I always love visiting my wife’s homeland of New Zealand. We just returned to Bendigo today (via a neat little business class upgrade, very nice!) and although NZ is “just over the ditch,” it really is a far different sort of place to Australia. We usually even notice a sudden change in people’s attitudes as soon as we hit Australian customs! A far more aggressive and urgent vibe here….
I think this is one of the reasons i like to visit NZ so much. There’s a sense of calm, and a lack of urgency that i think is really important for health, and reducing the oxidative stress common to our modern disease states. The above image was taken on a lazy day up in Coopers Beach, in a little forest Jaime and I took a walk through to a nearby town for lunch. The ease of getting back to nature in NZ is something i crave…there is something about the child like feel of exploring nature that is very grounding for me.
The love of natural food in NZ is always inspiring too. It’s ingrained into the culture. Paua shell jewelry is a common sight at every souvenir shop, reflecting the love of food from the sea. We saw loads of fresh fish, and drove through many pastures where spring lambs were feeding on the greenest of grass. A Paleo dream really.
Despite all of this I couldn’t help but notice people in NZ are still very fat conscious…trim lattes, low fat yogurt, and advertisements that “YES, WE COOK IN VEGETABLE OIL!” A little disappointing, but i think it is a very forward thinking nation and once the new nutritional evidence finds its way there im sure this will change.
My wife’s soul is still in NZ and part of me i think resonates with, and belongs there too. It is a country i never get sick of, and always return from refreshed, and with new perspectives on how i want to practice osteopathy in Bendigo.