SCARP at UBC

Hi everyone,

Well, if you haven't heard by now, I've begun my Master's degree in Planning at the School of Community and Regional Planning at UBC. It's keeping me very busy (hence the lack of recent posts!), but I'm really enjoying it. Great people and all kinds of interesting things to pull me away from my studies ;-)

Currently I'm taking a planning history and theory course, a course in negotiation, facilitation and mediation (very interesting), quantitative methods, and an omnibus class taken by all in my year. Next term I have more ecologically-focused classes, which I'm really looking forward to.

Hope you're all well wherever you are! Take care and drop me a line sometime!

Cheers,
Kristi

Home again, Home again...

Hi All!

Apologies, it has been a while since my last update.

After Cairns, I traveled down the East Coast to Airlie Beach and the tropical Whitsunday Islands. This was where I managed to get out to the Great Barrier Reef to dive. What an amazing experience! Such a strange diversity of life down there. Turtles, sharks, eels, damselfish, angelfish, giant clams, sea cucumbers, amazing varieties of hard and soft coral, and 'Wally," the metre-long Maori Wrasse that likes to be petted by the divers! It was something I've dreamed of doing since my aspirations in marine biology at a young age, so was a great experience.

Then it was on to Noosa and the great Fraser Island. This island is entirely composed of sand. Transport is in 4x4 vehicles on the beach/road/airstrip. It has amazing freshwater lakes with brilliant white silica sand, next to tropical rainforests. Utterly otherworldly! Also, Fraser is home to the purest line of dingoes (wild dogs). They're becoming a bit of a problem as they're less afraid of tourism, and I myself was circled by one while meditating on the beach at sunrise! Luckily a ranger was driving by and happened to notice and chased it away. I felt badly for it, as it was only following its instinct. Another case of human/nature interactions and conflicts.

Then down to Crystal Waters Ecovillage to work for a family for a few days. What a neat place. The whole property is designed according to permaculture principles, and houses close to 200 people. What struck me here was that it didn't feel like everyone was living on top of each other. Perhaps because the lots are an acre each, but more likely because of the planning (the houses are designed so they don't visually extend beyond ridgelines, and so many trees have been planted that it is really quite quiet). Though only there a few short days, it was once again a really great learning opportunity. Plus, I stayed with a young family (with a three year old boy), so things were lively and entertaining!

Finally to Brisbane, where I spent a day and met up with my friend who is skating with Disney on Ice. Saw a show and then it was to the airport and home! It's hard to belive all that I've seen and done in the past six months. I've accomplished all the things I set out to do, and am so thankful for all the wonderful people, opportunities and experiences.

Settling back into life in Canada and at home is going well, though is not without its challenges! Everywhere I look I see unsustainability, but then opportunities to use permaculture in positive ways. It will take me a while to adjust I think, but I am excited about the possibilities and keen to start my studies in a couple months.

This will be my last update. Thank you to all that have followed and supported me on my journey. I'm thankful to each and every one of you!

I'll be uploading photos of the whole trip now.... so check the photo site frequently to see pictures! Also, I'll continue to update my blog site with thoughts and reflections, but won't send them out on email to avoid filling your inboxes. Please feel free to get in touch and catch up! I'd love to hear from you!

Love,

Kristi

Australian Adventures

Hi everyone!

 

It's been a while since my last update.  Flew to Melbourne, and felt I was in another world entirely!  Having been on farms in the country the past while, I found the people and pace of the city pretty claustrophobic.  As cities go though, Melbourne was nice.  Quite cosmopolitain and artsy.  Did a day trip out onto the Great Ocean Road..... miles of great surf beaches and rugged coastline with amazing limestone formations.  Saw koalas in the wild (very sleepy and slow!).  Then went to Sydney and spent a couple days there exploring the Opera House, harbour and surrounding beaches and suburbs.  I liked it as a city as well..... a very beautiful harbour that reminded me of Vancouver!  They'd just taken the shark nets out of the beaches a couple weeks ago..... the last attack was in 2000.  Great Whites aren't uncommon.  Hmmm......

 

Then it was to the dry Red Centre.  Alice springs was an interesting place.  A large Aboriginal population, but largely destitute and struggling with social problems.  Quite different to the urban Maori I encountered in New Zealand.  The landscape in the centre is amazing..... red sand dunes stretching on for miles, and brilliantly coloured rocks left from an ancient age.  That's what I kept feeling there, the sheer age of Earth.  Ayers Rock has looked the same for as long as humans can remember, but once it was a large mountain range to rival the Himalayas.  I can't imagine the scale of time that it has existed to come to its present state.  Awesome doesn't begin to describe the feelings one has.  For me, it felt like a Holy pilgrimage.  Uluru and Kata-Tjuta (Aboriginal names for Ayers Rock and the Olgas) are some of the most sacred places I've been blessed with visiting.  They have an otherworldly feel to them, and I'll never forget their flaming red presences as the sun set in the desert.  Many many photos to come!  It was surprisingly cold in the desert at night.  Nearly zero degrees and as I was camping it made for some chilly toes! 

 

What a change coming to Cairns in North Queensland!  It was like stepping off the plane and into another world!  Lush, tropical vegetation and mangrove forests, and the Great Barrier Reef.  Unfortunately the seas are really rough at the moment, so I'm just waiting a couple days for things to settle down before going snorkeling/diving. 

 

Then, down the coast to Brisbane and home!  Just 20 days left.  I'm enjoying myeslf, but really looking forward to coming home and integrating all that I've learned and experienced.  The East Coast is quite touristy and I'm not too into that scene.  Hope to spend a few days at Crystal Waters Ecovillage before I leave and reinforce my interests.  I just finished reading Coelho's "The Pilgrimage" and was amazed at the parallels with my journeys. 

 

Hope you are all well and enjoying summer there!  Can't wait to catch up with you all.

