Sailing around the city

The 26th Of January is Australia day, its the day in 1788 the first fleet of convicts and marines made it to Port Jackson, New South Wales now commonly referred to as Sydney. Over the next 80 years 160,000 men and women would be through Penal Transportation relocated to Australia to serve time for their crimes. Interestingly before criminals were shipped down to Australia this punishment was common in North American colonies. Pre-USA was faced with labor shortages and England burdened with over crowding in prisons so the exchange was considered a win-win. This however was short lived as the Revolution put the kibosh on that route sending it years later in a more southernly direction. Having no prior knowledge of immigration history to Australia besides knowing that a lot of the people shipped down were convicts, I always imagined they were hardened criminals of the worst sort sent of to do manual labor for life; this is not the case however many of the convicts were imprisoned for small crimes by today's punishment standards. Around 80% of men and women transported were guilty of petty larceny, sometimes with as little as one offense. Now I know punishment back in the day was more severe but imagine being shipped half way across the world for stealing a bit of food? I guess when you compare it to the other options of the day it doesn't seem all that terrible. Australians certainly don't seem proud of their convict history but they should take it a little to heart that quite a few of these people were probably sent here for being poor and desperate much like the migrations of countless free peoples before.

Work in the new Australian colonies was assigned based on education level, skills and gender. Educated men were put in more kush jobs such as office work where the uneducated were likely to find themselves as manual laborers. Women both convict and free found themselves in textile factories or married, if a female convict became a wife she was dismissed of her crimes. The work of manual labor convicts is visible all across Australia and the difficulties they faced are evident in every hand carved rock structure. Cockatoo Island as a prison specifically was quarried and built up by the prisoners themselves.

Cockatoo Island to the history buff is a spectacular place, old machinery scatters the Island cranes looming into the sky at enormous heights, it goes to show just how serious a business ship building is. Named a word heritage site in 2010 its open to the public to explore and offers entry into a good number of different warehouses and the former convict housing area. Camping is available to those willing to spend a small fortune, that's where I spent my Saturday night "Glamping" next to the water of the harbor under the shadows of cranes.

My normal camping is anything but glamorous. Over the summer before leaving the mainland my dog and I did two 20 mile hikes on the Appalachian trail staying overnight in my little 2 person tent. Being new to backpacking I did pretty well on packing for everything but we were far from comfortable. Comfort hiking is a lovely surprise and cannot be expected unless you plan on carrying your body weight on your back. The fact that its hard is what makes it exciting and the sight of the shelter after a 10 mile hike and that campfire sweater smell the next day is worth the torture you may endure.  I'm a minimalist by poor planning but its worked out pretty well so far. Glamping is the art of camping that requires zero effort, everything is already laid out for you upon arrival including an off ground pre-made hotel style cot. It was by far the most comfortable tent I've ever slept in but lacked any real camping vibe especially considering although my pillow was hairless, tick less and lacking the body heat of an exhausted German Shepard. Had I planned the experience myself I wouldn't have been able to glamp far too expensive but may have considered hiring a camping spot and setting up my own tent for a fraction of the price. To camp on the Sydney harbor side surrounded by masses of metal and worn buildings is quite a unique experience and a bit creepy in a good way. For the backpacker like me who may find glamping may be a bit out of reach financially there are camp sites for about 45-50 bucks a night if your willing to bring a tent, that's just a little more than a Sydney Hostel dorm and I promise you the dorm doesn't have the view. I am happy for the experience I otherwise would not have had and absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of history and decay but I cannot recommend it to the partiers looking for an Island rave. The camping on a Saturday night was packed with families, kids running wild all sporting glow sticks and screaming in the dark. It reminded me of my childhood except slightly less dirty and bonfire less which if you ask

me is unforgivable. Things wound down early I don't even remember hearing any music; by the time 10pm rolled around even I was nearly asleep and the area around quiet. There is a bar on the Island that closes at 9 pm and alcohol is not permitted in luggage (they check, hide well) you're looking at restaurant prices for bottled wine from the cafe and as for the bar well, if you've experienced Australian alcohol prices don't expect many cheap options. Maybe the backpackers stay the weekdays I wouldn't know personally but just in case consider your reasoning for going before dropping the deposit as not to be disappointed by the lack of night time thrills, however they do every now and again host festivals which I would attend without a second thought if given the opportunity. It costs around $10 for a round trip ferry pass and its well worth the trip whether to stay or just have a day visit.  Going for a day is almost as good as staying overnight since you can see mostly everything fairly quickly but the latter it is a pretty unique experience in Sydney, after all how many places can you camp on an old Shipyard?

I woke up the next morning with a mind full of plans and made a hasty departure from my host family to finish exploring some warehouses I only had the opportunity to glance in the previous day. Unfortunately I was too early, at 10am and they were all still locked up. I peered through the bars looking at what I expect were sights similar to what I'd already experienced. I figured a glance was good enough, the one big warehouse I was really wanting to see contained a bar and restaurant modern additions I really could not give a shit about so I walked towards the wharf ready to start a new adventure.

I am now convinced that Sydney is one of the most beautiful and interesting cities I have ever visited. I realized this as I sat on the ferry traveling back to Circular Quay, the sights are spectacular almost everywhere I've been so far. Public transportation is even more enjoyable in Sydney, I'm sure for the casual visitor that's true more so than for the resident but there is something about having ferries as a option to get to so many places that give you a sense of the city being so much more diverse and enormous. There are also certain conveniences to Australian transportation that now seem to be such common sense such as double decker trains with movable seats. Imagine getting on the Metro North and having a whole nother level of seating on the packed morning commutes and being able to split up those annoying groups of six seats into a less awkward three.

I departed the ferry at Circular Quay and jumped on the next one 20 mins later to Manly Beach thinking that it might be hard to leave this city come October.

Manly Cove was named by Captain Arthur Philip after seeing the manliness and confidence of the Aborigines living in the area, why not? Bondi and Manly are the two main beaches you hear about when talking about Sydney the must visits according to other travelers, I'll add my stamp of approval onto Manly for sure. Getting on the street outside the wharf I immediately was taken with its surfer town vibe. Shoeless beach bums roamed the streets bobbing their head in that hey man attitude and tourists flocked in bunches towards the beach to watch the surfers catch the waves they wish they could ride. If you have any love for the ocean this beach will make you wish you could surf, swimming isn't quite good enough when you see those first few successful wave rides. I had to kill a lot time to catch a ferry after dark to see the Opera House lit up for Vivid, it was only 12:30. I sat on the beach scribbling in my diary and working
on a short story that may take my whole life to complete until my mind became numb, it didnt take long. Distracted by the waves I sat in the sand rising to catch a few pics of the surfers in the distance. A small beach off to the right of me caught my attention, it was a little cove tucked away behind a small hill. I had a heavy bag from camping and wasn't in the mood to walk far but decided to go for it for lack of anything better to do. The water was crystal clear patches of bright blue pools shimmered against the sandstone. I wished I'd brought a bathing suit and snorkeling gear but it was winter now and I figured it would be too cold to swim; NEVER assume this in Australia I'm convinced you'll find people in the water on the coldest of days which compared to North Eastern USA is a joke.

