The World Won't Wait

Mexico City

2011-09-12T00:42:00.000-07:00

I went to Mexico City for a wedding recently and it was absolutely fabulous!

The city is so much greener and cleaner and nicer than I was expecting.

We went to Frida Kahlo's house and wandered through the neighborhood.

We also visited the National Museum of Anthropology, very very hung over.

And there was street art everywhere.

The city had a fantastic vibe!

The wedding was held at the Club de Banqueros and it was stunning!

As were my dates for the evening :D

They are both friends with the bride, Tanya.

We made lots of new friends.

We danced till 4am!

We drank a lot of tequila, I won't lie.

The DJ handed out slippers, which were life savers!

I had such a good time!

I would love to go back and spend a week and ride bikes and visit the pyramids.Nexxxxxxt time.

home sweet home!

2011-07-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

It took about 18 hours sitting in an airplane seat and another 10 hours in transit to get home from Australia. It was a great trip, but I'm so so happy to be home. It's the little things that I'm appreciating most like taking a nice long shower, sleeping in my own super comfortable bed and eating a delicious peach for breakfast. It really makes me realize how freaking great life is for me here in San Francisco.
Coming home after being gone for 3 weeks also sort of gives me the opportunity to press the reset button on life a little bit. I can't wait to get back into a regular yoga practice and routine. I want to try to cook more meals at home, and actually eat breakfast in the morning instead of just drinking coffee. I'm hoping to start back up into a little bit more of a healthy lifestyle as I get back into the swing of things here at home.
Thanks for reading my blog and following along with me on this latest trip to Australia. Much love <3!!!

More Roobaix goodness

2011-07-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

Nothing like having your portrait taken after you've been out riding bikes all day. Heh. But I guess that was the whole point. Before I took this photo I asked if they had a mirror I could borrow, and they had no idea what I was saying because of my accent. And they didn't have one.

This portrait was taken by Peter Bongiorno at the Roobaix finish. Here is a link to more smiling faces at the finish:
smiles-as-far-as-the-eye-can-see

And here are a couple videos from the 2011 Melburn Roobaix:

In this second video, they zoom in on my name on the registration list and I won the prize that he mentions for having traveled the farthest to attend.

The Roobaix was such a good time! Definitely one of the highlights of this trip!

Fraser Island

2011-07-12T14:22:00.000-07:00

This was my second time on Fraser Island.
The highlights once again were:
Lake Mackenzie, with it's amazingly clear blue water.

Catching the sunset down by the beach.

And of course, the dingo bar.

There was a really cute girl on our trip named Iris and she was from China and she cracked us all up with her antics (she would pretend to be so sweet and innocent and then she would drink more and stay up later than anyone else, lol.) She wrote my name in Chinese on this cup for me.

It was cold on Fraser Island. The morning we left it was 2 degrees. It was the only time I was really cold in Australia. Everywhere else, their winter just felt like summer in San Francisco to me.

State of Origin

2011-07-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

Queeeeeenslaaaanda!!!
We spent the night in this small town called Emu Park on the way to somewhere else, and it just so happened to be the night of the 3rd and final, deciding match in the State of Origin rugby competition. This was a big deal! It was kind of like our All Star games or something and it was the state of Queensland vs Victoria. We were in Queensland and surrounded by Queenslanders so of course we were rooting for their team. The series was tied 1 to 1 so this was the deciding match, and people had been talking about it for a week leading up to it. It was also our friend Cody's birthday.

We were told to wear maroon or red, absolutely no blue or risk getting beat up. They even got Cody a cake in proper Queenslanda colors.

The bar where we watched the game/match was owned by a lady named Pammy and she must have been Queensland's #1 fan and she could yell as loud as anyone I've ever known.

Everyone in the bar was rooting for Queensland.

Rugby is actually really fun and exciting to watch. I had a great time hanging out and drinking and watching rugby with the locals.

There was one really bad knee injury but the Queenslanders won! Whoo hoo! Shots all around :P It was a really fun night!

the animals of Australia

2011-07-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

This is about as close as I got to any animals on this trip. Ha! You know me... but my friend Jessica did the thing where you get your picture taken holding a koala and let me tell you, they are NOT furry and fluffy like you might think. Their fur is like wiry and not really soft. And they have giant claws that they will claw you with. And they sleep most of the time, so when you wake them up to get your picture taken, they are not exactly thrilled. But she got a really cute photo and I guess in the end that's all that matters, right? lol.

I wanted to buy some of this weird jerky to bring back to my co-workers, but it was too damn expensive so I just took this picture instead. I bet it's gross anyway. Ick.

crazy lil crabs

2011-07-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

Along Whitehaven Beach these crazy sand crabs roll up all these little sand balls. It looked so cool!

Whitehaven Beach

2011-07-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

This is winter in Australia... not half bad :P

On our sailing trip we made a stop at Whitehaven Beach, which is supposedly the 3rd nicest beach in the world. Not sure who named it that, but... I believe it! The sand is like 98% silica sand and it's so nice and clean and can even polish your silver. The water is crystal blue and there is no development on or near this beach. I definitely could have stayed there all day.

It was pretty amazing!

4th of July Sailing around the Whitsunday islands

2011-07-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

We spent two nights on a yacht sailing around the Whitsunday islands, which is sort of near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Boats are cool I guess, but I'm not really a boat person and I don't think I would have wanted to be on this boat for more than 2 days. But for 2 days it was cool. In fact, it was really fun! We had great weather and it was a good group of people. On the 2nd day our boat broke down, so the boat company called a sister boat over and we hopped on that boat and were going to go snorkeling and then that boat broke down. Turns out they had bought some bad fuel or something. So there was a little drama on this sailing trip but everyone kept their heads and kept a good attitude and in the end it all worked out fine.
I took a few pics:

At night you could see so many stars and the milky way. I don't know if I have ever seen so many stars! And I was able to catch the sunrise the next morning and that was also amazing!

shoe tree in the Cairns skate park

2011-07-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

We were walking along the esplanade in Cairns and came along this skate park and there was this tree with all these shoes hung up in it. I'm guessing that when the skate boarders wore out their shoes they threw them up in the tree. I thought it was kinda cool. I miss hanging out at skate parks. heh.

please standby

2011-07-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

I've been out sailing in the Whitsundays and now I'm in the middle of no where with no wifi so it's been hard to post. But I'll catch up soon. My allergies are going nuts which is kind of annoying but not really a big deal, just annoying. Hope that all stops before I have to get on a plane in a few days. Starting to get excited about coming home to SF :D

Canada day!

2011-07-01T03:29:00.001-07:00

So apparently Canada day is huge in Australia! Lol.

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Cairns!

2011-07-01T01:29:00.001-07:00

So I got up at 3am today to make a 6am flight to Cairns. I met up with the other 4 people from STA at the airport and we caught a cab to our hostel. We went to check in ... and we didn't have a reservation. STA gave us this free trip and then forgot to book us a place to stay on the first and last night apparently. Smooth, eh? The hostel said they were booked full but I asked them to make a phone call and see if something couldn't be worked out, and they moved some things around and found got us a room. But we couldn't check in for a few hours so I sat by the pool with my book. It's warm here and I'm looking forward to wearing to being in flip flops and hopefully getting a tan.

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Pay phones that text

2011-07-01T01:20:00.001-07:00

Yup.

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More pics from the Roobaix

2011-06-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Sam Allan from Onfire Design in Auckland for these pics!

crumpets!

2011-06-29T17:09:00.001-07:00

Crumpets are like 10 times better than the English muffins we have. They are less crumble'y and more Eggo'y and just way better.

Sydney!

2011-06-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

Sydney is cool, I guess. Seems like all there is to do here though is eat, drink and shop. Meh.

I'm staying right by the Westfield, so you know I feel right at home, lol.

we don't ride state side!

2011-06-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

There are way more tourists in Sydney than in Melbourne and I guess people need reminding.

Uggs everywhere

2011-06-29T16:49:00.001-07:00

Gross. I'm sorry. Not a fan.

mega bitch

2011-06-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, this post is probably going to out me as the mega bitch that I am, but whatever. I don't mind an Aussie accent on men, in fact, it's quite cute. But when girls screech in a loud Aussie accent it seriously makes me want to punch them in the face. It's so grating and horrible.

Oh, and... and... girls crimp their hair here as well. (Remember the 80's when we used crimp our hair and listen to True Blue?!) Yikes.

Storm of Swords

2011-06-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

On to the 3rd book, Storm of Swords. And it's so good!

I'm tempted to spend all my time in Sydney just doing yoga, sitting in the hot tub and reading this book. That wouldn't be so bad, would it?

Aussie Beer

2011-06-28T21:44:00.000-07:00

In Melbourne we drank Coopers and it was gooooood!

Not sure what we'll be drinking in Sydney or up in Cairns, but it seems like as much as Aussie's love their beer there isn't the same type of micro beer culture that we have at home. At least not that I've seen so far. Please OZ, prove me wrong!

$$$

2011-06-28T21:23:00.000-07:00

I just can't get over how expensive everything is here in Australia.

This second hand Alf tee was $65, on sale.

And when a $60 tee shirt is considered "cheap as" ... ugh.

I never thought of the SF as a cheap place to live until now. Traveling always makes me so thankful that I get to call the bay area home!

Yoga in Sydney

2011-06-28T15:57:00.001-07:00

Woke up at 6am this morning to do yoga.

Not like I have anything else going on, lol.

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Roobaix, part duex!

