Today was a thoughtful, meditative, reflective kind of day.
Woke up with Christchurch on my mind and sadness in my heart. Took an early shuttle over to the Aoraki/Mt. Cook Village in hopes of a good hike around the mountain area. The weather was looking pretty sketchy. Dark clouds threatened rain. The top half of the mountains weren't even visible. But I was armed and ready, dressed in Hot Chillies leggings, a dry fit, fleece pullover, and a warm jacket. It was freezing! Besides, everybody knows I ain't got no insulation :) My Camelback was filled with all the essentials including a rain shell and the usual PB&J.
I wanted to hike the 8 hour round-trip Mueller Hut trail which took you up a steep incline to gorgeous mountain views. Sadly I didn't have enough time as the shuttle left promptly at 4 pm. So I took the 4 hour Hooker Valley Track instead which was really lovely. Quite an easy hike, but that gave me more time to make plenty of photo stops! There were so many wildflowers of every color and description… yellow, purple, white, pink. I am a flower lover. The Hooker Valley Track took me through fields of golden grass, over two narrow bridges, between majestic mountains, past two glaciers, and by two lakes. Finally some of the bleakness surrounding Mt. Cook cleared and for the first time I caught a glimpse of its snow-crested summit. I sucked my breath in and stopped dead in my tracks. It was so magnificent.
Took a break on the giant rocks surrounding the last lake. The water was a murky, pale turquoise color; the surface shivering from the constant shifting and melting of the glaciers. Stuck my finger in and it was frigid.
I took my time on the trek back. Spent a great deal of time thinking about my life and what I want to accomplish. I thought about my childhood… places I've lived, crazy things my sister and I would do, how hard my parents worked to make sure we had everything possible. My family and friends, they mean so much to me. Love. Thought a lot about love. How blessed I am to be surrounded by such beautiful love. Spent some time pondering the world, how it came into existence, all its crazy intricacies. The first man to climb Everest - Sir Edmund Hillary - a native New Zealander and an avid mountaineer, put some thought into the world's creation like many others before and after him. "I have the vague feeling ... that the world is so complex and so remarkable in many ways that there must be some sort of intelligence behind it all but as to whether that intelligence is the slightest bit interested in a little person away down on earth, I have my considerable doubts." It's true, we are small, unremarkable people. But we each have something special to give.
My mother said that her dad always told her, "Leave the world a little better place than when you found it." That is what I want for my life. To love with an open heart, listen with an open mind, and give back even a little of what has been given to me.
It seems the best in people comes out in the worst of times. It is encouraging and inspiring to see the world mobilizing their resources and rushing to help a town in ruins. Keep Christchurch in your hearts, thoughts, and prayers. It will be a long, long healing process.
Here's to recovery, rebuilding, and restoration.
Plan: spend one last day at the beautiful Lake Tekapo
Budget: $26 hostel, $60 shuttle to Mt. Cook, $16 3D imax movie of Mt. Cook, $8.50 wedges w/ sweet chili and sour cream YUM
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