December 14 2009...
My big adventure to China didn’t happen, knee surgeries, financial restrictions, work commitments. Ehh. But on the 14th of December 2009 I will arrive in the Land of the Long White Cloud for a trans-Pacific adventure holiday. To be honest, it feels like a failed negotiation and I’m the only party making compromises; you take the pain and frustration of major knee surgery and in exchange, you’ll get to visit your colonial cousins in New Zealand.
But I chose NZ for a reason, its breathtaking scenery, its reputation as the adventure capital of the world, my personal fascination with Maori culture.
I think that if I can manage to stay away from the big tour companies, I might be able to find an adventure worth writing about, something worthy I can tell my friends and family, an experience that will change the way I see things and foster a better way of living life. Perhaps that sounds naive; or even slightly ridiculous, but I believe that journeys can cleanse the soul and purify cluttered thought. The physical often encompasses introspection and imagination (ahh, HSC!) and I believe that travel is perhaps the greatest medium by which we learn.
I long to see the world, as much of it as possible before my time is up. I feel pent and frustrated in my corporate 9 to 5 job… so I’m both disappointed and excited about NZ, its not the great odyssey I had hoped for, but there is an opportunity for me to find an adventure and a story of my own. So the 14th of December 2009 is an important date for me; departure to Aotearoa for a 33 day trekking, riding, kayaking and god knows’ what else holiday.
I’ll be updating intermittently till then as I endeavor to get my fitness up for the trip through treks, cycling and general outdoor adventures. I’ll also be trying to post pictures of my continued exploration of the beautiful Blue Mountains, if you’ve ever thought of seeing them, autumn/early winter the perfect time. Seriously beautiful.
