tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32324799376551736712024-03-12T20:45:53.744-07:001L1TEliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.comBlogger511125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-10983761689767254122020-05-18T19:42:00.000-07:002020-05-18T19:42:18.049-07:00An Ode to SamWe'll begin with a fast-forward to the mournful end - our beloved cat Sam died last month in my arms at the local vet while I bawled my eyes out. What follows is my best effort at shining some light on his pure soul, adventurous spirit, and myriad hijinks. It's a mix of narrative, asides, and vignettes, and all of it was pretty difficult to write, so good luck making sense of it. If you're reading this, there's a good chance that you met Sam, or knew him well, or maybe even cared for him for some stretch of time while we were away. In any case, sincere thanks for whatever role you played in his life.<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />
In late 2008, a few months after arriving in Reno after being hogtied and chucked into the trunk of the car, Ethel thought it might be cool to get a cat, so she made some advance visits to the Nevada Humane Society and quickly discovered that of their ~600 adoptable cats, only a handful had the joie de vivre that appealed to her. I accompanied her for the final visit, and really, there was only one choice. It was the cuddly one who had a hell of a voice and a considerable knack for stealing food from the other cats' cages. As such, the 11-month-old tabby with aggravatingly symmetric swirls and stripes came home with us, and there was no reason for us to change his name from what the NHS had given him. Sam was now part of the family.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-1.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-2.jpg" /><br />
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Between 2008 and 2014, Sam moved house with us four times around Reno, and each time, he quickly became "acquainted" with the wildlife in the area. Birds, lizards, rabbits, and mice were all fair game, and in his remaining waking hours, he proved to have a remarkably friendly temperament. Sam really only had two modes: murderous rampage and unrestrained cuddles. OK, I guess some minor modes included dizzying climbing antics and calorie-shredding playtime, but it's safe to say he traded complexity for aptitude across his chosen pursuits.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-3.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-4.jpg" /><br />
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When he was still super young, he got super dirty pretty frequently, and we hadn't yet figured out that he was fine with being bathed but showers weren't at all cool with him; maybe the noise, maybe the feel of the water, who knows. Anyhow, I remember being in the tiny shower with him, and with no run-up, he jumped straight up 2m/6.5ft and clambered over the top of the shower door and plummeted, sopping, to safety. As I was impressed more than anything, he thusly received a lifetime get-out-of-jail free card for the shower.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-5.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-6.jpg" /><br />
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When Ethel and I would go on walks around the neighborhood at night, Sam would frequently follow us, but never too close...he'd be up to a minute behind, darting in and out of the shadows, up trees, and over rocks. He'd shadow us for a mile or more, which was equal parts awesome and terrifying, as I wasn't sure that encouraging him to expand his territory that much was necessarily a good thing, but he always made it home.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-7.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-8.jpg" /><br />
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One notable habit of his was a nightly inspection of the kitchen countertop for anything that warranted tasting or further deconstruction. This certainly trained us to be more diligent about our cleanup routine; no such thing as uncovered butter with a cat in the house.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-9.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-10.jpg" /><br />
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From the very first conversation we had about returning to New Zealand, which I think was in 2009, our calculus included the cost of bringing Sam with us; there was to be no abandonment of this little beast.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-11.jpg" /><br />
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NZ happens to have extraordinarily strict (and for good reason) biosecurity laws, and hence, the hoops to jump through in order to bring a household pet into the country are prodigious and then some. Once we were committed to the move ourselves and had a date locked down, we began Sam's process. Tests, vaccinations, certifications, vet visits, and permit fees become our lingo for several months, and then, at the final stage, we discovered that his rabies vaccination had expired during the process, and not only would he have to get a new one, but that he'd also have to wait for several months to prove that he didn't have rabies. The only out we had was to let him stay with my dad in Reno for the intervening months, which they both handled like champs. Nonetheless, the setback was a serious bummer and we felt awful about being split up from the furry child for the interim.<br />
<br />
5 months later, it was finally time. I was in the US for a work trip, and while the exact details are a bit hazy, Sam made the journey from Reno down to San Francisco (I think I flew to Reno and drove him down), where I handed him off to the pet transport people (you don't fly -with- your pet; they're "cargo") along with a mountain of paperwork and promised him that I'd see him on the flip side. Upon his arrival in NZ, he served his mandatory 10-day quarantine sentence (this used to be ~6 weeks, but they increased the front-end diligence to be able to reduce the quarantine) at the only quarantine facility on the South Island, on the outskirts of Christchurch.<br />
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We weighed the pros and cons of driving vs. flying to get him from Christchurch to Queenstown and ultimately settled on flying. So I flew there, borrowed a friend's car (thanks Porno) to rescue him from quarantine (and he was Very Happy to See Me), then again handed him off at the airport to go into the hold. All that remained was this 45-minute turboprop flight to finally get him to his new home!<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-12.jpg" /><br />
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As we approached Queenstown, the cloud layer increased, and when we circled the first time, I knew we were on thin ice. When we circled the second time, the next announcement was inevitable: we couldn't land at ZQN due to the low ceiling and instead were diverting to Inver-fucking-cargill, a 2.5-hour bus trip away. I was the last person on the bus as Sam was the last piece of luggage to come off the plane, and the last seat on the bus was the one in the middle in the back row. Sam's carrier was (as mandated by international pet transport regulations) freakin' GIGANTIC, and I rammed it into the shoulders of every aisle passenger on the bus on my walk of shame to the back, where I turned around, apologized like a Canadian to the seatmates I was about to wedge myself between, and plonked down with this plastic prison spanning from my lap to eye level.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-13.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-14.jpg" /><br />
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Sam did great on the bus. Really. So by one account, we were only about 5 hours late getting him home, and by another account, it was 5 months, but we're splitting hairs at this point. The reunion was joyous, cuddles were had, and we started introducing him to his new home. The $20 pound cat from Reno was now a several thousand dollar dual citizen!<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-15.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-16.jpg" /><br />
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After a couple days, his desire to be outside had reached a fever pitch, so we started the process of introducing him to his new habitat. The day after that, he went outside and didn't come back. The furry little motherfucker went walkabout on us, and I spent an inordinate amount of time canvassing our 'hood in ever-increasing spirals, introducing myself to bemused neighbors, and generally being distraught. In the middle of the night, 3 days after disappearing, he wandered in, nonchalant as ever, and I'd put money on him having been deep in a bush no more than a few meters from the house the entire time, just...recalibrating...or whatever it is cats do when they move a third of the way across the globe.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-17.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-18.jpg" /><br />
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From his arrival in NZ, Sam moved with us 5 more times (we've moved a lot over the years, I suppose). When we finished building our house in late 2017, we were happy to have the build done, happy to be less nomadic, and also happy to give the little beast a more stable home. I guess that lasted for about a year…<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-19.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-20.jpg" /><br />
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His entrenchment into our rural home included a shocking culling of the local rabbit population. I lost count of the live and semi-live rabbits we chased around the house, and it was with a particular dread that I slowly opened the laundry room door each morning to see how far it would swing before it would be halted by the partial corpse of a midnight meal. Some of them were appalling. I'd also like to state for the record that, while in the US, Sam was an enthusiastic bird hunter, but after we moved to Rabbit Central, I saw zero evidence of even a single bird kill from him. I guess rabbit is more satisfying hunting, or just higher in the Hierarchy of Snacks. He would also come for evening romps around the property with us, galloping from rock to rock and bush to bush. I think it was pretty fun for all of us.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-21.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-22.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-23.jpg" /><br />
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But really, the point of everything I've written so far is to impress upon you that he was the paragon of health, Healthiest Cat Ever, and that we weren't prepared in the least bit for what was to come.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-24.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-25.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-26.jpg" /><br />
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Our first indication that anything was awry was September 2018, just under a month before Ethel gave birth to a slightly less furry child. Without any change in his temperament or activity level, Sam's belly had swollen from "exemplary athlete" to "nearly a basketball." A few trips to the vet later, we knew...nothing. Bloodwork was normal, ultrasound just showed the fluid, and that's about it.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-27.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-28.jpg" /><br />
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At this point, not knowing what was wrong was the worst part. We went down internet rabbit holes of every persuasion, and our vet probably got sick of fielding questions about every damn vector under the sun. I think I might actually have broken Google's autocomplete feature and/or been the first person to ever search for "false pregnancy in male cat" (it's worth pointing out that Ethel was now 39 weeks pregnant and they looked quite a lot like each other). Our local vet referred us to a vet in Christchurch who was used to weird cases, House of the cat world or something, and also had the best ultrasound machine in the country.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-29.jpg" /><br />
