Wanderings: Down Under
For some reason, the photo book I just finished isn’t posting here on the blog. Click the link below to check it out… I’m quite proud of it.
Slideshow
The following slideshow took me FOREVER to put together, but I’m pretty proud at the way it turned out. Enjoy!
Mutitjula Water Hole-Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Mutitjula Water Hole-Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Mutitjula Water Hole-Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Mutitjula Water Hole-Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Kookaburra sitting in an old gum tree
Kookaburra sitting in an old gum tree
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Twelve Apostles
Twelve Apostles
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Victoria, Australia along the Great Ocean Road
Wild Koala
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
wild koala along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.
“15 Step”-Radiohead+USC Marching Band-2009 Grammy Awards
This has got to be one of my favorite performances of all time. Radiohead performing with the USC Trojans marching band. Incredible.
This video is the property of CBS (CBS Broadcasting Corp.). I reserve no copyrights to this video, and I do not own it or have any part the making of it. I merely think it is freaking awesome.
Raining on the Rock
During my tour in the Red Center our tour guide Kate would play songs over the PA in the van that were appropriate for certain situations. When we arrived to Uluru it was raining, rendering an absolutely breathless sight and atmosphere. She then played the song below. It’s impossible to feel what we felt without being there, but maybe this will bring you a bit closer…
AUS vs. Bahrain
I have already written an extensive post on my experience at the Australia vs. Uzbekistan game, which can be found here, so this will be more of a summary/pictures. Enjoy.
–ζ——δ——ζ–
Last night Heat, Vasya and myself trekked from North Ryde to Olympic Park for the FIFA World Cup Qualifier Australia vs. Bahrain soccer match. Much of the significance had been lost due to Australia already booking its ticket to South Africa with a draw against Qatar the previous week, but it was still an enjoyable game with nearly 40,000 Aussies braving the frigid weather (it was around 50ºF, plus wind). The first half was relatively slow and nearly boring, but, as we saw in the AUSvsUzbekistan game, the ‘roos really brought it in the second half, closing Bahrain out 2-0 amongst a multitude of “Aussie Aussie Aussie/Oi Oi Oi!” chants. Below are pictures from the night, a video of both goals and a news article.
Vasya and I
Verbeek content with weakened Socceroos
From ABC.net.au
Slideshow: Photo 2 of 2
Culina does an overhead kick (Getty Images: Matt King)
Australian coach Pim Verbeek says he was happy the way his different-looking side worked its way to a 2-0 World Cup qualifier win over Bahrain in Sydney last night.
A crowd of just under 40,000 welcomed the Socceroos home for their first game since qualifying for next year’s finals in South Africa.
There were seven changes to the strong starting team that secured a World Cup spot with a goalless draw in Doha.
In the end, second half goals from Mile Sterjovski and David Carney gave Australia the win after a frustrating opening 40 minutes.
Verbeek says it was not easy for his team to play to its full potential.
“If you see the amount of new players we had to bring in,” he said.
“If you consider the long trip back from Qatar, the jet-lag. We know we were qualified already so you still have to get mentally back in the right shape to perform.”
“Then I can only say the only thing we didn’t do was score more goals.”
Verbeek said he was still planning on fielding a strong side for the final qualifier against Japan in Melbourne.
The coach said he was keen to get senior players like Tim Cahill back in the side next weekend.
“Josh Kennedy will be ready. Timmy was too risky today but will be ready next week,” he said.
“That’s also the reason why I saved Grella. I didn’t want him to pick up a yellow card because I need him next week.”
“So if you look for the players who are still available I think we can make a very strong team next week.”
One player sure to be there will be goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, who extended his run of international games without conceding a goal last night as he assumed the captaincy for the suspended Lucas Neill.
The Fulham custodian has gone nine games without conceding a goal for the Socceroos and is closing in on Italy’s Dino Zoff’s international record of more than 12 clean sheets.
But Schwarzer says he wasn’t aware that he was close to a world record.
“I knew obviously we broke the Australian record. And as far as we’re concerned we want to continue that run regardless of whether that’s going to beat the world record,” he said.
“It’s a sense of amazing self-pride amongst all the boys that we can go into crucial games, World Cup qualifiers and not concede goals. That’s an unbelievable foundation to have.”
Father and Son
This has to be on of the best songs of all time, Cat Steven/Yusuf’s ‘Father and Son’…
Father
It’s not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You’re still young, that’s your fault,
There’s so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy.
I was once like you are now, and I know that it’s not easy,
To be calm when you’ve found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you’ve got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.
Son
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It’s always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.
Father
It’s not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You’re still young, that’s your fault,
There’s so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
if you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy.
(Son– Away Away Away, I know I have to
Make this decision alone – no)
Son
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It’s hard, but it’s harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I’d agree, but it’s them They know not me.
Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.
(Father– Stay Stay Stay, Why must you go and
make this decision alone?)
Hungry Joeys
Hungry Joeys
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
At a kangaroo rescue somewhere between Alice Springs and Kings Canyon, kangaroo joeys eat dinner. These kangaroos were rescued after their mothers were killed, and will be taken care of until they are big enough to fend for themselves, then will be set free.
View more photos of my trip to the Red Center here–>
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=257053&id=692785536&l=b364099980
Uluru Sunset
Uluru Sunset
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
View more photos of my trip to the Red Center here–>
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=257053&id=692785536&l=b364099980
Uluru Sunrise
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
View more photos of my trip to the Red Center here–>
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=257053&id=692785536&l=b364099980
Picton–>Wellington. Parents–>Eugene. Peter–>Sydney.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted about NZ, and I’ve kind of run out of steam and excitement for writing about it. I do have some cool photos and stories and such, so I’m gonna press on and wrap it up below. Then I’ll write about the first week with my parents, probably in just one post, then FINALLY finish the post on my time at Reese’s place. Ok…here goes nothing…
–ζ——δ——ζ–
Morning came much too quickly in Hanmer Springs, and once again I was faced with the prospect of vacating my warm bed for the freezing room. Ugh, that’s one thing I don’t miss about NZ. Anyways, this B&B was different than the others in that our breakfast was brought to our rooms, which was pretty cool. If I remember right I had scrambled eggs and salmon, oh so good.
The parents and I spoke about what we were gonna do for the day; the hot springs were on the agenda, as well as swimming with the dolphins. Our whole trip in NZ had been incredibly rushed, so we decided to bag those ideas and just head towards Picton.
We said our goodbyes to the hosts and got on the road, stopping briefly at a wool shop in Hanmer. I picked up some sweet wool/possum gloves-nothing better than New Zealand wool!
On the way over to Picton we were told to stop at the small coastal, tourist-saturated town of Kaikoura. The drive to Kaikoura was relatively uneventful. As we neared the town I saw a ‘Scenic Viewpoint’ sign and directed Dad towards it. We pulled out into this small parking lot with what seemed like a water reservoir, and an incredible view was laid out in front of us. A beautiful, intensely-blue bay to our left, with a backdrop of gray mountains. In the center was the city of Kaikoura, with the ocean to the right. Just incredibly spectacular.
The view
LOVE this shot!
The town of Kaikoura was pretty cute, just maybe four or so main streets. We stopped off at a seafood place on the main drag, where Dad and I had crayfish salad (crayfish in NZ is lobster…). While we waited for our meal I decided to cross the street and frolick in the New Zealand ocean for a bit. Man was it cold! But I had to touch it, yah know, so I could say I did. I picked up a few cool rocks for myself and Oma and headed back for lunch.
The lobster was good but it had nothing on our dungeness crab. I’d say the mussels were my favorite part of the meal, they were pickled or something. We pressed on, stopping only once at a place that was recommended to us for its carrot cake. Man was it good, all different kinds of seeds and a thick cream cheese frosting. It was a nice old lodge-style place, right on the New Zealand beach.
Ah, my crayfish/lobster salad...
After a few hours we finally arrived in Picton in darkness. The hosts of the bed and breakfast were very nice, with the husband coming from South Africa. (In my opinion, the most disgusting accent ever. In case you wanted to know…). They were wonderfully warm people; she took care of the bed and breakfast full-time while he helped part-time, the other time going to his building of a boat.
Upon entrance to the bed and breakfast stairs to the second floor were directly on the right (where the rooms resided), with the great room to the left and kitchen straight ahead. The great room was decorated in much the same was as the Greymouth bed and breakfast, an antique sort of feel( i.e. dark woods, like mahogany, old books and copper trinkets, and a slight musty smell). The rooms were furnished in a bit of a lesser fashion than the rooms previously, but it was still comfortable and I got my own room again. SCORE!
After messing around on my computer and blogging a bit we decided to head out for some grub. We ducked into a small, cozy Irish pub and found ourselves a table. I had a wonderful steak, and sat back to enjoy it while a hippie called ‘Panda’ played a few tunes on his guitar. He was originally from America but had lived in NZ for a while. When he was just casually conversing he sounded legitimately New Zealander, but as soon as he began to sing it dropped away and America was back.
His tunes were fun to listen to; stories told through song in a smooth voice that would at points drop into a Louis Armstrong-like growl. We waited until the end of one of his tunes and peaced out of the joint. Tomorrow was to be an early morning as we were taking the ferry from Picton to Wellington. I had to get some good rest before that eventful day!
–ζ——δ——ζ–
I awoke around 6:30 or so the next morning feeling terrible. Not sick terrible, just ‘ew, this is disgusting’ terrible. I quickly packed my things and headed downstairs for the obligatory ‘family-style breakfast’ that I was quickly growing tired of. I don’t like to talk in the morning. Or eat. Or be awake. And that doesn’t mesh all too well with the whole bed and breakfast scene. I forced down some fruit and had another wonderful meal of salmon and scrambled eggs. We excused ourselves from the table relatively quickly, for we had to finish packing and get to the wharf in time to catch the ferry.
Before we left the hostess blessed us with a basket of muffins. At this particular bed and breakfast they had a special ‘Muffin Club’ where the hostess baked muffins and gave each visitor their own helping of muffins. To join the Muffin Club one had to take a picture of themself at home or somewhere interesting and send the photo in. The scrap book was pretty impressive, pictures from all over the world and people in all different kinds of situations eating their muffins. It was an interesting and fun idea, but with customs being so incredibly tight in Australia (the Australian quarentine lady actually took my shoes that had some New Zealand dirt on them and washed them for me, handing them back to me ten minutes later sparkling clean) I really didn’t want to chance it.
We pushed off from what was to be our last bed and breakfast and drove a few minutes towards the ferry. We arrived and Dad attempted to drop off the rental car (which took a little while due to the dent that it suffered while in our care), then we checked our bags and bided our time until departure.
After an hour or so of waiting, boarding the ship and nestling in our own private lounge area in the club section, the boat started to move. And guess what? I was nervous. Yep, of course. It was a ferry, so it was a pretty big ship, but I have thrown up on a boat before (yeah, boat…not ship. still, it gets me nervous), and seeing the ‘Ocean Sickness Bags’ didn’t help the situation at all.
Club Area
I walked outside of our club area and onto the deck outside. Conditions weren’t favorable for photography (too sunny) but I decided to shoot anyway to pass the time. As I was shooting a man with binoculars sidled up next to me, and we struck up a conversation. After about fifteen minutes of talking we were friends.
His name was Jeff, a Floridian who worked for NASA. We talked about New Zealand and Australia, Lord of the Rings, Obama, Bush, NASA and its funding, birds, photography, ultimate frisbee; we covered pretty much everything. Later I exchanged e-mail addresses with him, and we’ve exchanged a few letters since then.
Later on I found myself outside on the deck, without my camera, overhearing a ferry worker mention the words ‘dolphin sighting.’ I sprinted around the deck, through the hatch and inside to our club area, grabbed my camera and sprinted back outside. At this point there was a crowd around the railing. I found myself a spot and scanned the ocean. After a few moments two or three began to jump, leaping in perfect arcs before slicing back into the water with the slightest of splashes. There would be quiet, then all of a sudden one would rise, then another, and it would set of a chain of them rising. There were times when I could see them speeding just below the surface of the water. They were so playful and cute, it was wonderful! I took a bunch of shots, and had one successful capture. I’m pretty proud of it, it’s difficult to time their jumps!