I looked at the picturesque spot thinking if I was ever filthy rich enough to live where ever I wanted it would be a water front home in Manly. I looked at a map of the area looking for things to do when I saw a large blotch of land sectioned off as Quarantine Station. Q Station was used in the 19th century for isolating migrants with suspected contagious disease before being allowed into Sydney Harbor. I had been wanting to visit for months, half due to historical interest and half because I'd seen they had ghost tours and was dying to go on one. I decided to find it after planning a walk up North Head to the fort, the Q station cemetery and whatever beautiful location I could stumble upon.

Never in my life have I gone the wrong direction so many times consecutively. Manly and the north head trails are not big so how I ended up getting so lost is beyond my comprehension, therefore, I blame the map. My last words may just someday be "I'm just going for a short walk."  The paths on the way to North Fort are incredible, just up the hill from the cove is a series of cliffs with small pathways you're at your own discretion to climb. There are no barriers as I found out emerging from the bushes to the edge of a sheer drop, there were signs I just didnt expect it to be quite so dramatic. I was roaming into Sydney Harbor National Park, a park that for its size contains many of the most unmissable views Sydney had to offer.

Along the way I walked by a nature sanctuary where I picked up said worst map in the world and proceeded to walk the opposite direction for what seemed like an eternity looking for any distinguishable signs or landmarks. Finally after what seemed like and had been hours I gave up or better yet decided "fuck it" and walked towards what I though at the time was the wrong direction. I wandered defeated looking for a main road to see if I cold catch any sort of bus back to Manly having zero idea where to go. I'd seen more of the Australian bush than I really cared to experience that day when suddenly I found a sign for Fairfax lookout, DAFUK? This spot was where I thought I was walking away from and a spot even further from where I needed to be. Kind of getting pissed I to fuck it level 2, which is denial and walked to see what all the fuss was about. 

Holy shit, Fairfax lookout is a Sydney highlight and not something you should never miss.

Walking around the circular track admiring the sights I saw an obelisk shape above the trees, I looked at it a bit dumbfounded. Here I was going what I thought was the complete wrong way but ended up being the oh so right one? How many obelisks could possibly be that had to be the cemetery. A wall separated two sides of the bush, I could no longer see the point of the structure, I felt it was to the right and true to form went left. Luckily the was a break in the wall by the water that I climbed over to get to the right side. The cemetery is not looked after whatsoever, it was overgrown the obelisk the only marker of its existence. I half expected bones to be emerging in the roots of plants somewhere. I fought through the bush to search around but gave up after a few minutes it was hopeless and I am always wary walking off the beaten path in Australia due to my foreigner fear of creatures. I figured the cemetery was a good indicator for Q Station being nearby, it was pushing 4:00 and got concerned it was closed. I walked slightly faster down the road I had been looking for only an hour ago jealous of the bikes that zipped by at a lazy but quicker pace. My bag was starting to hurt my shoulders and back but I ignored the pain the best I could until I saw that glorious Q Station sign ahead and people walking past the open gates, .

Sunset was about an hour off I walked down the hill towards the wharf where the visitors center was expecting it to be closed. A sign approached, two choices wharf district and hospital district. Obviously I chose hospital this place is apparently haunted I wanted to see some creepy shit. Q Station alas was not what I expected. My disappointment began when I walked by the first building, the morgue. Nothing was open for exploration and I don't think you are permitted to go in without a guide so I stuck my face to the glass peering in at the room. A plastic severed hand sat in a bowl by the window, I briefly thought that's a load of bull shit but ignored the one set up item as someones bad idea for a creepy addition to the tour. I walked over to the hospital quarters peering through the locked doors noticing a number of hand prints on the windows, they were very staged looking and on the inside, my expectations dropped another level. I wandered into an old bathroom probably the creepiest thing so far and as I turned to leave got startled by a nurses uniform propped up against the window of the infirmary. It seems a few of the buildings at Q Station burned down in the early 2000s and were rebuilt I found this out by the signs proclaiming, "This building has an interesting history." More like this spot really. I had enough of the hospital section it was getting dark and I wanted to watch the sunset by the water.

As the sky darkened I began to think of leaving, I figured the less I saw the better maybe I could make a trip back for a better experience when it was open. The only problem with this plan was I had no idea how to get back to Manly. I went into a bar opposite the visitors center and asked the bartender if there was any ferries coming to pick up passengers that night. He was supremely useless in giving me any information but very nice and probably new to the job, he had that fresh I have no idea what the hell I'm talking about vibe. From what I could decipher from his almost equally unhelpful boss there was a shuttle I could take to the top of the hill followed by a bus running maybe every hour to Manly. I waited for the shuttle for a few minutes before deciding it was a waste of time and started walking. It was getting darker and the street lights were minimal it was also really really empty. I began to suspect I wasn't suppose to be there but since they often have overnight stayers and I had a bag I probably looked like a guest so I took my time. I noticed a sign for the 3rd class precinct, I had no idea how to get back anyways and really no time constraints so I traveled down a dark lightless road, the scariest thing Q Station has to offer. One of the buildings in this precinct had burned down like the area of the hospital and as I walked past the "This building has an interesting history" sign over the overly creaky planks I got the impression they had been purposely built that way for the sake of spookiness. I left after that not sure if this was a historical site, "paranormal attraction" or event venue. Suffice to say I will not be dropping 50-70 bucks on the ghost tour however I may make an attempt to go back at some point during operating hours for a shot at historical redemption.

I finished my walk at reception to find I'd missed the bus by over an hour, of course.  The walk back to the beach took a surprisingly quick 30 mins I had honestly expected at least an hour the way y day had gone. I took the first opportunity to stop in a 7-11 for some frozen slushy comfort before racing to the Wharf to jump on the first boat I saw. Circular Quay, it was boarding just as I arrived. I tucked myself between the bars of the stairs and the side of the boat good picture location for the Harbor and excellent spot to watch the seagulls flying alongside the boat swooping for a group of German tourist's food.

