Turangi Vertigo

Friday, Februay, 5th was kind of a lost day. I did not travel as planned. It didn’t make sense. Totara Slope is a nice place and I figured I’d just be held up in Turangi at a hostel or wet tent so I figured I best stay another night with my awesome woofing hosts. The Caravan is very comfortable. It’s been wet and rainy all day.

A little idle time in small doses is ok and sometimes welcomed but currently I am not much into it, however, I think a forced rest is probably a good thing. I’ve been throwing caution to the wind and have been enjoying local New Zealand meats every night along with a couple of beers with Dave and Janice. I’m more or less deaf in my right ear but the world is not spinning at the moment.

I think my remaining time in New Zealand will be anything but idle. I’m getting the hiking bug. I went ahead and booked a reservation to hike the famous Milford Track in early March in the Fiord Lands of the South Island. The Milford Track is not a long and only takes around 3 days or so. It is however world famous and highly regulated for use. A reservation is mandatory and they only allow a limited number of hikers per day. On top of that you have to stay in huts and follow a fixed itinerary. It’s a bit of racket with hut and transportation fees but the scenery is supposed to be stunning. There was only one 3 night slot with two openings for the remaining trekking season. I booked for one so I guess I’m sort of lucky in that regard. There must have been a recent cancellation.

Friday afternoon I went into the small city of Tauranga to run a few errands with Janice and her niece. I wanted to shop at the Mac Pac store as they are having a clearance sale. Mac Pac is a high end New Zealand outdoor gear manufacturer and you can’t find their stuff in America. I bought a new pair of shorts at half price in Auckland at the beginning of my trip. I like them so much that I wanted to buy another pair. I have a very difficult time finding my kind of clothes in America that fit right. Mac Pac tends to fit me really well. American clothing tends to be too baggy and designed for a fuller figure. I’m a medium sized slim guy. The New Zealand cut works for me. Also, I find that clothes in France tend to fit me better as well. I picked up another pair of shorts and a cool pair of pants both at half price. I would have waited until the end of my trip but I didn’t want to miss the clearance sale. So, at least I accomplished that today.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Last night was kind of nice at Janice and Dave’s even though the weather was total crap. A friend of theirs came over and I more or less cooked dinner with some help from Janice while we drank beers. Around 9pm or so I retreated to the caravan and slept well.

This morning Dave drove me to the bus stop in Tauranga and I caught a bus to Turangi. Well, I guess throwing caution to the wind all week caught up with me and I probably shouldn’t have had a 3rd beer last night. I was battling dizziness on the bus all the way to Turangi. It would come and go. The winding road sections and roundabouts were the worst. I’d feel ok then things would get weird then I’d feel ok again. When I switched busses at Rotorua I felt normal but the short ride from there to Turangi had me spinning. By time I got to Turangi I was careful getting off the bus and grabbed my pack. I slowly walked to the front lawn of Tourist Information and sat it out while things calmed down and I felt normal again. It kind of bummed me out. It was an uncomfortable bus ride but not horrible. It was the first time I’ve ever had trouble riding a bus.

Since this is a bank holiday weekend everything is booked so I’ve settled for a decent campsite at a hostel for a couple of nights. The hostel is very basic and the crowd is their 20’s. A young French woman is going to fix some kind of desert crepe for everyone so it seems like a nice bunch of folks.

The town of Turangi doesn’t really do anything for me. I’m really just here for a hike and I don’t imagine staying more than 2 or 3 nights. I’ll join a group from the hostel for the hike tomorrow so I think I’m in a good place considering.

As far as my Meniere’s inner ear issue goes I’m beginning forgo denial and think it’s best to pay more attention to what I eat and drink. Based on my experiments of sorts I’d say beer and coffee are not good for me but a cup of coffee and a bottle of beer are probably ok every now and then. Diet is especially difficult to regulate perfectly on the road but I’ll do what I can. I need to be more mindful of my current state of being as opposed to a more normal state. It might be a good idea to spend more time in a place I really like and not move around too much. I need things to be a little more on my own terms so I don’t think I’ll do anymore volunteer woofing unless the situation really appeals to me. I kind of like the hostels for the social aspect but I should probably avoid shared rooms. Also, it may be a good idea to fork out a few extra bucks from time to time to make things easier for myself.  I'm still trying to find my stride but I'm hopeful and am maintaining an overall positive attitude.

Totara Slope

On Monday I arrived at Totara Slope near Te Puna. I caught a ride with a German from the hostel in Tainui early to Thames. In Thames I dropped my pack at tourist information and went for a lengthy walk along a bay and up to a WW1 monument then down and around for a big loop. Thames is an old gold mining town from the 1800’s. Some of the homes and buildings reminded me of the kind of structures you see in old mining towns of the American West.

