(no subject)
We're past the mid-point on our New Zealand trip, but with still a few days to go. Really a beautiful country. Plus, Mom and I have listened to quite a few History of English, Beowulf Explained, and History of the Alphabet, so we're also more informed.
The election has… shall we say dominated non scholastic discussion.
But… let this not be of what is to be, but now. There's been pristine beauty. Looking at the path the Maori took to get here, I can't wait to see Moana (the name of the magical hostel BTW). Seeing the volcanic pools and a frankly wild surf off the Tasman Sea. Staying at a cabin in the midst of the Alps and watching rainbow after rainbow roll into the valley.
Not yet done with the trip, but I want to relate last night.
So, I caught a cold on this trip. Which has now descended into coughing. We were staying in a small one room cabin off of Fox Glacier when I woke in the middle of the night with a coughing fit. Since one room doesn't leave a lot of room to hack out ones lungs, I slipped into my shoes a couple of coats and went outside. To find that the rain and sleet (and hail and snow) of the previous day had given way to perfectly clear sky. Above me, the Milky Way spread out. The cold night air oddly enough bracing phlegm into submission, I walked through the grounds until I came to an octagon table away from the lights. I put my rain coat on the seat and sat. Leaned back and looked up at the night.
Shooting stars flashed across the sky.
The Southern Cross was there too.
Then, as if a layer of gauze was drawn over the whole affair, a thin layer of clouds covered the stars.
Remembering that it was 2 am and perhaps not the best thing for me to be doing (though I hadn't coughed most of the time I was out there), I made my way back to our cabin. If not entirely to sleep deeply, to sleep.
The election has… shall we say dominated non scholastic discussion.
But… let this not be of what is to be, but now. There's been pristine beauty. Looking at the path the Maori took to get here, I can't wait to see Moana (the name of the magical hostel BTW). Seeing the volcanic pools and a frankly wild surf off the Tasman Sea. Staying at a cabin in the midst of the Alps and watching rainbow after rainbow roll into the valley.
Not yet done with the trip, but I want to relate last night.
So, I caught a cold on this trip. Which has now descended into coughing. We were staying in a small one room cabin off of Fox Glacier when I woke in the middle of the night with a coughing fit. Since one room doesn't leave a lot of room to hack out ones lungs, I slipped into my shoes a couple of coats and went outside. To find that the rain and sleet (and hail and snow) of the previous day had given way to perfectly clear sky. Above me, the Milky Way spread out. The cold night air oddly enough bracing phlegm into submission, I walked through the grounds until I came to an octagon table away from the lights. I put my rain coat on the seat and sat. Leaned back and looked up at the night.
Shooting stars flashed across the sky.
The Southern Cross was there too.
Then, as if a layer of gauze was drawn over the whole affair, a thin layer of clouds covered the stars.
Remembering that it was 2 am and perhaps not the best thing for me to be doing (though I hadn't coughed most of the time I was out there), I made my way back to our cabin. If not entirely to sleep deeply, to sleep.