The Rainbow Collective. ft .
(Chad Konik, Parisa Rezaei, Ben Carroll Anthony Williams, Wanyasi, Nadeesha Godammune + more people you should really really know!)
Collectors edition
Collectors edition
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Introduction
Aka.. Lord Of The Rings, heaps of sheep, All Blacks, True Bliss, Grey Lynn park, no running electricity. You know the place.
Welcome to the (first of many) Lostravellers zines, brought to you specially, by a handful of wickedly talented travelling artists, born and raised in*Aotearoa, New Zealand. We hope you enjoy what you find inside as much as we have, in finding the artists, and sewing this dynamite zine together! Keeping it sweet and simple, we aim to keep our ideas as fresh and “poorguy friendly� as possible; firstly by gifting this free downloadable magazine as a little treat to share with yourself, friends and those lucky strangers on the bus. Secondly by sharing the huge talent of creatives, travelling on epic adventures abroad. This project began as a two man mission transforming into a collective effort of New Zealand artists. Our hope is to someday include a gang of talented international travelling artists.. but all in good time. We pray this zine brings inspiration, laughter, tears and a flurry of creative ideas for your next trip, wherever the windy path of life may lead you. Stay well, stay warm and never forget your 5 vegetables, daily.
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Content
Bigger than Beyonce. Parisa Razaei (NY, USA)
40-47
54-61
Chad Konik (NZ)
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150 minutes to paradise
Wanyasi:
20-23
Creativity x Travel
36-39 (S.A): Kyle Boonzaier
The Rock Location
Content
14-19
Nadeesha Godammune (SF/NY, USA)
SF/ NY w Moleskin & Ink
Kyle Boonzaier (CT, SA)
48-53
Rainbow Nation Who Shot Ya? Jordan Oxborough (JPN)
Antony Williams (USA)
30-35
8-13
Akita, Japan
+ bedroom interviews pg: 24-29 & essential travellers tips.
Jordan Oxborough: Akita Japan Jordan Oxborough:
So I packed my life into a suitcase and arrived in Tokyo for a three–day conference about what I was to expect of my new job in rural Japan. Being overloaded with information for three days left me in a bit of a daze as to what was actually happening but it was a lot of fun. Fancy hotel in Shinjuku, trip to the NZ Embassy in Shibuya and a rowdy crew of Kiwis singing God Defend New Zealand on a packed Tokyo train. When I first arrived here in Akita, I was thinking—what have I gotten myself into? A seemingly abandoned landscape of (beautiful) mountains, rice fields and trees. But as time went on, and all of the incomprehensible signage started to mean something, I realised this place really isn’t so bad. I’m situated in the second biggest town in Akita, Ōmagari (~60,000人) is a really refreshing mix of rural and city. It isn’t missing anything I can’t live without and for the size of the place, the amount of shops and restaurants is actually a little overkill (probably due to the declining population). So far, everyone has been incredibly welcoming and I feel like I’m slowly becoming a part of the community. I stayed in a homestay for five nights when I first arrived, she often invites me to her traditional Japanese house for dinner and takes me places for tea and snacks (she’s kind of like my Japanese mum).
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Akita, Japan.
My work life is pretty rewarding, and although there are times when I feel under-utilised, there are other times when the students really connect and learn something—not only about English but about New Zealand and/or a different way of life. Since I’m in a rural prefecture, the students can be quite surprised by cultural discoveries… In Japan, the students must all stand up to greet/farewell the teacher(s) in unison with a rotating class leader, they were quite surprised to hear about New Zealand’s more ‘relaxed’ attitude towards education.
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There was much talk of culture shock from various senpai but two months in I feel really at home here. A lot of things here have a specific process and as long as you don’t mind respecting that, it’s really no trouble. Going to an onsen for the first time was interesting, I was by myself and really didn’t want to commit a terrible cultural offence… I was trying to watch and not watch the other naked men so I could copy what they did, a tough task to conduct in a subtle manner when you’re the only foreigner. I think I managed to wash myself at the appropriate times and even managed a broken Japanese conversation with an ojiisan, while overlooking a mountain valley from the stone pool.
