Back on the shores, the shores, the shores

Things have changed in New Zealand, the economy has been booming as much as a tiny island economy can boom and new housing, new roads and new shopping complexes have appeared, filling the coastlines and suburbs. Development is a fashionable word and suddenly everyone's proud to be a kiwi.

'The Lord of the Rings' had a huge impact on the national psyche and at once these timid but friendly beer swilling kiwis have realized that they live in an amazing place that the rest of the world is fairly respectful (and envious) of, and that's given them the strength to believe they can actually do things.

Like try to prevent 27,000 hectares of beautiful south island mountains being sold to Shania Twain (unfortunately the sale happened anyway) and yet more billion dollar 'pieces of heaven' being sold to overseas - American - buyers, who will use these valleys and peninsulas and mountain passes as summer residences, or golf courses, or worse.

Or try to stop overseas fishing boats trawling in protected no fishing zones. Everyone's planting native trees and protesting if any native bush is cleared. Organic produce has almost become affordable and a bill to give gay couples the same rights as married hetero couples is currently being put through government.

I've been away for what feels like such a long time, and seen and thought and felt so much, and the country has changed quite dramatically, but I still feel so at home here and I still identify with my friends and family. Which is a lovely surprise. Waking up in my dad and Ruth's hippie house up the Paranui valley, with the bush all around and the native birds singing, the cabbage trees in flower just outside my window and the Panga (tree ferns) dipping and bowing in the wind - what could be nicer?

I've been doing lots of gardening since I've been here, planting my secretly imported 'cocomarazzi' (Italian melon) plants (don't tell anyone), and starting a garden of medicinal herbs. Then helping my dad and Ruth out on the land, making walking tracks through the bush, clearing away weeds and looking after the new baby calves. And of course doing some sculpturing and wood work in Ruth's amazing 'studio.'

It's just over 2 months since I arrived back here and it's taken me a while to re-acclimatise (the weather just keeps changing!), and adjust to how massively expensive every thing's become (5 euro for a kilo of tomatoes, anyone?), and to remember all the old kiwi words and slang and get used to the comments on my 'weird' accent.

I've been a 'dole bludger', living that wonderful kiwi way of life of receiving money from the government for doing absolutely nothing for society. For about a year before I came back here I was dreaming about going on the 'dole' (the unemployment benefit) and finally it's come true! Oh new Zealand, land of dreams!

I do have long term plans however, which involve a long period of rest and relaxation and gardening e.t.c, and catching up with my friends and their binge drinking ways (I'd forgotten what it's like to drink an entire bottle of wine in a matter of hours and then go hunting around for more), and to try to avoid getting involved again in their binge drinking ways....And then eventually university, starting in March next year. I'm going to study political science, Italian, English literature and philosophy and I'm very very excited at the prospect of some structured, purposeful learning. Undoubtedly the learning of travel can't be rivaled - it's so broad and general and all encompassing - but it's quite hard to get down into the specifics of things and explore one topic or subject in any detail. I think of the many philosophical conversations and discussions had travelling, and the points and conclusions we reached - but I have trouble explaining who Kant is and not much of an idea what he was going on about.

So physically my travels are over... there'll be no more overloaded backpacks or stiff necks or stunning mind blowing boarder controls or situations of panic. Sigh. But mentally they're not over and I'm very excited about what the future in this little, green, backward but then so forward, beautiful country holds.