I was in Wanaka last weekend, having a lovely time with some lovely people, and also parting ways with Cecil the wondervan – for we have different adventures to pursue, and mine lie across the seas in Canada.
Trying on my new-found pedestrianism, I went for a walk. No local Instagrammer’s trip in these parts is complete without a visit to That Wanaka Tree, so I headed in that direction for another snap.
But the route continued beyond the famous landmark, so I decided to explore farther. On a peaceful path, trees on one side, the lake on the other, I lost track of time and wound my way around the shore to find myself on the Te Araroa trail, which journeys 3000km from Cape Reinga at the very top of New Zealand to Bluff at the very base.
I found myself admiring Ruby Island as the track took me closer and then higher to better vantage points, around Roys Bay and up past Waterfall Creek.
Ruby Island is a photogenic specimen itself, and I know for a fact that not everyone rates the plaudits That Attention-Seeking Tree garners, nor understands why photographers flock there for the money-shot. In the same way, while Queenstown is often regarded as the Prom Queen of the country, Wanaka has a more understated but equally fervent following of people who’d prefer to make their home there.
It’s apples and pears. I think that what’s important, in this age of unrest, scaremongering and misunderstanding, is to appreciate other people’s opinions, their entitlement to those opinions, and even the reasoning behind the opinions themselves, when they don’t align with yours.
Not being the same makes different places and different people exciting and colourful and beautiful. There is a length and breadth of life to experience, a whole world to explore, and certain whos and whats and wheres within it that will make your soul sing, if it’s open to seeing from more than one perspective.
Let’s not only acknowledge our differences but celebrate them as well.
This is going to be my last post for a while from beautiful Aotearoa, home of my soul, and the place where Right Ink On The Wall began. I’ll be back… But I’ve new horizons to explore, and only hope that I meet with people as welcoming and wonderful. Regardless of where I am, I’ll be trying to see things from other positions, different points of view – and hoping we can all, with all our differences, find a way not only to coexist, not only to accept, but to embrace each other.
Glad to hear your voice again. Have a safe flight to North America.
Thank you! I’m so excited 🙂