Jordan Oxborough: Akita Japan
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These kids are expected to clean the school every day after class, and by clean I mean get down on their hands and knees and run like a wheelbarrow with a tiny cloth across the floors. Since team spirit is so important as well, all of the teachers (myself included) are expected to help. I teach at five schools (２中学校＆３小学校 ), and teaching elementary is a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Essentially I just go there to hi-5 and play games with the kids while speaking in English. It’s a pretty good time and I get to sit down to a Japanese set school lunch every day with the students (who eat at their desks). Since I’ve been here, I’ve taken up Kyudo (Japanese Archery) at a traditional samurai house, converted into a budo club. Kyudo isn’t used in any practical application anymore, so now the art has moved into more of a zen budo, focusing on the technique over the result. I had to learn a whole series of bowing movements and proper ways to sit/stand/ put your gloves on. It’s definitely a new experience trying to learn something so precise and technical in form with almost no previous knowledge
and the inability to understand what my teachers are saying. After a few weeks of my arm swelling with bruises from the bow string slapping it, I think I may have made some progress. Most of the members are old masters and I couldn’t believe how welcoming and accepting they were, giving up their time to try to teach me something. Almost everyone who lives around here goes out of their way to share something about their culture, it’s quite humbling. To sum it up, it’s been an amazing experience so far, everything I hoped for and some. I can see myself living here for a few years and am really grateful to be here.
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Jordan Oxborough: Akita Japan
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Jordan’s travellers tip #1: “The most important thing to bring with you is an open mind.”
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Nadeesha Godammune: SF/NY w Moleskin & Ink
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Nadeesha Godammune:
SF/ NY w Moleskin & Ink Nadeesha Godamunne’s work is not only a play on wit and caricature, but at a deeper level aims to challenge certain aesthetic boundaries associated with fashion illustration. There is an essential lack of glamour, flaws and idiosyncrasies are exaggerated, and clothing becomes an extension of the personalities she captures.Godamunne is a fashion design postgraduate, having completed her Masters in fashion illustration in 2010. To date, Godamunne has been featured in a number of reputable publications such as ‘The Australian Creative’, ‘Prodesign’, ‘The Great Big Book of Fashion Illustration’ and Sandra Burke’s new ‘Fashion Designer’ series. Godamunnne has flown out the kiwi coop and is turning out some incredible work from San Francisco, drawing the streets and wild characters. She is also lecturing illustration at the Academy of Art University in San Fransisco, working alongside some of her favourite illustrators, such as Gladys Perint Palmer.
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Nadeesha Godammune: SF/NY w Moleskin & Ink
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Nadeesha’s travellers tip #2: “BNB and those sorts of alternative accommodation sites are golden secrets.
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Wanyasi: On Creativity or Why You Need To Travel
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Wanyasi:
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On Creativity; or Why You Need To Travel.
As anyone who has travelled will no doubt recount, the nomadic life has an addictive quality. It is hard to pin a specific reason for this down. Is it the freedom of a transient existence, the lack of responsibility and obligation? Or is it simply the stimulation that derives from plonking yourself right outside your comfort zone and being forced to make do? After all we all like to get a bit on the lash, and everyone feels some sense of triumph at an adversary overcome. While undeniable that these reasons contain some kernel of truth, is it possible that the spark that fuels the fire is more basal than mere escapism or endurance? While by no means a definitive answer I want to suggest here that it is creativity, or the act of being inspired, that drives the need to continue exploring. This is a little idea that has been bouncing around my brain for a while now and there seemed no place more apposite to try and set it out than here, in Lostraveller’s inaugural web publication, a blog dedicated to travel and creative pursuits. It almost seems too easy, as if in attempting to join creatives around the globe Kyle has inadvertently (or not, as the case may be) stumbled across the true thing that keeps us all travelling. So what then am I talking about? Creativity, at its most basic, seems to be the capacity for lateral thought - the ability to take disparate thoughts and join them into a novel whole. At its epistemological root lies the key point: creation - the production of something new. Post modernism renders the rest largely a question of
provides. This change isn’t limited to the five senses; we may find our pre-conceived notions put to the test, and will undoubtedly question a few of them ourselves along the way. The inspiration of an influx of novel stimuli is aided considerably by a wealth of free time and an absence of the capitalist constraints that can distract from the simple satisfaction of creating. There is a certain joy in being lost: the absence of a familiar frame of reference enables us to engage in different patterns of thought – in a word, to be creative. Creativity in this sense is unavoidable; it is an inevitable by-product of your (changing) environ.
