Life is an oscillation of highs and lows. I think it’s important to maximize the high points, make plans to remember them, and try and minimize the impact of the low points with stoicism and equanimity.
A recent birthday was a good opportunity to maximize the high points and document them photographically as an aid to memory. The iPhone camera in my pocket is a welcome tool enabling photography, editing and sharing with family while travelling. I find it a welcome distraction from the anxiety of travel, especially when travelling alone.
I was scheduled to fly up to Auckland early on the day of my birthday, so celebrated with my wife and son at home the day before. Timing made it easy for us to include our weekly Friday treat of a Scope cafe visit for a scone and tea/coffee and then a roast dinner at home. By the time my actual birthday had arrived I’d already had a full day of celebration.
My early alarm had me awake and at a frosty airport before 6 in the morning. Timing was perfect for a sunrise take off, looking down over a well frosted lake Rotorua from my favoured window seat behind the wing.
After a scenic, efficient flight to Auckland, my Air New Zealand flight had landed. Congestion at the gate meant it took us a while to disembark but, because my bag had been checked through to Queenstown, I didn’t have anything to collect, and could walk to meet Edin, where she was parking her car.
Another scone and coffee breakfast, on my actual birthday this time, was followed by an efficient transit through security to board our flight. Queenstown soon arrived, and we disembarked into a brisk Mainland morning. The airport was busy with multiple flights of skiers descending on the town, so it took a while for our bags to make it off the carousel. A stop at an airport cafe for coffee had us contemplating our options. Did we get an Uber to our hotel or was it walkable carrying our bags? Google maps showed us a walkable route with our strict 18kg weight limit for our Fiordland trip a manageable load. We chose the scenic bipedal, fossil fuel free route.
Hotel check in was quick, and we had the afternoon free to explore a little. We were staying in a new location, so decided to just follow the lake edge path and find what we could. As always Lake Wakatipu is stunning with its clear cold water surrounded by snow capped peaks.
Late cotoneaster bushes festooned with red berries gave a real winter time feel reminiscent of Christmas holly. Clouds of midges were attracting tui, and tauhou/silvereyes were hawking the little insects. A background of clouds with diffused light gave perfect conditions for birds on white images so this occupied quite a bit of our time and slowed our walk.
A couple of weeks prior, while visiting Edin in Auckland, she’d given me a book for my birthday. She told me it was early because we had severe weight restrictions on our trip south, so she wouldn’t be able to bring it with on our Fiordland trip. She had, however, secreted another birthday gift in her bag. This was a wedge of Barrys Bay aged cumin seed gouda cheese, a favourite of mine. If we ate it, it wouldn’t have to count against our luggage allowance for the next leg of our trip.
A scenic picnic lunch of birthday cheese, joined the birds as a birthday treat.
Walking back, an unanticipated birthday message from an old primary school friend triggered memories and a discussion of previous birthday mountain trips, long ago and far away. An unexpected bonus memory for the day.
Photos with iPhone 14 Pro except for bird photos with Nikon Z8 and Nikkor Z 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 VR S
