Our trip so far has been mostly unplanned. Or rather one plan that keeps evolving with only a few expectations. We want to explore and learn about New Zealand with advice from locals and enjoy what the outdoors have to offer on a moderate budget. Viki and I both have working/holiday visas (w.h.v.) so we can fund our trip while we’re doing it. It’s not novel, there are heaps of people in NZ doing the same as us in many different iterations. I’m writing about our version of w.h.v. nomadic to share our stories with friends/family and to keep a log, a type of photo journal that I can look back on.
One of the challenges for the blog is that I planned to capture most of the photos on film. However it’s been left behind in a hostel during some moments that deserve a photo so I’ve found myself pulling out the trusty phone camera quite a bit. Also, cameras are fragile. On one of our first day trips in Auckland we walked some lovely beaches. Along the way I placed my camera on a rock for a moment while I stepped down from it. My wide foot caught the edge of the camera strap. The camera fell and the back cracked open exposing all the film from the trip thus far and shots from a hike Viki and I did before we left. It was a moment of deep disappointment and then a reflection. I’d have to be much more careful if I wanted any photos for the blog. Luckily the camera body and lens weren’t damaged.
I hope to get the stories across in a way that resonates with those reading but this will be another hurdle. The extent of my writing over the last nine years has been limited to a personal journal, short instagram posts, and some emails that I wrote in order to elicit sympathy when I needed to exercise a product warranty. Sharing personal reflections and getting below the surface conjures feelings of vulnerability. This is new territory for me so buckle-in for some rough terrain as I try to navigate putting stories together and reach into myself for some honest reflections.