2011-06-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

The Melburn Roobaix 2011 was super rad and I feel so lucky to have been able to participate while I'm here visiting in Melbourne. A 1000 people registered this year, which is more than double the size of last year's ride. I think this is maybe the 5th year that Andy has organized the Roobaix and it's just grown every year. One of the things that struck me as being so cool about this event was that there were people of all ages and cycling ability. There were quite a few older more hard core cyclists as well as the usual young hipster crowd that I'm used to seeing at these kinds of events in SF.
I had to ride like 15-20K just to get to the start of the race. And I stopped for coffee around Federation Square on the edge of the CBD before heading east along the Yara river to the start at the Hawthorne Velodrome. At Federation Square I saw a bunch of people with bikes but I wasn't sure if they were heading to Hawthorne as well, or if it was just a coincidence. But then I saw some guys in FYXO jersey's and I knew they were going to the same place I was so I made friends so I'd have someone to ride with, since I didn't really know where I was going.

(There were so many catlike helmets! Me and my catlike whisper were not at all special at this event, lol.)

We waited around at Federation Square for a bit and then took off towards Hawthorne. It was a beautiful sunny day. A bit chilly and breezy but it felt good when you were charging it up hills and you wouldn't have wanted it to be any hotter or you'd be a giant sweaty mess. It was the perfect day for an alley cat :P
I met these Kiwis, Rachel and Sam and we ended up riding together. They live in Auckland but Sam had couriered with Andy in London and they knew a few other people there as well, who were also super nice.

(That's Rachel and Andy at the start.)
Sam did a lot of the navigating during the ride, which made the whole thing so much easier and so much more fun. It would have been really hard for me to figure out where to go all on my own, and your tendency is to just follow other people on bikes, but half the time they don't know where they are going either and so you waste time and get frustrated and we had very little of that. We made a good team.
There was no prize for 1st place. All the prizes were either for costumes, or I think there was one for best crash (a guy snapped a fork going up one of the cobblestone lanes) and then the rest of the prizes were raffled off. Although I did get a prize for having traveled the farthest. It was nice that everyone wasn't racing for 1st place because with 1000 people that would have been brutal. Instead it was more of a fun leisurely ride, although tough to be sure. There were 12 sectors of cobblestone lanes that you had to find and ride and then there was a question to be answered for each sector. The questions were like, "what number was on the flag pole?" Or "How many storys is #29 Parkhill Drive?"
We made it though all the sectors, which took us all over the suburbs of Melbourne. They said the race was around 40K's and it definitely wasn't the hardest ride I've ever done (Oakland Scrape was way harder, I think) but it was still pretty tough. Riding over cobblestones is not exactly fun. And even though Melbourne is pretty flat we definitely did a little climbing. But we got fabulous views of the city and rode through some beautiful parks and I feel like I got to see so much of Melbourne that I would have never seen otherwise.
At the end you had to drop your manifest in the gold box for the raffle.

And then there was a big BBQ and beers and music and prizes. The top prize was a trip to France to watch the real Roobaix and of course, a golden cobblestone.

They also gave away a Masi bike and another frame and some other stuff. All in all it was a super rad day and I made some new friends and had a really great time! Sam took a bunch of pics during the ride and he is supposed to email them to me, so if he does I'll try to post some up.
The rest of my trip should be a lot more chill. I plan on doing some yoga and soaking up some sun and finishing these books. Looking forward to it, heaps. <3!

Roobaix!

2011-06-26T05:10:00.000-07:00

so awesome! so tired! so a proper post will have to wait. but everything worked out perfectly. we had great weather and no crashes or flat tires or any kind of drama. although if I never ride a bike down another cobblestone lane it will be just fine with me. (that shit is rough!) buuuut if I had the chance to do it all over again next weekend I totally would. heh. anyway, more later. sleep now :D

sublet

2011-06-24T16:26:00.001-07:00

Turns out, everything in this house belongs to Indra since Brandon and Jess are only subletting for a couple months. Kind of explains the disco ball in the backyard and all the South East Asian Art. And the wifi password is goddess00. Naturally.

Guess how much a banana costs in Australia...?

2011-06-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

$3 f'ing dollars! For one banana.. Crazy! Everything here is so damn expensive. But then again, my friend makes like $23 an hour filing at a temp job.

Scavenger Hunt Day!

2011-06-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

Today I ventured out of the CBD and into the suburbs. I'm staying with my friend Brandon who lives in Brunswick West. (He compares it to living in San Bruno, but I'd say it's more like Daly City, maybe.) Brandon had to work today, but he gave me detailed directions to his house. The address is 2/7 Balfe Crescent, but he said that would only get me close. Then I'd need to take the first lane to the left and it's the first house on the left. I asked what color the house was and he said brown... but all the houses are brown. So he said he'd leave a magazine on the doorstep so I know which house it is and a key under the mat. (The 2/7 as an address was confusing to me, but the cab driver explained that 7 was the address and it was unit 2. Ah ha!) But still I was grateful to see the magazine Brandon left. Found it. Whoo hoo!

And it's such a cute place! With the coolest green kitchen!

And a backyard.

And wifi. So stoked to be able to crash here! (2 years ago Brandon let me stay with him in Wellington NZ when he was living there. I keep following him around the world, lol.)

My main goal for the day (besides finding Brandon's house) was to pick up a bike from Sasha at her shop, Pony Bikes.

We had exchanged a few emails and I dropped by yesterday to say what's up and to thank her for being so awesome. She had a friend who had a bike they were going to let me borrow while I was in Melbourne and for the Roobaix on Sunday. The plan was for me to pick up the bike today. Yee!

So while I waited for her call I decided to wander around Brunswick and Sydney Road. Since I've been to Melbourne before I don't really have any agenda or anything I feel like I have to see/do. So I'm content to just wander around and take photos. And there is tons of cool graffiti and street art around here!

When I talked to Sasha she said she hadn't had time to pick up the bike and bring it back to her shop. She said the bike was locked up outside her friend's house in Northcote, which is another suburb about two suburbs over. She said she'd text me the address and I could just roll by there and pick up the bike. It was locked up in front of the house and the key was in the mail box. Word.

So I was off to find this house and this bike. I had no idea how to get there. I passed a couple bus and tram stops so I looked the signs to see if any of them said Northcote, but they didn't. And I seem to have this irrational aversion to buses and trams and public transportation that I don't know/understand. So I hopped in a cab, as you do. Or rather... as I do. The cab driver had to use his gps to find the place and there was road construction so we had to detour, which made it hard to follow how we'd gotten there. I knew I had to find my way back on my own by bike so I was trying to pay attention. We pulled up to the spot and I didn't see the bike until I hopped out of the cab. But there it was!

Score! The bike was pretty small and had gears and brakes, which I was worried about. I can ride without brakes if I had to, and this city is way flatter than SF, but ... I'm just way more comfortable with brakes. And because you ride on the opposite side of the road here, my instincts betray me a little and I didn't want this to be any more difficult than it was already going to be.
But the bike worked out great!

I had no idea how to get back to Brandon's. Even though I had a map the suburb of Northcote was off my map. (Data roaming is way too expensive so I'm not using my iphone on this trip. Life is so much easier with an iphone!) I remembered passing a bike shop on High St. on the cab ride over so I made my way back there and asked the guy inside which way to go. And sure enough I was about to ride off in the exact wrong direction, which is often my first instinct. I was totally turned around. But the guy was super nice and he gave me directions and we looked at the map together and then I was all good. He told me I had a funny accent and I think he thought I was nuts for being way out there on a bike with no idea where I was. Heh.
But actually, the ride back to Brunswick was pretty quick and flat and getting around on a bike is soooooo much better/faster than walking. I had almost forgotten how much walking is for suckers. It really felt great to be on a bike! And with only a few minor detours I made it back to Brandon's.

I feel like now I'm a little more familiar with the major roads that go in between the different neighborhoods/suburbs. And I know I'm still going to get hella lost on Sunday but at least people here speak English and are super nice. Everyone wants to help a lost blond, lol. And as soon as I take out my map people are asking if I need help, which is good, since I think most of the 12 sectors of the Roobaix are going to be out in the suburbs and off my map. Not that these little lanes we'll be riding down are even on a regular map.

oh lolz. we'll see how we go!

soft frosting

2011-06-22T22:44:00.000-07:00

what you know about thissss? lol.

Federation Square

2011-06-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

don't trip

2011-06-22T22:35:00.000-07:00

Street Art in Melbourne

2011-06-22T22:26:00.000-07:00

Krispy Kreme... Really?

2011-06-22T19:27:00.001-07:00

Looks like the free wifi spots in Melbourne are mainly at McDonalds and Krispy Kreme. Super Lame. This city has such a cafe culture so I don't get why there aren't more free hotspots. Meh.

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Air New Zealand

2011-06-22T16:44:00.001-07:00

Their safety video features Richard Simmons and the flight attendant's outfits are hideous. What a joke! I didn't get upgraded but I got good seats and the flights were ok. But overall I'm less than impressed.

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wifi

2011-06-22T16:22:00.001-07:00

yo, melbourne... where the free wifi at?!

13 hour flight, Uready?!

2011-06-20T21:12:00.001-07:00

Feels like it's already been the longest day and my 13 hour flight hasn't even taken off. And then there's another 5 hour one after that. /le sigh
Time to eat some chocolate. (thanks karen!)

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$10.42 Blue Moon

2011-06-20T20:22:00.001-07:00

Oh LAX...

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Finally!

2011-06-20T17:28:00.001-07:00

Flight was delayed about an hour, but we are finally on our way, yay!

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Waiting

2011-06-20T15:57:00.001-07:00

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Location:SFO terminal 2

SFO

2011-06-20T15:55:00.001-07:00

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Location:S McDonnell Rd,Millbrae,United States

K, let's go

2011-06-20T15:53:00.001-07:00

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the dope spot

2011-06-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

sleeping in my own bed is the only thing I'm gonna miss.

...starting to pack...

