Tahiti & in-between

So now begins the real journey...

As we just arrived a couple days ago via Tahiti, I thought I'd stick with "Trebuchet" font, something I am sure you all want to know...I've never been much on fancy scribing here, but I've also decided to use various colours, or should I now say 'colors' to keep myself amused.

Taking a few days layover from New Zealand on the way here made so much sense in so many ways: 1) We were able to see friends. 2) We were able to save $ to a destination that we may never have afforded being able to check out. 3) We were able to break up a 12-13 hour airtrip, which almost made it bearable.

Believe it or not, Moorea, the island on which this photo was taken, is NOT a national park...

As being resourceful is going to become ever more important in our changing world, it is a good thing to take advantage or any way possible to make things possible.  If you have never been to Tahiti, do stop!  The people were friendly, and the scenery is incredible.  We were able to use our 'carry-on' tent (I really do think that we brought everything but the kitchen sink with us on the trip.) to make a one day stopover on Moorea, a national park in its own right.  I'll try to include some pictures once I have access to a computer in Denver where I'm going next to visit family members to add to this post.

Sleeping was a challenge in the warm/hot temps and especially the humidity.  That being said, the rest (and some great French cooking!) we experienced with our travel network hosts, Gerard and his friend Stefan, and the warmth of spending scattered hours with our New Zealand friends, Olivier and Erica, made it all a real, much needed break on our way back to the intensity of the USA. 

Part of the wonder of our time spent Down Under was all of the places we were able to travel to and explore.  During our six years there, we made 5 travel circuits throughout New Zealand, with many more trips to Northland and to the Coromandel, we went to Australia twice, we travelled to Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, New Caledonia, and finally through Tahiti back to the States.  There isn't a place I WOULDN'T recommend which we visited...and we will return--remember, that is a promise and not a threat!

Two weeks and counting...

So, first let me try some "Trebuchet" on you...no, that's not green, it's the font, must be French.

You see, this is my opportunity to just let go--although hopefully at not too much expense to you.  This blog is also my diary of our upcoming journey, and I want to tell you a little bit more about what we're leaving behind.

  Presently, I work for CCS Disability Action, an organisation that works with people with disabilities to help them have an ordinary life.  That means all the opportunities that we all take for granted on a daily basis.  My place in all of this has been to oversee the development of the community gardens here and the ongoing programmes associated with work reflecting our organisational (That's organizational for all of you Americans reading this.) values and mission.  I have to say that I have truly enjoyed the process and have learned and experienced so much in my 5 1/2+ years working here.  To say that I will miss my colleagues and the folks with whom I have associated and gardened with is a true understatement.  It's part of what has prepared me for the upcoming journey.

As many of you who know me who are reading this realise (another 's' instead of 'zed'), organics is not part of my background or education; whereas ornamental gardening has been my main area of experience and expertise.  That being said, with the feedback I'm getting back from Master Gardeners in the States, it appears that we are all moving organically forward--and for good reason! 

Organics & permaculture (read: 'permanent agriculture') will be a large part of the foundation of what we are planning going forward at Cloudplay.  In this day and age, if you are not looking at logical and resourceful ways of producing at least some of your own food, well, you may well be paying exorbitant prices for such neglect and what you eat in the future!

So quickly, back to the present...2 more weeks and we'll be saying 'goodbye' to this land we love (If there is a more beautiful country than New Zealand in the world, we'll put that next on our list as a 'must-see'!).  Given the increasing (and future skyrocketing) costs of travel, it may be some time before we return.  All of the last-minute details to take care and the many people to see before we're off may make for a few shorter entries, but my goal is to keep us all informed of the journey.

what's in a name???



How many words?

 so.........

WHY

Cloudplay?