Kia Ora, I love this country!!!

So yes, New Zealand is ridiculously expensive; its four dollars for a drink pretty much everywhere (juice, coke, coffee, ect), its about four to five for any type of pastry, ten dollars for the cheapest meal, about 28 dollars for a hostel... you get the picture. BUt that has been more than balanced out by the fact that I have had the best hitching luck, possibly ever!!! Not only have I had no problems getting ride3s I am often offered drinks, food, places to stay. The other night I got picked up by a 23 year old farm hand, that had majored in Eco-tourism outside Christchurch and got a ride all the way to Dunedin, down to the Catlands Forest, and then he brought me to the farm he worked on by Invercargill where I was fed by the family and taken in as one of their own. The whole ride itself was probably ten hours in total. Luckily we got along quite well and he would stop everytime someplace of interest came up and we would take pictures, so take that expensive tour bus!!! Ha! And the family was adoarable, they had two twin girls that were 5 and a boy that was 6. The next day they brought me to the Invercargill musuem to see the Tuataras and then sent me on my way, where short after I was picked up by a van of 30-year old lawyers from New York who reminded me of my college guy friends (The Onion) and we spent the day hiking and touring the Fjordlands and Te Anau, which at the end of the day the guys decided they were going to head on to Dunedin, so they gave me their campsite, for FREE> So honestly, in the past three weeks I have not had to pay for lodging once, and only occasionally do I throw down for gas (I did with the 23 year old cause he was broke like I was and went well out of his way to show me some sights). I absolutely love hitch hiking here I never know what it will bring, but it always invariably brings me knowledge, good people, and free stuff. Like the other day I was picked up by the national representative of a bio-diesel firm who filled me with agricultural knowledge as well as political knowledge. FACT: it is against the law to sue anyone. Everyone, even foreigners, are covered under the ACC for accidents so there is no need to sue (the New York Lawyers were not that happy about that). So Mom sleep easy at night, if I somehow get run over by a truck, the New Zealand Government will pay all my hospital bills as well as rehabilitation bills. As teh Kiwis say: Sweet As!

All in all, I find the Kiwis to be an extremely friendly breed of Hu-mans and despite the bitterly cold and wet weather (right now it feels like a harsh Oregon winter down here with blistering winds, I would not want to be here in their winter), it is absolutely gorgeous down here. Today I am springing a good chunk of money to go on a Milford Sound Cruise and get a paid for ride up to Queenstown, where I will splurge and stay in a hostel before hitchin up to Wanaka and couch surfing with a girl up there. Its impossible to do Milford Sound cheap as it is the most touristy place in the country, but seeing as everyone I have talked to says I must go see it. Even my friends who know me well, and know how cheap I am say that I have to spring for it, so... yay I declare today my only official tourist day in New Zealand.

After this its back to hitching, crashing on couches, camping, peanut butter honey sandwiches... you get the picture. I am actually thinking about heading back up to catch the rest of the Rainbow Gathering because I loved it so. Then probably trek Abel Tasman, go camping with friends, volunteer at Luminate Music Festival on Takaka Hill in Golden Bay, possible crash a wedding (ok, I was actually invited to it, I know I make friends fast... but I am pretty stoked on it since I have never been to a Kiwi wedding before. And randomly I already have a dress that I bought when I got here for "nice" occasions and immediately regretted cause lets be honest how often do backpackers go to "nice" occassions? But ya, my friend from Wellington invited me to come with him to a wedding of some of his friends and then back up to Wellington to crash with him and his housemates). Wow I feel like I have word diarreah, but the truth is it cost 6 dollars an hour for internet so I have to be snappy, and my bus to Milford Sound is coming soon, soon, soon... so lets continue shall we?

After Wellington, roughly the first week of Febraury I am going to head up to Keri-Keri to see my old friend Toby, stay on his farm, do conservation work in the Bay of Islands and just frolic in the warmth of the North Island. Then on the 20th of February its off to OZ.... ok enough catchin up. I will fill you in on more of the Rainbow Gathering occurances later. But for now I will exit with a rap I helped compose with friends before food circle, most of the lines are skeazy inside jokes but none-the-less (imagine it in a free-style rap form, us girls mocking boys that hit on us):

"I'm a healer,
let me feel ya
Iknow yoga,
let me show ya.
We can get freaky,
down in my teepee
I've got an amythest,
rub it on your furry bits,
I can be a little flaky,
but honey I know reiki.
IF my van's a rockin,
don't come a knockin'
We can go skinny-dipping,
Even if we are tripping
But when I take acid,
I go a little flacid.
Baby don't be modest,
Embrace your inner goddess
Even in the worst of weather
we can take a shit together.
I'm a healer,
let me feel ya
Come listen to my mantra
I'll show you a lil tantra.
Come on Rainbow Sista do the
Kundalini twister
I like your vibrations
in your chakra locations
So come play with my energy
I'll even let you finger me
Or you can sit on my face,
Down in the healing space
We can reach enlightenment
sleeping in your crappy tent
Don't mind my erection
in the cuddling connection
I know you're a vegan,
but what about semen?
You could use a meat injection
in your bakery section
Baby don't panic,
my meat organic!
I'm a healer
let me feel ya,
I'm a healer,
let me feel ya..."