But the question of evaluation is one we need not probe. What is key to our understanding of the thesis that creativity is what keeps us on the road is that creativity has to come from somewhere. As any professional creative will likely admit, inspiration has few inherent qualities. It can be as simple as a throwaway line in a drunken conversation or as complex as a Tolstoy novel – the key point is that it sparks a chain reaction within you, sets the neurotransmitters dancing across your cortex and gives rise to a new thought. What role then does travel play? One of these unavoidable aspects of travel, indeed, probably the reason we choose to do it, is the change of scenery it
And this is why, in my opinion, those who wouldn’t usually “create” on a regular basis will find themselves writing a journal, sketching at the bus station and playing with the long exposure setting on their camera. Sure, it is partly archival but there is something more at
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personal aesthetics and fashion; that which succeeds retains a flavour of familiarity while still pushing at the boundaries of what can be comprehended by the greater majority.
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“It can be as simple as a throwaway line in a drunken conversation or as complex as a Tolstoy novel – the key point is that it sparks a chain reaction within you.”
Wanyasi: On Creativity or Why You Need To Travel
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Wanyasi’s travellers tip #3:”Always grind your weed before you smoke it.”
play. We enjoy the stimulation, and enjoy how this drives our thoughts in different directions, enjoy the malleability of existence, and feel a need to remind ourselves of this by capturing the moment in some way. In Hemmingway’s A Moveable Feast he wrote that “memory is hunger.” Hunger, not for what can be recalled, but for what cannot be re-experienced: the feelings at a certain moment, the memories of which are but hollow shadows in comparison to their initial experience. How to feed this hunger? Well, it’s simple really. If you cannot re-experience the memory with the same passion of the instant then what better way than to try to place oneself in a similar position to where the sought-after memory originally occurred. It makes no difference that that place is a state of flux instead of a geographical location; the transience of being on the road invokes its own unique feelings, and these are ripe for creative expression.
For those not established in an industry framed as creative it can be easy to feel as if you never get to think for yourself, and indeed this is why the above matters so much. Creativity might be what keeps us travelling, but it is also a requisite for greater satisfaction, no matter what form it takes. So here’s to creativity and the travel that can help fuel it. Props to Kyle and co for this project, in bringing some of the excitement and inspiration off the road and into your brain they may make Lostravellers of us all yet.
International Bedroom Questions Illustrations: Ben Carroll
Who are you, where are you and what are you? -I am on the ground and I am particles What is an average day in Milan, Italy? -Quite very quite, nothing of nosily to do What are the 3 best things and 3 worst about living in Milan? - 3 best things: Environments, Girls and handmade food - 3 worst things: Politicians, transportation and pollution Who inspires you? -Any person better than me that makes me move Where are three places you cannot wait to go? -My hypothetical new home, USA, Swiss Alps Tell us one person we all need to know and why? -You need to know any person who surprise you and who makes your life better.
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Note: I have always thrived off these interviews but never really how to do them that well! Regardless, these artists I met left such an impression that it became imperative to ask more in there cozy caves.
Questions & Answers From Bedrooms, Across The Globe
Who are you, where are you and what are you? -Iskra - Amsterdam - Not being a student in between having been one and becoming one
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What is an average day in your city? -Get up slightly late - spend a bike ride frantically trying the figure out the fastest way to where you need to go while getting sweaty and/or rainy - do whatever it is that you do during the day (in my case, guarding Diane Arbus and fighting my sleep) - get on a bike again - go to Albert Heijn (The Supermarket with capitals) - buy Mooi Kaap (The Cheap Wine, with capitals) - get on a bike again - call a friend an drink the Mooi Kaap in a completely random movie to celebrate the fact that we all have managed to magically gain unlimited access to all the theatres and this is what keeps us warm in winter - right before we man up and hop on a bike again. What are the 3 best things and 3 worst about where you live? -Despite liking Amsterdam a whole lot, it is easier to sum up the three worst: bars that close too early, rain in summer, how difficult it is to find housing, which is like a shadow over the city for young people.
