Kirsten Huntley
Here I stand, at one of life's many crossroads, waiting to embark on my own adventure - a round the world trip, centered around a 4 week volunteer experience in Rau, Tanzania, surrounded by a globe-trot to visit all of my extended family. How exciting!KeepOnDreaming
In the Waiting Zone ...
I write this as I wait in the airport, on my way to Europe. The physical act of traveling is sooo drawn out. Ironic how traveling is such an active experience, but in order to travel we must wait. Life consists of the joy we experience through action, and its sustainability through the Waiting Zone. So many people dread waiting, whether its as minuscule as for a red light, or as monumental as for our soul mate. Thats something I hope to improve on during this trip ... patience. In all degrees and aspects of my life. As Sir Augustine said "Patience is the companion to Wisdom". If we arn't comfortable in our own skin in our Waiting Zone, how can we be ready to do anything? It is so hard to find balance, which aggravates me so, being an analytical, perfectionist Libra. I think the key to balance is to maintain a steady emotional state through all parts of life. To find peace. Sustainable peace and joy.
The support I've gotten from my family and friends has been amazing. I really couldn't have done this without you! It gives me strength, renews my desire and invigorates my energy.
And so it goes...
... and so it went!!
I'm home safe and sound now, settling into life after the whirlwind of the last year. Graduating university, traveling America's northwest coast and China earlier in the year (sorry, no blog on that one, but I do have stories and pics if you're interested), working all summer to secure my present job (which is AWESOME), then jet-setting around the world really gave me some new perspectives. Its amazing what you learn while traveling. I have been very lucky in my life to get the opportunity to travel, but I do it because I LOVE it. Our world is so beautiful. We have so much to be proud of, from our ancient history in England, our rainbow buildings along the streets of København, masses of bicycles along Amsterdam's canals filled with long houseboats, schoolchildren running through the fields next to Kigangoni to greet me, banana trees sprinkled across the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the African sunset over the Indian Ocean or Table Mountain, misty mornings in Pinetown, pristine coastline and unique flora of Australia. We are lucky to embody such diversity, traverse such landscapes, and experience different cultures. Traveling gives me inspiring perspectives and amazing sights, not only on my beaten path, but in my life. It helped me realize the beauty in life, everywhere. One of the most influential parts of my trip was meeting people with my same love for traveling. Whether they've traveled to other countries, lived in other countries or come from multiple countries, there are many diverse people out there. Growing up as a South-African Dane in America, I can't deny that a part of me has felt displaced. MN is notoriously known as a state where people stay, whole extended families nearby. But when I travel, I meet people with similar stories to me. Suddenly my unique diversity is understood by others with their own. I met South-Africans in Denmark, Danes in Tanzania and Australia, and many other worldy people. It is a small world afterall :)
Oh, and after the 24 hour flight from Sydney to London, followed by the 24 hour layover in Gatwick airport (yes, I lived in the airport for a whole 24 hours - Yotel is the new millennium) and a final 8 hour flight to Minneapolis (I'll admit, I started getting antsy on this one), I think I mastered the patience thing.
I arrived home in a winter wonderland 2 days before Christmas.