A bus took me from Thames to Te Puna where Dave greeted me at the drop off. I had gotten in touch with Dave and Janice via the New Zealand woofing site. Woofing is a popular program that creates opportunities for individuals to do volunteer work in exchange for room and board. It's mostly farm related work of some sort. Woofing is also intended to provide a way for travelers and the like to meet and connect with locals of different cultures in a more authentic fashion.

Dave and Janice are close to my age and own a plot of land right outside of Te Puna. The land is more or less a steep brush filled gully with lots of trees, ferns, and palms. A small creek runs through the bottom. The land had not been developed and given the steepness etc. they bought it at a good price. Since purchasing the property they have built a nice open air home up top and a small cabin (Bach) down at the bottom by a creek. They have also added some other structures such as sheds, green house, and a fixed caravan. The place is set up like a nature reserve with a garden and small trail that leads to the bottom. It’s not a large property but there is a lot of variety. With a gully forming a canyon of sorts and the home built up top there’s a nice view across the property.

Some woofers have stayed for weeks at a time but I was just looking at a few days. Upon arrival Dave and Janice gave me a full tour and it's really interesting to see what they have done. My accommodation is a caravan with access to a toilet and outside shower. Dave and Janice couldn’t be nicer. They are very hospitable and welcoming.

My work has been mostly mowing steep hillside with a weed eater. The slope adds a bit of challenge with footing otherwise it’s not particularly difficult work. The one thing I like about mowing is that you can see steady progress for a feeling of instant gratification. Sleeping in the Caravan has been great and the dinners are very nice with local New Zealand meats and vegetables from the garden. 

Yesterday after mowing in the morning I went to Mt Mongonui near Tauranga to hike a small volcano near a beach town. Today I more or less finished what needed mowing and have spent the day hanging out on property. This will be a short stay as I will leave tomorrow.

My time spent woofing is brief but it’s given me a chance to check it out and take the experience for a test drive of sorts. I probably would stay longer but in all honesty I don’t really feel like working. I’ve always said when I work I work and when I travel I travel. Also, I’ve been feeling a little unusually tired lately which makes it hard for me to really be motivated for work I’m not particularly interested in doing in the first place.

My favorite part of the stay has been evening meals and sleeping in the Caravan. I have to admit with my inner ear problem I am not functioning at 100%. I need to be flexible day by day, take it easy when I feel tired, and go for it on days I feel good. Feeling obligated in any kind of work arrangement adds an element of stress. I read a book about Meniere’s disease before I left on this trip. Aside of the hearing and vertigo issues it does cause a certain amount of fatigue from time to time. I theorize that the brain, in its process of compensating for balance and dizziness, can cause one to feel and little more tired than usual at times. Maybe weed eating for a couple of hours while trying to balance on the side of hill like a mountain goat may not have been the best thing for me right now. Tomorrow I’ll travel on to Turangi and Tongariro National park. The weather is supposed to be lowsey the next couple of days but I hope to get in some hiking soon.

Tairua

Of course I had to take advantage of the glorious summer weather and walk around the bay to to “Paku” the small volcano. A combination of road and trail got me most of the way to the top where I hit a dead end amidst a small enclave of vacation cottages. I asked an older couple how I might find my way to the top. I guess my mistake is a common one because they had on hand a stack of small hand drawn maps.

New Zealanders are commonly referred to as “Kiwis” and the “Kiwis” are as friendly as I remember they were 26 years ago. The stop for directions turned in to a very pleasant half hour visit. The older gentleman is a retired Air New Zealand employee who wore many hats for the company. Air New Zealand ranks number two behind Quantas for air safety and he use to work in the safety division. We talked about commercial air travel and New Zealand in general. He says a lot of maintenance now is contracted out of China which he finds concerning. He also has reservations with the Boeing 787. He questions the integrity of the carbon wings and says they never figured out why the Lithium batteries can catch on fire. They remedied the battery issue by building a vented containment box around the batteries should they explode in mid-flight. Vented is important because if the fumes were to enter the cabin everyone would die. I told him I always choose a 777 for long haul flights when possible. He seemed to agree that’s probably the safest of the bunch. The wings won’t break, batteries won’t explode, and it does exactly what the pilot wants it to.

After a nice visit I found my way to the top of “Paku” for a fabulous 360 view where I sat awhile. I later picked up some lunch back in town and took a short nap at the hostel. By evening it was a full house.

