Sensually Rigid Pleasure

January 26th, 08

Hello hello hello,

How do I start??? Well first I guess I should say HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!!! Yes it’s their Independence Day-220 years old!

On top of that since I’ve written last I have gone from Byron to Sydney to now I’m in Melbourne and about to leave it here…..I have to say though before I start to catch up with you, I believe Melbourne so far is my favorite city in Australia, and St Kilda (a suburb) maybe even my favorite area. But really how can one compare, each town has it’s blessing to give to the world. Yet here in Melbourne area it’s so relaxed and peaceful for my heart, there is something just very beautiful about it. I believe it’s all the parks, there is a park every few streets, even in the city. I miss parks. When I lived in San Jose, it’s what I loved, walking to a park to read or write or just be with nature.

Let me begin by sharing with you this amazing lake I got to swim in when I was in Lennox Head and my time in Ballina. Well I had a fabulous few days in Lennox Head and Ballina. I really got to see how relaxed I am from NZ and spending time with Rob. I took my first day in Lennox Head just to walk on the beach where the foam was about 1.5-2 feet deep as it’s been flooding and all the rivers flow into the ocean and make this foam. It had been toxic for about 5-7 days and that day, the day I was there was the first day that people could go into the water again.

It was lovely to watch the foam move, roll and shimmy. It was so amazing how alive it felt and looked. Slightly brown in color and just bubbles galore. The rainbows that shown in all those bubbles were brilliant, even without the sun being out. Rainbows where every where you looked, within the bubbles.

I walked through the bubbles, my feet and legs being completely swallowed by these foamy forms and when a wave come, the foam would go higher up on my legs and then rinse some off going back out to sea. You see the ocean was cleaning all that was toxic and dirty within the bubbles this past week after the floods. Nature amazes me, it works so well when we step out of the way.
Yet of course it was great that the city came in and removed debris, trees, and then the last day I was there cleaning the sand from all the left little stuff, dead fish, etc. Even the birds didn’t eat the fish, they knew it was toxic. I met a woman that was helping the birds there that had eaten the fish, she brought the birds pillows to be more comfortable as they were nursed back to care. I love that this place takes care of its home and its animals.

I then went for a swim in the Tea Tree lake. At first you think it’s just black from who knows what, but it’s colored a dark redish brown from all the Tea Trees that live around it. You get into it and it feels lovely. I soothes your skin, your hair, you don’t feel like you need to bathe afterward. I felt so clean and pure. It washes everything away and lifts you some how. It’s just glorious to swim in. I felt so close to nature there in that water. So grateful I had come to Lennox and that I had the chance to, even if for one more time swim again in the lake. I ended up staying a few days instead of only 1 just so I could go swimming again in this lovely lake.

I really see how clean it is here, especially for as many people as it has. At the lake there wasn’t trash here and there or cludder. And for as many people there are there that’s amazing! And here there are garbage cans around, but in NZ there was never a garbage bin and still there was no garbage around.

It’s funny the locals complain that the service sucks here in OZ, but honestly I’ll take the service here any day of the week. I’ve found the locals quite nice, they go out of their way to make sure you get what you need and help in any way they can, it’s so lovely to have such great service from people and it’s nicer to give money to people you like.
I love how the bus drivers drive in this country, they drive very precisely, there is no hurry, nothing else to be done but drive. Not too many stressed out drivers I see here. They are very helpful, calm and I feel them happy to be helping others. What a beautiful feeling. I love how when you ask a question to the bus drivers or to anyone on the bus they are so helpful at any time. Only three in all of my time in OZ have I come across someone unpleasant-two of them drivers upset with pedestrians and one just wouldn’t answer if the café had wi fi-but I think she was scared to be caught as she was using it and not taking anything from the menu, but I doubt they would have made a fuss anyway.

I have to say I loved the weather in Byron and Lennox Head area. I could get up at 6am walk on the beach with maybe a t-shirt on or possibly a singlet top and shorts! Love that.

I got down to Sydney to see Beenie and how lovely! After 10 years of not seeing each other it was so lovely to see him again, hang out, have him show me around Sydney, the places people don’t go as tourists and some that they do. It was just a lovely time with him and Kristi. Catching up and seeing each other and having a bbq with his friends and just relaxing with him was great! Plus he’s quite the cook so I got some really lovely food while staying there-simple but SOOOO Good! I was spoiled with such great hospitality-food, shown around, a great place to stay and great company. He took me out for a day on the town on his motor bike, this is the way to see the city! Because nothing is obstructing your view so you see the bridge above you as we crossed it and all the buildings, birds, and everything around you….lovely. We went to beaches, suburbs to see architecture of buildings-which was lovely and he just loves, being he’s into building homes and selling them. We had a great week together, I just couldn’t leave really.

