Also available in Arabic :-)
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Karachi, now boarding
A look at the departures in Dubai made me realize how much more travel I have to do!
Also available in Arabic :-)
Also available in Arabic :-)
John's photos are up too.
John, my mate with whom I traveled, has posted his photos. Great shots here.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Return to Routine
After a week that felt exceedingly long, I’ve fallen back into a comfortable routine. After-work drinks and dinner with friends Friday. A run up a mountain and rock climbing separated by visits to friends Saturday before heading to an incredible dinner that was followed by a few bars and a few parties until half 3. Lazy Sunday in art galleries, sitting by the water, a spectacular performance of Mozart’s Requiem (with an earthquake mid solo – not that the musicians let on to it), more café’s with friends, and finally my fav Jazz spot like a cherry atop my weekend.
Wellington hasn’t changed, it’s still lovely but now feels almost too easy. I’m getting up earlier and dressing nicer for work despite my moral objections to this having nothing to do with my qualifications, nonetheless when in Rome… I should be starting my French classes within a week, and hunkering down to get some certifications over the next couple months. After having spent time in summer, I realize how much free time I have now that it’s always so bloody dark. Yet of course, where are the rest of the pictures? I’m just a bit lazy on that front… Waiting for inspiration…
PS I have decided to do a photo a day for a year starting on my upcoming birthday. No idea how it will come out, I'll let it be organic - but hope it will provide a cool window into this part of my life.
Wellington hasn’t changed, it’s still lovely but now feels almost too easy. I’m getting up earlier and dressing nicer for work despite my moral objections to this having nothing to do with my qualifications, nonetheless when in Rome… I should be starting my French classes within a week, and hunkering down to get some certifications over the next couple months. After having spent time in summer, I realize how much free time I have now that it’s always so bloody dark. Yet of course, where are the rest of the pictures? I’m just a bit lazy on that front… Waiting for inspiration…
PS I have decided to do a photo a day for a year starting on my upcoming birthday. No idea how it will come out, I'll let it be organic - but hope it will provide a cool window into this part of my life.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Pictures still coming...
I've got photos from Nantes, France and Dubai, UAE still on the way. I'll get onto editing/sorting through them shortly.
Big PS: Found a new flat and got a raise today, whoo hoo! Flat is in the burbs compared to where I've been, but still only a 15 minute walk to downtown. It's in a suburb (that's Kiwi for neighborhood) called Thorndon, I'll post my address so the care packages can come flooding in. And a raise... I've got to go on holiday more often ;-)
Big PS: Found a new flat and got a raise today, whoo hoo! Flat is in the burbs compared to where I've been, but still only a 15 minute walk to downtown. It's in a suburb (that's Kiwi for neighborhood) called Thorndon, I'll post my address so the care packages can come flooding in. And a raise... I've got to go on holiday more often ;-)
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Back in Welli
Originally disappointed to be leaving holiday, summer, and Europe for winter and work (NZ really is quite nice), John and I landed at half 4 on Saturday. I made a beeline for the shower, shared a story or two with Dougal, and was fast asleep by half 6.
Awoke at 3 am, then watched the sunrise listening to Tchaikovsky and walking around the Wellington waterfront. As I the reflections of the buildings curve around the bay I was struck by how much I do like Wellington. As a city, it seems to represent so many of the same values I hold dear with my ideal balance of urban living in a natural environment. The mountains across the harbor repeating in archetypal blue patterns so often seen in landscape art, parks along the water, and a clean and remarkably accessible city framed within it all.
Then Monday. I know it’s winter and I know it’s work, but endless drizzle, 8 degrees Celsius, and dark by half five – not made any better by staring at a computer all day and going through my 2500+ emails? The contrast is a bit harsh. And for a bit of icing, I have to move as the fabulous flat I live in has sold while I was away.
All in all I can’t complain - I really am lucky. Not only was I able to take a trip to Europe - but I was also able to take 5 weeks off work, enjoy a change of season, and come back to a wonderful home that still feels exotic.
Tuesday continued to pour, work continued to ramp up, but I still have that fabulous feeling of summer locked tight away in my chest.
Awoke at 3 am, then watched the sunrise listening to Tchaikovsky and walking around the Wellington waterfront. As I the reflections of the buildings curve around the bay I was struck by how much I do like Wellington. As a city, it seems to represent so many of the same values I hold dear with my ideal balance of urban living in a natural environment. The mountains across the harbor repeating in archetypal blue patterns so often seen in landscape art, parks along the water, and a clean and remarkably accessible city framed within it all.
Then Monday. I know it’s winter and I know it’s work, but endless drizzle, 8 degrees Celsius, and dark by half five – not made any better by staring at a computer all day and going through my 2500+ emails? The contrast is a bit harsh. And for a bit of icing, I have to move as the fabulous flat I live in has sold while I was away.
All in all I can’t complain - I really am lucky. Not only was I able to take a trip to Europe - but I was also able to take 5 weeks off work, enjoy a change of season, and come back to a wonderful home that still feels exotic.
Tuesday continued to pour, work continued to ramp up, but I still have that fabulous feeling of summer locked tight away in my chest.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Awake at 3am
What to do when you wake up at 3 am from jet lag? How about an update to my "countries visited" map? 24 countries brings me to 10%, how long before I can get to 48 countries?
