NZ Summer Pole Camp

February 20th - 23rd: NZ Pole Dance Camp

You know you have your priorities straight when you hitchhike from Picton to Queenstown so you can attend Pole Dance Camp. Point is, I made it to Queenstown the night before Pole Dance Camp started and boy, was I ready to get my pole on. #holla.

I have never been to a pole dance camp before… I have been to pole expo twice in Las Vegas and I had a blast, but I think I enjoyed the NZ pole dance summer camp more than expo. The summer camp was held at Queenstown Pole Dance Studio and it was a series of 4 days with 8 workshops and all workshops were with a different instructor. The workshops that were held include pole groves with Raha Star and Bobbi Gold, yoga with Anna Ashton, Contemporary dance with Lee, core training with Alaine, and pole moves and strength classes with Carlie Hunter, Andre Corey, and Amy. This summer camp provided such a great variety of classes for me to take and it helped me step out of my square and expand my horizon. #helloworld.

I’m at a point in my pole journey, where I tend to want to focus on doing the harder moves, the strength moves more so than doing the flow portion of pole which means, I probably have to work on my flow better since I hate doing it. I got my time schedule, went in with an open mind and learned some new strength moves, exotic dance moves, and some contemporary dance moves. Watch out world, cause I’m about to let me body move. #makethemovementmove.

Raha, the owner of the Queenstown studio set up a instructor showcase at one of the local fancy restaurants. We ate, drank and watched our instructors dance the night away on the opening night of camp. It was a great way to gain some inspiration from some of our #polecrushes and a great way to get to know all the girls who had come from near and far to attend the nz pole dance camp. At the end of all the workshops we also had a beach pole party and set up some x-stages, ate pizza and watched the sunset. I love this, the camp has around 100 people attending and it was so nice to get to know other attendees, talk to the instructors, and be with like minded pole dancers from the south pacific. Big thanks to Raha Star and all those who organized this event. #biglove

When I say I enjoyed pole summer camp a bit more than expo, let me explain a little as to why. At pole expo, you pay nearly $200 for an entry fee to see vendors (and spend extra money at the vendors booth, cause pole dance stuff is awesome), do some free workshops (but no free pole workshops and all free workshops are in a very social location, sometimes making it difficult to focus on the workshop). On top of that you pay $85 or more for a pole class workshop that has 20 or more people in the classroom. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, I love pole expo and I am hoping to attend it again this year as well. The people are amazing, the venue is incredible, and the workshops and private lessons are always fun. It’s a road trip that I always enjoy with my girls from Kairos Fitness and one that I hope to continue if at all possible this year. All I’m saying is it would be nice if at least one pole workshop was included in the entry fee for pole expo.

It’s like when you purchase an all inclusive cruise, everything is included on the ship except for drinks. With pole expo, you need to book the hotel for however many nights your staying and it’s best to book the hotel where the expo is being held, the convenience is so worth it. Then there is the expo pass fee, the fees for whichever workshops you would like to take, and don’t forget about the vendors. No, you are not required to buy anything from the vendors, but for me, I always stash away some money so I can buy stuff from the vendors. I love pole and yoga clothes and if I could I would run around in them all day. Generally I’m wearing them everyday anyways underneath the big globby clothing I’m forced to wear in “normal society.”  What I’m getting at is that buy things from the vendors whether it’s clothing, equipment, or memberships is worth it. It’s always nice to do something nice for yourself and for me, pole expo is where I put myself first and buy myself nice yoga clothes that I will wear forever and ever.

All in all, I loved pole dance camp, I loved the semi-private lesson that me and the twinsies took with Carlie Hunter, I loved the showcase, the beach party, and the pole jam at the end of camp where I could barely move because of #toomuchpole. Such a fun event and so glad I was able to attend it. #imisspolecamp.

Feeling Grateful

Throughout my hitchhiking experience on the South Island I just wanted to give a shout out to all the people who picked me up. Thank you all for the rides, the easy going car talk, and for the willingness to pick up a complete stranger. It feels good to put my trust in other people and to see it end well. I hate how so many people in the world have became so untrusting of others due to other peoples experiences with people. People are good. Some are bad, but a lot of them.. are good.