So I got to Melbourne a few days later then expected and honestly I wish I had more time here. It is by far the best city I’ve been in here in OZ. It’s just so comfortable. The energy just feels good, not sure why, maybe it’s the nature within the city. But it’s lovely. I have gotten to see my friend Steph who I met in Mulwillimbah along with Adriane as well, who lives here. It’s been nice to catch up with people and see them, hang out with people I know! Steph will be joining me in Tas with one of her friends to do a 7 night, 8 day backpacking trek in a few weeks. She is from France and just a lovely soul with a big heart. She is here working as a baker which she is great at!!! She’s the one that baked us a cake in Mulwillimbah!

Friday night it was time to do something a little different, something that my soul wanted-I went out to see a dance/gymnastics performance called Aeros-It may have already been in Los Angeles. But if you get the chance, go for it, see it. It feels like you are there for about 30 minutes but 80 minutes have past. It’s brilliant! They did a duet at one point and it was delicious! It brought up the feelings of Sensual, Rigid, Pleasure! As it was very sensual, yet they were stiff at times so it felt rigid, yet the pleasure they seemed to be getting out of it and the audience receiving from it was divine! I have never seen a dance production so in sync before. It was glorious! That was on my ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of traveling present to me. That’s right, that just past.

I am off to Tasmania for the next month of hiking, seeing Kristin, my friend from the US that has moved there 4 or 5 years ago and now is married and has her second baby which I haven’t met! It will be nice to catch up there with her.

So life is good, filling me with lessons of slowing down, listening to my body, not “doing” so much. Really asking what I want today or in this moment and doing and being that just that, in the moment. I feel I have finally started to slow down, after a year, yes it’s taken a year, to finally just be happy not doing a lot, but just being here now. How many times do we go off doing this and that and not checking in and see if that is honoring to our souls?????

Today I spent the day exploring St Kilda and will do some more tomorrow. Went for a walk on the beach, which we had great weather and perfect water temperature to swim in. I also went to the main street and looked into the tiny little shops full of all kinds of fun things- great clothes, pastries piled higher then I am tall, all kinds of chocolates, desserts of all kinds, ice creams, gelato, every other shop was filled with lovely things to tempt your taste buds. On top of great cafes people were pouring into and eating lovely salads, meat, pies, everything. Oh, I had my first pie here-no not a pie like we think of it, a pie as it a meat pie-I’d call it a potpie. It was lovely. It reminded me of childhood when my mother would make us frozen potpies in the oven.

Today being a holiday everyone is at a park having a bbq with friends, or at the beach relaxing, swimming in the ocean or going to the festivities in town, which is what I was going to do, but I decided a relaxing day at the beach and having a wander was more my cup of tea after staying up late at the theatre and walking around Melbourne with Adriane last night. I love how relaxed everyone is in this country and how they really spend time with their friends. Which I look forward to once I am home.

So enough for now, I hope you are well, happy, filled with bliss with the life you have chosen. It’s not always easy. Even on this trip it’s not been easy but it’s been full of lessons that I am finally getting to integrate after a year of working on listening and trusting.

I send you love, many hugs, Love, Heather

More photos of OZ!!!!

Here are so more extraordinary photos of the Blue Mountains in OZ!!! One of my favorite places here in OZ! May just have to go back there before leaving, I'll see. It is so stunning, even in the fog and rain! There is a photo me when hiking with Kristi at the beginning of my trip here in OZ! I like this photo of me. It's funny the photos you really like.

Photos of OZ!!!!

Hello there,
Here are some photos of the Blue Mountains in OZ as well as a sicada out of it's shell and the Opera House in Sydney!!!! Enjoy!

Kayaking with Dolphins & a Farewell to NZ!!!!

Hello there Loves,
I have left NZ! The photos are of Stuart Island, so beautiful!!! The bird is a NZ Shag!!! The sign tells all, bird crossing!!!!! I love the signs in that country and in OZ for that matter.

Rob and I had a blast and it was just the most amazing place for hiking, nature and well, as one quote said-There is yet another damn gorgeous picture-talking about NZ! Yes it's such a gorgeous place. And the people were extraordinary! So sweet and such great parents. We loved watching them with their kids, so interested and so inclusive and wanting to be a part of their lives. So gorgeous.

So I had to leave Rob as well and that was hard, I really enjoyed traveled with him, having someone to laugh with and play with in nature. But it was good, it was a good period of time, it was nice to have time with him and share the holidays with him. I feel refreshed, relaxed and renewed having someone from home, someone who really knows me to be with me for a month. I am so much more relaxed now and just enjoying the moment.