 

Love and Light,

Kristi

Farewell to Aotearoa

Hi Everyone.

 

Apologies for the late update.  I had a good week wwoofing for a family doing garden work, and then to the beautiful Otamatea ecovillage in Kaiwaka, Northland.  Lynne and Reinhold were wonderful people, with a beautiful 5 acres of permaculture-designed property, strawbale house with green roof, composting toilets and a beautiful woodfired outdoor sauna/hot tub.  They were also the initiators of Otamatea ecovillage, and as such a great wealth of information on intentional communities.  I learned a lot, pruning and weaving a living willow fence, mulching, reading all I could about intentional communities and permaculture, kayaking, laughing and generally trying to take it all in.  Their land (and the adjoining common lands) was a very special place, surrounded by tidal estuaries and mangroves.  I'm thankful for my time with them, their hospitality and knowledge. 

 

After another visit to Joe Polaisher's place for a farm tour, it was on to Auckland and the city (a bit of a shock adjusting to the dislocation from the land, the rushing, people and the city life.).  I've spent a nice past few days with my dear friend Leah, a fellow yogini and kindred spirit.

 

It's hard to comprehend that I'll be leaving the land of milk and honey (quite literally!) tomorrow.  This has been a very powerful past few months for me.  I've had such a diverse set of experiences here, learned a lot, and met so many great, like-minded people.  Apart from Canada, it's the only place I've visited that I'd seriously consider settling.  This is a truly special, sacred place and I hope to return someday, sooner rather than later.  I'll cherish the memories of the New Zealand bush, dewy pungas (tree ferns), expansive vistas, wilderness, rolling farmland, clear, clean seas and skies, Maori culture, and mostly, special people (you know who you are).  I hope to keep in touch so that if any of you come to Canada we can meet again!  My deepest, heartfelt thanks to each of you that has in some way touched me, not just on this trip, but on my life's journey in general.  I love you all! 

 

Tomorrow it's on to Australia, Melbourne specifically.  I'm just trying to plan my month there.  Such a huge country with so much to see, it's hard to decide what to leave out! 

 

Until next time,

 

Love and light,

Kristi

 

 

 

Permaculture Paradise

Hi everyone!

Wow. I just had the most amazing day, attending an "Introduction to Permaculture" workshop at Rainbow Valley Farm.

http://www.rainbowvalleyfarm.co.nz/

In less than a couple of decades, Joe Polaisher and Trish Allen turned a wasteland with no topsoil into a sub-tropical paradise, growing everything from bananas, eels, passionfruit, tomatoes, chickens, avocado, citrus, carp, absolutely everything one could imagine. All this, while actually improving the land quality and with a very low environmental impact. What an inspiration. Visiting this farm rekindled my belief that a sustainable future is possible and can be achieved.

Everything has been designed to make the most efficient use of the land with zero cumulative impact. Kiwifruit vines climb trellises of trees, but don't kill them because they are companion plants. Chickens scratch and aerate the soil, while disposing of kitchen scraps and fertilizing. Trapped possums (pests) fertilize trees and encourage root growth. Banana leaves mulch
around exotic fruit trees that shouldn't grow but do, because of created microclimates. Geese eat slugs, one species of goose for every species of slug. Shitake mushrooms flourish on spore-impregnated oak logs growing in a natural live willow greenhouse. Rice paddies produce different rice species. Aquaculture provides fish and eel. Greenhouses are heated by the body heat of chickens. A passive-solar mudbrick and reclaimed and self-harvested timber home sports beautiful bottle-art walls, tile mosaics, green roof and healthy fibres, while root cellar, outdoor kitchen and herb gardens encourage outdoor living. An artsy composting toilet uses worms to break down toilet waste in four weeks. No artificial off-farm inputs are needed, and artsy touches abound.

Sadly, the local council is considering shutting-down this farm because it doesn't allow composting toilets or education from farms. I just found out that wwoofing is actually illegal, as is selling honey from farms, or eggs or dairy products. The legislation is making it nearly impossible for small farmers to survive. The same ludicrous actions are happening around New
Zealand and the world, and gives an idea of how far we still need to come.

My interest in permaculture has been heightened, to say the least. This one-day introduction was a tantalizing taste of what lies ahead for me, and I'm eager to pursue further permaculture design training, and in somehow incorporating this into my master's studies. The past couple days I've been staying with a woman from the pc course, and tomorrow off to another family
that attended the course. It will be interesting to visit an ecovillage next week and see how these same design principles can be applied at the community level. Also a cohousing community in Auckland on the agenda, so excited about that.

Hope you're all well and enjoying spring (or autumn, in the southern hemisphere!)

Love,
Kristi

Northland

Hi everyone!

I spent a lovely few days on Waiheke Island visiting with wwoofing contacts. It reminded me a lot of the Gulf Islands in BC.... quite an artsy community, lots of vineyards, but only 35 minutes by ferry from downtown Auckland. Every house has its own water tank and they rely on rainwater collection (or have to get water delivered), so seem to be a little more water conscious (moreso than Vancouver's 300 litres per person per day usage, anyways!)

I returned to Auckland and stayed a couple days with Leah, a yoga contact, which was nice, and gave me some more recuperation time. I'll probably stay with her just before leaving New Zealand as well. Then I spent a few days on the Coromandel Peninsula at Whitianga. What a beautiful spot. I rented a bike one day and biked 50 kms to Hotwater Beach and Cathedral Cove. Hotwater beach is a spot where natural hotsprings seep through the sand. At low tide, one simply digs a hole in the sand and voila.... your own personal hotpool! Cathedral Cove is a beautiful limstone arch surrounded by azure waters. The walk down to it passes along the clifftops with beautiful views of the sea and islands. Magnificent.

