins and fiber. these can be the first to go when you are living on the fly, but they are very easy to keep in the mix w/supplements. thus, ive laid in protein powder, mutli-vitamins, and cyllium husk powder. my travelling kitchen at this point always has muffins, fruit, bread, cheese, fruit, pb&J and soup.
The Alternate Californiaas I've been cruising around Wellington, I am struck by how much it looks like Sausalito...and how everything I have seen has compared to some place in California. I am here to investigate the claim that NZ is more beautiful than California, and thus far, all I can say is that while NZ seems to share many of the same environments, I have yet to see anything that there isn't a comparable for in California. Let's see what the So. Island has to offer...
Wellington - Nov. 24
Wellington, NZNovember 24 -- Tom's 36th bday
Wellington is a world cooler than Auckland. The hills look remarkably like Sausalito, with impossibly windy streets, Victorians, and epic bay views. Culturally, its much more bohemian than Auckland. It appears to have a bustling alternative culture, bet. cafes, bookstores, bars, music and clothing stores, etc. Definitely "edgier", tho NZ at its edgiest is about like Walnut Creek.
Had a wild couple of days. No, seriously. It turns out that when I had the "visions" on the secret beach that I described in my last posting, that I was, in fact, starting to trip a little bit. The MD in Auckland gave me a serious dosing regimen of Apo-Prednisone, a steriod that reduces swelling. Dr. Gill said that it tends to make people feel "happy", which was an important piece of information, as I found myself completely fucked up within 48 hrs and thanks to her telling me that, I was able to deduce that the steroid might be the cause of my "symptoms". Official statement by manufacturers re: symptoms:
More common:nervousness or restlessness
Less common or rare:dizziness or lightheadedness flushing of face or cheeks increased sweating sensation of spinning
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur: confusion depression excitement false sense of well-being hallucinations mistaken feelings of self-importance or of being mistreated mood swings (sudden and wide) restlessness
Well, I experienced all of the above. Hiking up Te Aroha, I kept thinking I was on Mt. Greylock in Williamstown, Mass. Then, driving over the arid Taurangi Plain (which is all sagebrush/basiny), I thought I was in Wyoming. And then, at Lake Taupo, I actually started to think that I was in an alternate universe. Sound fun? With all the other effects (e.g., panic attacks, followed by waves of elation, over and over again) it really wasn't.
I drove onto a beach, covered the windows, and cranked the AC. laying in the back of my Subaru, I had the sense of spinning, and was in a fever state, breathing laboriously. I decided it was time to get an MD to see if there was some kind of antidote.
The country MD was so cool. He said that my reaction to "Apo" was not uncommon, and that certain people couldn't take it at all. While I still felt totally trippy, at least I knew that I wasn't going totally nuts! The MD sent me to get a quiet motel room with AC and take valium until the steroid level went down. I slept for 18 hours, and woke up feeling fine.
Being sick by yourself in a foreign country is never fun. But this was an odd type of "sickness" b/c it actually affected my emotions and thinking. I will forever remember the residents of Lake Taupo as friendly little white aliens from a different universe.
Wellington is a world cooler than Auckland. The hills look remarkably like Sausalito, with impossibly windy streets, Victorians, and epic bay views. Culturally, its much more bohemian than Auckland. It appears to have a bustling alternative culture, bet. cafes, bookstores, bars, music and clothing stores, etc. Definitely "edgier", tho NZ at its edgiest is about like Walnut Creek.
Had a wild couple of days. No, seriously. It turns out that when I had the "visions" on the secret beach that I described in my last posting, that I was, in fact, starting to trip a little bit. The MD in Auckland gave me a serious dosing regimen of Apo-Prednisone, a steriod that reduces swelling. Dr. Gill said that it tends to make people feel "happy", which was an important piece of information, as I found myself completely fucked up within 48 hrs and thanks to her telling me that, I was able to deduce that the steroid might be the cause of my "symptoms". Official statement by manufacturers re: symptoms:
More common:nervousness or restlessness
Less common or rare:dizziness or lightheadedness flushing of face or cheeks increased sweating sensation of spinning
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur: confusion depression excitement false sense of well-being hallucinations mistaken feelings of self-importance or of being mistreated mood swings (sudden and wide) restlessness
Well, I experienced all of the above. Hiking up Te Aroha, I kept thinking I was on Mt. Greylock in Williamstown, Mass. Then, driving over the arid Taurangi Plain (which is all sagebrush/basiny), I thought I was in Wyoming. And then, at Lake Taupo, I actually started to think that I was in an alternate universe. Sound fun? With all the other effects (e.g., panic attacks, followed by waves of elation, over and over again) it really wasn't.