2011-06-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

step one:

dig up travel essentials: suit case, bags, bike helmet, first aid kit, cards, locks, neck pillow, eye mask, ear plugs, silk sleep sheet, umbrella, rain jacket

step two:

gather reading materials and new mixes
(Send me links to new music, ploz!)

step three:

start filling the giant zip lock bags with clothes
(Like having drawers in your suit case, things stay separated and organized)

I'm going back to Cali, err... Australia

2011-06-18T22:03:00.000-07:00

WhooHoo! I leave for Australia in 2 days. I haven't packed a thing or even thought about what to bring other than this:
(I'm totally wrapped up in the Game of Thrones series and I'm on book 2 of 4 and hoping to finish them on this trip so I can read book 5 when it comes out in July. #dorklife)

STA hooked me up proper with this trip and the last 2 weeks is sort of a work thing. Best believe I'll be hard at work... sailing around the Great Barrier Reef, 4x4ing on Frazer Island and you know, doing the Cairns to Brisbane thing. I extended my trip a bit so that I could hit up Sydney and make it down to Melbourne and visit my m8 Brandon.

Stoked! "Bring Dayquil" he says. OK np, mai dewd.

OH! And have I ever told you how much I love the internet??! It's true. I do. I write for http://www.candycranks.com/ (not as often as I should, but...) and thanks to them I got put in touch with http://ponybikes.wordpress.com/ and they are going to lend me a bike to ride in Melbourne (fingers crossed things go as planned). Although, truth be told I also have a plan b bike lined up thanks to http://www.fixed.org.au/ (Before John Prolly jacked my thread. Ha! But not mad atcha.) The internet really does make the whole world feel like a small town.
#<3Uinternetz

Then someone told me about the Melburn Roobaix, which is happening while I'm in town. And then it was on. Rumor has it that 800+ people from all over Australia (and the world, if you count me) are participating in this bike race/ride. Rain hail or shine it's going dOWn on some of the most narrow, cobbley cobblestone streets in Melbourne. Registration was already closed but I emailed Andy of FYXO fame (I heard he used to live in SF) and he sorted me out. Soooo I'm going to get to ride in this sketchy ass race on a borrowed bike in the middle of winter in a town I don't know...

and I couldn't be more excited. yee!

And then last but not least, my Surefire fam put me in touch with some down under dubstep heads so we are gonna drown pints and light up the dance floor... as you do. And oh hey, peep my boy, EPROM throwing it down at All City Bass in Melbourne a few months ago:

(This is near the top when you google All City Base, lol)

Massive thanks out to everyone who helped with the networking and planning of this trip so far. (Melissa, Brandon, Meg, Sasha, Andy, Devin, Matt, Tey, James and Danny <3 x 100!) I'm going to try to update this blog while on the road, although I kind of have a lot on my plate, so we'll see how that goes. But it's like... pics or STFU, right?! :P dun worry dunny, you'll get some. so put me in your reader!

Gonna leave my heart right here for safe keeping.

Back in mid-July.
peace.

Burning Man 2010

2011-01-17T22:24:00.000-08:00

Soooooo... I went to burning man for the first time in 2010 and it was, for sure, a one of a kind vacation! It was unforgettable, but also really hard to describe, even for me. I've been meaning to post about it, and I have a couple write ups on other blogs...

here:
http://bikesnbruises.blogspot.com
and here:
http://www.candycranks.com

But it's really hard to try to write about the experience other than to just say that it was amazing/great and I highly recommend checking it out someday if you get the chance. I definitely see myself going back!

Shanghai

2010-03-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I never posted anything about Shanghai. I've been back in SF for a week and a half now and life has just been a little hectic. But needless to say... I loved Shanghai and the whole experience was fabulous!
Here are some pics:

whoa... leaving Vietnam

2010-03-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

The last 12 days flew by! Time is so strange that way. But I'm so glad I came! I got to see so many things. And I met some amazing independent women. (and uh... I shopped like, an insane amount). The only thing I didn't see was Sapa, so I guess I still need to come back someday.
My skin is really glad I'm leaving Hanoi. The air here is so dirty it's crazy. My hair smells like I've been hanging out in a casino, just from walking around outside.
So I'm out. Had to wake up at 430am, to make the hour drive to the airport so I can fly to Shanghai. OMG... so excited about the next part of my trip! <3!!

sickness.. it happens

2010-03-10T07:41:00.000-08:00

I don't know what did it to me.

The Pho...

The hot chili sauce...

The coffee...

Or perhaps,

it was the alcohol.
(but I only had 3 drinks, and none of them were shots, I swear!)

I don't know exactly what did it, but I woke up in the middle of the night freezing cold, shaking with the worst stomach cramps I'd ever had in my life (except for when I was in Lao). Then the next thing I know I'm burning up, sweating and every time I try to move, the cramps get even worse. I think I'm going to die. I just want my mommy. I want to curl up on the bathroom floor for a while, but I remember the cockroach I found in there earlier.

I throw up. I can't keep any liquids inside me. I'm worried about the 13 hour train ride the next day. I'm worried about getting super dehydrated. I know I have some pills in my bag somewhere, but I don't even have the energy to look for them. All I can do is lay there. Finally I fall asleep. When I wake up I find the pills and take them. I try to drink water. I go back to sleep. Jesse brings me bread but I'm afraid to eat it. It's pouring rain, which makes me feel a little better about not being able to get out of bed. A few hours later I manage to get up and take a shower. I feel better. The worst seems to be over. I eat the bread. I get on the train. I read and I sleep.

We arrive in Hanoi and everyone else gets on a bus headed to Halong Bay. (I've been there before and I don't want to drive another 3 hours after a 13 hour train ride). I hop in a taxi and head for the Hilton. My room isn't ready when I arrive, so I read some more. Have coffee and a croissant. My stomach feels ok. I get a massage. I check into my room, shower and nap. I try to eat some real food, and I feel sick again. Back to bed.
It could be worse, I know. But it could also be a bit better.

it's in the details

2010-03-06T18:59:00.000-08:00

I finally felt inspired to take some photos yesterday. Hope you like them! <3!

Pictures of Hoi An

2010-03-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

This is definitely becoming one of my favorite places!

Bikes in Hoi An

2010-03-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

There are bikes everywhere in Hoi An. I love it!

And as you can see I'm slightly obsessed with taking pictures of bikes, lol.

Today I might rent one and head down to the beach for a bit.

Dinner in Hoi An: Cao lau and Banana Fish

2010-03-06T18:18:00.000-08:00

Last night we had another amazing meal in Hoi An. We started with Cao Lau, which is basically greens, bean sprouts, these crouton things, pork and some noodles and some special sauce.

The recipe for Cao Lau is a secret. In Hoi An there are 6 water wells that were built by the Champa people (who were here before the Vietnamese people) around 1000 years ago. The local people still use those wells for water today and using that water for the noodles is part of the secret recipe for this dish. I think the other secret part is the sauce, which is a little bit sweet and totally amazing.

Then we had Snapper in a banana leaf and the herbs and spices used in this dish were absolutely delicious. I always think I don't like fish and then lately, ever time I eat it I'm blown away and this time was no different. It sort of tasted of ginger, lemon grass and ... I don't know ... good stuff.

The restaurant was down by the river.

And apart from a few bug bites, it was the perfect evening.

Bale Well = the best/most epic food in Hoi An

2010-03-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

This was for sure one of the most epic meals I've ever had!

The place is called Bale Well and it's tucked away in a little alley in Hoi An.

For 70,000 (about $3.50) it's all you can eat, bbq beef satay (or maybe it was pork, I don't know), minced pork, shrimp spring rolls, veggies, kimchi, peanut sauce and this super spicy chile sauce, and these rice pancake things with bean sprouts.

You don't actually order anything, they just start bring food out and it doesn't stop. The food just keeps coming.

Basically, you take all of that and wrap it up in rice paper and dip it in this super spicy chili sauce and/or peanut sauce and then cram it into your mouth, one after another.

And the lady who runs the place will make the wraps for you if she feels you aren't doing it the properly, or because she just thinks you need to eat some more.

We ate soooooo much! When I told her I was done, she said, "one more!" and took a piece of the satay and stuck it in the sauce and fed me from her chopsticks like a child. Then she brought out plates of pineapple and a bunch of hand wipes.

It was such an incredible meal and when I tipped her the equivalent of maybe $1 she totally got up and hugged me. So sweet.

After the meal we walked a little further down the alley to this little cafe and had white iced coffee, which is totally my new obsession. It was such a great day!

Nha Trang

2010-03-04T02:49:00.000-08:00

We got off the night train in Nha Trang around 5am and I was sooooo happy that there was a hotel room ready at such an early hour. Total luck. In Vietnam I find myself wanting to take at least 2 showers a day because it is so hot and sticky. So I showered, chilled out for a bit and then we headed to a beach that was about 20 min. outside of town near the airport (I didn't even know Nha Trang had an airport and I have no idea what the airport code is. fail.) I forgot the name of the beach, because I'm in bad tourist mode right now. And I haven't really been taking many pictures either. Sorry. It's like my mind is elsewhere.
Anyway, the beach was nice and pretty deserted until much later in the afternoon.

We started drinking around 10am and that went on all day and yet, I feel totally fine/sober(ish) right now at 530pm.

Not sure if the alcohol is just weak, or if I have some kind of new found insane tolerance, which does tend to come and go depending... and we did eat bbq and amazing food all day long too so I'm sure that helped. It was a good day, for sure.

AND...
I met a boy from Cambodia named Akim (although, his name is probably not really Akim, but something much longer and way more complicated). Akim likes to ride bikes and he has 2 bikes at home in Cambodia and one is a Trek just like mine. Crazy. And when I showed him a picture of my fixed gear his reaction was so priceless, his face lit up and he was like "no waaaaay" and it was the cutest thing I think I saw all day.
Anyway, tomorrow we are going to "hire pushbikes" and ride out to the temples and to some waterfall (that I heard has leaches). It's gonna be sweet. But it's not what you're thinking. It's not a date. We are just bike friends cause bikes bring people together. And it way beats walking around in the heat!

my last day in HCMC

2010-03-02T23:53:00.000-08:00

So today is my last day in HCMC. I decided not to go to the Chu Chi Tunnels today. The only reason I kinda wanted to go was to shoot an AK47, but I heard that it's really loud and hot and dirty and it's really just a bunch of war/anti-American propaganda, so I think I'll leave that experience for the next go around.

