Favoring the 'Land of the Long White Cloud'

“Travel is a state of mind…It is almost entirely an inner experience. My particular way of getting [somewhere] – almost blindly – seemed to transform the destination.”

— Paul Theroux

The biggest obstacle we might have faced in deciding where to live out a powerful change would have been an inability to compromise between the Theroux approach above and one that was devilishly rooted in the details of corporate event planning. Choosing to preemptively avoid such an unnecessary challenge, we decided to take this ‘turn’ at a wide angle. And would you guess what?! After composing personal ‘short lists’ of places we could see ourselves moving, it became evident we wouldn’t have to compromise a great deal.

Minus the precise order of preference, both of us presented an identical list. Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand. For Colin, who had lived in two and visited one of the three, these places were familiar. Kelsey’s exposure to these places had yet to be established, but her desire to experience them was adventurously strong. As the conversation moved forward it was clear that our decision was riding on the pendulum swinging between thorough familiarity for one of us (“Oz” and the “Land of Smiles”), or a(n almost) complete novelty to us both ("Kiwi Land").

Had the former possibility been our decision, then we might be enjoying a delicious plate of Pad Kee Mao Gai (mmm, arroy!), or skulling a VB at a beachside barbie. As history would be (very recently) written though, it was grilled lamb and shiraz rosé that won out. As New Zealand had only seen a hurried week-long road trip on a budget capable of providing little more than two daily ingestions of water and PB&J - and back-seat rental car bedding - it was the logical choice to provide an experience both of us could share as “new.” Again, for clarity's sake, this was something Colin had subjected himself to; we just described this decision as “grilled lamb and shiraz rosé.” What can we say? Kelsey classes things up.

This wasn’t to say that Thailand and Australia have been dismissed from consideration, but our research surely began with Aotearoa. And as decisively as it began, so did it conclude. We begin this novaturient adventure with New Zealand. I mean think about it. A land that boasts stunning mountain views, both subtropical and fiord-filled coastlines, waterfall-fed lakes, and not a single poisonous snake to claim – the “Land of the Long White Cloud” is Colorado on steroids! Perhaps this truly was a compromise between familiarity and novelty. Regardless of which of these preferences ultimately predominated, at least there’s no Trump to worry about!

Shit! He's everywhere!