Shauna - Small steps, big adventures

Two roads diverged in a wood - and I--I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference (Robert Frost)

I'm off! Travelling is something I've always wanted to do. So after thinking about it for a bit, flipping through the Lonely Planet Blue List, I decided La Tomatina would be the perfect place to start, so I got up one morning, and just booked my flight. Those who know me best, realize this is a very un-like-Shauna thing to do, as I'm normally very organized and like to have all my ducks in a row. But I figure, you only live once, and if I wait for the perfect timing, it will never come. So I leave behind me, my loving parents, most bestest friend and sister (and new brother-in-law - that sounds weird!), my awesome friends, my fabulous forestry job, and my little hut on the bay for some lively new experiences and new faces. Wish me luck, and check in every once in a while to see where the wind has taken me...

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Joined on: July 29th 2006
Last Login: October 8th 2009

Blog Entries: 60
Photos: 222

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Blogs & Travel Journals

by Shauna, order by Date newest first.

By Shauna
September 27th 2009

Nordic Games 2009 Europe » Norway » Østlandet » Oslo

One of the many marches

Wow! It started Tuesday morning, Sept 22 and just finished today September 27th at about lunch time. I was into the beer at 9am on Tuesday morning, and it didn't stop until my last sip of wine for breakfast this morning. And this was a sports trip... Every year, students from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland studying at Life Sciences Universities get together to participate in the Nordic Games. There is track and field, swimming, soccer, hand ball, floor hockey, volleyball, basketball, horse riding, shooting, orienteering, etc. I participating in swimming, soccer, volleyball, and or [View Full Entry]

By Shauna
August 29th 2009

24 hour Camping trip Europe » Denmark » Region Hovedstaden » Hillerød

Tisvildeleje
Beautiful little beach town.

Started with the need for a tree fix. I heard from Linzy, a friend at school, that there was this quaint little town in the north west of Zealand called Tisvildeleje. How on earth you would say this I will never know. A little investigation found that we could get a 24hour regional ticket for 120DKK which was much cheaper than the return fair. So Adrien (Mexico), Denisa (Albania), Kristen (America) and I hopped on the train with our bikes, some food, some wine a blanket each and I brought my tent. We had no plan except to find beach, find [View Full Entry]

By Shauna
August 11th 2009

First impressions of Copenhagen Europe » Denmark » Region Hovedstaden » Copenhagen

The Little Mermaid
Honouring the original story written by Hans Christian Anderson

So what springs to mind when you think of Denmark? Danish pastry, Hans Christian Anderson, Great Dane dogs, ice cream, chewing tobacco, Danish cookies in a pretty little tin, tall blond and blue eyed happy people speaking in some strange, throaty native tongue, Scandanavia and Greenland. This was my knowledge of the Danes before stepping foot in the country where I would be living for the next year. Reality: I arrive at the airport in Copenhagen and everyone is waving Danish flags. In the days to come I see Danish flags everywhere. Even if a family is having a picnic in [View Full Entry]

By Shauna
July 30th 2009

In transit - Australia and Canada North America » Canada » British Columbia

Sunset over Lake Cowichan

The trouble with living in a place for a length of time is that for one, you fall in love with the place, and for two, you meet people who become your surrogate family, whom you want to see again. Of course this isn't a problem in my case, only created a bit of a detour in my Gisborne - Copenhagen route. I gave myself 3 weeks (1 in Australia and 2 in Canada) to reconnect with my past homes, with the hopes of grounding myself a bit before moving on to this next chapter in my life. While in Australia, [View Full Entry]

By Shauna
July 11th 2009

Exit Middle Earth Oceania » New Zealand

Sunset over Wainui beach
One of my favourite views in the whole world, seen from Makarori hill.

I find myself at a loss for words, don't worry, it won't last. I remember taking the bus into Gisborne that sunny Saturday about 18 months ago. Thinking, here I am, moving to this small, isolated town in one of the most isolated countries in the world, knowing nothing about the place apart from the fact that Gisborne (or Gizzy as it's affectionately known) prides itself on being the first city in the world to see the new day - because of its proximity to the international date line. They must possibly have some pine trees near by (as my future [View Full Entry]

A stop in the gorge on the way back from Rotorua

By Shauna
April 20th 2009

Top of the Bottom Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Northland

On the road
Just a cool shot, north of the Bay of Islands, enroute to Cape Reinga

Drawing card to Northland, perhaps the oldest and largest standing Kauri tree in New Zealand, even worthy of its own name, Tane Mahuta. Perhaps the romance associated with visiting the northern-most point of the country. Or maybe the thought of putting off autumn for just a little bit longer by climbing up to the warmest latitude New Zealand has to offer. Well, the top of New Zealand didn't disappoint. I made the trip with my good friend Chris, and two friends of his (Dan from Oz and Kat from Canada). We found a gem of a beach near Dargaville, that lent [View Full Entry]

By Shauna
January 30th 2009

2008/2009 Race Season Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Bay of Plenty

Port of Tauranga 1/2 Ironman
After the event, we all still managed to smile!

Well, for some strange reason, I thought it necessary to run in more races this year than I have in any other given year. Normally I would do a couple, but this year, lets see... Oct - Gisborne 1/4 Marathon Nov - Whakatane 18km trail run Nov - Eastwood hill 1/2 Marathon Nov - Coromandel 32km mountain run Jan - Port of Tauranga 1/2 Ironman (run only). I didn't scrape through with any personal bests as far as times go, however, completing the 32km mountain run was a distance first for me, and has got me hooked on trail and mountain [View Full Entry]

By Shauna
October 25th 2008

Waiopoa Station Horse Trek Oceania

Claire and I
An amazing view, and I won't mention the sheer drop on either side of us on a track no wider than 2 feet.

As a newbie to horseback riding I was gung-ho, all guns a blazin so to speak. Had no point of reference as to the difficulty of this little undertaking I had signed up for. One of the guys at work lives on the station, about an hours drive inland from Gisborne and mentioned this fundraiser that the station school was having. A camp out, some good feeds (including a traditional Hangi) and a 6 hour horse trek were something I couldn't resist. So I dragged my flatmate Claire along with me and out we went. Lets just say, she's been riding [View Full Entry]

By Shauna
October 5th 2008

Waioeka Gorge Mission Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » East Coast » Opotiki

Looking at the Map
Just for reference of course. I don't need maps, I never get lost...

I was getting antsy with 2 weekends in a row in Gizzy and needed to hit the backcountry big time. Good thing for me, there's always others keen on the same. Charl, Mags, Julie (a couch surfer who had been staying with me since Thursday) and I loaded up the truck with probably more than one night's gear and headed out to the gorge. A treacherous drive, but beautiful scenery, between Gisborne and Opotiki. We hiked the 2.5 hours to the Koranga hut, met some Zimbabwean and young kiwi hunters packing dead pigs on shoulders and deer in their backpacks. A [View Full Entry]

By Shauna
September 14th 2008

Hicks Bay Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » East Coast

East Cape
A Pahutakawa tree on the way to the East Cape light house (forgive my spelling)

A beautiful way to kick off spring with an impromptu visit to Hicks Bay on the northern point of the East Cape. My adventure crew (Charl, Mags, Debbie and Tim, and our new couchsurfing friend, Maria) headed up the coast on Friday night for a weekend in a batch on the beach. If you've been up the East Cape of New Zealand at all, you can picture it very well. Its common place to have to stop on the highway for cattle walking down the road. Sheep and lambs have a place on people's rickety front porches, where the boards are [View Full Entry]

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Shauna - Small steps, big adventures

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