2014 trails & treasures

2014 Revisited

It’s been adventurous and exotic, fast & furious, creative and crafty, gradual and relentless…

At the end of 2013 the time came to leave Timor-Leste after more than a year, so I braved the stage choosing song over speech with “Pokarekare Ana & Hau Hakerek Surat Ida” accompanied by a lone guitar and receptive workmates. During 2014 the twin anthem became a regular item - sung together with Timorese friends at the Southern Cross, at a picnic in the Botanical Gardens, and at a Timor-Leste embassy reception, and even in the streets of Palmerston North!

Christmas 2013 was spent visiting the majestic mountains of Nepal & chaotic alleyways of Kathmandu - trekking gadget-free I marveled at the possibility of wifi at 3000+m. Diving into adventure for the New Year 2014 in Raja Ampat, Western Papua, in the heart of the coral triangle. Volunteering to go diving every day for a conservation project, I enjoyed vibrant marine scenes in a remote, tranquil environment with magical sunsets and movies by starlight. Next came massages, manicures and much relaxation in Bali…

Arriving back in New Zealand I had to look for a way to survive i.e. find a job or alternative way of staying afloat before too long. As a continuation of my holiday I focussed on survival at sea and in the bush.

Having just completed a relaxing 'cruising' course, I volunteered to crew. A $25 Naked Bus took me to Auckland and about an hour later I was at the helm of Montego Bay III, sailing out of Auckland harbor all the way to Wellington with 3 strange men. Fortunately the boys knew how to sail with and against 60 knot gusts. After a wild night from Cape Palliser I was relieved to be munching on bacon and toast in the sheltered Port Nic marina. During the year I continued racing with the crew of grand Illusions - with wild antics and strategic yet risky behavior, we crossed the line to the top of our division!

In an effort to become self-sufficient and develop the ability to survive in the great outdoors, I found myself blazing trails in the bush and making a cosy overnight shelter in the Rimutaka Forest Park in accordance with NZ Mountain Safety Council spec!

Dreams of busking for a living, or simply for fun, became a quirky reality as I frequented the Wellington Community Choir and became involved in the opening performance for the NZ International Arts Festival. What a buzz singing at the ‘Big Bang’ along with Kora, Strike, 200+ drumming school kids and an epic choir.

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAlDIcfADBw

Feeling inspired I then borrowed a tent and headed to the Womad Festival in New Plymouth -  so many amazing performances... music continued as I became a Balkanistas groupie at Meow, & followed So Samba and others around town.

The choir had a number of unforgettable performances -  in particular the Labour Day concert at the Regency Theatre in Palmerston North! Singing at the NZ music industry awards in a mock gospel choir - you had to be there but probably just as well that you weren't!!! Check out the final act (at 2hrs 38mins approx) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11311100 

Special music moments included Dave Dobbyn singing at a memorial at Old St Paul's, and performing This Love’ with the Orpheus choir - a tribute to the Pike River 29, the mining victims - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMrsH6dYwl0

Efforts to coordinate mind and body were extended through dancing tango - amazing to finally be upgraded from ‘eternal beginner learning to walk’ to ‘might advance and one day dance!’ - an improvement on my flashmob days in Timor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8EWRQYEBW0

I also branched out and tried Scottish dancing but only lasted a day - efforts to master steps were dreadfully serious! 

On a more serious note, I was busy getting careers counseling, rewriting my CV, and searching for jobs around the globe. Our of duty to the academic world and the possibility of a free meal, I delivered seminars at Victoria University and Otago University based on my tourism training project in Timor-Leste. I reviewed articles here and there and dabbled in writing between job applications. I was accepted to speak at a tourism conference in Greece after scribbling a quick abstract - when it dawned on me that I'd need to actually write a paper and even pay to attend my own presentation, my bank balance and mind froze, as did my feet. 

The job search took time - it was arduous yet interesting, as I researched several jobs, organizations, countries etc. in the process. After applying for a tourism-related job here in NZ at the Department of Conservation in March, I survived 3 panel interviews and finally started in June - very exciting!! No excuse now - got to do all the Great Walks - www.greatwalks.co.nz :)

Added bonus being at DOC has been the opportunity to continue learning te reo Maori, sing waiata, learn flax weaving, and stay at the Maketu Marae in Kawhia.

It's been a busy year but I've found time to hang out with friends and family - people from all continents and all decades, potluck dinners and sing-alongs, walks and talks, and side trips up the coast. Also been around for big birthdays - my Mum's 91st and my aunt's 93rd as we'll as friends' 50th, 100th, 150th celebration!! 

The year ended with a bang, a cousin's wedding, Christmas with a friend's family in the Bay of Islands, exploring historic and cultural heritage along the way, and then heading as far north as I could go - to Cape Reinga. The last day of the year I began kayaking down the Whanganui River - a wonderful place to begin the New Year! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeQgDIKYCWw

Happy 2015 - Time for more fun!!!