I drove onto a beach, covered the windows, and cranked the AC. laying in the back of my Subaru, I had the sense of spinning, and was in a fever state, breathing laboriously. I decided it was time to get an MD to see if there was some kind of antidote.
The country MD was so cool. He said that my reaction to "Apo" was not uncommon, and that certain people couldn't take it at all. While I still felt totally trippy, at least I knew that I wasn't going totally nuts! The MD sent me to get a quiet motel room with AC and take valium until the steroid level went down. I slept for 18 hours, and woke up feeling fine.
Being sick by yourself in a foreign country is never fun. But this was an odd type of "sickness" b/c it actually affected my emotions and thinking. I will forever remember the residents of Lake Taupo as friendly little white aliens from a different universe.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Nov. 21 - Waipi Beach, Coromandel Peninsula
Wow! this place is unreal. About mid-day, I was driving a gravel road through a cattle area that looked like the alterrnate world Pt. Reyes, and discovered a trailhead down to a secret beach. I descended with sweeping views of an offshore island through grazing fields which yielded to a mixed tropical forest with ferns and flowers and big trees covered with creepers and lianas. I kept thinking I was in Hawaii (the place names -- Otupere, Whangarei, Whipiti, etc, etc. -- definitely contribute to that effect.
At the bottom, I found a protected cove onto a beach with perfect white sand. I took lunch under a broad tree, with a chalky cliff face wrapping around me and a small waterfall shooting off onto the beach. the sea was torquise to pale blue and gently frothing about like water in a bucket being carried by its metal handle.
i kicked back and ate some local jam and avocados that I had bought at a roadside farm. I chilled into a deep state of comfort...I didn't sleep, but closed my eyes and went through a waking dream, where I was sort of flying through all of these familiar places -- inverness, my grandparent's old house, my old neighborhood in berkeley -- and with the gently sloshing of the sea, it was incredibly peaceful. When I opened my eyes, I was quite literally in paradise. It was a significant moment.
That hike rated about one of the very best of my life, seriously. Two days in a row now, I have experienced stuff that compares to the best of pt reyes...but this is all NEW! i am completely engaged. every night is the night before xmas at this point.
At the bottom, I found a protected cove onto a beach with perfect white sand. I took lunch under a broad tree, with a chalky cliff face wrapping around me and a small waterfall shooting off onto the beach. the sea was torquise to pale blue and gently frothing about like water in a bucket being carried by its metal handle.
i kicked back and ate some local jam and avocados that I had bought at a roadside farm. I chilled into a deep state of comfort...I didn't sleep, but closed my eyes and went through a waking dream, where I was sort of flying through all of these familiar places -- inverness, my grandparent's old house, my old neighborhood in berkeley -- and with the gently sloshing of the sea, it was incredibly peaceful. When I opened my eyes, I was quite literally in paradise. It was a significant moment.
That hike rated about one of the very best of my life, seriously. Two days in a row now, I have experienced stuff that compares to the best of pt reyes...but this is all NEW! i am completely engaged. every night is the night before xmas at this point.
Nov. 21 - Whangamata, Coromandel Peninsula
Glory, glory hallelujah! I broke out of Auckland finally and it's all true. This country is unreal beautiful. I was "oohing" and 'aaahiing" my whole way to the Coromandel Peninsula, about 3 hours west of Auckland.
Stayed at Ouepere Beach, which was like Pt. Reyes Seashore on drugs. (And I don't mean like witnessing PRNS on drugs; I mean it was like the Seashore itself had taken some high-powered stuff...) Dreamy, exotic, hypnotizing, serene, lush and pregnant. It was one of most spectacular places I have ever camped...More bunny rabbits running around than people. Purely delightful, and completely uplifting. Slept under the stars with the sounds of surf and wind in the pines above...I was positively tingling with happiness.
To boot, my surgery seems to be responding to the steroids, so I may be recovered soon and out in the backcountry. I'm using the recovery time to head south and spend some time in the South Island before XMAS, when everything gets crazy.
Stayed at Ouepere Beach, which was like Pt. Reyes Seashore on drugs. (And I don't mean like witnessing PRNS on drugs; I mean it was like the Seashore itself had taken some high-powered stuff...) Dreamy, exotic, hypnotizing, serene, lush and pregnant. It was one of most spectacular places I have ever camped...More bunny rabbits running around than people. Purely delightful, and completely uplifting. Slept under the stars with the sounds of surf and wind in the pines above...I was positively tingling with happiness.