The best things are: the traffic chaos and scaring tourists, the buzz in September and the loose laws for example on squatting which have enabled small grubby concert venues, experimental art galleries, cheap vegan food, cheap beer and cheap haircuts. It’s all becoming history though, with the government we now have that is trying to make Amsterdam into a cleaned up, richer version of itself. It’s sad, I wrote my bachelor thesis about the local squat culture, because I think it’s one of the best things we had. Who inspires you? -My parents. They were quite badass in ‘their time’ - black ratty haircuts, selfpierced ears, photographs of musicians and whiskey and they organised punk concerts and flew artists and bands in from all over Europe. When the gallery closed before the Yugoslavian war, they got on a boat and sailed the Mediterranean, all of this with a little kid on their shoulder. I remember a party when I was about four and threw up in the bathroom all night from too much coca cola. I was probably taking turns with someone throwing up whiskey.
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Iskra
Questions & Answers From Bedrooms, Across The Globe
I also remember my dad’s performances with fireworks and trumpet squeeks and being surrounded by mad artists. As I grew up they settled down and there was less craziness. They’ve still got it though, only last summer I was the quite needed sober driver after a night that made my jaws drop. Where are three places you cannot wait to go? -Three? Friends must be visited in Berlin every once in a while and Swedish winter made me long for their summer, I would like to die in Morocco from too much food, and I heard you don’t know what good coffee is until you’ve had it in New Zealand. I brought it down to two places I haven’t been yet, is that cheating?
Tell us one person we all need to know and why? -I recently met Ettienne, a man who is more or less part of the interior of De Nieuwe Anita, a living room-like bar in West. When he talks, whiskey voice and waving his arms around, impersonating Graucho Marx and sharing his views on politics and the human mind, it’s like watching a Jim Jarmush film - nothing really happens but wow the guy can act - and he’s not even acting. If I could, I would write a movie about him.
Who are you, where are you and what are you? -I am a young human being, eager to learn what this planet has to offer to him, and to explore new things altogether. I am a student in an awesome city, meeting new people, having new experiences and learning valuable things day by day.
My city is Amsterdam, and I am a designer. I think in terms of functionality, estheticism and lately even poeticism. What is an average day in your city? -An average day in my city consists of a healthy breakfast, nice workouts, bike rides through town and to my university. Hanging out at university with classmates friends and so on. Having an open mind, meeting new people, looking for something nice every day. Discovering new possibilities through research and debating with like-wise minds as well as looking at new ways to change myself towards the better. What are the 3 best things and 3 worst about where you live? -The 3 best things about my life in Amsterdam are now my apartment, friends and university.
 -The 3 worst are the weather, the negative people I have met and the bike-stealing situation.
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Arthur
Who inspires you? -One true person who really inspires me infinitely is Mala from DMZ. He has truly spoken to my heart and soul, spreading a message of love towards people, other human beings and especially music. He exerts so much respect that you cannot help but wanting to do the same. Where are three places you cannot wait to go? -I cannot wait to go to Japan, New Zealand and definitely Maldives. Tell us one person we all need to know and why? -A person you need to know above all is in fact just yourself. By getting to know yourself you automatically meet likeminded people. I think this should be the main devotion in life. We think we know so much about ourselves but yet we have no idea what we really want. My knowing yourself well you also know how others could be in a certain way. That doesn’t mean you should not get to know other. On the contrary: We should all try and get to know each other as genuinely as possible but it is not always that simple. I hope you understand what I mean. I am saying this especially because I have been trying to understand myself a little better and it has been working out for the better. And I think this is crucial for everyone. If you are genuinely happy with yourself you automatically channel this towards others and those that are positive and open will follow and do the same.
Antony Williams: Who Shot Ya? Antony Williams:
Who Shot Ya? ホ
Antony Williams is a 23 something, photographer based out of Wellington, New Zealand. In late 2011, he made an epic adventure cross-country through the United States. With a evident attraction towards street culture since an early age, I have watched Antony’s style develop and grow hugely over the last couple of years, having been continuously impressed by what his eye captured. When Antony returned from the trip, I was stoked to hear an exhibition would be held and run personally by himself in big city Auckland, New Zealand. With a positive response by a number of people who checked the show, I am now, equally as stoked to be able to showcase some of Ant’s photography, via the Lostravellers magazine. Antony is currently in Wellington again and running the streets a muck with camera and kicks in hand.
