Be A Traveler, Not A Tourist

"If you're twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel - as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them, wherever you go." - Anthony Bourdain


I consider Anthony Bourdain to be one of the great voices of our generation. From his Travel Channel program No Reservations and his recent CNN upgrade with Parts Unknown, to his fascinating culinary memoirs Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw, to his various appearances all over food related authorities, one would be wise to heed the demigod's words on any available topic. The most impactful (and easiest to remember) is his mantra to "be a traveler, not a tourist."

There are two parts to pulling this off. First, you have to dispel the temptation to be a tourist. Don't follow the beaten path the whole time. Don't take a photo of every sheep you see (there are approximately 10 sheep for every 1 human in NZ). Don't fixate on creature comforts, whether it be an expensive hotel or a trip to McDonalds. Don't worry about what you look or smell or sound like, other than to maintain some level of respect for those around you. For instance, bring wet wipes if you can't shower frequently, or if your hostel's showers create more filth than they remove..

After you've deconditioned yourself from acting like a tourist, it's time to look at the world from the perspective of a traveler. You're here to see new things, taste new foods, learn new cultural traditions! Find the hidden creek or the less-famous hiking path. Talk to locals and other travelers - I have found that firsthand accounts are more trustworthy than just about any guidebook. Ask questions. Trust strangers. Everyone has the potential to be a creep, but then you can't run around being scared all day, can you. Be wise, but open. Be flexible. Just because it's called English doesn't mean they speak the same language. Adopt new lingo - including measurements (curse you, imperial system)! If you can learn to be more of a traveler than a tourist, then sweet as, cuz! You'll eliminate the rubbish no one's keen on hearing, and I reckon you'll have heaps more craics along the way.

"..That without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions, and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, moribund." - Anthony Bourdain


Admittedly, I spent the first month on the tourist track. Stray bus took us to all the main stops, a few lesser known extras, and Karlyn provided us with the few true traveler opportunities. After running around on my own unaided, it was time to see NZ from a local perspective. I arrived back in Christchurch while the Lion's Den Men were busy with school and work. A fantastic excuse to explore the city, camera in hand.

It's taken me a while to be comfortable with a camera in my hand. Despite actually having studied photography (admittedly not extensively, but much more than 98% of today's self-proclaimed photograpers), I have somehow managed to guilt trip myself every time I bring my camera out in public. I'm making a lot of progress, and I'm grateful that this trip has forced me to overcome the unfortunate guilt and fear. Mostly I've just stopped caring what anyone on the street thinks of me, but I've also come to recognize that taking photos - thoughtful, meaningful photos - is a way of honoring each place you visit.

I feel closer to the heart of Christchurch, after sharing intimate moments with nothing but a lens between us. Portrait photography is a personal and unmistakably invasive process. You want the subject to relax, to trust, to be comfortable.. so you can then capture and exploit their raw human emotion. And just because a city doesn't have a face doesn't mean that it doesn't move and grow and reproduce. It has soft sides and dark sides and a history littered with scars. I'm just as grateful and honored to capture her beauty as I would be a human soul - perhaps more, considering that she is a collective of the countless souls she has housed and inspired.

I specifically enjoyed spending time and money in Christchurch - the honest reason I was so intent on coming here. If I've come to this country to spend dollars and collect memories, what better place than somewhere to whom those resources can be most helpful? After the earthquake in 2011, I have been magnetically drawn. My first life-changing experience with the marriage of independence, wanderlust, and service took place in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and it has left a permanent mark on me in more ways than one. Christchurch was ready for me, and on my one day in town they surprised me with a full Arts Festival that ran until midnight. Vendors made up a "Lost and Found" market, street performers entertained with flames and straight jackets, and finally, massive friar puppets controlled by 4-5 people each haunted the streets after dark. An eerie tribute to a city named Christ-church with its cathedral in ruins.

"Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life - and travel - leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks - on your body or on your heart - are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt." - Anthony Bourdain


Utterly pleased by my fortunate travel timing, I made my way back to see Marek and Alex. After taking them back downtown to see the tail-end of the fest, we ended the night with pizza box calligraphy and Louis CK brilliance. Almost missed my flight the next morning on account of seeing a ghost.. Kinda wish I had.