Just about everyone I’ve met traveling is from Europe, mostly Germany. The majority of travelers are in their 20’s with early 30’s being about the top in age. There are a few of us older travelers. The good thing is that most everybody is here for the natural beauty, outdoor activities, or, what I would call the right reasons. It’s not uncommon for many to be on a multi month tour. With that in mind there’s a general “on the same page” sort of vibe that makes staying at a hostel desirable.

Last night I browsed the dated VHS video collection in the common room to find the movie “K-Pak” with Kevin Spacey. I had never seen the movie in its entirety so I sat down with a German guy around my age and we watched it. Without going into detail I’ll just say it’s very well done. It will make you question whose crazy or not in the world we live.

Today, Sunday, the morning started with heavy rain but clearing followed soon thereafter. I went for a run, paddled around the bay in a Kayak, and swam.

I firmed up plans to woof for a few days and see how that goes. Woofing is very popular in New Zealand. It’s a program where you volunteer anywhere from 3 to 5 hours work in exchange for room and board. Most woofing is work around a farm but small business related to the tourist industry also offer opportunities. The way it works is that you register with a site that allows you to browse listings. Expectation and accommodation is described in each listing along with photos. Hosts and woofers leave reviews. The situation I’ll be stepping into is for 3 to 4 days with a possibility of staying longer. It’s on a bush property with gardens etc. I think it will be a good test to see if it’s something I may or may not want to do more of. Work is done in the morning with the rest of the day left free to do as I please and I won’t have to pay for food or accommodation. Most of all it’s a great way to get dialed in with the local people and local flavor.

Well, It looks like its going to be a beautiful evening so I might take a short bike ride to ocean beach to have a look. Tomorrow I'll meet my woofing hosts.

At The Cathedral

Hahei beach is a lovely place for a day or with a family. I spent one night at the hostel which was ok I suppose. My roommates were fine but the room was a bit warm and stuffy where my top bunk was situated. I wasn’t very comfortable and came down with a fairly intense bout of vertigo in the middle of the night. I got up exhausted but started to feel better once I got moving around. I decided Hahei would be a one night stop but I’d walk to Cathedral Cove before moving on. I packed my pack and left it with reception.

Cathedral Cove is one of the main attractions along the Coramandel Peninsula. From Hahei it’s about a 15 to 20 min walk to the trailhead car park then it takes 30 to 45 min by foot to reach a cove with white a sand beach backed up to cliff and forest. The Cathedral is a tunnel that connects two beaches during low tide. I was told that the Cove tended to be crowded during the day, especially during low tide, however, I’m finding that New Zealand summer crowds are not like summer crowds in Europe or America. A pleasant walk above the coast led to the cove with a fair number of people but I wouldn’t say crowded.

When I arrived at the beach there were people scattered about and few swimming in rough surf. The tide was still up but it was pretty easy to access the Cathedral between wave sets. The other side of the cave was not accessible yet. Inside the Cathedral there were a few people and I took a couple of photos. Shortly thereafter I had it to myself. I leaned against the cave wall while watching and listening to waves crashing on both sides. I guess I had it to myself for ten minutes or so before anyone else walked in. For a moment I felt a little bit of travel magic that I really haven’t been feeling on this trip. Vertigo has had me second guessing myself.

I’ve been a little on edge as far as deciding what I think I should or shouldn’t be doing. Should I do a big hike or just take it easy? Should I eat that lamb and mint burger and wash it down with a couple of beers? Or, should I have a pot of rice and veggies with no salt back the hostel? Coffee seems a little risky so none of that. When I travel I usually don’t worry about such things. Local food and drink are always a nice part of any trip. Eating carefully and healthy while avoiding coffee and alcohol is a good thing regardless. If I throw caution to the wind, eat and drink whatever, I may or may not get away with it.

Perhaps I’m in a bit in denial but I’m not really sure if being strict about my diet makes much difference at all, however, research says it can. As is I'm typically a pretty healthy eater and not excessive with coffee or alcohol. There has to be a root cause for what’s triggering the vertigo but it’s very difficult to know precisely what it is. For now it’s a new norm that I manage. I suppose at some point I’ll jump on the bandwagon of alternative therapies and see if anything helps. New Zealand is a pretty darned healthy place and there are plenty of alternative practitioners. Maybe I’ll try something along the way.

Anyway, For a moment in the Cathedral I felt like myself. There was also a moment in Auckland when I was walking around the park behind the hostel looking at big trees that I felt like my old self. Other than that I can’t really say I’ve found my stride but I’m in an awfully beautiful place to try and sort it out.

I’ve only been in New Zealand for a week and like I always say it takes two weeks to transition from one routine to another. Factor the jet lag, traveling on the road, different food, sleeping in hostels, camping in a tent, etc. takes time to get use to again. We’ll see where I’m at in a couple of weeks. I suspect I’ll be feeling better. If not, I’ll have to reassess what I’m doing.

