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Hitchhikers
Juggling Hitchhikers In New Zealand
We were driving north on the North Island of New Zealand, entering the Waipoua Forest that houses the largest kauri trees in the world, when we first spotted these interesting looking backpackers along the road. We were going to give them a ride, but we were too late as the car in front of us got them first.
Summer Solstice Above the Arctic Circle
I was on a mission - I wanted to see the midnight sun as far North as I could make it during its solstice, when the position of the sun reaches its northernmost extreme in the sky
Just 4 days before this event, I was close to Stockholm in Sweden, after getting side-tracked for taking any car along the route from Copenhagen. If I wanted to get really far North, I had to cover a lot of distance, fast. For that you want to ride the E4 highway, that runs through all the towns on this path, if you are to cover distance in Sweden.
A Calm Place to Sleep
After a one month trip through nine countries, and having spent every night in either a hostel or hotel I returned home. I was working in my local cemetery, maintaining the landscape, setting stones, digging the graves and such. One morning while walking through the calm grass to our work shed, I spied a motorcycle near the back lot. Thinking nothing of it as many people come to grieve at odd hours, I went inside and prepared for my shift. My supervisor at the time also noticed the bike along with a tent earlier.
Some journeys (thankfully) just don't end.
Here I stood, at a forgotten truck stop, staring out from Poland on to The Czech Republic wondering why, and how. This morning should have been an omen. But I was too eager to leave, to be back on the road.
It all started when I woke up, opened my eyes and things came into focus. I realized I was still here in this same squat that I have been in for the past ten days. I was still sleeping separated from the this dank and dirty floor only by an even danker and dirtier foam mattress. I looked for the time, shit, eleven in the morning, I was already late. Rushing out of the room on the top floor and down to the kitchen I say my awkward English goodbyes. They say "maybe we will see you again," and I rush out the front door.
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