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We loaded up, again, 39 weeks gone, and drove our once-lithe-now-roly-poly beastie to Chch, where testing was again inconclusive. Strangely, after returning, it seemed that the mild sedative he'd been given wouldn't wear off, and over the course of the next week, his life force faded away, I'd estimate down to 2%, and we thought we'd be saying goodbye to him at the same time we were welcoming the Howling Marshmallow into the fold. In that week, for the first time ever, there weren't inquisitive little paw prints on the kitchen counter in the morning. Like it or not, we suddenly had a very low-tech metric for his overall health. Thankfully, the Chch vet suggested a last-ditch treatment regimen, and we decided to see if it'd work.<br />
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Astoundingly, the neighbor who was watching him while we were away birthing Echo reported that he turned a corner the day after Ethel popped and that he might not be in dire straits after all. Thrilled to see a change, we continued treating him, he steadily improved, and we felt like it was a judicious choice on his part to use up one of his lives. After a few weeks, we had paw prints on the counter again! Well done, Sam; good to have ya back.<br />
<br />
Echo's awareness of her surroundings of course began with boob and only boob, but rapidly expanded to include the rest of Ethel, Sam, and me (and probably in that order). His tolerance of her unmitigated and unintentioned abuse amazed us both, and he skipped countless opportunities to teach her lessons she probably deserved.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-30.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-31.jpg" /><br />
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In August of 2019, his belly had swollen again, so we spoke to the Chch vet again, who asserted a hunch that while it wasn't definitively diagnosed, it was most likely treatable lymphoma. So we took him in to get drained, and his bloodwork was still essentially normal, and we continued on a slightly different treatment regimen, this time with a scary pill that required rubber gloves to administer, and all was well. Back to full activity, and no wavering of his cat-ness through it all.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-32.jpg" /><br />
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And then in early April, we noticed that his abdomen was swelling up again, so we booked him in for another drain, which obviously meant that he wasn't completely healthy, but if an every-eight-months drain was the new normal, well, so be it. He got drained, but now his bloodwork had some serious red flags regarding anemia, and the vet's recommendation was to either switch up the treatment regimen or call it a day. This visit was on a Thursday, and the chat with the vet was on the Friday, and we could either get him on the new meds on Saturday or on the vet's next duty day, which was the following Thursday. This was a difficult proverbial pill to swallow, but we decided to let him get over his "hangover" of visiting the vet and getting drained before we jumped to any conclusions.<br />
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He'd been up on the kitchen counter Thursday morning.<br />
<br />
And he never got over the hangover.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-33.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-34.jpg" /><br />
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Over the next few days, poor Sammy completely unraveled. Between going to the vet on Thursday afternoon and that Monday, he went from normal to bad to unthinkably awful. There were some signs that the end was nigh, and on Monday night, I stayed up with him, hand-feeding him, cleaning up after him, and comforting him. There was simply nothing left.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-35.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-36.jpg" /><br />
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When Tuesday rolled around, we had no choice. His suffering was impossible to ignore; Ethel rang the vet. While NZ's highest level of Covid lockdown meant that vets couldn't make home visits, one of us could at least go in with him. When the time came, we gathered ourselves for some final excruciating photos and loaded him up.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-37.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-38.jpg" /><br />
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Our entire relationship with Sam was based on trust. We never betrayed his trust and vice-versa. The two biggest tests of this trust were our habitual abandonments when we'd go traveling, from which we of course always returned, and the occasional trips to the vet. Consequently, it absolutely fucking wrecked me, and still does, that his last act of trusting me was to load into the infernal carrier for a car ride to the vet, except this time it was an act of pure betrayal with no chance for redemption. I'd rather he had been carried off by a hawk than marched to his death in my arms.<br />
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The vet prepped him while I waited outside, and then I was allowed to go in and sit on the Bench of Sadness while the vet waited the mandated 2 meters away with the fatal dose. I was allowed a couple minutes to comfort him (slash prepare myself).<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-39.jpg" /><br />
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At 4:35pm on the 21st of April, 2020, I nodded to the vet, and then I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed while Sam's pupils dilated and he went limp in my arms. I slunk outside and waited while they confirmed that he was indeed gone, put him back in the gigantic carrier for the last time, and brought him out to me. I drove him home, but the betrayal was complete.<br />
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Echo watched while Ethel and I took turns hacking away a hole in our marvelously rocky ground. There wasn't much digging, rather more picking away at schist, but we ended up with something that resembled a hole. Ethel wrapped his still-warm and curled body in a sheet, we said our goodbyes as the veil of dusk rose, and we tossed the symbolically heavy first shovel of dirt on top of the sheet.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/200519_sam_eulogy/sam-40.jpg" /><br />
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We're going to plant a little garden around him, and he's got a hell of a view in the meantime. His spot is just a few meters off my daily circuit around the property, too.<br />
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Samuel Murphy-Drake, you did mighty well for a pound cat from the streets of Reno. The last year and a half shattered our assumptions of your immortality; 12 is barely moving the needle for a cat. We miss your happy voice and your kneading claws and your expressive whiskers and your smug eyes and your soft ears every single day.<br />
<br />
Sam -- 2008-2020<br />
<br />
--Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-33974657370241525522019-10-06T13:38:00.000-07:002019-10-06T13:38:43.942-07:00Australia, Quickly - Outdoor SydneyLast installment from Oz is some stuff seen out and about in Sydney. No real story to go along with it.<br />
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A couple early AM photos from Double Bay:<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_4/_ED_4192.jpg" /><br />
<i>Daybreak in Double Bay</i><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_4/_ED_4222.jpg" /><br />
<i>Commerce</i><br />
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And some birds (colorful [and loud] birdlife is abundant!):<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_4/_ED_4261.jpg" /><br />
<i>Rainbow Lorikeet</i><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_4/_ED_4298.jpg" /><br />
<i>and again</i><br />
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One cool destination is <a href="https://thegrounds.com.au/" target="_blank">The Grounds of Alexandria</a>. Lots of outdoor food and drink (and where we see the macaw below).<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_4/_ED_4324.jpg" /><br />
<i>Macaw</i><br />
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And a bunch of random architecture-ish photos:<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_4/_ED_4310.jpg" /><br />
<i>This way to amazing food</i><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_4/_ED_4315.jpg" /><br />
<i>Always look up!</i><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_4/_ED_4171.jpg" /><br />
<i>Over-the-wall architectural photo from Double Bay</i><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_4/_ED_4364.jpg" /><br />
<i>Wynyard architecture</i><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_4/_ED_4373.jpg" /><br />
<i>Obligatory</i><br />
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And on that note, thanks, Australia!<br />
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-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-28254850544830073732019-09-27T19:24:00.001-07:002019-09-27T19:24:05.950-07:00Australia, Quickly - Indoor SydneyOur quick sortie through Oz, for better or for worse, doesn't include much inside time, but I drag my real camera along in case something catches my eye.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_3/_ED_4301.jpg" /><br />
<i>Palmer & Co. bar</i><br />
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One spot that stands out is Palmer & Co., a speakeasy-style bar in CBD Sydney. It's attached to a stunning restaurant called Mr. Wong, which I sadly don't have any photos of because I'm too busy being flabbergasted by the food.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_3/_ED_4304.jpg" /><br />
<i>Cordial me right in the tincture hole</i><br />
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Anyhow, Palmer & Co. is down a dirty alley, serves amazing drinks, and has a fantastic catacomb-y feel to it. 10/10, would drink here again (psssst, and there's a secret lift into the restaurant if you've got a booking).<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_3/_ED_4306.jpg" /><br />
<i>My spirit animal is charcuterie</i><br />
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Another semi-random spot in which we find ourselves is the Queen Victoria Building, a city-block-sized indoor mall that feels a little less modern than most, which is quite a good thing.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_3/_ED_4333.jpg" /><br />
<i>So many lines</i><br />
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Murphy wanders for shops and I wander for photos.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_3/_ED_4350.jpg" /><br />
<i>Stairway to...nowhere?</i><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_3/_ED_4352.jpg" /><br />
<i>Flip-flop</i><br />
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Back to the beginning, however, I'd like to point out that these days, most of the times I insist upon bringing my "real camera" are when I know I'll be in spots with too little light for our otherwise impressively good smartphone cameras. With each successive generation of smartphone, though, I find that those instances keep getting chipped away. And now, with the <a href="https://www.imore.com/night-mode-iphone-11-vs-pixel-3-vs-galaxy-note-10-vs-p30-pro" target="_blank">various night modes</a> and other related computational photography tricks out there, I feel like my "real camera" use cases are more and more out on the skinny branches. And as of recently, there are now <a href="https://petapixel.com/2019/09/18/profoto-c1-and-c1-plus-studio-lights-for-smartphone-photographers/" target="_blank">flash/strobe options</a> that are triggered over bluetooth from a phone. Five years ago, I never would have considered only having my smartphone on me if the photo "counted," but now, I have to think twice about it. I guess it's only a matter of time before I start calling my phone the "real camera" and I only keep the "big camera" for my tilt-shift lenses, long lenses, or other very niche applications...<br />
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But I digress. One more installment of Sydney stuff to come and then we'll be on to other stuff.<br />
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-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-87675694377931365142019-09-26T02:45:00.002-07:002019-09-26T02:46:46.703-07:00Australia, Quickly - Beaches and Pools by FootWith our short stint in the Blue Mountains complete, we trade a horizon of thick haze from boundless eucalyptus trees for the very recognizable skyline of Sydney. We've found a lovely Airbnb in Double Bay, and the hostess lives up to her Superhost qualification immediately. Turns out a bottle of wine and some recommendations for cool spots goes a long way!<br />
<br />