Yesterday, Friday, after visiting Cathedral cove I traveled a short distance via shuttle and hitch hiking to Tairua. I checked into a Backpackers hostel located on a tidal bay with a nearby ocean beach. I’m in a 6 bed shared room with a large window overlooking the bay. A small volcano decorates the background like a restaurant mural. The volcano is covered with forest and holiday homes with a pointy summit. There’s footpath to the top.

Backpacker hostels are a great value in an otherwise expensive country. The place I’m staying at, aside of being in a beautiful location has bikes and kayaks to use for free. With the small discount I get from a Backpackers discount card it’s only costing me around $17 USD a night. Like all hostels there’s a community kitchen and common area. As usual I find it costs me about the same and often times less to travel and live abroad than simply exist at home. Throw in camping and the cost goes down. I’ll generally camp at hostels when possible for a little extra privacy.

I’ll stay a total of three nights in Tairua taking it easy.

Miss Foxy

She stands about five feet tall and hasn’t aged well. Her face has a compressed contour that sags with deep lines drawn gaunt. Her upper teeth are missing and what’s left of her bottom teeth are hard to look at. When she talks they are on full display. She sports a sun dress on a thin frame and walks with bare feet splayed out. The red and white flower patterned dress does little to compliment the fact that she appears to be 20 years older than she is. Her voice is low and interrupted on occasion by a deep old smokers cough. I don’t think she’s ever used sunscreen. I ask her where she’s from and she replies, “Canada”, with a thick English accent. I wasn’t much interested in talking to her but for a moment I thought she might be following me as I first met her at the backpackers in Auckland when she was having a fit looking for coffee in the common kitchen. She much appreciated the small packet of instant I found in the free food box. I’ll call her Miss Foxy.

Well, I left Auckland on Tuesday and took a ferry to Coramandel Town. On Wednesday, as everyday, my right ear was giving me fits and I decided to throw caution to the wind. I got a lamb and mint burger at a takeaway food joint and wandered into a pub with a good jukebox playing country music. Ironically most of the music was by Texas artist. I was browsing the internet and sipping a beer when Miss Foxy appeared out of nowhere with a glass of wine in her hand. She had taken the Wednesday ferry. She gave me a half smile and we had a short chat. I’m not sure what Miss Foxy’s full story is but I get the impression she’s been all over the place. I did notice in Auckland a German woman talking with her for quite some time. I noticed her saying Vanuatu is a really interesting. Miss Foxy could be very easily be mistaken for a vagrant but she was staying at the only hotel in Coramandel with a swimming pool. I meet all kind of characters traveling and many, given the time to talk, can tell quite a story but I have a hard time holding a conversation with someone who has really bad teeth. I get the Impression Miss Foxy has traveled the world and then some.

I spent 2 nights camping at a rural backpackers just outside of Coramandel proper. On Tuesday I did a nice walk and hike right out of town. On Wednesday, before running into Miss Foxy, I visited the home of a recently deceased eccentric potter who built a small narrow gauge railway up a mountain to get clay. Well, He kind of got OCD with that project and kept laying rail up the mountain for 30 years or so. It’s quite impressive with switchbacks, trestle’s and bridges running through sub-tropical forest. The highlight is the end of the line when you reach “Eyeful Tower”. It’s a bit of tourist trap now but one I recommend.

After a couple of nights at Coramandel Town I hopped a bus for a short hour long ride to Whitianga. From there I took a short ferry to a road leading to the beach town of Hahei where I hitched a couple of short rides.

In Hahei I had the choice of a “Backpackers” hostel or a campground. I chose the hostel as it was just a couple of more dollars than the overpriced campground. With 6 beds to a room you never really know how it’s going to go with roommates but the place is really nice. So, I booked one night and told the owner I’d have a look around and let him know if I wanted to stay longer. The beach is nice, the area is nice and all of the girls at the hostel are really cute, however, I’m certainly old enough to be their father. The only age appropriate women on premises is a nice French lady working at the hostel who is traveling the country for 8 to 12 months. New Zealand is a great place to just roam with no worries. It’s known to be very safe with low crime so a lot of European women travel the country solo without a problem.

After a couple of hours of walking around Hahei I informed the manager that I wanted to stay 2 more nights but I missed my chance. They booked up while I was out. I suppose I’ll stay in the campground tomorrow as there’s a hike I want to do in the morning.

As far as my ear goes it’s doing pretty bad and has definitely put a damper on things. The night before last I had vertigo. Last night, after eating poorly and drinking a couple of beers, I had no vertigo. Mostly my hearing is going to crap on my right while the left ear is a saving grace. I’m not allowing it to bother me too much. I hope that it magically gets better like it has in the past. There's not much I can do about it regardless of where I'm at. I figure can either be bothered by it at home or in New Zealand. Cest La Vie......

