Still buzzing from an arts festival held in shipping containers scattered about a derelict wharf. Rusty cranes, sheds, old boats, the river Ij, and incredible architecture on the skyline worked well to open my mind to some very cool performances. Mix in friendly locals who greet me with smiles and even buy me wine.
Then I hop on my new bike (actually it’s probably older than me) and ride onto the pedestrian ferry back across the river. More incredible architecture, this time lit by sunset, sails by as we reach Centraal Station. Plug my iPod into my head as I gently roll west, when a stream of fantastic tunes come up by random – my idea of providence.
Kaiser Cartel’s acoustic goodness lulls me with “I can not find, distilled silence. It’s my own fault, that I can not listen to myself.” from Okay as I roll into The Jordaan and I’m entranced. Orange flecks of sunset bounce around on silky black water, old barges rest moored along the canals, and 400 year old buildings reach just above the trees around me as I lightly roll up and down the brick bridges’ arches.
I’m beginning to believe I’ll find a home here.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Updates coming...
So I've landed in my new home town of Amsterdam last night and I'm inspired to resurrect this poor blog. I'm writing stuff up now and will have a "what's been going on for the past... oh... 18 months" post up shortly ;-).
Arriving in Amsterdam
Arriving in Amsterdam is thrilling, yet I could replace “Amsterdam” with European city X. I’ve landed in a new place in Europe – and I’m going to live here.
Arriving in Amsterdam is terrifying. I’m sure my jet lag is not helping, but after my welcomer leaves me at my B&B – a tiny room in the red light district. I realise I don’t know one person in the entire country and to top it off am basically broke so I can’t give up and run back to my good friends in New Zealand or my brother in Texas. I am in new territory – I remember landing in Wellington and realise how much I appreciated being in a hostel and meeting Simon and particularly how nice it was having my sister Whitney there. On top of that I started work about 7 hours after arriving and I still don’t have a start date here, but it will be at least 6 days away.
So I consider my list of to-do’s: hit the lawyer in the morning, IND (Dutch Immigration) Friday, sort out how to get to/from my new B&B Monday - and in the meantime go get a mobile as soon as possible so that I can speak to someone I know. Then start work, explore the city, find an apartment. I’m reminded of how truly wonderful it was to have Dougal as my first flatmate in Wellington – he was an ambassador to the city and he welcomed me (really insisted) that I meet every friend and join him for every dinner out. I don’t want to be negative, but I somehow doubt I could be so lucky twice.
So now I’m sitting up in bed, a little hot, rather jet-lagged, listening to the rain and the teenage tourists outside. There’s a canal right outside and it is beautiful, but I feel so far away from the comfort of friends and loved ones – I believe this feeling is called loneliness. But I remind myself to chin up and relish this challenge – it’s hard, but hard challenges are that much sweeter once surmounted.
Damn, it’s 1 AM and I need to be up at 7 – if only I could disengage thoughts and feelings…
Arriving in Amsterdam is terrifying. I’m sure my jet lag is not helping, but after my welcomer leaves me at my B&B – a tiny room in the red light district. I realise I don’t know one person in the entire country and to top it off am basically broke so I can’t give up and run back to my good friends in New Zealand or my brother in Texas. I am in new territory – I remember landing in Wellington and realise how much I appreciated being in a hostel and meeting Simon and particularly how nice it was having my sister Whitney there. On top of that I started work about 7 hours after arriving and I still don’t have a start date here, but it will be at least 6 days away.
So I consider my list of to-do’s: hit the lawyer in the morning, IND (Dutch Immigration) Friday, sort out how to get to/from my new B&B Monday - and in the meantime go get a mobile as soon as possible so that I can speak to someone I know. Then start work, explore the city, find an apartment. I’m reminded of how truly wonderful it was to have Dougal as my first flatmate in Wellington – he was an ambassador to the city and he welcomed me (really insisted) that I meet every friend and join him for every dinner out. I don’t want to be negative, but I somehow doubt I could be so lucky twice.
So now I’m sitting up in bed, a little hot, rather jet-lagged, listening to the rain and the teenage tourists outside. There’s a canal right outside and it is beautiful, but I feel so far away from the comfort of friends and loved ones – I believe this feeling is called loneliness. But I remind myself to chin up and relish this challenge – it’s hard, but hard challenges are that much sweeter once surmounted.
Damn, it’s 1 AM and I need to be up at 7 – if only I could disengage thoughts and feelings…
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Still alive...
I'm having a blast, but a bit behind on updates (I'm practicing my understatements)
Happy new years to all! I was home again for Christmas and had a blast visiting everyone there. My first weekend back to summer in New Zealand led me to climb Mount Taranaki on one of the few days a year when it isn't attracting horrible weather like a magnet.