Our agenda for Sydney is the usual city stuff of good coffee, food, and cocktails, but here, we've added more outdoors stuff than normal because, well, it's a mild winter and there are beaches everywhere. For context, "mild winter" means 24C/75F, so the soft Aussies are all bundled up in their scarves and puffa jackets, but that's nicer than a lot of New Zealand summer days, so we're practically naked.<br />
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That mental picture aside, Australia has an amazing culture of fantastic outdoor pools; practically can't swing a cat without hitting one. And of course they're all by the beach, because why not, and of course all the beaches are connected by trails, because obviously.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_2/IMG_0381.jpg" /><br />
<i>Somewhere around Hermits Bay</i><br />
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So on consecutive days, I head out on big runs to explore these beaches. First day is Double Bay to Bondi, and the sightseeing along the way is fantastic.<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_2/IMG_0385.jpg" /><br />
<i>Bondi Beach</i><br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_2/IMG_0387.jpg" /><br />
<i>Icebergs pool</i><br />
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We swim in Icebergs Pool, where I absolutely freeze my tits off, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime swim, so no complaining allowed. We follow that up with the Bondi to Coogee walk, which is beautiful, but swarmed with The Hordes, of which we are part. We top off the afternoon with a beer or three in Coogee with some local friends; bonus!<br />
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<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_2/IMG_0393.jpg" /><br />
<i>Along Bondi-Coogee walk</i><br />
<br />
The next day, I run the other way: Double Bay to Pyrmont, past the Botanic Gardens, the Opera House, Circular Quay, and all the other sights. Definitely not the same beachy vibe as the run to Bondi, but far from awful.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_2/IMG_0397.jpg" /><br />
<i>Just your average neighborhood 50m outdoor pool (@Botanic Gardens)</i><br />
<br />
I could not have asked for better settings or better weather to go exploring by foot! The swim in Icebergs was memorable for all the right reasons, and I definitely feel fortunate to be able to design a couple days around these little mini-adventures.<br />
<br />
Thanks for watching. Next up: some urban stuff.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-46129508414515399622019-08-13T00:54:00.001-07:002019-08-13T22:33:20.354-07:00Australia, Quickly - Blue MountainsIn this episode, Murphy and I make a quick getaway to Australia for her birthday (in some unspecified year, of course). We only have a few days, and rumor has it that Australia is big, so we keep our expectations realistic. Also, Ethel lived there for a year, so she has no need to go flapping about the entire place in our short time.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_1/_ED_4046.jpg" /><br />
<i>Does not disappoint</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_1/_ED_4049.jpg" /><br />
<i>First light on the cliffs and a wispy waterfall</i><br />
<br />
After landing in SYD, we escape immediately to the Blue Mountains, where we hole up in Katoomba for a couple nights with the express purpose of going on some solid trail runs. We make a pilgrimage to Govetts Leap for sunrise, and since it's cold as balls in the Blue Mountains in winter, it is pretty quiet.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_1/_ED_4078.jpg" /><br />
<i>Take me to church</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_1/_ED_4084.jpg" /><br />
<i>With less color</i><br />
<br />
The big run we go on is an absolute monster...all civilization in the Blue Mountains is on the rim, so the first thing you do is descend a million steep steps to get down to the bottom, which you then of course have to re-ascend a couple hours later when you're totally wrecked. Unfortunately the device on which I took some photos no longer exists, but there are a few photos uploaded to the <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1162445925" target="_blank">Strava activity</a> for the day, in case you want to see what the bottom of the Blue Mountains looks like a little bit (including some wildlife).<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190730_oz17_1/IMG_0371.jpg" /><br />
<i>That same wispy waterfall from the other side</i><br />
<br />
Katoomba is sleepy and cold in the winter, so our short time there consists of little more than the big run, a little run, and all the associated food, sleep, and caffeine that goes along with said runs. Clock ticking away, we bid the Blue Mountains adieu and head back towards Sydney for the rest of our visit.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-82819381886753097412019-07-25T03:02:00.001-07:002019-07-25T03:02:32.183-07:00More GlassOne of our neighbors has a telescope with some neat bells and whistles, and it's fancy enough to stick a camera on the back of. Unfortunately, this makes for a different optical path than when you're looking through the telescope's eyepiece, and thus means that field of view options are more limited, but it's still handy enough for inspecting the moon at higher-than-normal magnification.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190725_moontelescope/IMG_1529.jpg" /><br />
<i>Still some light in the sky</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190725_moontelescope/IMG_1538.jpg" /><br />
<i>Such acne</i><br />
<br />
geeks: The first one is a shutter speed of 1/15, which seems insane for these focal lengths, but totally workable with careful attention to technique. The second one is 1/60, and the keeper rate is way higher with a couple more stops of shutter speed on board! Even with our clear and dark skies, atmospheric effects are very noticeable, albeit not nearly as bad as pretty much anywhere else :)<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-80240452687168812332019-07-22T01:37:00.001-07:002019-07-22T01:37:26.675-07:00Diamond LakeA neat and very accessible hike in the greater Wanaka area is to Diamond Lake (and above). It's short and easy and accessed from a paved road, which means that it can be a fan favorite in winter or on bad weather days or on hangover days when bigger missions might not be such a good idea for the delicate flowers in the group.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190722_diamondlake/_ED_9954-Pano.jpg" /><br />
<i>The goods from the upper overlook</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190722_diamondlake/_ED_9918.jpg" /><br />
<i>Ice and green bookend the snags in the lake</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190722_diamondlake/_ED_9927.jpg" /><br />
<i>Low winter sun</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190722_diamondlake/_ED_9970.jpg" /><br />
<i>Goopy mushies</i><br />
<br />
It's only about a 10-minute hike to the lake itself, and then another short stint gets you to the lake overlook and then up Rocky Mount where you can see the rest of the observable universe, give or take.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190722_diamondlake/_ED_9951-Pano.jpg" /><br />
<i>The goods in the other direction</i><br />
<br />
Good fun and a high bang-for-the-buck little tramp, especially on a crisp winter day!<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-49259053225735327682019-07-18T22:40:00.001-07:002019-07-18T22:40:56.180-07:00Rob RoyI'm just gonna do the thing where I pretend like it hasn't been a year since I posted.<br />
<br />
Dear friends Jesse and Lisa visited us sans kiddos earlier this year, and we took half a day of brilliant weather to go to one of our favorite hikes. The overlooks for Rob Roy Glacier out in the Matukituki Valley are somewhere between easy and hard to get to, but the payoff in views is worth every drop of sweat. For context, it's a 14km round trip from the carpark with a few hundred vertical meters of climbing between here and there.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190719_robroy/_ED_0298.jpg" /><br />
<i>Nature hard at work</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190719_robroy/_ED_0315.jpg" /><br />
<i>Wispy waterfall</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190719_robroy/_ED_0319.jpg" /><br />
<i>Calving glacier</i><br />
<br />
Global warming is super scary and sad, and one way it's manifested 'round here is by bits of the glacier calving off high above. As such, hanging out with a picnic and waiting for an icefall could be considered to be making the most of a dire situation.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190719_robroy/_ED_0323.jpg" /><br />
<i>Walls and falls</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190719_robroy/_ED_0354.jpg" /><br />
<i>Ethel puts in the hard work...</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190719_robroy/_ED_0359.jpg" /><br />
<i>...while they just look pretty and demand lattes</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190719_robroy/_ED_0369.jpg" /><br />
<i>Dense beech</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/190719_robroy/_ED_0377.jpg" /><br />
<i>Big country</i><br />
<br />
We've been out here during most seasons and in lots of different weather, and it's never disappointed. There are certainly more remote and grander landscapes to ponder, but this ticks all the boxes nicely!<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-78323973337276664952018-07-29T12:39:00.000-07:002018-07-29T12:39:28.557-07:00Ulva IslandUlva Island is a wee little island in Paterson Inlet at Stewart Island that's a pretty special place. It's predator-free after a huge effort by DOC, and they take substantial measures to keep it that way. Their efforts have made it an exquisite bird sanctuary, and it's one of the only places in NZ where you stand a chance of seeing a wild kiwi during the day.<br />
<br />
Raki, our host Manfred's son, operates a ferry business between Stewart and Ulva Islands, and we've got a few hours to explore it before we head home. It's a short boat ride, it's cheap as, and Raki gives us our return ticket, written on a rangiora shrub leaf (there's a photo of the ticket on the <a href="https://www.stewartisland.co.nz/organisations/water-taxi/ulva-island-ferry/" target="_blank">ferry's website</a> as of 29 Jul 2018). These leaves are <a href="https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/dead-letters/" target="_blank">famous for being used as postcards</a> because they took ink well and didn't deteriorate, and have been sent worldwide even though NZPost wasn't really a fan of the practice. When he drops us off, we pick a return time and disappear into the dense canopy.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180726_stewart4_ulva/_ED_6938.jpg" /><br />
<i>Oystercatchers scurry along</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180726_stewart4_ulva/_ED_6941.jpg" /><br />
<i>Faint light finds Murphy</i><br />
<br />
Spoiler: we do not see any kiwis, although Raki tells us that some other passengers he had that day got lucky with a sighting (they're nocturnal, but the lack of predators on Ulva gives a chance for a daytime sighting). There's also a complete lack of services on Ulva at night, so that's a complicating factor.<br />
<br />
However, we see a bunch of other cool bird life while we meander on the island's little network of tracks. Some of the tracks are, um, less accessible when the tide is in.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180726_stewart4_ulva/IMG_1391.jpg" /><br />
<i>Good luck</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180726_stewart4_ulva/_ED_6978.jpg" /><br />
<i>Tui</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180726_stewart4_ulva/_ED_7046.jpg" /><br />
<i>South Island robin / toutouwai</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180726_stewart4_ulva/_ED_7151.jpg" /><br />
<i>Stewart Island Weka</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180726_stewart4_ulva/_ED_7169.jpg" /><br />
<i>Extra cheeky weka</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180726_stewart4_ulva/_ED_7176.jpg" /><br />
<i>Ulva Island port</i><br />
<br />
Raki picks us up in his wee boat at our agreed-upon time, and before too long, we're back to SZS and airborne for IVC.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180726_stewart4_ulva/IMG_1412.jpg" /><br />
<i>Short hop</i><br />
<br />
