Moments from New Zealand

Among the dangers which I have survived during my time in New Zealand:

I crossed two notoriously storm-tossed ocean straits between North and South Islands and on the way to Stewart Island without incident. Missed those 30 foot waves.

I filled my water bottle from a rushing stream on the snowcapped slopes near Milford Sound – and didn’t catch Giardia… yet.

I went back to sleep right after the earthquake that woke me up in Te Ana au. (It was too cold to get up).

I keep meeting lovely, funfilled women on this tour, but unfortunately, have not yet been pursued sufficiently by an eligible man. (Maybe he is waiting for me back in North Carolina). These women have survived broken marriages, devastating health crises, poverty… and never gave up. All my encounters here have enlarged my world and refreshed my joy in life.

Another comment about women here and in Australia…
they frequently mutter their way through the day. This is helpful because you always know what’s going to happen… “Hmmmm, I must make up the grocery list now and then be off to town before lunch at Jillies.”

Both men and women punctuate their conversation with many encouraging “mmm”s – seems to indicate “please go on” without having to interrupt.

And people often talk to their dogs, especially to the stumpy corgies, “There, jump out of the car. Don’t be worried, Chauncey, you remember, you’ve been here before.”

Ah yes, and I am developing a fascination with the trimmed trees in the farm windbreaks – even the weeping willow trees!

People approach me easily, … because I am traveling alone?… because of my unique walking stick? Three young Chinese women, here to walk N.Z.’s
mountain tracks, taught me some Chinese words accompanied by much laughter. One then sang a lovely song and would often lean across the bus aisle to push me gently upright when the bus surged around a sharp curve.

A young bar owner invited me to share a table with his party and lectured me about the importance of hard work and taking chances.

A delightful couple from Invercargill warmly folded me into their Queenstown day and I felt as though I’d known them for years.

I’ve learned that, as a traveller, you have to decide whether you just want to SEE things… or whether you really want to know the country through its people. If you want to participate in the life of the country you have to slow down.. so the local people can catch up with you and TALK. The mountains and waterfalls may start to blend into one… but the people are endlessly varied.

I’ll end this letter with the amazing Milford Sound experience. On the overnight cruise we watched seven huge duskie dolphins flirt with our bow wave as the baby, like all babies, stumbled a bit awkwardly, trying to coordinate its breathing with all the weaving and gliding. Multiple waterfalls plunge extravagantly down the vertical mountains surrounding the deep sound.

Later, on the way to Mt. Cook, my eyes were overwhelmed with Kawara Gorge, which splits long lines of snowcapped mountains marching along a bright turquoise river. Huge boulders wart the brown mountainsides and often avalanche down forests and highways on their way toward the river.

The sheep seem unperturbed though.