Auckland & Rangitoto

Auckland is a very nice city and the summer weather has been absolutely perfect since I arrived. The one noticeable difference is the intensity of the sun at this southern latitude. I’ve been told that the ozone is thinner in the part of the world so more care needs to be given to protect oneself.

Auckland is a hilly city set along a waterfront with a cluster of high rise buildings packed around the imposing Sky Tower. Just beyond the downtown there are some nice older neighborhoods with Victorian and Edwardian wood constructed homes. Parks find their way in hidden urban valleys or atop and around hills. Outside of city center plenty of green fills the in between with a nice variety of trees and gardens.

Yesterday, Sunday, I took a short ferry ride to the island of Rangitoto. It’s an old volcano that is now a nature reserve. It’s an easy hike of an hour or less to the summit for a nice 360 degree view. From the top there are a couple of options for making a loop. The largely forested island is interrupted with pockets and fields of lava flows. The island is home to the largest Pohutukawa forest. No one lives on the reserve but there are a few old holiday cabins dating back to the early 1900’s. In New Zealand they are called a “Bach” pronounced “Batch”.

Rangitoto is a very popular day trip from Auckland for hikers. I walked a loop up and over the top that led to shoreline and stopped for a break at a nice little beach. On the way along the shore I met a Korean woman who is living in Auckland for three months taking English courses. I wound up walking with her for awhile as we talked.

Auckland is a very international city. It’s a melting pot with lots of people from Asia and India. I remember it being this way when I first visited the country in 1989. Outside of Auckland I don’t recall New Zealand being very international aside of the travelers. However, maybe that's changed. I'll see. Speaking of travelers, I’d say most I’ve met so far are German. In the three days I’ve been at the place I’m staying it seems like most everyone has been from Germany while the others have been from France. Most are in their 20’s. There was a nice older French couple staying in the room across from me but their English wasn’t that great and my French is terrible. I’ve had to remind myself a couple of times that I'm in an English speaking country.

I’ll spend one more night in Auckland and will move on tomorrow. I plan to take a boat to the Coromandel Peninsula. I’m still a bit jet lagged and my sleep hasn’t been that great. I’ve also had some vertigo the last two nights that woke me from my sleep. I guess if I am going to have vertigo, the middle of the night while lying in bed is about as convenient as it can be. I've been able to go about the day normally. I’m still adjusting to the time change and all and expect things to even out over the next few days. In the meantime I'll continue to enjoy the perfect summer weather.

Hello From Auckland, New Zealand

To be honest I was a little anxious about the 15 hour flight but figured I’d be ok nonetheless. 2015 was not a bad year but it had been kind of difficult. The highlight had been my trip to the England to finish the Southwest Coast Path followed by a couple of weeks in the Greek Islands. Aside of the trip to Europe I worked hard and at times probably pushed a little too much. As I boarded the plane I certainly felt as though it was time to get away again and figured I’d be fine once I got going.

It wasn’t that I was anxious about being on a plane for 15 hours. I’d done that before and really it doesn’t bother me. It was that over the past week my right ear started flaring up again. I’ve had problems with my ear for years but aside of varying tinnitus the issues have been very manageable and more of a periodic annoyance than anything. Well, in the spring of 2015 things took a turn for the worse.

Fullness in the ear, increased hearing loss, and worst of all vertigo had me not feeling like myself for much of 2015. The spring was quite bad. The flare up of symptoms lasted for a couple of months. I debated going on the planned summer trip to Europe but was feeling better at the time and went. Fortunately I continued to feel better while traveling and more or less returned to a relative norm. I was doing quite fine until November when everything began acting up again. By this January I was improving only to have things start to revert a little over a week ago. So it goes, the unpredictability of Meniere’s disease.

That’s the diagnosis as of now. Over the past few years a couple of doctors suspected that might be the issue but now my symptoms all add up to a text book description. Hearing tests, blood work, MRI etc. all appear to confirm. Meniere’s is more or less a catch all for a combination of symptoms. The specific cause is not really known but doctors have their suspicions. It more or less has to do with how the inner ear regulates fluid. Usually only one ear is affected so my left ear is fine. The Upside is that it’s not life threatening or anything like that. It’s more or less just something you have to manage. The downside is variable hearing loss that gradually becomes permanent to some degree with a possibility of going deaf in one ear.