I'm now in Whangarei (Northland) planning my next stops. I found out about an Introduction to Permaculture workshop on April 30th that I'm looking into, and between seeing the Bay of Islands, Kauri trees, Cape Reinga, woofing and planning Australia, my last three weeks should be interesting!

It's gotten quite cold here.... Christchurch and Dunedin on the South Island had snow yesterday, and Northland is one of the few places in the country with highs in the double-digits! Brrr! Because houses here don't have central heating, it actually feels much colder than equivalent temperatures in Canada would. I'm looking forward to summer at home!

I'm flying to Australia May 20 and have confirmed that I'll be back in Penticton on June 20th. It's passing very quickly, but I've seen and experienced a lot, and am looking forward to being home amongst family and friends.

I hope that your lives continue to be full and happy!

Love,

Kristi

Surf and worms and hobbits....

Hi again!

 

The whirlwind continues!  I went to Waitomo for a day and saw the glow-worms.  Very surreal.  In an underground boat in the dark, and then from out of nowhere, the ceiling of the cave comes alive with glowing blue lights..... the glow-worms.  It's silent and erie, but magical.  Saw another cave with amazing limestone formations as well.  Fossilized bones and other things. 

 

Next to Hamilton, a large inland city.  From there I visited Matamata (AKA "Hobbiton") and learned all about the filming of the Lord of the Rings, from fake bridges and mills, to watering and gardening feats, and movie magic.  It was a goregeous day and a fun outing. 

 

Then to Raglan, world famous surfing destination on the West Coast.  Reminded me a lot of Tofino, a laid-back, artsy coastal town with amazing beaches and surf.  I had a lesson and am now confident catching and riding waves (small ones, but it's a start!).  I stayed an extra day since it was so relaxing, and spent the afternoon at Manu Bay (where they filmed "Endless Summer" in 1964) watching the pros catch huge 8 foot waves.... wow.  Pretty spectacular.

 

Then to Auckland and Waiheke Island, where I'm meeting up with people I wwoofed with on the South Island for a few days.  Then likely visiting yoga contacts in Auckland and maybe the East Cape.  I have some wwoofing possibilities on ecovillages, so am looking into that as well.  I still want to see the Coromandel and Northand as well.... Time is growing short it seems.... only a little over a month left here before heading to Australia!  Where has the time gone? 

 

Hope you are all well..... looking forward to seeing you when I return!

 

Love,

Kristi

North Island Whirlwind

Hi all!

Since I last wrote, I've been on a bit of a whirlwind tour of the North Island. First I headed to National Park and the volcanoes. Stayed there a day and did the Tongariro Crossing, billed as New Zealand's best day walk. It's a spectacular 6-8hr crossing of volcanic craters and emerald sulphurous lakes.... quite an alien landscape! Of course, Mt. Ngurahoe (a.k.a. Mt. Doom in the Lord of the Rings trilogy) added to the surreal experience! Unfortunately, the walk is so popular that some days up to 1000 people do it. This leads to some congestion, and I was lucky enough to get behind a school group of approx. 100 kids, which made for slow going. Still fantastic anyway though.

Then it was on to Taupo for a day, and then Rotorura. Taupo was rainy and reminded me a lot of Penticton again.... strange, the more I travel, the greater I appreciate home. I even went so far as to look up BC, Vancouver and Penticton in the Canada Lonely Planet guidebook and after reading the gushing praise for all three, felt very blessed to be able to call that corner of the world home.

Rotorura has been very busy.... it's a very commercial, touristy type place. I visited a couple geothermal parks and saw geysers and bubbling mudpools. Reminds me of when I visited Yellowstone way back when, except that Yellowstone seemed bigger, maybe because I was smaller. Also visited the spa for a nice soak in the hotpools and am now too relaxed to get up to much. In the evening I attended a Maori Hangi (feast) and concert. It was a neat experience, if touristy. The women's demonstration with Poi (balls on the ends of strings) was incredible and has caused me to want to learn it if I can! Food was also great. It's interesting, that a lot of the commercial tourism operations here are run by Maori iwi (tribes). They're excellent entrepreneurs and don't seem to have any qualms about showcasing their culture. Quite different to BC coastal First Nations that I've had some contact with. I'm eager now to get to the East Cape and find some unexploited Maori culture.

I'm heading to Waitomo to see some glow-worms next, then maybe do some surfing before meeting up with friends in Auckland for a few days. Then hopefully either the East Coast or up to Northland and more wwoofing and visits to some ecovillages. Time is passing so quickly! I've really enjoyed traveling on my own, but after staying in a family situation for a while, it's all a bit lonely again. There are plenty of other travelers to talk to though, so it's ok. Even so, I'll be happy to be home when I return at the end of June.

Missing you all, and hoping you are well!

Love,
Kristi

Wonderful Wellington

Hi All,

 

Well, after some time recuperating in Nelson, I'm doing much better.

My tooth has settled down, but it may need to be totally re-done (more surgery) when I get home.  In the meantime though, I'll just make the most of all that I can!  I'm recovering well from my cold and feeling much more chipper and bright. 

 

I arrived into Wellington yesterday, after a bumpy flight to the North Island.  Wellington is known as "The Windy City," and for good reason!  It was a good thing that I had decided to fly across Cook Strait, as all the ferries were cancelled due to the high winds and rough seas.  Felt like winter!  I'm staying at the house of a woman whom I met kayaking in the Abel Tasman.... she has recently moved in with her partner and has her house up for sale, so I currently have a three bedroom house to myself, with views across Cook Strait to the South Island (apparently.... I haven't been able to see out the windows on account of the rain and fog), a wonderful bed, fireplace, and bath!  I had been craving a bath for the past few weeks, so I'm recuperating and enjoying the time and space to myself.  Sue took me to get groceries and rent some videos, so
I'm all set!  The wind is so loud though, that it is hard to watch the videos sometimes!  Windy city indeed!