The passport I got in Aug of 2004 only has about a page and a half left in it. I felt quite chuffed with myself about this until I realized how few pages US passports have in them. US passports have about 14 usable pages and a Kiwi passports have about 50 - how culturally embedded is the idea of traveling or *not* between these two countries?
create your own visited country map
The passport I got in Aug of 2004 only has about a page and a half left in it. I felt quite chuffed with myself about this until I realized how few pages US passports have in them. US passports have about 14 usable pages and a Kiwi passports have about 50 - how culturally embedded is the idea of traveling or *not* between these two countries?
create your own visited country map
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Noooooooo...........
Wake up tomorrow, go to airport, fly for twenty odd hours... and the back to... (sniffle) work and.... (gulp) winter.
Something tells me I won't be getting much sympathy from those of you who didn't just spend your last 5 weeks on holiday.
Nonetheless, it's been good and I don't want it to end!
Something tells me I won't be getting much sympathy from those of you who didn't just spend your last 5 weeks on holiday.
Nonetheless, it's been good and I don't want it to end!
I almost forgot!
Flickr.com, YouTube.com, and MySpace.com are all blocked by the UAE government here. Yeah censorship! When I get back to democracy, I mean New Zealand, I'll post a screen shot of the friendly block message.
(I've never had my internet censored before, that I know of, it's kinda cool in a scary way)
(I've never had my internet censored before, that I know of, it's kinda cool in a scary way)
No big surprises today...
Neither did John and I venture into a mosque nor did Dubai change my opinion of yesterday. In order to experience possibly the most gratuitous overuse of energy, we spent the day in a waterpark and the night snowboarding... in the desert. This place is crazy and even more false feeling than Vegas.
I shudder at the thought that this may be the direction of modern cities.
I shudder at the thought that this may be the direction of modern cities.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Damn I Miss Europe
England was brilliant – polite, charming and witty, the people exuded the virtues I’ve been raised to admire. Spain was inspiring – saturated colors, saturated passions, and the perfect lifestyle.
In France, I fell in love. Food, wine, and cheese that could keep me grinning for years; coupled with beautiful cities, sophistication, and a profound appreciation for the arts that is hundreds of years old and stronger than ever. Throughout Europe the history seduced me. It struck me that with these countries deep histories came a humanistic prioritization, holding highest lifelong education and the arts.
John and I arrived in Dubai this morning, 3 hours of sleep on a plane followed by a drive through a “city” that consumerism built. I quote city as I generally feel that cities are living and breathing entities that one builds a relationship with – yet I have not felt that here in the least bit. Stunningly disorganized grandiose development studded throughout patches of empty sand. No sign of concern for aesthetics: giant roundabouts without the least sign of beautification, skylines continuously broken by massive high voltage power lines, and a landscape punctuated only by brand names, IKEA, Ace, and the directions to our villa included “turn right at the Coca-Cola roundabout”. Everything is new, very comfortable, and for sale. It should be noted the previous sentence only applies to the wealthy. I have not seen it directly, but have only read about and seen hints at how the poor are treated. Dubai seems to embody the essence of what I detest in American suburbs: chain stores, chain food, and shopping to distract your life away.
The contrast with Europe is gut wrenching. This is a first reaction, and hopefully very unfair as we have only had an afternoon in the city. This afternoon, which on the advice of our host, we spent in a “the largest mall outside of North America”. What could I possibly expect? An afternoon in a mall anywhere would probably give me this impression. I’m also quite saddened to leave friends in Europe and especially bummed to be approaching work and winter! Looking forward to seeing some more of Europe tomorrow and enjoying some 40 degree heat.
In France, I fell in love. Food, wine, and cheese that could keep me grinning for years; coupled with beautiful cities, sophistication, and a profound appreciation for the arts that is hundreds of years old and stronger than ever. Throughout Europe the history seduced me. It struck me that with these countries deep histories came a humanistic prioritization, holding highest lifelong education and the arts.
John and I arrived in Dubai this morning, 3 hours of sleep on a plane followed by a drive through a “city” that consumerism built. I quote city as I generally feel that cities are living and breathing entities that one builds a relationship with – yet I have not felt that here in the least bit. Stunningly disorganized grandiose development studded throughout patches of empty sand. No sign of concern for aesthetics: giant roundabouts without the least sign of beautification, skylines continuously broken by massive high voltage power lines, and a landscape punctuated only by brand names, IKEA, Ace, and the directions to our villa included “turn right at the Coca-Cola roundabout”. Everything is new, very comfortable, and for sale. It should be noted the previous sentence only applies to the wealthy. I have not seen it directly, but have only read about and seen hints at how the poor are treated. Dubai seems to embody the essence of what I detest in American suburbs: chain stores, chain food, and shopping to distract your life away.
The contrast with Europe is gut wrenching. This is a first reaction, and hopefully very unfair as we have only had an afternoon in the city. This afternoon, which on the advice of our host, we spent in a “the largest mall outside of North America”. What could I possibly expect? An afternoon in a mall anywhere would probably give me this impression. I’m also quite saddened to leave friends in Europe and especially bummed to be approaching work and winter! Looking forward to seeing some more of Europe tomorrow and enjoying some 40 degree heat.
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