It was wonderful seeing all of my family and friends abroad, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all you did for me, you really made my dream possible, plus it was fun seeing you!! I'm sure I'll be back soon :)
Travel Blog Posts
February 13th 2008
I'm down under!!! The land of koalas and kangaroos, wombats and didgeridoo, criminals and aborigines :) Perth is the capital of Western Australia, the largest state in the country, a whopping 2/3rd's the size of Australia! Perth is also the largest, most isolated city in the world, over 3000km and 5 hours by plane away from Sydney. The western coast (as most of the country) is lined with absolutely pristine, light sandy beaches enjoyed by surfers, parasailers, windsurfers, volleyball-ers and many other fun in the sun activities. It's always sunny, warm and beautiful here, with exotic flowers blooming and unique trees lining the streets and filling the countless parks and nature reserves, oh and of course palm trees a'plenty. For my family, this corner of the world is just a trip to see Morfar (native-tongue for ... read more
December 2nd 2007
The "Rainbow Nation", as Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela describe South Africa, is a country rich in culture, ethnicity, minerals, agriculture, economic wealth, and beauty. They have the largest Caucasian (9.2%), Indian (2.5%) and mixed races (8.9%) population in Africa, and the Black South African community (79.5%) is comprised over 9 ethnic groups, the majority of which being Zulu, Xhosa, and Basotho. There are 11 official languages (English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, and 7 other tribal African languages) as well as 8 non-official languages. It is argued that there is no single culture in South Africa due to its ethnic diversity. South Africa's land is full of diamonds and gold! It is the world's leader in gold production, headquartered in Johannesburg. Jo'burg is home to the largest diamond ever found, the Cullinan Diamond, a mere 3,106 carats. ... read more
October 29th 2007
Smile, U R in Zanzibar The warm greeting from the shrubbery at Zanzibar's airport sums up our weekend in Tanzania's island paradise. Zanzibar is lush, exotic, warm, relaxing, inviting, tranquil, breath-taking, historical and righ in culture. And I've only seen a few miles of the island! A few of my fellow volunteer friends and I arrived early on Friday morning, and fell in love with our resort immediatley. Mbweni Ruins resort has a beach which is perfect to swim in during the high tide, and explore tidepools with coral, seashells and mangrove trees during the low tide, a pool, open-air restaurant and bar overlooking the ocean which is home to a few arabic cats, comfortable rooms including ocean view patios and turn down bed-service, and a auyverdic spa. Oh, and did I mention the ruins? ... read more
October 16th 2007
"Hujambo, hujambo bwana Habari gani? Nzuri sana! Wageni, mwakaribishwa Tanzania yetu, hakuna matata " translation ... "Hello, hello sir How are you? Very good! Visitors are welcome In Tanzania, no problem!" Sunny, sizzling Africa. Tanzania, land of Kilimanjaro, home to the giraffe, and one of the most welcoming cultures I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I've been here for 4 days, and I already feel so at home. And, every day has been an adventure! Even the trip here was exciting. 12 hours between 4 African airports. Landing in Dar Es Saleem, the heat immediately flushed over me as I walked down the stairs onto the dusty tarmac, sun blazing, melting my jeans to my legs. I had a 4 hour layover, so I sat in the 1 room departure gate in the waiting ... read more
October 5th 2007
Determined to return to the Netherlands after our last trip was rained out, Andreas and I ventured down south to give the rainy city another chance. And, we are glad we did, because we had a wonderful trip! Our first day we joined a walking tour of the city, and for the next 4 hours we saw the big sites. Dam Square, Red Light District, Anne Frank House, numerous churches and castles, Leidseplein Square lined with restaurants and bars, including the Heniken Brewery, art museums, canals, narrow houses, and thats not even half of the city! Amsterdam has historically always been a merchants city, and there are so many different people. Everyone has a story to tell! And people are nice, and its easy to make friends. Except for the native Dutch, though. nah, they're nice ... read more
Vidunderlig København
Published: September 27th 2007Europe » Denmark » Region Hovedstaden » Copenhagen
September 27th 2007
As I was riding my bike around København today, I cyckled through an intersection where 2 jugglers were standing in the crosswalk, entertaining the cars and bikes stopped at the red light. København at it's finest. There's something in the fresh, nordic air that blows over the sea and into this port town which I can only seem to describe in Danish - hygge. A warm, cozy, comfortable, happy disposition. This city was made for bicycles. Everyone has one! They come with big baskets, baby carriages, or even a spacious cart. The Christiania bicycle is a classic seen on the streets. A native of "steden", an autonomously declared free-land neighborhood, but you see them all over town. I am lucky enough to have a bicycle in København, and it is perfect transportation. On the major roads ... read more
September 18th 2007
I love all the quirky British names and words! Today alone I have been in Madienhead, Reading (pronounced Reding), Basingstoke and Salisbury. On my way to see ancient Stonehendge. 3 trains and a bus each way. It actually goes by pretty quickly though, not more than 30 minute train rides and 10 minute stopovers. But, for how small a country England may seem to be, traveling here is atrocious. Passing through Reading is quite thought-provoking for me, being that my family breifly called it home about 17 years ago. I have been back since then, but it seems sort of surreal each time. Watching the school girls travel home to Reading, I can't help but wonder ... what if I grew up here?? I love their fashion and adore their foul - mouthed accents I've found ... read more
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