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Antony Williams: Who Shot Ya?
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Antony Williams: Who Shot Ya?
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Antony’s travellers tip #4: “Always remember your smile, it’s your greatest asset.”
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Antony Williams: Who Shot Ya?
Antony Williams: Who Shot Ya?
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Anthony’s travellers tip #4: “The most important thing to bring with you is an open mind.”
Kyle Boonzaier: The Rock Location
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The Rock Location, Western Cape
In early April a good friend Wilhelm decided as a late birthday present to surprise me with a day’s mission through the Karoo desert. He promised this would be something I wouldn’t easily forget. Without sharing another word we set off. I was naturally hesitant. As we mazed our way in and out of supermarkets – picking up headache powders and chocolate bars - he repeatedly checked his watch, walking always two steps in front, trying to hurry me up.
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Kyle Boonzaier: The Rock Location Coming to the local taxi rank in Oudsthoorn on the Western Cape, I now began to wonder where exactly we were headed and if I should call my Ma to say thanks for a good life, before boarding this mystery van to nomans’ land. We weren’t exactly mixing well with the crowd; Wilhelm had insisted we must dress nicely. For him it meant a fluorescent orange silk top, fused with grey suspenders and a large white women’s purse.. Subtle as bro. We made for shelter from the confused-gender stares inside the closest bar and were greeted with a house full of droopy-eyed drunkards, rocking slowly with the afternoon currents inside their glassed bottles. It wasn’t far past three. After downing a litre of black label and saying goodbye to our new friend – with stories of prison life heavily tattooed on his left arm – we sat patiently in the mini van while the locals practised their rock throwing skills in our general direction. The van took off with a bang and we spat ourselves out of town away from the rock-throwing enthusiasts, into desert terrain. The van was piled with bodies and no visible smiles were shared as I balanced two elderly wrinkled babes on each leg. Bodies began to pour out the further we left civilisation and 40 kilometres later, we ourselves were forced off. Now, in the middle of a tar road with no sign of humanity, Wilhelm enthusiastically nodded. He swung his man bag in pure excitement celebrating how greatly he had tricked this half drunk traveller. I was still clueless as we marched over a rocky Cliff face and were welcomed to the small township called Kliplokasie (Rock Location). The township differed from others not only for its modest size but because it was constructed completely from the surrounding rock that fell loose from the hillsides.
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Naturally, a majority were of themselves and friends, with some classic shots of mums rocking undies and bras in the herb gardens or grandpas sleeping against the Karoo sun. The kids poured in to see themselves blown up on A3 paper and placed proudly on the hand painted walls, all standing by their selected shots smiling happily as they munched on juice and chippies. All the windows to the church were swung open, mums and dads hung against them watching the anarchy from a safe vantage point. After taking in all the photos I had a go myself, taking photos of all the kids which quickly turned into a mosh pit of toothless grins and miniature gang insignias. We left soon after, revelling in the memories of another great day while kids chased after us on foot until we disappeared out of the Klipokasie Valley and back along the tar road.
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Amazing and ingenious as it all was, our purpose in this township was still unanswered. We moved through, jumping around local Kliplokasians’ gardens as I took quick snaps of these proud Africans all waving and trying to welcome us all in for food. We marched on and found the large rock church packed out with cars, with people from Oudsthoorn town. Inside a impromptu photography exhibition was in The church had transformed into a super special exhibition put together by Hans van der Veen: a qualified psychologist and documentary photographer. He had distributed a heap of disposable cameras to all the children, the goal for them to document their lives, in turn encouraging creativity and using the camera as a means of expression and visual empowerment! The idea was beautiful, the pictures were inspiring.
a goal for them to docum their lives, in turn encou creativity and using the as a means of expressio visual empowerment!