To boot, my surgery seems to be responding to the steroids, so I may be recovered soon and out in the backcountry. I'm using the recovery time to head south and spend some time in the South Island before XMAS, when everything gets crazy.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Auckland, Nov. 19
It's like the opening scene of Apocalypse Now: "Saigon........shit."
I figured out how to reduce photos, so let me see if i can upload 'em.
here's my campsite back in stepehen's bay...the last time I slept in my tent (a week ago).
Monday, November 17, 2008
Auckland, Nov. 18
Marooned in Auckland. That is my fate. Complications relating to the surgery have me grounded.
When I originally planned this trip as a Baja trip, I prepared myself for having to sit out a week or more of stormy weather. Here, I at least have creature comforts. But it is getting old and I'm ready to get this trip moving forward.
When I originally planned this trip as a Baja trip, I prepared myself for having to sit out a week or more of stormy weather. Here, I at least have creature comforts. But it is getting old and I'm ready to get this trip moving forward.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Mt. Eden, Auckland -- Nov. 15, 2008
Auckland is way chill. I'm staying in Mt. Eden, which is the Twin Peaks of Auckland -- except that this fucker is a dormant volcano! caldera cone and all!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Auckland - Nov. 14
Travel............
I had a 9:40am flight from syndey to auckland this a.m.
i told the guy at my hotel that i needed to get my car out of the gated parking lot at 6:30. so, all packed and ready, i tried to find him at 6:30...not a sign of any management in the building. the office sign said "office hours 8am-8pm." 8am = me missing my flight.
so, I was runnning arond the hotel, ringing the front doorbell, banging on doors, honking my horn in the driveway, waking up all of the guests, trying to find the property manager. Inexcplicably, there was no one there!
then i tried the break-open/ram-the-gate strategy, to no avail.
finally, i sat down on the front steps and was calling air new zealand to re-schedule when dude walked in at 7:35am. Needless to say, I was FLOATING to the airport...flipping bitches in the middle of 6-lane overpasses, weaving through traffic ny-style, dipping through side streets....
i got there and there was a line at air new zealand check-in that doulbed back 4 times, then wrapped around the entire building, all the way down to the food court. probably 400 people ahead of me at 8:40 am.
A spirited older lady who was on my flight and i were chatting, and i managed to snag a cart and bring it ovewr, and offered to put her baggage on so we didn't have to constantly scoot it. we became a team.
she went over and somehow (it was amazing, rreally) got an agent to check us in at another counter...the "secret" check-in (there were other people on our flight there....how this worked out i have no idea).
well, the agent said shhe couldn't check me in b/c my flight out of nz was in march, and i didn't have a visa to stay longer than 3 monnths. so now, at about 9:10 (flight's at 9:40), I had to run across the terminal and change my outgoing ticket to Feb. 10! (Amazingly, no charge).
then, came back, checked in, and madeit.
now im in auckland at a quiet, sunny B&B...i think when you first get off a plane, you should go somewhere nice and mellow. ill deal with the hostel scene tomorrow.
I had a 9:40am flight from syndey to auckland this a.m.
i told the guy at my hotel that i needed to get my car out of the gated parking lot at 6:30. so, all packed and ready, i tried to find him at 6:30...not a sign of any management in the building. the office sign said "office hours 8am-8pm." 8am = me missing my flight.
so, I was runnning arond the hotel, ringing the front doorbell, banging on doors, honking my horn in the driveway, waking up all of the guests, trying to find the property manager. Inexcplicably, there was no one there!
then i tried the break-open/ram-the-gate strategy, to no avail.
finally, i sat down on the front steps and was calling air new zealand to re-schedule when dude walked in at 7:35am. Needless to say, I was FLOATING to the airport...flipping bitches in the middle of 6-lane overpasses, weaving through traffic ny-style, dipping through side streets....
i got there and there was a line at air new zealand check-in that doulbed back 4 times, then wrapped around the entire building, all the way down to the food court. probably 400 people ahead of me at 8:40 am.
A spirited older lady who was on my flight and i were chatting, and i managed to snag a cart and bring it ovewr, and offered to put her baggage on so we didn't have to constantly scoot it. we became a team.
she went over and somehow (it was amazing, rreally) got an agent to check us in at another counter...the "secret" check-in (there were other people on our flight there....how this worked out i have no idea).
well, the agent said shhe couldn't check me in b/c my flight out of nz was in march, and i didn't have a visa to stay longer than 3 monnths. so now, at about 9:10 (flight's at 9:40), I had to run across the terminal and change my outgoing ticket to Feb. 10! (Amazingly, no charge).
then, came back, checked in, and madeit.
now im in auckland at a quiet, sunny B&B...i think when you first get off a plane, you should go somewhere nice and mellow. ill deal with the hostel scene tomorrow.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Sydney -- Nov. 13, 2008
Got my stitches out today -- wi-hoo! I can swim now...but b/c I'm having redness and swelling I can't put on a waistbelt or lay on a surfboard until that situation improves...so, it's still going to be at least a week before I get on trail.