Why Hitch Hike?

Why do I hitchhike? 

Hitchhiking is known to ... not be safe and you know what, sometimes that is true. Sometimes, it's not safe to eat food off the floor either, but you do it anyways. 

That being said, I chose to hitch hike for three reasons:

1. I'm extremely low on money and it seems more worth it to me, to not pay for a bus.

2. I'm curious, so many people have completely closed off there brains to putting trust in complete strangers... There are good people out there ... and I was a little curious to see what good people I would find.

3. Science: Due to my curiousity I have came up with my own theories and hypothesis to see who will/won't pick me up. I would call this hitchhiking thing... a complete science fair project. That being said, I really did not like science growing up, but I do like people and it is both horrifying and rewarding to throw myself into a situation of the unknown and put my trust in human kind. 

That being said, I'm not stupid. I have a way to protect myself in these situations (2 ways actually).

Happy Galentines Day

BE MINE?? 

HAPPY GAL-ENTINES DAY
Feb. 14 - Well what is known as valentines day to most -- turned into galentines day for me and cindy. We went on the cutest date ever. Woke up, went kayaking to fishermans island and pretended we were stuck on an island like when we lived in Fiji. It sounds silly, because it is silly, but it was fun -- a wee bit chilly, but fun. We saw waves, and penguin rocks, and ocean things and island things (I'm very detailed here) and then we ate lunch and paddled on back. I think we are what a person would call "advanced kayakers" now because we came back through the waves and attempted surfing them with the kayak. We didn't flip over, so we must be good at it, right?

We finished off the night with a fancy dinner of ground hamburger, cooked carrots and potatoes smashed into a tortilla. It is what I would call these days - gourmet - and also it was fancy because me and Cindy's mom had a glass of wine with it. If you know of any guys who want to be "Swooned" by Brooke -- just tell them about my fancy dinner dates and my tarp tent accomodation with Cindy over Valentines -- that will get them.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISSY
Feb. 15 - It's my baby sisters birthday today and although I gave her a promo video of aging, a skype call, and a birthday song via skype -- give her a shout out, she is sweet, adorable and 13 now.

THIS SISTER --->>(LEFT)

SAVE THE WHALES:
In the evening of Valentines, we got word that the whales were stranded up at Golden Bay. We did our best the next morning to make it up there and try to volunteer and help save the whales, but the whales that could be saved, got saved and the rest... were not so lucky. Thanks to everyone who helped the whales out and volunteered -- you're amazing. 

LETS RELAX -- FOR HOURS.
Me and Cindy were quite tired... and feeling lazy so we went to a rock climbing camp ground and then headed over to a spa in Takaka. We then relaxed for.... 4 hours of spa time and then headed back to our campground and crawled into our sleeping quarters (her in the van -- me in my tarp tent).

BACK TO NELSON
Feb. 16 - All good things come to an end... Cindy, Kathleen and I went onward to Nelson and camped at Mai Tai Campground for the night. Cindy and I did a wander to the center of New Zealand and then chased sheep around for a bit (in a loving way). I may have pretended I'm a sheepherder and started singing, but you will never know because there is no videos of me singing "come my sheep," in a chanting kind of way. We relaxed and wandered around and then the next day they dropped me off at the bus station and I began my voyage on down to Queenstown. I took a bus to Richmond and then well... it was time to let the hitchhiking begin.

Sailing back to the South

It's summer here, but I feel like it's more of a continuous fall/spring. The weather is cooler because we are pretty far south and the ocean water is pretty cold too -- like California temperature, but cooler.

Anyways... enough about the weather.