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Kyle Boonzaier: The Rock Location
Kyle’s travellers tip #5: “Baboons are bad animals to make eye contact with, they will rip you in half.”
ment uraging camera on and
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Parisa Razaei: The Ten Reasons I Woke Up Fat And Naked On A Subway
The ten reasons I woke up fat and naked on a subway.. 目
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1. The best thing about Americans is easily there passion for peanut butter. Finally I can clearly see how underrated the chunky creamy gold truly is. Here I am allowed to freely express my hidden desire to spread it on everything like “it aint no thang”
2. Along with covering everything I can consume with this lumpy magic, pizza, pretzels, doughnuts and Popeys chicken and biscuits keep throwing me against a wall and shoving itself down my throat… PARISA take a chill pill or stop eating all together. 3. After walking around the size of a preteen who just had an allergic reaction to bad crayfish and sweating until my hair is soaked because of all of the HUGE buildings which make things like wind or the sky a myth, you cant help but step into Jamba juice, just to hear those soothing words “welcome to JAAAAAMBAHH” 4. MOVING ON, cocaine and weed are snowing from the sky, but only if you ask the right people but pretty much any other drug just aint as hip as Sketchers shape ups or Kim Kardashians overly air brushed booty. 5. So with you perfect night on a roll, you find yourself on the way to Brooklyn with a handbag full of Reese’s pieces and a nostril full of coke, while trying to pick between seeing Q-tip or Pete Rock, the only way to decide is to befriend a sexy German or a shit talking American who cant seem to understand your accent and thinks the number six is a dirty word, All the while waiting for the next L train.
6. So shits starting to blurr, you find yourself walking down Bedford ave surrounded by a few thousand Jewish families on the end of pass over, while being followed by a buzzy looking Mexican when you accidently stumble into the same toilet you were in last weekend. You start wagging your tongue in the ear of a hipster photographer…or 5…everyone is a fucking photographer… Once again nibbling on a bowl of cereal an M&M’s in a room that smells like chlorine all the while wondering why the walls and floor are all tiled.
8. Its nearly three and bars are going to close soon (so much for the city that never sleeps). You quickly order a tequila sunrise and take a sip and gag a little because your still not used to the normal alcohol content of drinks over here. You wash it down with a pab and a shot a gay man wearing a power ranger around his neck shouts you- shout out to Ramono Matel, you my homie. You run to the toilet and rip down the poster on the door, just so the lady standing at the candy bar in the toilet screams at you and you get kicked out, while your till wondering why there was a candy stand in the bathroom. 9. You call your mate Esther on your ridiculously fancy phone because your not in any state to find your way to the subway. Next your winding down with Esther dribbling on your shoulder while you mumble “ don’t worry ill get us home”…as the train rushes through the calming black vortex underneath the city. 10. FFUUUCCCKKKKKK!!!! Getting shaken awake by a jersylicious hoe who seems to think tights are pant (which they are not!) to see 5 cops and a police dog raiding the train. “Esther holy mother of fuck!” some how its 6 and you got on the train at 4… your not naked but it definitely made the title of this story sound a little more appealing. FAIL
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7. After getting back on track your skipping past a disturbing blocked off road covered by cops because some bad shit just went down. You quickly gap it into a pizza place a munch down a bacon, chicken and broccoli piece of pizza and realize you didn’t wash your hands after holding onto the pole on the subway, while remembering how moist,oily and warm it felt while you gripped onto it for dear life.
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Parisa Razaei: The Ten Reasons I Woke Up Fat And Naked On A Subway
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Parisa’s travellers tip #6: “If you pack your red or green pants, and can only take one.. pack the red ones.”
Parisa Razaei: The Ten Reasons I Woke Up Fat And Naked On A Subway
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Parisa Razaei: The Ten Reasons I Woke Up Fat And Naked On A Subway
Parisa Razaei: The Ten Reasons I Woke Up Fat And Naked On A Subway
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The Rainbow Nation
Kyle Boonzaier, The Rainbow Nation: I started my journey in Oudsthoorn, working at Paradise Backpacker’s Bar as a bitter, naive traveller who actually refused to believe he was out of money. I came with a good friend from Cape Town, with some -3.20 (NZD) in my back pocket. I was struggling, big time, but with the usual Lostravellers mentality I believed the answer was just around the corner. I turned a number of corners before arriving back in Oudsthoorn, to no avail.
