RAW JUNK

Monday

Waitomo, NZ

GREEEAT time doing the Black Water Caving.
Without a doubt, although a tourist attraction, this was one of my favorite things I have done so far, along with Huaynu Potosi. The four hours included repelling down into a cave, tubing through the underwater river, staring up at the glow worms which looked like constellations lining the cave, seeing eels, learning about stagmites nad staligmites and climbing our way back up. HIGH HIGH HIGH recommendation.

Big thanks to Stew and Josh our guides.

Rotorua, NZ

Highlights:
Volcanic Geisers
Maori Traditional performance/dinner

Had a great time at the Maori village. The whole evening reminded me a lot of Council Ring at Taylor Statten. We learned about wood carving, palm skirts, traditional tattoos, cooking, etc. The area was lined with beautifully intricate totem poles and little huts.

Waiheke, Auckland

Beautiful, cute cafes, winding roads, vintage shops, beaches, etc.

The BiG, GREEN, F***ing, Machine

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT let anyone convince you that taking the Kiwi Experience bus is a good decision...it is not.

While I will admit, I could not have signed up for the Kiwi Experience in the North island, it did sound like a good way to get from a to b easily and cost efficiently. This very quickly became a decision I regretted...and I won't lie...judged others who were on it. Staying in Base Hostels all over NZ, going out to Irish pubs, and then using your free drink tickets at the promoted pubs kitty corner to the hostel is not exactly what I call a foreign experience.

Save yourself the money and enjoy the experience: http://www.couchsurfing.org/wiki/New_Zealand

SUMMADAYZE: Auckland, NZ

Great day and night of dancing and jumping and singing and playing...

Carl Cox
Shapeshifter
and many many more...

"All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be..."

So be sure to take it all in. While my previous post is one that I stand by...it is also important to

"rest in this moment...you cannot see your reflection in running water, only in still..."

I will take this as a hint to slow down when my body and mind beckon for relaxation.

What's your word?

After finishing "Eat, Pray, Love" (a book I have mixed feelings about), I was drawn back to a question Gilbert was asked within: "What is your word". Ones word is a word that represents who you are, what your beliefs are, your mentality, etc. Your word can be faith, power, sex, fun, confidence, etc.

So after thinking for a while about what i truly believe in, what motivates me and what gives me my daily energy, the word is 'Action'. In reflection of the things I have accomplished in my life and in thinking about my mental state of mind on the regular, I am constantly in action. I believe truly, that if you want something, you can do what it takes to get it. If you have a dream, follow it. If you are chasing something, the only way to catch it is to get into gear. I am not someone and have never been someone who has yearned over what I wanted or watched opportunities pass me by.

Strive everyday to seize the moments as they are presented and act when you have the energy and passion. Its your life, take control of it and make what you want happen.

Wednesday

New Zealand, North Island

"Adventure is where the outcome is unknown"

A new year, a new continent, new travel mates, more adventures...

"Rest in this moment"

"You are, after all, what you think. Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions. The other problem with all this swinging through the vines of thought is that you are never where you ARE. You are always digging in the past or poking in the future, but rarely do you rest in the moment. It is something like the story of my dear friend, Susan, who - whenever she sees a beautiful place - exclaims in near panic, 'Its so beautiful here! I want to come back here someday!' And it takes everythig, all my persuasive powers to try to convince her that she is ALREADY here...now is the only time..."

Elizabeth Gilbert, 'Eat, Pray, Love.' p132

What a great reminder to have as we pass through various spots and are stunned with the same reaction of "I want to come back here one day!" It is something I continue to remind myself of. Live in the now, embrace all that comes your way, your passions will lead you where they will at the end of the day.

Oh Andy Andy Andy...

Visited the Andy Warhol exhibit on at the Modern Art Museum in Buenos Aires. This is a thought that stuck with me:

"Everybody has their own America, and then they have the pices of a fantasy America that they think is out there but they can't see. When I was little, I never left Pennsylvania, and I used to have fantasies about things that I thought were happening in the midwest or down South, or in Texas, that I felt I was missing out on. But you can only live in one place at one time. And your own life, as it is happening to you never has any atmosphere until it is a memory. So the fantasy corners of America seem so atmospheric because you have pieced them together from scenes in movies and music and lines in books. And you live in your dream America that you have custom made from art and schaltz and emotions just as much as you live in your real one". (Andy Warhol, 1985)

http://www.malba.org.ar/web/exposicion.php?id=93&subseccion=actuales