I rode through the desert on a horse with no name...

---

Well, Auckland came and went. That was nice. I spent only a day
there, which was more than enough. I decided to leave as soon as
possible to head up to Paihia, which is where I still am, more than a
week later. Paihia is part of the Bay of Islands, home to 144
distinct islands. Not just rocks in the water, actual islands that
have plants and animals that live on them. Many are protected by the
Department of Conservation (DOC) as wildlife preserves to help
repopulate dying birds and other animals that are threatened by modern
man. It is an amazing place to explore with so much beauty to see.
And, on top of all that, it is called the "winterless North" since it
is the closest thing New Zealand gets to a warm winter. It has been
great so far, highs in the low 20's (around the low-mid 70's f) with
bright blue skies (In a 2006 study, the Bay of Islands was found to
have the bluest sky in the world, after Rio de Janeiro) and a gentle
breeze that keeps the air moving and filling the city with the smell
of ocean rather than sulphur that way Rotorua did.

I was meant to only stay here a couple of days, but then I got a sweet
offer to stay longer, and, like I said, this place is amazing in its
beauty and relaxing vibe. I did Cape Reinga the first full day I was
here, which is NZ's Northernmost point. I have now been to both
extremes of NZ, high and low, North and South, and most places in
between. Cape Reinga was magnificent, boasting a lighthouse that
marks the end of the world. Well, the end of the North Island,
anyway. And you can see where the Tasman sea meets the Pacific ocean.
Not just the abstract notion of the two meeting, the literal
turbulence of two bodies of water colliding into one another in mid
ocean. Humbling to say the least.

While up there we were driving on 90 mile beach in a bus. Not next to
or beside or nearby the beach, I mean ON the beach. Now the beach is
not actually 90 miles, mind you, but only around 60 and change. But
still, very fun to ride a bus along the waters' edge. We went dune
boarding, which is taking these boogie boards and riding them down
these huge sand dunes. The ride down kicks ass, but the walk up is
torture, limiting how many runs you do. Most people find the walk up
once to be more than enough. I managed it four times before the bus
was loaded with annoyed passengers ready to move on. Nobody died,
which was great, since there have been some nasty spills on there.
Usually the injuries are more like broken noses, busted ribs, and
nasty sand burns. We got away unscathed. I then went to take a dip
in the ocean and wash off the sand I was now coated with. In doing
so, I later found out, I unwittingly swam with sharks. We went a
little deeper than the driver said we should, and I could have sworn I
saw a dorsal fin, but I wrote it off at the time as no big deal.
After boarding the bus the driver told us that we were right in the
heart of where the sharks hunt and were lucky not to have seen any.
Well, I guess I was lucky to not have thought about what I thought I
saw. We all lived, that's all that matters, I guess.

We also got to check out these Kauri forest which are like NZ's
redwoods, in that they are extremely old and impressively large. The
largest one found was carved out to form a staircase inside the tree.
I got to climb it at the museum in which it resides, as well as watch
craftsman create the most intricate sculptures using chainsaws.

This might be a good time to mention that I'm trying to upload
pictures for y'all as I write this. However, it is taking ages and
I'm not sure how many will be uploaded or over how many days I will be
attempting, but if you want to check up on my snapfish site, I have a
new album that has some pictures of my trip up to Cape Reinga. I have
heaps of other pictures, but, like I said, it'll take me some time to
upload them all (the last hour has only allowed me to upload 23
pictures. I have hundreds.) Just in case you've lost the website
address, it is http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=161867773/a=86891793_86891793/t_=86891793.
Nice and easy to remember.

Back to what I said earlier about the sweet offer to stay longer.
Well, I was offered a work for accommodation job at the hostel I was
staying at (only 2 hours of work a day) but then got denied because
the manager had forgotten that, while intoxicated, she had offered it
to a German girl. The German girl accepted. So I decided that I
would check out other places. I'm glad I did. I ended up across the
street at Bay Adventures, which is another backpackers but also caters
to higher end clientele with studio apartments that overlook the spa,
the pool, and tennis courts. I did work for a couple of days and then
was offered to move into one of the aforementioned studio apartments
if I would take care of night duties, which simply means making sure
it stays quite after 11 and checking in people who arrive after the
office is closed. Cake. And now I have a rather large studio apt.
all to myself with a double bed, kitchenette, comfy couch, and large
deck overlooking the amenities listed. Not too shabby, if you ask me.
I'll be here probably another week or so before heading back down
South.

Duncan left and went to Thailand last week, so I've been back on my
own since then. I did, however, get to cross paths with Matt for a
hot second in Rotorua. It was really great to catch up with him and
hear all about his amazing adventures in Tonga and the early part of
his Kiwi Experience trip. I'm hoping to meet up with him again,
although I'm not sure when or where. I think he may work in
Wellington for a spell, in which case I might get there before he
leaves. That would be neat.

