Halloween...a day earlier for all of you in the Southern Hemisphere

On the occassion of my favorite holiday tonight we are having a big fiesta at the Valley's lower property where 6 residents live. Costume is required, or course, although I haven't decided yet what mine will be...you'll have to wait for the next post for that.

Much has happened since I last connected with the majority of you but it's quite difficult to remember because the quality of time in this environment is dramatically different. Days often times pass relatively quickly while I feel as if I've been here for an eternity. Life "back home' seems almost a distant memory to me, which is good in a way because it indicates that I'm entirely absorbed in my present reality. These sentiments are shared by many of my co-volunteers.

Work has passed on as usual, typically in 4 day blocks. We work from 830 or 9 until 1230. Lunch break lasts until about 2 or 230 and we end the work day until about 5 or 530. Work is always physical labor of some sort although mine recently has began to develop into very repetative tedious tasks like filing down a poorly galvanized mold or digging for the properly sized nails. The past few days my team has been working on a fence around the permanculture mandela garden in the orchard. I really love this work because you can see much progress throughout the work day, and a se4nse of accomplishment is always encouraging. Other projects I've become invovled in are collecting resources for and preparing a stie to build earthbricks (large bricks made from clay and sand that are used to build eco-friendly structures).

I've also been working a lot with the birds here. I never thought I'd be so fond of chickens but they're quite fascinating creatures who eminate a very calming, primitive energy.

This is the first free day in quite a while but we did enjoy a nice natural rock climbing trip for 2 days about 2 hours south of here. the car ride there was hilarious (getting lost for 3 additional hours in the middle of nowhere and almost sleeping 6 in the van...) Arrival at approx. midnight led us to our accomdation- a wool shed, which at 4am revealed our company of a very disturbed sheep.

I've never been climbing on natural rock before so that was an entirely different experience. This particular rock was igneous and very porous and sat in the middle of hundreds of acres of bullfields. The holds here typically holes rather than sticking out like on an indoor rock climbing wall. They did a number on our fingers--cuts, bruises, complete numbness...Steph's finger actually turned blue for about 10 minutes after a particulary strenuous climb. I has to be catious because I has a pretty serious knee injury my second day here which led to multiple infections (staff & strep) and a hospital visit on one rainy morning. My knee is a lot bvetter now after a pretty hefty course of antibiotics (last resort but doctor's orders).

Besides the setback, I did complete a climb that became a very content victory for me, and I also attempted a higher lvele that defeated us beginners. Nevertheless, it was really great to watch the more experienced climbers in their element and i learned quite a lot about the sport.

A few of us stopped in Hamilton for a night out on the return trip. A pub with an "Octoberfest" theme was our primary destination--particuarly cheesy but actually one of my most fun night sinces I've been here.

In terms of plans for the future--tomorrow we are taking a day Rec. trip to Cathedral Cove (a pretty famous beach on Coromandel accessable only by walking or boat). I, of course will be choosing the sea kayaking option. The plan for Sunday is a group run/walk for Save The Children in Thames. Some who have been training are doing the 1/2 marathon or 10km run while others are opting for the 5 or 10k walks.

I'm leaving the Valley in less than 2 weeks now (a week earlier than planned for some extra traveling time). Nothing's set in stone yet but I will be doing both islands before I come home. I'm meeting my new friend Sarah for my last week and possibly renting a car to travel the Banks Peninsula. Her birthday is the day I leave so celebration will be in order the night before.

I can't believe I've hit my half-way mark--it feels like ages ago that i was so apprehensive to get off the plane to come here.

If anyone is interested in postcards, you must email me your adddress.

Okay, signing out for another week or 2. Lots of lvoe and warm hugs for your swiftly approaching winter,
a

'Unofficial' Free Day

Many people today chose to do a bushwalk around the Valley Area while Jon, the Manager and Founder of the Sanctuary gave a talk about the native vegetation. While I'm sure it was a great adventure, I wanted to take a day for myself to get some chores done as well as spend some time alone from the energy of all my co-volunteers. I walked into Thames which is about 10km from the Valley, exploring the river's waterfalls and the bay at the end of our road. It was a beautiful walk even with the creepy mist that often hangs over everything.