I entered through the green steel gates of Paradise, after following the infamous route 62, arriving back I was introduced to my new staff colleagues and owner Maurius. Dum dum dum… I started in late February and began what would be a slow and steady decline into what Webster defines as chronic alcoholism. I had promised my friend Lucy with whom I started travelling that “I will catch you up in just a couple of days, I swear”. I hadn’t thought about where, or with
Kyle Boonzaier: The Rainbow Nation
what money, but this stint in the backpackers’ bar was to be just a three week hiccup in the ol’ Lostravelling calendar. Three months later and I sat in the same seat, clinging to that “next week I will be gone” mentality. Now though- actually, finally, really on my way out – the bitter traveller has gone. I’m left with good memories and a habit that will cost me dearly in the next dozen bars I greet. Through three months, I can’t recall every night I spent inside Paradise bar – soon to be renamed Kyle’s trance party-deep-house-karaoke-rave bar, amongst other catchy roll-off-the-
tongue names. I can barely recall but a few of the thousand English, Dutch and damned German faces I had greeted with a salty smile. Over the months I was poked with a lot of the same questions: “How does anybody end up in Oudsthoorn?” or“How the fuck have you survived here for so long?”, each met a quick monotonous reply: “it’s a funny story”;“you would be surprised what happens here”.. And you really would be… Outside the green gates, the town of Oudsthoorn runs at a slow and very obtainable pace by day.
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Kyle Boonzaier: The Rainbow Nation
LT travellers tip #7: “Never hand a Greek a knife”
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page 52 Stories of misdirected mail make front page news and every domestic cat’s known by all 50,000-town members.
player runs out of battery. Checking reflections against the corrugated iron walls, they stumble home and get ready for another week of inBy night the town is a whole different bag sane-o Ostrich farming. In a nutshell, of cats. Three “clubs” dotted around the you’re not missing much. Some weeks one main street of Oudsthoorn cater for out-shone others, and I was lucky the young and old, those looking to write enough to be a part of the biggest South the history of the past week completely African arts festival called the KKNK off. They drink steadily causing chaos or Kaka-nnnnn-ka? Exhibiting pieces as they all fight for the stripper’s pole, of photography in the local art gallery, busting some too-well practised barn which was my home away from home moves on the multi-coloured tile floors. for my time through Oudsthoorn. Rubbing shoulders with the same girl(s) week in and week out they continue this For this one week the town became a small-town courtship until the last Lady hub of South African culture with acGaga song draws to a close or the CD tors, musicians and artists running
Kyle Boonzaier: The Rainbow Nation
amuck along the main streets of town, sipping espressos and throwing wellpolished adjectives while explaining their performance pieces.
With hours left, I walked through the colourful community of Woodstock, Cape Town, a once derelict suburb quickly transforming into an up and Favourite Artists and absolute legend: coming centre for the arts and a hub for Aidon Westcott with the KKNK quickly South African youth culture. A balance coming to a close, I managed to find of old and new life gracefully blend to other ways to entertain myself. I began make this one of Capetown’s most viafter-dark entrepreneurial activities brant and interesting visits. Thinking of starting with selling sandwiches, endhow the country’s future might unfold, I ing with selling anything that would get watched as high rises were being built me out of the country quickest. I even next to organic delis; restaurants were attempted a huge mural on the back serving customers bustling through of the town’s water tower- this ended niche clothing stores; whilst some abruptly as I was caught with brush in twenty meters away local shop keepers hand by a truckload of oversized farm- were hurling bricks at homeless men ers, all swearing in Afrikaans. sleeping half-naked and drunk on the midday pavement. Dribbling out apologies for the next ten minutes they let me go with all of my It provided a perfect snapshot into the teeth and I swore never to paint… And combination of magic, new discovery get caught again! After completing my and intrigue that is everyday South Afrifirst overseas exhibition, murals, mag- ca; a place where anti-parallels course azines and a three-month stint in small together; danger and hope sit swinging town South Africa, my rucksack was side by side, catering a turbulent sea of finally packed. With half a pair of shoes culture that is Africa! TIA! left, I skated out of the green gates with a bag full of good memories and a less bitter outlook on Oudsthoorn. The staff all waved me off as the green gates closed for the last time behind my back. With days left and only a pocketful of rand I rode along the garden route, reconnecting with family for the last time before flying out and on to the colder pastures of Denmark. Back in Cape Town after teary goodbyes in the Karoo, I rounded of the South African journey with the infamous Padoa family of Hout Bay and their unbelievable generosity.