But I have to say, as relaxed and calm as I was entering OZ wasn't a arms open, love hug. I was more like a hour of harassment. A word to the wise, never try to get in raw nuts or dried fruit into OZ, they don't like it. After at $220.00 because they thought I was trying to hide them, when I had written it write on my card that I had them I got to leave a free woman. They treatened of prison and bigger fines. YIKES! So a lesson learned and move on.

I just wanted to get to Byron where I felt nice and safe sound, like a second home. I got into my Backpackers on the Beach and just unwound, relaxed, walked on the beach. I enjoyed the warm rainy weather as I walked on the beach. It was stunning weather, the rain felt good and it was warm enough to have a singlet top on so I was happy. I just relaxed and didn't do much for that day. I have to say that I ate at 6:30am and just didn't eat again until 5:30pm as I was so tired. Not normal for me! So off to my little Japanese place to eat some great food!

The next day I had a perfect relaxing day of walks on the beach, writing some, hot chocolate, a delicious salad and OH, it was perfect, I went into a book store looking for the book A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and they of course didn't have it as they sell out of as soon as it gets in. But this guy came up and said he just got rid of it at another shop. I busted a move and I got the book! I'm only 40+ pages into it, I so far highly recommend it though it's not a comedy, but I can recommend his other book The Kite Runner, it's sad but good as well.

I had an interesting experience next night and I only tell this as I want to warn people that things happen and to really take care. I went out with a group for a glass of wine-and yes it's true I've only had a half a drink in a year but I swear something was slipped in it and luckily my gut told me to go home then. I got home and almost got sick. I waited it out and I'm fine now, but especially ladies be careful out there.

So Bryon Bay has been heaven to be in though, it really has. I love my 6:30am walks on the beach, even if it's raining, watching the 20 something kids fix their breakfast in the mornings of coke and M&M's, seeing parents on the beach with their kids and an old lady laying in the surf kicking her legs like a kid with the water came in and getting up to put her cute little pink dress on to wander the streets in little girl clothes made for a big person!!!

But Friday I went to 5 Rhythms Dance!!!! It was my second time and it was so much nicer this time! I danced my butt off for 3 hours. Man that felt good, last time I was sick there and couldn't keep up with myself. I was in heaven to move my body and be with the music and my soul. I had some great connected dances with some really great people! But it did make me miss my own dance community at home!

The next morning I got up and met the first blue sky and white cloud morning and it was hot already at 7am. I said "yes, this is the perfect Kayaking morning". This was the perfect day! It was a great 3 hour journey. We had to push past all the waves in the Kayak, then wait for the others, as I almost got sea sick but it's all worth it. Then we paddled out over huge swells and kept paddling, going around the light house and there, in the distance-DOLPHINS!!!! Yes, playing in the waves, not just a few, but 5 or 10 at first, then we turned the other direction 10-12 more, turn again even more, paddle some more and there they were within a meter of our kayaks. So gorgeous! The babies just swimming, playing, surfing, having a blast with their parents and pals. Their perfect grey color, unmarred and just silky smooth and so light in spirit, getting so close, so trusting! It was gorgeous to see them so close.

Only once before have I been closer then this, on Venice Beach when I swam out with a girlfriend and the dolphins were pacing, I went out far and they came with 2 meters and then one came up right in my face, half an arm length away. I saw his green spots, his eye looking at me. How marvelous to be so close to something so precious!

So I thought that was it, we saw about 50-70 of them all around us in the waves, time to go in, normally you are sad to go, but two things kept me from that feeling of not wanting to leave them-thirsty and we actually surfed the waves in, in our kayaks. If you have never done it I highly recommend it. You are just pushed in by this huge power water surge. We got to do it twice. The second time we were pushed over but even that was a blast! The water being the perfect tempurature for swimming here and just a perfect day!

A quote I love: "Don't save anything for a Special Occasion, Life IS a Special Occasion!"

I am nice and relaxed here, loving my time here. I went to a movie the other day Atonement, though the story is sad the way it was shot was beautifully done. It's worth seeing just for that alone.

The women here wear dresses that barely cover their butts, like baby doll dress sort of but with nothing under them but a g-string. This is the fashion, as well as strapless dresses. It's interesting how they dress, I think I've seen this kind of dress in Miami beach only. Very skimpy. They also walk down the street, off the beach, in only a bathing suit, now I'm not sure about this but I rarely see people do this but here in Byron they do it all the time. I like watching the differences in people.