REUNITED & SAILING SOUTH:
The day has come that I say goodbye to my dear Emily and Sara and sail to the south island again to meet up with Cindy! Yay! Emily was sweet enough to get me to the ferry and then I got on board with a front row indoor view at the front of the ship. A lady sat down right across from me and had her back to me... and when she turned around .... guesss who it was..... MOM... Jk, but it was my adopted parents sitting across from me -- Karen and Frank from Wisconsin. They are traveling around NZ for about 6 weeks and I ran into them up in Bay of Islands when I did a tour. We realized that we knew eachother in a stare of 3 minutes where it was mumbles and speechless smiles/nods -- seriously, it was quite funny our reaction when me and Karen realized we knew eachother! I love this small world brings people together. We sat there and reunited about what has happened the past 3 weeks since we last saw eachother and we were shortly joined my a guy from Belgium (Marcus) who turned into there adopted son soon after.

......

(Family Photos Coming) 

HITCH - HIKING ROUND 1
After a great boat ride reuniting with each other, we went out to lunch and then Frank and Karen dropped us off on the side of the road so we could hitchhike to Nelson #sorrymom. We got picked up by a young couple from Germany and went in the direction of Nelson and then when they got to there destination, we hopped out and quickly hitched a ride with a lad from NZ in a business suit. Turns out this guy use to be in the Olympics for paddling in 1998 and 1994. So that's neat... now he loves to mountain bike and he is a financial advisor, living the life in Nelson! Yess!

HITCH HIKE EVALUATION:
HH #1:
Hitchhikers: Me & Marcus (age 24/25)
Wait Time: 10 minutes
Gender: 1 Male/1 Female
Age Range: 18-24
Car type: Van
From where: Germany
Hitchhike from: Picton to Havelock (1 hour)

HH #2:
Hitchhikers: Me & Marcus (age 24/25)
Wait Time: 3 minutes
Gender: Male
Age Range: 34-40
Car: Sports Car
From where: Nelson, NZ
Hitchhike location: Havelock - Nelson (1 hour)

NELSON:
Once I got to Nelson, I looked at my bank account... it was getting low. It looks like hitchhiking around NZ til I get back to Queenstown is going to be what I do. I will offer to buy coffee for rides though... and tell my cat jokes too. The next thing I did was text my friend Wulf, because I realized that paying $30 for a hostel... was just not going to work out. Turns out, Wulf's momma lives in Nelson and she was more than willing to host me and share her fresh made wine and cookies with me! Thanks Nina!

The next day I wandered to the beach and then made plans to meet up with Cindy in Motueka at last. I caught a bus this time, because it was $14 and that was worth it, because hitchhiking from my location would have been very stressful and I probably wouldn't have got picked up because it was rush hour and I needed to get to the other side of the city to get a good hitch. Ufff -- so bus it is.

REUNITED WITH CINDY: 

My bus slowly rolled in and I text Cindy in hopes of surprising her. She was still at Subway so I rush over with my backpack and swing open the door to see her eating food. Yayyyy! 

Last time I saw Cindy was only in September 2014, but when she left -- my forever long relationship was coming to a close and I was all sad poopy face :'( - so it was very much needed for us to reunite ... when I am doing better and in a happier place than I was when she left. Anyways -- REUNITED -- Yay! Us three (Me, Cindy and her Mom) drove on to the Abel Tasman National Park and found a campsite and then got all settled. Cindy and her mom slept in the van... and I slept in my tarp tent that I got from REI for $8 before I left. A tent would make sense in terms of camping, but I was perfectly happy sleeping in my tarp tent instead. It made me feel -- like "Wander Woman", it made me feel like a "cave women," and it made me get more in touch with nature. (If you know me, you know I think I'm funny when I say that... and clever... because I am).

My home:

"You're never homeless ... if you have a tarp tent." - Brooke

Colossal Squid and Circus Play makes Wellington a Perfect Place

Feb. 9 - 12
Wellington -- a Windy City

It started raining... and pouring as the bus roared into Wellington. I was tired, hungry and so eager to see my tribal sisters! As the bus slowed into the parking space at the bus station in Welly, I got out, grabbed my bags and took four steps before the doors to Mcdonalds open and Sara and Emily welcomed me with open arms, french fries, and a soda. So good to see these girls!! We drove around to get some tea at this cute place and then went to a gymnastics place to pick up Emily's boyfriend. As soon as we walked into the gymnastics place, my eyes opened with aweee! It was beautiful and it made me feel like I should probably move to Wellington because they were very circus friendly. I miss circus life or circus wannabe life in Utah #kairosfamily.