From Christchurch, I stopped in Taupo en route to Rotorua. I had lined up a Work For Accommodation situation in Rotorua - I would be cleaning toilets in exchange for a free bed each night. (Please don't tell my boss back home that I'm skilled in cleaning now..) Before my commitment, I had a few days to see Taupo through the eyes and windows of a local. Higgs was gracious enough to offer me his home and his city, while I spent my days sick in bed with the cats. Animals always have a way of popping up when I need them most. Everything helps except those pesky puppy dogs. I wanted to maintain respect, but too many red flags left me eager to board the next bus. I had left a piece of myself in Christchurch, and I knew I needed to go back after Rotorua and claim it.


What's that saying about the necessity of cracking a few eggs if you want to make an omelet?

"The way you make an omelet reveals your character." - Anthony Bourdain

It takes a few missteps, a few broken hearts, and more than a few scars to travel along your path. But if you're willing to get dirty then I think you're better able to own that dirt. To own your mistakes. To celebrate your triumphs. To be proud of where you've gotten. More than learning to be a traveler overseas, I think we must fight the temptation of remaining a tourist in our own lives. So you struggle with something personally? Educate yourself, come up with some strategies. So you want to see if he's the real deal? Go find out. So someone in your life deserves an apology? Deny your pride. Be a key player on your own path - be an active traveler, not a tourist being helplessly dragged along.


And go read some Anthony Bourdain.. "What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?"


P.S. Christchurch photos will have their own post eventually.

Woodfire stove in the Re:START section of Christchurch.

The eye of Sauron is always watching.

Animals when I need them most.

Catching up on Breaking Bad!

One of many encouraged, even commissioned, works of graffiti. 

Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride..

"Buy the ticket, take the ride.. And if it occasionally gets a little heavier than what you had in mind, well.. Maybe chalk it off to forced conscious expansion"
- Hunter S Thompson


Sunny the Rocket and I left Queenstown, stopped in St Bathans, and drove through to Dunedin. I had been there the previous weekend, but hadn't had ample time to soak up the city. With our van of three people, sleeping in a neighborhood had been no problem. But when a solo girl tries to do it in the pouring rain, people start knocking earlyyy to make sure you're okay.

I'm fine, thanks, apart from being awake now. Kiwis: too friendly for their own good? I suppose it's all a part of the ride.

Their concern did allow force me to get an early start on the day, and I was able to navigate the entire Otago Peninsula before 2 pm. A stunning drive.. you get to Pilot Beach at the end and realize just how isolated NZ is from the rest of the world. Killer coastlines and creatures - swarms of albatross, puddles of seals, and whispers of penguins - dropped in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. A humbling realization of how small we are.

Back in Dunedin, I walked around the city for nearly five hours just to make sure I had seen and captured it all. The previous weekend, I had opened a bottle just before heading to the rugby game. Realizing I couldn't take it in and I didn't want to scull (chug) anything, I re-capped it and hid it in some bushes. Days later, my beer was still there and tasted just as sweet. Win! That night I enjoyed my brew in a real bed at a Backpackers downtown.


Driving north, I stopped at Moeraki Boulders to see the oddity of spherical rocks strewn about the beach. Dozens of these perfectly round boulders dotted the area. I'm still not convinced whether they are natural or manmade. I took plenty of freakin pictures, tell me what you think?

I ended the day with a familiar face.. Queenstown friend Marek had offered a place to crash with he and his roommates in Christchurch: the "Lion's Den", as it was dubbed. It was nice to be in a real dwelling.. No hostel, no lodge, no car seat. A real apartment with friends and passions and inside jokes. And academics! Sometimes I forget how stimulating the conversations within academia can be. I've downplayed that aspect of my life for many years, but discussions and debates I shared in the Lion's Den have encouraged me to refocus my priorities when I get back home. Funny how 'vacation' can motivate you to work even harder. Stefan Sagmeister explains the concept well in his TED Talk The Power of Time Off.

