Returning to earth

Having been abandoned on the ice, I proceeded to abandon you all, my dear readers. By way of repentance by corporal mortification, I have subjected myself to two days of bicycling around Wellington with one David Rehmeyer. (For details, I refer you to his journal, typically available on request.)

Oh, how wonderful has been the return! It truly is another world. I could pen volumes on all the things I'm glad to have back, but there are four fundamentals I appreciate most dearly:
1) Sensory stimulus (colors and smells)
2) People (so many, so friendly)
3) Freedom (unconstrained by a hostile environment)
4) Beer (fresh, varied, and plentiful)

Thus, in these days in New Zealand, I've eschewed the normal busy-bee touristy adventures to embrace these basic components. My experiences surely seem unremarkable to you: competing in the local pub quiz, playing hacky-sack with high schoolers, feeding ducks in the park, reading Moby Dick by the sea, or meeting strangers and their cars (see below). To me, they are the epitome of joy.



Methinks this is not the last blog entry. My overall impression of Antarctica and its perhaps-profound influence on me remain to be dissected and discussed. But for now, I'd better get back to soaking up this wonderful country and its incredible sights, sounds, smells, and suds*.

Stay tuned,
pepe

*beers, for those of you who are not my father.