There are lots of styles of travelling. Many of the hostels here are full with people who buy cars and travel for a few months. Makes many tasks easier, some harder. Dad a few friends whose cars have broken to the tune of over $1000. My style is just plain backpacking...some walking, hitchhiking and buses to deal with cities. Food is a problem. If I stay in a hostel for a few days, I can buy decent groceries. I have to use up most of my food at each stop. I carry bread, cheese, tea and muesli all the time (and have had to use it as the main meal).Not knowing where I am going or when can be a bit more expensive. Tough to book flights, hostels etc at the last minute. Of course, the other side of this coin is flexibility. Each day is wide open.
My brother Jon and I have had quite a few discussions about serendipity, where good things happen as a result of your openness to let anything happen. A few examples:
Hitch-hiked away from first Wwoofing farm in Kaingaroa at 7:30 in the morning, heading towards Cape Reinga (top of North island, about 120 kms away). The plan: drop my Dal keyring there and get to a hostel later on. I received a number of rides, including a Dutch girl who invited me Wwoofing in Bay of Islands and a number of locals. At Waitiki landing, there people came up to me an offered me a ride. They had seen me the day before swimming in Doubtless Bay (during the tsunami warning) and we had chatted for a bit. I end up with a ride up to the Cape, lunch, a swim in Toputuputu Bay, a visit to the sand dunes, a ride to the remote hostel in Henderson Bay (It just opened, I am first backpacker of the season) and an invitation to visit them in Christchurch, which I will do when I visit Sue's sister, Judy.
A very cool day that just fell into place. The next few days I spent walking, swimming and surfing in 90 mile beach.
My last week with a Maori family was serendipity. While I was back in Kaingaroa, I received an email from a host. She had seen my profile and was asking if I wanted to work in Tauranga. I said yes and ended up with a cultural experience as a highlight of my visit to New Zealand so far. Spending the week with a local Maori family was quite the experience. A very social, interactive culture. Those big, dramatic faces that can look so intense really light up when they are smiling. Everyone I met was very kind, friendly and interested in what us Woofers were doing or where we were from.
A very cool week that had no premeditation, I just replied to an email because usually hosts don't chase volunteers. Like flipping a coin, let's see what happens.
Last example: Daughter Sophie was also in new Zealand for a month. She was South, working her way North, and I was doing the opposite. We would have met in Auckland but she opted for a quicker flight back to Canada to see Michelle and get ready for Korea.
Good news for me? Looks like I will fly to Seoul to perhaps spends Christmas with Sophie in Korea. Been looking at Wwoofing sites already. If I get there, who knows. To head West, I now can look at China or India.
Like I said, this style of travelling has it's own rewards. I love the flexibility and of course, the resulting serendipity that can just fall in your lap.