Dreams do come true:
We all cuddled when we got home and relaxed before falling asleep and then the next day Emily and I went to the Te Papa Museum. This means... That I finally got to meet the Colossal Squid in Te Papa. The one, the only colossol squid on display and the one and only colossal squid that has been caught in the deep sea of Antartica. I watched a documentary in 2008 and when I visited here in 2010, I tried to meet the squid, but I was shunned because the museum was closing. I always said I would be back and see it... and I finally did. Oh Happy Day... Feb. 10 will now and forever more be.... our anniversary colossal squid... just saying. 

After the museum madness Emily went to teach yoga and I went to Cuba Street to pole dance. I found a studio online called Body Electric Pole Studio and decided to give it a whirl. What started with me attending open pole, turned into me attending a pole grooves and intermediate class. My body was so sore still from the Tongariro Crossing, but how could I say no to more pole. I miss pole, it completes me so I stayed and played more pole.  I made up a short little freestyle to my favorite song at the moment -- click below to watch :)

Click here to watch me Dance. Dance. Dance at Body Electric Pole

I got to the gymnastics place and felt absolutely ravished, but I wanted to play and so I went in and started working on my back handsprings for the first time... in a long time. I did it with froggy legs and well, I'm pretty happy with that. #HighFiveSelf I want to live here and play circus all the time. weeeeeee.... I'm tempted.. I'm not going to lie! 

AND THEN: Emily and I woke up feeling rather lazy the next day -- Feb. 12 -- but once we did, we drove over to Breaker Bay and walked along the beach and then joined her loverboy at a cute little restaurant called "The Gypsy Kitchen." This place was adorable. They cook... whatever the feel like cooking out of organic ingredients and then they sell it ... for whatever price they feel like selling it for. They say the price on the spot generally and have a very lovely area to sit in as well. On a side note -- I just found out on these places opened in Queenstown -- goodbye money... not that I have much left (hahaha -- seriously though).

Evening came by and Sara came and joined forces with us and we went to do the Kiwi thing since we had a nice sunny day with little to no wind in Welly. We got fish and chips and went down to the wharf where there was a playground. Such good company... and such a good sunset... and such a good playground.

 Tomorrow I leave Wellington and it's bitter sweet, I feel like me, Sara and Emily have been friends for ages and I know I'll see them again, but I felt at home a bit in Wellington with them. I even got to do my laundry at Emily's and she let me leave my clothes in the dryer all day... because it made me feel like I was at home for a bit. That was a good feeling ... not going to lie.. tomorrow -- on the road again. 

Okahune to Mt. Doom

Tongariro Crossing:
Feb. 7 - Today I woke up bright and early to hike the tongariro crossing. I decided early on the drive there that I must hike Mt. Ngauruhoe (Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings) even tho it would be a massive time crunch! I started the hike casually talking to people because it was a busy day on the trail.  When I got to the base of Mt. Doom I went into power mode and ditched all potential friends because I was on a mission. I must get to the top of this volcano as soon as possible so I can catch my bus and finish the trail.

 Like any steep slope, you can imagine it sucked going up, walk three steps, slide down one (it was that steep), but eventually in about an hours time, I made it to the top. I decided to walk the full top ridges over there connecting with the volcano rim and it was pretty neat. The rock was warm, not cause of the sun, but because it is an active volcano. "HEY YO! This volcano was interesting because it had the hot/cold sensation. Like I said earlier, the volcano was warm in some areas, where as other areas had these jagged cuts of ice layering the rocks on the top portion in and around the volcano. #crazy.

 

 And then... the emerald lakes. ahhhhh. glorious.