 

I'm currently in town enjoying Wellington..... it is a vibrant city, with much art and culture and diversity, yet doesn't have that big city feel.  It's all built on hills leading down to the harbour, so almost reminds me of San Fransisco.  Lots of trees and green to be found as well.  Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand is amazing.... I just spent all morning there and am on my way back.  Great exhibits on natural history, Maori culture, contemporary settlement, natural disasters, etc. etc.  I think it rivals many of the museums I visited in Eurpoe and I'm enjoying this immensely.  As I write this the sun has come out and it has become hot.... guess I should strip off my wool socks and long underwear!  I never know what to wear in this country as the weather changes so quickly!! 

 

I'm going to spend the next few days here I think.... lots to experience, the weather is supposed to clear and there are some nice local hikes to explore.  Peter Jackson is filming "King Kong" not far from where I am staying also, so might poke my nose in there and see what I can see!  May also try to get a tour of Weta studios, where "Lord of the Rings" was made as well. 

 

Great to hear from you all, may you continue to be blessed and happy!

 

Love,

Kristi

Born-Again Yogis

Hi Everyone!  Wow, it feels like it has been ages since I last wrote, but in reality it's really only been a week!  What a week though.

 

I was picked-up in Takaka, Golden Bay and driven up a winding, 4x4 dirt road to the top of a mountain overlooking Farewell Spit and Abel Tasman National Park.  The yoga retreat place wasn't what I expected it to be..... I experienced a lot of contradictions, and it wasn't a supportive place as I had thought it would be.  Most of the residents were what I have come to call "Born-again yogis", similar to born again Christians, in that all had had rough life experiences (mental issues, substance abuse etc.), and had "found" yoga.  Very dogmatic and not much open-mindedness.  Quite unaware as well, which I found to be very surprising.  After my Donna Farhi retreat in January, I expected a similar experience, but this was quite different. 

 

The daily schedule went as follows:

up at 4:30am for 5am chanting, then yoga and breakfast, and cleaning (karma yoga to elevate one's karma).  Then yoga nidra (relaxation) at 12:30, lunch, and then free time.  Dinner at 6pm, and then kirtan or more chanting.  Food was cooked according to a roster, mostly consisting of light watery soups and vegetables (mostly kale..... I think I don't want to see anymore for a few weeks!).  Don't get me wrong... I love good fresh organic vegetarian food and yoga and meditation, but I need to have one foot firmly planted in the real world as well.  Perhaps had Swami Muktidharma been there it might have been different, but he was away so I didn't manage to meet him.

 

It wasn't terrible though.  I gained a lot of perspective on small, intentional communities, and on spiritual seekers in general, while strengthening my own personal yoga practice.  The downside was that I developed an abcess in my dental implant and am now trying to get treatment over Easter Weekend.  Also, everyone up there was sick with a flu/cold and I have now managed to get that as well.  I'm very thankful for Meryl, an American girl who also found the whole experience surreal and strange.  We managed to keep each other sane until we got back to Nelson yesterday. 

 

I'm trying to do some research here today and then depending on what I learn may head on to Wellington tomorrow and see what I can get done there.

 

Hope you are all well and happy!  I love getting your emails and can't wait to see you all soon!

 

Love,

Kristi

Golden Bay Sand and Sun Salutations!

Hi everyone,

 

Firstly I'd like to thank all of you who sent me congratulations on my acceptance to UBC Grad Studies.  It's so nice to know that I have so much support at home, especially being so far away!  Sometimes it feels like I'm all alone on this little blue and green ball of ours, but your messages remind that I am anything but!  Thanks!

 

I spent a wonderful three weeks in Marahau working on Manuka Farm, and what an experience.  It was difficult to leave there, but I'm on to more adventures.  From the farm, I did another 2 day kayak trip into the Abel Tasman National Park..... much less eventful than the Doubtful Sound trip, but beautiful all the same.  The Abel Tasman is a stretch of coastline with golden sand beaches and calm turquoise waters.  Seals and seabirds.  A nice easy two days of paddling and sunshine have me nice and mellow.  Photo uploading is proving to be more difficult than I thought, but I'll get as many up as I can while traveling, and if not then when I return!

 

This evening I'm heading to the Anahata Yoga Retreat in Golden Bay, way up on a mountain overlooking the Abel Tasman, Farewell spit, and panoramic ocean views.  They're off the grid and have composting toilets and strawbale buildings, and their own organic garden, so also sounds like a neat place to be.  As it stands now I'll be there for a week.... but could possibly stay longer if it works out that way.  I don't know if I'll have email or phone access during that time, but feel free to send me messages anyways and I'll respond when I get a chance.

 

Just wanted to let everyone know what was up with me..... here's hoping you are all well and happy!

 

Love,

Kristi

News from the Home Front

Hi all!

 

Just a quick update.  I was sick this past week so had to postpone my yoga retreat and am still on the farm, which continues to be wonderful.  A fun couple of Czech girls are also woofing with me now and we're having a great time. 

 

I'm planning to kayak for a few days and then head to the yoga retreat before making for the North Island.

 

My big news..... I have been accepted into the Master's program in both Planning and Landscape Architecture at UBC and have decided to accept the offer from Planning, so will be starting my studies at UBC again in September!  I wasn't sure a couple of months ago if I'd be ready to go back so soon, but the more I travel, the more I want to explore some ideas that I've been enountering in an academic context.  I'm enjoying myself immensely here, but realizing how nice Penticton and Vancouver are as places to live. 

 

Must run... more later!  Hope you are all well and happy.

 

Love,

Kristi

WWOOFing is Wonderful!

Hi everyone!

