Ramble

Went on a nice hike with an American friend today. We took a bus from the CBD up the first big hill to Brooklyn, where we started walking through residential and suburban neighborhoods until suddenly we were in the bush on a track that wound along steep ridges covered in scrubby bush, flowering gorse, pines and grass. The weather was gorgeous - still, clear and sunny. We climbed up to the turbine and I admired the view over Wellington harbor and neighborhoods. I turned to walk back to Z and realized that the white formation off in the distance was not a cloud: I was looking at an conical, snow-covered mountain on the South Island. Hiking with layers of misty blue and white mountains in the distance, I couldn't help but think of LOTR. Yes, I am a dork. After walking for three hours, we made it down to the coast along the Cook Strait. I dipped my hands in the water and discovered that's it's cold enough to make Monterey proud. There was nothing about it that said, Come on In!

Five hours later, I'm back home with achier legs and stickier shirt. I like how close we are to hiking here. No need to get in a car at all. I could use more walking in my life. And yet the jury is still out on eNZed.

What confuses the whole situation for me is how much I've changed over the past few years. There was a time not so long ago that I thought I wanted to live on a big chunk of land far away from other people. I don't think that's the case now at all. In fact, I'd rather live in a city where I can access just about everything I need by foot, bike or bus. I think it's a greener way to live.

That's the other thing I'm thinking a lot about: carbon dioxide. I'm reading a great book, The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery, that discusses global climate change. It's scary and fascinating and it certainly has me thinking about everything in a different way.

Including where I want to live. Perhaps I should look on this as growing pains. I'm trying to adjust to a new mentality, which is just as awkward as a toddler learning to walk. And much less amusing.