Comets and citadels: from Burn to Sound

It's hard to describe what state I've been in for the last week. I've been doing loads of nice things, like a hike on the route burn amidst the clouds, a cruise in the milford sounds, and a nice road trip back from the most southern point in NZ I will encounter on this journey - where I met a pod of 6 bottle nose dolphin's and their baby calf.

Its been great being alone on the road; I'm at peace, and its very enjoyable and easy going - but it is a bit lonely now too, though only in the sense that it would be even more enjoyable to have company. I'm not sad at all really, so thats not what I mean, nor do I feel empty - for I feel very satisfied and complete. It's more like I feel a bit in a cloud; or as if my life is more being led from a distance - if this makes sense. Its also that my time here feels done now; I'm saturated - and I've achieved what it was I [unconsciously] came here to accomplish. I can finally say that I'm ready to head onwards; I'm looking forward now to my time in Japan.

Since all my friends left, I've been moving very rapidly, covering hundreds of kilometers a day and waking up at 7am regularly to get to boat trips or hikes in time. Each day, another sunset between the mountains near a river or lake with the key hole glow of the southernly comet to light my evening sky; a sky ablaze in a sea of galactic swirling stars.

Yesterday I was up at mount cook, the mountain many people had told me I -had- to see. Talest peak in New Zealand. Only it was miserable there, and it just felt loaded with this energy from Richard and his break up that was undesirable. It was pouring rain, why would anyone want to be here? They say its always raining here... so I had a dark beer at the bar, worked on my drawing for 8 year old Uisce by the fire place and large windows; and then decided I was going to get out of this place as quickly as possible! A long drive down the road, finally by a lake I found a perfect sunset and a beautiful spot to cook dinner IN THE SUN; god that was so much nicer!

I'm looking forward to getting home at this point [= Amsterdam]; I'm eager to set things back on track and to push my life further now and explore where life will lead me. There are a lot of potential paths to explore ahead.

The weirdest thing is going to be leaving NZ, and the idea of not being able to get back here so easily. I've grown very used to this country, and I've made some very special friends here - it's going to be weird realizing that I can't just go down the road, hike a trail into the bush or drop on by whenever I please.

In a few days I might go dolphin swimming [space is very constricted] in a special space where there are typically 100 or more dolphins at all time [dolphin capital], then its off to Motueka for a full moon [in Leo] pagan party of some kind - then north to Wellington for the day to enjoy cake with another friend I met trekking, and then Lake Taupo where kiwi burn festival is taking place - I'll be performing there.

Kiwi burn is going to be great, I just know it. So that will be very refreshing. Joining me along the way is a new friend [whom I haven't met yet] named Corey. Corey is into music, and he will be sharing petrol+ferry costs with me over this next leg of the road - which will be good. I'm curious how this will turn out to work!

For some reason my heaphy photos were never uploaded to my photo album; so these, along with the karamea photo's, are now also up on album three... and guess what? Album three is already full! So any new pictures will have to go in album four [as yet unformed]... geesh! I seem to be taking loads of pictures here...
:P

Oh, one more thing, I got my recorder back! So I can finally make field recordings again. If you were reading along while I was in Tahiti you will recall it had a very unpleasant dip in the river which ended its brief life quite immediately! So now I can have music in the van! Youpie!

Driving the van is cool; I'm still learning every day, and getting better at stick as the days pass, self-teaching myself now at this point since my guides have all moved onto new roads. My only fear now is stopping on a hill for a red light - and the eventual hill start it implies... that's still quite a difficult one... but I will prevail! [rolling up sleeves]
:P