 

I'm in Marahau at the moment, at the start of the Abel Tasman track, where I've been working on an organic beef farm for the past week.  What a place!  70 acres of regenerating bush, a "healthy house," horse, dog, two cats, scottish red-poll cattle, an orchard and two large veggie gardens.  The family (Anthony, Rhonnie and Tim) have been amazing and we have had some really good conversations about organics, permaculture, vegetarianism, healing, energy work, enlightenment etc.  We eat amazing 100% organic food, most of which is from the farm itself.  I'm staying in a great trailer outside, with a wonderful outdoor solar shower.  I work four and a half hours a day, and the rest of the time go swimming at the beach, read, do yoga, or am engaged in stumulating conversation. 

 

Yesterday I went to the Riverside Peace Festival at the Riverside intentional community in Motueka.  New Zealand's oldest community, it was started by conscientious objectors before the second world war, and is still functioning.  Interesting. 

 

Staying here has given me a lot of perspective on permaculture, agriculutre, organics, and sustainability.  I'm grateful for the change of pace and the chance to have an authentic experience and meet such amazing people.  I'll stay for the rest of the week, and then I'm off to Golden Bay for another week long yoga retreat.

 

Hope you are all doing well!  I'm thinking of you happily!

 

Cheers,

Kristi

Swimming with Dolphins!

Hi all,

This morning I was up at 5:00am and off to swim with the dolphins! What an amazing experience. Kaikoura is home to pods of up to 13000 dusky dolphins! I was in a pod of close to 500 on the open ocean, snorkelling!

They are such a lesson in joy and love. Really good examples of being happy and living in the moment. They would come up and if I maintained eye contact, they'd circle, and liked it if I tried to keep up (fat chance... they're amazingly fast!). Also liked it if I dove down (a feat with a 5mm wetsuit on... too buoyant!) and came to investigate.

At first I had mixed feelings about partaking in an eco-tourism operation that could have potential harm to the animals, but they seemed to really enjoy it! Quite entertained by all the swimmers I think. New Zealand has a few things to work on, but generally I've been really impressed with the level of care taken with regards to conservation and education in eco-tourism.

An experience I won't forget, that's for sure! I hope I have a chance to swim with them again, in a non-organized tour setting. Dolphins are found all around New Zealand, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Tomorrow it's off to Nelson to look for wwoofing work, then in mid-march I'm going to spend at least a week living simply and off the power grid at Anahata yoga retreat centre in Golden Bay... can't wait!

Hope you are all well and happy! Blessings from the dolphins to you!

Love,
Kristi

Mountain Glory

Hi Everyone!

It's been a whirlwind last few days, but I've seen and done a lot!

Left Te Anau after visiting the glow-worm caves (very interesting creatures.... lure insects with light from their digestive systems..... made the inside of the cave look like a starry sky). An uneventful journey to Dunedin, Scottish student city in the Southeast. An interesting place. The city itself is driven by the university, with 30,000 students and the largest employer. Being the week before classes started, there were lots of students about. As a result of the student culture it is quite artsy and interesting. The architecture reminded me a lot of Europe as well.... older buildings (my hostel was apparently an old hospital and has a resident ghost, just to keep things interesting!). Nearby is the Otago Peninsula, a mecca for wildlife lovers. I managed to see the rare yellow-eyed penguins waddling ashore at dusk to feed their chicks, many seabirds, New Zealand fur seals (a nursery.... the pups were just learning to swim!), Sea Lions from a few feet away, and the Royal Albatross with a 3 meter wingspan.... magnificent birds. Also had to visit the Cadbury chocolate factory and see their chocolate waterfall.... yum!

The next day it was on to Mount Cook, and I lucked out as it was a beautiful sunny day and Lake Pukaki was almost the same colour of the sky (from the glacial rock dust). Mount Cook (or Aoraki in Maori legend) is the highest peak in Australasia and is spectacular. the following day (my Birthday) I hiked up to the Mueller Hut with Maria, a British acquaintance. What an amazing hike! Very steep, but rewarded at the top by stunning views of glaciers and sheer faces all around, with icefall booming across the valleys. One could see right up the Hooker Valley and Tasman glacier to Mt. Cook, and the sun and blue sky were incredible. I'll upload photos of it as soon as I'm able.... once again the difficulty with large file sizes and paying for connections.

Then today it was a long bus ride past Lake Tekapo and out of the high country to Christchurch, where I began! It feels strange to be back here, as I've changed a lot since being here the first time. I'm only here for a day though, and then off to Kaikoura tomorrow to visit the whales and dolphins. Then on to Nelson where I have some wwoofing possibilities. I'm also corresponding with the yoga retreat centre to spend some time there as well, so we'll see how that pans out.

I've been doing some thinking about sustainability since I've arrived here, and gained some interesting perspectives. When I first arrived, I had the idea that it would be great to just dissappear into the bush and live sustainably, and at peace with the land. I've since realized though, that while wonderful, if things turn bad, one is really and truly alone (i.e. medical emergencies etc.). I've also realized that I'd get restless and need to have a greater impact and work with people.

Part of the reason so much of New Zealand is amazing and pristine is that the population pressures are nowhere near what they are in urban areas, and so a lot of the problems aren't as apparent. It's great to have places like New Zealand to escape to, and as a model of how things could be, but I'm realizing that cities are where the real problems need to be addressed. In some ways, it seems that it may be only a matter of time until the problems we see in North America find their way here. I hope that things will proceed differently and that New Zealand can be an example of how things can be. I'm going to write to the New Zealand government and applaud them for their support of conservation initatives, and urge them to continue in this vein.

Seeing all of this has prompted me to contemplate emmigrating, but I'm realizing more and more that BC is my home and where I need to be making a difference. I do really like visitng places like this though!

All in all, I'm really enjoying traveling independently, and meeting new and interesting people every day. It's all I hoped it would be, and I'm loving every minute of it. Thanks to all who have sent their thoughs and encouragement... it's much appreciated!

Thinking of you all!

Cheers,
Kristi

Kepler Track

Hi everyone!