Instead I woke up and had some fabulous coffee.

Then went and took a fantastic yoga class.

Then had a nice long shower, super yummy veggie and noodle lunch and then did a little wandering and a little shopping and a little chillin.

I'm getting ready to take a night train to Nha Trang, which is like a beach resort town, I think. Can't say I'll be sad to leave Ho Chi Minh behind. This place is nuts. It's a total assault on the senses. And it's not that I didn't like it, because it was interesting and for the amount of time I was here (2 days), it was totally fine. Buuuuut, it will be nice to get away from the madness of the big city, I think.

Here is a lil video of what it's like to cross the street here in Ho Chi Minh. And this vid was taken at like 8 or 9pm, so totally not during any kind of peak traffic time. This is just how it is here all the time, completely nutso.

my first day in Ho Chi Minh

2010-03-02T02:45:00.000-08:00

After my leisurely morning at the Duxton I made my way to the Huynh Anh Hotel, which is in the more backer part of town. Jesse got there shortly after me, she is from Petaluma and we became instant friends. We decided to go out and wander and we found a little place with a balcony up off the street to have lunch, which was fresh spring rolls, (shrimp and something else, with a sweet dipping sauce and a super spicy one) and then chicken pho and green tea. It was fabulous and was less than $3. We walked around some more and it was really hot and so we ducked in for some frozen yogurt/smoothie. I found a yoga place that I'm going to try to hit up tomorrow at some point, hopefully. And then on our way back to the hotel we decided to get massages. I had a full body, hour massage and it was the equivalent of $5 USD. And it was fabulous, omg! I'm really digging this place already! Although, the Huynh Anh Hotel is a far cry from the Duxton, lol. Ants attacked Jesse's toothpaste the minute she put it down. Awesome.
Here's the view from the window:

And the view from the spot where we had lunch:

The view out my window: day 1 (HCM City)

2010-03-02T02:21:00.000-08:00

When I got off the plane last night after traveling for almost 24 hours I was such a wreck. I slept with a blanket over my head for the entire 2 hour flight from Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh and I know I woke up looking like I was straight out of night of the living dead or something. And when I walked outside the airport and into the 70 degree, 10pm, sticky heat I felt like I was walking down a runway looking my absolute worst, ever! It was like a bad dream. There was a roped off path through a crowd of literally hundreds of people waiting, anticipating their family member's arrivals. None of these people were here for me. But they were all staring.
"What the fuck am I doing here?!" I thought. And then immediately felt bad for thinking that. I've been wanting to come back to Vietnam since I was first here 3 years ago and I finally made it back so why was I questioning my decision to come?! I was just in a fragile state. I didn't mean it. I just needed a bed and proper sleep.
I realized as I stood at the ATM outside the airport that I did not adequately prepare for this trip. I had no idea what the exchange rate was or how much money I should take out. Luckily, there was a little sign that said a 40,000 fee would be assessed to any transaction ($2 USD) so I just added a few zeros and hoped for the best.
I got to my hotel, washed up and slept for 11 hours. Woke up, showered, ordered room service and sat sipping coffee watching the world outside my window. So awesome.

I'll be roughing it, for the most part, on this trip but I felt like I needed to start things off right, in a nice, posh place.

So that's what I did!

2/28: SFO - SGN via HKG

2010-03-01T03:03:00.001-08:00

omg.. that felt like the longest flight ever and I'm not even all the way there yet! I forgot about this hidden stop in Hong Kong (direct, but not non-stop, argh). It's not like my STA itinerary actually gives me any information :/ but I think that was just a 14 or 15 hour flight. I got on the plane, had a drink, ate, took half a pill, passed out for a while, woke up and thought like, "ok, for sure we are at least half way there," and then flight map thing said 8 hours left to go. ugh. It was rough and I was not adequately prepared. Not enough trashy magazines and too much time to think.
I did watch a super cute movie though called, Whip it, I think. It's the Drew Barrymore movie with Juliette Lewis about roller derby. So rad. Made me think that maybe I should try roller derby, lol. Then I read a short story that was really depressing about a couple losing a baby and their marriage falling apart. I felt all happy, sad, sleepy, confused, uncomfortable. Not cool. Kind of an emotional train wreck actually.
But, I did end up sitting next to the two cutest boys on the plane and they were very nice and friendly and we chatted the whole way and now we are all best friends. So that was pretty cool. Although, I'm already forgetting their names, cause I suck at names. Patrick and ... ??? I don't know. I don't even really know what day or time it is. The last 24 hours feel like an absolute blur, like did any of that even really happen?! For the last 6 hours of the flight I really just wanted to be back home in my bed.
But I did finally make it to Hong Kong. And I do love the HKG airport! It's so clean and quiet and has free wifi. I could totally curl up right here on the floor and go to sleep.
(p.s. and United sucks. Every time I fly United I feel like I can't believe how rude the flight attendants are and how much their planes suck. the food was horrible. standard. and there weren't even seat back monitor things, on a 14 hour flight, wtf?! and the flight was completely full, not one empty seat. thankfully I had the aisle and good people to sit next to!)

I luv SF!

2010-02-17T19:01:00.000-08:00

I can't wait to go to Vietnam (on the 28th)
But I still hella <3 SF!

Vietnam!

2010-02-11T22:38:00.000-08:00

I'm going to Vietnam! soon! whoo hoo!

Get FREE wifi on American!!!

2009-11-04T11:44:00.000-08:00

Get Free Wifi on American Airlines until the end of the year using the code: 2010LEXUSLS
You can take my word for it, or you can check their site for more details.
www.aa.com
cheers!
<3

Things I'm not used to seeing...

2009-08-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

Like water this crazy turquoise color. I guess when the glaciers move they crush up rocks and that dust gets into the water running off the glacier and so it makes the rivers this crazy turquoise color.

They call that dust, rock flower and I'm trying to remember if I've ever seen water that color before, anywhere else.

I don't think I have. (and I didn't edit these pics at all, lol. this isn't cheating, this is what it really looked like!)

I remember in AK the glacier had parts that looked like toothpaste, and I assume it's from the same type of thing, but I've never seen a whole river be this crazy color. Only in NZ.

I thought it was really cool.

NZ is just so beautiful! I tried not to take a bunch of boring landscape shots, but you almost can't help yourself.

It's just too great. So pristine.

And being surrounded by so much natural beauty makes you think about life on a much grander scale. (at least, it made me think)

In one of the books I just read, in the Thousand Splendid Suns one, I think, it said something about how, when you start noticing beauty, suddenly you notice it everywhere.

And I feel like that's especially true in NZ. It's all around you, all the time.

I'm so glad I got see it!

Snowboarding at Remarkables outside of Queenstown

2009-08-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I ever noticed it before but the liner of my snowboarding jacket is a bunch of random passport stamps. so cool.

I wish I had gotten to experience some freshies, but I'm not complaining. I mean, I was snowboarding in AUGUST! So even though the conditions weren't great, it was all good. Icing on the cake.

I had a lot of fun riding at Remarkables.

They had 3 terrain parks that were pretty sweet, although they were really crowded and I hate having to stop and wait at the top of a feature, so I mostly rode the shadow chair.

This was at the entrance to a terrain park that had all wooden features in it. Like rails and boxes but all made from sanded logs. It was cool.

I took all these pics on my last day of riding. Sometimes it's hard to remember to take pictures when you are having fun. Taking photos sometimes ruins it a bit, because it takes you out of the moment. It interrupts the flow. But it's usually worth it.

And that's why I like having a small (although that also = crappy) camera that I can just pull out of my pocket and take pics on the fly. I don't like to have to think too much about what I'm doing or spend much time on it.

Because that is my artistic process, it always seemed, to me, to be somehow less valid, like.. not real art. For me all the time and thought comes afterwards in the editing, which, to me, just seems like cheating. I don't know, lol. Maybe I shouldn't feel that way. Maybe it's just the end result that matters. ???

I took this vid. on my second to last run on my last day of riding. It was the longest run I could find, just a kind of narrow, not too steep, not too crazy run. There's nothing really special in this vid. I just wanted to see what it would look like and sound like. I feel like it came out kinda cool, but maybe that's just because I remember what it actually felt like. I don't know how it will look to you guys :)

so dramatic, lol

2009-08-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

I survived the trip home, no worries. (I luv that dramatic, I'm going to die last blog entry. the sick mind is not a rational mind. and they say that misery expressed is misery diminished, so...) But yeah, I got home yesterday. My mom was in town to pick me up, which was awesome! Especially since I wasn't feeling well, and the tire got slashed on my car while I was gone. So we got that all sorted out, with Eric and Jessica's help. And then she stayed for an extra day and helped me do laundry and go grocery shopping and deal with more car stuff. It was super nice. It's always good to have your mom there when you are feeling sick. I do feel better today but my ears are still all plugged up so it sounds like I'm underwater. And I feel a little out if it, jet lagged, a bit like an underwater zombie, I guess. But I'm managing OK. It feels good to be home, that's for sure. No place can ever quite compare to home. San Francisco is as good as it gets, I think. We have the best of everything. I feel so spoiled. I mean, I know I am... big time!
I have a few more pics from the last bit of my NZ trip. I had so much fun. It was all really amazing. And I feel like I've come home with a new appreciation for everything that I have living here in California and in SF. I am so grateful for everything!
I'll post a couple more entries with the last of the pics :)
And thanks to everyone who read my blog! I hope you enjoyed it.
New Zealand was a beautiful and amazing place and if you ever get the chance to go there you should do it!
<3

feeling ill

2009-08-21T23:24:00.001-07:00

my sinuses are going crazy. one of my ears is already all plugged up. feeling sick. and I have a crazy 21 hour travel day tomorrow. CHC - AKL - LAX - SFO. it's going to suck so bad. I'm afraid my ear canal might burst. is that possible? fuck, I hope not. I hope I surviiiiive. and then less than 24 hours after getting home I have to go work at Caltopia. I don't know how I'm going to maintain. Oh wait, that's right... I'm superwoman! hehe.
and I found out that one of my tires got slashed on my car. stupid kids. they got like every other car on the block. so annoying. oh well. shit happens, eh.

