As one story ends a new one begins.

Enjoying a moment of global perspective.

I haven’t written much on my blog the last few months, but that will change from today. Yesterday, I flew back to Wellington, New Zealand, the place I left 27 months ago on to go on a journey. With my return a new chapter in my life begins with lots to write, photograph, film and draw. I am launching into two new projects while continuing editing the film about my journey. I will blog regularly from now on about both projects as they develop.

Flying into the sunset.

The first project is my attempt to design and build an eco house on a steep block of land in Wellington. It will be a small house on a small piece of land with a small budget. I have no idea if and how I will succeed, but the way my life is and given the world’s economic situation I have little choice but to make it work. I sold my house when I left New Zealand but subdivided a small bit of land to keep so I could build a small sustainable house and hopefully be mortgage free. I am so looking forward to have a place of my own again, a base from which I can engage with the world, a base I can always return to. I hope the house will be ready in 12 months time.

Touchdown in Wellington.

The second project is much more ambitious. It is the creation of a pilgrimage route in New Zealand, spiritual in nature that begins or ends in Wellington. It is my intention to write and illustrate a guidebook, an itinerary that will show pilgrims which way to go and challenge their minds along the way. The idea for this project came as I was walking El Camino, a pilgrim’s route in Spain. At first I thought it was a rather silly idea, but when I visited Syria some months later and heard about the creation of the Abraham Path I changed my mind. I began to take my idea seriously. Now that I am back in New Zealand it is time to take the next step. This all while I will be unable to walk the route myself. The start of arthritis in my knees, that started when I walked El Camino will be one of many challenges I will have to overcome with this project. I expect the process to take a few years.

So subscribe to this blog or check from time to time if you are interested in either or both projects. As always I welcome feedback to anything I publish.