At one point I realized that my walk was taking an unusually long time. Confused, I wandered onto the beach and asked a woman where I was. Indeed, I was going the right way but town was still a half an hour's walk, so she actually gave me a ride and we had a great conversation for all of 5 minutes. It's amazing how generous and welcoming people are in this country. They are willing to show you around and help anyone without batting and eye. No one is jaded...how refreshing!

In town I bought more yarn because I've been knitting like crazy during the long nights at the Valley. Last week I went into the Organic Coop here and the woman working actually went home to bring me all the knitting needles and yarn she just inherited so we've been putting that to good use. I'm making a scarf and a hat now.

These three work days were a bit tedious but also fun. Most of my time was spent putting think blankets of mulch around all the fruit trees. My workmates had to scoop duck poop from the duck pond to feed the banana trees...ah, the joys of conservation and simple living!

I've begun working a lot more with the birds. Daily I work with the permaculture chicken domes, mulching them and feeding the birds all our compost and weeds. The community has also been taking care of three goslings that were abandoned by their parents. They're a bit of a handful, but are so terribly cute. We've decided they need exercise so we've begun walking them to the orchard and back at least daily. Instictually, they follow us briskly in a straight line, as if human beings are their parents and are leading them to some essential feeding spot of waterhole.

After today it's back to work for 4 days and then a two night outdoor climbing trip about 4 hours south of here. It's a common place for us to go, so some have already been there before. I'm excited not only to see the island but also to be able to climb on natural rock formations...something I haven't done in years!

Internet access will probably be impossible for me before the end of next week, so I hope this entry is enough info to hold you over.

This country is incredible. I'm definetely coming back.

Life at the Valley

sorry ahead for any typos...i have no time to edit.

It's been a while since i had the change to write anything, as I've been consumed with acclamating to valley life (which includes a minimal amount of electricity and no internet connection).

I'll back-track, though. In my last post I noted that I was planning on going to Tiritiri Matangi -- a bird sanctuary 20km NE of Auckland via ferry in the Haruki Gulf. I did in fact go ont hat trip and spent a glorious day upon the island, learning about engargered birds and the bush rehabilitation they are doing there. On one of the beaches I found a magnificent tree that grew practically perpendicular to the ground and meandered its way with dozens of branches to the shore. There were little nooks that made perfects seats for quiet meditation. (I was told the names of these trees but totally forgot . They usually grow out of cliffs and dramatically descend to the shoreline...does anyone know their name?)

I headed back to my hostel around 5pm to meet my ride that would be taking me to Tararu Valley. When I saw their van it was loaded with kayaks, luggage and 7 other people. Where were we going with all this stuff, go may ask...Tiritiri Matangi! For a four-day getaway via kayak.

After some pit stops we set up camp in some random grassy area in the cold rain to a full moon. Morning came soon afterwards and it was my job, along with Sarah to get all the luggage (rucksacks, gear0 onto the ferry and across to the island. Sadly, that may've been a bad idea considering the jetlag that was consuming me.

With an additional 4 days on the island I got to know it intimately. We walked all the paths at least once and made a day trip around the entire thing, exploring caves hidden by the tides. At night the island changed considerably with the penguins coming in and the very intense starlit skies. I had a very rare sighting of two little spotted kiwis running acorss the path in a hurry--kind of took me by suprise. How magnificent!

The kiwi is said to be a rely big evoluntionary fluke because it has the highest egg size to body size ratio of any bird. It think the eggs are over 40% of their entire body mass.

So, return to the Valley for most and an introduction for me. this is the first free day after 4 days of work and it's rauning so hard. Visability is about 10 feet in front of my face. Luckily we get a ride into town to run errands (laundry, internet, phone calls and shopping for supplies).

The work week was a combination of fun and exhaustion. Right now I'm on the "Green Team" and we've spend the majority of our time planting 150 Eucalyptus trees on very steep cliffs throughout the property. This means I've spent most of my time knee deep in fern and bush overgrowth, digging through the soil. Those of you that know me weel know that I like this sort of thing--experiencing life beneath the earth and having the opportunity to give life to a tree that in 2-3 years will be taller than me and provide shelter for many insects, birds and mammals. Plus, they Eucalyptus smell incredible.