Books I've read so far on this vaykay

2009-08-20T19:37:00.000-07:00

This was a great book. The kind that's hard to put down and that haunts your dreams. It makes you thankful for your life. It's a tragic story about the plight of women in Afghanistan, but it's got a good ending.. the triumph of love and a glimmer of hope. I highly recommend it.

This was also a great book. It was uniquely written with a sort of dark sense of humor, and I love that! The book is about what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur in India. It was a quick easy read. Good stuff.

I really liked this book, although more for the ideas, than for the style or way it was written. I'm not sure I'd recommend it to everyone. I'm sure my parents wouldn't be interested, for example. But I thought it was interesting. The theme deals with a typical middle aged, well off, American and the feeling that although he is blessed with family and work and a good life, something meaningful is still missing. It's the story of one's man quest to put it all in perspective and gain insight into the deeper meaning of life.

And this is the book I'm reading now. I like it. It's a sort of psychology book dealing with the study of happiness, and one man's quest to visit the happiest places on earth. Funny, the countries he has identified and been to so far, have been some of my favorite places to visit. It made me realize that this is a big part of what I seek when I set out to travel.. happiness, a happy place, fun. And I think this is also part of the reason why I haven't been to Africa yet (well, other than Egypt, which doesn't count as Africa, imo) and why I have no real interest in visiting Cambodia. They don't at all strike me as happy places. Although, I do want to go to Ghana, which incidentally is the happiest country on the African Continent according to this book. I'd love to visit Morocco and Tunisia, but these don't really count as "Africa" to me either.

wierd fishy

2009-08-18T04:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of those weird days where I felt like I must have spilled my lunch down the front of my shirt because everyone was looking at me like I was crazy.

First it was the Kiwi driver. He asked if anyone had already booked their accommodation in Queenstown (because he was going to call ahead and arrange it) and I said that I had. So he asks, in front of the whole group of 2-minute noodle eating backpackers, “oh yeah, where are you staying?”
I sort of pause and glanced down and said, “the crown plaza. It’s right next to the… “
And he nods and says, “oh, I know.”
“It’s the end of my trip, so…” I said, as if I needed to explain myself.
He laughed, called me a “Flashpacker.” And then asked if he could come stay the night with me. “If you’re going to book that nice of a room… you might as well…”

And then the French guy at the rental shop, after letting me come behind the counter and check out all the boards finally asked, “Where are you from?”
And I said, “California,” like I always do, (never the US and never America because those words usually won't lead you to anything positive.)
And then he asked, “where do you ride?”
And I said “Tahoe.”
And he nodded, knowingly. “I haven’t been there,” he said. “It’s just because it never happens that a girl walks in here and says she wants the best board… and all this…” He had grabbed the toe straps off another set of bindings and was switching them onto the bindings that he was mounting on the Burton Dominant board that I was renting, adjusting them to be goofy, front foot out 13 degrees and back foot at minus 6.
We chatted a bit about conditions and about if TC was going to open the other half of the mountain. About how we both will ride pretty much anything and everything except the half pipe. I told him I was going to Cardrona tomorrow and he said that the best day of his season so far had been there, but he was going to Treble Cone. And I checked today and TC is still half closed. lame.

I really like this board I rented.

It's really soft and flexible but it still has good edges and doesn't feel sketchy. Although the nose did sort of slip out from under me today when I was doing a little nose press. I guess I'm just not used to it yet. But it feels sooooo much better than the other board I rented in Wanaka. And my switch is like fully dialed in now. I feel like I can almost ride as good switch as I can regular. OMG.. so stoked for next season! Can't wait to ride in Tahoe, which hands down, blows NZ away, imho.
And the guy in the shop is right.. most girls really suck at snowboarding. A lot of them look like they would be really good, they have all the gear and look hella styleee, but then they suck. Or the ones that are good, the best ones I've seen, can only like, hit a couple little boxes and rails. Why is that? I heard a couple of girls the other day talking about riding switch and working on 180's at lunch but I never actually see any girls on the mountain doing those things. Except me, lol.

The 45th Parallel

2009-08-18T04:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I crossed over the 45th Parallel on my way into Queenstown. The 45th Parallel is the half way point between the equator and the south pole. Apparently, only 5% of the world’s population will ever travel below the 45th Parallel. And now... I guess you can count me as one of those 5%.

Riding Cardrona and watching the Burton New Zealand Open

2009-08-15T02:57:00.000-07:00

Today definitely ranked in up in the top 10 of most epic days, like... ever!
It was good weather. No rain, but not too sunny, which saved me from getting burnt by this crazy NZ sun. The snow was a little hard, but fast and it was good.
Riding at Cardrona with sick. They still had the Slope Style course set up from yesterday's competition so getting to ride that was like... really fun and amazing.

And the mountain was big. I didn't have time to get everywhere beeeeeecause I was too busy watching the Burton New Zealand Open Half Pipe competition, which was so freakin' rad!

All the best riders in the world were there. The event was huge and the pipe was massive. The walls were 22 ft. tall and the pipe was 150 meters long.

and then, I got to meet Shaun White, THE BEST snowboarder in the world.

And he's super nice! I was on a flight with his mom and sister once, when they were on their way to see him ride at the Olympics in Torino and they are also super nice. I don't know why, but I always felt like after meeting them, that someday I would get to meet Shaun and then today, I did. I've literally had dreams about it, not that I'm obsessed or anything. But he is just such a freakin' legend. He can always find a way to step up his game. Today after the first round of the finals he was like 4 or 5 points down, and then he just came with it and busted some sick shit that nobody has ever done in competition before, back to back cork 1080's. Freakin' siiiiick. Here's his winning run. It's not a very good vid but you get the idea.

And I had so much fun taking pictures today! Those guys were getting so_much_air!

And they were busting huge tricks.

Some of the girls were even throwing down 900's. It was so sick.

And big ups to Burton for awarding equal prize money to the guys and the girls. Even though I have to admit that watching the guys is way more exciting than watching the girls. There is just a totally different level on insanity.

AND today I also got to hang out with the boys with the big cameras, which was totally awesome.

I had a super sweet spot to watch the comp. and all these professional photographers and film crews kept showing up.

Chatting with those guys was really cool. Talk about having a crazy and interesting life! And with my California accent they all just assumed I was here one of the riders so everyone was really nice to me. And the whole thing was just so random... that I happened to be here for all of this.

so cool. such a good day.

no heli-boarding for me on this trip

2009-08-15T02:43:00.000-07:00

So I was talking to these pro-snowboard photographer guys today at the contest, and they were telling me that a snowboarder they know just died in an avalanche heli-boarding down here on the South Island of NZ. They were out riding with one of the local companies and 5 people got buried and they were only able to dig 4 out in time. These photographer guys were saying that heli-boarding is really really dangerous and they hate going on those photo shoots (especially up in Haines Alaska) because they have kids and they always wonder if they are going to come back from those trips or not.
Talking to them made me realize that even if it's cheap to heli-board down here, it would be stupid to do it if the conditions aren't great and I wouldn't even be riding on my own board. The conditions have pretty much sucked lately. And even though I tried to rent the best board I could find, I still don't feel anywhere near as comfortable as I would on my own board.

soooooo... not on this trip. sommmmeday, maybe. but not anytime soon. gonna stick to the lifts, lol.

partying with pro-snowboarders in wanaka

2009-08-14T04:13:00.000-07:00

I feel like a few days/weeks ago I said I wanted to meet and party with some pro-snowboarders while I was here in NZ and now I can officially check that off the list.
tonight was hilarious!
it was so crowded.
the movie was sick.
a few of the guys were cute.
(devun walsh, gabe taylor and these two japanese guys who's names I can't remember)
but a few of the guys could have easily have passed for homeless.
the crowd and the other girls in the vip were amazing to watch.
the cops came.
danny kass gave me a pair of his new goggles.
score! (they are pretty ugly but I might use them any way because mine were hella fogging up today)
then an italian boy on a bike followed me home.
(but I left him outside on the sidewalk)
and tomorrow I'm gonna ride cardrona and watch the half pipe finals.
sweeeeet!

Snowboarding in New Zealand...

2009-08-13T23:36:00.000-07:00

would probably be choice if it wasn't raining.

I rode Treble Cone today and it rained on and off all day long. I guess they've had a warm spell lately so the snow was super slushy and the runs were really choppy and it was pretty rough going.

But I'll take slush over ice any day! And I still managed to make the best of it and ripped it all to shreds, of course. (can you see the rainbow?)

The snow here in New Zealand, and maybe all over the southern hemisphere... I don't know, is above the tree line. That was weird. I couldn't tell where the runs were because there was nothing separating them. Of course visibility was also shit.

I'm sure on a powder day riding here would be siiiiiiick.
My legs are pretty destroyed after today because it was so slushy and choppy. But I felt more fit than I thought I would, it being my first day snowboarding in months and months. But by the end of the day I had to mostly ride switch because I couldn't put any more weight on my right leg. And on my last run at like 330p, I literally could not see a thing. But it was a rad day, none the less.

And Treble Cone is cool. I bet on a clear day the view is amazing.

And I got one good photograph today.