Upon arriving the harbor looked dark, the bridge was lit up on the opposite side and only very slight color changes were noticeable almost mistakable for the normal lights. For a moment I thought I'd gotten it wrong that Vivid was on for three weeks straight. As we bobbed around the front of the Opera House it was beautifully apparent that Vivid was very much in full swing, the entire wharf and surrounding buildings glowed with lights. Vivid is a 3 week festival of light where all over the city amazing shows are put on by artists on the Opera house, Harbor Bridge, in Darling Harbor, the Aquarium roof and countless others. This weekend I will make an effort to get video of the event as its deserving of its own post.

Zen and the Art of Assembly

Ikea and I have always had a love hate relationship, often I find myself elated with an new purchase only to be bordering fury a few hours later. I've always been fairly useless on the assembly side of things as the instructions and I often agree to disagree on direction of certain parts. When it comes down to it though you cant even tell the brown back of the black DVD case is the wrong way around when its filled with movies. Having my apartment I often encountered do it yourself assemblies and disassembles, too often in fact for my brief 1 1/2 years.  Beds with an impossible amount of potential for disaster were always well obliging on that end. I undoubtedly poured sweat, blood, tears (in that order) and was left surrounded in a minefield of cardboard, wood and screws; my little allen key faithfully deciding at the most inconvenient moment to hide itself underneath me, located only by standing and spinning 360 degrees multiple times. I have never built anything right the first time, not even when I was making two identical pieces. I am the queen of how not to create furniture an example to all, how its not done. 

Until today. 
Today I finally mastered Ikea and put together two table top covers for a set of drawer with ease and distinction. I was a handy woman worthy of my screwdriver and went in determined to get it right the first time, if mainly to avoid embarrassment from my host dad and his guest.

My day started much like any other day I woke up wondering despite having an alarm if I was late. A few minutes early as usual, I wished it was earlier so I could at least get a snooze in. I cut my losses and rolled off sloppily over the side of my bed bumbling over to my chair to grab my sweater (Winter in Aus but still not really cold) and shoved my iPod in my pocket to alienate the boredom of waiting for the kids. At some point between Cracked articles they walked down and the routine began, we ate breakfast got dressed and they ran wildly around which having consumed only 1 cup of coffee I had no time for. Off to school we went side stepping a bizarre amount of dog poo along the sidewalk. W walked into each other constantly in a drunken dance of tiredness. I hate mornings. Arriving back to the house I found a mountain of stuff forming outside, my host dad was cleaning out the front room. Since I had arrived the "music room" had been almost full up with boxes of stored curiosities, the Halloween decorations in particular gave it a bit of a spooky air as severed heads blocked out the natural light. A beautiful grand piano in the center began peaking out gloriously from behind the boxes and luxurious looking couch hidden under a pile of clothes began to take form next to the unnoticed and unused fire place. 

Its interesting how clutter can define the mood and psychology of a home. There is no feeling of openness in a place of clutter, whole rooms swallowed and unused their contents a foul deterrent that keeps you away except to add to it and run, fueling its mission to spread and consume. A mountain of stuff is an intimidating force and its not exactly a quick process to rid yourself of either. When faced with this type of challenge it seems that for a while you can only stare as if the trash will decide, "Your right I don't need to be here anymore thanks for letting me crash for a while, I'll just be on my way. Oh nice place you got here!"  No, we watch preaching the bible of procrastination for days, weeks, months and possibly even years. We stare and we wait for that magical moment we wake up one morning and yell "Fuck you garbage" race into the room going ape-shit crazy and throw it all out. Old Christmas wrapping paper? Gone! That foam hand from that game 5 years ago? Poof! Grandmas ashes? We'll keep that but the stuff blocking it on the mantle, HaHa toast! Unhappiness brews stronger within confined spaces and faster when the space grows tighter.

Seeing how that room was transforming inspired me to take to the kids toy room which I had once before unsuccessfully tried to organize. With the okay to throw things out it was now a possible task. They have more toys than any two kids I've ever seen, large piles lay in every corner. There were items that likely had not felt a child's touch since being bought and toys some unopened pouring from over filled drawers.  A child when faced with too many options and too much clutter will often do the same as an adult and stay far away sneaking in to grab a familiar item once and a while amongst the mass, whats the point of it all? Going through the tubs I found toys for infants and the most random crap. McDonalds needs to market happy meal toys as instant trash for the home or car, no unwrapping required but recommended for optimal mess. Fell free to contact me Maccas ill give you some commercial ideas based on reality. 3 hours passed like 5 and as I sat surrounded by the smallest and most troublesome little toys I had ever encountered, I hit the wall. The cleaning wall is a very very hard thing to get past, once you stop for too long reality falls away leaving you surrounded by darkness and garbage, time stops, you can see your breath and all gets cold there is only you and garbage in the world noting else exists, its a haunting feeling. You stare at the pile before you like an expansive mountain range needing crossing, the task becomes impossible. I took this moment as a time for a change, that change was to take to the neglected Ikea boxes in the corner and build myself a reason to need to clean again.

I unpacked the boxes attempting first and foremost not to scratch the floor which I have very good experience doing in my old apartment. I laid out the pieces and tools carefully and looked at the instructions. Philips head screwdriver, thank god, anything with the allen key meant certain suicide by blunt force trauma to the skull. I read the instruction manual always feeling initially like the apes from the beginning of 2001 Space Odyssey only, screwdriver instead of stick. I read it paying close attention as I never had before to the locations of all the little holes in the boards my main scourge. I was skeptical but with relative ease started created something resembling furniture! It turned out all the heartache and frustration of days past was seemingly over. I was a regular bob the fucking builder piecing the thing together bit by bit so quickly that to my surprise I found myself unpacking the second one despite not originally intending to do both. I placed the pieces in their final resting places half expecting something to go wrong but it was perfect, seeing such tidiness thanks to a job well done where there was once such disaster inspired me all over again. 

Cleaning as much as it sucks is so good for the mind. I personally believe to be surrounded by a mess is one thing that makes a home a home but when you allow that home to be swallowed you in turn alienate yourself from any connection to your space. By the way I am as many many people will confirm a very messy person and proud. However seeing the unhappiness cleared away by such a task is impressive, it may not solve the problems of the world and it may not heal any wounds but its certainly a good start to clearing the air. 
In all the room took about 8 hrs Ikea included.

Going to camp on an Island In Sydney Harbor this weekend pics ect to come. Vivd starts as well for the next 3 weeks.

Photos for your enjoyment, tonight's sunset.

not a bad view.... Autumn in Oz

Hawaii

I've been thinking a lot about Hawaii lately. Before starting this blog and before Australia I spent 3 months working in a hostel in Kona on the Big Island; that a plane from New Orleans transported me to an entirely different world, one which I found pulled me rather harshly from my hustling NY attitude to a more relaxed and happier way of thinking. Since I never got to write about it then I thought I'd do a blog post about the detox from "normal" life.

