Beyond Grateful

just returned from a month sojourn on the South Island of New Zealand.
deleriously beautiful, Able Tasman, Golden Bay, Glenorchy, Routeburn and Copland tracks, Stewart Island, Akaroa.
amazingly grateful to have shared the intense and easy creativity with my beloved Laila.
may our love flourish and be blessed with more magical adventures.

i will publish the spectacular photographs on a slide show at my web site (www.offthemap.net)

highlights: the helpfulness of New Zealanders, especially at information centers where it was one-stop booking for everything, fresh tasting water, air, soothing birdsong, meeting international travelers at backpackers and on the trails, Welcome Flat meadows, Vudu cafe Queenstown, Whariki Beach, flexibility and acceptance as
unpredictable changes occurred, hot chocalate/soy chai lattes, NZ accent ("what's the wither today?"), picking up hitchhikers in love, pounding abalone meat ("powa") on second floor deck of South Sea Hotel Stewart island and watching it fly off and land just barely missing people below, exploring Stewart island in a fine misty rain, talking to a fiesty Kea, drinking Dark Horse beer in the Mussel Inn and reading poetry, playing flute duets in meditation hall at Shambhala Backpackers, meditating in Chandrakirti Buddhist temple Upper Moutere, first bite of lamb at Fox Glacier cafe, outdoors in warm sunset, first swig of Merlot to wash it down, eucalyptus/clove massage oil and inspired hands, having and using hiking poles, good equipment, a light 4.0 digital camera (Nikon),
being adopted as Uncle/Aunt by Sabrina (9) and Alec (7), shopping in Queenstown, long hours of daylight, the purple and green forests and trail rock, river water (Kangaroa/Copland rivers) the color of dolphins' laughter.

I must say, if you do anything in your life dream a dream as big as this one and go for it with all you have. Rumi says "Gamble everything for Love". I agree there's no other way.