Enjoying the Hike

"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."Khalil Gibran

Every trip I've made prior to South Island has usually involved a group of 10 to 12 people. As we set off to catch a ferry or pick up our rental van, I am reminded of the movie Home Alone where everybody is bustling and the group ends up temporarily splitting up to make stops at the ATM or Starbucks. Keeping a large group together while managing time proved to be a little stressful and irritating to some. Recognizing this, our group adapted a "no stop policy" which basically meant if you needed to make a stop on the way down Queen Street before hopping on the ferry, then you better run ahead. This worked out because it kept things moving and satisfied the group as a whole.

Our vacation to South Island soon approached, and twelve of us prepared for our twelve-day journey around the island. In Christchurch we rented three camper vans (4 people per van) called "Spaceships" which were bright orange and resembled creamsicles with the bubbly white lettering written across the sides. My excitement was boiling and I was ready to take off and take in every moment of this trip. In no more than about 3 hours, I soon realized that this "no stop policy" was going to be in effect during this trip as well. The most important thing about this vacation to me however, was not to just see the South Island, but to really enjoy the South Island.  As one van took off for the next town without any notice, we were forced to play a game of "catch up" until we realized that we didn't have to run and stay with the group and that we could go our own way. While the three vans tended to travel separately, we always managed to meet up at some point each day or night either at a campsite or in one of the major towns we were visiting. This method of traveling suited us all well and made the trip so much more relaxing to me.

Our third day on the island took us to the northern coast in the large national park called Abel Tasman. Here we took on the longest hike we've done so far. It took us up into the evergreen enclosure, over staggered hills that lined the coast, and down onto the rust-colored sand and over large chunks of randomly assembled rocks. We hiked about 4 hours to the Separation Point (the northernmost point of Abel Tasman where the North Island can be seen off in the distance.) The views from this hike were outstanding and we couldn't have asked for better weather. As I took my time to gaze off at the wondrous landscapes and think about how lucky I am to have found such a truly breathtaking place, I started to find myself falling behind the "no stop policy" group.  Regardless, I took in every moment of that hike and ignored the others attempts to make good time on the hike; I wanted to make a good experience instead.

We took breaks at some of the beaches that the trail led us down to and all did our own things (snacking, sitting on the beach, scrambling through the rocks.) Naturally, I found myself hobbling over the castle-like quartz rock formations and squatting by the tide pools to check out the wildlife. I was amused to see the tiniest starfish I've ever seen as well as crabs the size of my fist peeking out through the crevices. A few of my friends did the same for a little bit, but once again I looked up and realized that the group was ready to move on. Feeling a little rushed, I scrambled back to the spot on the beach where they were waiting for me. I thought about friends from home, who would have similar views about this hike that I did and would likewise want to take advantage of every little part of it. As the group continued on, I continued to take my time seeing and feeling New Zealand the way I imagined it. Every step I took unraveled new picturesque views. Every turn of my head set off bursts of snapshots on my internal camera as I sunk into what seemed to be a vibrant painting surrounding me. I guess this is why I am not a good runner; I find walking to be so much more entertaining. One of my close friends who also tends to travel with her eyes and not with her feet joined me as we fell behind the group and explored our own way through climbing rocks and allowing ourselves to truly be in New Zealand.

On the return back to camp, another friend and I really took our time and almost ended up lost toward the end because we had been rushed through the beginning of the hike so much that we didn't recognize some of the things we were seeing that we had missed before. I found that in this time we not only saw more nature, but had the chance to bond and get to know each other better. We even inducted a third member into our journey. The fantail bird, who we named Milton, followed us for nearly an hour as we wandered along. He was a great companion, flitting back and forth, sometimes coming straight towards us then landing on a branch close by. We were actually very sad and surprised when he left because the way he had been following us made us hopeful that we could bring our little friend back to camp. Nevertheless, it was oddly amusing to befriend a wild bird while walking in the woods.

After the entire South Island expedition was over, I looked back and was pleased to know that I had not only traveled around pretty much the entire South Island and done everything I wanted to do, but I had managed to be a part of it and leave my footprint in the sands and trails that I walked on.