Chad Konik: 150 Minutes To Paradise
150 minutes to paradise
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Since these days, I have followed Chad’s movements like a silent creeper behind my 14-inch laptop screen. He has been making an impressive collection of photography and when Lostravellers finally started inviting artists to contribute I knew Chad would be on the hit list, sending through some impressive and depressing photos (for those living in eternal winter). I wanted to dig a little deeper and asked him a couple of pretty simple questions. Discovering not only an up and coming photographer, he can actually crack a few funnies. In three words describe yourself? -Art.School.Dropout. What is an average day for you? -Sleep, gym, coffee, work, eat, sleep What inspired you to pick up your camera? I only picked up the camera about a year ago. A friend brought me one because I mentioned I wanted to start taking photos. Any tips for budding photographers? Carry your camera everywhere. From who, what or where do you source inspiration? -Friends, past and present photographers and Artists. 90’s fashion and street art and I would be lying if I didn’t say Tumblr.
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Chad popped up on my radar a couple of years ago after doing some work for their family run business, Sly Guild. Honesty, I did a pretty shocker job as stand-in designer and after a couple of days I fired myself, since they were all way to nice to show me the door. The silver lining of this was getting to meet three solid, creative and most importantly determined people ,who I now call friends.
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Chad Konik: 150 Minutes To Paradise
Chad Konik: 150 Minutes To Paradise
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Chad Konik: 150 Minutes To Paradise
Chad Konik: 150 Minutes To Paradise
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Chads travellers tip #8: “ Don’t leave the door open, as the wind will take the door and the birds will see your rear.”
Tell us a little about the Barrier trip? What inspired this adventure? -Our friend had been going out there since he was knee height- just really somewhere to go to escape the rat race and get some waves. What is the future looking like for Chad Konik? -Million dollar question! Hopefully living in Hawaii dressing everyday! I wish- prob still doing what I’m doing and helping out with the family busso. Lastly, we have all heard the rumours about you being a “notorious” lady killer. Any words of advice for us lonely hearts out there, trying to score a female friend? (Hysterical laughter) ..Farts help to break the ice
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Chad Konik: 150 Minutes To Paradise
Chad Konik: 150 Minutes To Paradise
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N G OU I R A H S – S E IV T A R OF CRE P U O R G A E R K A WE C A LIC SP E AN B U P IN S T C E J O ART PR O D D N A R E H ET . OUR IP H S N G A M K R O W YOUR R E F F O R TO O S L IA TER A N! IO G E L N IG E R O ,M F P? CALL THE L E H D E
AN JOIN. WE CO M ERYBODY C E EV ANGING IDEAS Y. ITY BY EXCH UN . EAUTIFUL PLACE NE RE B
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FO R LE E TH IG E G www IO N .forei gn–le N gion.n
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CCESS COMMU N E ARE AN OPEN A IT ND WITH YOU. W C O E H M RA IN AND PAY T M HE ECT. YOU CAN JO J O R P R AND MO
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EACH H IT W S L IL K S D DGE AN E OT L W YOU WITH Y P L E H O T NO T N A W WE D STU G IN O D IS S U C O MAIN F
Contributors and where to find more..
parisarazaei. tumblr.com Parisa Razaei (NY, USA)
40-47
Chad Konik, 150 Minutes To Paradise:
54-61
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lostravellers
chadkonik. tumblr.com
Wanyasi:
20-23
wanyasi. wordpress. com
24-29 Ben Carroll
buzzferkchurnt. tumblr.com/
Contributors and where to find more..
12-19
Nadeesha Godammune (SF/NY, USA)
nadeesha-godammune.com
Kyle Boonzaier (CT, SA)
48-53
kyleboonzaier. tumblr.com
shotbyaw. com Antony Williams (USA)
30-35
Jordan Oxborough (JPN)
8-11
oxborough .co.nz + keen to contribute? Email us: lostravellersare@gmail.com
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Created and Designed by: Kyle Boonzaier Editor (M.I.A): R.I.P/TTYL: George Wallace. Contact: Happy emails: lostravellersare@gmail.com Hater emails: gwallace@notarealemail.com