'Til next time, Stewart Island.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-66714729569279571292018-07-24T21:20:00.000-07:002018-07-24T21:20:14.941-07:00Rakiura Track and Other ShenanigansWaking up on Stewart Island with nothing planned feels like a gift from the gods. Manfred feeds us a stunning breakfast, enough to make us feel like anything is possible, and then we realize that the weather isn't meant to be complete crap. That is even MORE of a gift, and while Murphy isn't feeling super duper frisky, I'm only pricked with a twinge of guilt when I ask her how she feels about me disappearing off into the bush for a few hours while she finds her own adventure. The puppy dog eyes work.<br />
<br />
You see, Stewart Island is home to one of NZ's Great Walks, the Rakiura Track, and it's billed as a 3-day tramp. For these multi-day walks, you can kinda do a rough conversion where the recommended number of days if you're walking is about the right number of hours if you're running.<br />
<br />
The Rakiura Track isn't even Stewart Island's longest or best-known track. The North West Circuit and Southern Circuit Tracks are WAY longer and carry the notoriety of circumnavigating a huge chunk of the entire island. The North West Circuit Track is billed as a 9-11-day hike over 125km, which, with our aforementioned rough conversion, might suck to run. The Southern Circuit Track is shorter at 71km (4-6 days), but both of them are pretty explicitly backcountry tracks with higher probability of things going pear-shaped.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/rakiura.png" /><br />
<i>Rakiura Track profile; not that bad, but enough</i><br />
<br />
So the Rakiura Track is a lot less to bite off, and is relatively well-maintained due to its Great Walk status, and considering that I've come here without any specific distance running gear, much less proper backcountry route-finding and survival gear, seems to be the right call. By "without any specific gear," I mean ANYTHING except for decent trail shoes and a rain jacket. The worrywarts among you will be horrified to think about starting a remote 35ish-kilometer run without any water, no contingency gear, and a whopping half a granola bar, but it's certainly not the dumbest thing I've ever done.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1322.jpg" /><br />
<i>Sendoff</i><br />
<br />
Manfred's son Raki (yes, for Rakiura) is kind enough, along with his visiting brother Julius and Ethel, to deposit me at the Lee Bay end of the point-to-point track. Ethel gets a swift smack on the ass and I disappear into the unknown. Don't worry: I won't be burdening you with a km-by-km recounting of the track, but at a high level, it's a stunning ribbon of NZ to see, and I will say a bit about each major section.<br />
<br />
I feel compelled to point out that much of it is perma-mud, which is just kinda something that happens in places where it rains shitloads and there's nowhere for the water to go and the sun never shines. I also gather that running it is not too common, at least based on the bemused observations of the well-laden trampers I encounter as I flit by with nothing on my back and nothing in my hands.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1323.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1324.jpg" /><br />
<br />
As noted, it's a point to point track, and I've chosen to go counterclockwise (rather, anticlockwise, as they say here). The first section of the track winds from Lee Bay past Maori Beach and to the Port William Hut. There are a couple beach sections, which are more exciting with the tide in, but this whole first third is only 8km long, so it's over pretty quickly.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1326.jpg" /><br />
<i>Maori Beach shelter</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1328.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1330.jpg" /><br />
<br />
Maori Beach has a tiny shelter, and the Port William Hut is a proper DOC accommodation with features like walls. I drink water through my cupped hands at the hut, have a bite of my bar, and am back underway in about 2 minutes.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1332.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1335.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1337.jpg" /><br />
<br />
The next section of the track backtracks a tiny bit from Port William Hut to a junction and then goes through the wilds of the island to North Arm Hut. This is the wettest part of the track, and it feels pretty remote, too. It's also the segment with the most elevation change, and at 13km, it's the crux of the whole run. I've got no photos of the muddy bits, because I'm too focused on forward propulsion and not falling into any mud pits to simultaneously work the camera. So you'll just have to take my word for it when I say that it's swampier than an alligator's asscrack.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1339.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1340.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1344.jpg" /><br />
<i>North Arm Hut</i><br />
<br />
North Arm Hut provides me with another few handfuls of water and an excuse for another bite of my bar, and then it's time to disappear into the bush yet again before I get any questions from the trampers that might force me to incriminate myself with regards to my lack of preparedness.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1346.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1349.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1352.jpg" /><br />
<br />
The final section of the track follows on from North Arm Hut and makes its way back towards the main village of Oban, ending in the hills above town and not too far from SZS (I'm testing your goldfish memories).<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1355.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1356.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1358.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1360.jpg" /><br />
<br />
It's only 11km from North Arm Hut to the official end of the track, and it's not quite as swampy, and you also know that it'll be done soon, so it doesn't feel nearly as wild as that middle bit. The last couple of kilometers are on a much wider trail, too, so it's clear that civilization is near.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1362.jpg" /><br />
<i>Paua shell bench</i><br />
<br />
It's only a couple of kilometers from the end of the track to town, so that's my cooldown. Murphy has just arrived in town as well, so I lurch towards her with all the grace and aplomb of a zombie and she deftly redirects me into the open door of the pub instead of the ocean, where I'm yet again on the receiving end of more bemused looks.<br />
<br />
While I assume that many of the pub's customers arrive muddy and famished, it being Stewart Island and all, I can only assume that they're not typically wearing split running shorts with a 1" inseam. Fortunately, I've reached a point in my life where my propensity for giving a fuck about how I look after a run has been greatly diminished.<br />
<br />
So it's a godsend that the pub is open, but we've arrived in that funny time between lunch and dinner, so there's not much on offer. They do, however, have some soup, which is delicious, even when inhaled, and which I accompany with a pint of Speight's, which tastes about like I imagine the blessed nectar of the forest nymphs tastes, although I wouldn't know one way or the other.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
As a nice interlude between the two runs I'm boring you to tears with, it's worth pointing out that we'll find ourselves back at the pub tonight, partially because it's the only joint with food and drink, and partially because it's Quiz Night. We come back with Julius, and since we're half short of the typical 6-person team, we make fast friends with a couple from Invercargill, and we're also eventually joined by Raki.<br />
<br />
In a shocking turn of events, we end up third in a fairly competitive field, but this is one of those things where, unlike horseshoes and hand grenades, close counts for nothing, so we're a single question away from winning and a $50 bar tab, and that's probably best for all of us in the long run. Instead, our nightcap is some unsuccessful kiwi hunting (not -that- kind of hunting, thanks), and we fall asleep back at the house to the sound of some proper lashing rain.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
The following day breaks with something of a plan in place, but the morning weather is nicer than expected and the best thing after a long run is obviously to go running again, so I lace up and hobble out on a jog that's noteworthy for no other reason than some sightseeing.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1376.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1378.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1381.jpg" /><br />
<br />
This route takes me from Oban and Halfmoon Bay past Bathing Beach, Butterfield Beach, Bragg Bay, Sarah Cove, and to Dead Man Beach, where it becomes apparent that looping all the way around to Horseshoe Point and Horseshoe Bay is waaaay more than I should sign myself up for, so I waddle home atop jello legs and call it good.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1383.jpg" /><br />
<i>Sarah Cove</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1385.jpg" /><br />
<i>Dead Man Beach</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180724_stewart3_run/IMG_1386.jpg" /><br />
<i>Dead Man Beach again</i><br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />With a run in the books, the rest of our plans for the day beckon...<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-43872039851345401342018-07-22T23:15:00.001-07:002018-07-22T23:15:51.962-07:00Jensen BayRight; more from Stewart Island. It's really not that big of an island, but in the same breath, it's huge. There's simply no chance that we'll come close to seeing everything in a few days. Instead, we focus our efforts on becoming acquainted with our neighborhood, which is Jensen Bay.<br />
<br />
We've returned to the AirBnb that Ethel and Nate discovered on their trip a few months prior. Not only is the house amazing, but the host and his family are first-rate human beings.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180722_stewart2_jensen/_ED_6836.jpg" /><br />
<i>Our digs at dusk</i><br />
<br />
The hospitality and warmth shown to us by Manfred and his sons far exceeds our expectations. Should any of my seven readers be contemplating a visit to Stewart Island, I'd insist on making a recommendation...<br />
<br />
The house is solar- and wind-powered, fed with captured rainwater, and heated with pipes in the walls. Necessity, it turns out, is the mother of invention, and Stewart Island's climate tends to breed necessity.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180722_stewart2_jensen/_ED_6875-Pano.jpg" /><br />
<i>From the balcony at dawn</i><br />
<br />
One whimsical aspect of their house that really makes it cool is the family of kaka that have made it their adoptive home. Not as destructive as the kea but equally clever and curious, the kaka is a gorgeous parrot with tons of personality. The family that lives here knows where the treats come from, and they really only get unruly when the treats run out.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180722_stewart2_jensen/_ED_6921.jpg" /><br />
<i>Oh HELLO</i><br />
<br />
Also a feature of our neighborhood of Jensen Bay is a notable lack of light pollution. On an exploratory run not long after our arrival, I scope a few spots for photos should we win the veritable lottery of a clear night.<br />
<br />
Astonishingly, our lottery ticket hits and we spend maybe an hour and a half wandering the 'hood with necks craned skyward.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180722_stewart2_jensen/_ED_6852.jpg" /><br />
<i>Dry-docked</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180722_stewart2_jensen/_ED_6859.jpg" /><br />
<i>Acker's Cottage</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180722_stewart2_jensen/_ED_6842.jpg" /><br />
<i>Nearby :)</i><br />
<br />
Visible in that last photo are the Southern Cross, Jupiter, the Milky Way, Ethel, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, a shooting star, and some airglow. Not bad for a single frame.<br />
<br />
Our decision to strike when the iron is hot is a good one, as we won't see the sky again during our stay; such are the whims of high-latitude coastal NZ weather during autumn!<br />
<br />
We finally go to bed wholly unencumbered with plans for the following day; sometimes it's important to plan lots, and other times, it's important to plan absolutely nothing.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-83644524709889124302018-07-06T08:16:00.000-07:002018-07-06T08:16:49.439-07:00IVC-SZSIVC. SZS.<br />
<br />
