There's only eight channels available on broadcast, but the programming is excellent: -Random American/ British sitcoms -Advertisements for a decongestant known as Clarityne -Maori TV -Uncensored movies! All the "F bombs" that Bruce Willis and friends can drop in Die Hard! -Preachy PSAs about driving safe and making sure your kids don't get sunburned, and helping out women who are breastfeeding. -Al Jazzera and other world news. Just saw something from Russia about the devaluation of the rubble. Not that I've been wasting these gorgeous summers days watching the Lie Box all the tim [View Full Entry]

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Apparently I have the nicest 160 dollar accommodation available in my building. Some of the neighbors are a bit covetous. The neighborhood I find myself living in reminds me a good deal of where I come from in Seattle- on a hill, right in between the "good" and the "rough" parts of town. Although after living in India for half a year, the "rough" parts of Wellington are laughable. The place is owned by an older lady, who is very friendly and talkative. Her grandkids run the place, working reception and cleaning up after unruly guests. There is a large, underutilized [View Full Entry]

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Found a place right by downtown Wellington. 160 NZ dollars a week, my own big bed, TV, bathroom, and a closet! I am not used to such luxury. Needed an address for my Working Holiday Scheme application, and it seems like a cool place. It was recommended to me by a traveling Chilean. I've met two other neighbors- a lawyer and a cleaner. Apparently a taxi driver lives there as well. There is a neat old lady who (I believe) owns the place, and it smell like the Graham Street Mansion- pleasantly old. The Hindu deity poster market in Wellington is [View Full Entry]

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For the first time in half a year, some money has come into my pocket instead of out. Played clarinet on Cuba street for roundabout an hour or so, and made twenty five dollars and ninety cents. Saw a fella selling framed photographs. If he can sell photographs, I bet some enterprising young man could sell laminated posters of Hindu deities.... Will keep y'all updated. [View Full Entry]

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Got dropped off here yesterday. Cool city, plenty windy and cloudy, long days right now. Lots o' friendly folks at the hostel I am staying in. After I dropped off my bags I wandered around for a bit, feeling rather lonely. Started talking to a (in all probability a bit mentally ill) homeless man. Traded some stories, gave him some peanut butter on a piece of bread, and he gave me a can of beer (not consumed in public, of course). India's lesson of not being afraid to talk to anyone pays off quickly! Went dancing with some kids at the [View Full Entry]

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Got picked up in the Spaceship van. Lovely country, if I squint my eyes just right I can pretend I am in Skagit County. Strange to be back in the West (where the hell are all the goats and people crowding the streets?), but folks are friendly. Got a hearty Kia ora from some folks driving by in their vehicle. My brain's a bit confused, going from mid-winter to mid-summer, but its plenty nice. I'll be careful for that ozone hole. [View Full Entry]

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Luckily my train arrived here a hour and a half late, so I only had fifteen hours to spend before hopin' on my flight. So far, I've had a conversation with a homeless teenager at the train station, who hit me up for a hundred rupees. The kid is doing not so bad for himself, conversational English, some body fat, and a bracelet. All he got was two pieces of candy and someone to chat with for an hour, but he seemed fairly pleased. The auto-rickshaw fella who took me into a touristy part of town was a cool guy who [View Full Entry]

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But one must stand to use it. They claim here that this is the best airport in the world. I've got a day to find out. Been wearing the same socks now for two nights on an Indian train, one night on an airplane, and one night to go. I might break down and buy another pair. [View Full Entry]

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Gettin to be time to move on down south to the land of the Big Cloud. Kolkata has been very good to me, my greatest task right now is to hold on to the lessons she has taught me. Day-long journey to Bangalore, one day there before plane leaves at midnight to Kuala Lampur, then off to Auckland. Probably will meet many Shepherds and Wise Men along the way. If all goes to plan I'll get picked up from the airport in a campervan! Classy eh? More posts possible from Bangalore/KL, happy holidays to all, much love to everyone in the [View Full Entry]

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I've figured out the system that keeps most busy streets in Kolkata relatviely clean. It's a phenomenon similar to "dish-chicken", a game I came to know all too well whilst attending university. Dish Chicken involves two or more players, who must share a kitchen. Dirty dishes begin to crowd the sink. At a certain point, no one knows (or people pretend not to remember) who exactly was responsible for what plate, fork, mug, ect. The dishes become gross, and then really gross. Finally, someone breaks down and washes the dishes, often complaining about the disgusting habits of his roommates. Th [View Full Entry]

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