I am still working on getting photos uploaded from a few adventures over the past winter here...
Wishing you all the best!
Happy new years to all! I was home again for Christmas and had a blast visiting everyone there. My first weekend back to summer in New Zealand led me to climb Mount Taranaki on one of the few days a year when it isn't attracting horrible weather like a magnet.
I am still working on getting photos uploaded from a few adventures over the past winter here...
Wishing you all the best!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Where have I been?
I was in the states for May, etc, etc, etc. I'm now doing an alpine climbing course and here is a photo from last weekend. Eventually I'll get some more stuff up soon... promise.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Another weekend tramping
Some (all of 4) photos up from this past weekend tramping in the northwestern Tararuas.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Go Summer, Go!
Summer is holding on with it's fingernails - I hope it doesn't loose grip too soon. (Picture from Sommes Island in Wellington Harbour)
Monday, March 12, 2007
More Photos
Being too lazy to write narratives, I thought I'd post some photos of things I've been shooting lately.
I've finally uploaded pictures from my trip to Arthur's Pass in February
I've also just had some of these pictures published. A circus show called "Gravity & Other Myths" that was playing on the waterfront over the past couple weeks.
This past week there has been a wedding and a portrait shoot for a band called "The Constituents", a music festival this weekend to shoot, and another portrait shoot for "Twinset" next week. I'm stoked to have all this photography work; it's been a blast and thankfully it makes me also appreciate my day job.
I've finally uploaded pictures from my trip to Arthur's Pass in February
I've also just had some of these pictures published. A circus show called "Gravity & Other Myths" that was playing on the waterfront over the past couple weeks.
This past week there has been a wedding and a portrait shoot for a band called "The Constituents", a music festival this weekend to shoot, and another portrait shoot for "Twinset" next week. I'm stoked to have all this photography work; it's been a blast and thankfully it makes me also appreciate my day job.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Birthday Bonfire
I've also loaded some photos from Aneke's birthday bonfire out on Makara beach. (outside Wellington)
Deep Bay Sunset
I've got my new laptop, yeah! And with it, here come some photos from the queue and those from my trip of the last two weeks with my Dad & Jane to both the South Island and Stewart Island here in New Zealand.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Dead Laptop :-(
My laptop died a few weeks ago which has caused a rapid halt to my photo uploading, but fear not my oh-so-flash new MacBook Pro will be here in a week!
As it turns out, it arrives with my parents as well ;-) My Dad and Jane are coming for a visit and I'm quivering in my boots I'm so excited. See my folks, take a two week holiday to the South Island & Steward Island, AND get a new laptop - what more could a large child like myself want?
I have actually been reasonably busy since my last post. I hiked most of the Queen Charolette Track, had a work weekend, a weekend off, then spent a 4 day weekend in Author's Pass (where we hiked high enough to make snow angels in our shorts), and this last weekend shot a wedding and went to X-Air (a blatant rip off of the X-Games, but damn fun).
I've managed to get a couple break dancing photos loaded up from X-Air and I'll leave these here until I get around to sorting the rest of my photos of late.
As it turns out, it arrives with my parents as well ;-) My Dad and Jane are coming for a visit and I'm quivering in my boots I'm so excited. See my folks, take a two week holiday to the South Island & Steward Island, AND get a new laptop - what more could a large child like myself want?
I have actually been reasonably busy since my last post. I hiked most of the Queen Charolette Track, had a work weekend, a weekend off, then spent a 4 day weekend in Author's Pass (where we hiked high enough to make snow angels in our shorts), and this last weekend shot a wedding and went to X-Air (a blatant rip off of the X-Games, but damn fun).
I've managed to get a couple break dancing photos loaded up from X-Air and I'll leave these here until I get around to sorting the rest of my photos of late.
Monday, January 08, 2007
I do love these outdoors!
After working straight through Christmas and New Years only taking Christmas Day and the 2nd off I broke away for a tramp (that's Kiwi for a hike) in the Tararuas, a mountain range just north of Wellington.
Despite "the worst summer in recorded history" according to the front page last week - we had some pretty damn fine weather. Of course the 120 KPH / 70 MPH winds on top of Jumbo peak was my favorite for the excitement ;-)
Click here to see all the photos - (The other folks are Tom, Aneke, and Jules)
Despite "the worst summer in recorded history" according to the front page last week - we had some pretty damn fine weather. Of course the 120 KPH / 70 MPH winds on top of Jumbo peak was my favorite for the excitement ;-)
Click here to see all the photos - (The other folks are Tom, Aneke, and Jules)
Christmas Day Fun
Went to a party that lasted until 3 - nothing like playing with a bunch of expats all day from a house with a view!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
A photo follow-up...