Good chance you've never heard of at least one of those airports, and probably both.<br />
<br />
Before this getaway, I had never been to Invercargill's airport...at least, by choice, that is. Unfortunately, I've graced it with my presence a few times, because it's where Air New Zealand diverts some of the flights that can't get into Queenstown when the weather is shit. If there's a lottery where winning means sitting on a goddamn bus from a godforsaken city in godawful weather, then by god, I'm excellent at playing the lottery.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180705_stewart1/_ED_6811.jpg" /><br />
<i>IVC</i><br />
<br />
But I digress. I'm at IVC by choice today because Murphy and I are going to Stewart Island for a long weekend, and when presented with the choice of lurching about on a boat for a couple hours or being strapped into a plane for twenty minutes, I'll take the aerial tour ten times out of ten, thankyouverymuch.<br />
<br />
So anyhow, 6 months prior to this, I was overseas for work while our mate Nate was visiting, and Nate and Murphy went to Stewart Island and had an awesome time and stayed with an awesome host and we'd been looking for an opportunity to go visit the place ourselves, as I'd never been, and Murphy would go back at the drop of a hat.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180705_stewart1/_ED_6813.jpg" /><br />
<i>Half of Stewart Island Flights' fleet</i><br />
<br />
While there's plenty to talk about and show with regards to Stewart Island itself, the flight was cool enough that it warrants a post of its own. Stewart Island flights operates a small fleet, and their workhorse is the Britten Norman Islander.<br />
<br />
NZ's regional airports are nostalgic enough as is, as you get to stroll across the tarmac like you own the place, or like it's fifty years ago, or maybe both. IVC is no different, except that it's even smaller and quieter than some of the others. And when your whip is an Islander instead of an A320...well...<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180705_stewart1/_ED_6828.jpg" /><br />
<i>Analog</i><br />
<br />
We're directed across the tarmac and shown the door of the plane by a fresh-faced young lad, who then gives us a short safety briefing ("look at thus card uf you want to know about thus plane's safety fittures"), and then, to our astonishment, climbs into the left seat, buckles up, and starts the plane. We four passengers (capacity 9, so we're light) exchange a glance and a chuckle.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180705_stewart1/_ED_6820.jpg" /><br />
<i>Up the duff of an A320</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
We're sharing IVC today with (surprise surprise) a diverted ANZ A320, and it pulls out right in front of us, much to our pilot's dismay, as he'd like to get outta dodge without waiting for it. However, much to our collective delight, while the A320 has to taxi all the way to the end of the runway, as soon as we're far enough down to make our takeoff, Captain McFreshstripes just spins the Islander around and buries the throttle. We're airborne in seconds.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180705_stewart1/_ED_6824.jpg" /><br />
<i>Raw power</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Our prescribed altitude is a scant 1500ft, so we're treated to an intimate view of the last shreds of Invercargill and Bluff and then a bunch of whitecaps and kelp and stuff. It's not too long before we can make out features on Stewart Island, and then our pilot performs a manual inspection of the tower-less runway. Apparently a flyby is frequently needed to clear deer from the runway, as they don't interface too well with a tin can preceded by a propeller. Oh dear.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180705_stewart1/_ED_6829.jpg" /><br />
<i>Inspection</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180705_stewart1/_ED_6831.jpg" /><br />
<i>On final for SZS</i><br />
<br />
After this inspection, he lines up for final and we bounce down to an assertive stop. We're met by ye olde airporte shuttle, which has conveniently delivered the passengers for his return trip. Thus ends our flight down memory lane and begins our visit to Stewart Island.<br />
<br />
-
Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-84542170466399661742018-03-10T11:41:00.000-08:002018-03-10T11:41:42.452-08:00Mavora LakesIn our part of NZ, we're frequently graced with winter days that are completely missionable, and dare I say, nicer than a lot of "summer" days. It was 6degC and snowing down to ~1200m a couple weeks ago, for instance. Midsummer, they said!<br />
<br />
Lest I digress, a cool spot for one of these aforementioned missions are the Mavora Lakes (South and North). The lakes, as the crow flies, are very close to Queenstown, but of course take a couple hours to drive to, because mountains.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180308_mavora/_ED_6539.jpg" /><br />
<i>Looking north over North Mavora</i><br />
<br />
Remember, our winter days are mighty short, so unless you're in search of a spicier dawn-to-dusk (or beyond) mission, short walks or runs or bikes in new places hold a certain allure as bite-sized adventures.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180308_mavora/_ED_6525.jpg" /><br />
<i>Perfect forest light (and subject)</i><br />
<br />
We choose to drive to South Mavora, hike along its west shore, and then continue for a bit along the east shore of North Mavora. The road actually continues to North Mavora, so it's possible to choose to get further in depending upon what you've got planned. Like, for instance, if you're <a href="http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/southland/places/mavora-lakes-conservation-park/things-to-do/mavora-greenstone-walkway/" target="_blank">linking Mavora to the Greenstone</a>.<br />
<br />
What we've bit off is an easy walk in beautiful country, and it's far enough off the beaten path that it's pretty quiet; always a bonus. There's copious deep forest, and the Southland forests always feel a bit Jurassic Park-y to me.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180308_mavora/_ED_6529.jpg" /><br />
<i>Calm water and schist</i><br />
<br />
One benefit of tramping around in the wintertime is that you're less likely to forget long clothes for weather reasons, and that means better protection against sandflies. Especially when the wind's not up!<br />
<br />
For good measure, here a couple photos from the drive home.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180308_mavora/_ED_6542.jpg" /><br />
<i>Looking north over Wakatipu towards Devil's Staircase</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180308_mavora/_ED_6546.jpg" /><br />
<i>Super sneaky bonus winter sunset light between Jacks Point and Cecil Peak</i><br />
<br />
Good (albeit short) day out; better than a stick in the eye!<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-71805769075499611702018-02-25T12:47:00.000-08:002018-02-25T15:29:07.919-08:00YVR-ZQN
<meta property="og:image" content="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0723.jpg" />
<meta property="og:image:type" content="image/jpeg" />
By virtue of flying southwest at the end of a northern hemisphere summer day (assuming you aren't a flat earther...), and by sitting on the right side of the plane, one can end up with an extended period of sunset, dusk, and twilight.<br />
<br />
On this particular flight from Vancouver to Auckland on such a northern summer evening with right side window seats, we also have the benefit of excellent atmospheric conditions for a light show. Score.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0717.jpg" /><br />
<i>Just getting started</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0723.jpg" /><br />
<i>Perfect 22deg halo, complete with sun dogs</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0732.jpg" /><br />
<i>I'd pay extra for clear windows</i><br />
<br />
You could extend the fun by flying northwest instead, like for instance from LHR to KEF, but maybe we'll save that for another time. Or even further by having a faster jet, but I'm not sure I'm able to scratch that itch.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0733.jpg" /><br />
<i>Surreal</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0753.jpg" /><br />
<i>Almost there</i><br />
<br />
777 windows are pretty good for photography, but the darker it gets, the more challenging it becomes to control reflections from inside the cabin. Or you can embrace them.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0765.jpg" /><br />
<i>Just keeps on giving</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0769.jpg" /><br />
<i>Time to get comfy</i><br />
<br />
And just for fun, a couple from a domestic A320 to get us the rest of the way home. Sometimes, flying down the spine of the country is amazing sightseeing, and other times, it's just white and blue.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0770.jpg" /><br />
<i>Always clear up high</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0773.jpg" /><br />
<i>Photogenic Koru</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180224_flights/_DSC0780.jpg" /><br />
<i>Puffies</i><br />
<br />
Thanks for stopping by.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-16966663324587603172018-02-21T17:00:00.001-08:002018-02-21T17:00:03.140-08:00VancouverAfter our therapeutic stint at Dunton for Beth and Ed's wedding, Murphy and I traipse northwest to Vancouver to meet up with Lauren and Chase for a few days of reindoctrination into civilization.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/IMG_5606.jpg" /><br />
<i>Arrival</i><br />
<br />
I had not been to Vancouver save for driving through it late one night on the way to Whistler (and back), so this is all new to me; it has always held a certain allure for me, and I guess that consistently only hearing positive things about a place will do that to a guy. So with minimal hesitation, we sign up to contribute to the local economy for a handful of days.<br />
<br />
We provide ourselves with a cool little Airbnb in the Point Grey neighborhood, so we're able to walk to a few things and are close enough to have quick drives to the rest as Chase and Lauren have brought their car from Portland.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0608.jpg" /><br />
<i>Skyline from Point Grey-ish</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0617.jpg" /><br />
<i>Girlz time</i><br />
<br />
When we visit big cities, we tend to fall into a pattern of coffee-food-cocktails-run-rinse 'n repeat, and this trip is no exception. So rather than beating that horse to death, maybe it's worth noting some stuff that falls outside that pattern, with a few exceptions of course.<br />
<br />
There's one neat evening along the water in Stanley Park, including a run and all sorts of people-, ship-, and wildlife-watching through dusk.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/IMG_5614.jpg" /><br />
<i>Stanley Park sunset</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0658.jpg" /><br />
<i>Commerce</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0672.jpg" /><br />
<i>The waiting game</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0675.jpg" /><br />
<i>Dusk from Stanley Park</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0680.jpg" /><br />
<i>Stalking</i><br />
<br />
Then there's the clothing-optional Wreck Beach near the university, which is massive and full of characters. We arrive late in the day and it's starting to empty out, but it's a pretty cool scene nonetheless, with everyone using the big logs on the beach for shelter. There are plenty of normies here too, so we don't feel out of place by virtue of not disrobing; anyhow, it closes at sunset and we'd have nowhere to put the car keys...much less the camera...<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0701.jpg" /><br />
<i>Ninja Warrior episode in the making</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0706.jpg" /><br />
<i>Along the path to Wreck Beach</i><br />
<br />
Another highlight is the Kitsilano Pool, which is a gloriously-odd 137m in length, which means that a few laps might be all you need. There's really only one lane for the lap swimmers, but there's so much passing room that it's ludicrous to suggest that you might need more organization. Murphy and Lauren get chatted up by an Olympic swimmer, so they're all starstruck by the time we leave.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/IMG_5630.jpg" /><br />
<i>Kitsilano Pool in all its glory</i><br />
<br />
There are several memorable meals, spanning sushi, multiple examples of excellent ramen, fish 'n chips, and of course many many pastries.
