Backpacking

a time to reflect and reminisce
a time to search and pursue

all those years ago seem like days and months now. yet so many facets of life have evolved here, there and everywhere. relationships were certainly tested, and those that mattered still do, and those that didn't, well, never did.

what a feeling it was to be back in the motherland!!! the mixed emotions, the friendly smiles, the familial hugs and the strangers stares. disembarking in los angeles was quite a treat of cultural diversity. mandarin and spanish blaring from the speakers in the terminal, and skin colors that were nonexistent in kiwiland were abundant in LA. the commercial aspect of the states surprisingly didn't faze me. the strip malls and silly adverts seem to be ubiquitous in every urban/suburban area around the globe. in the states atleast i have the opportunity to practice some espanol while glancing at the billboards.....

large portions and a plethora of mexican cuisine were gastronomic successes out west. enchiladas, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas.............aren't they all the same in the end? fried, grilled, sauteed, braised..... the cheesecake factory was probably the victor in the largest portion competition, and sad as it is to say, in-and-out burger disappointed. two words put together: cookout.

a job, a career, a future loom on the horizon. how near is the job? how distant is the career? how soon is the future? when will i answer these questions? an inquiry of the author.

an antiquated internet search yielded a few potential job prospects, but the traditional 'connection' seems to work best. it has me somewhat employed and i believe i may even find a good job in these trying times of economic worry.

returning to america at his juncture in history is also quite fascinating. the belly of the beast and the fuel of the fire wrapped into one country. the world waits for america's answer; for its prosperity is linked to the states. perhaps they shouldn't have lent us all our credit....or maybe we shouldn't have have borrowed so much....or maybe we should just forge forward and forget the past, but won't we repeat all those mistakes again, and again? i ask for transparency and accountability, but who am i kidding, i'm an american citizen.

the facade of blankness has retreated yet the veil of uncertainty remains.

pictures below are in chronological order, beginning with the north of the south island, and ending in mt. penn, pennsylvania. stories are attached to many of the photographs, maybe you can ask me sometime?

SPLIT APPLE ROCK

MARLBOUROUGH SOUNDS

WELLINGTON

MAORI MARAE

MAORI CHURCH

WHANGANUI RIVER & MATEMATEAGONA TRAMP

TAUPO & SURROUNDS

NGAURUHOE & TONGARIRO

MT. DOOM NGAURUHOE

DOOM'S PEAK

THE END OF AN ERA

COROMANDEL

BUDDHIST STUPA

PINNACLES

FLORA

KAURI

OPONONI

90-MILE BEACH

CAPE REINGA

WAITANGI TREATY HOUSE

AUCKLAND

MAORI WOODWORK

FIJI-TIME

THE KING OF FRUITS

SLEEPING BABY

PARADISE

THE LAST HURRAH?

AMERICA......THE RETURN

CALIFORNIAN IDEOLOGY?

THE TOYOHASHI CONNECTION - >CODY, KANA and ME

CITY OF DREAMS

HOME SWEET HOME

swirling in the vortex,
fluid surrounds.
can't find air
my feelings are distant
my mind's fair.

driving into the void north of alice springs was eerie, especially after glancing at the road atlas. we were truly on a road to nowhere that may have floated through david byrne's wild imagination. the dry, lifeless landscape surrounded the track for a seemingly endless distance. every few kilometers a road train, a truck with two to four carriages in tow, would fly centimeters away and wallop us with its' air bubble.

the days on the track were neither wonderful nor miserable, happy nor sad; they just were. a few carcus-like cows meandered around on either side the track, providing us with reinforcement that life could survive out there. in fact, aboriginals still survive off of bush tucker and water found beneath plants in the desolate land. a wonder to someone like me who would probably keel over and exit this life after a few days in the bush.

we were fortunate enough to have overcast days, providing us with some shelter from the stinging rays of the sun. the 'devil's marbles', a group of rocks apparently resembling game pieces from a land below were the only tourist attraction for the thousand kilometers north of alice. a brief stop at the campground and a short hike up the rocks gave us a glimpse of the surrounds.

DEVIL'S MARBLES

a bit further on up the road was a lush green land known as the tropics. slowly crossing into the humid region was a site to see from the passenger seat. termite mounds and green plants began to dot the flat land; a welcome relief to the dry desert.

kakadu national park proved to be the highlight of my stay down under. the gorgeous forests, aboriginial rock art and wildlife constantly amazed me. one solo hike took me across a flat grassland that was recently burned by aborginals as a ritual. the dead grass was then used to form bridges over several waterways. walking alone in the woods i couldn't help imagining what it would be like to live out in the woods. catching fish with spears, hunting down kangaroos, searching for crocodile eggs in the sand. the life that may never be for me. along the way were countless art galleries that tickled my fancy. the rock art was outstanding, and the murals drawn on tree bark were unbelievable.