Good to be back in Sydney, if only for a night. I hope you all get to see this place someday. It is pretty damn spectacular.
Had a really, really lucky connection up in Stephens Bay: met a gal named Wendy from the UK who was on a week vacation, road-tripping from Brisbane to Sydney...She is wintering down here (like me) and has a flat in Auckland...and we have a date this coming week inNZ! (She doesn't know yet that I'll be using her flat as a staging area for my various tramps........)
Good to be back in Sydney, if only for a night. I hope you all get to see this place someday. It is pretty damn spectacular.
Had a really, really lucky connection up in Stephens Bay: met a gal named Wendy from the UK who was on a week vacation, road-tripping from Brisbane to Sydney...She is wintering down here (like me) and has a flat in Auckland...and we have a date this coming week inNZ! (She doesn't know yet that I'll be using her flat as a staging area for my various tramps........)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Australia...48 hours 'til I jet
Australia...
No Starbucks.
The lack of diversity here is almost unsettling. It’s like someone turned out the lights. This alone would make Australia a hard place to live.
Working, clean restrooms everywhere...(I'm down to 43 Diet Cokes a day). They operate on the "common urinal" system here, so you piss elbow-to-elbow with the next man. ("Nice root you got there, mate.”) ; )
No homeless people, no panhandling, no tweakers.
No agresssive driving (camera-issued speeding tickets everywhere -- great system).
Forced breathalyzer stops. ("Count one-to-five for me into the device, mate.")
No sunscreen under SPF 30, period. Skin cancer clinics everywhere. Ozone hole. "No worries, mate." Yeah....right.
I'm glad I got the full insurance plan on my Toyota, b/c some jackass American tourist (me) was driving down the wrong side of a country road and almost ran into an Ozzie. At the last moment, I veered left across the road, jumped a curb, bent the rim, cracked the faring, and lost a hubcap. It's not that hard to drive on the left, except when you are the only car on a country road, and then you instinctively float to the right.
I fly back to Auckland on Friday, and I'm starting to plan. There are well over fifty "tracks" in the 3-6 day range on the islands, covering every type of environment imaginable. There is a shitload of admin to take care of: permit lotteries, permission to pass from Maori landowners, hut reservations, bla bla bla. Thankfully, there is a dedicated office in Auckland that helps "trampers' with these details.
No Starbucks.
The lack of diversity here is almost unsettling. It’s like someone turned out the lights. This alone would make Australia a hard place to live.
Working, clean restrooms everywhere...(I'm down to 43 Diet Cokes a day). They operate on the "common urinal" system here, so you piss elbow-to-elbow with the next man. ("Nice root you got there, mate.”) ; )
No homeless people, no panhandling, no tweakers.
No agresssive driving (camera-issued speeding tickets everywhere -- great system).
Forced breathalyzer stops. ("Count one-to-five for me into the device, mate.")
No sunscreen under SPF 30, period. Skin cancer clinics everywhere. Ozone hole. "No worries, mate." Yeah....right.
I'm glad I got the full insurance plan on my Toyota, b/c some jackass American tourist (me) was driving down the wrong side of a country road and almost ran into an Ozzie. At the last moment, I veered left across the road, jumped a curb, bent the rim, cracked the faring, and lost a hubcap. It's not that hard to drive on the left, except when you are the only car on a country road, and then you instinctively float to the right.
I fly back to Auckland on Friday, and I'm starting to plan. There are well over fifty "tracks" in the 3-6 day range on the islands, covering every type of environment imaginable. There is a shitload of admin to take care of: permit lotteries, permission to pass from Maori landowners, hut reservations, bla bla bla. Thankfully, there is a dedicated office in Auckland that helps "trampers' with these details.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Nov. 11, 2008 - Port Stephens, NSW
I think I found the Pt. Reyes of the Sydney area: Port Stephens.
Before I even had a chance to get a cup of coffee this morning, I ran into both a joey (kangaroo) and a koala, as well as several amazing birds. (photos to follow).
There's a huge school of dolphins in the bay here, and the whale watching off the point is supposed to be at its peak around now.
Plus, there are girls.
