Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

Auckland, New Zealand

A New Frontier

I left the heat of Canada to enter cold New Zealand. Winter here is coming to a closure. You still see people wearing gloves, winter coats and scarfs

Not only does a Southern Hemisphere dynamic throw me off but I more or less skipped a day. When flying went beyond L.A through the night on Sunday you suddenly leap into Tuesday. Monday seemed to the thrown away.

My sponsor for this trip is Radha Madhava, a devotee from Calgary. He’s travelling with me. I’m here to give some classes in Bhakti Yoga, lead some chanting session and last but not least did some walking. From Mission Bay, Radha Madhava and I took a brisk Walk along the waterfront, then went on Queen Street then to the Food for Life Restaurant. We gorged ourselves into the wonderful, Prasadam.

One person offered to tell about the Kiwi deception. New Zealand is the farmer for the growing and marketing of the fruit. In the minds of some people this green citric food is synonymous to New Zealand. According to the informant it’s actually a Chinese gooseberry. Someone thought to market it form here and one billion dollars later.

On the street there is noticeable large Polynesian population which includes people of the Maori nation. Post cards cut side convenience store highlight tribal men in their traditional attire with elaborate face markings. In general people are reserved and polite. They smile upon seeing a swami walking along on bustling Queen Street.

For me it’s a new frontier, one that I am sure I will like. I’m hosted by Radha Madhava’s in-laws, a Fijian family. A small home gathering called for hearing about Krishna. We then dealt into discussing about demons vanquished by Krishna and in particular Aghasura, a serpent of a gigantic kind.

How many of you people would like Krishna to come and annihilate the serpent within?
11 Km