Dolphins!
–ζ——δ——ζ–
I forgot to mention this in the previous post, but while we were in Hamner Springs our hosts spoke to us about swimming with the dolphins, and told us an incredibly remarkable episode in which the dolphins demonstrated their intelligence. Our hostess spoke of the dolphin handlers, and how she heard one of them ask a woman if she was pregnant. Taken by surprise, the lady confirmed that she was indeed pregnant. Apparently the dolphins crowd around pregnant women, protect them, and guide them through the ocean. How remarkable is that? The handlers have picked up on this, and now have the ability to point out whether a woman is pregnant or not.
On a different excursion the dolphin handler asked another woman if she was pregnant, and she replied, “I most certainly am NOT!” Months later they received word from the woman that she was in fact pregnant, but hadn’t known it at the time…
–ζ——δ——ζ–
The scenery was quite beautiful. We were sailing out of an inlet meaning there was land on both sides of us. Much of it was grassy hills, but there were green forests magically dotted with red trees, rock formations, beaches and lavish vacation houses. I snapped a ton of photos and headed back in to catch some some shut-eye.
The ferry's route...
The sea started to roll the ship a bit, and we were rocking. I was seriously nervous for a while of getting sick, but I kept my eyes on the horizon, then fell asleep.
After a few hours we finally pulled into a harbor, the city sprawling out in front of us. We docked, departed, and caught a shuttle to our hotel, Museum Hotel. It was a fancy, old-fashioned place, with beautiful New Zealand young women dressed in black waiting at the counter for us. We arranged for my wake-up call at 4:00am the next morning, dropped our bags off and headed out for some food.
We walked around for a bit in Wellington and found a place that served bagels, similar to Humble Bagel minus the hippy atmosphere. I usually wouldn’t bring up such mundane details, but this was HUGE. Bagels really haven’t made it across the ocean to New Zealand and Australia. Reese was just telling me that only in the last two years or so have you been able to get a bagel in Sydney, and I hadn’t been able to find one, save one restaraunt in the Mac Center, since I’ve been here. Apparently some American was in Wellington, couldn’t find a good bagel, so he decided to start his own bagel place. Ah, it was so tasty.
We had an afternoon in Wellington and didn’t really have anything planned. I had read about this place called Karori Sanctuary on the ferry. It looked pretty interesting, as it was a sanctuary for native flora and fauna. We decided to check it out, so we hopped on a bus and headed up the hill.
We came up to the sanctuary and paid. The lady made me check inside my bag to see that I didn’t have any outside seeds or rodents (yeah, there’s most definitely a MOUSE IN MY CAMERA BAG. Ugh..). We made our way to the entrance and saw an interesting fence that ran the whole length of the sanctuary, all the way up the steep hill and out of sight. It was made of a tightly-woven mesh, and on the top there was curved metal-the only way I can think to describe it is a large, upside-down gutter made out of sheet metal. This was to keep any outside animals such as cats and possums from climbing in.
The following is from Wikipedia.org…
The most crucial aspect of the sanctuary is a pest-exclusion fence - specifically designed to exclude fourteen species of non-native land mammals ranging from possums to mice - that encircles the 8.6 km perimeter of the Sanctuary. Construction of this fence was completed in 1999 and all fourteen species of mammalian pests within the perimeter were then eradicated. This predator proof fence is of great conservation significance – being a world first. In terms of its meeting conservation goals Karori wildlife sanctuary has met with considerable success thanks to the effective design of the encircling fence. As of 2006 the fence has been successful in excluding all but the smallest species – the house mouse.
Upon entrance it just seemed like a regular park. There was a beautiful lake/reservoir with a red gazebo on its shore. As we got deeper into the sanctuary and down into the forest area we began to see a plethora of lifeforms of the avian variety. They were all over, flying above us, singing. Some were large, others tiny, but all with songs of megaphone-like volume. We walked along a trickling stream with barely any of the midday sun penetrating the thick rainforest. Birds were dropping seed encasings around us. It was quite spectacular.
The Gazebo and Reservoir
We didn’t, however, see any lizards or kiwis, which was disappointing. I was hoping to see a wild kiwi in Australia, but hey, there’s always next time (and there WILL be a next time!) The minutes ticked away towards 5:00, and we knew we had to end our excursion and exit this paradise. The lady who took our money warned us that if we weren’t out by 5:00 we would be locked in, and we weren’t too excited about that proposition.
Fern Tree in Karori
After Karori we parused the streets of Wellington a bit, stopping in at an All-Blacks shop where Dad picked up a sick shirt. At this point the tummies were rumblin’ again, so our mission was grub. I had my heart set on one last meal of New Zealand lamb.
Downtown Wellington
We found a nice-looking place called Zabbibo, the restaurant of famed New Zealand cook Adam Newell. The dining room was above a chic bar/lounge area, and we settled in for our last New Zealand dinner. We ordered tapas, which was the chef’s specialty. They were absolutely incredible. I really can’t explain it, but I think I may have a picture somewhere.
Parents at Zabbibo checking out the cook book.
The dining room. Yeah, it filled up later...
Tapas! Those calamata olives were SOOO good!
My main course was some kind of NZ fish, so tender and delectable. I also had an incredible dinner salad, which turned out to be one of my favorite dishes of the night. The parents bought the chef’s cookbook and had him sign it, but the next day left it in the hotel… ;(. We finished off the meal with a nice chocolate dessert.
The fish...scrumptious!
At this point it was getting late, so we headed back the hotel, stopping to get some bagels for the morning. We just chilled in the hotel room, our last night together for months. I flipped on the tele and up popped Jon Stewart and the Daily Show! In NZ! I thought that was pretty cool. Dad and I watched the second half of a rugby game, then capped the night off with a little Seinfeld.
It seems pretty simplistic and unprofound, but one of my favorite memories of my parents being here was my father and rugby. From the first day I saw them we watched rugby on tv, and to groan and gasp at the hits with him was so meaningful, as if we were reforming some carnal bond that had gone unquenched for too long. The Waratah rugby game was so intense, and it was great experiencing it next to him, remarking about the hits, different rules, and how our football players, namely Jonathan Stewart, would match up against them. Then looking at the rugby merchandise, us both buying All Blacks shirts, and catching the random game on tv with him; for some reason it was all somehow poweful, nearly sacred.
I said my last goodnights to them, kissed them both, and settled into my bed with Russell Brand’s My Bookie Wook. Morning was to come soon…
–ζ——δ——ζ–
The familiar and demonic sound of my phone alarm was jarring, but I awoke quickly and packed up my things. I washed my face, brushed my teeth and applied deoderant, all in a seemingly drunken fashion. I kissed my parents goodbye, hugged Dad, and let myself out of the room. I haven’t seen them since (save a Skype session).
A weathered, unshaven taxi driver picked me up oustide of the hotel, liberating me from the frigid Wellington morning. He drove around the harbor, and across the bay I could see New Zealand’s largest city collectively sleeping, a few golden lights sprinkling the hillside. We arrived at the International Terminal, I thanked him, and trudged away with my bags.
After an hour and a half of checking in, going through customs and boarding, I was finally on my way back to Australia, back to Sydney, and back to the life I had been leading since February 11, 2009.
Sydney from the air.
“Shredded Weed-Taking the fun out of marijuana”-Slate Magazine
Just stumbled upon this article linked from the Huffington Post. It relates well with my paper on the legalization of marijuana, and is super-interesting, in my view. Take a gander, and leave your comments/reactions, especially if you are ’socially conservative-minded’…
Oh, and for my family out there, I’m not a pothead; I just find this interesting. Thought I’d clear that up…
the following is from Slate Magazine, http://www.slate.com/id/2219152/?from=rss
Shredded Weed
Taking the fun out of marijuana.
By William Saletan
Posted Wednesday, May 27, 2009, at 9:04 AM ETMarijuana plant
We’ve taken the caffeine out of coffee, the alcohol out of beer, and the smoke out of tobacco. What’s next?
Taking the fun out of pot.
GW Pharmaceuticals, a British company, has just requested European approval of Sativex, a “cannabinoid pharmaceutical product.”What’s that? Do I hear you snickering at your keyboard? You think this is a backdoor way of legalizing weed?
For shame, says the company:
Sativex is a cannabinoid pharmaceutical product standardized in composition, formulation, and dose, administered by means of an appropriate delivery system, which has been, and continues to be, tested in properly controlled preclinical and clinical studies. Crude herbal cannabis in any form—including a crude extract or tincture—is none of those things.So there. Sativex isn’t pot. It’s a carefully refined derivative: “Once the plants have matured, they are harvested and dried. GW then extracts the cannabinoids and other pharmacologically-active components … [to] arrive at a pharmaceutical grade material.” Patients are further expected to regulate their intake to separate pot’s approved effects—relief of pain and spasms—from its unapproved effects:
By careful self-titration (dose adjustment), most patients are able to separate the thresholds for symptom relief and intoxication, the ‘therapeutic window’, so enabling them to obtain symptom relief without experiencing a ‘high’.
Bummer, eh? The company knows exactly what you’re thinking:
Why not just let patients smoke cannabis?In GW’s opinion, smoking is not an acceptable means of delivery for a medicine. We believe that patients wish to use a medicine that is legally prescribed, does not require smoking, is of guaranteed quality, has been developed and approved by regulatory authorities for use in their specific medical condition and is dispensed by pharmacists under the supervision of their doctor.
That’s a sensible approach. From the standpoint of medicinal as opposed to recreational use, it certainly makes more sense than letting everybody grow and smoke the herb, with all the resulting variability, fraud, and side effects. But GW’s anti-pot evangelism goes further:
GW has never endorsed or supported the idea of distributing or legalizing crude herbal cannabis for medical use. In both our publications and presentations, we have consistently maintained that only a cannabinoid medication—one that is standardized in composition, formulation, and dose, administered by means of an appropriate delivery system, and tested in properly controlled preclinical and clinical studies—can meet the standards of regulatory authorities around the world, including those of the FDA.And don’t even think of breaking in and stealing the raw goods:
GW’s cannabis plants are grown under computer-controlled conditions in secure glasshouses at a secret location in the UK. … The facility is situated in the South of England but for clear security reasons we do not divulge the precise location.
In your wildest dreams, did you imagine that a recreational drug could be so thoroughly, piously sterilized? But here it is. First came Cesamet (a “synthetic cannabinoid”), then Marinol (also synthetic). Only one pesky side effect has remained: Cesamet produces “euphoria in the recommended dosage range,” and Marinol causes “easy laughing” and “elation.” We can’t have that. So the quest to “separate the thresholds for symptom relief and intoxication” continues. According to GW, delivery of Sativex as a spray “enables patients to titrate (adjust) their dose to achieve symptom relief without incurring an unacceptable degree of side effects.”All of which underscores Human Nature’s basic question about the war on drugs. Namely: What do you mean by drugs? A war on cigarettes or on nicotine? A war on caffeinated but not alcoholic beer? Legalization of “cannabinoid medication” but not cannabis?
Drugs can be, and are being, re-engineered every day. Nicotine and caffeine appear in new forms. Cannabis is an herb, then a powder, then a capsule, and now a spray, with significant chemical adjustments along the way. How do you fight an enemy that keeps changing? How do you recognize when it’s no longer your enemy?
Every feat of re-engineering challenges our moral and legal assumptions. In the case of Sativex, two positions are under attack: the left’s lazy tolerance of recreational marijuana in the guise of legalizing medical marijuana and the right’s opposition to medical marijuana on the grounds that it’s just a pretext. By refining, isolating, and standardizing pot’s medicinal effects, pharmaceutical companies are showing us how to separate the two uses. Are you for symptom relief or getting stoned? That used to be a fuzzy question. Now it’s concrete: Do you want the reefer or the spray?