Before I even had a chance to get a cup of coffee this morning, I ran into both a joey (kangaroo) and a koala, as well as several amazing birds. (photos to follow).
There's a huge school of dolphins in the bay here, and the whale watching off the point is supposed to be at its peak around now.
Plus, there are girls.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Nov. 10, 2008 - Manly Beach (NE Sydney)
"It was a paradise. A paradise whose skies were the very flames of hell. But a paradise, nonetheless." -- V. Nabokov
Epic warm water waves, and I can't get in the water b/c of the risk of infection.
Well, at least I got a badass camera, and shit, it's Monday, and I don't have to go to work!
Manly is exactly like La Jolla and Pacific Beach, San Diego.
I really want to get on the trail, but I occasionally will get an unreal sharp pain in my gut which tells me that I need to give myself time to heal. It's strange when I am so used to the busy-busy-busy lifestyle of workaday SF to realize that I just need to take time to chill. This is a new paradigm. I am ready for the challenge!
Epic warm water waves, and I can't get in the water b/c of the risk of infection.
Well, at least I got a badass camera, and shit, it's Monday, and I don't have to go to work!
Manly is exactly like La Jolla and Pacific Beach, San Diego.
I really want to get on the trail, but I occasionally will get an unreal sharp pain in my gut which tells me that I need to give myself time to heal. It's strange when I am so used to the busy-busy-busy lifestyle of workaday SF to realize that I just need to take time to chill. This is a new paradigm. I am ready for the challenge!
November 9, 2008
Canberra was whack. Because it was centrally-designed as the nation's capital, it's got all the idealized circles and monuments and city planning that you associate with a place like Brasilia (the arbitrary capital of Brazil.) Completely inorganic land use patterns -- endless Soviet-style brick apartment buildings with empty grass yards, and "commerce" limited to limited blocks blocks with all the stores and restaurants crowded onto one city block. Monuments and museums and palatial buildings devoted to the administration of Australia........and not a soul on the street. Granted, it was Sunday. But I got the fuck out of Dodge.
The countryside was so reminiscent of California, I was really surprised...Lots of savannah type landscapes with clumps of trees here and there.
The other thing you notice: they haven't built a continuous string of development along the freeway. There are cities and townships, but between them, there is just countryside. Granted, there are only 21 million people in the whole country. But it was nice to see, regardless.
Got back to Sydney where I drove through some of the longest tunnels under the Sydney Harbor -- a couple of these things must have been five miles long!
I'm now in Manly, which is basically the La Jolla of Sydney. Sadly, b/c of my recovery, I cannot swim or surf....At least the girls are cuter here. These 2 bubbly Norwegian chicks at my hostel invited me to go out and party with them...Sorry, ladies. Tomorrow morning, I'll probably be walking out the door at 5:30 for my morning walk when they stumble back into the hostel trashed to the gills.
The countryside was so reminiscent of California, I was really surprised...Lots of savannah type landscapes with clumps of trees here and there.
The other thing you notice: they haven't built a continuous string of development along the freeway. There are cities and townships, but between them, there is just countryside. Granted, there are only 21 million people in the whole country. But it was nice to see, regardless.
Got back to Sydney where I drove through some of the longest tunnels under the Sydney Harbor -- a couple of these things must have been five miles long!
I'm now in Manly, which is basically the La Jolla of Sydney. Sadly, b/c of my recovery, I cannot swim or surf....At least the girls are cuter here. These 2 bubbly Norwegian chicks at my hostel invited me to go out and party with them...Sorry, ladies. Tomorrow morning, I'll probably be walking out the door at 5:30 for my morning walk when they stumble back into the hostel trashed to the gills.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
November 9, 2008
Realized that I'd left my power converter back in "Berry" (about 60km up the road), so I headed back. Luckily, it was still there. People: mind your power adapters! Those fuckers are easy to forget.I decided that all the coastal rambling was wonderful, but (a) torturing me b/c I can't swim due to my recent surgery and (b) still off-season and pretty quiet.So, I read about the Australian capital: Canberra! Seat of Australian power! Center of politics! Host to any number of important cultural institutions.It's fucking Sacramento, man.
The drive out here was intense...the North South Wales countryside (in many places) looks a lot like Sonoma County.
Then, there's these other primeval jungly-mesa formations that I are unlike anything I have ever seen. I stumbled upon this RAW national Park, Morton NMP, with a super-sick 1200 foot waterfall. This ain't Glacier Pt, kids: the observation deck is actually suspended in the air, and you are standing on a grate looking directly down through air at the falls below. AWESOME.