Another project we're working on is trying to erradicate an evil plant called gorse that is entirely covered in thousands of long thorns and has the most intricate, thick root system. It kills lal the plants around it by sucking up all the sunlight, water and nutrients in the soil. We;ve discovered it acts as really good protection against rabbit how eat all our plants so we have hauled hundreds of bucketloads around the ridges. This stuff is awful! I have so many scratches from it. The one fun thing is using the az to cut down the roots...really good for releasing aggressive energy.

Life at the valley otherwise is pretty simple. We have food teams that rotate each day. They take care of lunch and dinner which is usually really nutritious veggies, rices, beans and lentils in some combinatyion. I think I'm the only other vegetarian besides the manager.

Lots of reading and card games take up our time. Plus taking care of the chickens and ducks. We're raising three baby geese that were rejected by their parents :(

There is talk of a climbing trip in the mix but what comes each day is usually a mystery...kind of nice, though. Forces me to life entirely in the present. Feel like I've been here FOREVER.

Okay, sorry folk. No photos until I get to a better internet cafe probably in 5 weeks. Then there will be LOADS up here.

With love,
a

Auckland City Center

Despite the jet-lag, I committed to walking around and exploring Auckland after a short nap this morning. I walked the main drag that my hostel is on—Queen Street. The woman working the front desk told me if I wanted Thai food there is an entire arcade filled with Asian stands. (Refreshing considering the vegan dinner and breakfast on the plane were the same spinach mash!) I sat and ate alone at a table—a rare occasion for me since I usually avoid being entirely alone when going out for food. After my lunch, I walked down Queen Street until I hit the Viaduct, and explored the various docks and cafes on the water. A constant flow of sailboats were flooding into the harbor and I was so touched by the genuinely picturesque moment that I tried to capture it with my camera—no such luck. More often now I realized that I must store images in my memory rather than capture them in film or in pixels.

Later, I ventured out to the Sky Tower—Auckland’s resident phallic building and, of course, the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. Many people bungee jump off this tower (they’re nuts). After purchasing my tickets I quickly glided into the elevator that would take me to the observation room which had 360 degree views of Auckland City Center and the Greater Auckland Area. Forgetting for a moment that I have terrible vertigo, I embraced the fact that I had the elevator all to myself. Soon after, though, I realized that the DOORS ARE GLASS and…SO IS THE FLOOR. I panicked and grasped the handrail, shutting my eyes tight and counting. Moments like that, even if they are 40 seconds, seem to last a lifetime. The doors opened at the top and I was greeted by some concerned employees. I did recover quickly, however, and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset over the bay.

Tomorrow I have a full day to enjoy before my rainforest friends pick me up around 5pm. I’ve decided to take a 1 hour boat trip to the Tiritiri Matangi nature preserve that is home to many birds that are endangered on the North Island. Their website is below.

http://www.tiritirimatangi.org.nz/

jetlagged....

I am in Auckland but delirious and hungry so this post will have to wait...please check back tomorrow after I meander a bit.

the boxer, the baby and the godmother: los angeles encased

LA provided some quick R&R during my journey.
I've always said this--Amy's house is like some secret haven, hidden behind bamboo and perhistoric plants. Although we may see all of the valley and mountains beyond from her balconies, the outside world seems barely a concern. We watched tons of movies including Hidalgo which was fantastic. Going shopping for the baby we both treated ourselves--she to sweaters and I to some very spectacular shoes that need to be shipped home (no doubt upon my return I'll question my reason for needing them!)

Even the apprehension of flying for such a long period of time dissapeared completely (until the ride the the airport). I believe that this break was essential as a baby step on my way to the southern hemisphere. The creature comforts certainly calmed my psyche.

Meeting Amy's new grandson was quite a trip...he is SO tiny! I have never seen a human being who was actually that small, and taking care of him went up into the list of new firsts.

On another note, I am still uncertain about how I want to formant this blog and being primarily a visual person, I may at times rely entirely on images to communicate my story.

the journey begins...

The sun rose with my plane's nose and the cross-continental flight went off without a hitch (despite a little bit of nausea...)