The other day I watched a whole group of people out for a surf lesson, it was so funny, all these beginners with these huge boards that they could barely hold on to and they were walking down the beach. I'm sure that would be me as well, they look huge! I was going to do a surf lesson for the heck of it, but I've seen too many injuries here so I think I'll skip that.

I'll be heading down to Sydney later this week to finally see Beenie!!!

I'll let you know what's up when I know! I'm very happy to be with my own computer in a cafe and even better with free wi-fi!!!
Ok, much love and many hugs to you. Remember to live for this moment, be happy and be free!!!!

I send you love, Heather

New Zealand Photos!!!!

Enjoy!!!!!

Listening to Nature in NZ!

Dearest Ones

How are you? How is your soul? Have you found time for nature today? Hugged a tree or a rock? Well here in New Zealand it's fun to do all of that!



New Zealand has been incredible. Yes I want more time here and so does Rob and I’ve tried to talk him into staying but honestly I feel like I’ve seen the best of this country and to try to stay without him here seems very strange. So I’ll move on back to OZ and see my friends in Sydney and Tasmania, hook up with some friends in Victoria and Taz as well.



New Zealand has been one big breath taking place. It seems like every where I turn I want to remember this vision, there is another photo to take to remember to feel to see. I’ve never been in such a beautiful place. I can’t say it’s even honestly hit me how gorgeous it is here. We’ve been so busy traveling, hiking, exploring, laughing, recovering from backpacking, healing from this cough that is almost gone, that to stop to really feel it all is pretty powerful. I keep checking in to see if I want to stay. It’s so magical here. But I feel it’s time to let go, release it and allow for more exploration of OZ and for NZ another trip. I really feel we have seen the best of this gorgeous place.



We have hiked around blue glaciers of ice that are so huge it blows your mind. Then there are all the rivers and waterfalls that are unbelievable. It’s shocking there is so much water here, even without raining daily. But the snow is melting so it keeps it going.



We went to Milfred Sound, which by far is the most incredible place we saw here on the South Island! We took a boat ride to explore it closer in depth and what a magical place! It steals your heart and opens your mind to what is nature, how it can touch you and brings out all your feelings of love of all that is natural. STUNNING, is the best word that describes it! We drove out there in the rain and spent the night and when driving back it was clear and gorgeous. But honestly it was more photogenic in the rain! But both were stunning. It was shocking to see how the land absorbs the rain over night or even within hours. As we had a down pour off and on all day but a constant rain all day for sure and by the end of the day around 8pm when the rain stopped within an hour the waterfalls started to dissipate to almost nothing.



Oh something that is incredible here, is it is still light out until at least 10pm. So here it is 8 or 9pm and you are thinking, “oh it’s time for dinner” and you look at the time and it’s almost time to go to bed. As the sun doesn’t go down at any normal time for us here. So we have adjusted accordingly but it’s still odd to be able to start a hike at 5pm and know you have 5 hours of light. But I love it, more time to hike!!!! Though I think I hiked Rob out!



It’s been such a pleasure to have Rob here, someone to share this journey with, laugh with and have experiences with and backpack with. In Milfred Sound we hiked the Kapler Trail, it’s a 3 day trip, 60km, that’s about 12+ miles a day I think with packs on-yikes! I loved it. The first day was good except we didn’t know how far we had gone, we kept going up and up, through limestone cliffs, lots of green, views of the huge lakes around, with lots of trees, fresh air and blue skies. We got up to tree line, came out to the wind, and a blessing-A SIGN!!! Saying 400kms to where we’d be staying!!!! What a lovely sign! The backpacking here isn’t completely roughing it as you stay in huts and you don’t have to take a tent or a stove, but everything else you need. It’s was great to have an indoor place to be with all the wind. I think they provide shelter as to care for the land as well as the wind would probably take everything away.



I loved how they cared for the land, they at times at trails, at times they’d build a wooden track above the land to not wear it down. AND GET THIS, NO GARBAGE! This country is so clean, no one puts their garbage anywhere. You walk to the most touristed areas and there is not litter everywhere. If they can do this here, why not everywhere!!! How brilliant! I love how clean this country is. You can see how much they respect and love their land and country by how they take care of it. They have a lot of recycling which is nice, we have to look for organic and normally we can find it too! We can find some at least in even small towns. The only odd thing they have that seems out of place is a lot of diesel cars and no smog/emission tests to control the pollution in cars, so they are a bit stinky! Time to change that before it gets too bad but they are doing so well with everything else it’s just lovely!



