The road so far (2018): Josh
From Newfoundland to Halifax, from Hawai'i to New Zealand; an update on the journey so far.
The days have slipped away and suddenly it has been months since Jess & I posted on this blog.
But in the interim, that disconnect between action and chronicle, we have continued to explore and grow each and every day.
Following my internship at the Telegram in St. John’s, I was fortunate enough to earn my first journalism job in Gander (the crossroads of the world!).
We spent our remaining days in the city taking in the essence of the province’s capital; a lovely visit to the Rooms, shopping along Water Street and a pint (or two) at the idyllic Quidi Vidi Brewery. And so we bid goodbye to St. John’s, hopping up to Central Newfoundland and my parent’s hometown, Gander.
Working as a reporter at the Gander Beacon, I saw the town in a whole new light.
My childhood memories and perceptions were given a new scope as I worked to write and photograph the daily news of a town working hard to both remember where it came from but also looking towards the future.
I worked hard to learn my craft; honed my skills at town council meetings, union protests and hospital closures.
There is a joy to be had documenting the pulse of a small community. I was, and continue to be, amazed at the ingenuity and perseverance of these warm, welcoming people.
And we explored; on weekends Jess & I covered from Port Rexton to Twillingate, Gros Morne to Fogo Island. The province is truly wondrous during the summer months.
Due to work, Jess was transferred to the Yukon, leaving me to my own devices in Gander.
It may seem dramatic but my world was less bright. The days dragged on in her absence.
And so we made a plan; once we had clocked a little more time in our careers, we would take a year off and as a last hurrah to youth, travel as much as we could.
In September, we moved back to Halifax and secured jobs in our respective fields. It was nice to be at home for a while, to hike and relax in our own backyards. Fall became winter and before we knew it, it was time to commit ourselves again to the roads of the world.
Armed with our flights to Hawai’i and New Zealand, we set off and that is now where we rejoin you—writing this in a van amidst a campground in southern New Zealand. A lot has happened since I last decided to share my experiences to this blog.
And it seems appropriate that I should now take the time to recommit to the idea, the essence, of sharing my travels. It is a true luxury to have the time to pursue beauty in this world and I hope that I do it justice.
As I’ve been trained to do, I write everything down—the hikes, the sights, the people we meet (youths looking for their first taste of the world, old men and divorcees frustrated with life, fellow Canadians going as far away as they could imagine while still being able to speak English, friendly drug dealers and mean volunteers)—and it all seems a bit mad.
Hopefully, we still have a mad one in you.
Josh
