October 23, 2019
I am washing dishes gazing out over the roaring waves of the Tasman Sea at the foot of our tiny bach (cottage), and I remember to inhale…..Ahhhhhh…….THIS is what I’ve been waiting for. It is a rare sunny day on the wet West Coast, still quite cool and blustery, but beautiful. The ferocity of the Tasman Sea is humbling, but I feel warm and safe in our tiny cottage with the wood burning stove toasting our toes. I needed this!
We have a 180 degree view of the sea, a mere 50 yards out (and at the foot of our small cliff during high tide). The thick, vibrant rainforest of the Paparora National Forest wraps around us. And where she meets the sea, there are giant rock outcroppings, arches and caves dotting the edges. It is a picture postcard, and yet we are the only ones around.
Wow. This country constantly awes us. Most tourists to New Zealand run out of superlative adjectives on Day 3. After 3 weeks, the only word that seems adequate is "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."
I guess that’s why it has taken me three weeks to write anything about New Zealand. I ran out of words. I have also been relishing in the NOW-ness of our travels here. I was feeling guilty that I wasn’t writing when I realized that I simply did not want to step out of the moment to write/reflect/analyze. I just wanted to BE. We have all been enjoying the Beginner’s Mind, not wanting to analyze or label anything, just immerse ourselves in the experience—of the country and of each other. After all, that is why we are taking the time to do this trip. This may mean I will not “accomplish” all of the fun, creative endeavors I planned. Oh well. Learning how to live in the moment may be the best accomplishment of all for me. (I’ll write when I’m home?)
So, I apologize, dear readers for abandoning you. The truth is also that no matter what poetic words I could offer you, they would fail miserably to capture this glorious country. If you have been wondering what we have been up to, Dan’s Instagram feed (dmyer92107) and our Myers On The Move Facebook page have the latest updates—the videos and pictures tell most of the story. But the entire country is one long “Must See” List, so I do encourage you to come if and when you can.
When you do, make sure to book this AirBnB: Te Tutu Bach at Punakaiki on the West Coast. There is no internet and no cell service. It is a peaceful retreat to rejuvenate from the stresses of life…or the weariness of the road. We all wish we could stay longer. Tomorrow we continue further north to the literal end of the road: Karamea. No doubt there will be more amazing sites to see, and we will have to dig deep into the thesaurus or channel Shakespeare or Seuss in order to adequately describe it. Unlike a few days ago, I am now ready and excited for the final days of this journey!
See you on the road!
The Itinerary:
New Zealand Week 1: Christchurch, on foot exploring the city
Week 2: Campervan from Christchurch to Queenstown (video compilation coming soon)
Week 3: Queenstown then Lake Wanaka
Week 4 (10 days): Touring up the West Coast from Haast to Karamea
Week 5 (next week): Helping on a sheep farm in Motueka Valley (tip of South Island)
Week 6+: Nelson (2 months renting a house)
January: Touring the North Island