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/IMG_5610.jpg" /><br />
<i>You had me at hello</i><br />
<br />
Without a doubt, the culinary high point is a post-run late-evening sushi experience, wherein we believe the menu contains an adorable translation mistake on some special shrimp:<br />
<br />
"Tell waiter if you want fried after"<br />
<br />
Which we interpret as "you can get the shrimp fried or unfried, and we've used the word 'after' like 'after all' or something like that, which the Irish and British tend to do."<br />
<br />
When actually, the menu was exactly correct in meaning:<br />
<br />
"After you eat the shrimp, your waiter will appear and ask you if you want him to take the shrimp heads away, deep fry them, and return them to you to eat, because nothing goes to waste."<br />
<br />
The only problem with this is that the deep fryer melts the little tchotchkes we've attached to the shrimp heads to say whose is whose as though they're wine glasses, but that means that the deep fryer also melts Chase's syphilis away, so I guess the correct one to eat is the one closest to you, you goddamn germaphobic numpty.<br />
<br />
Also, deep fried shrimp heads taste pretty much like you expect them to: broken light bulb, laden with arterial plaque, and with a faint hint of ocean.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/IMG_5629.jpg" /><br />
<i>Pastries within</i><br />
<br />
Another day, we make a day trip to Squamish, specifically for a visit to a recommended fish 'n chips shop, but also for a run up in the mountains in Garibaldi Provincial Park.<br />
<br />
Award for the most un-Canadian but still hilarious moment of the trip comes at the Park's information center just off the highway. I patiently wait for a full ten minutes while the sole ranger chats with a pair of hikers about every trail and camping option in the park without even acknowledging my existence or "hey gimme a minute to finish up with them" or "hey do you just have a quick question." After I finally give up and hold my phone in obvious photo pose above the section of the counter with their big laminated map on it so that I don't die in the woods, the ranger spots me out of the corner of her eye, sprints over, and, I shit you not, dives to cover the map with her body, shrieking at me that it's copyrighted and if I want a map I have to pay for one. She is -dead- serious. I have an amazing photo of her fast-moving arm starting to cover the map, but I won't share that because it's copyrighted. However, it serves the purpose of not letting us get lost in the woods, thankyouverymuch.<br />
<br />
We have an awesome run, and the weather and views are picture-perfect. Could totally go for days up there, but alas, we're short-timers. Afterwards, we make a hasty retreat for our fish and chips and beer, proper reward for propelling ourselves up a mountain.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/IMG_5624.jpg" /><br />
<i>Quick mish in Garibaldi; find the Chase</i><br />
<br />
Award for the most Canadian and hilarious moment of the trip comes at the chippy when I hold the door open for an exiting Canadian couple, who greets me with "Sorry! Sorry!"<br />
<br />
On another day, we feel obligated to visit the tourist trap of Granville Island, but the fine merchants there include a distillery, so not all is lost, and food markets make for great people watching, anyway.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0624.jpg" /><br />
<i>"Sightseeing"</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0633.jpg" /><br />
<i>Bridges and fancy flats</i><br />
<br />
Oh yeah, and mind those fuckin' seagulls; they're total gangsters.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0639.jpg" /><br />
<i>Safety first, kids</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0642.jpg" /><br />
<i>Utilitarian architecture</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0645.jpg" /><br />
<i>Twinsies</i><br />
<br />
All in all, we have a lovely few days and leave there with fond memories and appropriately-lightened wallets. Another benefit of visiting Vancouver is that we can hop on a nonstop flight to AKL from YVR, which softens the blow of being on the wrong side of the equator.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/180101_vancouver/_DSC0709.jpg" /><br />
<i>Departure</i><br />
<br />
If you're nice, I'll share some more photos from the flight home, during which we get treated to a pretty amazing and lengthy sunset on our way out of town.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-90093271683686497142017-12-30T14:37:00.000-08:002017-12-30T14:37:40.398-08:00MTJ-YVRI have yet to get tired of the photographic opportunities afforded on flights.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/171231_co_flight/_DSC0593.jpg" /><br />
<i>Airplane light</i><br />
<br />
Two windows are better than one. #symmetry<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-46891075741361306182017-12-17T12:52:00.001-08:002017-12-17T21:24:08.703-08:00Soiree at Dunton
Recently*, our dear friends Ed and Beth got married in Colorado, and circumstances made it just possible enough for us to make the trek from NZ to be there, so we closed our eyes, booked everything, and made the most of it.<br />
<br />
* means two and a half years ago, and in the intervening era, they've moved, we've moved five times, they've visited us in New Zealand, so on and so forth, but still, "recently."<br />
<br />
I'll admit that they did a pretty good job of incenting us by getting married at a remote resort featuring hot springs in southwestern Colorado, which might be just a tick above ye olde average strip mall hitchin'.<br />
<br />
The remote resort in question is <a href="http://duntonhotsprings.com/" target="_blank">Dunton Hot Springs</a>, and it's a couple hours away from either Durango or Montrose (your choice). Dunton is a real mining town from 1885 that was then a ghost town and then a working ranch, and then it underwent a 7-year renovation starting in 1994 to achieve its current form of five-star all-inclusive remote resort.<br />
<br />
To kick things off, here are two images that kind of sum up Dunton Hot Springs for me:<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0395.jpg" /><br />
<i>Stunning grotto-esque pool house</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0467.jpg" /><br />
<i>Night sky triumphs</i><br />
<br />
Right. More photos and words.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0402-2.jpg" /><br />
<i>More pool house</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0405.jpg" /><br />
<i>Aggressively rustic</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0406.jpg" /><br />
<i>Mess hall</i><br />
<br />
While the resort is masterfully restored to feel like it hasn't been touched in a century, except with all the modern stuff hiding beneath the surface, we are met at every turn by truly five-star service. It's a bit of a trip, but something a guy could get used to. The service is unprecedented (at least through my lens of inexperience with high-end travel).<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0412.jpg" /><br />
<i>Old things abound</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0533.jpg" /><br />
<i>More old things</i><br />
<br />
Case in point, and our first impression: I'll admit that it feels funny to, after driving on dirt roads for a while, arrive at something that looks like a decrepit ghost town but to be met before the car turns off by a trotting and very concerned umbrella-wielding host lest we find ourselves on the business end of a rogue raindrop.
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0424.jpg" /><br />
<i>Pool house view</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0427.jpg" /><br />
<i>What wonders lie upstairs?</i><br />
<br />
Actually, this little interaction would set the stage and our expectations for the entire duration of our stay (we revelers are the only guests at the resort for the few days leading up to and including the wedding). Everything is available all the time; it's mildly nuts and pretty cool to experience. They stop short of giving us little silver bells to ring, but that would have been a mere formality.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0499.jpg" /><br />
<i>One of the larger guest cabins</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0535.jpg" /><br />
<i>Smaller guest cabin</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0441.jpg" /><br />
<i>This'll do (our cabin's outdoor shower)</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0488.jpg" /><br />
<i>San Juans stand guard</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0446.jpg" /><br />
<i>Best altar ever</i><br />
<br />
The resort consists of a couple of main buildings and then a healthy collection of guest cabins and other outbuildings (like the yoga studio, obviously), all of them very different in character. For instance, Murphy and I have been assigned a wee little cabin that only has an outdoor shower (actually, this was a selling point for me), but of course has wi-fi, because we all need to keep in touch with our stockbrokers while we're here or something.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0450.jpg" /><br />
<i>Library</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0457.jpg" /><br />
<i>More library</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0459.jpg" /><br />
<i>Wedding crasher</i><br />
<br />
For our time here, we treat it fully as a guilt-free zone: all manner of food, drink, activity, inactivity, and assorted shenanigans are regarded with equal aplomb, and it's pretty cool to be in that environment with a like-minded collection of new and old friends, especially since we've got the whole place to ourselves.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/IMG-5557.jpg" /><br />
<i>Meadow found on a run at 10100'</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/IMG-5537.jpg" /><br />
<i>Returning to Dunton from said run</i><br />
<br />
I fill my days running in the mountains (oh, Dunton is at 8600'/2600m, and everything goes up from there...), and gleefully return each time to top-notch food and delicious cocktails. Win.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0442.jpg" /><br />
<i>Nightly party grounds</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0465.jpg" /><br />
<i>Party rages inside</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0556.jpg" /><br />
<i>Beth's brother gets nailed in the nuts with a sparkler (really)</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0531.jpg" /><br />
<i>Zombies</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
No need to revisit every moment of every day, but suffice it to say that the merriment runs deep and we all leave with fond memories of Dunton. All fifty of us or whatever find our own ways to fill our days and nights and we all cherish the time away from the rest of civilization.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0509.jpg" /><br />
<i>Morning formal wear</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0481.jpg" /><br />
<i>Healing waters</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Far better record of all the debauchery at Dunton is thanks to Team Theilen...Matt and Tara made the trip from Reno and served as embedded war-zone photojournalists (aka wedding photographers extraordinaire, plus some) for the duration. Please check out <a href="http://www.theilenphoto.com/beth-ed-dunton-hot-springs-colorado-wedding/" target="_blank">their work here</a>!<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0562.jpg" /><br />
<i>Matt waxes poetic</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0530.jpg" /><br />
<i>Mean little bastards</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170909_colorado1/_DSC0588.jpg" /><br />
<i>Bonus guest</i><br />
<br />
So I guess that's a good rundown of Dunton. Long story short, should you ever find yourself with an opportunity to go there, take it! Many thanks to Ed and Beth for including us and throwing the party of the century.<br />
<br />
From Dunton, we've decided to go a slightly longer way back to NZ and leave Colorado in the direction of Vancouver, where we've got a few days to do city things and outdoors things with Chase and Lauren. So maybe that'll be next.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-63740917074057893412017-04-24T16:53:00.003-07:002017-04-24T17:09:46.025-07:00NASA SPB LaunchHey, good news! This isn't from the time machine! Even though it's about to sound like it is.<br />
<br />
About this time last year, I was sitting on an Air New Zealand flight from ZQN to AKL when the pilot crackled on and said "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. We're quite proud to be cruising along at an altitude of 37,000 feet right now, but I'm afraid we've been outdone. If you're sitting on the left side of the aircraft, have a look waaaaaay above the wing, and you'll see a little white speck. That's the balloon that NASA launched from Wanaka today, and it's currently at 110,000 feet. The only reason we can see it is that it's the size of a stadium."<br />
