Van Diemans Land

Tasmania, Australia

From the Rainforest to the Reef

Cairns, Australia - Daintree, Australia  

Aotearoa

Roturua, New Zealand

As the orange bus pulls into the township of Rotarua the smell of sulpha fills the air. The best way to describe the smell of sulpha is like rotten eggs. I took a walk through the thermal wonderland.  Thermal pools bubble up making the sound of an old kettle and the frying of bacon. Smoke and steam rise up from under the ground through storm water drains and thermal baths and escapes through every crevasse. It seems as if the entire city could erupt any second

 

The People You Meet

Rangitata, New Zealand

I am in a dorm of ten tonight. The ten beds are squeezed into a small bedroom and the triple bunks tower close to the ceiling. Baggage covers the floors. But being crammed into a room with ten people I don't know can be a blessing. When you travel you don't just discover the country you are travelling through. You discover the worlds of your fellow travellers.

The Deep South

Queenstown- Stuart Island- Milford Sound- Queenstown, New Zealand

An Unremarkable Adventure

Queenstown, New Zealand

This is me flying through the sky's of Queenstown . 

Actually it's not really me. The truth is I spent an hour crying on top of the mountain that I was meant to fly off. My heart was beating too fast and I felt like the adrenalin was poisoning my body. In the end I could not bring myself to jump off.  Which is fair enough I guess. Who in their right mind wants to run off the edge of a cliff. Emotionally exhausted I could not even gather the courage to get the gondola back down the mountain. So I took the walk of shame all the way back down the mountain.

But I will be back and next time I will take the leap of faith.

Off Again

Sydney, Australia

I am off on another adventure.  I say goodbye to my little friends. They look up at me with their puppy dog eyes. "Can I come too", Ruby pleads. I give her a kiss and tell her she will go on her own adventures overseas when she is bigger. But for now she can go on an adventure in her imagination. She does not buy my response for a second. "I would prefer  to come with you" she smiles. 

The Long Journey Home

Changi International Airport, Singapore

The long journey home gives a traveler time to reflect, to conceptualise their experiences and what it may mean. My journey home will take over 24 hours which is a blessing in a way. Because it gives me time to reflect not only on my recent travels, but 2011 as a whole.

2011 was a year of discovery and growth for me. 2011 transformed my way of seeing the world and my place in it. I remember back twelve months ago. Checking in my bags at Sydney International Airport. I was about to embark on a journey that was so foreign to me. I was possessed by fear and questioned whether I would even make it on the plane. But I did make it onto that aeroplane, then another, and another.  

During 2011 I dived from the sky and under the sea. I travelled from the heart of Africa to the soul of Indochina. From the slums of India to the Himalayas of Nepal. From fields of gold in Indonesia to the villages of the South Pacific. I have laughed and I have wept. I have embraced both beauty and tragedy. I am learning that everybody has a story and a way of viewing the world. I have been inspired, and made many friends. I have supported children to walk and talk and had lots of fun along the way. But I know deep inside that my jourey has just begun

A Perfect Day in Nepal

Ghatghai, Nepal

The snow capped Himalayas paint the horizon. Birds of every colour flock together, hoping to catch unsuspecting fish. Crocodiles sun bathe on the banks of the river. A rhino saunters closer, so he can enjoy the green pastures. It is a beautiful afternoon in Nepal. As the sun sets, shades of orange and cherry illuminate the sky above and the water below. To the east the snow capped mountains shine like precious jewels. Village children pause their play to wave and say hello.  Soon the sun is replaced by the moon and a million shining stars. It has been a perfect day in Nepal

The City of the Dead and the Burning of the Corpses

Varanassi, India

Some call Varanasi the city of the dead.

In India, Varanasi is considered sacred. Hindi people come from far and wide to participate in ceremony, bathe and burn their dead. I am on a small boat that is slowly making its way up the Ganges to take part in a Hindu ceremony. On the river bank beside me they are cremating their dead in a mass Hindi funeral. This is done in open fires for everybody to see. Over 200 bodies are burnt in these fires each day. The flames burn 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The dead are burnt according to their class. Those in the highest class are burnt with the most expensive wood. In the Hindu religion it is believed that if someone is burnt in Varanasi on the ghat (bank) of the Ganges their souls will go directly to swarg (paradise) and be relieved of the torment that is (reincarnation) moksha.

The flames illuminate the darkness, which sends a shiver shooting down my spine. The sounds of chanting and music can be heard in the distance. I am given candles to lay into the Ganges. I am told to make a wish. I place my candles in the river one by one and watch them float elloquently beside the boat, then sail into the distance. I am not sure what to wish for?

Since being in India I have developed a deeper appreciation of how lucky I am. I did not know what to wish for because I already have everything I need.