There is no cure but different drugs can be prescribed to control symptoms. In extreme cases surgery may be involved. A lot of people manage it quite well through stress management, lifestyle changes and diet. The things doctors recommend to avoid the most are alcohol, caffeine, excess salt, and stress. It’s easy to cut out alcohol and caffeine but salt is in everything and stress can be a riddle. So far I have not tried any of the drugs due to a number of reasons.

The variable hearing loss and tinnitus (constant ringing in the ears) is something I can deal with pretty well but the vertigo is what really throws me off. Out of nowhere I’ll start to feel like the world is spinning. All I can do at that point is stop immediately whatever I am doing and ride it out. It can last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours. It’s very unpredictable. I could have 3 spells of vertigo in a week and none for 3 months then a few for a couple of weeks and none for a while. Fortunately I seem to be getting better at managing the vertigo which may or may not accompany nausea. I actually had a mild spell of vertigo about 10 hours into the flight to New Zealand but just closed my eyes and rode it out without a problem.

The irony of Meniere’s is that over time symptoms tend to subside as the disease is said to burn itself out. Aside of hearing loss in one ear the doctor said in 10 years it’s possible I might not have any more symptoms. Another thing I haven’t mentioned is that there is a loss of balance accompanied with a damaged inner ear. The doctor says I’ve lost a lot of balance but unless I am having an acute vertigo attack my balance is perfectly fine as the brain naturally adjusts to compensate. Also, I can tell that my brain is adjusting to the hearing loss as well. It’s really strange how when I put on headphones it almost sounds like my hearing is equally good in both ears but if I remove the headphones on my left it’s obvious how much worse the hearing is on my right. If I am in conversation with someone on my left there is no problem. If they are standing on my right I might struggle a bit.

So, if you have wondered why my blog has been so quiet it’s because my mind have obviously been on other things. Managing Meniere’s and working a lot has had me very distracted to say the least.

Well, the 15 hour flight landed me in Auckland, New Zealand. The last time I was in New Zealand was in 1989 and I spent 2 months hitch hiking all over the country. It was a wonderful experience and I’ve always wanted to return. Aside of the mild spell of vertigo the flight went well. Normally flying with Meniere’s is not a problem. For this trip I really have no set plans whatsoever. I figured I’d best stay put in Auckland for 3 or 4 days just to relax and shake the jet lag before heading on my way. So far I've walked all around the city feeling pretty out of it and spent an afternoon kicked back reading a book. I’m not sure when the last time was that I spent most of an afternoon reading a book. I am reading, “The Girl With Seven Names”, about a woman’s firsthand account of who defecting from North Korea.

I’m checked into what is known as a “Backpackers”. In New Zealand a “Backpackers” is a hostel or simple hotel/guest house for budget travelers. They are all over the country and most are quite nice. The place I selected couldn’t be better. I have a single room on the third floor of a converted 100 year home with a verandah that overlooks downtown Auckland. Also, it borders on a wooded park. There’s a communal kitchen, laundry facilities, and a nice backyard for travelers to gather and meet.

Not Exactly As Planned

I’m currently at a coffee shop in Boulder, Colorado. I went for a nice short hike this morning and figured I’d type something up for the blog. Over the last month I’ve been in the Denver area but took a short trip to Wisconsin. I originally planned to road trip out to California upon my return from Wisconsin but got hung up in Denver due to car issues. Due to time constraints I had to abandon the road trip idea but got back to work shopping for inventory at estate sales in Denver. I was blessed with dumb luck again in the form of a rare mid century speaker. In a couple of days I’ll return to Houston.

Thus far this year has certainly been a roller coaster of sorts. Several bouts of vertigo followed by a stint in paradise then a month of antibiotics combined with episodes of some of the best dumb luck I’ve ever had leaves me feeling satisfied enough, yet, disconnected if that makes any sense. More than usual, plans have been disrupted. Unsettled is usually something I roll with pretty well. At times I seek it for the sake of keeping life interesting, however, I currently feel a little out of place, a bit sideways, and/or played out. I’ve been oscillating inconsistently between periods of contentment and irritably while pondering the next scene but the background music doesn’t match the screenplay. While distracted or out of sorts I prefer to distance myself from friends etc. as patience can run a little thin when I’m not feeling like myself.

I suppose it’s only natural, as one approaches a birthday divisible by 10, there’s an element of self-evaluation. In a couple of weeks I’ll turn 50. All in all I’d say I’ve had my share successes and failures but can’t really complain. Some things I’ve done really well and other things I could have done a lot better. Riddles and crossroads abound along the path I’ve chosen but I refuse to cut a deal with complacency or sell out for status quo. It’s all relative. As the guru says, “When you come upon a fork in the road, take it”. I don’t have a problem with that. It’s the roundabouts that throw me off.

As I mentioned I took short trip to Wisconsin. I wrote a little about it but never got around to posting. It goes as follows…..