 

The hike continued and there was 3 volcanic pools later on and they were all of the pretty colors (Blue, Teal, Turquoise). We were walking on active volcanic land throughout the end of the hike and I soon I realized that the trail signs said three and a half hours left.... and I had 2 and a half hours to make it to the end of the trail in time to catch my bus. I started jogging through a maze of people and then I had to run the last 45 minutes of the trail in hopes of making it in time. I barely made it, 7 blisters later, shoes full of sand, sweaty face, and dehydrated. I really hate running, but when you spend $45 for a bus then you don't want to risk getting stranded, having to spend more money for a pick up, or sitting around in the middle of no where hoping for a pick up. This hike was prettty. I like it, if you get the chance to do it, I highly recommend it and if you dare climb Mt. Ngauruhoe, I highly recommend it. Volcanoes are ... so neat... unless they erupt when you're on them, in which case you may die... and thats not so neat.

WWOOFING
Feb. 8 - Slept in and wwoofed again at Station Lodge. WWOOFing is volunteer work. Generally, it means, "Willing Workers on Organic Farms," however, other tourism and hospitality jobs occasionally have trade work in housekeeping, gardening, or diners as well. In my case, station lodge had just had a wwoofer move on and I was short on money (it runs out fast)! I asked if they needed any assistance in trade for accommodation and I was in luck. Normally you have to commit a couple weeks, but I was in luck and did a 3 hour shift each day in exchange for accomodation.

Relax?? Or Not
Feb. 8 - My plan was to relax, but I ended up meeting up with a friend and learning how to drive stick. We went up and took a look at a ski resort Mt. Rapehu, I think, and then he offered to teach me how to drive and since... I have never done it because no one wanted to teach me. I figured yes yes yes. I'm really good at it, when I focus and I almost want a car that is Manuel now (almost). 


On the Road Again:
Feb. 9 - I woke up and packed, sad day and then met up with farmer friend and got a light snack and coffee. I'm taking a bus to wellington today and meetig up with my tribe girls Emily and Sara in welly tonight, but kinda sad to be leaving ohakune...(bitter-sweet). Made it to Wellington and I was reunited with Emily and Sara again!

Raglan... And onward to Okahune

I like Sunflowers: They are my Favorite.

Feb. 3

Well I'm at a place called "Scott's Place" and it has a nice little zen garden. Got a ride into town and swam in the ocean at ngarunui beach in raglan... I like this place.

Feb. 4

Went to town and hitchhiker to solscape to see an old co-worker. This resort was neat because it had teepees and earth domes. I could work here. I also lost my phone and I went back to try and find it and got lucky. Someone turned it into i site. 

Feb. 5

Happy two month anniversary self, I've been in nz for 2 months. 

 

I decided attempt to surf today. I did catch a wave and I did stand up and actually surf. I also got out and paddled thru the surge and... Oh my hell, the waves, the ocean was a powerful force. I later got abandoned by my ride which was fine because they I got to be free. I swam in the ocean and laughed as the current tried to pull me out, it was quite the workout I later found someone to hitch with to ohakuna that night... So I hitchhiked with this stranger and he was cool at first and then got creepy... Not into it... At all. Lesson learned. 

Feb. 6

After dealing with creepy guy and getting close to no sleep. I got dropped off at the library in ohakuna at 5 am with all my things. It was raining, pouring and dark so I skyped Lucy with the library's wifi. Thank god for that cause it was freaking cold. Bah! I then got a hot coffee at 8 when the shop opened and made it to a hostel where I wwoofed for my accommodation. Tomorrow I hike the best hike in nz, the tongariro trail and then up Mt. Doom... Dun.dun.dun. On a side note .. Happy waitingi day nz.

Finding myself and my tribe

Jan. 28

I met up with Natalie and we drove to lake taupo and met all my girls for wanderlust. I had not met Natalie or any of the other girls in my cabin, but we got connected through the volunteer page for wanderlust. I was able to catch a ride with Natalie from Auckland and got to spend a nice car ride talking about our lives and making pit stops to buy avocados and blueberries off the streets. Once we arrived at our cabin, the rest of the girls started to filter in. I got excited and nervous, 6 girls, different backgrounds, different perspectives and personalities... This is going to be interesting and exciting.

