Remembering Sacredness in Auckland

Mt. Eden, Te Ipu Kai, The Food Bowl

Imagine a time when many cracks of Mother Earth spewed hot molten lava on the land of tribes of terrified native peoples.  Those volcanoes were not only feared; they were revered. Now imagine modern cities having sprouted around their craters. Such is New Zealand's capital, Auckland, a city dotted with many dormant volcanic cones that have turned green. Some are marked with monuments; some built upon with magnificent edifices. Vehicles are already prohibited from driving up Mt. Eden, Auckland’s highest cone called Te Ipu Kai, the Food Bowl. But One Tree Hill, the second highest, is still drivable up to the top. But walking on the craters is a strict no-no. They are tapu, sacred grounds.

One Tree Hill

It was in this wondrous city that I came face-to-face with crippling fear.  I was happily snapping away photos of street art and curious buildings in downtown Auckland. We had just left St. Patrick’s Cathedral when Bill suddenly crumbled to the ground.

Harbor Bridge

Until that moment, I thought the day was going fine. After Mt. Eden and One Tree Hill, we went to Harbor Bridge. The “coathanger,” as it is fondly called, has become an embarrassment as a poor copy of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, I was told. I don’t know why really. It has its own charm. Walking many many steps to get the best shots, I did not know that Bill's fatigue was starting to set in.

Because it is just a short ride from the bridge, I convinced Bill to squeeze in a visit to MJ. Savage Memorial Park. Overlooking the great twin harbors of Waitemata and Manukau, you can see the islands of iconic Rangitoto and tropical Waiheke from the Park which was built in honor of the beloved Labor Prime Minister who founded New Zealand’s welfare state. He is beloved, having paved the way for the country to be the #10 most livable in the world.

What we thought would be a bit of rest turned out to be more walking up and around Auckland Domain, the city’s oldest and largest park. There the Auckland Museum is built upon the crater of another extinct volcano!  To get a good photo of the beautiful building, we had to go up and around. Feeling a bit tired, we proceeded down the hill where the Winter Garden, an oasis in the drab of winter, had two barrel-vaulted glasshouses of tropical and temperate plants. After an hour of photography, the aroma of freshly baked goods led us to the Cafe where scones with jellied fruits and clotted cream became our mid-day snack. The divine flavors of England we had sorely missed once again delighted us. But it was rest which we needed more.

Auckland Museum

Winter Garden

We were in Auckland for just two days, to get an extension of my Australian tourist visa because only 90 days are given per entry. The next day was already committed to touring Waiheke Island with a friend. Trying to get the most out of our only day in the city, we took the bus to the central business district and alighted at the Aotea Square, the large, paved public area for Auckland events of up to 20,000 people. An expressionist style traditional Maori archway at the Queen Street entrance gives the Square a sacred feel. From there we walked past the tallest structure of the city, not having the time or energy to explore the Sky Tower on the way to St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Aotea Square

It was just a few blocks but the roads had a gradual but steady incline.At the top of the hill, we came upon a neighborhood project, Griffiths Garden. I love it when city folks do this. No wonder Auckland is ranked #7 among the most livable cities in the world. I got so engrossed capturing the many images my eyes were feasting on, collecting candidates for the next Photo Show of the Viewpoint Golf Resort in Arizona where we live. I didn’t notice that Bill had to find a bench to sit on. When we got to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, he still walked the halls to admire its high ceiling, the wide nave, and large stained glass windows. We also learned the church had gone from wood to stone to brick.

Griffiths Gardens

But, as soon as we left St. Patrick's, Bill suddenly crumbled to the ground. As the other passers-by rushed to help us, I cried profusely and unashamedly for what seemed like an eternity. It was just a few seconds but I literally froze. I couldn't help but blame myself for squeezing nine landmarks in a day. Such pace of travel should only be for the young, especially after our a red-eye flight from Melbourne the night before. When Bill came to, he did not think of himself, as usual. Hewas so sorry to have caused me such a scare. He promised to take better care of his body.After all, it is a sacred temple that should be preserved and celebrated like Auckland's sacred landmarks. But it is I who has to listen to this wake-up call. The way I like to travel will have to change.