(first posted on May 28, 2009…)
Kings Cross shooting seals busy street | The Daily Telegraph
Last night I was at a club in Kings Cross called Candys. I had heard much about Kings Cross as it’s the red light district. Prostitution, violence, the lot. Stories of stabbings and fights all came to characterize this place for me before I had set foot on its streets.
During the day its just like any other street, but after midnight it turns into a different place. We exited the club at about 1:45 or so to find the streets FULL of club-goers. As we strolled along the sidewalks, making our way to a bus stop we passed one man flat on his back and another man crumpled up by a tree with a crowd around him. I didn’t see it, but apparently his face was drenched in blood.
After being ditched, Ashleigh and I caught a bus around 2:00am to head back to Pennant Hills. (To be fair to Reese, we weren’t maliciously ditched, more like passively ditched. We didn’t keep up with the group, focusing on our conversation instead…) Shortly after we left the following took place. Note that the Kings Cross train station is in the picture below, the start of my experience in the Cross…
Kings Cross shooting seals busy street
May 17, 2009 09:00am
POLICE sealed off part of a busy street in Kings Cross last night after pursuing a hooded gunman they believe had shot another man twice in the leg.
Officers chased the gunman down Bayswater Road after the shooting near Darlinghurst Road before losing sight of him around 2.40am.
A search of the surrounding area for the man was unsuccessful, police said.
Paramedics were called to the scene and the injured man was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital, where he remains in a serious but stable condition.
A crime scene was established and a number of witnesses interviewed while forensic examinations were conducted.
Crime scene … Police in Kings Cross after last night’s shooting. Pic: Gordon McComiskie
via Kings Cross shooting seals busy street | The Daily Telegraph.
Fern Tree, Karori Sanctuary, NZ
Fern Tree, Karori Sanctuary, NZ
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Trekkin’ to the Outback-Uluru!
During the two-week Easter break many of my friends travelled all over Australia, and to New Zealand and Fiji. I was excited for my parents to come, but it also brought up a bit of frustration. I really wanted to explore Australia during that time, but I also wanted to be my parents’ tour guide and show them how I’d been living for the past two or three months. I expressed these feelings to them, and they offered to pay for a trip during the first week of the break, and for the second week I would accompany them to New Zealand. This felt like the best of both worlds, so I set out to plan my trip.
My goal was to get to Uluru, a rock sacred to the Aborigines in the direct center of Australia (pronounced Ooh-lah-rooh. Also known as Ayers Rock).
If you can't read it, the small yellow thumbtack with text next to it is Uluru.
Uluru--stunning ain't it?
I headed to the campus’ travel agent and queried about flights and costs and such. Turns out that a return ticket to Alice Springs, the city that one must fly in to to see Uluru, cost between $750-800 Australian dollars during the break. With the two-night tour costing $450 AUD, it was a bit overboard.
I decided to reschedule for a different weekend, one that was in less of a holiday time-frame, which would bring the flight prices down. That different weekend is next weekend. I leave on May 22 and return May 25. I depart from Sydney at 9:50am and arrive in Alice Springs at 12:45pm. I then spend the night in Alice Springs and head out to Uluru the following day.
The following is the Itinerary…
HIGHLIGHTS
- Aussie swag’ option is available for passengers wishing to “sleep under the stars”!
- Full rim hike and camp oven dinner at Kings Canyon
- Uluru sunset with sparkling Australian wine
- Uluru sunrise and Uluru base walk
- Permanent campsites at Kings
ITINERARY
Day 1 – Alice Springs or Uluru to Kings Canyon
Departing Alice at 12.00noon, we travel through a variety of outback scenery including vibrant red dune country and the craggy ranges of Central Australia. One of our rest stops is the Aboriginal-owned Mt Ebenezer Roadhouse with its excellent art gallery. Settle into our secluded campsite near Kings Canyon with comfortable permanent twin-share tents (yes, we do have decent toilets and showers out there!) and lend a hand as we cook up some top tucker tonight (dinner)! An ‘Aussie swag’ is available for those wishing to sleep under the stars!
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 – Kings Canyon to Uluru
The full 6km Kings Canyon rim walk takes 3 plus hours (and requires an early start!) led by your knowledgeable driver-guide. Admire the sandstone domes of the Lost City, sheer cliff top views along the North and South Walls and the almost tropical Garden of Eden. Our journey to Uluru passes the table-topped Mt Conner and a break at Curtin Springs Station Roadhouse, the only service point on the 300km drive from Kings Creek to Yulara. Lunch is en-route and the late afternoon takes in the Cultural Centre followed by sparkling wine at the Uluru sunset. Our campsite at Yulara also offers excellent facilities including permanent twin-share tents (swag option also available) and all that we need to prepare another tasty dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3 – Uluru & Kata Tjuta
Up nice and early for Uluru sunrise, followed by a choice of base walks (recommended) or the climb (the Anangu traditional owners request visitors not to). Of special interest are the many sacred sites around the Base, notably the Mala & Mutitjulu waterholes – small springs supporting life since the Dreamtime. We then hike and explore amongst the many sandstone domes at Kata Tjuta.
Either finish at Yulara at 12 noon (B) or stay aboard and arrive back in Alice Springs in the early evening (accommodation drop offs available).Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
From http://www.travelaust.com.au/adventure/nt/asp008.html
Now, I don’t want to talk too much about Uluru is because I would like to cover that in the posts post-Uluru, but I’ll give you some info here, a la wikipedia. Uluru is a ‘large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia.’ It is pretty strikingly remote, with the ‘nearest large town (being) Alice Springs; 450 km (280 mi) by road.’ It is also listed as a ‘World Heritage Sight’. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uluru).
Uluru is one of Australia’s most recognisable natural icons. The world-renowned sandstone formation stands 348 m (1,142 ft) high (863 m/2,831 ft above sea level) with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures 9.4 km (5.8 mi) in circumference. Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta have great cultural significance for the Aṉangu Traditional landowners, who lead walking tours to inform visitors about the local flora and fauna, bush foods and the Aboriginal dreamtime stories of the area.
Uluru is notable for appearing to change colour as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight when it briefly glows red. Although rainfall is uncommon in this semiarid area, during wet periods the rock acquires a silvery-grey colour, with streaks of black algae forming on the areas that serve as channels for water flow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uluru).
For this trip I spent a large amount of money for a relatively short time, but I know it will be worth it. Many people never get the chance to get this far into Australia (even the locals!). This is the definition of ‘Outback’. Red rock, scorching sun, flat for miles; it will be like nothing I have ever seen before. I am extremely excited! Gotta stock up on memory cards and get a small, portable camera tri-pod! Oh, and look for a post or posts the following week after the trip.
Here are a few more interesting tidbits to leave you with…
Following text taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uluru.
Aṉangu continue to hunt and gather animal species in remote areas of the park and on anangu land elsewhere. Hunting is largely confined to the Red Kangaroo,Bush Turkey, Emu and lizards such as the Sand Goanna and Perentie.
Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park flora represents a large portion of plants found in Central Australia. A number of these species are considered rare and restricted in the park or the immediate region. There are many rare and endemic plants at Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
The growth and reproduction of plant communities rely on irregular rainfall. Some plants are able to survive fire and some are dependent on it to reproduce. Plants are an important part of Tjukurpa, and there are ceremonies for each of the major plant foods. Many plants are associated with ancestral beings.
Trees such as the Mulga and Centralian Bloodwood are used to make tools such as spearheads, boomerangs and bowls. The red sap of the bloodwood is used as a disinfectant and an inhalant for coughs and colds.
The park receives an average rainfall of 307.7 mm (12.1 in) per year, and average temperatures are 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) in the summer and 4.7 °C (40.5 °F) in the winter. Temperature extremes in the park have been recorded at 45 °C (113 °F) during the summer and −5 °C (23 °F) during winter nights. UV levels are extreme most days, averaging between 11 and 15.[8]
Local Aboriginal people recognise five seasons:
- Piriyakutu (August/September) – Animals breed and food plants flower
- Mai Wiyaringkupai (November/December) – The hot season when food becomes scarce
- Itjanu (January/February/March) – Sporadic storms can roll in suddenly
- Wanitjunkupai (April/May) – Cooler weather
- Wari (June/July) – Cold season bringing morning frosts
There are a number of differing accounts given, by outsiders, of Aboriginal ancestral stories for the origins of Uluru and its many cracks and fissures. One such account, taken from Robert Layton’s (1989) ULURU: An Aboriginal history of Ayers Rock,[10] reads as follows:
“Uluru (Ayers Rock) was built up during the creation period by two boys who played in the mud after rain. When they had finished their game they travelled south to Wiputa ..Fighting together, the two boys made their way to the table topped Mount Conner, on top of which their bodies are preserved as boulders” (Page 5)
Two other accounts are given in Norbert Brockman’s (1997) Encyclopedia of Sacred Places.[11] The first tells of serpent beings who waged many wars around Uluru, scarring the rock. The second tells of two tribes of ancestral spirits who were invited to a feast, but were distracted by the beautiful Sleepy Lizard Women and did not show up. In response, the angry hosts sang evil into a mud sculpture that came to life as the dingo. There followed a great battle, which ended in the deaths of the leaders of both tribes. The earth itself rose up in grief at the bloodshed, becoming Uluru.
The local Aṉangu do not climb Uluru because of its great spiritual significance. They request that visitors not climb the rock, partly due to the path crossing a sacred traditional Dreamtime track, and also due to a sense of responsibility for the safety of visitors to their land. The Aṉangu believe they have a spiritual connection to Uluru, and feel great sadness when a person dies or is injured whilst climbing.
On 11 December 1983, the Prime Minister Bob Hawke promised to hand back the land title to the Aṉangu traditional owners and agreed to the community’s 10-point plan which included forbidding the climbing of Uluru. However, the government set access to climb Uluru and a 99-year lease, instead of the previously agreed upon 50-year lease, as conditions before the title was officially given back to the Aṉangu.[16]
Climbing Uluru is a popular attraction for visitors. A chain handhold added in 1964 and extended in 1976 makes the hour-long climb easier, but it is still a long (800 m/0.5 mi) and steep hike to the top, where it can be quite windy. An above-average level of fitness and a high tolerance to desert conditions is required. Climbing Uluru is generally closed to the public when high winds are recorded at the top. Over the years there have been at least 35 deaths relating to climbing incidents.
The Aṉangu also request that visitors do not photograph certain sections of Uluru, for reasons related to traditional Tjukurpa beliefs. These areas are the sites of gender-linked rituals, and are forbidden ground for Aṉangu of the opposite sex of those participating in the rituals in question. The photographic ban is intended to prevent Aṉangu from inadvertently violating this taboo by encountering photographs of the forbidden sites in the outside world.[17][8]
Tourist Drive, Akaroa, NZ
Tourist Drive, Akaroa, NZ
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
My New Favo(u)rite Politician
I frequent the Huffington Post; it’s the way I get my news these days. A few days ago I came across the headline of ‘Jesse Ventura-I Would Waterboard Cheney.’ I thought, “I’d pay money to see that!” (actually not…it would just be sad…) and clicked on the videos. I was amazed at what I saw. Larry King, one of the worst interviewers on television, was interviewing Jesse Ventura, a politician I’d heard a ton about but never listened to. Remember, the ex-professional wrestler that was elected governor of Minnesota back in ‘98?
After watching this interview Jesse Ventura became my new favorite politician. He covers torture (he was waterboarded in Navy SEAL training), drug legalization, the continuing Franken/Coleman battle, Cuban relations, Bush, Rush Limbaugh, gay marriage, Guantanamo Bay, and more. He’s one of the first politicians that I’ve heard speak his mind, and he was a successful politician! We need him back.
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Karori Sanctuary-Wellington, NZ
Karori Sanctuary-Wellington, NZ
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Picton to Wellington
Picton to Wellington
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Cannabis-Is its Illicit Status Appropriate?
