Wow. Unfortunately it’s been a while since the last post. Its so easy to get stuck in a routine. Life has sort of been that since arriving back into The States. Seeing old friends and family then learning they haven’t even left their state would make me cringe. Two and a half years later it makes me appreciate the jump into the unknown with Ben. We learned it takes a lot of courage.
Not knowing anyone who’s left the country on a one way ticket before, made it a pioneering type of trip. Then just doing it became a thrill. We made a deadline when to buy the ticket. Did it. Next, figure the date to leave, didn’t want to wait too long. Early February 2015, we said. Soon it all played out as planned and the months went by, our date came 12 February 2015. After living, working, adventuring in New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei then coming back to the United States of America, one can only speculate why traveling after grade school isn’t promoted.
Now I want to share our adventure from the past two years on 15 March. In 2016 it was leaving our home in Blenhiem, New Zealand, we rode the ferry from the town Picton to Wellington and slept in the airport. An earlier landing than expecting into Melbourne Tullamarine Airport caught us off guard. So we took the shuttle bus to the city centre and met up with our friend Audrey whom we met in New Zealand.
Next stop hostel check in and the spectacular Wilson Promontory National Park. Seeing these beautiful, bright colour parakeets, wombats, blue water, endless ocean horizon. How could this be. Is it true. Ben and I would ask ourselves that often, how did we get here. Do we deserve this. And looking back its by DOING, not being afraid of jumping into the unknown. You have nothing to lose. Landing into a new country on the other side of the world and having a friend there waiting for you, who by the way is French and met her in the country we just left.
By keeping in contact often, we organized to meet this particular day. When is the last time your friend picked you in another country in a rented car by the way? Traveling helps you meet some of the kindest people. In the U.S. we forget about this, staying in touch with loved ones. It doesn’t have to be every day or every week but often. To keep that bond strong especially if you live in the same town or country.
Soon the next days we spent with Audrey and her friends, also going to the Formula 1 series. On St. Patrick’s Day we could not find anything popping. We were quite disappointed and ended up at the park with cheap wine. Compare that to St. Paddy’s Day a year before in Auckland, New Zealand. That was a blast, we danced with a few 96 year’s young ladies know as the Golden Girls.
March 15, 2017 at the NewKind Festival site in Little Swansport, Tasmania Australia. NewKind was more of a social gathering rather than festival. It was full of workshops of all sorts; farming, solar energy, composting, healing, with sustainability being the number one goal. It was a recreation on how we can and should thrive towards living. Having one of these in the U.S. can help us become more of community. You build these amazing connections with like minded people and open minded people.
The view and beach helped ease the task of being responsible for feeding 400 people, 3 X’s a day, for 4 days. That’s 1,600 meals, a mission Ben and I didn’t expect to be doing while traveling. With our amazing team though, we did and did it well. You know it was surprising to everyone there that we were just two Californian guys exploring the world and on an expired visa. We decided to not follow the same track everyone else is doing. The best way to see change is to be the change.
They say follow your heart and I say connect with your soul first. Take time from your every day busy schedule. Remember its a blessing to be alive. All that electronic, social stuff can be put on hold for a while. Use that time to get in touch with your mind, body and soul. Success should be judged on happiness not your bank account. If you do what you love, karma and balance will soon follow.
TRAVEL INTO THE UNKNOWN!
Photosynthesize. 
Wow, you guys are my heroes! You have inspired me to take a leap after my retirement this year and move where the wind takes me. Super proud of you Nelson. 🙂
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Hey guys! Audrey kindly passed on your blog details recently and it’s made my day checking it out! 😀
As you know she and I are in Sydney together atm and constantly reminisce over the good old days in Darwin. How strange it is to see each other outside of Darwin but most importantly how we miss you guys!
So cool to see your pictures of New Kind, insane the amount of cooking you did! What a great gig for you both!
I hear you guys are in different parts of the country and it’s hard to imagine you apart! haha What adventures are you up to? Any plans for a return trip to Australia? 😀
I’ve just finished a years training as a Barber! and the change from Nursing has been a very welcome one. Days are much simpler and calm and its made such a difference to my overall happiness, so big thumbs up and smiles from me 😀 I’ve moved back home, built a wicker bed veggie garden, got some chickens and gone Vegan (except for our home brewed chicken eggs) haha all of which adds to a much more relaxed me and that which I’d have to attribute to the people I met traveling, including yourselves, so thank you for the lasting impact!
Well I hope you are both well and at peace!
Lots of love,
Vic
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