Well, I survived the Kepler track!  

The first day was a 5 hour hike up through mountain beech forest to the bushline (treeline), to the Luxmore hut.  These Department of Conservation huts sleep 60 and have running water, flush toilets and gas cookers!  Luxury!  The Kea were again present getting into mischief and attempting to take apart boots, cameras, and whatever else they could find.  What clowns!

The next day dawned sunny, lookng down on a sea of clouds.  I practiced yoga at sunrise on the helicopter landing pad.  Then a gruelling but beautiful 7 hour day across the alpine section of the track, including the summit of Mt. Luxmore.  We lucked out with the weather as the day before it had been fogged-in and impassible.  Apart from strong winds it was great.  My knees and blisters were not happy to carry my heavy pack (I must learn to pack lighter!), but an amazing day nonetheless.

Last full day was through beech forest again.... long but flat.  A nice swim in the lake that evening and a quiet night in the hut as many people chose to walk all the way out.  The next morning I rose early and walked for a couple hours and caught a shuttle bus back into town, eagerly anticipating a hot shower and real (read: non-dehydrated) food.  Spent all of yesterday afternoon crashed on a couch in the hostel watching "The Fellowship of the Ring" and pointing excitedly at locations I recognized.  Pathetic, but fun at the same time, and I'd promised myself during an especially tough section of track that I would do this upon returning, so I simply had to.

The Great Walks system here in New Zealand is interesting.  Though you travel through amazing wilderness, each day there are 60 or more people on each section of the track, and also at the huts.  It was very different to any overnight trips I had done at home for that reason.  I felt like I couldn't get the space I needed to be alone (odd, since there was so much space). For that same reason, though I hiked alone I knew everyone on the track after the first day, so it wasn't really like hiking alone.  In fact, to get a decent moment's solitude to pee was difficult.  People would see my pack by the track and start looking for me, and I'd have to yell out "it's okay, I'm just peeing!" Every 30 seconds or so.  This highlights a lot of the controversy within the Department of Conservation about limiting the numbers of people.  Necessary, but
the economic pull to bring in the dollars is also strong. Having said that, DOC does a great job, with many successful conservation projects under their belt.

All interesting experiences, to be sure!  I'm bidding Fiordland a fond farewell tomorrow (after visiting the glow-worm caves this afternoon) and heading to Dunedin.  Should be able to get some photos up while I'm there.  Hope you are all well and happy wherever you may be! 

All the best,

Kristi

Fiordland Wilderness (Mis) Adventures

Hi All,

Since I last wrote, I've traveled from Queenstown to Te Anau, in Fiordland
National Park and part of the Te Wahipounamou (Place of Greenstone) UNESCO
World Heritage Site. I promptly set off on an incredible, humbling
experience.

I spent three days in a sea kayak on the remote Doubtful Sound. To get
there, we had to drive for half an hour, take an hour long speedboat ride
across Lake Manipouri, then drive for another 40 minutes over the Wilmot
Pass to Deep Cove on Doubtful Sound. Launched and loaded the double kayaks.
I paddled with Mark, a British chap, while we had a team of Danish goofy
Physicists, a couple of young American girls, a Japanese couple, and our
Kiwi guide, Adrian. Paddling the first day under calm conditions we did 25
kms and even got the sails up to catch a bit of the breeze. Set up camp
under a remote waterfall, and had a wet and muddy game of ultimate frisbee
on the tidal estuary. Of course, the rising tide made getting back to camp
a bit of a wet adventure. Sandflies were our constant companions on land,
which made the bush toilet (a.k.a. a shovel and squat) interesting!

Had a good sleep, then up early. Conditions had worsened overnight and the
wind had picked up. Adrian and all the rest were keen for a Fiordland
"spanking" and so we launched. Wind was gusty and almost blew our paddles
away, but we still managed another 15 kms downwind, and were accompanied by
a pod of dolphins with babies. Wind changed and we landed for lunch on a
recent landslide. Fiordland is so steep that there are very few places
where it is possible to land a kayak. Whilst lunching, we watched 1km high
tornadoes of water on the fiord. A little intimidating to say the least.
Nonetheless, launched and started back into the wind toward camp. Were
doing relatively well, until the wind began gusting again. Mark and I were
headed straight into the wind, when a gust caught us from the side, and over
we went. A capsize! Luckily the water was still about 15degrees. We
managed to get back in and everyone paddled back downwind since it was too
strong to paddle into it and make any headway. A passing cruise ship
measured the windspeed at 60 knots. Had dinner on the beach, and prepared
to spend an emergency night out. Forecast was for heavy rain however, and
as we were in between two rivers there was a good chance the site would be
flooded. Waited a couple hours, then set off again. Managed to make it
home at 9pm, exhausted but safe. Everyone enjoyed the wine we had brought
and spirits were high.

4:30am, I was awakened by a "boom" Thunder of course. Then followed the
most intense storm I have ever experienced. Lightning and thunder, and
torrential rain kept us up digging trenches and trying to prevent our camp
from being washed away. the sound of the waterfall grew deafening.

Morning dawned, revealing water everywhere. The mountain opposite our camp
across the fiord was transformed with hundreds of waterfalls. 'Our'
waterfall looked like twenty firehoses turned full on. Lightning continued
to flash as wel packed up camp and loaded the kayaks. Everyone was pretty
grim, but no one wanted to spend another wet night out. In addition, the
lightning had taken out the radio tower, so we had no communication with
anyone or for updated weather. Off we went, lightning and all. It
gradually settled into heavy rain, and we enjoyed paddling under all the
thousands of waterfalls that had magically appeared overnight. Coming in to
deep cove, the water was glassy and calm, and the stillness was amazing. 25
kms that day made for a total distance of some 80kms.