Should cannabis be legalised in Australia? Your response should provide a considered discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of both legalisation and criminalisation which shows evidence of wide and varied reading.
Above is the essay question that I chose to address for an essay in ANTH106-Drugs Across Cultures. 40% of my grade, baby. After looking over the question again, I’m a bit nervous. I kinda focused more on why it should be legalised and decriminalised, not so much about the disadvantages. And I only used one of the sources that was recommended, with the others being other sources. Whatever. I’m pretty proud of it. This also isn’t what I turned in. The requirement was no more than 1500 words, and by the end of the rough draft I had nearly 2500. This is the real paper. Take a read if you have the time…
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Cannabis-Is its Illicit Status Appropriate?
Throughout history cannabis has consistently accompanied humanity. Ancient cultures used hemp to make clothing around 7000 years ago, and recently marijuana was discovered in a 2,700-year old tomb in the Gobi Desert (Viegas 2008). Cannabis was also ‘mentioned in ancient and religious Chinese and Indian texts’ (Cohen 2009). It is curious, then, that cannabis, more commonly known as marijuana, is illegal, and in most places a criminal offense. The question has been repeatedly asked over this decade-Is it valid for marijuana to be illegal?-and it is just beginning to be answered. It is time for marijuana to once again be legal and culturally accepted, as this would cut down on cannabis abuse, legitimize education on marijuana, and cease the marginalization of medical marijuana users, among other things.
When looking at the basic statistics of marijuana use, it would surprise even the most devout anti-drug proponent that an illegal substance is used so abundantly. In Europe, ‘5% of the total population are regular users in some countries’ (Iversen 2004), and in Britain ‘half of all young people have tried it (marijuana) at least once’ (Iversen 2004). According to a study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, one in four young people ‘had used marijuana/cannabis in the previous 12 months’ (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2004).
A common argument for marijuana legalisation is the comparison of cigarettes and alcohol to marijuana. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ‘In 1998, around 19,000 deaths were attributable to the use of tobacco, accounting for 80% of all drug- or alcohol-related deaths,’ alcohol caused ‘2000 deaths among persons aged 0-64 years’, and ‘illicit drug use is associated with around 1,000 deaths per year in Australia’ (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2004). Marijuana falls in the ‘illicit drug’ category, but it is important to note that much more dangerous drugs such as heroin, methamphetamines and cocaine join it.
Proponents of keeping marijuana illegal may argue that smoking marijuana is more harmful to the body than cigarettes, ‘but to expose the lungs to the same amount of tar as an average 15–20 a day cigarette smoker, cannabis users would have to smoke 4–5 times a day every day of the week’ (Iversen 2004). Also, the majority of cannabis smokers quit when they enter their thirties, while cigarette-smokers do not (Iversen 2004).
Many governments have created panels and task-forces to investigate the true effects of marijuana. In 2000, an independent look at the British drug laws by the UK Police Foundation yielded this statement:
When cannabis is systematically compared with other drugs against the main criteria of harm (mortality, morbidity, toxicity, addictiveness and relation to crime), it is less harmful to the individual and society than any of the other illicit drugs or than alcohol or tobacco (cited in Iversen 2004).
The United States and countries such as France and Sweden have disagreed with this idea and believe that the best way to stop illicit drug use is to highly criminalize the ‘gateway’ to harder drugs. This method assumes that marijuana is a ‘gateway drug’ and that eliminating it would eliminate the graduation to harder drugs. This method seems to be failing, however, with United States ‘marijuana …arrests nearly doubl(ing) to 642,000 in 1996, from 1992’ (Flynn 1998).
The Dutch, on the other hand, have chosen the opposite route by legalizing marijuana. Their thinking is that if one legalizes a drug such as marijuana and makes a clear distinction between it and harder drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, the progression from marijuana to harder drugs will be halted (Iversen 2004). And it looks like it has worked. Heroin as well as cannabis use has decreased in the Netherlands, which is lower than many regions in the United States (Iversen 2004). More interestingly, ‘a …comparison of groups of cannabis users in Amsterdam and in San Francisco’ shows the differences in results of both the American method and Dutch method (Iversen 2004). ‘Whereas both groups of cannabis users consumed similar amounts of cannabis, and started at about the same age, the group in San Francisco experienced a significantly higher lifetime incidence of using other illegal drugs – cocaine, opiates and amphetamines-’ than those in Amsterdam (Iversen 2004). It is in these findings that the criminalization of marijuana is shown to be counteractive in its intent. If this strategy was employed in Australia, it is almost certain that its trends would follow that of the Netherlands and reduce the consumption of both cannabis and harder drugs.
One of the positive aspects of marijuana is its proven medical value. Cannabis has been shown to possess ‘effectiveness in controlling nausea and relieving symptoms of glaucoma, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis,’ (Gray 1998) as well as an appetite stimulant. Many stories of medical marijuana users are similar to that of Jean Charles Pariseau, whose profile was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal issue of February 10, 1998. Pariseau is an AIDS patient who requires an upwards of thirty pills a day. At his worst he was about 37 kilos, and had to ‘fight nausea and stimulate his appetite, but could not keep (his pills) down. He was bedridden and miserable. His physician… gave him less than 3 months to live’ (Gray 1998).
Pariseau had the option of taking marijuana in its pill form, (which is legal in Canada), but could not swallow the pill. He resorted to going the illegal route of smoking marijuana, and it saved his life. He smokes half an hour before he is to take his pills, and this has helped him to keep the pills down. ‘“Jean has a decent prognosis today,” reports Kilby, a family physician with an extensive palliative care practice who also serves as director of health services at his alma mater, the University of Ottawa. “He can now digest his medications. He has regained weight, recovered his appetite and can join his wife and child at the dinner table”’ (Gray 1998).
In this case marijuana greatly increased the quality of this man’s life, and possibly saved his life; however he is still at risk of purchasing cannabis with impurities, or being charged for being in possession of an illegal substance, the later which has occurred (Gray 1998). If marijuana were legalized at the very least for medicinal use, this would ensure that patients received proper, safe marijuana, in proper and safe conditions, and they wouldn’t be in danger of being arrested.
There are downsides to marijuana consumption, however. According to the New South Wales Government’s “Marijuana Factsheet”, marijuana may ‘make you see or hear things which are not there’ and ‘feel distant or separate from reality’ (New South Wales Health 2006). Long term effects listed include ‘an increase in the risk of getting bronchitis, lung cancer and other diseases of the respiratory system, a decrease in motivation, decrease in concentration, memory, and ability to learn new things, (and) a decrease in sex drive’ (New South Wales Health 2006). These are all obviously negative side-effects and causes of marijuana, and these side-effects should be known.
Marijuana should be legalized in Australia for those over 18 and regulated, with the same health warnings being applied to the packaging of the cannabis substance as is done for cigarettes. It should be taxed, with the money going to educate people on the above-mentioned risks of marijuana consumption and to run treatment centres for those who abuse the substance. Regulation would make certain that the cannabis sold was safe, as currently there are ‘no limits on concentration, additives, or even the presence of pesticides’ (Inciardi 1999).
To many societies, and possibly Australia, legalization may be too extreme a measure. It is in these situations where marijuana should be decriminalized, with only a fine as punishment for possession. In the United States ‘there are more marijuana arrests annually than arrests for all violent crimes combined’ (Dubner 2007). Dr. Lester Grinspoon, associate professor of psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School and the author of Marijuana, the Forbidden Medicine and the groundbreaking Marihuana Reconsidered, provides illuminating insight to this statistic in stating, “While marijuana is, in fact, remarkably free of toxicity, the consequences of annually arresting 300,000 mostly young people were not” (cited in Dubner 2007).
This paper only covers marijuana, but the government of Portugal went so far as to ‘decriminalize the possession and use of all psychotropic drugs’ (Duke 2009) which include cocaine and LSD. The Cato Institute, a think-tank in Washington, DC, has published a study which concludes that ‘”judged by virtually every metric,” the Portuguese decriminalization “has been a resounding success”’ (cited in Duke 2009). In this instance, ‘decriminalization has both freed up funds for drug treatment and, by lifting the threat of criminal charges, encouraged drug abusers to seek that treatment’ (Duke 2009).
Arresting people for the possession of marijuana is counteractive. ‘The impact of criminalizing otherwise law-abiding, mainly young, citizens, the detrimental impact on their future lives and careers and damage to the relationship between police and communities also need to be taken into account’ (Iversen 2004). With marijuana possession being a criminal offense, those who use marijuana may feel as though the government is out of touch, and therefore may not pay attention to its warnings. If marijuana were decriminalized, or even better legalized, it would give the government taxation leverage and the ability to be a credible expert on the subject.
This paper does not advocate for the decriminalization or legalization of all drugs, but there does seem to be evidence that legalization and education as opposed to criminalization and punishment is a more successful way to help society understand and more responsibly handle drugs such as marijuana. Removing the stigma of cannabis would bring credibility back to the government on topics such as the dangers of marijuana, and tax dollars from marijuana sales would go towards education of marijuana consumption and the treatment of marijuana abuse. Those suffering from medical conditions where marijuana is the best solution for their ailments would cease to be ostracized.
Free will has always been an ultimate goal of humanity, and to award it in this situation would allow individuals to make appropriate decisions for themselves in their own interests. If marijuana was brought from the shadows to the light and its use treated as a reality and another normal function of humanity, there is no doubt much angst and suffering would be averted.
References
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2004. http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/phe/sdua04/sdua04-c01.pdf. (8 May 2009)
Cohen, P. 2009. ANTH 106:Cannabis Background. Macquarie University. Powerpoint Presentation.
Dubner, S. 2007. On the Legalization-or Not-of Marijuana. http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/on-the-legalization-or-not-of-marijuana/?scp=1&sq=marijuana%20legalization&st=cse. (8 May 2009).
Duke, S. 2009. Drugs. To Legalize or Not. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124061360462654683.html. (8 May 2009).
Flynn, K. 1998. Arrests Soar in Crackdown on Marijuana. http://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/17/nyregion/arrests-soar-in-crackdown-on-marijuana.html?scp=4&sq=marijuana%20arrests%20statistics&st=cse. (8 May 2009).
Gray, C. 1998. ‘Legalize use of marijuana for medical purposes, MDs and patients plead’. Canadian Medical Association Journal 158:373-375.
Inciardi, J. 1999. ‘The Marijuana legalization debate: Is there a middle ground?’ The Drug Legalization Debate 75-100.
Iversen, L. 2004.‘Cannabis and the Law-high time for reform?’ European Review 4:513-525.
New South Wales Health. 2006. Marijuana Factsheet. http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/dpb/publications/pdf/factsheets/marijuana.pdf. (8 May 2009)
Viegas, J. 2008. World’s Oldest Marijuana Stash Totally Busted. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28034925/. (8 May 2009).
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I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue, as well as on my paper. Drop me a comment, let’s start a discussion!
Painting
I’m in the process of writing a paper on marijuana legalisation, and I felt that this would be the perfect time to post the lyrics to one of my favorite songs at the moment. It’s a song called ‘Painting’ by Atmosphere, and it has to do with alcohol. Check it out, he’s an amazing lyricist.