ROCK ART

WALLABEE

KAKADU LANDSCAPE

BATS

ROCK ART

CROCODILE WARNING

arriving in darwin on christmas day was perhaps the most anti-climactic entrance i've had this past year. rain shot down in sheets of hatred on the earth. our vehicle was barely able to withstand the torrential assault from the monsoon. it was not the jolliest of days to say the least.

twelve long hours later the sun shone brightly, and it was time to depart to litchfield national park, full of swimming holes and waterfalls. the largest pool recently welcomed a 'saltie', or salt water croc, so that swimming spot was off-limits, but the others were more than worth the journey.

a few more clicks down the road we came to 'three ways', an intersection we had passed earlier on our trip out of alice. this time, however, we were turning left into another abyss of nothing. east was the cardinal direction, and cairns was the destination. just outside of mt. isa, however, a travelers' tragedy occurred. fumes spouted from the hood as smoke billows from a fire. the outlook was not good, and within the hour i knew i would need to find another way to cairns.

after mulling over the options for a day i decided to try my hand at hitching. unfortunately i was out on the road on new year's eve and the number of cars heading out of town could be counted on my digits. my two-hour attempt was unsuccessful and i opted for the overnight train to townsville, an unexpected and serendipitous decision.

i found a couch to surf via the grand website and i was living like a king on new year's day. the town offered a glimpse of real aussie life that was great to see on the touristic east coast. my three-day live-aboard trip to the great barrier reef was brilliant in every aspect. the weather, the food, the crew and of course my fellow divers. eating, diving and sleeping were the three activities that filled my days, and i could ask for nothing more. the vivid colors of the coral and abundant marine life rivaled my dives in southeast asia. the last day was spent on the SS Yongala, an old cruise ship that met its' unfortunate fate off the coast of townsville. the wreck was inhabited by fish of gargantuan proportion, and i was swimming through countless schools.

heading down the east-coast i made stops at must-see places, including the whitsunday islands and fraser island. the former was done via a two-day boat trip that hit the beautiful beaches and snorkelling spots, but left out free-time to actually savor all of the flavor. nonetheless, the 'Romance' boat crew gave their finest effort.

Fraser Island was an absolutely out-of-this world experience. The largest sand island in the world, Fraser is accommodating only to 4WD vehicles. The standard budget trip out there involves throwing ten strangers into a Land Cruiser and giving someone the keys. Luckily I was the guy with them. Tearing up the tracks and dirtying the car was something I took great pleasure in. In fact, upon returning our vehicle the inspector noted that he had never seen a dirtier vehicle. My smile may have enraged the cleaners, but I believe the compulsory $100 cleaning charge was put to good use.

The lakes on the island were the essence of pristine. Sand as nature intended and water so pure you could drink it. Jumping into the lakes was a shower and a step into heaven all in one.

Finishing up my Oz tour in Brisbane has been wonderful, due in most part to my gracious couchsurfing host Mie. Her humble abode has comforted me over this past week and I am all the cleaner and well-rested for it. From here, on to Kiwi Land..............

the sky is grinning,
beaming rays of warmth.
the red earth reciprocates,
sending a smile back.

green life can linger,
sustain itself with secrets,
underground tunnels,
give shade a chance.

hot, arid, dry. desolate, deserted desert. rain, rain, please come and wet me before i dry into redness.

the center of oz has natural beauty so distinct and rare it is hard to take it all in. the past few days in the outback have been full of wonderful treats. torrential downpours, a rainbow, camels, thorny devils, a fire extinguisher in the bush, icy cold watering holes, roos, emus, a sunset from heaven. the list will continue. my time wandering around the red rocks that draw tourists from all over the world was stellar. the contours of uluru and king's canyon were breathtaking upclose, and learning about the aboriginals that survive in the bush was even more startling. the roads around uluru and king's canyon were full of impressive scenery, a grand treat after driving in nothingness in south australia. photographs below will surpass my descriptions.

ULURU ROCK ART

KATA TJUTA

THORNY DEVIL

SWIMMING HOLE

KING'S CANYON

MACDONEL RANGES

prior to entering the northern territory, i accompanied my dutch friend through the flinder's ranges in south australia and made a brief stop in coober pedy, the opal mining capital of the world. the flinder's were brimming with wildlife, including kangaroos and emus that ran across the road with reckless abandon. we set up camp and enjoyed a marvelous sunset before hitting the dirt track in the morning. coober pedy is famous for its underground homes, and we decided to set up camp 5m under the earth. one hotel had camp spots in the cool caverns that were once mined for opal. it was the best night of sleep i've had on our five-day journey.