Though it was challenging and at times terrifying, the trip reinforced for
me what I consider to be important. Gave me a lot of perspective and great
respect for the Natural world, in a way that I hadn't before experienced. I
also slept very well back at the hostel that night!

A day to rest, then yesterday I went and paddled Milford Sound. Though
visually more spectacular, I appreciated the solitude and remoteness of
Doubtful more. We did however get ourselves into the middle of a pod of 40
or more playful dolphins, and I even ventured a swim (brrr! Very cold!).
It was amazing to watch them evoke joy in all that watched them. No one was
untouched. What a memorable experience. We even had blue sky (unheard of).
Fiordland weather strikes again.

Today is a day of rest, then tomorrow I'm off on another (hopefully drier)
Fiordland adventure: the Kepler Track. Four days of hiking. Really looking
forward to it.

I hope you are all well and that spring will soon find you. Hope to hear
from you soon!

- Kristi

Queenstown

Hello from Queenstown!

 

Some other observations of New Zealand:

- New Zealanders really like rugby.  A lot.  Don't ask a question about rugby if you don't want a half-hour answer.

- Feet: No aversions to getting feet wet or dirty.  All hiking river fords have signs telling you to keep your boots on when crossing rivers.  Not sure if this is to protect your feet from the river or the river from your feet.  Whereas, in most cities, people frequently wander around barefoot.  Hmmm.  Pavement is hot, I would tend to think. 

- Travel: Most kiwis I speak to have travelled internationally.  They even have a term for it, the "O.E." or Overseas Experience.  Most travel for at least a year before or after higher education, or both.  Much more so than a lot of Canadians, in my experience. 

 

Since I last wrote, I've travelled down the West Coast of the South Island, stopping in Hokitika, the centre of greenstone/pounamu/jade carving in New Zealand.  Lots of amazing sculpture to be seen (including a full-size jade replica of the America's Cup thought to fetch over 1M!), but fairly pricey so didn't buy much.  Found out that BC is one of the other few places where jade is found, so didn't want to spend a lot on something I'm supposed to have at home!

 

On to Franz Josef glacier.  Amazing!  The glaciers on the west coast of NZ are unique, in that they come to 300m abover sea level, and pass through coastal temperate rainforest, making them very accessible.  I did an 8hr glacier walk, which turned out to be 9hrs long because with all the melt, a new route had to be found, resulting in us getting lost and stuck in some icefall!  Made for some interesting manouvers and photos though! 

 

Then on to Wanaka, a lakeside tourist town that reminded me a lot of Penticton.  The lake was very nice for swimming, and the 35 degree heat made it most welcome.  Did a nice walk up one of the local mountains there. 

 

Then it was in to Queenstown yesterday.  I was surprised by it..... much smaller that I would have expected.  Reminds me a lot of Whistler, a purpose-built tourist town that is very popular with the party crowd.  Kiwis it turns out, are very creative when it comes to terrifying themselves.  Five bungy jumps (including the first in the world), four skydives, jetboating, whitewater rafting, a bungy cannon (that shoots you into the air like a rubber band and then bounces around), a canyon swing (swinging way across a canyon on a bungy), river sledging (where you put on a helmet and get a modified boogie board, and then jump into class V rapids and hope you get down in one piece!), canyoning (same, but without the board!), parabungy (where you go paragliding, then bungy jump from the parasail?!) etc. etc.  Whew!  I think I'll stick to the more
sedate hiking and admiring the scenery.  Queenstown is bordered by the Remarkables mountains which featured prominently in the Lord of the Rings (along with about 10 other locations within an hour of Queenstown), and which live up to their name as they change colour at dawn/dusk and are reflected in lake Wakatipu.

 

I've got big plans for the coming weeks.  On the 7th I'm heading to Te Anau, then doing a three day wilderness kayak trip into Doubtful Sound.  After, a day to recuperate, then a full day kayaking on Milford Sound, followed by another day of rest, then four days on the Kepler Track, on of the "Great Walks" in New Zealand.  Will be challenging for sure, but all great experiences!

 

After, no concrete plans, but probably working North to Nelson and looking for WWOOFing work.

 

Hope you are all well!  Best wishes and hugs,

 

Kristi

More photos

I've uploaded a few new photos, but have gazillions more great ones..... paying for upload time is the tricky bit, so I'll put more up as I'm able. See photos by using the flickr link on the right hand sidebar.

K

MMmmm.... pancakes!

Hello everyone!

 

Hope you are all well and enjoying yourselves wherever you may be.

 

Since I last wrote I've moved around a wee bit.  After the yoga retreat I stayed in Christchurch a few days, taking in the amazing busker's festival.  Then a group of three other women from the retreat and I went out to Rangiora on the Canterbury Plains to help out our yoga teacher on her 30 acre farm.  We stained a deck, mowd the lawn, and I painted tree seedlings in the shelterbelt with hare repellent (egg and white paint mixture)!  It was eye opening as Donna (our teacher) lives entirely on her own on the 30 acres, maintaining it and tending to her two horses.  Quite a woman.

 

Then, Ruth (an Australian yoga teacher, midwife, nurse and shiatsu practitioner) and I took the Trans Alpine train through the mountains to Arthur's Pass.  The town was very small, with one general store and phone booth on the highway (the same highway that I traveled today that had 9 one-lane bridges!).  We did an absolutely amazing hike with 8.5 hours of glorious hot sun, craggy snowy mountain peaks, and razor-sharp rocky ridges only 2 feet wide!  A bit precarious, but we were kept company by some cheeky Keas (alpine parrots that steal food and dismantle car aerials, widshield wipers etc).  Look for some great photos, but likely not for a week or two until I get to a larger centre.

 

Said goodbye to Ruth this morning and continued west.  Lots of waterfalls and more spectacular scenery.  I'm now at the Pancake rocks (Punikaki), formed by erosion of layered limestone.  The west coast is fabulous rugged coastline and dense rainforest.  So far the weather has held out.  Will stay here another day and then off to the glaciers in the south. 