Ain’t no colour paint gonna cover the stains
The pictures on the wall will all remain
And even though he’s home now sound and safe
Surrounded by the faces that he place his faith
The images visit from the past he witnessed
Can’t stay away from the memories
sticks with each detail embedded in stone
like he chiseled stoves convictions into his bones
the progress stops and pauses spits and sputters
like the basement faucets
and it’s obvious he’s lost in his regrets,
you can smell it on his breathAin’t no colour paint gonna cover the stains
but now the alcohol is gonna mother the pain
Tuck it away, no complaints just laying on his back on his
backyard under the rain
Take tomorrow but doesn’t no how though for every swallow there’s another to follow
He weaves his way throughout the story
looking for a new missing piece or a door key
Spirits used to be for celebration
But now they just take him away from the hell that’s waiting
Re-up until it’s three sheets up
and pick a place for the skeletons to meet upAin’t no colour paint gonna cover the stains
But if the oxygen escapes it’ll smother the flames
No introduction doesn’t speak his own name
Gonna beat them demons at they own game
The sunset rides to the end slow
Same song echoing outside of the window
You can’t grow if the skin don’t fit you
Sometimes you gotta get low just to get through
No inspiration left to do your best when,
nobody hates you more than you’re reflection
Suffer the shame until it stuffs the drain
He’s got two hands and a bucket of paint, come on
Near Akaroa, NZ
Near Akaroa, NZ
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
internet compressssssssssssssion. lkladljsfflsadf
Leura Cascades, Blue Mountains, Australia
Leura Cascades, Blue Mountains, Australia
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Castle Hills, New Zealand
Castle Hills, New Zealand
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Favorite Oz Club Music
This past weekend I spent the night at Reese’s, and the following morning he burned me a few cd’s of my favorite music I’ve heard here, all of which they play in the clubs that we’ve hit up. Check ‘em out below, I freakin’ LOVE these tunes! The last song isn’t Australian, but it’s one of my favorites. You’ve gotta listen to it. Turn up your computer speakers, dial up the sub-woofer, and get ready to boogie!
Off Tourist Road, Akaroa, New Zealand
Off Tourist Road, Akaroa, New Zealand
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
An Unexpected Relationship Part II-Genesis Realized
DISCLAIMER-Those who read the below text forfeit their right to be mad/frustrated/angry with the author.
An Unexpected Relationship Part I
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I have been single for one year, five months and a few days. I feel petty and immature for calculating that number, and more-so for the effect that it has on me. I am a person who requires intense relationships in order to flourish, relationships with deep love, caring, intense debate among trying topics, and shared experiences. I have many wonderful friends who I have made and retained over the years, but for some odd reason these relationships, as loving and wonderful as many of them are, don’t have the same intensity that dating relationships have.
The month before I left for Australia I had this thirst quenched by a quite unlikely source-my good friend Nick. I feel awkward to saying that, and it will no doubt be awkward for Nick to read, but we have been through a great deal together. I have known him since kindergarten, and since then we have changed drastically from the preps we were in middle school-him to the more artistic, drama-ish side of the cultural/clique landscape, and me to…well, whatever the heck I am. He is about as close as I have to a (human) brother (Beau will forever hold that absolute distinction), and my relations with him quench my appetite for an intense bond.
Now, as I’ve thought about this, it occurs to me that what takes years upon years to build in a friendship seemingly takes mere weeks to build in a romantic relationship. Maybe this is just me. I enter romantic relationships with full intensity, as if the act of commencing a dating relationship directly precedes marital engagement (which I understand is wrong and misguided…I’m working on it!). A bond is created, whether through physical interactions, social or emotional. I latch onto that person and try to create a one-ness of stories and feelings and experiences. (I just got this vision, and it’s quite out there, and has to do with Harry Potter. Haha. Alright, so, the Pensieve. You know, that stone bowl where Dumbledore extracts memories from one’s brain to be viewed? Ok, so, I think of it as extracting our memories and thoughts and ideas and experiences and mixing them in a bowl, creating one mixture. Too weird? Yeah, I thought so…must be the lack of sleep…)
Anyway, I have been lacking this bond with a female for the above-mentioned period of time, and it has really started to kind of get to me. Not ‘get to me’ in the way that it’s affecting me psychologically or physically or whatever, but getting to me in the way of me thinking, “Jeeze, it’s about time!” It would be so awesome to have somebody to just chill with, let out my worries and frustrations, direct love and affection towards, and have someone who is a part of me. That’s kind of what happens when you date somebody; they become a part of you. Your choice of dating them reflects back on to you and defines who you are. I miss that. I miss having that other piece.
It’s no surprise then that the prospect brought about by hundreds of emails, hour-plus long Skype sessions and ridiculously expensive phone calls to a female I’m interested in back home in Eugene is quite exciting for me. Love truly does add an extra perfumed, fuzzy, warm and exciting layer to life. Not love in the sense of ‘I will go to the depths of the earth for you’ or ‘I am committed to you always’ or anything like that; love in the sense of wanting to be in someone’s presence so desperately and it gnawing away at you, having them on your mind way too much, and going out of your way to do something that to the outside observer seems petty or ridiculous, but that shows that other person that you just can’t get them out of your head and that you care for them. That kind of love.
Chloë and I have been fantasizing about our meeting in Eugene and what a joyous and absolutely out-of-this-world experience it will be. The visualization was of us in a park seeing each other, and her running towards me. (I always thought it would be funny if she tripped at the end. That always gives us a good laugh!) We had dreamt of what it would be like to meet here; while I was walking around by the Opera House and bumping into her or something. How crazy would that be? Anyway, we pretty much had it planned out-a park in Eugene, on the river, talking for hours.
Recently I received an e-mail from her, as per usual, from which the following is excerpted:
I’ve got some possible good news – but I’d rather make you anxious and not tell you;-)
And then when I didn’t acknowledge it,
PETER I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU. Remind me to tell you when we skype. actually…i won’t forget soooo I’m a little upset – i totally pulled the “I have a secret but I’m not going to tell you” – and you didn’t get upset!!
Needless to say I got the message, so we set a time to Skype the morning I was to arrive in Sydney from NZ.
The morning before our date I had awoken in Wellington at 4am, flown to Sydney, hopped the train and then lugged my luggage up to the apartment. I got all ready, made sure I had showered, shaved, and looked relatively ‘fresh’, and opened the connection to America. The screen was black, then flickered green. Her face finally popped up on the screen, lagging with the audio, tripped-up somewhere over the Pacific.
We greeted each other warmly and excitedly (and with a little flutter of the heart). I filled her in on New Zealand, and she brought me abreast to life in the Willamette Valley. I then remembered and asked, “Oh, what is it that was your big surprise or whatever?” She looked at me and kind of smiled, then silence. I was expecting her to tell me she had been made Prom Queen, or that she had gotten a nice scholarship to Corvallis, or something of the sort.
She took a deep breath. ”I’m going to Australia…I’m gonna be in Sydney”.
My face dropped from a smile into a gaping expression of wonderment. “What? Holy &!$%, when?”
“June”, she replied, half-giddily, half-cautiously.
“Holy &!$%, holy &!$%”, I repeated slowly but excitedly with disbelief. Our ridiculous, far-fetched fantasy now had glimmers of reality.
She explained that her parents had decided that because she was awarded a free-ride scholarship to the U of O they would reward her by giving her her dream trip as a graduation present. Chloë has always been obsessed with New Zealand and digs on Australia. Her parents felt she had connections here and that she could also fulfill her secondary dream of travelling down under with her friend Katie, also a fantasy of many years.
Chloë also has a random older friend who is Australian and he has a few sons in Sydney. Her plan was to stay with one of them, which sent pangs of jealousy through me. I wanted to invite her to stay with me but wasn’t sure how she would react to that or how my flat mates would feel about it. It was better than nothing, of course, so I stuffed those feelings down my throat and out of my consciousness.
For the next week or so we exchanged e-mails that expressed our excitement and our incredulity and threw some ideas and questions around for the upcoming trip. I then received this e-mail.
Alright so we’ve got a little change of plans… Katie woke me up at 8 this morning to tell me that she can’t go anymore…
Her dad is making her work. Ugh. So I layed in bed for like 800 years just thinking and I feel like it would be so incredible lame to pass up an experience like this – somewhere I’ve always dreamt I would be - that my parents are offering, just because my friend can’t go. But that also completely changes things. I talked with my mom for a long time this morning too and she told me she’s not sure how much she trusts those sons I was telling you about. We talked with my dad too and he pretty much told me that I was still going – it didn’t even phase him that katie couldn’t go anymore. But like I said, that changes things. Okay, I feel like I’m beating around the bush – my parents want me to be with you. To … experience sydney with you. And I would love that, but I want you to really think about it too. Would it be weird AT ALL? I don’t want you to feel obligated to care for me. If I came by myself I’d want both of us to be just…comfortable. I’m also thinking I could turn it into a dance trip. Like, check out different ballroom studios/make connections/take private lessons. My mom thought that was kind of a lame idea though – she thinks I’ll regret dancing instead of just kind of living it up down there. I always feel like a need a mission though. I still really want to do this. But yea…it changes things, that’s for sure. Let me know what you’re thinking. I hate not being able to see your reactions, I always read them.
She was coming alone! IT WOULD BE JUST US! This was perfect, and it just blew me away how all of this was happening. There are certain instances in which things just completely fall into perfect order-like dropping a handful of jig-saw puzzle pieces onto a table and having them miraculously land aligned-and I am convinced God has a hand in this. (What does that mean knowing that she is an atheist, I wonder…?)
Then, a few days later…
Alright, so my mom came to me this morning and said that dad and her talked about the trip last night. They’re okay with me going alone but they also feel uncomfortable trusting you when they’ve never met you. They know that they can, but like my mom was saying – if she were to call me and I didn’t answer, so she called you and you didn’t know where I was – she would freak out. And she doesn’t want to put you in that situation. They still seem pretty okay with me going alone, but my mom also brought up that they talked about her going with me. Hah. But before I could even respond she told me that she just wants to be there as backup. She said I could still stay with you, do whatever – she just wants to know that if …something happens, she’ll be on the same continent. Also, if i wanted to fly off to another part or NZ, she could do that with me. Reh. So that somewhat dappens the me “roughing it” aspect, but I’m sure the discussions not even close to being over. When are your finals? Haha my mom felt bad that she was considering coming and that I would have to tell you that, but I have to understand, I guess. I know she’d still let me be independent. La la la so much to plan!!
I was at first a little disappointed after reading this e-mail, but for some reason it soon calmed me. For one, I’m a master with parental relations, and I am glad that I’ll be able to instill confidence in her for me. I don’t want her parents fretting that she is hanging out and somewhat at the mercy of some guy she really hasn’t hung out with EVER, and who she pretty much only knows through cyber interactions.
I also know the great amount of stress that having a parent in the vicinity relieves, even if Chloë were to never see her. It gives one a safety-net of sorts, financial, emotional and practical, in the case that anything went wrong.
Along with the excitement is a lurking sense of fear. Fear that our interactions won’t be as wonderful or easy or compatible as they are through e-mail, Skype and phone. That she’ll see an ugly side in me, or I in her. We really have no idea of what to expect, and this is the cause of the nervousness. But excitement is the positive form of nervousness, and man am I excited about meeting up with her here!
So that’s pretty much where we’re at. And pretty much all I’m thinking of these days. At the moment we’re in the planning stages: I’m looking into Opera House shows and rugby games that will be on while she is here, as well as talking about the Blue Mountains and other things she will want to do. I’ve also talked to Reese about getting an extra mattress for her.
This is an incredible whirl-wind of emotions and feelings, and man am I excited. I think it would be good to end this post with this little recollection. After the excitement of all of this Chloë made it clear that she didn’t want to disrupt the end of my trip, or take me away from anything that I wanted to do. This felt absolutely ridiculous to me, and I made the following clear. She has been a part of this trip. The daily e-mails, the Skype sessions, surprise phone calls-these things have all come to add to the memories of this experience. Going forward I will never think of my first time in Australia without thinking of Chloë and the unique and improbable relationship we have formed. Her arriving in Australia towards the end of my time here will be the perfect story-book ending to this story-book affair.
–ζ——δ——ζ–
Note-This publication has been approved by the subject.
Renegade
I’ve been obsessed with this song for maybe 5 or so months. Jay-Z and Eminem. Doesn’t sound like it would work, but it’s flawless. Just love how Em confronts all the controversy and false perceptions about him. I don’t agree with everything, just most of it.
[Jay-Z]
Mother****** -
say that I’m foolish I only talk about jewels (bling bling)
Do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?