No DSLR in Hawaii so all pictures are mine but from Instagram, couldn't get the ones taken from my phone since I went swimming in the ocean with it on me one fateful night. However there are a ton of better ones up on my instagram site feel free to take a look.

I arrived in Kailua Kona Hawaii just after sunset in September 2013 fresh from a 5 day vacation to New Orleans a city that I had for years pined to see. It was dark when I got off the plane so the sights were lost to me on arrival but on the decent had offered glimpses of an expansive dark and rocky coast looking promisingly beautiful in the dwindling light.  I impatiently waited for what seemed like an eternity to exit the plane wanting desperately to stand somewhere where I could at the very least stretch my arms without hitting someone in the face. When freedom arrived and I took full advantage speed walking as far away as possible from the airborne tube that I had spent the last 5 hours sitting in, I would have ran if it wouldn't have caused confusion; you can never be too sure these days...  The airport was small and much to my delight outdoors. I walked over to the baggage claim waited for my hefty backpack to tumble down the elevated ramp,  I breathed a heavy breath of fresh jet fuel laden air, ahhh I thought, Hawaii. I headed out to the curb backpack in tote to wait for my ride from the manager of Koa Wood Hale of whom I had only had correspondence over workaway.info and Facebook. I was a bit nervous, never had participated in any kind of work for accommodation deal and I had no idea what to expect from the hostel I would be spending the next 3 months in.

Hawaii is every bit as beautiful as movies, honeymooners and travel agencies would make you believe, it is a paradise. The Big Island at 4,028 sq miles is unbelievably diverse. Kona and Hilo on opposite sides of the Island couldn't be more different. Kona is for the most part a beach less town, not to say there isn't anywhere to swim though. Late night parties often ended at the pier where a jump into the sea is absolutely necessary, a tire at the time was provided for climbing back up, my nights very often led me there. A hotel also created a shielded artificial beach but the closest real waves can be found 4 miles down the road at Magic Sands a treacherous little spot given the alias Tragic Slams, there have been deaths from the power of those waves. Long stretches of hardened lava forms oozing patterns in the rough black rocks that stretch for miles, magnificent clear blue beaches dot the coast outside of town. Kona is a small town and a port for enormous cruise ship's little ferries to dock every few days, shops with tourist crap line the alleys and streets as well as restaurants from commercial giants like Bubba Gump, where I almost had a job, to cafes and Metal Mikes wicked pretzel stand. It is for sure a tourist town but pulls it off with a laid back small town atmosphere. Hilo is far greener and jungle like and for that beauty the price is paid with temperamental and sportaic weather, it is the wettest city in the United States. It practically will pour rain seemingly out of no where and be sunny and beautiful a few minutes later much to your soaking wet dismay.  I had first hand experiences of this every time I visited the town and once walked around in a sleeping bag to stay warm and slightly drier. You can drive around the entire Island in a day although it'd be incredibly stupid to do so, you'd miss The Big Islands incredible valleys, its active volcano, jumping off the southern most point of the USA, towns that morph from desert to savannas to jungle, uncountable number of beaches, mountains and observatories it is a place that cannot be truly appreciated in 1 week.

Its amazing to realize how tightly wound stress can make you when you come to a place like Hawaii. Anything more than a casual vacation shows you just how fucked up and tightly wound you've become. The attitude of the Island is slow and lazy nothing even work ever needs rushing. I cant remember once when running late to the hostel from the beaches getting stressed over a couple minutes past 5, maybe its because the manager was always with us but regardless back home a mere minute of two would send me into an escalating panic followed by an avalanche of apologies until I was left exhausted and praying for the end of the day. I think the best way to explain how I felt was what I wrote in my diary 1 week in to the experience.

Slow moving days island time is just a haze, hot lazy attitudes prevail and I understand why surrounded by beautiful sights and vacation attitudes its hard to begin thinking about working, harder even so to muster up the energy to find it. I'm sunburned all over, painful pride of my days spent in relaxation on beaches of crystal clear waters.

I had a bit of a conflict of the mind those first two weeks, I was loving that I was there but feeling like I somehow didn't deserve it. Strange mentalities are created when you get in the habit of not enjoying life and spending your time solely focusing on working to pay bills, any entertainment a burden to the bank. The fact that I couldn't relax unless I got an additional job to supplement my dwindling income was a worry seemingly very American, fretting the worst before it even became an issue. Detoxing from the American city state of mind was surprisingly hard for me, my mind actively fighting my new found relaxation. Americans like to be told what they deserve to feel in a sense it is earned, its a terrible condition we're taught early on; our worth is our job and how much we can make. Vacation time a measure of our success, insurance for those worthy and anything more than $10.00 an hour a godsend and seemingly impossible to find. We are a nation so mentally and financially enslaved to our work that often the company becomes our identity, generally the lower jobs of big corporations. How many times especially before Christmas especially have you heard some horrible customer shut down a cashier for some stupid inconvenience or invented problem, I was that cashier once and ill be damned if that woman saw me as anything less than a sad looking scanning machine for her overpriced shit. One of the richest countries in the world and we have people actively fight against providing service jobs with livable wages. People who work these lowly jobs are according to those with heads firmly placed up their assholes are clearly lazy with a lack of drive to succeed. These jobs as regarded as being work for high school kids who obviously don't need a lot of money to spend especially not for anything like college. Working at McDonalds may not be your idea of a career but for too many its all they got, well no actually I lied in reality they probably have another job as well. Australia has American companies paying Australian wages and all the doors are open, just saying. 

Back to Hawaii

One night two fellow workers and I went to a small festival in a patch of grass on the cliff side, It was called Earth Dance. It was a gathering of all the dirtiest hippies on the Island doing yoga to the sunset and dancing to the Djs with names like McSwagger. We had taken some LSD shortly after arriving and danced to the music on the side of this hill overlooking the ocean into the night. Fire dancers spun batons and were very clearly amateurs, they dropped the flames often enough to keep our distance for love of having hair. We became entranced by the sight of a bald woman (not scorched by the dancers) being painted by the light of a bonfire. Later into the night we realized to our surprise we had been left by our other coworker and ride. Much to the understandable frustration of the hostel manager he came to pick us up and the ride home was for me the turning point in Hawaii, the abandoning of my caring for what I had once considered normal and the start of my traveller mentality. 