Also, the eucalypts are loved here. They comprise 97% of all trees in Australia and support rich ecosystems. They just get a bad name b/c they fuck up the California ecosystem.
I don't know whey they call them "eucalpyts". Where is the "us"? Is Uranus just "Uran"? Or is it it just your "anus"?
The drive out here was intense...the North South Wales countryside (in many places) looks a lot like Sonoma County.
Then, there's these other primeval jungly-mesa formations that I are unlike anything I have ever seen. I stumbled upon this RAW national Park, Morton NMP, with a super-sick 1200 foot waterfall. This ain't Glacier Pt, kids: the observation deck is actually suspended in the air, and you are standing on a grate looking directly down through air at the falls below. AWESOME.
Also, the eucalypts are loved here. They comprise 97% of all trees in Australia and support rich ecosystems. They just get a bad name b/c they fuck up the California ecosystem.
I don't know whey they call them "eucalpyts". Where is the "us"? Is Uranus just "Uran"? Or is it it just your "anus"?
November 8, 2008
Jervis Bay, NSW
I scored the PREMIERE guerrilla camping spot last night…it was fucking divine. For those unclear on the concept of “guerrilla camping”, it is the ultimate form of no-impact camping. Basically, you hike in just before it gets dark (no headlamp), set up and camp, and then wake up and hike out at first light…none the wiser. (Usually, this is b/c you’re not really supposed to be camping there…but us wilderness pornographers have no scruples.)
I hiked down a rocky escarpment through a eucalyptus forest with birds making a riot of noise above me. At the bottom was a thin ribbon of pure white, Carmel Beach-quality sand…no more than 10 feet between the forest and then rock reef, which was picked cleanof any marine life. There was just enough of this beautiful gypsum sand to accommodate my tent. Above me, the ukes hung over about 60 feet up. To my right, I could see all of Jervis Bay, with a little light from a couple of boats and village…but mostly darkness. The steady sound of little frothy waves sucking through the rock reef lulled me to sleep.
I was up at first light (5:15am) and packed out in 10 minutes. It was one of the best nights of sleep in my entire life.
I scored the PREMIERE guerrilla camping spot last night…it was fucking divine. For those unclear on the concept of “guerrilla camping”, it is the ultimate form of no-impact camping. Basically, you hike in just before it gets dark (no headlamp), set up and camp, and then wake up and hike out at first light…none the wiser. (Usually, this is b/c you’re not really supposed to be camping there…but us wilderness pornographers have no scruples.)
I hiked down a rocky escarpment through a eucalyptus forest with birds making a riot of noise above me. At the bottom was a thin ribbon of pure white, Carmel Beach-quality sand…no more than 10 feet between the forest and then rock reef, which was picked cleanof any marine life. There was just enough of this beautiful gypsum sand to accommodate my tent. Above me, the ukes hung over about 60 feet up. To my right, I could see all of Jervis Bay, with a little light from a couple of boats and village…but mostly darkness. The steady sound of little frothy waves sucking through the rock reef lulled me to sleep.
I was up at first light (5:15am) and packed out in 10 minutes. It was one of the best nights of sleep in my entire life.
November 7, 2008
November 7, 2008
Woke to birds screaming above my tent at about 5 am, and was treated to a world-class sunrise…that’s one thing we don’t getonthe Left Coast: the sun rising over the ocean. Beautiful stuff.
Drove through several towns that were like Kaneohe meets Carmel. Big escarpment/mesa cliffs covered in vegetation frame the whole coastline, which is roiling with points and rock shelves and pocket beaches with perfect white sand and pine trees. Lovely area.
Wollongong wasn’t much to speak of, but it was about 7:30 am and not much was going on.
I detoured inland to Minnamurra National Park, and was not disapppointed. It’s a “rainforest” (seasonal, of course) gulch about 20 miles inland. I was the first park visitor and was amazed at how well organized the park is. By keeping foot traffic on raised platforms, they have successfully limited erosion and as a result, I was able to see yellow-tailed cockatooes and the lyebird (sp?)…and there was a lovely little waterfall at the end.
Returning to the coast, I was stunned by how similar the countryside looked to Point Reyes. I could have easily been on the the Petaluma-Marshall Road. Green, bucolic, soothing.
Got to Warmra or something like that and pulled down a suburban road, threw out my mat, and crashed. I needed a siesta.
I just recently arrived at Jervis Bay, where I am awaiting a “chicky” sandwich and putting together my guerilla camping options. There’s lots of beach around here and I don’t think any one’s going to give a hoot if I’m in and out.