See I’m influenced by the ghetto you ruined
That same dude you gave nothin, I made somethin doin
what I do through and through and
I give you the news – with a twist it’s just his ghetto point-of-view
The renegade; you been afraid
I penetrate pop culture, bring ‘em a lot closer to the block where they
pop toasters and they live with their moms got drop roasters from botched robberies nig*** crouched over
mommies knocked up cause she wasn’t wached over
knocked down by some clown when child support knocked
no he’s not around now how that sound to ya, jot it down
I bring it through the ghetto without ridin ’round
hidin down duckin strays from frustrated youths stuck in they ways
Just read a magazine that fu**ed up my day
How you rate music that thugs with nothin relate to it
i help them see their way through it – no you cant step in my pants cant walk in my shoes
bet everything you worth you lose your tie and your shirt[Eminem]
Since I’m in a position to talk to these kids and they listen
I ain’t no politician but I’ll kick it with ‘em a minute
Cause see they call me a menace; and if the shoe fits I’ll wear it
But if it don’t, then y’all’ll swallow the truth grin and bear it
Now who’s these king of these rude ludicrous lucrative lyrics
Who could inherit the title, put the youth in hysterics
Usin his music to steer it, sharin his views and his merits
But there’s a huge interference – they’re sayin you shouldn’t hear it
Maybe it’s hatred I spew, maybe it’s food for the spirit
Maybe it’s beautiful music I made for you to just cherish
But I’m debated disputed hated and viewed in America
as a motherf***in drug addict – like you didn’t experiment?
Now now, that’s when you start to stare at who’s in the mirror
and see yourself as a kid again, and you get embarrased
And I got nothin to do but make you look stupid as parents
You fu***n do-gooders – too bad you couldn’t do good at marriage!
(Ha ha!) And do you have any clue what I had to do to get here I don’t
think you do so stay tuned and keep your ears glued to the stereo
Cause here we go – he’s {*Jigga joint Jigga-chk-Jigga*}
And I’m the sinister, Mr. Kiss-My-Ass it’s just a[Chorus: Eminem + Jay-Z]
[Em] RENEGADE! Never been afraid to say
what’s on my mind at, any given time of day
Cause I’m a RENEGADE! Never been afraid to talk
about anything (ANYTHING) anything (ANYTHING), RENEGADE!
[Jay] Never been afraid to say
what’s on my mind at, any given time of day
Cause I’m a {RENEGADE} Never been afraid to holler
about anything {anything?} Anything {ANYTHING!}[Jay-Z]
I had to hustle, my back to the wall, ashy knuckles
Pockets filled with a lot of lint, not a cent
Gotta vent, lot of innocent of lives lost on the project bench
Whatchu hollerin? Gotta pay rent, bring dollars in
By the bodega, iron under my coat, feelin braver
Doo-rag wrappin my waves up, pockets full of hope
Do not step to me – I’m awkward, I box leftier often
My pops left me an orphan, my momma wasn’t home
Could not stress to me I wasn’t grown; ’specially on nights
I brought somethin home to quiet the stomach rumblings
My demeanor – thirty years my senior
My childhood didn’t mean much, only raisin’ green up
Raisin’ my fingers to critics; raisin’ my head to the sky
Big I did it – multi before I die (ni**a)
No lie, just know I chose my own fate
I drove by the fork in the road and went straight[Eminem]
See I’m a poet to some, a regular modern day Shakespeare
Jesus Christ the King of these Latter Day Saints here
To shatter the picture in which of that as they paint me
as a monger of hate and Satan a scatter-brained atheist
But that ain’t the case, see it’s a matter of taste
We as a people decide if Shady’s as bad as they say he is
Or is he the latter – a gateway to escape?
Media scapegoat, who they can be mad at today
See it’s easy as cake, simple as whistlin Dixie
while I’m wavin the pistol at sixty Christians against me
Go to war with the Mormons, take a bath with the Catholics
in holy water – no wonder they try to hold me under longer
I’m a motherf***in spiteful, DELIGHTFUL eyeful
The new Ice Cube – motherf***ers HATE to like you
What did I do? (huh?) I’m just a kid from the gutter
makin this butter off these bloodsuckers, cause I’m a muh’f***in
[Chorus]
With the Parents, Akaroa, NZ
With the Parents, Akaroa, NZ
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki, New Zealand
Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki, New Zealand
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Sheep, Eels and Pancakes
This morning started as most mornings do…the blaring annoying-ness of my phone’s alarm waking me up about 6 hours earlier than it should. I hit snooze a couple of times, then joined the parents for a wonderful breakfast with Alastair and Shirley, our hosts at the Oak Lodge Homestay. To do the experience of the Oak Lodge Homestay justice, the hosts must be explained. Shirley is a wonderfully warm, generous, and hospitable woman; the kind of person who comforts you even if you’ve never met her before. I spoke about this in the last post, but she had an extra room open and allowed me to take it, free of charge, so I could have some privacy. Most places wouldn’t even bring up the option of another room, much less offer it for free.
And Alastair, what a wonderful, salt-of-the-earth man. When you picture a New Zealand sheep farmer, you picture Alastair. Worn Levi’s tucked into rubber boots, with a gray raw wool sweater hanging off his muscular frame. Large, calloused hands and a weathered face, with many stories to tell. He mentioned that a year prior he had sold his sheep farm, which had been in the family for three generations and over one hundred years, and bought the bed and breakfast with his wife Shirley. He now has only 80 sheep on the bed and breakfast’s campus, a far cry from the three thousand he cared for on the farm. Three thousand! And he didn’t have any help, it was only him. (He spoke of hiring a few extra hands at peak months, but still!) He showed us a magazine of ”a New Zealand sheep farmer”, which was him on the cover. The article read of his story and his sheep-raising methods; it was fascinating to read about him and his previous vocation. It was truly the authentic, real New Zealand experience. And they’re not even paying me to say this!
Oak Lodge Homestay
It was engrossing for me to be on the pseudo-farm at the bed and breakfast, with a real, live, legitamate sheep farmer. If there were classes of sheep farmers, Alastair would be considered world class. I’ve been studying Animal Sciences for the past 1+ years, and we’ve covered sheep and sheep production; to experience it in the flesh made it all come alive.
After breakfast Alastair took us outside to show us around and give us a bit of a tour. It had been dark when we rolled in the previous night and we hadn’t seen much. He took us to a bridge under which a river flew, and we fed the eels! It was so ridiculous, and man were they big. Some were as big as two metres, which is HUGE! And they were thick! We threw white bread down and one swam towards it, then another, and by the end we had maybe fifteen or twenty eels fighting over the bread and stirring up the river.
He then took us to the sheep and let us help him feed them. Working at VMAIL (Veterinary Medicine Animal Isolation Lab-shout out to y’all!) I had seen sheep before, so I wasn’t a total newbie. Something about New Zealand sheep is special though, they’re iconic. Almost like celebrities. Australia has the Opera House; New Zealand has sheep. It was so picturesque and wonderful, feeding the sheep with the paddock in front of us, the green hills and mountains as a backdrop.
Then (and my favorite part) Alastair took us to his dogs. They were wonderful! And sheep-herding dogs at that! He had two border collies who were highly trained, and highly energized. We loved on them for a while. Then he had this other dog, a large black-and-tan boy, which he informed us was a Huntaway. He gave us a quick demo of how they were commanded by whistles,
and had the Huntaway jump over the fence on command a couple times. It was a bittersweet experience (more sweet than bitter) because it reminded me of Beau, my brother and my family’s dog who passed away this summer at the age of fourteen. He was an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix, straight sheep-herding in his blood. Alastair hadn’t heard of Australian Shepherds, which I found interesting. We loved on the dogs a bit, then pushed off to our next stop-Hanmer Springs.
Entry to the garden. So beautiful!
Alastair gave us an alternate route to Hamner Springs, which went through the small coastal village of Punakaiki. According to Alastair, it was supposed to show us the most beautiful scenery NZ had to offer. Again we went through mountains on incredibly windy roads, seeing pastures of sheep and cattle, mountains, hills, rivers, and waterfalls. We stopped off at the small visitors center/tourist trap in Punakaiki, situated right on the coast. Dad and I came upon a woman selling beautiful New Zealand jade, called greenstone, and she pulled us in and didn’t let go. It was probably the combination of beautiful stones and masterful sales(wo)manship, but before it was all done we walked away with three stones between us. I also picked up a beautiful bowl made out of the core of a fern tree-it’s just stunning. I’ll put a picture of it below…
Treefern Bowl
The real attraction of Punakaiki is its ‘Pancake Rocks’ rock formation, which look exactly how they sound. Discs upon discs of rock, but all solid. Quite a beautiful freak of nature. It also had blowholes and places where the water carved paths through the rocks. The water would rush in and crash against the walls, making a spectacular sight.
Near the coast was the tropical fauna; the further you got away from it the less tropical it became, i.e. no tree ferns or palm trees. Deep green and lush bushes and trees were abundant, and carpeted the sides of the mountains.
I got a few good shots in Punakaiki, but we decided we should push on, as usual, to try to beat the cover of darkness.
Regret is truly one of the most terrible feelings. It gnaws away at you and ruins everything in its path until you either compromise with it or accept defeat. When making a purchase of something that I will not have the chance to purchase again I am many times overcome by the tuggings of regret. Not regret at the moment, but possible regret in the future. For instance, when I was at Adidas looking at the All-Blacks gear, I lusted after a jersey AND a track-suit top. I didn’t have enough money to buy both, so it was one or the other. And I couldn’t make up my mind. It took literally a half-hour for me to reason through the decision, force away the pangs of possible-regret, and make the actual purchase.
The same thing happened today with the New Zealand jade. I saw a stone that I wanted, and it was different from the rest. I thought maybe I should get a smooth one rather than a jagged one, but decided on the jagged stone. And now I’m afraid that I will regret not getting a smooth one. WHAT THE HELL! Why is it that these trivial things, things that don’t matter in the slightest in the future, take up so much of my mental space? It’s the memories that matter, not the things. And I KNOW this! Ugh.
And I’ve had it forever, this preoccupation with regret. One of my earliest memories is being at the Enchanted Forest, a wonderful (well, used to be) theme park nestled in a hillside forest along I-5. I remember a tunnel-like attraction that went below the path, and I was really intrigued but too nervous to try it. Dad decided to go for it and check it out, without me, and I regretted not doing it for the rest of the day. I know it’s dumb, but man has it’s stuck with me. Burned into my brain like a red-hot iron pressed to a calves rump. Weird, eh?
Anyways, after Punakaiki we drove on towards Hanmer Springs, finally arriving in, you guessed it, darkness. Our lodging was to be at the Cheltenham House. It was a grand old house that was converted into a bed and breakfast, with a wonderful common area complete with a fire and another snookers table, one of the largest I’ve ever seen. Dad was even blown away! We went out into the little town of Hanmer Springs to get some grub, and I ended up ordering pheasant and sharing a jug of New Zealand beer with dad.
Pheasant
After dinner dad and I had a go at snookers, and I came oh-so-close to beating him. Legitimately close! Close as in I had one ball left on the table when it was all over. Ugh…next time!
That table was HUGE! With tiny pockets...
After being at so many bed and breakfasts you begin to notice patterns. For one, they don’t have heating in New Zealand. At all. Every night and evey morning the rooms would be absolutely freezing. (It didn’t help that in Greymouth I discovered right before we left that my windows were wide open…) Space heaters were supplied, but still! Also, the towel racks are all heated. I thought this was cool at first, but it really only heated the part of the towel which was in contact with it, which was like 1/50th of the blanket. Seemed like a bit of a waste.
All in all, another wonderful day in the land of NZ!
I’ve asked for feedback from a friend and she told me that I’ve been describing the fauna too much in these NZ posts, and there’s a reason for that. The thing about New Zealand is nature is pretty much all it has-beautiful and luscious nature. Everything is built around it, and that is why one goes to New Zealand-for the wildness and non-development of it. The point is taken though, and I’m gonna back off of it. Just know that the scenery is amazing and mind-blowing. Wholly serene.
