Well it’s about time I hear you say!

Sorry it has been a long time since I last wrote a bit of an update.  There are of course all of the same old excuses of being busy, work and holidays, but none of them can really be considered acceptable reasons to be so slack with keeping you up to date.

It is coming up to three years since we left Australia and headed across to New Zealand for a change of scenery and a bit of an adventure.  And the adventure continues.  Time has moved along at a pace that it hard to distinguish a difference between when we left Australia and what I did last week.  It all seems to have blurred in to one.  Maybe this is a sign of the adventure we are on, or maybe it is a sign of getting older.  Either way, it feels good.

We moved to a new house earlier this year. The little cottage we were living in was the original family home of our landlord, and she wanted to move back in after a relationship break-up.  There was no hurry for us to move so we took our time to search for the next great house to make our home.  We found one in April and moved what little we had with no fuss.  The new house is bigger, much newer and warmer so there were some nice changes.  It is also closer a tiny settlement which has a store and a great coffee shop (the only two buildings in the village) which we can walk to for any last minute supplies or a coffee in the sun on our days off.  It is also closer to the coastal town of Raglan, our most loved corner of New Zealand.  We did sell our cows though, which was a bit sad to see them go.  They all went to the same hobby farm somewhere near Auckland so I am sure they are happy.  The yard is bigger so more room for the dogs to run around and the view looks right out into the landscape compared to our last house which was nestled in a bit of a valley.  So, all up, it has been a good change in scenery.

We have been travelling around as much as time permits.  We spend a little over a week in Vanuatu in April.  We have gone out to a Pacific Island each year we have been here and so we hope to get to Tahiti next time.  We also travelled around the east coast of the north island which was the last of the regions in New Zealand that we had not yet conquered.  Can cross that one off the list now.  The most recent big trip ended just yesterday, after a week-long skiing/snowboarding trip to the South Island staying in Queenstown and Wanaka.  It was sunny the entire time so the skiing was great, although very bright, and school holidays had just finished so the place was relatively stress free.  Wanaka has been a favourite place ever since visiting there on our first trip to NZ and it has proved yet again why.  It was so peaceful and serene.  In many ways it reminded me of when I was living in Norway with the steep glacier formed valleys and countless waterfalls tumbling from the slopes.  Our next trip is already booked and that will again be to the South Island but we will go out to some of the islands that have become refuges for NZ’s rarest of birds as well as a visit to the sounds in Fiordland

Work is going well.  I am currently the acting Team Leader of Mammals which is a long way from what I thought I would get to do over here.  My boss is away on a long holiday and I got nominated to take on the role until she returns.  I have been filling in for her on her days off but nothing for as long as this.  What were they thinking, eh?  It is a good way to learn a lot very quickly and a small part of me will be disappointed when she returns.  There is an opportunity looming to become a team leader in the next few months, but there are so many other things to consider.  Like I started off saying, it has been three years and I find myself thinking of home more and more.  As for Phil, he is also growing a developing himself.  Apart from doing a lot of tiger training and becoming a primary keeper of the carnivore section, he is also one of the heads of the design team involved with building a new gibbon exhibit and modifying the tiger exhibit to accommodate more tigers.  Our year way from Australia to learn a few more tricks is really paying off for both of us.

The dogs are all good.  I am sure Flinders misses having goats to chase like he did in Australia, but we take them to the beach often and walking around the country roads around the house.  There is one goat down the road which likes to chase the dogs if they get too close, so that is their ‘fix’ of herding animals.  We also left our chooks at the previous house, so it’s just us and the dogs now.  A far cry from the days of our farm at Rockleigh back in Oz with all the goats, chooks, peacocks, pigeons, frogs, snakes, geese, emus, fish, guinea fowl and everything else.  I miss having lots of animals around us at home, but we really don’t spend as much time here as we did back in Oz.  Our days off are often used up going places and walking or skiing or just taking the dogs to the beach.  We wouldn’t have time to appreciate or properly care for anything else these days.  It will probably change upon our return to Australia although it has been good not having to organise someone to feed a hoard of critters when we go away.

As always, if you want to know more, I am still maintaining my blog that I started when I left Australia although I don’t update it as much as I would like.  It is now being archived by the National Library of Australia as material which they said was of national significance.  I’m not so sure about that, but just glad to hear that someone is reading it.