I hope the weather gets better! I read that it might snow a little bit in the morning. Tomorrow I'm going to ride at Cardrona because that's where they are holding the Burton New Zealand Open and tomorrow is the Half Pipe Finals, so I'm way stoked to check that out.
:))))

Hiking the Franz Josef Glacier

2009-08-13T01:22:00.000-07:00

This glacier hike was a freaking “full on” intense experience.

It was pissing rain all day long, which shouldn’t surprise me I guess because the Franz Josef Glacier is in a rain forest and it rains about 270 days out of the year. But still, it was definitely not what I had in mind. I came prepared, in many layers and by the end of the day, even with the “waterproof” pants and jacket they gave us I was soaked all the way through to the bone. I have never been so wet and cold in all my life. And unlike with a day of wet weather snowboarding, there’s no taking a break for some hot chocolate and there’s no epic powder turns to make it all worth it. It was all hike and no downhill and there were definitely moments throughout the day when I wondered why the hell I had ever signed up for this. But then there were also moments, in the middle, when I realized that I was seeing an amazing side of nature, something that I might not ever get to see again in my life, and that many other people will never see, and so in the end it was well worth it.
The rental boots they gave me were slightly too big and were soaking wet when I put them on, which totally grossed me out. But they advised me that I’d be thoroughly wet in a little while anyway so it didn’t matter, and turns out, they were right. If you can picture it, I was basically hiking for like 8 hours in wet sloshy boots that were a little too big, in 3 bottom layers, 4 top layers and carrying a backpack, which was soon, along with it’s contents, completely soaking wet. Good thing I put my lunch in a plastic bag, although there wasn’t even any shelter to sit under ever, so we ate in a hurry, standing out on the ice in the pouring rain. That was a first. It was like you didn’t really ever want to stop moving for very long because then you realized how wet and cold and miserable you were. But in a way, that was good because it made you thankful for the challenge of the hike. And I could tell I was getting a real workout. I kept thinking that snowboarding, in even the worst conditions, would feel like a piece of cake after this glacier hike.
After driving for about 15 minutes we hiked for probably about 1.5 hours to get to the glacier. We had to walk through mud and a few small streams (hence the soaking wet boots to begin with) and then we hiked through a very rocky valley floor, where they glacier used to be a long time ago but has since receded. When we got to the glacier we put on our cramp on things, which I had never worn before, and set out on the ice.

We spent about 5 hours out on the glacier wandering over and through the crevices and ice caves.

It was really freaking cool.

I have walked on a glacier in Alaska, but it was nothing compared to this.

We had a new guide named Adam and he was way cool.

It was only his 4th time leading a group and at one point he got lost, which was fine by me because we got to walk through more crevices and see more of the glacier.

Plus it added a little extra element of excitement and some much needed humor to the experience. I wasn’t worried about it, but I think a few other people in our group might have been. After all, you surely wouldn't want to get stuck out there on that glacier in the pouring rain! And without a guide it would be really hard if not impossible to find your way out.

One girl in another group slipped and fell about 16 meters head over heels but wasn’t badly injured, just a few massive bruises. A bunch of people turned back mid-day because they just couldn’t hang with the weather and the cold.

But nobody in our group quit and nobody complained. I can’t say it was a happy, or even a good day, but it was definitely special.

And I don’t know if the pictures can convey the feeling, but standing on one of the fastest moving glaciers in the world and getting to duck into teal blue ice caves and climb through narrow crevices of glacier ice was definitely an experience I will never forget.

And once again, I’m so thankful.

I wasn't kidding..

2009-08-11T01:23:00.000-07:00

they do NOT yield to pedestrians here.

they will run you down.
also, I'm not sure what Rocket Fuel Sauce is, and I was having a latte at the time, so I didn't have a chance to try it, but I'm intrigued.

And here are a few other funny signs I came across today:

heh.

NZ rocks

2009-08-11T01:15:00.000-07:00

check out these crazy cool rocks I saw on the beach:

do you see the spiral on that one?

and then there's a circle on this one.
it must be aliens, lol.
actually, it reminds me of this Nova show I was watching a while ago about fractals. it was totally fascinating.
uh oh.
I just admitted to thinking last night's party was lame.
To thinking that rocks are cool.
And to watching Nova.
I guess I am a certified dork now.
whatevs.
dorks are cool.

I could have done without last night

2009-08-10T23:50:00.000-07:00

Lsst night...
Where to begin?
It was pretty awful all the way around.
I had to stay in a 4 person dorm, which was more like a cabin and it smelled like puke. I didn't see any puke, but I definitely smelled it. all night long.

The beds were horrible. really soft with a huge like dip in the middle and now my back is killing me. at least I was only there for one night.
We were in this random out of the way place and it was just us, so the collective "we" decided to have a dress up party. Tight and Bright was the theme. I figured that surely in my suitcase I had some tight and bright. I thought about my outfit for all of about 2 seconds. But some of these people went all out.

They bought tights and make up and took it way way too far.

I provided the pre-party tunes, they provided the hilarity.

Not that I don't like to have fun, cause believe me I do. But fun for me, does not look like this.

this is more like my worst nightmare.

thank goodness for alcohol. (and pills, lol)

and there was no wifi or internet either. it truly was like being in my own personal hell.

but everybody else had fun. and I mean, it wasn't thaaaat bad. it was just not the way I'm used to partying. (I'm used to being backstage or up in the VIPeee, hanging out with grown ups, having real conversations about life and politics and religion and love). I like to drink to relax not to make myself sick. and I like to go out to socialize and talk with people. I do not see the point of playing loud drinking games all night. Well, I guess it's what you do when you are trying to get the girls trashed so it's easier to get laid. It's cool. I get it. It's the type of stuff we used to do when we were like 16. Except even then, I feel like we were so so so much cooler. infinitely cooler, lol.
(P.S. it really is true that almost all Aussie girls are complete sluts and whores and I don't think they'd even mind me saying that. they are proud of their partying ways. and also, it's true that british girls tend to be obsessed with self tanner and put it on like everyday, which gives them this weird uneven random glow. i'm not hatin, I'm just sayin.)

Cosmic Love

2009-08-10T23:32:00.000-07:00

by Florence + The Machine is a great song.
==========================================
A falling star fell from your heart and landed in my eyes
I screamed aloud, as it tore through them, and now it's left me blind
The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out
You left me in the dark

No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight
In the shadow of your heart

And in the dark, I can hear your heartbeat
I tried to find the sound
But then it stopped, and I was in the darkness,
So darkness I became

The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out
You left me in the dark
No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight
In the shadow of your heart

I took the stars from our eyes, and then I made a map
And knew that somehow I could find my way back
Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too
So I stayed in the darkness with you

===============================================
I don't know... I like it.

yoU side by side mE

2009-08-10T23:12:00.000-07:00

just like two tall trees.

I've had a thing for photographing tree roots on this trip.

Not sure why. They just look cool, I guess.

trees are cool.

you're cool.

we're cool.

<3!

Walking in New Zealand

2009-08-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

There are so many trails and walkways here.

And the views are just amazing.

It's a great place to walk.

I love it.

These are some pics I took on a walk the other day from Cape Foulwind to Tauranga Bay. (sorry, I know it's kind of a lot of photos of the same type of thing, but I can't help myself. everything here blows me away!)

Nelson Lakes National Park

2009-08-09T02:59:00.001-07:00

This place is beautiful!

There are tons of hiking trails.
(this map just shows a few tiny trails near Lake Rotoiti)

We did a nice lil 2 hour loop walk today and then had lunch by the lake.

This is a natural reserve but there aren't really any mammals here, just birds.

No snakes. No poisonous spiders. No bears. Nothing to be afraid of here.

Except maybe the freezing cold water.
(some people did end up jumping in the lake. crazy fools.)

Welly: <3 <3 <3

2009-08-09T02:30:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that I loved Wellington?!

It's a hipster haven for sure. And while that isn't totally my scene I can still fully appreciate it's coolness.

I had fun Friday night out there. And it's one of those places that I'd love go back to... someday. Someday.
They even have a cable car in Wellington.

I think it's a sister city to SF and you can feel that for sure. Love it.

Brandon lives up on a hill at the top of the cable car (which takes you right down into the CBD). It's a super nice place and I'm so glad I got to go visit him there!

Just more New Zealand goodness. It's all around meeeee!

so grateful for this experience.

Huka Falls and some Randomness along the way

2009-08-06T23:47:00.000-07:00

On these longer bus rides sometimes we have to make random stops.

Some times it's a chance to look at some water fall or a river or something.

And sometimes it's just for a coffee.

Or to sort of just wander around.

To see what there is to see.

And even though it might seem like there really isn't much to photograph... I can usually find sommmmething

that catches my eye.

Gollom's pool, Ohakune

2009-08-06T23:38:00.000-07:00

When I told some people that I was coming to New Zealand, they asked if I was going to see the Lord of the Rings stuff, and that seemed like the most ludicrous question. I mean, I could f'ing care less about any Lord of the Rings stuff. New Zealand was here and was beautiful way before the Lord of the Rings movies were made. But some people care about that stuff I guess. Or it is their only reference for New Zealand, which is pretty lame, but whatever. So while I didn't do the hobbit town tour or any any of that crap, I did hike out to this water fall at Ohakune, which is where they filmed part of the Lord of the Rings, I guess. This was Gollom's pool, where I guess he sort of frolicked around in the water and ate a fish. (I don't really remember the movies that well, sorry). The place was beautiful. Movie or no movie.

can you see my shadow?

Tawhai Falls Walk

2009-08-06T23:27:00.000-07:00

These pics were taken a few days ago on a sweet little 2 hour hike.

I hella <3 Welly!

2009-08-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

Oh man, Wellington is cool.

It is so hip and artsy and fun and yet also really clean and safe and beautiful.

I definitely like it here. I can see why my Brandon moved here. It has a very SF feel. (minus easy access to good mexican and asian food, lol)

Brandon and I spent the day just wandering around the city and hanging out in cafes. It was rad.