Kia Ora from Christchurch New Zealand

So I will have to make this entry short becuase i am stayign in a house with ten other Rainbow Family, sharing one computer, bathroom, ect... but its been an adventure sthus far trying to get to the Rainbow Gathering. Luckily I have met some beautiful people here and am traveling with a caravan of gypsy women to the Gathering hopefully tomorrow. The original site for the Gathering got flooded, and everyone had to be evacuated about a week before I came so there has been frantic searching for a new site and one was finally decided on yesterday in Lewis Pass area on the road between Christchurch and Nelson in the middle of the South Island. Apparently it is nice, but filled with sand flies, a New Zealand delicacy that i have not ahd the pleasure of encountering yet. Anyway, it was a relief for everyone that a site was finally named and hopefully we can all get out of Lucy's (our gratious host) hair andgive her and her five year old son, Kaspian, some peace. It is quite lovely here. We are right on the beach and a German couple with an adorable baby are here as well, everything is done communally and we have kept the peace amongst the choas. Still I am happy to be moving on. Thus far all I have seen of New Zealand has given me the impression that is a less-diverse, less cultured Oregon. I know, I know, who woudl have thought I would ever call Oregon cultured or diverse but compared to New Zealand... it sure is. Also everythign here is about twice as expensive, probably cause their minimuim wage is twice ours but still, it hits my budget hard. I was also forced to buy a ticket to Sydney on the 20th of February cause you need a ticket out of New Zealand before they let you in and the internet was down in Nadi due to a cyclone that hit, wowsers that was a crazy day. Anyway, now I have a ticket to Oz, and have met a bunch of cool kids to kick it with there so it should not be half bad. There is also a music festival called WOMAD in Adelaide that a friend of mine wants to show me, and I am going to a festival here called Luminate. So when I get backto the States for our festival season I will have some international festivals to compare it to. Not half bad. Also I found a flight out of Perth to Bangkok for $124!!!! So Cheap, so it ends up beig cheaper to go to Oz, then fly straight from Aukland. That is if I do not get kidnapped by my beautiful Spanish friend, Barbara, to go live in Tahiti with her and surf and dive all day... tempting, tempting offer. We shall see, every day is a new days and it brings new treasures. Alright I should head to bead, and hopefully be off to the gathering tomorrow, which means no internet for a month (if it is a good gathering). So don't be alarmed if you don't hear from me for awhile... ciao, love and light! Oh and for any potential Rainbow Family reading this email here are the coordinates for the gathering:

Caves Stream.

It's in the way from Nelson to Christchurch, almost half way between this two. More preciselly, between Murchison and Springs Junction. Close to a town called Burnbrae (this is so small I didn't see it when going trough, maybe needed more attention)

On highway No. 65 there is a gravel road called Rappahanock Rd which then turns into Caves Rd. From there is about 30 min walk. The site is a beautiful valley with six streams converging into one. Gooogle Maps coordinates are
42° 6'21.90"S
172°17'4.24"E

or www.maps.google.com search for springs-junction

Drift-in, my favourite hostel ever!!!

I know its a bold, bold statement, and probably not actually true... but right now drift-in is my favourite hostel ever! Not only is it only 7 dollars for my own private room, breakfast, dinner, internet, and free rides wherever I want to go, but when I got here my old crew from Mana Lagoon were all chilling here and we had a glorious reunion last ngiht, sponsored by a bottle of JD (compliments of the management). No One could go anywhere due to the current monsoon that is surrounding us so the crew that left Mana had just been kicking it here cause the staff is div ine and this place is the epitimy of chill. Did I also mention free laundry, cha-ching! But basically I love it here and the crazy monsoons have made it so I don't feel so bad leaving this beautiful country. Maybe I will come back on my wya back to the states after the hurricane season. Ok I am off its time to play poker in the rain....

Bula, Fiji!!!

So since I am back in the Southern Hemisphere it seems time again to start blogging... and so it goes.... I love Fiji, absolutely love it!!!!! Love the food, the people are the friendliest people I have ever ever met, the weather is amazing, the scenery is gorgeous, and there is so much fun stuff to do. Granted I have not seen that much of Fiji, I mostly spent the last week in a paradise called Mana Island, staying at Mana Lagoon Hostel which was phenomenal!!! I could not imagine a nicer place to be... here is an excerpt from my journal on the island to enlighten one of the tranquil beauty of Mana...