Dock, Akaroa, New Zealand
Dock, Akaroa, New Zealand
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Cliche but I like it…
Paddock, New Zealand
Paddock, New Zealand
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Eno and the Opera House Sails!
This is gonna be on while I’m here! CHECK IT OUT! (Chad’s gonna be so jealous!)
- PRESENTED BY
Sydney Opera House- VENUE
Fleet Steps- DATES
26 May -21 June- PROGRAM
Luminous
- Event Information Navigation
- DESCRIPTION
In a major artwork by Eno, LUMINOUS launches with the lighting of the Sydney Opera House sails. Like a freeform painting, Utzon’s masterpiece will glow with rich, continuously changing configurations of colour. Presented in association with Smart Light, the sails will remain lit for the three weeks of LUMINOUS.
Tourist Road, Akaroa, New Zealand
Tourist Road, Akaroa, New Zealand
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
To accompany ‘A Perpetual Photographic Orgasm’…
Cattle Near Greymouth, NZ
Cattle Near Greymouth, NZ
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
A Perpetual Photographic Orgasm
I understand that the mention of the world ‘orgasm’ will make some people squirm and uncomfortable, but I brainstormed for another word and could not come up with one that fit what I was trying to say. Also, I kinda enjoy being a bit controversial and pushing people…
I found myself standing on the top of a ridge, a cold wind howling about me. 360° views of variably green rolling hills encircled me, with pastures cordoned off alongside the slopes of each ridge for sheep and cattle. The hills were smooth with grass, save for random patches of trees and small farm houses. The cold air stung my nose, but the sweet smells of pastures along with the fresh ocean air was redeeming. Below me was the quaint New Zealand town of Akaroa, perched on the edge of Banks Peninsula, with a beautiful harbor stretching through the mountains and off into the mist. The descriptor of the day: A Perpetual Photographic Orgasm.
That morning we awoke (late…I was supposed to wake my parents, but didn’t turn up the volume on my phone, sleeping through it…) to an incredible breakfast made by our host Glenda. Two different types of kiwis (served by a Kiwi!), pineapple, watermellon, granola, wonderful tropical fruit yogarts, plum compote, eggs benedict and bacon. WOW!
This cat showed up at my parents door the night before, and chilled with us for a bit. It was wonderful!
I chilled in my room a little bit, worked on internet stuff, then got ready for our trip to Akaroa. It was supposed to be a beatiful trip, and I was pumped! The excitement quickly faded, however, after we took what felt like wrong turn after wrong turn; it felt like we would NEVER get out of the city. I was really getting frustrated. It didn’t seem that difficult, and I didn’t know what the problem was. I am only gonna be in NZ for 6 days, so I was starting to get pissed that the day was slipping away.
The parents did, however, succeed in getting us out into the city, and we drove past sheep pastures upon sheep pastures at the base of beautiful hills, all colored differently due to the changing leaves. It is, you see, autumn. Snow-capped jagged mountains were ahead of us; it was just spectacular. It really does feel like Middle Earth!
After a while we arrived at a little community and stopped at the information center, which also doubled as a craft co-op. I found a blue beanie hand-knit from New Zealand wool for $20 New Zealand dollars, which translates to about $14 USD, mom found a sweater for herself made from New Zealand wool and possum, and dad found a beanie as well. I overheard a man asking the shopkeeper if there were any less-curvy roads-his passenger was feeling sick. She said no, and he went on his way. I thought, “Oh man, it looks like I made it through the windy-ness without throwing up!” I had no idea of the roads to come, and this was probably a good thing.
We drove on towards Akaroa, climbing quickly through the hills on switchbacks. I started to feel dizzy, so I switched with mom, taking the front seat. In about two minutes we had climbed 500 or so feet and looked down upon the valley, mountains, and hill-side sheep pastures that surrounded us, with their rickety old wood and wire fences, reminicent of Hobbiton.
We kept on winding through the hills/mountains (it’s really hard to define it…they were rolling hills, but there were also snow-capped mountains. Pictures will come…you decide) and came to a fork-the left was Tourist Road, an incredibly twisty but stunning route along the tops of the hills/mountains, or the shorter but less stunning route to Akaroa. I had my camera, and it was roughly 2 pm, so we took Tourist Road.
At this point we were above the harbour, driving around towards the far end. The harbour was spectacular, with the mountains behind it, and its watery fingers clawing into the peninsula. It was a misty and cold day, which didn’t yield the best photographic situations. I did, however, continue shooting, falling back on HDR to try to get me through the tough circumstances. I think I got a few good ones.
The roads just kept on getting windier and windier, following the exact curvature of the mountains. In and out of the ridges we went, up and down-these roads were probably built to have the least amount of impact on the land; good for nature, bad for stomaches. I started to get dizzy, and the dizzy feeling migrated south into my stomache. I prayed and prayed, breathed deeply, and thought logically about throwing up. As we got closer to Akaroa, and started to quickly descent, cautious pangs of jubilance overtook me. Overcoming such stressful obstacles as these, even with supernatural help, is an incredibly freeing and joyous experience. It was so great to drive along the beach, out of the mountains, and on less-windy roads.
The town of Akaroa was so cute! It was settled by the French (before they realized that the British actually colonized New Zealand before them) so there was a strong likeness to European villages. Very tidy, many cute little pubs and shops, and the layout of the streets all reminded me of Germany. It’s hard to explain it, but the atmosphere was just very European.
We had skipped lunch, which is never a good thing, and at this point I was light-headed with hunger. We stumbled into a restaraunt that overlooked the harbour and ordered some grub. The server was a Maori woman, which was quite exciting. I don’t want to objectify the Maori people, but you just hear so much about the Maori, and to meet one was quite cool. First came mussels for the appetizer (or entre, as they call it here), then I had glazed duck for a main. Dad had a seafood platter that was just incredible. Oh, and we had a bowl of fries. So good! (Forgot what mom had…some kind of seafood I think…) We were just talking today about how we haven’t had a bad meal here; they all have been nothing less than gourmet (minus McDonalds, of course). They really know how to eat and cook food down under!
We piled back into the car and sped out af Akaroa, trying to make it out of the mountians before darkness hit. This time we took the shorter, less scenic route, which caused me great relief. We got back on to level ground in about half an hour, which was surprising quick after taking Tourist Road. It felt like that took three hours! I nodded off on the way home, exhausted from the adventure and stress.
After hearing about New Zealand and its beauty time and time again I started to think that it was more talk than reality. I also speculated that most of the beauty was in non-accessible places. This is not the case. New Zealand is more beautiful than you can imagine-unless you have a freakin’ awesome imagination. And much of the beauty is seen straight from the road. It doesn’t seem as though colonization or settlement or humans have degradated the beauty, it seems pure and thriving to me. But hey, what do I know. I’ve only been here three days.
The following day, which is today as I’m writing it, (but I will probably finish this post tomorrow…I’m on a string of HUGE posts-I’ve got a lot to relay back to friends and family) we awoke to another wonderful breakfast, and this time I woke up on time! Breakfast was similar to the previous morning, except we had a tree tomato compote, which was like sweet tomatoes, with the addition of pancakes with apple syrup and chocolate croissants. Glenda sure knows how to do it!
(Oh, and I meant New Zealand dollars, not Australian dollars…)
We said our goodbyes and drove off towards Greymouth, taking Arthur’s Pass directly through the mountains. It was stunning. The road wound up the side of a mountain, giving us views of the valley below. Then we descended on the others side, and came back to the flats. We pulled off at a gorgeous blue lake to stretch our legs and take pictures, and a guy in a car rolled down his window and said, “Icha tekken tha picturrrrez?” I could barely understand this thick NZ accent, but we spoke a bit. He lived near Greymouth, and invited me out to his place to see horses and Indians (didn’t really know there were Indians here…). I said something about being in the land of Lord of the Rings, and he mumbled something about rocks ahead. He also asked where I was from, and then offered me a lolly (candy). I went against all common sense and obliged. It was so tasty, a raspberry hard candy!!
We continued on our way, snaking around the bases of mountains, through valleys, with grey mountains, jagged, snow-covered mountains, rolling green hills, and waterfalls spurting from the hillsides. We came upon some strange-looking rocks jutting out from a lazy rolling hill, and pulled over. It was quite apparent that this was the place that my lolly-friendly amigo was speaking of.
I’m really having trouble figuring out how to explain what it looked like. I’ll post pics at some time. Let’s see…Imagine having a large rock and dropping a 500lb weight on it, breaking it all up. Then sprinkle the rocks over a mound of dirt. And most of the rocks are smooth…ok, that didn’t really work. Well, hm…I’ll put up some pictures. Just, rocks by themselves, formations of rocks, natural shelters of rocks, it was cool. And by a working farm, which was also kinda cool.
We got back on the road and pushed towards Greymouth. Dad again wanted to get out of the mountains before dark, so we had to hurry. It was very interesting how the scenery changed. The changes were subtle, but not lacking in profundity. The views went from pastures with rolling hills to rolling hills with a backdrop of large, snow-capped mountains. Non-tropical flora to tropical-palm trees and fern trees, and other tropical plants-the closer we got to the coast. It was as if we were driving from Alaska to Hawai’i-it’s the only way I can describe it.
There must be some law in New Zealand that forbiddens more than 500m of straight road. I have never experienced such an abundance of windy roads in my life. The road to Akaroa was the worst, but nearly every road that we have taken was ridiculous. And I’m not just throwing the world ridiculous around. RIDICULOUS.
On this day-trip I experienced one of the most stunning stretches of road that I have ever seen. It took me by surprise, so I most regrettably have no pictures. We crossed a bridge that was above a river bustling over white rocks, much in the same fashion as the Little Su that runs through Hatcher Pass in AK. The rode then hugged the side of a mountain and curled around it, with the river on the left, and a wall shooting straight up from that which formed a mountain. In front of us this strange concrete chute was erected; its purpose to divert a waterfall and carry it above the road, shooting it out into the air, landing in the river hundreds of feet below. The chute was about thirty feet tall or so, and was a strikingly ingenious and intriguing installation.
As I write these NZ posts I feel as though it is my duty to attempt to convey the beauty of the land here, but it’s nearly impossible. Many times I feel as though I’m a babbling idiot, repeating ‘stunning’, ‘beautiful’, ‘gorgeous’, and other adjectives. It’s frustrating! I’ll have pictures coming soon, and I’ll insert them into the posts as well, so…keep an eye out.
We stopped at a little town and had a bite to eat, then ventured on. I was feeling a bit dizzy from the roads at this point, so I switched with mom and took the front seat. It felt like a bit of a defeat, as I would really like to kill this vomiting phobia of mine. Afternoon turned in to night, and we were all exhausted- completely wrung out. At long last we saw a grouping of lights in the distance, and as we neared we discovered that it was the town of Greymouth. Finally!
We neared the bed and breakfast, a place called Oak Lodge Homestay. As we turned into the driveway we were greeted by 80 sheep in a paddock- is there anything more New Zealand than that?! Our hosts came out to greet us and introduced themselves as Alastair and Shirley, two warm and wonderfully hospitable souls. It was around 7:30pm, and like I said before, we were dead. Shirley showed us our rooms (originally it was going to be ‘room’, but Shirley gave me a room of my own. I owe her!!! ) and booked us a place at the best restaurant in town (it is only a town of 13,000, but still…!). It was dark outside so we couldn’t really see our surroundings, but we could tell by the inside of the place that we were someplace special.
To your right upon entrance was a wonderful sitting room, thick with an antique, old-world atmosphere. Wooden walls, a grand fireplace, extraordinary paintings, and cosy couches and chairs. To the left of the sitting room was a billiard room, complete with a pool table, or more accurately to this specific table, snookers. Dad and I played some, and I got creamed. (Technically I won both games ’cause he scratched on the 8-ball, but we’ll gloss over that…)
The restaurant was again exquisite. And, again, we were served by a beautiful female New Zealander. Ahhhhhhh… Anyways, I had wonderful glazed pork with a nice glass of New Zealand Pinot Gris.