On this past holiday I promised I would try to write to family and friends more often so I hope this finds everyone happy and healthy and rest assured that I think of everyone often.

Hugs from Aoteroa

John

Time for another dust-off

At the end of this week we will be moving house again.  We have been lucky enough to be living where we are for over two years now, but the owners want to move back in and rightly so.  It is a beautiful cottage in a lovely location and we are surprised they havn't wanted to return to their family home sooner.  So, it's time to empty out the draws and take stock of our belongings once again.  Somne of my first postings were about packing up our lives in Australia in preapration for the move to New Zealand - Scattering the Seeds and Some Years Ago. It was both overwhelming and invigorating - sorting through the memoeries and clearing out the clutter.  On a much smaller scale, we have done this again, and once more I am swept away with the sense of change and renewel which this process brings.  I feel fortunate to have spent this time in such tranquil surroundings and was initially very disappointed to get the news of having to move.  This disappointment has pupated in to a promise of vigour and potential for the future.  We are moving to slightly bigger house not too far away and I am really looking forward to waking up in this new world.  Its only the beginning.....

A sunburt country...

When leaving my 'sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains' and moving across the Tasman, I never imagined that the word 'drought' would be used to describe New Zealand.  I understood New Zealand to be the land of green grandeur, rolling hills of lush grass, substantial rainforests, lakes, glacial streams and waterfalls.  Water, water, everywhere. Our first two summers here were described to us as ‘dry’ and drought ridden, which we couldn't balance with our Aussie appreciation of the terms.  The fields remained green the creeks still flowed and it continued to rain enough to maintain these elements of the New Zealand environment.  This summer has changed all of that.  By the end of autumn, the rolling hills had already begun to look unfamiliar to the impression I had acquired up to this point of time.  The local landscape has begun to appear more like our Aussie farm in autumn as the rain dries up and the greases all die – not yet brown, but no longer green either – a painful moment between seasons when I would realise the cool and comfortable winter has passed and the harshness of summer is about to strike.  So, the desire for more rain which played out its annual cycle in Australia has followed us to New Zealand.  You can guess what I will be hoping for Christmas this year……..

Raglan and serentiy....

Raglan is only 45 kilometres from Hamilton, yet it feels like you are in a far flung corner of the country, forgotten by the masses but enjoyed by a few. There is a low but significant range of hills which stretches along the edge of the flat Waikato farmland. This range separates the coastal communities of this area from the interior of the North Island. The road which crosses this range at its highest point is known and The Deviation, locally called the ‘divvy’. At this point it is not only the crossing of a physical barrier that you sense, but also that of a psychological one. Leaving Hamilton, it is a relatively flat to low undulating urbanised terrain, which gives way to ‘lifestyle blocks’, known in other countries as ‘hobby farms’, all compressed in to an uncomfortable example of urban sprawl. Crossing the divvy travelling towards Raglan sees an increase in native forests and streams, with larger agricultural areas lush with green pastures year round. Finally, this all falls in to the Tasman Sea with some extravagantly contrasting dramatic and serene scenery. Arriving in Raglan brings a deep breath, and respite from the rest of the world is inevitable as the overwhelming sense of arriving in a nurturing and welcoming place takes hold. Wooden cottages are strewn around the harbour and in to the hinterland. Friendly locals, an eclectic mix of hippies, surfers, fishermen and travellers all nod and wave as if you are lifelong friends and neighbours. It is a perfect match of scenery, lifestyle and serenity and one which I feel fortunate to have landed in.

Winter is officially here. The days seem shorter, everything is always wet either from rain or from dew, and the mornings will soon be getting frosty and even colder. YIPPEE! I have been waiting for this for a long time it seems; looking forward to the winter rains, the snowy peaks and the moods Mother Nature goes through to produce this fine landscape all around me.
In less than 2 weeks, we are heading south to the South Island for a few weeks of camping and adventure. Camping in winter I hear you shriek with surprise? We have all the right equipment and look forward to the company of nature and weather along our journey. We will be fine…..hmmm.
My next journey beyond that will be back to Australia in September for the second of my residential schools for University. This time I will be spending a week out at Mt Lawson Nature Park, between Albury and Corryong, where I will be trapping and monitoring all types of flora and fauna. Much better than sitting in a classroom.
My family recently came for a visit which was great. My sister, brother in law and two nieces hired a motor home and trekked off around the North Island, while Mum came to stay with us for a week. Everyone spent the last few days here at our house before flying back to Australia again. I hope they enjoyed it as much as we did.
Other than that, all is well on the home range. Work continues to take up much of my time, so lucky I have a pretty good job. We try to get out and do walks or go camping or other interesting things on our days off. This helps keep that ‘holiday’ feeling I experienced when we first arrived in New Zealand. As they say, all work and no play………..