Woke to birds screaming above my tent at about 5 am, and was treated to a world-class sunrise…that’s one thing we don’t getonthe Left Coast: the sun rising over the ocean. Beautiful stuff.
Drove through several towns that were like Kaneohe meets Carmel. Big escarpment/mesa cliffs covered in vegetation frame the whole coastline, which is roiling with points and rock shelves and pocket beaches with perfect white sand and pine trees. Lovely area.
Wollongong wasn’t much to speak of, but it was about 7:30 am and not much was going on.
I detoured inland to Minnamurra National Park, and was not disapppointed. It’s a “rainforest” (seasonal, of course) gulch about 20 miles inland. I was the first park visitor and was amazed at how well organized the park is. By keeping foot traffic on raised platforms, they have successfully limited erosion and as a result, I was able to see yellow-tailed cockatooes and the lyebird (sp?)…and there was a lovely little waterfall at the end.
Returning to the coast, I was stunned by how similar the countryside looked to Point Reyes. I could have easily been on the the Petaluma-Marshall Road. Green, bucolic, soothing.
Got to Warmra or something like that and pulled down a suburban road, threw out my mat, and crashed. I needed a siesta.
I just recently arrived at Jervis Bay, where I am awaiting a “chicky” sandwich and putting together my guerilla camping options. There’s lots of beach around here and I don’t think any one’s going to give a hoot if I’m in and out.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Barack Obama is a hero here more than I would have ever believed. It is all any one can talk about and god bless the Ozzies, b/c they don't blame us for George W. Bush. they blame all of the mistakes squarely on that disaster of a president, and share our hope for better days. We did not lose the international community. They're ready to give us another chance.
...
anyway, I Got my ass out of Dodge this a.m. and headed for the South Coast. Seeing as they don't have anything resembling a state or federal highway system (and no straight roads, I might add), it's like a fucking maze getting out of town...but I found my way to Princes Hwy, and then I saw something scary: The Bush.
I've seen a lot of different natural environmenments, and always believed the most difficult to move through would be the low chaparral that you get in the California coast range (super-dense, tough, scratchy, etc.). But the "forest', if you could call it that, that you see on the side of the road here looks basically impassable without a bulldozer. It's super-dense and viney and about 10-12 feet of seemingly impenetrable growth...with no real breaks for ridgelines,or meadows,or what have you. I assume it's second growth. Whatever it is, I'll follow the advice of the gelato lady today, "yeah, there's a few tracks in there, but I reckon you wouldn't want to have a go at it otherwise."
Got my first view of Big Blue today and goddammn, it's magnificent. The area I'm in is between Sydney and Wollongong and is kinda like Kaneoke on Oahu...Chill, suburban, green, and blessed with Monterey-quality coastline.
And I'm finally sleeping in my tent tonight, and I couldn't be happier. got a great spot on the edge of a rock wall on Coledale Beach, just a few steps from the waves...When there's a big set, I get a little spray coming in the tent. Fine white sand, clear blue water, and cool pine trees for shade. and no drunk-ass speed-freak bikers blaring Whitesnake. people are way too mellow for all that noise down here.
...
anyway, I Got my ass out of Dodge this a.m. and headed for the South Coast. Seeing as they don't have anything resembling a state or federal highway system (and no straight roads, I might add), it's like a fucking maze getting out of town...but I found my way to Princes Hwy, and then I saw something scary: The Bush.
I've seen a lot of different natural environmenments, and always believed the most difficult to move through would be the low chaparral that you get in the California coast range (super-dense, tough, scratchy, etc.). But the "forest', if you could call it that, that you see on the side of the road here looks basically impassable without a bulldozer. It's super-dense and viney and about 10-12 feet of seemingly impenetrable growth...with no real breaks for ridgelines,or meadows,or what have you. I assume it's second growth. Whatever it is, I'll follow the advice of the gelato lady today, "yeah, there's a few tracks in there, but I reckon you wouldn't want to have a go at it otherwise."
Got my first view of Big Blue today and goddammn, it's magnificent. The area I'm in is between Sydney and Wollongong and is kinda like Kaneoke on Oahu...Chill, suburban, green, and blessed with Monterey-quality coastline.
And I'm finally sleeping in my tent tonight, and I couldn't be happier. got a great spot on the edge of a rock wall on Coledale Beach, just a few steps from the waves...When there's a big set, I get a little spray coming in the tent. Fine white sand, clear blue water, and cool pine trees for shade. and no drunk-ass speed-freak bikers blaring Whitesnake. people are way too mellow for all that noise down here.
Thursday, November 5, 2008
After my surgery this morning, I cruised my way north through the CBD.
