Melancholic in NZ ...... :)

Every now and then as we take stock of our existence, it tends to open Pandora's box of our lives. In those quiet moments of solitude, it can be easy to be overwhelmed with melancholia as we dwell on all the perceived inadequacies, missed opportunities and losses in our lives. In a twisted way, we sometimes relish that 'comforting  feeling' of reliving the past and dwelling in it in the hope things could be different. In doing so it becomes all too easy to forget who we were and all we have.

In truth nothing is inherently bad or good but it's rather how we perceive or tag thoughts and feelings to events that make it seem so. Therefore we create the shackles that bind us as well as possess the key to our freedom. The better we understand ourselves the easier it becomes to emancipate ourselves of melancholia. This emancipation off melancholia may come easy to some and difficult for others. For those who struggle, the cycle of constant rumination without apparent answers becomes debilitating.

Therefore as important as it is to take time to get in our heads and understand ourselves better, it is imperative to also get out to gain better perspective and more importantly, to not lose ourselves in the labyrinth of our minds. Getting out does indeed clear your head, honest truth.

So here's a tribute to getting out in NZ, come over and walk out that melancholia ;D

Better with friends !

 but do take time out to be with yourself

For true and lasting contentment comes from within - Dalai Lama

Still alive and kicking, just busy.... and lazy....

Well I've been guilty for being one of those blog neglectors, no excuses. There's quite a bit to update and I don't have the time to update it all in perfect chronology. So expect a slew of random posts of NZ, this lovely slice of heaven tucked away in a corner of the planet we live in :)

Lets start with the Waipara Valley and Mt Lyford. I decided to have a breather and took a short trip north of Christchurch. An hours drive up north of Chch lands you in the Waipara Valley known for its rolling hills, green pastures and vineyards. It has a tuscan countryside feel to it. However the numerous sheep you encounter reminds you of where you actually are.

For a splendid view of the valley (and the Pacific Ocean), take the time to walk up Mt Cass. It is a very well marked and moderately steep 2.5h return walk that is well worth the effort. Here is what you can expect to see along the way and at the top!

As the sun started setting, the temperature started plummeting and my fingers were getting frozen. Couldn't take anymore photos and it was time to bugger off to the mountains! On the suggestion of a good friend, I drove further north to the foot hills of the Southern Alps where the village of Mt Lyford was nestled. My accommodation for the two nights was to be one of the hidden gems. It was called the Mt Lyford Lodge. It oozes the charm of a thoroughbred ski lodge from its timber walls to the warm glow that exudes from its grand fireplace. At the heart of the lodge is the magnificent bar and restaurant that you could almost imagine full and bustling with ski bunnies sharing experiences and laughter over a few pints! While the lodge wasnt on Mt Lyford itself, it did afford a reasonably good view of it through its grand windows.

A little drive up hill takes you to the village of Mt Lyford and beyond it the ski fields. The nice thing about visiting a ski area in the off season is the peace and quiet that you get. There are a few walks around the village and you could walk up to the top of the mountain if you wished to. However I chose to do a leisure stroll instead to Lake Crystal. While the lake itself wasn't too impressive but the bellbirds that you encounter in the beech forest along the way is magical in itself. As you ascend, you are also rewarded to grand views of the Canterbury plains and the rugged peaks of the Southern Alps to your right. You could also make out the distant rolling hills of the Waipara valley towards the left. There are mini ridges along this walk that catches just the right amount of sun and when the breeze is gentle enough makes the perfect spot to just lie on the grass while soaking up the views, tranquility and distant calls of the bell birds :)

With almost half the day left I thought I'd try out horse riding for the first time. There is a nice lady called Kate who organizes this right beside the lodge. She is very friendly and cool. It was an eye opener learning how to ride a horse. This is also the first time I've ever tried riding any animal. Kate was an excellent teacher and I could instantly tell she knows her stuff! The rider-animal dynamics/interaction is very interesting and a good understanding certainly makes for a better ride. It requires starting with a thought and allowing your body to enact this thought thus communicating your intentions to your horse. Above all, you need to maintain your authority and always praise your horse when he/she listens!

As I 'rode off into the sunset', so did my little break come to an end :)

Where have all the shoes gone?

The nice thing about flatting is meeting people, people that become friends and sometimes friends that turn into treasures.

