The Joy of Embraces- Sagnik’s New Zealand Trip Review With Thrillophilia

There is a lot to see in this world. I had always dreamt of visiting the Eiffel Tower and the Pantheon, while my wife had been craving to see the highlands of British Columbia and the ice caps of Alaska. Since our retirement, we have had a tonne of time, and our savings were good enough to sustain our travels for a good 10 years. So, as a deliberate move, my wife and I have been travelling to different parts of the world ever since then.

This time, it was New Zealand for us. Although I am not a very extroverted person, I do like meeting with people and enjoying my own time. I am not expressive enough. But how does it matter when you are travelling with a partner who has been by your side constantly for almost 25 years?

Why do I say this? Because on this trip, I finally learnt to embrace my feelings and express them in a healthy way.

Courtesy nature, courtesy travel. Also, courtesy, our trip planner - Thrillophilia.

A Glowing Ride

We visited the Glowworm caves from Auckland. On the way, we also went to Rotorua where we visited the Hobbiton. I learnt from my wife that movies like The Hobbit and Lords of the Ring were shot here. It was a movie set, so it did not appeal to me as such. However, I would like to praise the designers for coming up with such a unique set. It seemed to have come right out of the book by JRR Tolkien.

Truly commendable!

Now, in the Glowworm Caves, I was stunned to see the walls of the age-old tunnel come alive in shades of blue and yellow as soon as we entered. The boat was gliding slowly inside and the world inside the cave was unveiling its true beauty. And, I was gradually feeling my heart swell up with wonder and joy…something that had never happened to me before.

My wife noticed this, and she found watching my face to be more interesting than the cave. So she kept on clicking random pictures and I, getting conscious, returned back to my original state. Showing nothing of what I was feeling.

Coming back to Auckland, that evening we witnessed another marvel of nature- the bioluminescent beach. The waves were rolling on the beach, creating a spectacle that knocked out a “wow” from my mouth. My wife was so super excited to see this that she ran ahead of me to cup her hands and collect some seawater. The water was glowing on her hands, and some of it was lighting up her face as well.

I realised at that moment, I was so lucky to have this amazing person as my life partner. I would forever be obliged to the universe for this.

That evening, we took a stroll around that beach, playing with the water and getting excited as it was glowing with every touch. I found the sight magical…never ever in my life had I imagined spending an evening this way.

Wide-eyed Wonders

First up, the adventure capital of the world- Queenstown.
Now, what can possibly be the role of two retired people here?
Cable car riding, cafe hopping, and lounging?

Instead, we decided to challenge ourselves with a one-day hike to the Moonlight Track. The trail took us through the countryside, the roads meandering through the valleys surrounded by sky-high peaks. The views were exceptional and we could see almost hundreds of sheep grazing at one patch.

Anyway, the Goldfields took our breath away, with grass as tall as our height covering the entire region in shades of gold. The mountains around us only made the views better, and the cold autumn wind seemed to tell us stories about all the past winters that New Zealand has witnessed. Times change, and with it, a place and its people change too.

I was changing, I could feel it in my bones. I was feeling more overwhelmed even though I was not planning to, my expressions were more vivid than ever and my wife could spot them in a click. Something was stirring up my insides, reminding me of the times gone by.

And I don't know why, I was reminded of my father a lot. I missed travelling with him, he was the one who taught me how to trek, how to stay in camps, and how to survive. But after he passed away, nothing seemed to affect me.
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The next day we went to Milford Sound. I was sitting by the fjord at one of the banks accessible by road, and waiting to catch the sunset. The fjord mounts in front of me gleamed in the orange sunlight and the soft chirping of birds returning home created a soothing sight. The water lay still, reflecting the sky and the mounts, forming a spectacular scene.

Embracing self

My train of thought was navigating through my entire life, and suddenly, almost as if randomly, I felt like listening to this song…

“Zindagi, kaisi hai paheli hai, kabhi yeh hasaye, kabhi yeh rulaye…”

Then suddenly I felt two hands rest on my shoulder, and a chin rest on my head. It was my wife. I looked up at her with gleaming eyes. She smiled back at me.

The sun had started to set, the entire sky hosting a carnival more vibrant than the Rio De Janeiro carnival in autumn theme. It seemed as if a painter had poured shades of pink, orange, yellow, red, and blue randomly on a canvas, and it looked ever stunning.

There is a certain solitude in chaos, a certain peace in randomness. And that day, the scenery reflected my inner self. For the first time, I cried after my father’s death.

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