After the meal we strolled about the small town of Greymouth, peering in the stores, and headed back to our little oasis. It was a perfect end to a stunning, stressful, tiring and eventful day.
Waratahs and Kiwis
I awoke this morning to the ringing of a phone, bleary-eyed and confused. I spent the night on the floor of my parents hotel, The Grace, in downtown Sydney, and it was the disgusing hour of 6:00 am. I writhed around for twenty minutes, feeling sorry for myself, and stumbled into the shower. Ugh, I hate early mornings, especially when airplane flights are to follow. Even the knowledge that we soon would be in Middle Earth didn’t brighten the morning.
I stayed with my parents in their hotel room Saturday night because we were to fly out to New Zealand the following morning, and we were already going to have a late night together. I had bought tickets for us to see the New South Wales Waratahs play the West Coast Force, a rugby union game at Sydney Football Stadium. (The Waratah is the state flower of New South Wales.) Dad and I were both pumped as we had been watching rugby league all week, marvelling over the huge hits sans pads.
Waratah
I had figured out all the transportation, packed all my bags and jumped on the train to the city. We took a bus to Oxford Street, a cool and charmingly dirty row of shops and restaraunts, and found ourselves a pizza place. We were served by a stunningly beautiful Brazilian girl who seemed near my age. She was so sweet, and had that doe-eyed apperance-overwhelmingly cute. It was at this point that I started to quietly resent the company of my parents; it’s quite hard to flirt with someone accompanied by your charming dad and lovely mother. I talked with her a tad and silently vowed to return the following week. We’ll see how I feel on Saturday after flying out of Wellington at 6:00am. I also need to get a haircut.
Anyway, we finished our Rocket (Arugala) pizza and made our way to Sydney Football Stadium. As we neared the venue the throngs of Waratah supporters increased consistently. It always reminds me of nearing an ant hill-you see one ant, then as you get closer it turns into 5, then 30, then 100, and by the time you reach the ant hill, or stadium, they are swarming on top of one another. These ants were wearing powder-blue rugby jerseys and scarves, partially marinated in alcohol, and ready for bone-crushing and blood-spurting fun.
The stadium was laid out in a very interesting fashion. As you can see from the pictures, from the street it looks like it is just the top of the stadium coming out of the earth, without a base of any sort. In the states most of our stadiums are built from the ground up. This stadium, intriguingly, was built below ground level. We took stairs down from the street, entered the stadium, then the concourse, then walked down to our seats. It was quite cool!
Sydney Football Stadium
Inside the stadium. It later filled up.
We looked for our section and presented our tickets to the usher and she directed us, “All the way to the bottom and on the right.” We started down the steps, and I excitedly whispered to mom, “Did you hear that?! All the way down!” She wasn’t kidding either, we were in the very first row, near ground level. (Well, technically the second row, but the second row started about 3 metres to the right of us. I’m calling it first row!)
Dad and I
I was bent on arriving early, so we had about forty-five minutes until …I want to say kick-off…I think thats what is is. I visited the ATM for a few bucks (as did everybody else, took me 20 minutes or so) and bought myself a sweet white- and powder blue-striped supporter scarf, as well as a Waratah rugby ball. I was set!
It was my hope to sit next to some cordial Waratah fans, as I was hoping to get explanations of the game. It seemed as though I was out of luck, my neighbor to the right was a broad-shouldered jersey-wearing intense supporter. Somehow throughout the course of the first-half I broke the ice (I believe I was wondering about rules aloud to my father, in the hopes of being corrected by him…). Throughout the rest of the game we talked football and the differences between rugby and American football. He explained how much the players made (the good ones make an upwards of $600,000, close to a million with sponsors), what certain calls meant, and other rules. It was fantastic having him next to me; turns out he played for a rugby club a few years ago. I learned so much about the game!
He left to get some grub and I talked to his dad/uncle/friend who took him to the game, and he revealed that his wife was from Delaware. We spoke about America a bit, other sports, my studies at Macquarie, etc. These truly are the nicest people, Australians! I was peppering them both with questions and they were more than happy to oblige. I think it excited them that it was my first rugby game.
We were so close that we could hear the grunts and the smash of the scrums. Take your fists, ball them up, and smash them directly into each other. Now imagine your each knuckle as a player’s head, with each fist being a team. This is a scrum. The team with posession then slips the ball through the middle of the scrum towards their side, and the men in the scrum can only use their feet to move the ball backwards.
SCRUM!
Another scrum shot.
There are no forward passes; you can kick the ball forward or lateral it backwards. And once the player is tackled he/she must release the ball backwards on the ground to his/her team mate. Running into the opponent’s end zone and touching the ball to the ground equals five points, and a extra-point-like kick follows, which equals two points. Also, if there is a penalty, a team can either choose to retain posession of the ball or attempt to kick it through the goal posts for three points.
Gameplay was amazing. We were about 5 metres from the actual players when they advanced the ball to our side, and to see the hits was incredible. As I mentioned before, we could hear the grunts and the smash of the scrum, and players breathing hard as they came past us. The throw-ins were interesting as well. One team has a player throwing in the ball, as in soccer, and both teams hoist a player up to their shoulders to try to grab the ball. It was so unique!
Apparently blood isn’t a big deal. There were a few guys with blood seeping down their faces, cuts under their eyes, jerseys dirtied by blood, and they played on. The hits were massive, and they kept getting up. I can understand why they think American football is a sissy sport; these guys have no pads, there is much less stoppage of play, they play both offense and defense, and, again, they have no pads. It just felt like a pure, carnal sport; the same way that chess feels more pure than checkers, this felt more like war.
The ‘Tas lead at the half, but the Force ended up beating them. It was sad to see my beloved Waratahs lose, but so great to see a legitimate rugby game. It was so exciting, so passionate, so real, and it was such a rich cultural experience. The Aussies react in much the same way as we do to our American football, just with badass Australian accents.
The night was great, another new and unique Aussie experience. And I got to bring my parents to something that they had never witnessed before. I’m hoping to see the Wallabies in June, which is the Aussie rugby national team. They’ll be playing France. Anybody interested?
After our wonderful breakfast the next morning, which included fresh fruits, pastries, hash browns, juices, eggs benedict, etc., we headed towards the Wynyard train station. As we left the hotel it started to sprinkle rain, and was as gray as a January morning in Eugene. It was so ironic because it had been threatening rain all week, but had, for the most part, held off. And when we left Sydney it starts to rain. And its been raining since then, pretty constantly. It’s so essential that it stayed dry while they were here; it greatly cuts down on what you can do if it rains in Sydney.
We caught the 8:05 train to the airport and headed towards the airport. What a great way to end my parents tour of Sydney! The train snaked underground, then came out above Circular Quay, the harbour right in front of us. It was drab and rainy, with the Harbour Bridge on the left and the Opera House to the right. It was absolutely stunning! I had never seen the Quay rainy, and as it was early there wasn’t anybody out; it was like the beauty was reserved for us and our few fellow passengers.
We arrived at the airport and made it through to our gate without any disturbances. My system was a bit off, and I was feeling kinda crappy. I ALWAYS feel like crap when I fly early, and the breakfast was so rich, I was nervous about the plane, etc. I got over it though. But it did suck…ugh.
We flew Air New Zealand, which was the most comfortable I’d ever been on a plane. Each seat had a screen in the back of it, loaded with movies, tv shows, everything. I know many people have experienced that before, but it was a first for me. (Even though I’ve flown a bunch…) And it was only a 2 hour 40 minute flight, which was pretty convenient.
Dad and I watched Frost/Nixon, an incredibly intriguing movie on the English talk show host David Frost interviewing Richard Nixon after Watergate. It lasted about 2 hours, so it was perfect! I followed that up with an episode of Flight of the Concords. Is there anything more perfect than watching Flight of the Concords on a flight to New Zealand? The correct answer is NO.
The console in the seat...pretty sweet.
Somewhere above the Pacific.
We landed relatively smoothly into Christchurch, NZ, and trudged through security/customs/quarentine. Mom got attacked by a beagle. Ha, it was pretty funny. We were walking towards quarentine and a customs officer with a beagle came walking by, and the dog made a beeline towards mom’s bag and wouldn’t stop pestering it. Turned out he smelled a bananna that mom had thrown out minutes before, as well as some seeds from the Botanical Gardens. It slowed us down, but I was so delighted to have contact with a canine! It’s been so long, and with living in the city, and my brother’s departure, I really haven’t had that much contact with dogs. And it’s killing me! The bed and breakfast we’re at now has a dog; I’m super-psyched to see him!
The beagle found the seeds!
We headed out to our rental car and it started to hit me; I’m gonna die in New Zealand. My dad has been driving on the left side of cars for roughly 40 years, and this would be the first time that he would be driving on the right side. First we started driving with the arrow pointing towards us in the middle of the road, which is generally not a good sign (pun not intended). After making a wrong turn we pulled off into a parking lot, regrouped, and dad prepared to turn right to go back. He turned, but turned into the right lane, straight into oncoming traffic. I yelled, “Left, Left, LEFT-LEFT-LEFT” and at first he froze, then slightly swerved right (which is instinct [and a terrible instinct to have in OZ/NZ/UK]) then swerved to the left and into the proper lane. One of the freakiest things I had ever experienced. MAN! Also, the turn signal switch is on the opposite side, so we kept on having the wiper blades going as we were turning. He turned into the wrong side maybe 3 other times, but towards the end he figured it out.
Daddio Drivin'
Minutes after the near-collision...
Our woes did not end there. We found the general area of our bed and breakfast, which was on the side of a hill with a tree-like road heading up it. Tree-like in that it started out as one road, then forked off and forked off, and wound itself up the hillside. Incredibly confusing. And it took us half an hour to finally come to our destination. We got lost so many times, asked a few Kiwis for directions, and the post boxes kept jumping 11, which is the address we were looking for. It was so frustrating because we were all at our wits end for having almost died numerous times-we just wanted to reach our destination and depart the danger that is misguided instinct!
But we did finally arrive, and the place is just beautiful. It overlooks one of the inlets here, and when the fog isn’t out the mountains are directly in front of the dining room (or so we were told). There is a beautiful garden that mom of course loves, and comfortable and clean rooms, along with nice hosts.
The miracle of Google Earth.
Zoomed in a bit.
Today is dad’s birthday, so we went out for dinner in his honor. We drove to a small little town and ate at a little hole-in-the-wall Indian restaraunt, with literally six tables. It was so amazingly good. I had lamb (yes, NZ lamb!) with coconut and mustard seed sauce. It was so creamy, and the meat so tender. It was a delicious dinner!
The Thai Restaraunt. Love that place! The guy was so happy we loved our meals. SO good.
It really has surprised me how different New Zealand is from Australia. When we arrived it was around 62° with mist hanging in the air. It actually reminded me a lot of Eugene and comforted me, the wet and moist air. Nearly everything other than the roads and buildings are green, and there are very few densley-populated areas, but most of NZ is farm land. We came across a few swamplands and houses nestled up on hills nearly hidden by the fog. It’s quite obvious why Peter Jackson picked this oasis to be Middle Earth. Everything is so natural, dense, and wild, green and luscious. It is as if humans are an addition, not a parasite. I’ve barely been here 8 hours, and I love it here. I can’t wait to see more of the island! The only problem is, we’re driving!!!
Below are Rugby videos. If you don’t think its hardcore, check ‘em out. It’s ridiculous…
Here’s the New Zealand national team gettin’ revved up for their match…
Parents with the Three Sisters
Parents with the Three Sisters
Originally uploaded by PeterJosef
Don’t know if I’ve ever seen a better picture of my parents, if I do say so myself! (Colors washed out, as usual. Thanks internet compression!)
