A Travellerspoint blog

northern migration, repatriation

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?

IMG_9399.jpg

SPLIT APPLE ROCK

IMG_9347.jpg
IMG_9358.jpg

IMG_9372.jpg
IMG_9375.jpg

IMG_9398.jpg

MARLBOUROUGH SOUNDS

IMG_9415.jpg

IMG_9444.jpg
IMG_9453.jpg

WELLINGTON

IMG_9464.jpg
IMG_9469.jpg
5IMG_9472.jpg

MAORI MARAE

IMG_9494.jpg
IMG_9497.jpg
IMG_9500.jpg
IMG_9536.jpg

MAORI CHURCH

IMG_9529.jpg
IMG_9510.jpg
IMG_9532.jpg

WHANGANUI RIVER & MATEMATEAGONA TRAMP

IMG_9568.jpg
IMG_9601.jpg
IMG_9607.jpg
IMG_9637.jpg

TAUPO & SURROUNDS

IMG_9640.jpg
IMG_9666.jpg
IMG_9682.jpg
IMG_9688.jpg
IMG_9698.jpg

NGAURUHOE & TONGARIRO

IMG_9707.jpg
IMG_9721.jpg
IMG_9738.jpg

MT. DOOM NGAURUHOE

IMG_9762.jpg
IMG_9764.jpg
IMG_9854.jpg

IMG_9847.jpg

DOOM'S PEAK

IMG_9883.jpg
IMG_9887.jpg
IMG_9889.jpg
IMG_9895.jpg
IMG_9899.jpg

IMG_0014.jpg
IMG_0023.jpg
IMG_0036.jpg
IMG_0065.jpg

THE END OF AN ERA

IMG_0117.jpg

COROMANDEL

IMG_0222.jpg
IMG_0234.jpg
IMG_0258.jpg
IMG_0259.jpg

BUDDHIST STUPA

IMG_0313.jpg
IMG_0316.jpg

PINNACLES

IMG_0347.jpg
IMG_0364.jpg

FLORA

IMG_0427.jpg
IMG_0435.jpg

KAURI

IMG_0485.jpg
IMG_0444.jpg
IMG_0448.jpg

OPONONI

IMG_0491.jpg
IMG_0502.jpg
IMG_0520.jpg
IMG_0528.jpg
IMG_0566.jpg
IMG_0569.jpg

90-MILE BEACH

IMG_0573.jpg
IMG_0580.jpg
IMG_0586.jpg
IMG_0625.jpg

IMG_0654.jpg

IMG_0667.jpg

CAPE REINGA

IMG_0670.jpg
IMG_0678.jpg
IMG_0719.jpg

IMG_0721.jpg

IMG_0743.jpg

WAITANGI TREATY HOUSE

IMG_0772.jpg
IMG_0800.jpg
IMG_0809.jpg
IMG_0815.jpg

AUCKLAND

IMG_0863.jpg
IMG_0877.jpg

MAORI WOODWORK

1IMG_0905.jpg

IMG_0918.jpg

FIJI-TIME

IMG_0936.jpg
IMG_0938.jpg

THE KING OF FRUITS

IMG_0941.jpg

SLEEPING BABY

IMG_0943.jpg
IMG_0955.jpg

PARADISE

IMG_0965.jpg
IMG_0975.jpg
IMG_0984.jpg
IMG_0987.jpg

IMG_1014.jpg
IMG_1023.jpg

THE LAST HURRAH?

8IMG_1029.jpg

AMERICA......THE RETURN

CALIFORNIAN IDEOLOGY?

IMG_1057.jpg

IMG_1054.jpg

THE TOYOHASHI CONNECTION - >CODY, KANA and ME

IMG_1063.jpg

IMG_1071.jpg
IMG_1076.jpg

CITY OF DREAMS

IMG_1103.jpg
IMG_1104.jpg
IMG_1106.jpg

HOME SWEET HOME

IMG_1097.jpg
IMG_1100.jpg

Posted by ggithens 11:26 Tagged backpacking

Email this entryFacebookStumbleUpon

Table of contents

Be the first to comment on this entry.

This blog requires you to be a logged in member of Travellerspoint to place comments.

Login