Part II: 11.5 + hour Busride

The flight from LA was wretched. The bus trip from Auckland to Wellington was wonderful. If one only could see it: Mountains, half covered with pines, the other barren, ridged, covered (in most spots) with sheep. Volcanic activity creates such spectacular vistas completely unique, completely different from subduction of tectonic plates. The mountains themselves spit up from the ground to pointed steep peaks, seemingly high, though in fact large hills. First, Kelsey shot no pictures. Neither did I shoot, as it would have proved too awkward, unless followers wanted shots of crummy rest/truck stops where the bus stopped. Secondly, Kelsey slept a lot, but was saddened to see, when lucid (yuk yuk), clear cut forest. Yet I pointed out the pines victimized, once out of the way, made room for the palms, ferns, other native flora, left untouched, to regenerate the forest. At least this is my hope, though, NZ being populated by humans, the regeneration will most likely not occur. Again saddened, Kelsey was happy to see all the sheep, goats, horses, and cows (dairy and beef) mulling in the fields together, sheep and cow alike, chewing on the sod between each others’ legs, until I elucidated upon the seclusion of the lambs in their own enclosures, away from the other woolly herds. Regrettable yes, but interesting: we saw the herds. I witnessed only a few, smaller corn fields (easily under ten) and maybe two or three smaller yet soybean fields. The animals were allowed to graze out upon the fields, instead of corralled, eating the grains grown instead of the grazing grasses. Maybe it is easier to keep them penned instead of rotating, inject drugs into their flesh instead of inserting fence pole into the earth. Unfortunate to sound negative, but I guess just look at the lipids floating in the frying pan, the opaque napkins in one’s hand, the thick line of fat surrounding our hearts, not allowing us to feel badly these animals do not feel the sun on their bodies nor the grass under their hooves, and when they are to say as Kelsey said (when at the café stop with accompanying sheep and chooks):
They [the sheep] are panting. When I have sheep they’ll have a ton of open grass and big trees to rest under. (ed. note, hanging prepositions aside…)
As we cut through jagged mountain carves, to steep crevasses cut by rushing rivers, and back up to see a lake expansive as sea, then up, up, up, up, and steeply back down, I care not how slowly we travel. I ponder first why are there all these TAB signs, man I hope TAB is beer over here (ed. Note: it is a betting location, i.e. horse racing, rugby, etc., located in bars or their own facilities, as far as I have noticed). It was cheap in a filled double-decker, mayhaps because it is slower.
Cheers!
Much love,
Micah, with lots ‘o’ help from his lovely assistant