"The sky is a light with a thousand colors of the sunset, slightly morphing every moment, giving one the impression that they are watching a symphony made by mother nature. The travelers and villagers alike have come to watch the giant orb slip below the horizon in a brilliant cascade of colors only brought by the winds of hurricane season on Mana Island. The wind caresses us all as we watch, laugh and love the sun down. Children are playing tag with the foreigners... 'run me, run me!" they demand in a jovial manner. And their game of tag brings joy and laughter to them that is as colorful as the scenery. This scene makes on happy to be in the presence of such beauty and in the company of friends, albeit it newly made ones. One would not know it form the familiority we all have with each other. Here away from family, we are each others' families, away from ones' best mates, we all become best mates. Away from our lovers, if we are willing and lucky, we find new loves. Newly made lovers caress each other as gently as the wind that blows in our hair, as softly as the pastels that light up the sky. Thoughts of home are far off in this surreal paradise. There is a truth I have found here in Mana and everyone, the locals and travelers alike, seem to realize it: the moment is now, and it is all that we have.
As the colors fade, and the stars struggle to make their entrance against the cloudy sky, the dancers get ready to make new light. They don their costumes and grease up their bodies. The travelers play with children, the lovers sigh, the villagers relax, the kava begins to flow, and the magic continues. It is all around us; blowing in the breeze, within us and before us. Experience the magic..."

Obviously, I was a bit ridiculously romantic in that passage, but Mana does it to you. The subtle blues of the sea and the sky, lull one into a sense of peace that one only finds in an island paradise.

My days consisted of a very flexible routine that follows: way up on my tent on the beach to clouds tinted with the sunrise, read until breakfast, each a delicious meal, then go swimming, do yoga, snorkel, explore the island, scuba dive or sea kayak, then eat a scrumptious meal, then another afternoon activity possibly making jewelry out of coconut shells, go for another swim, eat a delicious dinner, then some kind of evening entertainment frequently hula and Polynesian dancing followed by fire dancing, then us dancing, or cross-dressing night (so, so, so... funny), or card games and talking. Lots of kava drinking as well, bitter concoction that numbs your mouth and gives you a bit of a lulling buzz. The occasional midnight skinny-dip, you know the usual.

Probably the biggest highlight of my trip was when I was diving with sharks solo with an instructor cause no one else signed up... so there we were seeing an unreal amount of sharks. One came five feet away from me and just starred at me, no worries though, they are not dangerous. Anyway, after a stellar dive we resurfaced only to have the driver point out a pod of dolphins swimming by, so we quickly got into the boat and chased after them. We caught up with them and ran with them for a bit, they were doing flips and tricks with their babies (so adorable) and then we killed the engine and dove in and swam with them for a bit. Definitely my highlight. I felt like the sea just gave me an enormous blessing, and to top it off my dive instructor told me that in his 7 months working on Mana I was only the second person besides him to get to swim with dolphins that he knew of. I felt pretty special....

OK enough typing I must go eat delicious, delicious curry... there is a huge East Indian influence because the British brought over East Indians in colonial times here. Which has resulted in an unique blending of Polynesian, African, and East Indian culture, language and cuisine. mmmmm....

Robbed at knife-point Peruvian Hospitals... should have stayed in Huanchaco

So as I aimlessly strolled the streets of Lima, waiting to meet up with Whitney later that night. I heard my name being yelled across the square. I assume its anotehr traveler I have met somewhere along the way, but no its a Peruvian boy. And then he says, you know form Sun Valley, and it all comes back, its Fransisco, Marrianna´s (my roommate in Sun Valley)boyfriend. We are laughing hugging, he introduces me to his two friends Aldo and Martin, and we get straight to drinking and catching up. So we are having a smashing good time when I we decide it would be a great idea to grab some beers and a joint and go sit at the beach. So being with three big, local boys from Lima I think nothign of walking down the dark street to the beach. All the sudden three large men with knives are upon us, shaking my purse for everything they find interesting, my favourite necklace, my watch, my mp3 player, take my wallet, with my debit card and teh equivalent of 200 US I have just gotten out of the ATM earlier that night. The boys got everythign taken as well, wallets, cell phones, everything. And they were PISSED!!!! Apparently it was the first time any of them had been robbed in Lima. But honestly all was ok cause we had not been hurt, and I was unscathed... much worse could have happened.
But honestly not the best way to start off in Lima. Luckily they did not take the weed or rolling papers, so we ended up just rolling one in Parque Kennedy. Where, out of nowhere Gibby and Hamlin, two of my friends from Pomona, showed up. I knew they would be in Lima around the same time but total coincidence to find them, so they walked me back to my hostel where we kicked it and drank, beers they bought i was totally out of cash, and waited for Whitney. Anyway, long story short, no one takes my back up credit card and I am totally dependent on Whit for cash right now, at least until I can figure out how to get money wired down here or wired into her account.
So we grabbed Kimber the next day and booked it out of lima for Cuzco, only the night bus to Cuzco was somehow not running that night, and that night only, so we ended up comign to Huacachina and going sandboarding. Haucachina is a sweet little place to kick it by the poolside....
And the sandboarding turned out to be a fiasco!!!!
The dune buggy ride was afucking blast, ripping over dunes at extreme speeds as the sun was setting, absolutely gorgeous! And then came the sanboarding, Kimber and I strap in and I pretty much shoot straight down the dune and throw myself down to stop the speed, its a bit like snowboarding but pretty impossible to turn, Kimber fumbles down bit by bit, and so does Whit until out of nowhere she catches and edge and scorpions herself. Scorpioning is when you fall on your face and you board arches over your body and hits you on the head. So I rush over to see if she is ok, and there is blood, lots and lots and lots of blood coming out of her head. I cant exactly see where its comign from cause its coming from her scalp, in the midst of her hair but I take of my shirt and wrap it around her head to put some pressure onit and stop the bleeding and then we race off to the hospital.