For you folks that don't check out my flickr site, here are some photos from the past month:
A local ska band called the Offbeats (go Kate!):
The lagoon bridge on the Wellington waterfront, a play around with HDR images:
A nearby church's columns by night:
And of course, my flatmate Janet attempting to put an entire bag of marshmallows in her mouth at one time ;-)
Plenty of data centre pictures to come in the future - I'm sure they'll REALLY thrill.
A local ska band called the Offbeats (go Kate!):
The lagoon bridge on the Wellington waterfront, a play around with HDR images:
A nearby church's columns by night:
And of course, my flatmate Janet attempting to put an entire bag of marshmallows in her mouth at one time ;-)
Plenty of data centre pictures to come in the future - I'm sure they'll REALLY thrill.
Happy Christmas!
Another month has blown by. I’ve managed to bury my head in the sand that’s called work as I prepare to execute the move of our data centre into the new facility over new years. I’ve found myself at numerous Christmas parties talking to exciting people with nothing in my head but stats on cooling, power consumption, and racing thoughts of cabling organization structures. To say the least, I haven’t exactly been slaughtering people with my gift for gab ;-)
I have enjoyed losing myself in work – despite the fact that I recognize it as unhealthy, at least in the long term. Otherwise I’ve photographed my flatmate Janet’s Christmas party, gotten out to neighborhood fairs, photographed some music, etc.
It’s half nine on Christmas Eve and I’m snuggled in on my couch looking through our flat window over the lights of the city. I’ve got a great glass of Pinot Noir and Eryka Badu on the stereo, just finished a fantastic day including a big run, great brunch, a birthday party, a movie, and dinner with a friend. I’ve managed to ignore the fact that it’s Christmas until about 30 minutes ago.
I’ve never spent Christmas Eve alone, nor awoken on Christmas in an empty house. It sounds a bit pathetic and I must admit that I intensely miss my family at the moment, but I can’t say that I dislike it. I’m relishing the sense of independent, mid-adulthood. As I am not only fully empowered to do whatever whenever, I am as free of attachment as I believe personally possible. Earlier in life I would always have been with my family, and later in life I expect to have a family of my own. Yet, these are the years of self appointed destiny and I find it critical to step back and truly appreciate it, as it is doubtless ephemeral and will in short time only be the substance of stories with which I attempt to regale grandchildren.
I will wake up to presents though! I’ve got a package from my “mum” as these kiwis say, and my flatmates after deceiving me with stories of “we’re not exchanging gifts this year” left many a treat on the kitchen counter. I’ll spend the morning with some English friends (Sal and Paul) to kick off our fabulous “Orphan’s Christmas” with a collection of expats from around the world throwing a BBQ and getting up to what is sure to go down in the history books as proper shenanigans ;-)
Merry Christmas everyone! (And happy birthday pops!)
I have enjoyed losing myself in work – despite the fact that I recognize it as unhealthy, at least in the long term. Otherwise I’ve photographed my flatmate Janet’s Christmas party, gotten out to neighborhood fairs, photographed some music, etc.
It’s half nine on Christmas Eve and I’m snuggled in on my couch looking through our flat window over the lights of the city. I’ve got a great glass of Pinot Noir and Eryka Badu on the stereo, just finished a fantastic day including a big run, great brunch, a birthday party, a movie, and dinner with a friend. I’ve managed to ignore the fact that it’s Christmas until about 30 minutes ago.
I’ve never spent Christmas Eve alone, nor awoken on Christmas in an empty house. It sounds a bit pathetic and I must admit that I intensely miss my family at the moment, but I can’t say that I dislike it. I’m relishing the sense of independent, mid-adulthood. As I am not only fully empowered to do whatever whenever, I am as free of attachment as I believe personally possible. Earlier in life I would always have been with my family, and later in life I expect to have a family of my own. Yet, these are the years of self appointed destiny and I find it critical to step back and truly appreciate it, as it is doubtless ephemeral and will in short time only be the substance of stories with which I attempt to regale grandchildren.
I will wake up to presents though! I’ve got a package from my “mum” as these kiwis say, and my flatmates after deceiving me with stories of “we’re not exchanging gifts this year” left many a treat on the kitchen counter. I’ll spend the morning with some English friends (Sal and Paul) to kick off our fabulous “Orphan’s Christmas” with a collection of expats from around the world throwing a BBQ and getting up to what is sure to go down in the history books as proper shenanigans ;-)
Merry Christmas everyone! (And happy birthday pops!)
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