<br />
I was sitting on the left side, and my iPhone photo does indeed display the balloon at a whopping 1 pixel in width...not too impressive.<br />
<br />
Anyhow, they use these balloons, made from polyethylene film (think sandwich bag) for upper atmosphere science experiments. This year's experiment is for high energy cosmic ray particle astrophysics, which you should say 5 times fast.<br />
<br />
Last year's balloon stayed aloft for 46 days, and its flight track can be seen here:
<br />
<a href="https://www.csbf.nasa.gov/map/balloon9/Google669NT.htm" target="_blank">https://www.csbf.nasa.gov/map/balloon9/Google669NT.htm</a><br />
<br />
Fast forward to today; NASA's been hanging out in Wanaka for the past couple months prepping for another launch and waiting for a weather window. After scrapping 7 launches, they finally had their opportunity today. When I saw that they were greenlighted, I sprinted out the door with my longest lens and tore towards the airport, arriving with about 5 minutes to spare.<br />
<br />
It's (relatively) small at launch, but it expands to the size of a football stadium once it's up in the much thinner upper atmosphere, at which point it will be smooth and round instead of droopy and loose.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170425_nasa_spb/_ED_1772.jpg" /><br />
<i>Canopy just after launch</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170425_nasa_spb/_ED_1756.jpg" /><br />
<i>Payload dangles</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170425_nasa_spb/_ED_1788.jpg" /><br />
<i>The whole thing</i><br />
<br />
Tracking is already available here:<br />
<a href="https://www.csbf.nasa.gov/map/balloon5/Google679NT.htm" target="_blank">https://www.csbf.nasa.gov/map/balloon5/Google679NT.htm</a><br />
<br />
Way to go NASA! Now go drink some beer.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-10912432925049769072017-02-06T12:20:00.000-08:002017-02-06T12:20:57.550-08:00Southland RompThis past autumn, Murphy and I leave the house one day without a specific destination in mind. We pile some stuff into the van and just, well, start driving. Fortunately, New Zealand isn't <i>that</i> big, so we'd eventually have had to stop, but we also aren't intending to go on a huge mission.<br />
<br />
Before too terribly long, we find ourselves down in Southland, which is the state to the south of Otago, and it's also the state that encompasses most of the southern coast of the island as well as all of the massive fjords.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170117_southland/_ED_3807.jpg" /><br />
<i>Optimism</i><br />
<br />
We end up in the little town of Colac Bay, which is normally pretty quiet, but this weekend happens to be hosting a surfing competition, so it's super busy, which of course is a relative term. There's a perfectly adequate campground, and since "super busy" is, remember, relative, there's plenty of space left for us to park the van and pitch the tent.<br />
<br />
Accommodation sorted and with the rest of the more-meager-by-the-day daylight hours to burn, we venture out from the campground for an exploratory run and get a pretty fair tour of the place. The battered trees and bush we find suggest that the weather deteriorates quite frequently, so we consider ourselves lucky that it's only blustery and showery.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170117_southland/_ED_3823.jpg" /><br />
<i>Flax-set</i><br />
<br />
Tour complete and bellies rumbling, we walk a few minutes over to The Pavilion, where we are served a fantastic feast. I think it's since changed ownership, so hopefully it's still as good... Our waitress tells us she was surfing with the little local dolphins earlier in the day; I believe this is called the good life.<br />
<br />
After a worthy meal and a bottle of wine, we walk it off and burn some time with the camera, and we're rather ready to retire. What we haven't counted on is that the surf comp after party is being held at the tavern attached to the campground, and this is the biggest party of the year. Were it not for the belly full of food and red wine, I like to think we'd have wandered over for a pint, but we instead play the Old Card and opt for earplugs.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170117_southland/_ED_3839.jpg" /><br />
<i>Colac Bay dusk</i><br />
<br />
However, before turning in, Ethel takes a few minutes to commandeer the mini-horse that's in a pen in the campground and looking awfully neglected. He's thrilled to be out and about and makes short work of every patch of grass he can find. Good deed done, we turn in.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170117_southland/_ED_3851.jpg" /><br />
<i>Murphy's new friend</i><br />
<br />
Breakfast options in Colac Bay are approximately zero, so we head down the road and find a cafe in Orepuki that has just opened and features a super friendly owner. Fixed by coffee and pastries, we continue on, making a lap through Tuatapere and Nightcaps (where we visit our landlords) before Ethel realizes that she's left her purse at the restaurant in Colac Bay the night before. Oops.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170117_southland/_ED_3887.jpg" /><br />
<i>Orepuki breakfast</i><br />
<br />
Being less interested in the Big Backtrack than Murphy is, I let her chuck me out of the car in my running clothes to bash out 16k towards an intersection by which she'll pass after she's reunited with her purse. The only downside to this is that we're currently in a "less-inspiring" section of Southland than many others, where "less-inspiring" is a euphemism for "boring as shit." As unexciting as that sounds, I'm able to pretend that it's an episode of Top Gear wherein they're racing each other across some godforsaken landscape using different forms of transportation, and that makes the kilometers go by with more enthusiasm.<br />
<br />
Finally, with people and payment methods reunited, we cruise back to Queenstown and call it a successful mission.
<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-89991132527904939372017-02-04T19:38:00.000-08:002017-02-04T19:38:05.043-08:00Crepuscular Rays...aka god rays...<br />
<br />
Back in now-ancient history when we lived in Queenstown, we got treated to this display one evening.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170119_godrays/_ED_2692.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170119_godrays/_ED_2695.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170119_godrays/_ED_2706.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170119_godrays/_ED_2715.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170119_godrays/_ED_2730.jpg" /><br />
<br />
Thanks, low-angle sun plus stratocumulus clouds plus atmospheric particulate plus Rayleigh scattering!<br />
<br />
Also, crepuscular is a cool word.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-78306539146763890302017-01-18T09:51:00.000-08:002017-01-18T12:35:44.356-08:00Crown Range RoadI've got an interesting relationship with the carpark at the summit of the Crown Range Road. It's a popular tourist stop, which is just fine, but it's interesting to me because it falls into a special category of roadside attractions.<br />
<br />
These are attractions it so happens I've visited far more frequently on a bike than in a car. There are only a handful of these points of interest scattered across the meager portions of the globe I've traversed, and this one is extra special.<br />
<br />
You see, of this particular class of places I've seen more of via bike, the Crown Range lookout gets extra points because the road itself, when ridden, has brought nothing to my life but unmitigated agony and regret.<br />
<br />
I cannot think of a time that I've arrived at the summit, climbed off my bike, and thought "golly, that was nice." My typical visit involves staring blankly at my feet, spittle half-dried on my chin, and contemplating all the ways in which I'd relinquish my soul in exchange for never having to climb that fucking road again.<br />
<br />
That negotiation is usually followed by wondering if I've done permanent damage to my heart this time, shaking violently while unwrapping some awful sporty snack, and then pointing my 8kg steed of plastic, rubber, and aluminum downhill towards corners that lie in wait with a thousand and one ways to die, among other secrets.<br />
<br />
---------<br />
<br />
In other news, I'd highly recommend coming to visit New Zealand on a cycling holiday!<br />
<br />
---------<br />
<br />
I've written the above because these two photos were taken from the aforementioned carpark on one of the rare occasions that I've stopped there in a car. I wasn't quite sure how to contextualize them, and then I just started typing, and I'm pretty happy with what came out, so we'll roll with it.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170118_crownrangestars/_ED_3896.jpg" /><br />
<i>South (incl. Magellanic Clouds)</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/170118_crownrangestars/_ED_3899.jpg" /><br />
<i>North</i><br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
Anyhow, these photos are worth sharing because it's not at all guaranteed to be good stargazing up there, and these were from a night that featured a neat mix of clear air, light pollution, moonlight, clouds, and even a bit of airglow.<br />
<br />
I suppose I could have just written that, but I think the bike bit makes for better reading.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-77134184333458106492017-01-16T13:05:00.003-08:002017-01-16T13:05:33.028-08:00Bali FinaleRight, so I've dragged this out as long as possible, but it's finally time to button up this Bali trip and get on to other stuff.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4815.jpg" /><br />
<i>Sunrise</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4808.jpg" /><br />
<i>Thirsty</i><br />
<br />
What I've got for you today is a collection of photos that, for better or worse, make up my lasting impression of Bali. Some of these show the nice things, and others show the not-so-nice things, but it's all real.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4367.jpg" /><br />
<i>Over the wall</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4468.jpg" /><br />
<i>Dusk on Batur</i><br />
<br />
Most places I've visited are ones that I've felt eager to return to, but Bali...not so much. Dunno; just think it's not quite my flavor. I will concede that with a little experience under my belt, I would approach a return visit to Bali or somewhere like it far differently than I approached the maiden visit. I'd certainly have a better idea of what to expect.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4602.jpg" /><br />
<i>Shading the departed</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4754.jpg" /><br />
<i>The fleet sleeps</i><br />
<br />
I guess a thread that runs through my thoughts about the place is that the Balinese have an indomitable spirit. There are a lot of people with few resources packed into a relatively small area, and they continue to thrive, which is awesome. On the flip side, I feel like an awful lot of tourists there kinda run rampant and take advantage of the country, and that's not really something I want to participate in.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4763.jpg" /><br />
<i>Stormy reflecto</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4390.jpg" /><br />
<i>Roadside supermarket</i><br />
<br />
Sadly, I never snagged a photo that adequately represents burning plastic, so that's missing from this collection. Can't say my lungs are missing it, though.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4819.jpg" /><br />
<i>More sunrise</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4860.jpg" /><br />
<i>Awaiting departure</i><br />
<br />
And if I had to do it with a single image...<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161221_bali11_finale/_ED_4744.jpg" /><br />
<i>Scooter is life</i><br />
<br />
Onwards!<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-90079534274428922262017-01-11T18:23:00.000-08:002017-01-11T18:23:28.526-08:00Island LifeLife for the Balinese largely revolves around the sea. In my more cynical days, I'd have suggested that it's difficult for islands to avoid this, but I'd never think of such a thing now.<br />
<br />
Minimum wage in Bali is ~150USD/month, and word on the street is that most people get by on about 200USD/month. With an overall budget of seven dollars a day, it should be no surprise that ingenuity and the ocean play pivotal and equal roles in their lives.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161219_bali9_wayoflife/_ED_4376.jpg" /><br />