We waited by the road for the truck with two teenage girls seemingly tripping face with no transportation. Offering to drop them off would not make our manager happy but they were young and ride less on the side of a dark road. When the truck approached we all piled into the trunk and started off on the journey to find the girls house. After they had gone we tried our best not to seem overly happy since we had been probably the most annoying bunch of people to him on Earth at the moment sitting chatting away on a mysterious detour. We sat in silence from then on the road home was windy, dark and nestled on the side of a cliff. He drove quickly as we sat both immersed in our own world and the thrill of the ride. The tail lights of the car seemed to stretch back in an endless line vividly painting the road where we once had been. There were no street lights just those tail lights glowing the most intense of reds. The trees parted occasionally giving us glimpses of the landscape below, moon illuminating the water in the far distance casting a hauntingly silver glow over the horizon. The landscape was dark save a few lights painting the ground in small patches. We swerved through a tunnel shaped by the dark trees stretching above us linking branches as if hands reaching toward each other to guide us through a forest, I could have half expected a decrepit castle to be on the other side. The engine roared every shift of gears changing its tune as we rode higher into the sky. For a while all was dark except those tail lights which to me at that moment so obviously was a reminder of the past which was already set in the pavement behind me and out of reach. I don't know how long I watched those lights for but it struck me that the focus is always on what was and what could have been when really that was all in front of me. I looked up the water was hidden behind the trees and all was dark for a long few minutes before the world opened up. For the most part of the trip we had been looking backwards but as we rose over the crest of the hill, all of Kona was illuminated before us. Darkness for miles, ocean to the left trees to the right and off so far away the cluster of lights that for the past few weeks I had been happy to call home. My eyes like the landscape were opened, the worries of the past behind me where they would stay, those are what I had left to get away from. Upon arriving back to the hostel we found we had similar experiences in the truck and went off to the shops to get a couple Wailua beers and go to the beach and talk. The moon looked huge as we drank and for the first time since I arrived I didn't have a care in the world, I was in Hawaii. 4 hours after arriving home we went to our staff bunk room to sleep, I with the feeling of a world a new.

Finally no rush to eat breakfast, savour the pebbles those fruity pebbles

It certainly was a would a new. I ended up getting a job at Bubba Gump but they asked so much from the employees in a slightly absurd training schedule involving memorizing an entire menu drink ingredients included before even getting on the floor. I decided it didn't matter anymore I was in Hawaii fuck focusing on work, I was working for my accommodation already I didn't have that many worries really. I picked up a job cleaning hotel rooms around my schedule. I started playing the guitar to fill those long hours when I wasn't occupied and became a major supporter of Hawaii time.

For all its many pluses Hawaii also has its negatives. Homelessness for one is rampant of both Islands I visited. Not far from the wealth of Waiki and the glamorous hotels people sleep in parks by the dozens. On Oahu for being the more popular island I was genuinely surprised at the poverty that is in plain sight, couples holding hands walking past a man sleeping in the dirt. I was walking one night with a friend in Kona talking about how alike the south park episode of Hawaii was to the reality. People coming on vacations acting as if they own the place, not many people really bother to get to know or acknowledge the real Hawaii. Maybe we take advantage of the fact that it is now a US state and ignore that its culturally not the mainland and as such has a much different history to the rest of the USA, however we still consider it 'Merica and it has become one of the most taken advantage of treasures the country has acquired.  On our walk we talked about the blind tourism of the island and from the bushes came a strangers raspy voice in response "You may be white, but your not stupid". I looked to the right seeing the vague outlines of a few people tucked away drinking from a 24pk of beer in a set up tarp home on the side of the road. Don't remember what I said back generally my brain turns off and defaults something like a laugh or have a good night/day, thanks/sorry when I'm surprised by something. I said a default response and we walked quietly away till we were far enough away to consider the coincidence. When you think about it especially in the cold of mainland winter Hawaii is easier livings if you're homeless. I used to pick bananas at the hotel I cleaned and bring them back to the hostel, fruit is often accessible if you look hard enough and its warm all year round. You don't  necessarily need money for it to be a paradise.

Although you could be a Rob Schnider impersonator from 50 First Dates if you need some extra green

Reluctant goodbye 

Its not easy to find the real Hawaii, its out there for sure if you take a look but you need to look past the views to find the real people of the Islands. Although the natural beauty of the most of the islands is still for the most part left alone the natural theme park vibe could one day start spreading. Not all the Islands are the same, I couldn't get anywhere else but The Big Island and Oahu but Maui and Kauai are much better for avoiding that heavy tourism from what I understand. Had I had the money to visit them I surely would have gone, I will likely make a trip back for it. Hawaii was one of the most exciting  times of my life and I feel I missed out on the real experience the Islands offer, just need to make the time to appreciate it.

Battle of attentions ipad vs tori

Australia is a damn big country, anyone with a map can confirm this observation; however until you stand here planning a trip to get around the whole thing in a month on a modest budget you really don't realize just the massive size of it. The planning of the next trip is always thrilling but incredibly frustrating especially when working with a country of this magnitude. I should be used to it really coming from America but honestly I didn't travel around the states before leaving so I really never had to map it out as realistically as I'm doing with the 6 states of Oz.

Over the past week I have weighed options and find two very different paths before me. First option the exploration of a whole new continent and lifestyle in Southeast Asia but at the expense of seeing all Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand have to offer. Second option is to prolong this part of the world and get to see a bit of everything with the downside of work being the focus for the foreseeable future. However to work in New Zealand doesn't seem too bad the more and more research I do, its just the finding of job and accommodation I despise. Good thing I have 3 months?

In the meantime things in the now are looking better, too much free time can get you down especially when you think of all the better ways it can be served. However if given enough time you will eventually tire of being bored and start finding little ways your get back up and brush off the dust.  I'm working on that part step by step. So off to observations and such. 

I've been taking pictures but just around Brooklyn, nothing I'm too keen on but ill add a couple to entertain the less word inclined readers.

Its a sad thing when you notice you're constantly sitting by yourself surrounded by a family of iPads.

Little iPad watching the same episode of Peppa Pig over and over to the gradual irritation of all those with ears, older iPad watching British people play mine craft on YouTube, once more to the gradual irritation of all those with ears and father iPad working away at something business oriented I assume. I sit nanny iPod reading through articles that on paper I wouldn't wipe my ass with, all to waste away the lingering days. Its really quite a sad sight to look at us all in retrospect as I often find myself doing in the silence of human communication How intent and vacant those little faces look illuminated by the colorful glow of the screen. I often wonder are they really gaining anything knowledge wise with the use of this technology?