Good Morning Sunshine

Here are the cows getting a morning feed in front of our house. Saves Phil from doing the mowing. Phil is loitering around on the verandah.

Our cows!

Prior to writing this entry, I went back and read several of my earliest entries leading up to our departure from Australia. I was brimming with enthusiasm and looking forward to the unknown challenges, both good and bad. I was optimistic about what potential adventures were in store for me and ready to embrace opportunities to go forward in my life, emotionally, physically and mentally. We have just passed the three month mark of our stay and I have got to say, all of those feelings and emotions I was experiencing prior to arriving in New Zealand are just as robust now if not more so. The transition period has been swift and full of activity yet nowhere near over. I can’t see this new environment ever becoming a staid and routine one, where everyday life takes over from the excitement of what each day is going to bring. Of course, not every day is full of vibrancy and awe with exuberance and happy smiles. Life is life after all. But there is no concern that things will grow old and comfortable because of the nature of what we are doing, who we are and where we are. Off the top of my head, here are a few of the big positives that keep me on this high:

We live in lovely cottage set in a beautiful location, summer is mild, the grass is green, crickets and cicadas chirp musically all day and night, the flowing stream near the house lulls me to sleep at night and wakes me gently in the morning, I work independently with the same goals at my colleagues, I can travel without having to reorganise my entire life, I have less reasons to be bound to the home on days off, I live less than 10 minutes to the Tasman Ocean with its beaches and rugged coastline, it rains, I get to go tramping regularly, we are saving lots of money so travel lots of travelling to do, our dogs are arriving next week from Australia, several family and friends are visiting us during the year beginning with my mum on Thursday!, I go to the gym every week and have lost almost 9kg since leaving Australia, I eat better and live healthier, we are off to the South Pacific island of Samoa next month, we have 5 chooks and to top it all off……….I feel great!

It's not how long you live, but how you live, that is the most important thing.

I’m not quite sure what I was really expecting with my arrival in New Zealand. I was a little too idealistic in my attitude of leaving many old thoughts and concerns behind as I left Australian soil for the green grass on the other side of the fence, known formally as New Zealand. Without realising it, I think I was hoping for an easy transition where everything would go perfectly and my life would be full of adventure and fun. Now that I have landed here, physically and psychologically, I have realised that no matter where you are, life consists of the same elements for everyone. The daily struggle of relationships- both old and new, of work – the eternal time consumer for life itself, and finally of leisure – the things that make it all worthwhile. I am learning now though, that while these elements and their issues will always remain, it is how I respond to them that will be important from now on. Relationships. Leaving everyone we know in one country and moving to another means that everyone we meet will be a new face, and maybe even a new relationship to develop. This takes time and effort and there will be no other way around, just time passing by and letting bonds by showing respect and interest in those around me. Then there is Phil, my comrade in arms on this adventure. Facing all of these challenges and changes alone could be daunting, but even more so with someone else. Once again, extra effort will be needed to increase my levels of consideration and patience with the one person I know can make this adventure even better than it already is. Work has so far been great, and I am looking forward to learning and growing through my new role and responsibilities here. Previous inconveniences have occurred when I inadvertently become involved in the politics of the work environment and this will be avoided by not being judgemental and remaining conservative in expressing my opinions. Leisure. This is what will secure it all together and there will be no stopping me. While the first two elements of relationships and work will be fraught with limitations, boundaries and the associated challenges, leisure will be the wild horse running free to balance the whole equation out. Bush walks, cycling, gym workouts, flying, driving, swimming, skiing and then some more bush walks from the tip of the North Island to the tip of the South Island, not forgetting the offshore islands as far away as Fiji, Samoa and maybe even Tahiti! Yep, no matter what, leisure is going to be the element which drives this vessel.

