Hello Again!
I hope all has been well since I last wrote a few weeks ago. Since then, I have been very busy, and want to catch you all up on everything that’s been going on. This past week was my spring break which some friends and I decided to spend in Queenstown, New Zealand. Queenstown is a beautiful area in the south island of New Zealand, about a 3 hour plane ride from Sydney. We spent about 6 days there, all of which were filled with outdoor activities such as hiking, scenic boat tours, go-karting down a mountain, and even bungee jumping! As we were a little late to booking activities ahead of time, we unfortunately weren’t able to do everything we wanted. Initially, this was a bit of a bummer, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, specifically in reference to a trip I took alone to a place called Milford Sound.
Out of everything that was recommended for me to do during my time in New Zealand, Milford Sound was the one location that was deemed a must visit place. What Milford Sound is, is a fiord on the coast of New Zealand, which is an inlet of the sea, that’s filled with high cliffs, waterfalls, and marine life like fur seals and dolphins. Going into the trip, I knew Milford Sound was somewhere I needed to go, but due to lack of organization my group didn’t book far enough in advance and all tour buses became sold out, so I thought. Luckily, while speaking to a travel agent in the town, he was able to find one spot left on one of these tours and without hesitation I booked it immediately. In the moment, it didn’t fully process in my mind that I would be going on this excursion alone, and in the days leading up to it, I grew worried that I wouldn’t enjoy this experience as much going by myself; it turned out to be the complete opposite, as going in a group would have altered my experience entirely.
Upon reflecting on my time in Milford Sound, I would have to say this day trip to one of the most beautiful places on earth resulted in becoming a very influential day in my life. It was on this 13 hour bus tour I was able to experience much self discovery, and realize that I need to start seizing and living in the moment. So far, this semester has flown by, and it’s becoming reality that my time in Australia is coming to an end. It was here and on trips to places like New Zealand where I’ve been able to immerse myself in a world so different from my own back in the United States in which I have been able to grow tremendously. This could be by hiking up a mountain in New Zealand in a new physical environment with views like no other, or just spending time in Sydney speaking to locals with diverse backgrounds from all walks of life. On this trip to Milford Sound, I really made it appoint to be entirely present without distractions whenever I can, and fully take in the experiences I have rather than wish them away. Before I know it, moments like these will turn into memories and become the “good ole days” I look back on and tell stories about, and by fully capturing every little detail of these moments, their resurfacing without a doubt will bring a smile to my face.
See you soon,
Logan