I had the privilege of such an experience on numerous occasions, as well as one most recently. The most recent being 2 fellow phd students (very soon to be Dr's). A Brit couple, both brilliant in their own right, affable in their idiosyncrasies, and truly British from their Gin's to their table manners. It was certainly interesting to observe and learn the British culture up close instead of through a glass box or rather liquid crystal displays these days. I have come up with an essential list of traits that are expected of a Britisher in no particular order:

1. Daily consumption of tea regardless of the time of day. It must, under no uncertain terms, contain milk (even green tea and chinese tea are not spared).

2. Cocktail of choice - Gin and tonic.

3. Proper etiquette at the table - forks must always face down, even when consuming peas (refer to pic).

4. Measured, calm and collected speech even under the most distressing or awkward situation.

5. Love for dairy in all its glorious forms and its compulsory daily consumption.

6. Acceptance that Curry is a British dish.

Thankfully these ideals were not forced upon me as I was deemed adequately civilized ;P~
Just kidding, I really did wish some of their traits did rub off on me. Especially liked the accent.

If the picture I have painted thus far is one of uptight, snooty, gin wielding, pale skinned poms; it can't be farther from the truth. Rupert and Kirsty were the most considerate, kind and caring flatmates I've had for a long time. I truly enjoyed their company as well as sampling their food from time to time.

Its funny but their leaving didn't really hit me until I noticed the missing shoes in our conservatory, where have they all gone? Off to new and exciting places, hopefully they will visit one day or perhaps be re-united someplace, somewhere, sometime in the future ;D

All the best to you both!

Here are some random photos (mostly of food!!)

Mexican night - Rupert's culinary skills knows no boundaries!

Roast chicken with zucchini bread and vege

This is how one should use a fork, even with peas.

Succulent roast lamb

Sides of English Roast Potatoes and Yorkshire Pudding - it has the most amazing texture

A hedgehog, my first time. Was very excited. Rupert found it in our backyard.

Avalanche Peak at Arthur's Pass

This is probably the first time I had set out to do what I imagined would have been the prime reason for coming to New Zealand in the first place, hiking! A mix of idleness and good weather had conspired to drag me out of my stupor and into the great outdoors. My colleague and good friend Andreas decided to join in too. We (rather I) chose to scale up Avalanche Peak which is located in the picturesque mountainous region of the Southern Alps.

The drive to Arthur's Pass itself was an enjoyable one, it was actually quite dramatic once you hit the alps coming from the Canterbury plains. We found ourselves winding through the valleys and skirting the sides of the steep mountains till we reached the village of Arthurs Pass which itself is 737m above sea level. There isn't much here apart from the train stop and sprinkling of accommodation choice. However they do have plenty of hiking options for all levels of fitness and likes. I obviously opted for the one with the best view which more often than not requires a healthy amount of walking (or in this case, scaling)

The trek is a loop that covers 6km with an elevation of 1100m. As you can imagine, the start of the trek was practically vertical and it kept going like that till the top. You'd have to be a mountain goat or a die hard mountaineer to relish such a hike. For everyone else, its quite a struggle to make it up this unrelenting incline. At some points it was quite unnerving as it basically traverses rocky ridges that are narrow with steep drops on either side. The views were well worth the effort though. We made it to the last 20 meters until we were confronted with the most terrifying bit of the hike. It entailed a 20m stretch of a knife edged rocky ridge 1800 above sea level with sheer drop offs on either side to reach summit of sorts which was wide enough for a dinner table. Andreas had enough by then and I kinda chickened out.... for now. I will be back someday to conquer it as the view on the other side was far more spectacular. I peeked around the corner and could make out the entire expanse of the western side of the divide and the southern reaches of the Alps, a full panoramic view! Someday....

It took us about 5.5 hours to complete the entire trek which offered grand views, unique landscape and vegetation. Not to forget the cheeky Kea's - parrot like bird that love to steal your food and ruin your belongings. I would certainly recommend this hike to everyone who has the stomach for it!

 Sort of at the peak, the kinfe edged ridge is behind the huge boulder

 The Kea

 Going down was pretty tricky and hard on the knees

 The Kea's will follow and observe your every move

 Mount Cook Lilies

 Mossy Forrest

 Exiting the tree line

Can you see the people at the top? Its not even the peak!

 A little universe in itself