And now a word from our sponsors:

I really believe God has sent me on this trip. The last few nights I
have hiked up the side of this mountain to look out over the bay and
watch the sun disappear into the deep blue waters, slowly fading out
until all that is left is an eerie purple and pink glow that seeps up
from the horizon, stretching out towards the heavens like there is a
magnet for color that is coaxing it out from behind the end of the
world. After the sun is gone the stars take their turn in dazzling
the sky, breaking up the blanket of black with powdered sugar stains,
as if a baker had blown the excess sweetness off his hands and onto a
smooth marble counter. A couple of nights ago was a full moon, which
hung peculiarly low in the evening sky, allowing its light to dance
across the water, waves moving toward the shore straining to carry the
moon's reflective beauty with them, but to no avail. As the nights
have progressed I have been watching the change in the moon's
appearance and noting how fast it seems to be going through the
phases, like a costume change backstage between scenes, racing against
the curtain.
Now some of you are wondering what the deal with my God comment was.
Well, he is my sponsor.
Here is the word.
I was struck by the changing of the moon in that as I look up at the
sky, each subsequent night the moon appears different. Sometimes not
substantially, but over a week it is very noticeable. I feel like my
faith, my understanding of and relationship with God is much like the
phases of the moon. During a full moon you can see the whole shape
and surface of the moon. You can notice the face in the moon, the
craters; light and dark areas that give the surface texture. In these
times the light emanating from the moon is powerful and can light your
way at night through a field. It guides you through the night time, a
time of darkness, confusion, fear. If you've been alone at night in
the wilderness you know how it feels. The moon is comfort; light is
comfort. But, other times, part of the moon is blocked and you can
see less of it. Yet the moon has not changed. Only our perception
and relative position to the moon has changed. At those times,
however, the dark still seems darker. There is less light and
therefore less comfort. And, other times, far more rare, there is a
total eclipse whereby the moon seems to disappear altogether. The
moon, during an eclipse, is just as much there as it is during a full
moon, but we just can't see it. There are shadows that get in the
way, externalities that block our view. Pride, hate, money, sex,
drugs, and rock 'n' roll cast shadows in our lives that block the view
of God. It would be absurd to assume that as the moon was going
through its phases it was literally disappearing, chunks falling off
and the moon disintegrating. It would also be absurd to assume that
an eclipse means that there is no moon, the moon must not exist
because we cannot see it, because it does not look the same as it did
before. This trip has been a time of revolution for me, for my soul,
for my life. And, as the earth revolves, the moon seems to change.
As I revolve, God seems to change. But, like the moon, God is the
same yesterday, today, and forever. It is only my perception that is
never static.

Anyway, sorry for the sermonette, but I was thinking about that last
night as I studied the sky and just wanted to share it. Don't lose
faith in God because he doesn't look like you expect or because you
feel like you can't see him. He's there, same as always, it's shadows
that change the view.

And now back to our regularly scheduled emailing.

After Paihia I will be heading back South, but I reckon it will be
much quicker than going North since I will doubling up on places that
I've already been to and will have less desire to hang out and
explore.

My next to last stop with Kiwi Experience lands me Queenstown, where I
am currently planning on trying to spend the end of my trip to get
some snowboarding in. I'll probably work and ride. That's the dream,
anyway. After that I'll get to Auckland somehow, though I'm not sure
how yet, and flying home on July 28th. By home I mean America at
large, since I don't really have a "home" per se. It is crazy to
think that I am over 2/3rds of the way through this amazing adventure.
I feel like I've been here ages in the sense that I no longer feel
alien. I have gotten used to most of the things that are different
and I have seen so much and met so many people that NZ almost feels
like home to me now. On the other hand, I feel like I just started
traveling and that the last half year has flown by me. I can still
remember sitting in LAX on the 5th of November trying to take in the
fact that I was fixin to board a plane heading for Auckland. And now,
I'm less than three months away from going in reverse.

After I get back state-side I plan to spend nominally a month in
California, hanging out in San Diego, Bakersfield, and the greater
Santa Cruz area to visit all my loved ones out there I have not seen
in ages. I have not seen much of my family (aunts, uncles, and
cousins) since Christmas my freshman year of university. For those of
you keeping score at home I graduated a year ago. So, that is to say,
I want to see them.

After that I'll be heading East to check in on my mommy, daddy, and
siblings. Well, at least my sister since my brother will be in
Florida by then (way to go, Jamer... I'm so proud of you!). I also
want to be able to see Andrew Flavin and Joanna Bell tie the knot, two
people for whom I have the utmost respect and love. Also, I need to
make my presence known to all the young male suitors that may be
bothering my little sister... ("Just so you know... I'm not afraid to
go back to prison!" Bill Engvall)

After that (so, we're talking mid September by this point) I'm not
sure what I'll be doing. I want to get to Florida if possible to
visit my brother, and I would also love to get to Nashville to visit
all you cats still hanging out there (like the soon to be Mr. and Mrs.
Russell J. Anderson!) As far as settling down, I'm not sure. I want
to travel some more and probably get back to school (seminary, to be
exact...)

Well, not much else to report. I'll try to be in touch as I get back
on the road in the next week or two, but, in the mean time, I scored
some free internet from the boss man here at the hostel, so feel free
to write me about what's going on in your life. I'd love to hear it,
even if it's just a quickie.

If you could pray for my grandmother (I call her Amah) she is having
surgery tomorrow and then my family will be flying to visit her. She
is a brave soul and a tough ol' bird (who is now actually older than
dirt...) but I know that this surgery will be very difficult and the
recovery process will be long and hard as well. Thank you.

Again, I know I say it every time, but I mean it every time. I love
and miss you. I am so glad that I can share my stories and I love to
hear yours.

Check out my pictures to see what I've been up to in the last couple
of months (or so...)

Keep an eye on the moon,
Daniel

(oh, yeah, that's new to you guys, I've been experimenting with going
by Daniel for the last month or so. If I sign something that way, I
am not being cold and distant or formal, just seeing if I like it
better.)

---