From Milfred Sound we took off to Stewart Island where we mostly relaxed and recovered from the intensity of almost being blown off the mountain in Milfred Sound. Oh, the backpacking, we fixed a nice dinner that night, watched the sun going down over the rivers, lakes and mountains surrounding us. The mountains turned pink and purple around us. I read from The Mastery of Love and it is blowing me away more and more, how simple love can be and how hard with make it. So beautiful! I’d recommend this to everyone it’s so gorgeous.



The next morning we took off into the blustery wind. They said at times it got up to 75-100knots of wind (not sure that’s how you spell it or write knots, nots, kts, who knows). But we were going up this mountain, got to the top and decided not to go to the peak as it almost blew me off. Then we had to go in between two mountains, we were being pushed and blown this way and that way. I was cracking up, it was hilarious, I felt drunk, as I couldn’t walk straight it was so intense. I felt like I had no control of where I walked. I’d push into the wind and then it would stop and I’d almost fall over, I wouldn’t push into it and then it would almost push me over.



The most intense part though was coming down the other side, after hiking about 4 hours on the top of the mountain. They had these stairs to come down, the wind straight at us from the right and at one point I had to sit on the stairs to keep from being blown off the stairs onto the cliffs of the land. Rob almost got blown off if it wasn’t for a rock that saved him that he got to hang on to and get up and go on. So here I was sitting on the steps wanting to scoot down on my butt but the back pack stopped me from doing that. So I had to keep getting up and sitting down until the wind cut down some and I could stand up and walk down the stairs. As the wind kept going, if it came up from our feet it was fine but directly from out left was hard to handle.



We finally got back into the tree line where we could start taking off our clothes to protect us from the elements, the rain/wind coats, the scarves, the layers for warmth. Then came the trees that had fuzzy moss all over them, bright yellow and green. So gorgeous! Lots of photos later. First part of the day I was looking out over lakes, brilliant mountains and taking photos of the valleys around, almost being blown off the mountain, dropping my camera once when the wind blew me down, (Rob had his sunglasses blown from his face and it took him 10 minutes or so to realize it, but luckily someone found them and gave them to us at the next shelter to stop at) but now in the tree line, nice and comfy in protection, green and beautiful. Then it was 2-3 hours down to the next hut, which was a great home! No wind, calm and gorgeous with a waterfall near by, but lots of sand flies so we didn’t stay out too long.



The next morning we woke up to rain, we were told it was supposed to rain all day. So we accepted that and went off to the pretty flat track all the way out, but it only rained the first hour maybe. So we got blue skies, waterfalls, rainbows in the waterfalls, and lushness all around us for the 7 hour journey out. I have to say I have never backpacked where I have packed everyday for at least 6-7 hours everyday. The first day, since we started late in the day, was hard on me, as I am a morning person. But the second day leaving early was great for me and powerful. Buy the last day it was great, except one toe not being too happy with being in my boots any more. Rob got blisters, but he’s recovering quite nicely!



So Stewart Island was a welcomed restful place to sleep in, take hikes in the late morning and afternoon and evenings. We enjoyed all the nature loving people in the backpackers place we stayed and strolled on some gorgeous beaches that would blow your soul right out of the water to know even on a weekend only 7-10 people where there enjoying them with their family, laughing and playing. So peaceful there.



We found one beach that was very nice, as we walked up it we saw a bird that looked dead but it must have been in shock because as we got closer it jumped up and we could tell it was injured. The poor little thing. He was so beautiful, he is a New Zealand Shag, yes there is such a bird called a Shag, lots of different kinds of shags actually! We tried getting him help in town but since they aren’t endangered they wouldn’t do anything for him.



We were given some gorgeous fish there at the backpackers the first night there, it was caught that day. We almost had Poua with a bunch of people, a local shell fish but we were too late, it was great, everyone would catch fish during the day and there was so much they’d share with everyone at night.



So our last night there was relaxing, we ate, packed and did not a whole lot of anything. This island called for a lot of dreams. Dreamt of my brother a lot and of his wife, very odd dreams, Rob dreamt a lot too. Funny how certain places make you dream. I even dreamt of dance friends at home. NZ has been a great place for putting goals and real dreams of what I want in my life into order. Nature being one of the main things, music, dance, and now that I’m getting my voice back I am starting to sing again. NZ teaches you in small increments to let go of the thoughts and start to see, smell and feel nature. It helps you get in touch with our roots of being one with the earth. The earth has spoken to me and has danced with me. I look forward to more of that.



As for now, we are about to head off to Christchurch and Akoroa, we will be swimming with the dolphins tomorrow and then on Wednesday I fly out to Australia again and he goes home. I will miss him and traveling with him! But I look forward to seeing my friends and going off to Victoria and Taz with friends.



I am off for now. I look forward to hearing from you. I send you lots of love and big hugs. Love, Heather