Peruvian hospitals are shit, ther is nothign else i can say than that. You have to buy all the supplies from a pharmacy next to the hospital because they have nothign there, no gauze, no iodine, nothing... so i ran around like a chicken with my head cut off ttryign to get allthe supplies to stitch up Whitney´s ever-bleeding head, while Kimber is holding gauze toher head and translating everythign. Meanwhile, two different surguries are taking place, one man on life support, and one drunk who was puking and spitting at the nurses with a huge gash in his head....

Sheer insanity. Ok people are waiting for the internet, but main thing is Whitney is fine now and we are headed to Cuzco tonight, hopefully the curse of bad luck will be fixed then.

Today was a good day,

Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day. I spent all day yesterday with Sarah clearing out bricks and rubbish from the site where we are goign to build an organic garden, compost, and chicken coup for this school in Huanchaquito. My friend Sarah is an architect and was asked to design an organic farm and compost at this new school in Huanchaquito. The school was built less than a year ago by a Priest and is funded by charity because the surrounding area is so impoverished. But not only is the shcool funded by charity and free for the kids, they also get fed breakfast and lunch, which serves as some ofthe kids only meals. It is quite a beuatiful and amazing school. After working all day clearing the garden yesterday, and chalking the lines for the layout of it, basically lots of manual labor, we just played with the kids today. It really touched my heart. there is nothign like being covered in hugs and kisses from ten little girls after playing with them all day. It made my want to get all sentimental and break down in tears.
Its funny because I knew there had to be a reason that volunteering in Bolivia did not work out, and this is it. I really feel like this garden project is a great cummulation of my studies, experiences and travels. I am getting to help design and create a garden that will not only provide vegetables and nutrients for these children but also teach them about gardening and the ecosystem, as well as creating a compost for them from what I learned about vermi-composting in India. Also, its so important for children to have gardens to play in, to have a green oasis in a sea of shacks and desert. The Padre got grass donated for the school, and just watching how dilligently they water it and how proud of their GRASS they are. Its amazing. Its a real community effort at the school, most of the cooks are also mothers, and everythign just gets donated for these children that normally have nothing. There is a ball pit, toys, games, see-saws. And all in a matter of months.
I am really lucky to be able to witness the grwth ofthe school, but also to be able tohelp further it with skills I learned at school.
Yesterday, I had a moment of clarity forthe first time, in a long time, that told me that I was exactly where I wanted to be. Funny though, becuase I have to leave Huanchaco for two weeks to travel with Whitney to Machu Pichu, but then after that I fully intend to come back and help with the rest of the garden. At the moment we are still waiting for potting soil and other materials so this is the perfect time for me to go, but I hope I can convince Whitney and maybe even Kimber to come help with the garden and the school. Becuase i think they would get just as much out of it as i have been.

So tonights been a weird night...

To say the least, tongiht has been a very interesting night. Maybe because i was on a lot of drugs, but mostly becuase my friend´s Peruvian boyfriend just opened up his soul and recreated his life story to me and my friend Sarah over the course of an evening. But it was absolutely fucked, its weirdness only paralled with its honsesty. Bertos life and story plays out like godfatehr or scarface, so unreal it is reality honestly. But fuck man, thats a lot to take on when you first meet someone. And Sarah is living full-on after only knowing him for two weeks... imagine! I cannot even explain what went on this evening but only know that I felt suffocated by the relatinship and I was only an inocent by stander... wow some people rally have emotional baggage. WOW.