I wake up at roughly 7:30 each morning. My Sublime Bad Fish alarm goes off and I neatly get up and turn off the alarm, or, I smack my hand blindly for the snooze button then leap out 10 minutes later thinking I overslept but usually more than I care to admit I practically roll to the floor and stumble off in some direction till I wake up enough to notice I'm out of bed already. If the parents leave for work early the kids are up at the same time as me and ready by 8:00. I put the kibosh on all that watching tv/ipad nonsense, school before videos ain't nobody got time for that when we got backpacks to pack. This particular morning the parent did not leave early for work so I was at the mercy of their sending the kids out of their room and down stairs at some point. Every morning for the past week the oldest child has been watching these terrible videos of British men playing mine craft. The guys think they're witty and probably on some level think they're cool because of all their YouTube views. Heads up dudes its 7 year olds watching you, move out of the basement and get a job. Anyways, when asked to stop watching mine craft videos and get dressed this particular morning a near nuclear meltdown began. From the whining it sounded like his world was ending, any mention of shutting the thing off started waterworks and desperate argues as if the the iPad screen becoming black for a mere second would implode it into a parallel universe never to be seen again. Just to remind you these were videos of people playing mine craft not even him playing the game himself. The tears luckily were stopped by an outside parental force which when around is the voice of god whereas I become the mere lunch maker. These are not good mornings especially considering it was nearing 8:30.

Only yesterday as well when watching the younger of the two siblings home from daycare, her attention could not be held for more than 5 minutes because of the iPad, the elephant in the room on the couch. We jumped on the trampoline for about 3 minutes then inside she went to the iPad. We hula hooped, really more like I hula hooped she stopped by for a quick visit though and then went back inside to play with the iPad, finally we made puzzles, well you get the point it took me about 5 mins for a 4ft fire truck. I seem to remember from years babysitting that kids her age could be entertained for longer by a leaf, well maybe just not a leaf throw a stick in as well for good measure. Outside? Outside was a gold mine of excitement. How could this 3 year old not find any enjoyment from being outside and how the fuck can a girl her age find Keshas Timber music video on YouTube? Educational apps available or not access to Kesha type stimuli for a child has zero benefit.

The one good thing about my day occurred when the battery died before I could decide whether or not to take it away.  I did a half ass scan for the charger and admitted defeat suggesting perhaps we go to the park where she could play and I could do a bit of writing. Fresh air awoke that glorious child-like imagination as she made me a vegemite ice cream cone with toast bites inside. The park was empty besides us, granted its a small town but it was a beautiful day sunny and warm without being oppressive as the Aus sun tends to get mid afternoon. I wrote and she ran around entertaining herself topping by to tell me random facts about nature and the state of the world hastily invented. Sadly it sometimes seems that parks are empty too often, of all the times we've been there we are either alone or it is co-occupied surprisingly briefly as if a rest stop on a long journey home. 

Some eye candy for yous guys

One particularly annoying result of the iPads i've noticed to my distaste is the lack of coloring at resturants or tick-tack-toe. Why bother when you can play drag-racing-drag-dressing-zombie-hunting-birds lite. I find dining with the kids when they are given the iPads to be especially awkward, its never nice to be ignored over a game and even less so when its not one you can rightly participate or even want to participate in. I can only stare into the distance for so long and dont bring electronics into a resturant setting with company. They could outsource me with the iPad at this rate because if you pass the kid the thing its pretty much guaranteed his ass is planted firmly into that seat.  

We take to the screens too often, but no more if I can help it. As I noticed the inactivity of body and mind around me I thought perhaps this is a part of my problem. I sit in front of a screen thinking about topics for blog posts and turn to hbogo and netflix defeated and let down, that feeling lasts through into the next time I attempt to write or even do something productive. It is a poison of the mind which leaves you unfulfilled and wanting more but at the same time telling you its too much effort to try. When I wrote in the park words flowed, not even a whole post even just little points which I have used to mold what you're now reading. Nothing comes out of staring at a screen but comes from the activity of engaging your mind. A short walk just to think or sitting by the water always one of my favorite activities was sorely needed after being neglected.

Too often is technology used to alleviate boredom and to take away the awkwardness of certain situations we should be social in. For example, when I'm not too poor or when I decide to splurge a bit of money I go into Sydney to attend a pub crawl. I don't meet people in Brooklyn, many think me the kids mom weirdly enough and there to my knowledge aren't any people my own age that aren't bogans. So I go solo to the pub crawl get a drink at the first bar and immediately take out my iPod and fiddle with it pretending its a phone. I do this because of anxiety of talking to random strangers, so many of them I notice already out with friends or in a group chatting away and having what to me looks like the time of their lives. Now not quite sure where in my mind thinks the ipod angle will work in anyway... This is how I know it wont but somehow believe it will go.

"Oh hi there, excuse me saw you playing with your iPod. Oh wow are you playing Flappy Swim? yeah I missed out on Flappy Bird too. You seem really interesting sitting here by yourself awkwardly looking around can we be best friends and have awesome times crawling around these pubs? Great, come hang out with all these significantly more fun looking people over here and put that thing away till selfies seem like a good idea."

That's never happened, in fact being the akward one makes me meet weird people.

Time to put down the phones and iPads and stare at something worth looking at for a while.  

The Bogan

When first properly introduced into Australian culture I learned of a mysterious persons called the Bogan of whom I had not yet encountered. Much like the "trailer trash" of the Southern United States the Bogan is a damnable creature lacking in the very basics of personal hygiene and the manners of the educated and well rounded individual. I had seen many bizarre people along my travels in Oz and believe today I have encountered and briefly followed the first real bogans of my trip. This motley group of three so inspired me to share their lives I came home straight away to type this post. This is so all of you can too enjoy those delicious 5 minutes I was stuck walking behind them getting close enough to become part of their group.

If only I hadn't taken that shower yesterday.

They say the fastest way to get from point A to point B is a straight line, bogans don't buy it. They often walk side to side swivelling and stumbling their way against flat surfaces, tempting fate on curbs and stepping over their own feet or pets. They are very distinguishable in their swagger; do not for the love of god get stuck behind a group of them. Unlike most people bogans do not sense your discomfort of being swallowed into their group as you overtake their slowly advancing wall. They will not move for you or for that matter walk in a straight line its not in their nature and chances are  they've been drinking since waking up.  The bogan will bunch up and wobble your escape opportunities out of existence. If you find yourself in on of these situations you must either,

1. Walk around on the grass or road

2. Slow down immensely and wait for a free moment to bolt through

3. Consider the distance of pub or shops and wait for them to make their way there

If for some reason you should wish to find a bogan outside of their natural habitat of the bar or the home you may find it useful to locate a trail of bottles. Bogans hydrate differently than the average human, they live almost entirely off of alcohol. For the 5 minutes I followed my bogans I only encountered the tossing of 1 bottle that, to quote the older gentleman was "weighing down" the younger and seemingly drunker. The bogan lives for today, he or she cares not for the environment but grabs life by the liter and guzzles it down damned the consequences. It is also possible theory that because of their main goal to be as drunk as possible by 3 pm the bottles may possibly map their way home, this however is unlikely considering they don't generally stray far from their habitat.