Josh told me that this city has more cafes and restaurants than Manhattan. Can that really be true?? I don't know, but maybe it is. There is definitely a huge cafe culture here and a really good vibe.

We got so lucky with the weather. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. Perfect for chillin out in the backyard.

And for strolling through town.

Wellington's parliament building is called the beehive. Because it looks like a beehive, eh.

It was such a lovely day! So thankful.

time to relax and reflect in Taupo

2009-08-05T04:07:00.000-07:00

So today I had a sort of free day in Taupo. I could have gotten up at the crack of dawn and paid $50 for a shuttle to the nearest “ski field” but I heard it’s pretty sub-par up here on the North Island, and hardly worth it, so I decided to just sleep in and chill. So after about 10 hours of sleep I got up and made an appointment for a Swedish massage with Rachel, the owner of In Vogue Day Spa and Skin Clinic in Taupo. Now Rachel is no Sanling (my massage miracle worker back in San Francisco at Jin Bodywork for Women) but maybe it’s just that their techniques are different. It was a really good massage, just not in any way as intense as the pressure point massage I’m used to getting back home. But it’s funny, whenever I get a massage by someone who actually speaks English, they’ll say, “oh a little tight in your calves.”
And I’m like, “Yeah.”
And then they get to may upper back and they are like “OMG.. this is not normal. You are as hard as a rock. Does this hurt? Are you sore? Is it always like this? This can not be healthy!” She literally said those things.
It’s like I’m some kind of freak of nature or something, and I’m like “Yeah, I know. Yes, it’s always like this and that’s precisely why I’m here, so just work it out, will ya?” But those comments always make me feel weird. Like, why the hell am I so tight like that?! I don’t necessarily feel like a big ball of stress and tension in my mind, and yet physically, I do. I need to meditate and do yoga everyday and not spend so much time on the damn computer. I know.
I used to think that I couldn't do yoga because it is too slow for me (let alone meditate everyday, lol), but now I realize that because these things are hard, that is precisely why I need to do them. I’ve always felt like an urgent need to do active things (inherited from my mom, no doubt) like hiking, running, kickboxing or riding my bike because I feel like these things release pent up energy, and then also give me more energy. And I need all that energy because in my everyday life it’s like go go go go go go all the time. I feel like I am always in motion and it is hard for me to sit still. This is why I don’t own a single DVD. I don’t ever watch movies at home or even TV anymore, unless I’m sick and I never get sick (well, hardly ever). If I am at home with nothing to do (which is also never because there is always some task, some errand, sommmmething to do) I will just sleep.
But even though I'm constantly on the go, I do still have plenty of quiet time in my life because I realize this time is necessary in order to cultivate good thoughts and feelings, which in turn shape your life. I feel like quiet time alone is like a launching point for achieving your dreams. It's the opportunity to visualize the things you want to happen in life, happening to you. And for me that has been the extent of my daily mediation. And I can do that on the train or in the car or while I'm doing dishes, or anywhere really. But none of that addresses the physical tension and stress of sitting at a job on a computer all day. And I imagine that doing yoga and meditating properly everyday would make me feel a million times better. I only wish there were a couple more hours in the day!
I just finished reading this book called Breakfast with Buddha and it was good, not great, but good. It reminded me of a lot of things that I already knew but maybe haven’t thought about in a while. The book focuses quite a bit on how you can be a good person, and you will learn and grow and have a proper good life, but you might get that nagging feeling somewhere down the line, that something is missing. And all the major religions of the world are similar in that they ask you to change your spiritual condition by putting in work, be it through prayer or meditation or the way you live, the way you decide to think and/or the lessons you learn by living and that work will change the way in which you see the world.
It’s like when my mom bought my aunt’s old Subaru and then suddenly she noticed every Subaru on the road. And they were everywhere, and that was surprising. Like, “Hey, I never noticed that before” type of thing. In reality, nothing is different, nothing has changed, it’s just a temporary shift in the way you see the world around you that has you seeing Subaru’s everywhere. And if you are a person who has had bad things happen to you and you are angry then it’s easy to see in the world all the reasons there are to be angry. (I feel like this became the case with my ex-boyfriend after his dad died and it’s a huge drain on the psyche to live your life this way or to live around someone who is always angry. It’s no way to go through life if you can help it, which you totally can.)
So it takes effort, but it is absolutely possible to change the way you see the world around you. You create your own version of reality for better or worse and while we all want “better” I think most people do not understand how to achieve this shift in thinking, these little awakenings. And I’m sure maybe it comes to people in different ways at different times, but it takes some deliberate focus and reflection.
All that we are, is the result of what we have thought. And when you see how you and your thoughts make your own world, then you can also make it different if you want. Inside the big world that you cannot control, there is the small world of you that you can control. Everyday, many times everyday, you can go one way or the other way. You can go with anger or not go. Go with greed or not go. Go with hate or not go. You can eat to much, drink too much, obsess about sex, or not. There are always two ways to go. And these may feel like small things, small choices, but every day, across one life, across many lives, if you choose the good way, again and again, in what you are thinking and what you are doing then you will become a good or better person and your life will be easier and happier, not perfect, but better.
I THINK, LOL.
I do not pretend to know. In fact, I am sure of nothing in this world. Well, not true. I’m pretty sure that I need to take up yoga and meditation. Heh. I'm just not exactly sure how I’ll be able to fit that all in. But I’m sure a way will be revealed. Once you’ve figured out the “what”, the “how”, usually works itself out.
I don’t really have many pictures from Taupo because I spent all my time, sleeping, reading, eating, getting massaged and browsing through art galleries. It was a lovely day, really. And I picked up a few really cool artsy things, even though I said I wasn’t going to buy anything on this trip. Doh. I can avoid the usual tourist nonsense, but I’m a sucker for art and once I start spending money, it’s freakin’ hard to stop, and today was one of those days. Anyway, here are a few more random NZ pics that I’ve collected so far on this trip:

^^you can't see it because this picture is crap, but the bottle says "World Famous in New Zealand." I thought that was funny. This is New Zealand soda (they don't have it anywhere else, lol) and supposedly this farmer guy discovered a little geyser on his property that was squirting out fizzy liquid and so he thought he'd go ahead and drink some, and it didn't kill him so he added a squeeze of lemon to it, and there ya go.. L&P. It's pretty good. It's a lot like ginger ale and would go quite nice with Grey Goose, I imagine.

the Glow Worms and Black Water Rafting in Waitomo

2009-08-04T02:34:00.000-07:00

This experience, of Black Water Rafting through the Ruakuri Cave is one of those things, that, had I had to pay for it, and/or had I known what I was actually getting into... I probably would not have done it. Before I came to New Zealand I was really excited about seeing the Glow Worms. I wanted to see glow worms, hike the Franz Joseph Glacier and snowboard.. and see my friends. Those were my only wishes/requirements for this trip.
I thought I was just going to walk through a cave with glow worms and maybe take this little touristy boat thing, which I found out later is like the standard thing people do, but not what I had signed up for. Casey hooked up this rafting trip for free so I felt like I haaaad to do it. And I knew it would be cool. But what I didn't know was that the water was only like 50 degrees and we'd be in it for a few hours. I used to have to be at swim practice at 6am every day in the winter and the pool was cold at first. I always hated that first initial jump into the water. ugh. Had I known that the same kind of thing would be involved in this rafting experience I probably would have passed, to be honest. But in the end, I'm glad I did it. It was really cool and who really cares about being cold for a couple hours. It's just temporary discomfort. No big deal.
We had a big group of people on the rafting trip.

We had to wear thermal sweatshirt things, wet suits, a wet suit jacket thing, shorts, wet suit shoe/sock thingys and rubber boots and helmets.

The first thing we did was jump backwards off a 9 meter pier thing into freezing cold water. And I got to go first. Awesome! The water totally got all in your face your hair was wet and it was damn cold.

Then we hiked up to the entrance of the cave. (In all that gear, lol. I'm sure it looked amazing and I'm really glad there wasn't anyone else around to see us.)
We took this picture right inside the entrance to the cave.

Then we walked through water about knee high until we got to the part where you got in your intertube and floated. In some parts you had to like lay down on your back and the ceiling/rock part of the cave was like maybe a foot over your face. It was a little sketchy but that part didn't last long. And it was freezing! Have I mentioned that part yet? I could barely move my fingers because they were freezing. I guess it's how surfers in the bay area must feel. That's what I kept telling myself. It's just like surfing. People do that all the time. No big deal. But yeah, we were all freezing.

We had two guides, Aaron and Lucas and they were both adorable.

Lucas, in that physical, beautiful Maori man-type of way. And Aaron in that funny, young, lots in common, get you know you better later at the bar kind of way. I felt bad, when after hanging out and chatting with him all night, I dashed off to my room without even saying goodbye. Sometimes it's just easier that way. And I just learned a word for that signature move of mine, bailing on the party when nobody is looking, right before it gets too hyphy, is to, "Phantom". Hey, it happens, lol.
Anyway, the point of all this is/was the Glow Worms. For a while in the cave we all turned out our lights and floated down the "Black Labyrinth" checking out these green glow worms.

It was awesome! But turns out the glow worms are actually maggots and the glowiness is actually just their shiny shit. They lower these strands of stickiness to attract food stuffs, then real up the strands and eat their food and then they glow.

