My New Zealand Adventure

Photos: My Scholarship entry - New Zealand my home for six months

cjfkhj — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 13:26:00 GMT

Ten days after I graduated college I got on my one way flight to New Zealand with little plans and even less money. I was seeking a less conventional life style of discovery, adventure and new challenges. I was mainly drawn to this country for its diverse buffet of outdoor activities such as backpacking, rock climbing and kayaking; I found all of these in my temporary pilgrimage. After six short months I returned to the reality of traditional adulthood in America, but I returned with a new unexpected passion for photography. Less than two months after my return I managed to obtain my first real camera. When people flipped through my images, I felt rewarded through their reactions. I realized that photography is more than showing my experiences to someone, it is an experience on it's own. There is no form of satisfaction greater than that of sharing my images with other people who may not otherwise have the opportunity to have such exposures. I want to spend my life learning and exposing myself to other cultures beyond my comfort levels. I have realized sharing my travels with others through photography is just as rewarding as the experience it's self.

Photos: TI Point

cjfkhj — Thu, 3 Jan 2013 07:44:00 GMT

NZ north Island

Jan 3rd 2013

cjfkhj — Thu, 3 Jan 2013 07:14:00 GMT

It is the morning of our 4th day here, but we have already been through a lot! We first arrived with none of our bags and the bus dropped us off at the wrong location, so since we then had to walk about 12 blocks to our house it was nice to only have our carry on bags with us. Day one we got a lot done, got a phone, bank accounts opened, found a grocery store and started car shopping. We have come across so many nice people here, we had a flat tire yesterday and stopped at a gas station for directions and someone stopped just to make sure we knew we had a flat tire!

We made freinds with a very interesting and friendly older couple from south England. They lived on a sailboat for 9 years and had planned to travel NZ by bus like us but when they arrived it was to cold so they bailed and have been taking trains. They also showed us where we could get great cheap meals.

We had our first climbing adventure yesterday. The location was outstanding, it was on the coast and the trees were huge. probably the pretiest hike i've ever taken. The climbing was fun but many of the routes were blocked because the tide was up. We have both gotten very sunburnt over the last two days..... Today it is raining and i think this is good, it will force us to stay inside and look for work and plan out our next move. We need to do these things, we are homeless in 4 days!