ROOS

CAMELS

FLINDERS

OUTBACK

UNDERGROUND CAMPING

UNDERGROUND CHURCH

OPAL MINING SITES

PLANE WARNING IN THE OUTBACK

BUS

the trip materialized at the fruit shack, where i departed with a german girl at the beginning of december. we took a train from the fascinating town of wagga wagga and found ourselves in melbourne in search of a hotel and a car. the first night in town we were without accommodation, and it seemd that most hostels were full. a flip of a coin determined that we would sleep in fitzroy gardens, which turned out to be a very pleasant experience. it certainly will come to mind next time i see a homeless person sleeping on a park bench. my back forgave me after a few days, and the rest of our time in melbourne was spent at a gracious couchsurfer's home. we cruised the city for a few days and found a suitable car to tour the great ocean road.

the touristic road, which winds along victoria's coast is dotted with parks and sublime beaches. a sore throat caught me at an inopportune time and my time at the beaches could not be fully appreciated. nonetheless, the famous twelve apostles, stone statues in the sea, were worth the wait. we even spotted some tree-dwelling marsupials in a forest. the melbourne-adelaide leg of the trip finished with a day meandering around the adelaide hills, which are lined with grapes and cherries. we spent a night in a cricket ground before heading into adelaide, where i switched travel companions and shot up north.

MELBOURNE

KITESURFERS

APOSTLES

GREAT OCEAN ROAD

ADELAIDE CRAB FISHING

KOALAS

reminiscing about long-lost college days has been a pastime of many alumni. when i meet some university kids traveling, i remember the days of innocence, that ended only three short years ago. in case the images of spring breaks were getting fuzzy, the hedonistic setting of kuta, bali reminded me just how naive college life really was. a night out on tacky legian st. satisfied just about nothing, but gave me a reason to get off the island.

before i left for lombok, i made a stop in ubud, and luckily for me, my stay coincided with a readers and writers festival. the pondok library dealt with my literary needs, while a few warung filled my belly with delicious balinese dishes.

BAS RELIEF

lombok's centerpiece, gunung rinjani (3742m), was an awesome sight from the valley below. the volcano rose up from its green surroundings prominently. the slope of the mountain couldn't rival fuji-san's precision, but mother nature can't be bothered with such details.

roughly seven hours of uphill hiking afforded my group a view of the crater. we set up camp and had a brief nap before leaving around 3 am for the early morning acscent. the loose rock near the summit kept my legs in constant pain, while the stars above shone brightly enough to keep some balance in the universe. the sunrise over the crater was truly majestic. i reached the summit a few minutes before the rays reached over the horizon, and the next half an hour was prime-time for photos. the triangular shadow cast by the conical crater reached out and covered bali in the distance, with its mountain, gunung agung, sending its greetings over the sea. the gili islands, which i visited just a week prior to my ascent, were dots in the shadow, hiding from the early morning sun. all the pain in my legs quickly vanished with amazement at nature's wonders.

GUIDE

the next two days of trekking featured some swimming in the crater's lake and more uphill climbing than i would have liked. although the ensuing sunset was wonderful given our campsite at the top of the rim.

the next week or so i spent on a variety of buses, boats, bemos and motorbikes before i reached flores. the island of sumbawa, stuck in the middle of lombok and flores, was a tough-cookie in terms of travel, but its inhabitants gave me heaps of food, drink and love for the end of ramadan. the eight-hour ferry trip from sumbawa to flores also gave me my first glimpse of komodo and its waters, which gave me more than any diver could ask for.

three days and six dives in komodo and rinca national park was a tiring experiene, but one of the most rewarding on the trip. the underwater coral gardens, marine life and currents made for some adventurous dives. also seeing a few mantas up close was a treat that any diver dreams of. the highlight was perhaps my last dive, which featured a fifteen-minute drift by some beautiful coral and then half an hour of chilling out with friendly fish.

CHILLIN' 20m under the surface

a trip to rinca was combined with diving, and the beastly monitor lizards did not disappoint. they recently devoured a water buffalo so the carcas was still intact when we arrived. for the most part, they did not move at all and a few of them rested peacefully in the mud. with the dry season coming to an end, the flora on rinca was dry as a whistle and shade was selling at a premium price.

the road across flores, gratuitously dubbed a road, leaps up to the mountains and descends down to the sea. the varied landscapes were gorgeous and passed the jam-packed bus rides more pleasurably than others on this journey. my stop in bajawa was highlighted by staying with a muslim family. they opened their arms at the bus terminal and i returned their hospitality with a few guitar tunes. im not sure if they understood my lyrics, but smiles filled the room.

moni, a village at the base of gunung kelimutu, served as a relaxing setting for a few days. i took an early morning moto ride up to the top and saw the three different colored pools of water with my own two eyes. it was a peaceful morning devoid of visitors, and my new peruvian-american buddy jose and i enjoyed the walk back to the village.

flores was the place in indonesia which made a return trip a certainty. the beautiful scenery, friendly faces, and lack of tourists all made my tour worthwhile. the islands of maluku, sulawesi and papua all rank highly for my next trip through the archipelago. for now, im enjoying fast internet in bali, and preparing myself for aus in a few short days. asia has been wonderful to me and i hope to come back in a few years when i've wandered a bit more.