Sydney has some beautiful skyscrapers, and lots of nice folk…but where is the flavor? A lot of downtown reminds me of Singapore: sterile, multi-level shopping emporiums with food courts. It’s kinda like the whole CBD isnone big Westfield Center.
No homeless, no street performers, no skaters, no punks, no style, no urban culture. No attitude, no verve, no edge, no city edge. Everyone is white or Asian. Luckily, I was staying on the edge of Chinatown, which had some good flavor.
Most disturbing was the painful absence of pretty women. Did they get word that I was coming and hide them away? I mean, I used to see more beautiful women walking across the street to Peet’s Coffee at my old office downtown than I saw in 2 days in downtown Sydney!
Clearly, it was timeto move on.
ps- the images are taking too long to upload, so I'm going to have to try some other option to get up the photos.
Sydney has some beautiful skyscrapers, and lots of nice folk…but where is the flavor? A lot of downtown reminds me of Singapore: sterile, multi-level shopping emporiums with food courts. It’s kinda like the whole CBD isnone big Westfield Center.
No homeless, no street performers, no skaters, no punks, no style, no urban culture. No attitude, no verve, no edge, no city edge. Everyone is white or Asian. Luckily, I was staying on the edge of Chinatown, which had some good flavor.
Most disturbing was the painful absence of pretty women. Did they get word that I was coming and hide them away? I mean, I used to see more beautiful women walking across the street to Peet’s Coffee at my old office downtown than I saw in 2 days in downtown Sydney!
Clearly, it was timeto move on.
ps- the images are taking too long to upload, so I'm going to have to try some other option to get up the photos.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
November 4, 2008
The 2008 election is frontline news here…Every one is abuzz about it. Every time I walk through the lobby, the concierge folks cheer, “Go Barick Obamar!” (that’s how they pronounce it.)
I thought that Australia would be like England, but boy was I wrong…the Ozzies have much more in common with Americans (after all, we are both New Worlders). There’s none of the tight-ass, aren’t-we-the-most-civilized-people-on-the-planetvibe you get from the Brits, and none of those witty British quips with three layers of irony.
Ozzies are kind of like the mythical “good old boys” that are supposed to exist somewhere in America. Every one is your mate. “No worries” is not only the mantra, it’s the way of life here.
The US dollar is so strong that I’ve now retained a driver, personal chef, and personal assistant. No, on the real, things are quite a bargain. Yesterday I went up to a revolving restaurant atop the Sydney Tower (320m – about Sutro Tower height) and had a lavish banquet meal with endless decadent food. $28US for the whole thing.
It was also an all-you-can-eat affair…. and I could barely fit my distended belly onto the monorail for the ride back to the hotel!
I thought that Australia would be like England, but boy was I wrong…the Ozzies have much more in common with Americans (after all, we are both New Worlders). There’s none of the tight-ass, aren’t-we-the-most-civilized-people-on-the-planetvibe you get from the Brits, and none of those witty British quips with three layers of irony.
Ozzies are kind of like the mythical “good old boys” that are supposed to exist somewhere in America. Every one is your mate. “No worries” is not only the mantra, it’s the way of life here.
The US dollar is so strong that I’ve now retained a driver, personal chef, and personal assistant. No, on the real, things are quite a bargain. Yesterday I went up to a revolving restaurant atop the Sydney Tower (320m – about Sutro Tower height) and had a lavish banquet meal with endless decadent food. $28US for the whole thing.
It was also an all-you-can-eat affair…. and I could barely fit my distended belly onto the monorail for the ride back to the hotel!
Monday, November 3, 2008
November 3, 2008
Hey all:
I heard some blarney about a place more beautiful than California ("New Zealand", they call it) and decided to investigate this horseshit myself.
I arrived in Sydney after 28 hours of travel yesterday, and I realized right off the bat: San Francisco has competition. Sydney is magically beautiful. I only had enough energy to shuffle around for a couple of hourse, but I was floored.
I heard some blarney about a place more beautiful than California ("New Zealand", they call it) and decided to investigate this horseshit myself.
I arrived in Sydney after 28 hours of travel yesterday, and I realized right off the bat: San Francisco has competition. Sydney is magically beautiful. I only had enough energy to shuffle around for a couple of hourse, but I was floored.
Tomorrow is the Melbourne Cup, which is sort of like if you mixed the Kentucky Derby with the Apollo moon landing. People are going nuts! The entire country shuts down at turf time at 3 pm. "Mad Rush" is the favorite, but alot of these lads are putting their money on "Septimus". I may even throw a few AU$ on "Profound Beauty" to show.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
