Big Cities

Auckland, on YouTube, which if you stay tuned, will take you to other dbBrad YouTube Te Araroa Trail clips.

Brad's home on Christmas Day (that's today there) is in Auckland, New Zealand. Base Auckland is a huge multi-story hostel, offering beds, showers, computer services and more. It has also been Brad's residence for the past several days as he buys new shoes, gets a haircut, picks up mail, blogs, resupplies, downloads his photos, and tends to a million other details before he heads out again.

Auckland respects

it's surroundings by offering displays of wilderness throughtout the city

I'm having a difficult time reconciling these pictures Brad took on the Te Araroa Trail to the city, Auckland, realizing how close these views are to the city. This must make living in Auckland awesome in one's ability to get to the oceans and forests and farmslands so quickly.

The trail leaving Auckland is a city trail. For two days, heading south out of the city, "trekking" is on the suburban sidewalks. Because Brad's swollen and sore knee is not liking pavement, he's considering a bus ride for this one section of the trail. Although, the last we spoke, yesterday, he was undecided. Part of him wants to put his feet on every inch of the trail. Part of him wants to protect his knee and his spirit by getting out of the city on a bus as quickly as possible.

Since today is Brad's Christmas day, I'm naturally, hoping he's having a wonderful day of hiking or friends or gaity or celebration or good food or all of those things. Merry Christmas Brad with love!

Auckland