 I heard there were natural hot springs and I was determined to go to them. I walked around recruiting people from my cabin and campsite to go to this hot spring I had never been too and I had no idea where it was either. I got about 6 of there's to join me and we found the hot springs. They were free, natural, hot, cold, warm and had small waterfalls that fell into a river. That led to hot waterfalls falling into hot water that merged into colder water into cold water in a river. One body of water merged with the hot cold, and warm sensation. Seriously, the most perfect hot spring I have ever been in...we sat there as the sunset and eventually went back to our room with our new cabin mates. What we didn't know was that the next day, we would become a tribe, we would unite so much over the next couple days, and have a new seed of life planted in our souls. 

Jan. 29

I went in early morning to do my first volunteer shift and met some other volunteers. We got our nice shirts and of course, I redesigned mine, goodbye tshirt and hello beautiful tank top with slits in the back and new anklets. I quite enjoyed my shift working registration, I got to meet a lot of attendees and volunteers and then I went and wandered around the event when my shift was done. I saw my friend working the sign in at the hula hoop workshop after my shift and ran to ask to join in. Jamie... I felt your spirit there with me all the way from Utah! The workshop was with Deanne Love and it was so fun. I have self taught myself some hula hoop moves, but never taken a class. It was so fun to learn and play hula hoop for over an hour. I feel freedom, I feel love, and I feel friendship when I hula. I have a new hula goal too... I want to hula the hoop from my knees up and over my boobs #circusgoals #getweird. 

Jan. 30 

I volunteered for wanderlust and registered more attendees. I'm loving meeting all these new people and the other volunteers I have met are awesome! I signed in people for a workshop and sat and listened to part of it. It was about the meaning of love. Later I went to an acro yoga class and a meditation and cleansing class. Then, me and Blair went to do a pick up..for some of the artists. We had no idea who it was but hey, we were keen, we got to drive and so that's always fun. We pulled up to Huka Falls Reaort and guess who it was. Only two of my favorite people from Medicine for the people, Chase and Justin. It was great cause they got in and actually remembered me, I'm flattered guys, cause I know you meet so many people on your travels. Anyways, so good to see these two again. I met Chase in Aug. 2012 while I was living in Alaska and I met Justin in August 2014 when they played in Jackson Hole. It's always good to cross paths with people you have met before and it was a beautiful thing to run into these guys again! We stopped at Huka Falls on the drive back and then Blair and I went to find food and I attempted and roller skating class. It went good, but I got a little bored going around in circles time after time. I decided to leave the festival early around six and go back to cook some food at the campsite and I logged into the Internet to find out, Cindy is coming to NZ in 5 days... WHAT!! Yes!!! This night ended with being lazy,going for a skinny dip and showering before falling into a deep slumber. 

 

Jan. 31

Today is the day. I woke up and volunteered again and then skipped off to find a tree to hang my silk in... Mission accomplished, I found a tree, borrowed a ladder, and played shapes on my silk in the Forest by myself. It was beautiful, I even got to share it with a couple people who snuck back. Later medicine for the people played and chase borrowed my tambourine again for the show. Bluebird is a star! I danced the night away, sat in the Forrest and I got my first ever hula hoop bruises thanks to deanne loves hula class. I tried a handstand class as well and guess what... I can hold a handstand for like...ten seconds.. That's like 70 hours in dog years #beimpressed. Today was my last day volunteering for the festival and now everything I do I get to truly enjoy and suck in. So when it came to be music time in the eve, it was perfect. Medicine for the people and Xavier Rudd both put on awesome shows and it was a very beautiful venue as well. Today was perfect.

Feb. 1

Kicked off with an acro yoga class, then I went to listen to a workshop by Xavier Rudd..... He is the most beautiful man... I went to meet him and I was like.... Hi..... Then I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped and I mumbled can I get a picture .... I feel so lame... I can't even say the words I want too because I looked into his eyes and was speechless uffff... But I got a picture ... Maybe I'll use it as my Christmas card this year #creepy or not.

