Living on 4 wheels

Last week, I left Christchurch with high expectations.

They have been met and more.

I worked on an organic farm called TreeHugger Organic for a week. I arrived Thursday afternoon and immediately set to work. My first task was mowing the lawn and even though it was a familiar usually tedious task back at home...I was giddy. To one side, mountains complete with snow on the summits...to the other...the pacific ocean.

Nathan and Steph own this beautiful and bountiful property. Myself and two other woofers named Jean Baptist and Carrie worked on it for the week I was there. Carrie is from a small town called Red Deer in Alberta Canada. She works in a historic site, churning butter and entertaining children on field trips. She brought a yukalaylee on the trip which was used to jam together and teach me cord progressions Jean Baptist is from...yeah..France. He's a DJ there and was constantly playing sweet reggae whilst doing some funky dancing.

We did all sorts of random work varying from weeding to operating to a giant tree destroying mulcher to transforming barley into BEER. We worked from early to late and enjoyed a beer and delicious, homecooked, organic feasts at the end of every day.

I couldnt have hoped for a better experience there. While every activity was great, the people made it what it was. Every night we ate dinner and drank wine, telling stories, listening to music and sometimes watching movies. Carrie, JB and I would have jam sessions as Nath and Steph listened and smiled. I was really sad to leave that place...but I woke up early and hit the road after one week.

I drove 5 hours to Queenstown to meet Tyson Vince and Sarah at noon.

We reunited once more and almost immediately headed off to Karawawa Bridge...to jump off of it with elastic cords tied to our feet.

I was scared. I just told myself to do it. And I did. I leaped out and yelled the whole way down. There is a video of this experience that will be shared at some point.

That night, we went to a campground next to a huge lake with mountains being mirrored in it. We skipped rocks, cooked up some food out of our vans, and sat around talking about our time apart as well as Buddhism with our only lighting being tiki torches and the stars.

We have hiked all around since then. I fell into a swamp. We have seen Milford Sound...which has to be the most beautiful site I have ever seen. Its been a trip both literally and figuratively. I am loving every minute of it. Even driving through this country seems surreal.

I am now in a backpackers getting some much deserved R&R..as well as a shower.

The only place you can ever go is forward

A lot has happened. I have climbed rock walls, skied, eaten new foods, cooked, and had incredible conversational and cinematic stimulation. I grew: in every way possible, no matter how averse I might have been to it.

But now, tomorrow is today and I am leaving what has come to be home. I have been challenged here. I struggled here. I loved it here. I will miss it. I feel similar to how I did when I left the U.S. This time, while I am still unsure, I know that uncertainty is nothing to feared. I know it has to be embraced.

More, please.