So, enough of the deep thoughts and contemplative comments and what is really going on? While I am being a little more realistic about the unfolding of his adventure it is still a great one to be on. We are living in a little unit on a farm about 15 minutes from the centre of Hamilton which is surrounded by green fields and cows, with fantastic views of the surrounding ranges. The zoo is about 10 minutes drive from our house and a lovely drive at that, through the countryside on roads lined with hedges and flowers and more green fields. Have I mentioned how green it is over here? I am working with the Chimps to begin with, primarily because two chimps from Adelaide Zoo that I worked with arrived here at Hamilton Zoo the same week. It was all a coincidence really, but it is working out well for them to have a familiar face in this new environment, and vice versa! The round also has Red Panda and Agouti (big rodent like critters from South America), so a nice variety. The zoo itself is quite big because the animal exhibits are enormous compared to most other zoos. Everyone is friendly and helpful and seem genuinely very welcoming. As you may have guessed from the opening paragraph, while I have no hesitation in meeting new people and making friends, it is almost surreal to be having to do this with so many people at once with no respite in familiarity. Hamilton is a small city (170000 people) in the centre of a productive rural floodplain. The fast flowing Waikato River flows through the centre and the area is fringed by low ranges with the west coast being about half an hour from town. The high volcanic peaks of Ruahepu and Taranaki are only a few hours drive away, Auckland is about an hour north of here and there is an airport that has flights to anywhere else we may with to spontaneously visit. With this picture in your head, I will sign off to contemplate once more life’s elements and the joys that they bring.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. (Theodore Roosevelt)

Some years ago I left Australia with an international air ticket in hand and just $38 dollars to my name. Somehow I managed to work and travel my way around the globe for the most part of a year. As my oldest friends will tell you, for much of my adult life it was a case of now you see him, now you don’t. Moving across the country on the spur of the moment, calling to let people know what I am doing after I have done it. So why is this move to New Zealand, a small hop across the ocean, providing so much more emotion for me? I lay awake most mornings before I get up thinking about this, not worrying but thinking deeply about what lays before me. I believe there is no answer to my question. Just let it be and enjoy the experience.

I am on holidays again and have continued to slowly pack up the house. Slowly I say, because I am finding it difficult to pick up an item and not remember where it came from, who gave it to me/us and what memories are associated with it. Then I have to decide whether to pack it into storage, give it away, throw it out or keep it to take to New Zealand. At the moment, that is what my life feels like – I am choosing the memories I want to keep and the ones I want to dispose of. It’s a bit surreal but at the same time liberating. This move is a great opportunity to clear out the clutter and material possessions which somehow have become so integral in my existence. Never have I spent so much of my adult life in one place – almost 8 years.

On the planning front, this is the latest. My dear mother and nieces came to stay for a few days and helped do some serious cleaning. Mum will be back in a few weeks again, when most of the furniture has been moved and we will get cleaning again. The emus went to their new home on the weekend and the last of my peafowl, pigeons and turkeys will be going this morning. This will leave us with a few chooks and the two dogs. It is so quiet around here now. We have been catching up with as many people as possible along the way and there are still more to see. I can only hope that we see everyone we want to before we depart.

Overall, while there are negatives, everything is outweighed by a renewed spirit of adventure. This journey is turning out to be much better than the original exchange we had planned. I will never thank the two NZ keepers, but I am glad they pulled out of the deal now. They were the worst part of this whole plan to go to NZ. We now have so much more flexibility with our adventure – where to live, car to drive, pets to have etc. We will be going over on our own terms and not bound by the association of others.

To sum up my situation at the moment, there is a piece by Michael Leunig which I have long cherished.

Overlooking my life so far
"In my life I had accumulated many things in my head - too many things. Memories, tunes, facts, fears, visions, loves, etc., etc. As many as possible. In a fertile mind, such things will interbreed. Mongrel visions are born; hybrid memories; inbred memories, idiot love. It gets very confusing.
I decided it was time for a good clean-up, so I emptied all this out of my head and pushed it into a big heap to sort it out. There is was - everything that was me, all in a big jumbled heap. I walked around it. What a mess!
Then suddenly I saw it in silhouette and realised what it was. It was a heap. A simple heap. You don't sort it out, you climb it. You climb it because it is there. Excitedly I clambered to the summit and raised a flag. I was now looking beyond everything that I knew. The view was simply…….magnificent!."