Thursday, August 27, Milwaukee Airport…

Wisconsin is my current place of travel. The somewhat Asian looking hipster barista poured me a stiff cup of mild coffee to pass my time while I await my brother in law, sister, and nephew who will be arriving 3 hours later. I’ve taken a seat at a table beneath a large American flag. The terminal offers a good selection of Green Bay Packer gear. It’s airy with a tall architectural ceiling and relaxed feel. A bar offers serve yourself beer on tap. Internet is free for 20 minutes. I flew out from Denver where I’ve been the last week visiting my mother.

The plane was a small CRJ commuter jet designed for medium sized people and smaller. For once the person sitting next to me was not an overweight business traveler but a nice attractive young woman from Taos, New Mexico who was a pleasure to talk to. That made the flight time pass quickly.

Friday, August 28, Door County Wisconsin…

I awoke from a poor night’s sleep under a slanted roof upon a twin bed in a loft of an old 1940’s summer cabin next to the shore of the Bay of Green. I jumped into my running clothes before heading out to the bunkhouse garage to help round up a bicycle for my fourteen year old nephew. I admired vintage outboard motors as we searched for a pump to fill the bike tires.

It doesn’t get much more Americana than rural Door County, Wisconsin with lots of small farms, red barns, and domed silos. Quiet roads are ideal for running. My nephew cruised along on a bike speeding ahead and lagging behind taking photos with quick breaks to immediately post his day for everyone to see on the internet. A quick four miles was all I needed to reset. The run was followed with a swim in the Bay of Green.

Lambeau Field…

Arguably the greatest and most famous American football stadium in the world is Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers . It’s also popularly known as the frozen tundra with no roof or protection for the bitter winter games. The Packers were formed in 1919 and the stadium was built in the late 1950’s. In more recent times the stadium has seen upgraded but local pride and tradition demands it remain roofless. There is no problem selling out games no matter what the conditions are. It’s the Pride of Wisconsin.

My Brother in law’s roots run deep from Milwaukee to Appleton and Door County to Green Bay. For this trip I was just along for the ride as I got a chance to tour the world he had grown up in. Saturday afternoon was spent at Lambeau simply checking it out, touring the Packer Hall of Fame, and enjoying lunch with beer brewed on premises in honor of Curly Lambeau at restaurant named 1919.
Tradition runs very deep with the Green Bay Packers and pride still maters even though Vince Lombardi, the most legendary football coach of all time, has long left us and Green Bay.

Saturday, August 29, Lambeau Field, Game Day

It cost me two beers when I kicked a football in the parking lot and knocked over another person’s drinks. My brother in law and his best friend from childhood got the grill going. A band in the near distance provided music as we tossed a football with other tailgaters bunched in eating, drinking, and playing games. The colors of the day were green, yellow, and denim.

As time approached for pre-season game three kick off we left the parking lot and joined crowds shuffling slowly like a group of pilgrims headed towards Mecca. Up steps and through an iron framed cathedral like entrance we entered a holy place of great NFL significance.

Being pre-season made the game not particularly interesting but sitting in the stadium under nearly perfect weather conditions while gazing upon the field was very nice and enjoyable. In some ways I’d say Lambeau was on my 100 places to visit before you die list. So, I got to mark that one off.

Our remaining time in Wisconsin was spent at the Lake house. I got in a couple more runs and a little more swimming in the lake. The flight back to Denver was a little exciting as once again I was in a small CRJ commuter jet. We were delayed arriving with a bumpy skirt around a severe thunderstorm with lighting cracking off to the left side view not too far away.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, As earlier stated I’ll be back in Houston in a couple of days. I’ll need to focus on work for a short while but hope to be off doing something more interesting later this fall.

Checking In From Hot Houston

If there were ever a trip that I returned from and felt out of place at home, now is the time. A general disinterest in my surroundings combined with Texas heat and humidity makes Houston unappealing right now. As I munch on antibiotics to combat Lyme’s disease, which I may or may not have contracted, I can’t say I’m experiencing any side effects aside of a feeling that I’m poisoning myself to some degree. The shining light is that work has been pretty good and I instinctively feel like I am where I’m supposed to be even though it doesn’t make perfect sense.

The Greek Islands have ruined me as the Texas coast now looks like a bland mess with bathtub warm water, discarded watermelon rinds, and sauna like heat. A lack of sophistication clad in sloppy t-shirt, flip flops, and bad tattoos is prevalent at times. The charm that often comes with simplicity smells like old beer, cigarettes, and a missed shower or two. Perhaps the evenings along the Texas coast are kind of nice but things look different via a reframed perspective.