The bogan moves with the swiftness and silence of a freight train. Whether in a group or solitary they always have something to discuss with themselves or each other. They aren't shy to tell themselves aloud exactly what they are thinking and frequently enjoy testing the limits of their vocal chords. The bogans song can be heard from distances of up to .50 mile away and is a clear sign that a party whether wanted or not will be passing by your way. The solitary bogan is far rarer than the group. They like the parrots and cockatoos of Australia feel the need to congregate to make the loudest and most  irritating screeches possible; this is generally done at the hours when silence is most valued.

The age of a bogan is a difficult thing to tell. The young ones have a deceiving older than they are look about them and most drink years before legal age making them appear at least 18 to the untrained eye. The older a bogans becomes the harder it is to determine age, features especially the face get the harder and harder to read. A 40 year old bogan may very well be mistaken to be 5-10 years senior. This is true more so for the female of the species than the male.

Within their groups bogans are quite fashionable and trendy, hiply tending to embrace the 1980 and 1990s styles. Mullets are a common hairstyle amongst the men whilst the women tend to enjoy the just woke up un-brushed look. Their clothes will always have holes, this is for ventilation purposes and of course the extra beer money. Australia gets very hot its generally thought the more holes the more breeze can enter creating their own free natural air conditioning. They often shun hygiene, showers and other bathing activities. These exercises take time from their busy schedules. They are very in touch with nature so much so they often pass out in it. The smell of artificial flowers is nothing like rolling in the real nature, the stank of humanity far more pleasant to them than that of soap.

The bogan is an exciting creature worthy of future study. Unfortunately I was only in possession of an iPod and was unable to take a photo considering the loud shutter noise that is impossible to turn off and the way too close proximity. I uses escape plan #2 btw.

Easter breaks

Good news everyone, a day after my last post Oscar was found! He was half awake, mangled and riddled with infection at most a day to certain death. It seems he had been attacked by a neighbors dog or wild possum and had been too injured to get home. For 1 week he sat under a table in tercentennial downpours and cold weather being eaten alive. After a few days of recovery and surgery hes back home locked up away from harm in the "kitty motel" out front with his best buddy Lily. So happy to have spoken too soon, thats one tough kitty  I have never seen such horrible injuries on living creature, except maybe a disemboweled hamster eating its own intestines but that little guy didn't make it.

Trip of the Easter weekend was to Newcastle, NSW & Hunter Valley, Wine Region, NSW.

Not quite my hostel

Newcastle is a small beach city with historic bunkers, some of the biggest waves I have ever seen and a lighthouse to boot. It was one of the most uneventful excursions of my travels and to be perfectly honest a relaxing and well needed one. 

Newcastle is pretty awesomely only located about 3 hours outside of Sydney by train, 2 for me in Brooklyn and is the second most populated city in New South Wales. Its a big surf and body boarding town with some gorgeous little beaches, endless groups of beach bums and intimidating waves.

The first day in the city I decided to skip the town center and go directly for the beach. Looking up the place while deciding if I would visit I had seen a lighthouse and after the disappointment of Fingal bay needed to make up for my losses. It was pretty sweet to say it in the laziest way possible. The lighthouse grounds are open every Sunday for exploration, unfortunately I found out after Sunday and missed out but may make a trip back for it. There is however if you find yourself wandering on a weekday a nice rocky path past the lighthouse to the water. Body boarders sit waiting for waves in the small surf on the left and surfers or crazier body boarders sometime ride the bigger waves on the right. Its a good place to chill and watch if you don't have a board yourself.

To really get the most out of Newcastle, exploration of its history should be considered. Newcastle has a rich past filled with interesting stories, convicts and coal. Many traces of that history can still be seen all over the city, they do a good job at preserving the past and deserve to be heard. They really offer a ton of  things to do, the museum is free along with the lighthouse and Fort Scratchy, take advantage.

Carved by the fingernails of the convicts I'd imagine

The Ocean baths are a cool and helpful option for the more lax beach goers. They were somehow carved into the rock by the inmates of old Aus past and provide a sturdy and effective barrier from the madness of the sea. Newcastle on the fringes of the beach still retains a bit of old world charm, old fashioned signs and really a low key touristy feel.

Fort Scratchy has some of the best views of the city and lighthouse, it like I mentioned completely free and not to be missed. There is an option to pay for some tunnel tours as well.

One other place to go and see a bit of wild-caged-life is at Blackbutt Reserve. I shit you not. Its free also and has everything that you, if you were me, have frustratingly not seen close enough plus a million mosquitoes ready to relieve you for a few lbs of blood. Sarcasm aside it was pretty cute and you can get close to Koalas for 5 bucks, I was too bitten to partake but it looked worth it.

There's also a parrot there that loves to climb humans, you're the exhibit to that guy. Just don't try to get him off your shoulder he bites.

I shall feast upon thy fingers

My pictures sum up the sights for the most part, it was beautiful yes and I myself I wold like to say was loving it 24/7, however I was on a sugar detox (bad timing) and was quite honestly a monster. It felt like a hangover all day long without any alcohol, I had a good time when I could ignore my body's minor annoyances. Sights nom nom gorgeous, mind however screaming fuck you all. 
Ps. failed the sugar detox ill try again when Easter candy and birthdays are over.


Hunter Valley

Feeling half okay half fuck the world I departed on a wine tour at 9:15am on Monday. Hunter Valley is one of the most magnificent places I have ever been in my life, that to note may be the wine memories but I really don't think so. Never have I seen so many kangaroos all bunched up together in groups munching by the side of the road. When I thought about going to Australia I thought roos would be everywhere they are after all considered to be like deer in both abundance and road kill respect. This is the place where the American dreams of Kangaroos in Aus is true, at least the first place I've encountered.

There are over 150 wineries in the valley and it is home to some spectacular views. If you are lucky enough to get there do not just go on a tour, make it a weekend. I should have stayed longer I would have traded one day in Newcastle for 2 there hands down. Im a sucker for beautiful landscapes and the wine doesn't hurt either...