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Shifting Gears, Cruising Past 70

utmost peace in the Arctic Circle, Yukon, Canada

My first post was written on January 29, 2010:“Cruising to a Life Together…of Cruising”

The time has come to shift gears. I have just completed writing about my travels in 2017 and 2018 is all about slowing down. I hinted about this in my end-of-year piece that reflected on the year that was. With this, my Post #383, I shift to writing more of travel essays, not travel diaries (records of what I did in a place or trip) or travel guides (information one must know about them). Instead, I begin to write about why they moved me. I will share the inner journey, the one that is not obvious, the one that may raise the art of living.

Actually, in the last 13 months, I have noticed this shift. I wrote four such pieces out of twenty-six:

April 24, 2017 “Manong and the Jeepney”
January 19, 2017 “Accidental Pilgrims” 

December 22, 2016 “In My Children’s Eyes”

December 8, 2016 “Chasing a Photograph”

There must be something about turning 70 that heightens introspection. Maybe the brain and body can handle only so much and we begin to encounter pauses that come with increasing frequency. There’s also something about a 10^th wedding anniversary that says, “You’ve made it!” You see, I have never been married that long. It seems that I have definitely become a wife, caring about another person sometimes even more than myself. And there’s something about not being always on the go. One gets more time and space to think and feel. 

crippling fear in Tampa, Florida

It begins with the traveler’s realization that there is something regarding the place or journey truly worth writing about and sharing with others. A travel essay is not simply about a destination or a trip. It’s about what the writer may discover about life and herself. It does not always have to be a big AHA moment but it is an awakening nevertheless, however small. It is a reminder that life, as it ticks on, truly enraptures. And it requires that the writer be brave enough to reveal more, to be vulnerable.

extreme wonder in Anchorage, Alaska

It’s like the utmost peace I felt when Bill and I reached the Arctic Circle north of Dawson on the Yukon in our first RV, a 24-foot Class C I fondly called Star. Or the crippling fear I had Christmas of 2010 in the beautiful beaches of Tampa, Florida when my one and a half-year-old groom suffered a heart attack. Or when I froze in the cold to watch in extreme wonder the dance of the Northern Lights from a hill in Anchorage, Alaska. Or when we oozed with great gratitude as we got lost in Mexico and were rescued by a duo of kindhearted men. Or when my loyalty to my native land, the Philippines, wavered as I felt increasingly drawn to America’s greatness in Concord, Massachusetts. It’s a series of revelations about who I truly am and can be.

great gratitude in Mexico

I will also write about the lessons we have learned as we shifted from RV cruising to a more settled lifestyle and still travel. It will include pieces on how exciting it is to be on the go when you are young(er) and how to find ways to relax and be secure while traveling even as you pile on the years and encounter more health issues. It will include discussions not only on the pace, the mode, and the style of travel but also on how to stretch the dollars so you don't have to chase them. It will include ideas on how to have fun without having to be in a new place all the time. 

wavering loyalty in Concord, Massachusetts

Carolina: Cruising to an American Dream was my first attempt at writing a book. But back in 2013-14 when I was writing it, I could not yet put a firm grip on what makes good writing. I zeroed in on the places and road trips of our 5-year fulltime RVing across North America. I eventually shared a few of my innermost thoughts and feelings. But I thought I had to describe in detail every step we took, every move we made.  So the book had many interesting pages but also some boring ones.

My next project, Carolina: Cruising Past 70, will be a compilation of travel essays. It will include the ones that will resonate most with you, my online audience. Today, I also rebrand this blog and I hope you come along with me on this last ride of mine. Maybe I can make a difference in the lives of those of you who discovered travel late in life and want to extend it until your last breath. It may also inspire those of you who discovered it early because you see that it can continue past 70.