The space in-between I refer to as, “The Disconnect”, may make one feel kind of lost but as I’ve grown older I find it to be more interesting than anything. Life is about time and timing. I know I’ll come out the other end with a decision or step one way or another. The anticipation of what lays beyond makes it exciting. Periods like this are symbiotic with a holding pattern of sorts. I move quickly once direction descends upon me.

Back In Houston - Probably A Good Thing

It’s currently 95 degrees in Houston but sunny and not terribly humid. I’m still shaking a little Jet lag and feel pretty disconnected from the City as I really wasn’t ready to come home nor did I really have to. However, I think I did the right thing.

A few days before I left Greece I developed a rash under the top part of my arm. I also felt mildly achy with a bit of a stiff neck but my energy level was fine. I really didn’t think much of it until the rash got a little worse and I thought it might be getting infected. When I arrived home the rash was starting to get better but it was obviously caused by some kind of bite and I felt I should get it looked at just be safe.

The Dr. took a look at it and said it was definitely and insect bite. I then told him where I’d been and what I had been doing. He suspected there was a chance I may have contracted Lyme’s disease and was adamant I start treatment immediately. He said it wasn’t worth taking a chance. Although he couldn’t confirm for sure that I had been exposed to Lyme’s I did run into a mess of ticks while hiking through North Devon on the Southwest Coast Path in England. I found a total of ten ticks crawling me while hiking. They were the type that could potentially carry the disease but I didn’t find a single one dug in. However, the ticks are so small they can be easy to overlook. It’s not uncommon for someone diagnosed with Lyme’s to ever remember being bitten by a tick. I developed the rash at precisely the time you would expect for incubation. The rash was similar to other reported cases but not the classic bulls eyes type. A stiff or achy neck is a classic common symptom in the very early stages of Lyme’s. There was enough suspicion to warrant caution so I heeded the Dr’s advice and started treatment immediately. Often this is how Lyme’s is diagnosed, deductive reasoning, because the test used to confirm diagnoses is not always accurate.

Fortunately early treatment is cheap and well tolerated with an 87% success rate. If you don’t do something early Lyme’s can cause all sorts of problems years down the line. I can’t say I’m thrilled about being on antibiotics for 30 days but at least it’s a mild antibiotic that doesn’t seem to be causing any side effects. The drug has a low incidence of negatives with the most common being nausea when taken on an empty stomach.

In one regard I feel out of place being in Houston right now but on the other hand, considering the circumstance, I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. My cuurent plan is to settle back into a work routine until I finish the meds then consider a little road trip out West. I am also thinking of traveling overseas in the Fall.

All in all my recent travels in England and Greece went really well. The trip home via ferry to Athens, flight to London, two night layover in London, and flight back to Houston went like clockwork despite a Tube strike the day I left. Greece really impressed me and I plan to spend at least a month in the Greek Islands next year. I’ll most likely go during the month of June.

My last stop in London was kind of interesting. Every time I stop in London I stay somewhere different. This time I stayed in South London at the National Sports Center in Crystal Palace Park. I took a room in worn out funky 70’s contemporary designed multi-level building constructed for housing athletes. The complex and park are kind of peculiar and at one time a big attraction. Now, it’s just kind of oddly interesting.

I checked into my room at the complex early in the evening and walked uphill to a nearby pub with a good atmosphere. I noticed it was quiz night so I roamed around asking teams if they needed an extra teammate. I wound up crashing a family birthday and sat between dad and his very attractive daughter who I suppose was in her late 20’s or early 30’s. It was mom’s birthday.

As is often the case when traveling I can be very outgoing and quite social. It really comes out when I travel, much more so than when at home. Another pint and I fit right in. Quiz night at a pub is not only about coming up with the answers to riddles it’s also about drinks, laughter, and stories. British Pubs have got to be some of the best places in the world for swapping stories. Pubs are about pints and conversation. More often than not there is no music. If there’s music it’s rarely loud so conversation is always easy. Anyway, I had a great time. Good fun.

For my last day in London I just walked around Crystal Palace Park. On the morning of my departure I negotiated the Tube strike by taking the Southern line to Victoria Station then walked across Hyde Park to Paddington Station to catch the Heathrow express. The strike wound up costing me an extra $35 USD to get to the airport without worry. I made good time and was able to use my complimentary United Club Pass for a 3 hour wait in a posh lounge with loads of complimentary food and drink. The icing on the cake, for the flight home, was a row of 3 seats all to myself on a Boeing 787 for a 10 hour trip. Very comfortable! It allowed me to lay down. I was very lucky because the flight was almost full.

Again, it was a very good trip. For now I’ll just hang tight and make some money. We’ll see where the future leads me next……