<i>At the ready</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161219_bali9_wayoflife/_ED_4877.jpg" /><br />
<i>Good catch</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161220_bali10_touristing/_ED_4864.jpg" /><br />
<i>Boat driver + owl</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161219_bali9_wayoflife/_ED_4389.jpg" /><br />
<i>Good as new</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161220_bali10_touristing/_ED_4571.jpg" /><br />
<i>Kelp beds I</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161219_bali9_wayoflife/_ED_4578.jpg" /><br />
<i>Kelp beds II</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161219_bali9_wayoflife/_ED_4748.jpg" /><br />
<i>Last tasks</i><br />
<br />
And while not sea-related, a bonus:<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161219_bali9_wayoflife/_ED_4762.jpg" /><br />
<i>Here kitty kitty</i><br />
<br />
It turns out that I do have another post to share from Bali - it's a small collection of photos that don't share a unified theme other than best representing my lasting impressions of the place; suppose it's a highlight reel of sorts.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-54389936242935748622017-01-11T00:59:00.001-08:002017-01-11T00:59:34.575-08:00Lembongan TouristingWith our remaining couple of days in Bali, and in the relative sanctuary of Nusa Lembongan, we strive to do as little as possible while doing as much as possible. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but it mostly makes sense.<br />
<br />
Our routine is beyond bland in its simplicity: wake, jog, shower, breakfast, swim, scooter, coffee, scooter, lunch, scooter, coconut, scooter, coffee, nap, scooter, dinner, beer, bed. Here are a few photos that hopefully do some justice to this tortuous routine.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161220_bali10_touristing/_ED_4494.jpg" /><br />
<i>Mirror pool</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161220_bali10_touristing/_ED_4404.jpg" /><br />
<i>Pro</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161220_bali10_touristing/_ED_4406.jpg" /><br />
<i>Inverse Guinness</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161220_bali10_touristing/_ED_4804.jpg" /><br />
<i>Nice kitty, mascot of Poh Manis</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161220_bali10_touristing/_ED_4502.jpg" /><br />
<i>Beach shacks</i><br />
<br />
As an aside, I get served a meal with metal shavings in it at the place with the cool beach shacks. Staff seems unconcerned. Whatever.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161219_bali9_wayoflife/_ED_4379.jpg" /><br />
<i>Mini temple at Paddy's little resort</i><br />
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161219_bali9_wayoflife/_ED_4399.jpg" /><br />
<i>View from Two Peaks</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161220_bali10_touristing/_ED_4487.jpg" /><br />
<i>About as fancy as we get; roughly $12 for dinner</i><br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161220_bali10_touristing/_ED_4462.jpg" /><br />
<i>Last light</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
I've got a few more photos to share depicting more daily life and less touristy stuff, and that'll about do it for this hyper-delayed trip report.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-</div>
Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232479937655173671.post-50787474936896563642016-12-19T09:59:00.000-08:002016-12-19T09:59:22.761-08:00Traffic, Bali-styleThis post makes unapologetic use of bullet points. If this somehow offends you, stop reading now.<br />
<br />
I've hinted before at the madness that is traffic in Bali, and I think it's finally time to give it the attention it deserves. All of this blather will be interspersed with some scooter photos, because scooters, and also because you vampires will only click if you get some sort of visual stimulus in return. And of course I mean that in the nicest possible way. Also, I'm saving my favorite scooter photo for another post.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161218_bali8_scooters/_ED_4612.jpg" /><br />
<i>So pimp</i><br />
<br />
The first few minutes after leaving DPS (Denpasar airport) count as the second-scariest experience I've ever had in a car.<br />
<br />
The first was a, shall we say, <i>memorable</i> pass made by a friend of mine on a two-lane highway outside Susanville, CA on our way back from a snowboarding trip; so memorable, in fact, that it literally scared the backseat passenger from the left side of the car to the right side of the car, as if that would have somehow saved him from grievous bodily harm had we collided with the oncoming traffic.<br />
<br />
But I digress.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161218_bali8_scooters/_ED_4538.jpg" /><br />
<i>Driving Miss Ruby</i><br />
<br />
However, to digress again...<br />
<br />
Before I run you through the first few minutes of this portentous car ride, I'd like to provide some context in the form of my own lifetime driving experiences. I've:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>been a licensed driver for 20 years</li>
<li>driven in about a dozen countries, LHD and RHD</li>
<li>driven something around a third of a million miles (>500000km)</li>
<li>been involved in one accident (while stationary at a red light)</li>
<li>piloted a car in excess of 190mph<span style="font-family: inherit;"> (>305kmh)</span></li>
<li>had many passenger and driver laps on the Nürburgring</li>
<li>done track days in spectacular sports cars, driven open-wheel race cars, and raced go-karts</li>
<li>gotten one well-deserved speeding ticket</li>
<li>never had any other moving violations of any sort</li>
<li>been hit twice by cars while cycling</li>
<li>observed thousands of hours of insane driver behavior from close quarters while cycling</li>
<li>learned to be hyper-aware</li>
<li>become fascinated by the subtleties of traffic, especially as an American, where the car is king</li>
</ul>
<br />
I think my point in presenting this laundry list is to demonstrate that:<br />
<ul>
<li>I've seen a lot, like, A LOT a lot</li>
<li>I'm exceptionally safe behind the wheel</li>
<li>I know the difference between being safe and being timid</li>
<li>I'm qualified to spend an entire blog post yammering about traffic in Bali</li>
</ul>
<br />
In other words, I'm above average, just like 98% of drivers believe they are...LOL. In any case, hopefully you'll be able to view what I'm about to share through the same lens through which I see it.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">OK, so in the first few minutes after leaving the Denpa</span>sar airport, the friendly driver of our hired SUV:<br />
<ul>
<li>not once wholly occupies a lane, except in brief moments transitioning from straddling one lane to straddling another</li>
<li>dives into countless closing gaps in traffic</li>
<li>goes to great lengths to avoid applying the brakes</li>
<li>displays a specific disregard for stoplights and posted signage</li>
<li>uses his horn every few seconds</li>
</ul>
<br />
Further, I witness the following array of (mind-bendingly uninjured) road users:<br />
<ul>
<li>kamikaze SUVs</li>
<li>evil evil taxis</li>
<li>decrepit and polluting rustbucket cars</li>
<li>mosquito-like scooters, many carrying entire families and/or ludicrous amounts of unwieldy goods</li>
<li>pedestrians walking with and against traffic</li>
<li>food vendors pushing their carts</li>
<li>cyclists riding the wrong way</li>
<li>stray dogs</li>
<li>chickens</li>
<li>and, to demonstrate density, in any slice of an N-lane stretch of road, roughly N+2 cars -and- roughly 2N scooters. For realz.</li>
</ul>
<br />
It's mayhem. Sheer, unequivocal mayhem. Our driver single-handedly shatters every conception I've ever had of what it means to be a responsible road user, and all in the space of less than 10 minutes. And not only do I witness no deaths or dismemberments in the remaining 20 minutes it takes to get to the villa, but I see a decrepit infrastructure elegantly accommodate about four times as many road users (and a staggeringly more diverse collection of road users, at that) than any road I've ever seen in the first world.<br />
<br />
In short, it just works. I apologize for not having photos of all these things, but I spent that ride clutching the door handle so tightly that it got a restraining order against me.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161218_bali8_scooters/_ED_4843.jpg" /><br />
<i>Paddy almost stuffs it</i><br />
<br />
Over the remaining week and a half of our stay in assorted parts of Bali, I'll witness variation upon variation of that same terrifying first ride. But throughout it all, no still-steaming accidents, no body bags, no shattered glass or piles of car parts, no blood-stained pavement, no tow trucks, no junkyards of smashed and stripped cars, no roadside stands selling scavenged scooters, no amputee beggars, nothing. But after witnessing hundreds if not thousands of too-close calls, my pattern-recognition circuits start to realize that it can't just be coincidence that everyone lives. There has to be a reason.<br />
<br />
What I come to realize is that all of the behavior I witness is merely the consequence of a different philosophy regarding the operation of motor vehicles. Sure, different first world countries all do things a little bit differently, and I'll take a German driver over a Californian driver any day of the week, but in general, the Western first world views driving as a regimented set of cause/effect pairs. Each vehicle is a particle whose position, velocity, and interaction with all other particles can be determined through the application of predictable driver inputs influenced by a legally-ordained set of rules and regulations, and this choreographed performance is played out upon an intricately-engineered canvas of infrastructure.<br />
<br />
However, in Bali, we're going to take away the intricately-engineered canvas of infrastructure, and while I'm sure the rules and regulations might actually exist, enforcing them would be more elusive than a teenager's ability to unhook a bra with one hand, so let's just say that we're taking them away, too. What we're left with, then, is this collection of particles, and by removing all semblance of order by which they might govern their motion, we'd expect them to haphazardly clatter into each other like marbles in a clothes dryer, but somehow they don't. Why not?<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161218_bali8_scooters/_ED_4550.jpg" /><br />
<i>"Road"</i><br />
<br />
Flow.<br />
<br />
While driving in the first world is all about rules and demonstrating rights of way, here, it's about maintaining flow. Each driver/rider/pedestrian/stray dog/chicken/food vendor constantly makes micro-adjustments to his or her trajectory and velocity, all aimed at giving others the opportunity to help maintain that flow. Forcing someone to stop at an intersection to exert one's right of way would cause a two-hour traffic jam, so instead, they breathe the throttle to let that person join. Horns are monosyllabic communication, perhaps demonstrating that what's said isn't important, but rather, how it's interpreted. Ignoring painted lines simply removes the chance of getting into trouble for defending territory that's not yours, not to mention turning an arbitrary measure of "6 lanes" into something far more functional like "big enough for everyone who needs it." There's nary a hint of righteousness, nor malice, towards other users, as this would certainly disrupt the all-important flow.<br />
<br />
They are one consciousness, all entering and exiting the flow at different points, but all maintaining it, and with minimum effort. Namaste, bitches.<br />
<br />
If anything, it makes me more confident that I'm less likely to lose my life in traffic in Bali than I am somewhere "safe" like Reno.<br />
<br />
An interesting thing about it is that I've not really been able to apply much of this lesson to driving anywhere else, as it'd result in instant death. It is all about flow, after all, and it requires full buy-in and trust from all users. If you want a great read on getting buy-in from all users, revel in the awesomeness of when <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagen_H" target="_blank">Sweden switched from driving on the left to driving on the right</a>, OVERNIGHT, in 1967, and no one died. Sorry for using Wikipedia as a source, but whatever.<br />
<br />
<img src="http://1l1t.com/photos/161218_bali8_scooters/_ED_4870.jpg" /><br />
<i>Proud whip</i><br />
<br />
Certainly, one could extrapolate these tales of traffic to the non-Western-first-world way of life in general, but I think we're nearing the end of the time we've got today. Maybe re-read the line about the horns; I'm starting to feel lucky that that sprouted from my keyboard.<br />
<br />
-Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04177100548092887140noreply@blogger.com0