Bigger plan

為了準備11月去Patagonia之旅，我們決定回去New Zealand嘗試多日登山。本來是訂了去Routeburn Track（32公里長登高1635米）4天3夜，結果到了用去當天早上因為大雨淹水，那個區域 (Milford Sounds)的登山步道全部關閉，除了一條Kepler Track（61公里長登高2216米）3天2夜，所以臨時改去Kepler Track。

In order to prepare for our November trip to Patagonia, we decided to go back to New Zealand to try out multiday tramping. We originally booked Routeburn Track (32km elevation gain 1635m) for 4 day 3 nights, however on the morning to start trekking, all tracks in the Milford Sounds area including Routeburn Track were closed due to flooding, with the exception of Kepler Track (61km elevation gain 2216m) for 3 days 2 nights, so we decided to change over to trek Kepler Track last minute.

意思就是，本來一天走10公里變成一天走16公里，可留宿的營地也少一天所以按原計畫裝備反而多帶了食物加重了背囊。

What that means is, originally we planned to trek 10km per day, now it becomes 16km. With 1 night reduction in campsite availability, we have also brought too much food as packed according to original plan which in turn added to the weight of our backpacks.

第一天走5小時登高到1200米，風大雨大，留宿一宿。第二天應該沿著山峰過兩個嶺，結果因為連夜的大雨步道淹水甚至開始下雪，風速估計為120公里，步道關閉。只好按原路下山，另覓營地過夜。

Day 1, we trekked for 5 hours in the wind and rain, reaching elevation of 1200m, and stayed overnight in the cabin. Plan for Day 2 was to walk along the ridge to cross 2 summits, but because of the rain overnight which started to turn into snow, wind speed reaching 120km/ hour, remaining Kepler Track was closed for safety reason. We could only descend back down the same way we came from, and camped elsewhere.

難道這一切都是徒勞嗎？我可不這麼認為。 我學到的教訓有：

1. 自然的力量遠比人類大太多太多了
2. 人不應該將計畫安排得滴水不漏並預期事情會按計劃發生
3. 當事情不按計劃發生時，計劃其他的，然後好好享受吧。這所有的一切都是在一個超越了你我的 宏大計劃之中

Was it all for nothing? I think not. I learnt that:

1. Nature is a much greater force than human
2. one should never plan too tightly and expect things to go according to plan
3. When plans don’t work out, just plan something else and enjoy. It’s all part of a plan bigger than you and me.

於是我們唱著Queen樂團的 “We Will Rock You” 和 “We Are the Champion”  上了又下了Kepler Track，後來又轉移地點去Wanaka爬山露營，好好的享受了我們的假期。

So we sang Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champion” up and down Kepler Track, ended up camping and trekking in Wanaka, and definitely enjoyed our holiday.

Top of cloud

Accepting the fate to descend 

on the descend 

amazing sunset at Milford Sounds campsite 

camping by Lake Wanaka has always been the most peaceful 

Simplicity

當我們去露營時，我們只能夠帶上最必須的東西。帳篷是那麼小，只能容納得下基本需求。

我想念這種只能被必須品包圍的感覺; 它讓我直視到底什麼才是必須的。

像是排毒一樣，得定期執行方能保持頭腦健康。

When we go camping, we only bring the most essential. The tent is so small it only fits the bare minimum. 

I miss that feeling of able to only be surrounded by what I need; It makes me question myself, what is it that I really need.

Like detox, this needs to be done on regular basis in order to maintain a healthy headspace. 

Camping at foot of Livingstone Mountains, North Fiordland

Lucky or Unlucky

最近的紐西蘭之旅中， 我們的帳篷被強風吹倒，大雨如天堂漏水般傾盆而下，我們的裝備溼透了。

一夜大雨捲縮於車子裡後，清晨我在完全的寂靜中醒來。車內狹小的空間充斥著柔和的晨光，是的，雨是停了 － 但是雪取代了雨。春末夏初之際，居然下雪了。

在大雪中我們跋涉了許久，可見度極低，數步之外只是一片白茫茫。我只能想像風景該是如何美好，如果風景可以讓我看見。

在這個時間點上，我只能感嘆太不幸運了。

During the recent trip to New Zealand, our tent was blown over by gale force wind, rain poured down in bucket loads, our gear was soaked.

After a night of heavy (and noisy) rain in the car, I woke up in complete silence. Little space we had in the car was drenched in soft morning light, and yes, the rain had stopped - but the snow had kicked in. Between Spring and Summer, it snowed.

In the snow we trekked for hours, visibility was so low that everything beyond the immediate surrounding was whited out. I could only imagine how spectacular the view must/ could/ should have been, behind all the white, if only I could see.

At that point in time it definitely felt unlucky.

那天在Mount Cook我們先是走了Tasman Valley Track步道。雖然下著雪我們仍然決定按照計畫接著行走更長的Hooker Valley Track步道。兩者都應該是簡單的步道，但是礙於天候都讓我們用了更長的時間。

沿著Hooker Valley Track步道，在看完了（一部分的）Tasman冰川後，雪開始慢慢停了。在幾乎走完整個步道時，我們路經接近步道入口的一個觀景點。數小時前經過這個觀景點時什麼都看不見，只有一片天地渾沌的不知所謂。

我們決定再給這個觀景點一次機會 － 而這是多麼好的一個決定啊。

On that day at Mount Cook we first trekked the Tasman Valley Track. Despite the snow we decided to stick to the original plan and continued on the longer Hooker Valley Track. They were meant to be easy short tracks, but turned out to take much longer given the weather condition.

Along Hooker Valley Track, on the way back from seeing (some of) the Tasman Glacier, the snow started to ease. Right at the end of the entire track, we passed by a look out point near the track entry, where we could not see anything except for white fog when starting the trek.

We decided to give the look out point another chance - and what a good decision we made.

的確，感動會因為匱乏而加深。

大自然知道如何才能最有效的展現它的壯麗。如果沒有早先可見度的匱乏，我就不會這麼的被這壯麗的風景所感動 － 這光線，這深度，這明晰。我彷彿從獨自的漫長的冥想中醒來，終於睜開了眼睛。

在這個時間點上，更因為之前的不幸運，我只能感嘆真是太幸運了。

畢竟，不到最後我們不會知道命運到底為我們安排了甚麼，我們就別太早下定論了。

It is true, that appreciation definitely deepens through deprivation.

Mother Nature knows how to present its magnificence in the most effective way. Without the deprivation of visibility prior, I would not have been as moved by the view - the light, the depth, the clarity. As though I had come out of a long meditation in isolation, and finally opened my eyes.

At that point in time it definitely felt lucky, in debt to the unluckiness, for sure.

After all, we will never know what is intended for us until the vey end, so lets not label things too early.