the liquid sunshine bunch

Above all, do not loose your desire to walk: Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness; I have walked myself into my best ideas and know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it... but by sitting still, and the more one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill...
thus if one just keeps on walking,
everything will be all right.

Soren Kirerkegaard
1847

I'll miss the sound of birds waking me up every morning followed by Jenny's early morning songs and the distant watery sound of a tui in the forest. The silky smoothness of the mud in the Welcome Flat Hut hot pools. The spongy touch of the honga honga and the gentle warm breeze in my face coming out of the splendid Copland valley. The taste of hummus in every single lunch and the sweet porridge of the campsite breakfasts. The smell of wet earth after a glorious morning of liquid sunshine.

I'll miss the view of Kevin, always in the background, observing every single situation as if on the verge of taking a picture, capturing a glimpse of reality, a momentary lapse of beauty. Kathy's radiant smile. Carol's sweet face and her confessions -I'm extremely happy in the mornings!- The glowworms hanging from the untouchable ceiling at the Ballroom Overhang and Rafael's great invention for the ultimate automatic drying machine.

I'll take with me the memories of the pleasure and pain getting into the Copland Valley. Every step I took was mindful and painful. I thought I wouldn't make it. The comradeship of every single hike, the strong ones helping out the graceful ones. The fun of crossing rivers intertwined like threads of a Maori flax weaved mat. And the mud swing.

I'll remember our poor sore feet dangling in the sunshine after an strenuous hike. Carol teaching me new words in English. Andre's Sweeeeeet! Cath's Aussie sarcasm and Eric's Frenchness. Hanna leading at the front of the group. Silent Vincent. Joyful Chris and restless Andre. Peter's good vibe and good music.

I'll never forget the calm and beauty of the hot pools at 6:00 am in the morning with nobody around just the mountains, the forest and me. Gods' rays through the tree canopy. Our fires. The hangi. Eating in New Zealand, the Interestinggggsss! and the peculiar Kiwi way of assessing the gradient of a trail.