After an evening right at home as one of the guys, Marek made a delicious breakfast of properly cooked bacon (he is from Canada and totally gets it) to send me on my way. I was looking forward to my drive through Arthur's Pass - the famed mountain road between the East and West coasts of the south island. It was hailing and raining and it was magnificent. Beautiful, eerie bridges with immense amounts of water cascading powerfully over the top. Winding roads allowed me to find out just how Sunny liked to ride. As I would be driving back across the same way, I figured I would save any extra hikes for better weather the following day. A welcome tasting tray at Monteith's Brewery proved to be the only worthwhile reason to visit Greymouth on the West Coast. I ended at a very cute and eclectic Global Backpackers to escape the downpour for the night.


Back across Arthur's Pass. When stopping to get gas (in NZ you never pay for gas until after you've filled up. This honor system would never fly in sketchy, greedy America..) I noticed weather signs that called for snow. As I drove towards the pass, multiple signs told me not to carry on without snow chains for my tires. Warning! Snow! Carry Chains!

First thought? Honey, I'm from Michigan.. I can handle the snow. Second thought? This is a rental car! I don't have chains! How am I supposed to cross without getting stranded in the mountains? Final thought? Shrug. I'm going anyway.

And it was fine. It was snowing and hailing, yes. But it was mid-morning, which meant no accumulation yet, and some warmth had arrived to prevent slippery pavement. It was, however, much too windy for those extra hikes I'd saved.. Guess I'll just have to come back to NZ. Bummer.

Stopped about halfway through for coffee, and as soon as I said hello and was prepared to ask for "a Long Black for Takeaway", the lady immediately asked if I wanted proper drip coffee. Whaat?! Classic, North American drip coffee does not exist in NZ. You can get a Short Black (one shot espresso), a Long Black (two shots espresso with hot water, and my personal fave), or a Flat White (which includes milk, so I've never tested it). Apparently the nice lady's daughter lives in NY and she recognized that someone with my accent might appreciate a taste of home. To be fair, I have grown so accustomed to the bitter espresso that the drip coffee was completely underwhelming. The thought counted for a lot though, and my gratitude added extra flavor to the cup.


There are these funny little mischievous birds called Kea. They are the world's only alpine parrot, mostly olive green with hints of bright orange underneath, and have been dubbed "the clown of the mountains". Marek's roommate Alex had warned me about them.. that they were becoming a bit of a nuisance, but as a protected species there is nothing you can really do. Sure enough, I braved the snow for a moment to snap some photos and suddenly I had a tail. This inquisitive Kea hopped right on top of my car! He poked his head down over the window to check me out, and I assumed he was looking for a way into the vehicle. Scared shitless turned into totally fascinated, as I realized he was intelligent and bored, so he and I played a quick game of hide and seek before I carried on. Cheeky little fellow.

After clearing the main pass, I explored the Castle Hill area that features large limestone boulders used by early Maori as shelters during their migratory days. Can you imagine that ride? People get so excited and worried about travel these days, but what a joke it is compared to real traversing. Life-threatening, eye-opening, culture-forming travel. New Zealand was one of the last places on earth to be inhabited in 1250 AD and it shows in the best and worst ways possible. There are very obviously still hundreds of square miles that no human foot has touched. The terrain too uneven, the bush too thick, the weather too unpredictable. Untouched beauty. God's virgin earth. So little of it remains on our globe, it is worth celebrating. The cons of being so far down the colonization line is that your internet sucks and you are essentially a combination of everyone else's cultures. But the good outweighs the bad. You learn more by being in a place like this than you would in a big, nondescript city. Which might be why I appreciate broken Christchurch and zany Wellington more than anonymous Auckland..


If you're looking to learn, don't fluff the pillows and click the remote. Buy a ticket. Get on the plane. Find the bus. Go exploring! Back in Abel Tasman, our Stray skydivers got phrases written in thick black marker on their forearms, to display during freefall. Much to my mother's disappointment, I wasn't able to jump out of a plane this trip. But if I had, I know what I would have written..

BUY THE TICKET - TAKE THE RIDE.

Otago Peninsula

Otago Peninsula

Otago Beauty

Dunedin, for my mother.

Dunedin, for Ingrid, my typography mentor.

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki Boulders

Moeraki

Monteith's Tasting Tray

The lineup. I substituted an IPA for that shitty Radler shandy. 

Balsamic treat.

Castle Hill. Early Maori shelters.

Kea on my sideview!

Kea flying away. Beautiful.