 

I'm enjoying traveling on my own, but would love to hear from you if you get a chance! 

 

Until later,

Kristi

Photos!!

Photos are up! Rather than re-posting them all here, visit my Flickr page by using the link on the right hand side. I'll upload more gradually as I'm able.

K

Yoga in Paradise

Hello from sunny and hot New Zealand!

This past week I've been in the verdant paradise of the Wainui valley on the
Banks Peninsula of the South Island at a Yoga retreat with Donna Farhi.

I'm working on getting some photos uploaded, so check the website often.
The trouble is that connections are slow so it takes forever to upload and I
am paying by the minute.

The retreat centre has no phone or internet access, and is located in the
midst of green rolling hills, with sheep, cattle, native bush, and a
cacophony of birdsong. So many types of tree I've never seen before. The
tea trees are in bloom (little white flowers), which is beautiful but
allergy-inducing (I've never experienced these types of pollen, so maybe
that's what my body is reacting to!). Native New Zealand flowering flax and
other interesting plant life. Saw a hedgehog while out walking, along with
several species of birds, all very much unafraid and cocky. Most of New
Zealand's birds are dull in colouration, owing to the fact that they never
had to evolve otherwise. The weather was hot, with one day getting up to 35
degrees and sunny.... hot enough to melt the tar on the country roads! That
was a day for swimming in the ocean! I thought it was quite warm, but all
the Aussies I was with said it was really cold! It's all relative I
suppose. I also went sea kayaking in Akaroa harbour. Beautiful greenish
blue water, and ocean swells big enough to surf down if one could get up
enough momentum!

Apart from the natural beauty, the food was phenomenal as well, with most of
it coming from the centre's own garden. It's fruit season now, so fresh
kiwi, nectarine, peach, plum, etc. Also amazing tomatoes in this part of
the world!

The retreat itself was very subtly profound, and I think it will take me a
good few months to assimilate and digest all the shifts that occurred.
Donna teaches in a very gentle, exploratory way, encouraging personal
inquiry and reflection. This, coupled with twice daily meditation sessions,
and living with a group of 27 powerful women, all contributed to the
richness of the experience. A few of the other participants are thinking
about traveling the south island as well, so we're meeting tomorrow to
discuss hiring a campervan and touring around and to Donna Farhi's farm for
a while. Otherwise, I'll start contacting farms in my exploration of
WWOOFing.

I hope you are all well and surviving winter! I'm thinking warmly of you
all (no pun intended!).

Hope to hear from you all soon!

Kristi

Arrival in Christchurch!

Hooray! I made it. What a long flight. It was such a relief to get out of
L.A. though. What a contrast to New Zealand. Arriving into Auckland was
(literally) a breath of fresh air. I know I'm going to have an amazing
time.

Things which I immediately noticed upon arriving in New Zealand:
- cleanliness.... clean air, water, airports.
- Amazing landscape..... like nothing I've ever seen before. Unique flora
and fauna.
- relaxed pace..... people don't get too strung out about much. Maybe
that's an Island characteristic?
- People are happy and friendly! What a contrast to L.A.!
- Lots of space and not overcrowded with people
- Boutiques in aiports sell homeopathic remedies and herbals instead of
cheap sunglasses and costume jewlery
- Maori people (or people of Maori descent) are much more common than First
Nations in Canada

I'm now in Christchurch doing a bit of exploring. It's a very European
feeling city with a big cathedral and old college reminiscent of when I
visited Oxford. VERY clean though. It's nice. Weather has been around 17
celcius and sunny to overcast. Beats all the snow in Vancouver.

Anyways, thinking of you all and hoping to hear from you soon!

Arrival in Christchurch

This post was supposed to happen automatically, but that didn't seem to work. Below is the latest email that I sent out to those of you that wanted to be updated. A nice day in Christchurch today, 25+ degrees and sunny. Went for a hike.... beautiful! Will post pictures soon. Yoga retreat starts tomorrow.... will update after that!

K
------------------------------------------------------

Hooray! I made it. What a long flight. It was such a relief to get out of L.A. though. What a contrast to New Zealand. Arriving into Auckland was (literally) a breath of fresh air. I know I'm going to have an amazing time.

Things which I immediately noticed upon arriving in New Zealand:
- cleanliness.... clean air, water, airports.
- Amazing landscape..... like nothing I've ever seen before. Unique flora and fauna.
- relaxed pace..... people don't get too strung out about much. Maybe that's an Island characteristic?
- People are happy and friendly! What a contrast to L.A.!
- Lots of space and not overcrowded with people
- Boutiques in aiports sell homeopathic remedies and herbals instead of cheap sunglasses and costume jewlery
- Maori people (or people of Maori descent) are much more common than First Nations in Canada

I'm now in Christchurch doing a bit of exploring. It's a very European feeling city with a big cathedral and old college reminiscent of when I visited Oxford. VERY clean though. It's nice. Weather has been around 17 celcius and sunny to overcast. Beats all the snow in Vancouver. Anyways, thinking of you all and hoping to hear from you soon!

Los Angeles

Turns out I managed to get out of Vancouver after all. Now just waiting in the L.A. airport (can we say culture shock??) for my flight to Auckland. I watched "The Terminal" over Christmas, and I'm beginning to identify.

Now that my journey has begun, I'd love to hear from you all! So, fire away wth the emails!

Willl update again soon,

K.

Snow in Vancouver

Testing the blogger email posting function.

I arrived into Vancouver from Penticton yesterday, a few hours late, but
here all the same. Visiting friends and watching the city transformed by
the snow. Apparently Penticton has over a foot now. Hoping that the
airport is back to normal by the time I need to catch my flight on Monday...
we shall see!

Take care all, I'll send an update again soon!