 After that class... And a beautiful photo of me and Xavier, I went to a bringing sexy back class.

What started as a fun and energizing class, led to a sad and lonely feeling... They said to merge our movements on the ground and be free so I did and I couldn't stop or else I would cry. I missed .., feeling connected someone on a intimate and emotional level, I felt very alone. I saw a girl crying in child's pose and I went and hugged her and I started crying. I feel her pain and I feel my pain, it hurts, so I let it hurt. Sometimes you need to feel the emotions and just.. Let it out... So I did... Like a baby... Then I stopped and composed myself.

   Class continued and I ended up doing a demo in front of class that ended with massive giggles, but after class I broke down and started crying. I feel, half empty.

The next class I went to was about starting a revolution. We danced with our eyes open and then closed our eyes. It was freeing, it was powerful, and it helped me feel stronger. At the end each person stood in the middle and yelled out what they were going to improve on. I stood back and thought what am I going to improve on, I don't know. I had one thousand ideas flutter thru my brain and then my friend Blair pushed me In the middle and I yelled... Self love .. Learn how to trust myself again... And I started crying immediately after... Saying that outloud was hard, because I realized I need to try to love myself again. I do love myself, but not like I use to... I don't believe in myself like I use too.... Now it's time to gain that back again. I feel free, I feel emotional, and I feel a bit refreshed. This festival has been incredible and I love my tribe of girls, me, Muriel, Natalie, Sara, Britt, Ana, Emily, Katie, Blair. Such incredible people and we are going to change the world. I feel refreshed and rejuvenated. I feel like I can let go of some things now and take ten steps forward.. Or even a hundred steps forward. I needed this...

My Tribe:

Feb. 2

Woke up, said some "see you laters" and packed. I was planning on going to the Tongariro Crossing and ended up in raglan couch surfing. It was raining... And plans changed. I'm sleeping in a tent now with a giant panda bear... He is nice and furry and warm. I'm at this place called Scott's Place in Waitetuna and I think I will stay here a night... Or two... Or three.

"I want to be where the people are, I want to see, want to see them dancing..."

-Little Mermaid

Wanderlust

I moved to New Zealand on a bit of a whim. With a heart that had been shattered, self esteem that had hit rock bottom and a feeling of... Indecisiveness, I bought a plane ticket and moved here. I'm not writing those depressing words to make you feel sorry for me, I'm writing them to give you a perspective of where my heart and soul was before I moved to NZ. My heart was broken, my soul was torn, my mind was confused, my body felt lost. 

As soon as I moved here I got a job, I hated it, but I got a job. I went in with a bad attitude because I chose to and I eventually left when I felt like I had enough money to restart again. Three days after I quit I saw one of the musicians I follow was in New Zealand and I thought, "are they playing a show in NZ? Naw way, I already looked that up before I moved here... But then I looked it up again and saw that, indeed this musician and the band she plays with, Medicine for the People with were coming to NZ for a yoga festival... And another musician I follow, Xavier Rudd was also coming. Gasp. It's a sign, I must go see them, my soul needs this, my heart needs this, I need this.

I looked up tickets, and I died a little, nearly $600 and its on the north island. That is a lot of money and it's not including accommodation, food, etc. I didn't have that much money, but I wanted to make it work. I felt hopeless cause I am, pretty poor, but then I saw they needed volunteers. I applied and three days later found out I got accepted. At this point, I thought okay looks like I'm going to this festival... I booked a ticket to Auckland one way on jan. 22nd, I worked my last day on jan. 23, and I flew to Auckland on jan. 24. Nothing like a spontaneous trip somewhere ... I felt excited... I felt wanderlust which is ideal because the festival is called wanderlust.

Photo by: People Seen

Taken at: Wanderlust NZ

Wanderlust: a strong desire to travel; strong longing for or impulse toward wandering.