New Zealand Weekly Update #47

Last updated on September 17, 2023

11th of September until 17th of September 2023

Approximate reading time: 5 minutes

Lets get it started

Business as usual, I am off today and tomorrow. And again, it is a rainy sunday – no hikes for me today. Which is quite a good thing since I am able to relax a little bit and rest. My body recovered almost from the flu and I am able to go for more sports and more excercises again. Which is a big relief since it is one of my ways to sort out things. To refocus. To recharge in a certain way. And to keep my balance. And of course it is a way to keep a healthy and fit body. And this rainy sunday has also something good ahead since Jess and Max are about having a baby shower party this afternoon. It is like a catch up with friends and celebtrating the unborn baby. To catch up with friends and having a good time together. I am really exctied to see those lovely people again and to have some chats with them in their new house. And for now, lets have a short review about the week folks.

A little gem

On monday, the weather was good enough to go for a hike. So I picked up Paula, a friend who I have met here in Wanaka. And we made our way to the Matukituki Valley, the area where I was guiding in the summer time most of the days. And still, after all these months, this area is still stunning and impressing. Surrounded by mountains, by nature and landscape. Driving along a gravel road, sheeps and cows crossing the street. Somestimes deer. And just a few houses. A peaceful and powerful area, you in between, crossing a few fords and trying not to hit your car on big stones. So we ended up at the Rasberry Carpark, heading our way to Rob Rox Glacier Track. Currently, this track is closes, not because of the track itself, but because the bridge across the river is closed. But you can still go for the track if you cross the river a little up the track. You just have to make sure to not get flushed away, otherwise it might be a rough time for you.

The track itself is quite easy, not steep at all and nice to hike. And you end up following the river all the way to a valley, all the way to waterfalls and a huge glacier. Different kind of vegetation. And after 90 minutes, you reach the end of the track. And you get your reward. A stunning view to the glacier and to a huge waterfall. This track might be a great one for summer time again. With a tent. Some Jägermeister. Some friends. And hopefully some good weather as well. Whenever you are in this area, go for Rob Roy Glacier track, this one is definitely a gem. And wort it 🙂 And of course, if you are back from a hike, you want to have a skinny dip in cold and salutary water 🙂

Decisions

I had a chat with one of my friends back from Germany, Lisa. We have met back in 2016 for the first time to go for some obstacle course racings together with some friends. This might have been the year where I realised that I need more adventures like that. After our first obstacle course race in Berlin, I was pretty exhausted, tired, sore. But I wanted more. More mud, more team, more sports. So we joined another race in the north of Germany. In Madrid. In Tirol. And we always finished as a team. We had some BBQ after the race, some drinks, some music and some special times together. And back then, I assumed it will always be like that. It will never change. We will always be this group of friends doing some special things together from time to time. 7 years later I have realised, that things will never be the same. That things change. Relationships change. As we change. And that there will be only one thing in life, that will never change. And this is change.
And no matter how hard we try, no matter what we do, no matter how much we pray, we can not push the pause button. We can not make the time stop. We can not hold on those special moments. We have to accept the change. We have to live with it.
And I realised, that change does not mean something bad or sad. It can also be something really important and great for your life. It can be the necessary thing in your life, that makes you more happy. Makes you more you. If you are able to accept it and decide for change from time to time.

The decision of moving to New Zealand almost one year ago was a tough one. It was hard, to leave things behind. People behind. To leave a part of myself behind. To be alone, to be far, far away. Not knowing what the future would look like. How I would change. Which challenges might occur on my way. And how my relationships might change. But looking back, I would make this decision again at any time. Because if we decide for ourselves, it does not mean we decide again something else. Or against someone else. It is not meant to be to offend someone. It is about us. Our way. Our process. Our peace and gut feeling. And I think that sometimes, the harder a decision is, the more it makes you sad, the more important it becomes. And you will never know, what will happen if you don’t try. If you don’t take a risk. If you don’t make a next step on your own way. On the way of your own happieness.

What else to say?

After coming back New Zealand, the first weeks have been pretty tough. Jetlag. Emotional credits from my journey back to Germany. Being sick for two weeks. Car broken. As we say back in Germany, the devil sometimes take a shit on the biggest pile. And thats it from time to time. And we can decide how we want to handle this. How we handle changes and how we decide.
For me, it is about being patient. Being able to go through rough times. And being aware of, that everything in life is not meant to be forever. Not the good and not the bad times. So whenever I am in the middle of some bad times, I focus on the good. I focus on the positive things. And whenever I am in the middle of a special and great time, I try to enjoy it as much as possible.
To all of you guys – have a great weekend. Enjoy the good. Enjoy the special. And do no be afraid of change and of decisions. It might be for the better. It might be meant for you.

Your DingyInternational
Felix