Ill pretend to be a wine snob and say my favorite vineyard of the mere 4 I visited was Constable Estate, the wine of choice, 2011 Cabernet Merlot. I had budgeted to buy 1 bottle of wine and since this was the first place we visited struggled with the choice of buying it, I didnt buy it and regretted it. So, I saved my money and will order it online as a last day Au-pairing treat. 

Plans are being made to move on as I try and make my projected bank account conform to my plans. Next stop Alice Springs? Then probably the Barrier Reef. The big picture hopes are Tasmania, New Zealand, Cambodia, Thailand and Tokyo. Then a regroup of funds before an all over UK? Europe will be hard to travel around considering its almost impossible for me to get a work visa. However like I said my plans change on the daily.

Stationary Living

Its been a while!
Firstly... 

RIP Oscar, I hope im premature saying that but at this point hes been missing for over a week. He although being an outdoor cat rarely leaves the backyard. 
Hes been as good a friend to me as a cat can be since I arrived in Brooklyn. Moment of silence for this doofus. I genuinely miss him and hope he found a family with better food than us and not become fertilizer.

He was also quite the model

 

So g'day folks sorry for the delays in posting anything but not much has been happening lately. I struggle with the posts if I don't have anything specific to say procrastination and laziness get the better of me sometimes actually most times... 

Basically on the day to day to fill the downtime I've been trying to distract myself with activities, I try for creative stuff like painting but usually just watch Netflix, which btw you have to jump through loops to be able to watch here as it is yet unavailable in this part of the world. I've been taking some online courses from a website called coursera.org. At the moment The Modern and Postmodern by Wesleyan University has taken most if not all my attention. I even write essays almost weekly for it; that today is what brings me here.

I spent an entire day last week on an essay with a serious case of procrastination / writers block only to finally get myself on the right track and find that the deadline was 5am LA time, not 5pm. Fuck. Well lets not waste this opportunity to write I though, the brick wall I've been scratching at all day took a lot to break and the blood stains still drip fresh from my repeated head bangings against its treacherous and mangled remnants.

So, funny enough this post had actually began being written a little over 2 weeks ago, its 3 separate posts combined. It was a paragraph long thought saved to blogger that I intended to write before the environmental post, the post essay thoughts and now an addition to a very brief itinerary change for my travels. I hope it flows well but I cant be bothered to separate it all.

Winter is coming in Australia and the weather shows. Two weeks of straight rain and a slightly cooler breeze in the air. Seeing no dramatic leaf change and having no Halloween to compliment the season I miss but I'm curious to see what the winter has in store down under, certainly wont be like New York. Season wise ill never prefer the summer x-mas or Easter in the fall so on that note East Coast USA 1 AUS 0. USA might disagree after this winter but think of 4 plus days of 108 degrees too... With the weather trapping me indoors it has become more apparent how boring Au-pairing is, really really boring. The kids are great but the routine is not my cup of tea I'm becoming stir crazy, cant go far on the cheap to get out of the house and don't want to brave the tercentennial downpours that appear at random once or more a day.

My distraction of classes has been a fleeting joy, sometimes im 100% student other times im blankly staring at the screen moments from drooling onto my lap. In The Modern and Postmodern (highly recommended class) last week we talked about Emerson and self-reliance, the very topic I was writing about before as the idea for my original post. Weirdly the class has followed a few of my most recent mindsets very closely. I had been thinking about myself and questioning my own sense of self-reliance over the past two weeks especially. With the weather causing a very serious travel itch I reflected that at this moment although I feel self-reliant I am not truly; pretty broke and was questioning my job the realistic options at this very moment are scarce I am a bit stuck. I started to wonder am I taking the easy way out and torturing myself mentally for it or just in a slump caused by a lack of excitement?

Over the years I've come to realize in myself that most often when I find comfort I've became most uncomfortable. It seems that being without struggle does not suit my personality, it puts me at a sense of common place and increasing nervous energy. I am the type of person who needs many outlets and strong outlets at that to take my mind away from negative thought of which I am overly prone. I generally will over think everything at the expense of happiness, any regret and fear will rear its ugly head in moments of silence and the positives are too easily buried and hidden deep under the shit.

Could the travel bug be a way for some of us to run away from our inability to deal with the ordinary? I often find myself wanting to visit home and will on the same night actually have a nightmare of it; not due to seeing any old faces or family but fear that it will be giving up and a worries I wont be able to leave again stuck in the minimum wage loop. Although the situation I find myself in now is comfortable, easy for sure I feel it too easy and slowly I slip back into negative thoughts and for really no good legitimate reason at all. I have too much time to think and my mind takes full advantage of telling me what I can do better. Old mentalities come creeping back and I look forward again, the present becoming a mere inconvenience to my plans. I always had a 3 month job limit back in NY, if I wasn't happy with my work after 3 months i'd quit. Usually this was achieved by turning off my alarm and sleeping in, never have I been happy in my work or content for a period of more than 6 months. It seems it may be the same for traveling, the 3 month limit on location.

Decisions are hardest made when the options seem endless they are especially rash and changed when traveling. I strive for more ways to support myself not having to do with finding short term work to fund my photography and travels. I cant have my life dictated by a schedule set by someone else, i've worked enough shitty jobs to know I need to find a way to support myself, that is the dream right?

Since arriving here I have changed my mind on what to do about 5 times. Major changes like returning to NY to save money for studies abroad morphed into backpacking Europe which then upon seeing the financial side got pushed forward in favor of getting a New Zealand work visa and traveling to Cambodia for a meditation retreat and general "vacation from my vacation". As of now the Cambodia & NZ is the plan with a possible NY stop in the fall for 3 months if financially possible. However the nature of my adventure is an ever morphing idea it could change tomorrow it did today when an obvious and practical option arose itself to my attention.

CAMPER VANS.

I don't know why it hadn't been in my mind before, camper vans quite literally seem the best mode of transportation for the traveler who gives zero-fucks about comfort and amenities. When searching for flights from Sydney to Alice Springs to Cairns to Darwin at an ungodly rate I never thought to just drive it. When better a time to learn to drive on the left side of the road than whilst au-pairing? It'll be a sneak peak of the terror the parents will face when their kids get old enough to learn to drive.

Stops at my discretion (photos anytime!), hostel unnecessary and overall pretty affordable? Sold.  I believe the aussie spring will be a camper van journey as well as future New Zealand. When 16 day tours of NZ range around $2000+ ill take my chances going alone for a fraction of the price. 

It wont be comfy, it will be stressful, I WILL get lost multiple times and for all you I hope my likely increasing insanity will be funny.

I cant wait.

Notes From a Dark Van coming August 2014, where wifi allows....

Easter will be spent in Newcastle NSW, beach and wine tours. Photos and stories to come.
Happy Holidays all eat more chocolate.