Eventually, they become flies and they live for 3 to 5 days and basically just reproducing. Ah, the fabulous life of a glow worm.
The cave we were in is something like 30 million years old. (can that be right? I'm not sure. but that's what Aaron told me.) When you think about it, it just sort of blows your mind. Blows my mind, at least, to be inside something where dinosaur type creatures used to hang out and where Maori warriors used to chill and explore. (Maori's were hella gangsta, btw. They would rise to power through violence. A couple hundred Maori warriors once totally defeated a British battalion made up of 1500 men with guns. And a Maori chief has all the power and so his words have power and people who go against you basically just get the smack down. so gangsta!) But yeah, to be navigating your way inside a cave that has existed for millions of years is just like, I don't know.. really cool. I mean the glow worms were cool too, but to me, just being in the cave was equally as cool. I've been in other caves on other continents and it was a different experience of feeling hot and claustrophobic and almost not able to breathe, and so I guess if given the choice I'd rather have this cave experience and be freezing ass cold, but not really restricted at all (except for in a few places), and of course to experience it with such fun, happy people.
If you had asked me yesterday if I'd do it again, I think I probably would have said no. But now upon reflection, I'd say I'd definitely do it again, and I highly recommend the experience (just maybe in the summertime, lol).

doing things I normally wouldn't do

2009-08-03T22:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I'm on vacation I feel like I should do things that maybe I normally wouldn't do. I mean, you guys know that I am not a huge animal lover. I will admire them from a far, but I do not feel the need to get close to any animal or even to really learn about them, because honestly, I could care less. But you know, I'm IN New Zealand, and if fluffy sheeps and rabbits are like a big deal to them and a part of their culture or whatever, then I felt like I should probably check it out. And um... LOL @ the experiences.

Apparently there are like millions of fluffy sheeps in New Zealand and like 19 different varieties or breeds or whatever you call it, and I got to meet all of them.

Then we watched a sheep get sheared and a cow get milked and what was even better than all that was watching the South Korean tour group next to me watch all this.

My favorite sheep was the Merino because A) it's hella fluffy and B) I got a really nice Merino wool hoodie to keep me warm when I went to DC so I felt a special sort of bond with this sheep. (btw, when they sort of part the wool on this sheep it's like super clean and nice, but the outside you see here is all dirty and gross.) Some of the sheeps had dreads too. And there was also a black fluffy one. That was my number two favorite. They were all really funny looking.

I was so afraid that being around all this fur or wool or whatever was going to give me a huge allergy attack, so I didn't touch anything.

I'd much rather take a stuffed animal over the real deal, like any day.
But what was even crazier than visiting the Agrodome, was visiting the old ladies who raise and shear German Angora Rabbits.

They have like 300 of them or something. And each rabbit costs over $2500. They are not pet-type rabbits. These fur balls live for about 8 years, which is way way longer than other commercial rabbits that get used for things like lab testing and/or food. One lady really wanted me to get close to the bunny, but this was as close as I could stand to get.

These giant fluff balls were the cutest things. And I loved watching them hop around. It really was adorable. But then they shear them, which involves tying them up and stretching them and shaving them.

It was freakin' traumatic. One girl walked out cause she couldn't take it. The fluff ball didn't seem to mind, but it was still... just... weird. I don't know. You feel bad for the bunny, but I guess their fur grows back in about 3 months. I'd say that was definitely the most random thing I've seen so far in NZ.

Hostal Life

2009-08-03T21:15:00.000-07:00

It's a long way from the Langham, that's for sure! But I'm managing. Turtle Cove in Whitianga has the nicest hostel mattresses in NZ, btw. And the couple that runs it is super nice and they put on a yummy spaghetti dinner.
The dorm thing was OK for me that one night, but I'd just rather have my own room and my own space, ya know? And that has been working out pretty good so far.

At the BASE in Rotorua my room slightly resembled a prison cell. There was no toilet paper in any of the bathrooms on my floor the entire time I was there. The bathroom sink area was fine, but the shower smelled of mildew and was pretty nasty. And their wifi was hella slow. But they had a heated pool and a huge kitchen and they gave me a bunch of free drink coupons, so there's that.

At the Kiwi Paka in Waitomo, I think they forgot to clean my room. There were crumbs all over the place and there was rubbish in the bin. I think the sheets were clean though. I hope! My nickname in Waitomo was "Cali" and I'm pretty sure I convinced at least one NZ boy to follow me back there eventually. Wherever I go I'm like California and San Franciso's ambassador, because I just talk about my life and everyone wants to come visit. And with good reason!

Right now I'm at the BASE in Taupo and I totally scored with this room. Everyone who works at the hostels has been way nice to me and I feel so blessed because all of this has been freeeeeeee. And I mean, twist my arm to play drinking games and pool while watching rugby. Things could definitely be worse.

The Lost Spring in Whitianga

2009-08-03T20:27:00.001-07:00

www.thelostspring.co.nz This place was awesome! New Zealand is full of geothermal activity which can create amazing mineral pools and geysers that spout fizzy soda water and all kinds of cool stuff. The story of the Lost Spring is that back in 1988 a man named Alan Hopping started digging on his property and tapped into a thermal mineral spring and figured out how to draw out that water from about 644m down. He worked for 20 years digging and building a series of pools and coves and hanging bridges and eventually a little resort/spa/restaurant.

The place just opened this last December and it is so sweet! You follow this path up a hill and the hottest pools are at the top.

And they are hot like hot tub hot but big like a pool. (And there is also pool side service and a full bar!) The water has a high concentration of minerals and it's really good for your skin (probably not so good for your hair).

When you can't stand the hot pool anymore you can walk down a bit to a bigger, cooler pool. And that pool also has little corners and hot spots and you can swim into a little cave grotto thing where there are amethyst all lit up.

It's like $15(NZD) for an hour, but I don't think they actually have a way of monitoring how long you are in there sooooo. And it was seriously like the best thing ever after a long day!

Cathedral Cove

2009-08-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

It was a nice walk out to Cathedral Cove, which is a beautiful little beach somewhere near Mercury Bay.

We got there and walked around the beach a bit.

It is a really cool spot and a nice place to hang out for a bit.

But then it started raining and it rained for the entire walk back.

And I was not wearing proper shoes and didn't have a jacket or umbrella or anything with me. But the views and the experience were way worth getting soaking wet.

my last night in Auckland...

2009-08-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

was heaps of fun, naturally. I love Kelley and all her friends. They were all so sweet and I'm so happy I got to meet and hang out with all of them. I hope they all come visit me in San Francisco soon. I was a little sad to leave this happy crew. (btw, when Kiwi's refer to "taking a picture" they say taking a "happy snap", lol)
The night started out with beers downtown with a bunch of STA'ers. It's funny to hear them talking about AA codeshares and folders and BIFL. The beer that I like in New Zealand is called Radler. It's hella good. (that makes a total of 3 beers in the world that I like. watch out now.)

Then we headed over to Ponsonby to this amazing little Tapas place where we had a few very nice bottles of wine.

The rest of night... and the rest of these pics... pretty much speak for themselves, I think. <3!

(these are blurry because you are seeing them through my eyes, lol. jk. it's cause I have a shitty lil camera that does horrible in low light.)

more Auckland street art

2009-08-01T23:32:00.003-07:00

and I only saw one fixed gear bike the entire time I was in Auckland. most of the bikes I saw looked like this one, although I did see a few bmx types.

Victoria Peak, Devonport

2009-08-01T22:53:00.000-07:00

Across the bay from Auckland is Devonport, another cute little spot that provides a great view of downtown Auckland.

And there are dormant volcano's all around Auckland and Victoria peak is one of them. Now it's also houses some kind of army bunker there and the vents for the bunker are made to look like the mushrooms from Super Mario Brothers.

Heh.

And you could also go down into this thing and look at this big old cannon/gun thing. (I obviously could care less about army stuff, but the view looking up and out from there was cool).

Auckland Harbour Bridge and Bungee

2009-08-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

I took a little walk out on the Auckland Harbour Bridge and it was cool.

It was really freaking windy and I just kept thinking, "don't drop the camera, don't drop the camera."

I didn't bungee off this bridge because it's only like 40 meters, and I feel like if I'm going to do it I should just wait until Nevis near Queenstown where you're 170 meters up over a canyon. But in reality, I'd rather spend my money snowboarding. Going to look into the possibility of doing some heliboarding. I heard it's cheaper there than in most places and that would be sooooo epic!
But I had fun watching other people bungee.

And maybe I'll do it. I don't know. And for the record... I didn't NOT do it because I was afraid OK?! shiiiiiit.

Kelley's place in Ponsonby

2009-08-01T22:27:00.000-07:00

It was so nice being able to stay with Kelley and experience "real" Kiwi life. (ie. living with no heat and insulation and with the tiniest bathroom sink with a separate spout for hot and cold water. confusing/annoying, but real life non the less, I guess.)

But her house gets great light, and her flatmate Bianca has fixed it up super cute.

And she lives in like one of the cutest poshest little neighborhoods in Auckland, Ponsonby and so I imagine her life is still pretty choice compared to most. I spent a night in with Kelley, swapping music, uploading photos and noshing on yummies.

And then on my last night in Auckland we went out with a few of her girl friends and had a really good time! I'll post those epic pics in a bit. Wifi is hella slow here and it's taking forever to upload my pics. But I'll get to those, I promise.
<3!

NZ Signs

2009-07-30T13:07:00.001-07:00

I don't know why I'm obsessed with taking pictures of signs. But I am. They strike me as funny, I guess.

the right of way

2009-07-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

In NZ pedestrians do NOT have the right of way. People stop and wait for cars. Cars do not wait for people. It seems like they would definitely run you down. And they drive on the other side of the street. It's a little confusing for me, so I always wait for the green little man to tell me when to go.

Also, they have TV's on the bus and it's usually on MTV and there are no commercials.

And they don't have those big guard rail fences on their overpasses. I guess suicide must not be much of an issue. Don't know.

The Auckland Museum

2009-07-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

The Auckland Museum was cool. I walked there, and of course I usually have to get lost (ie. walk in the absolute opposite direction) at least twice before I find what I'm looking for. But with no real schedule or place to be, I think it's better that way anyway. You see twice as much and burn more calories, lol.

The Auckland Museum was free or just a donation and it had some Maori stuff and some Natural History stuff and some other stuff too. I learned things. It was rad.