Working Travel: Realizing a Dream in a Year

Chapter 14 Meeting Friendship at the Worst Time

life's first novel

In mid-February, the apple packaging factory in the northern part of the South Island started to recruit workers. Sophie decided to start a new job, and the deadline for my novel was just around the corner.So we broke up in Wanaka, Sophie continued to drive north, slowly passing the beautiful scenery of the West Coast, to the Nelson area to find seasonal work, and I returned to Alexandra's good friend's house, Stay for a short week to complete the novel's end.

Speaking of my good friends and my husband, I met at work a few years ago. After a farewell in Kunming, I never thought that I would meet again in a small town in New Zealand.It wasn't long before they came to New Zealand, and in them, I saw myself half a year ago.Worried about not being able to save money, worrying about not being able to have fun, worrying that working holidays will become only part-time jobs and no vacations.I said, when I first arrived in New Zealand, there were many places I wanted to play, including glaciers, bungee jumping, skydiving, hot air balloons, and paragliding.It's like just meeting a beautiful girl and you'd do anything for her.But one day you will find that even if you are working part-time, this place is different from that in China—is the high jump on the earth the same as the high jump on the moon?I said, you should enjoy these completely different jobs.

When I can't write stories, I tell them stories I've read, or talk about life ideals and other topics.In China, I dare not ask: "Hey, what ideal do you have?"

The same hesitation and silence left me disheartened.

Will people become more ideal if they leave a country that lacks ideals?The breeding of ideals is a long process, but I believe that those who are willing to exile themselves still have some yearning for freedom.So for every backpacker I meet in New Zealand, the ideal is a topic like vegetables and radishes.The ideal has never been high, it is the reality that makes us low in the dust.

Here no one laughs at idealism, no one disguises pessimism with blessings.And I finally fulfilled my first dream in New Zealand, writing a novel.

On February 2, I wrote the last word of "First Quarter Moon".At the moment when the pen was written, there was a long relief, I never thought that I could do this.From writing the first word 20 years ago to the end 3 years later, if you don't do it, you will never know that you can surpass yourself.There are not many 3 years in life, so there are not many people who are willing to spend 3 years to complete one thing.But many things take 3 years or more to complete.

milford brotherhood
I bid farewell to my good friends and couple, and went on a long-planned hike.For outdoor enthusiasts, New Zealand's Milford Track (Milford Track) can be called a temple-level hiking route.During the peak season, it is necessary to book half a year in advance.The humid sea breeze from the Tasman Sea blows from west to east, and New Zealand's west coast is always rainy.The 4 days and 3 nights in Milford did not impress me too much about the scenery, maybe because of Kepler's beautiful rainforest, maybe because of the bad weather, but those who helped me, they It is the most beautiful scenery.

On the third day, my old knee injury returned.Kalman and Telford brothers have been walking not far in front of me silently. With the help of a kind Australian aunt's knee pads, I was finally the last one to board the Mackinnon Pass (Mackinnon Pass). What greeted me was a lovely Fat Parrot Kea.

Kalman and Defu were waiting for me in the shelter in front of the pass. We had a simple lunch. They left me their trekking poles and agreed to see you at the foot of the mountain.In the second half of the day, I have to go down to 900 meters above sea level. Just thinking about it makes my scalp tingle.

At 4:[-] p.m., I finally arrived at the rest stop of Quentin's cabin with half a good leg. The brothers were sitting leisurely on the porch drinking coffee.

"Hey, you're finally here, come in and have a cup of coffee, it's free."

I lay on the bench for a while, when was the last time I was so embarrassed?Is it a mountain stream?Or a marathon?It seems that I have never received so much care from strangers this time.

After dinner, Telford ran over and asked me with a mysterious smile if I wanted ice cream.

"Ice cream? Can you eat ice cream in the mountains?" I didn't believe it at all.

"Then do you want it?"

"I have no idea……"

"You just have to say yes!"

"Okay, I will!"

"Boy, it's not okay to be shy! You have to accept your friend's kindness calmly!"

After a while, he conjured up a large plate of strawberry ice cream, which became the sweetest memory in bitter Milford.We finished our desserts and the living room of the cottage was deserted.Carman and I moved to the warm fireplace and talked at night around the fire.Kalman produced a metal jug, which he handed to me after a sip.From the side, he looks a lot like Tom Cruise.

"Drink and watch." He smiled mysteriously, just like Telford.

I took a sip, and my calm reaction was a bit unexpected.

"This alcohol is average." I said.

"It's brandy." He was a little disappointed.

After graduating, Kalman went to work in the UK. He told me: "Most young men in New Zealand have left the country because New Zealand is not well developed except for agriculture. The UK welcomes us."

"What did you study?"

"Graphic design. Outsourcing for a film company, signing a contract if there is work, it's a freelance job."

"Business is okay?"

"The past two years haven't worked, it's all caused by the financial crisis."

We each took a sip, and quickly finished the jug of wine. Our bodies felt very warm, and our knees didn't seem to hurt anymore.We walked out the door, and Dumpling Hut was surrounded by mountains, a small square of sky filled with stars, as beautiful as countless nights in this country.

We ran back to the bedroom and got out the gorilla tripod to take pictures.

"I think the starry sky is actually a big black cloth, with some small holes pierced on it, so that light can come through." I said.

"That's one of the weirdest metaphors I've ever heard," he smiled.

Our farewells were rather hasty, with no hugs and no contact information left.That's fine, gratitude is one of the few emotions that doesn't need to be connected, and I think of your ice cream and wine every time my knee hurts.Fat Mr Tom Kalman Cruise, how are you in England?

A Thousand Kilometers of Missing
On the day the hike ended, it was still raining, and I staggered back to the station, where Sophie had found a job at an apple packing factory in Motueka, thousands of miles away.I told her that she was safe, and I said, "I miss you very much, and I really want to see you as soon as possible."

Airfare is so expensive that I only have enough savings to buy a flight to Nelson.Although the bus is cheaper, it takes two days to get there.New Zealand's public transportation is not as developed as China's, probably because of the high popularity of private cars.

I said, "I'd better come to you by car, maybe a little faster." The map told me it was a 1089-kilometer journey.From one end of New Zealand's South Island to the other.

I felt Gu Yue's mood when he went to Berlin to meet his girlfriend by car.When hiking, I fill my backpack with food. Although it is heavy at first, the backpack gets lighter with each passing day.Taking a car to meet your lover is also a trek. There are long distances in your backpack, and your heart is full of longing.The belief that you are getting closer to your lover every second is so strong that happiness is not far away.

At 3pm, I started to hitchhike to Queenstown.I knocked on the window of the car door-to-door in the parking lot and asked, "Let's go?" I finally stopped two Finnish girls at the gas station, and I knew without asking that they would definitely run away after refueling, so what I asked was: " Is there any space?" The two looked distressed, which usually means "wanting to help but afraid of danger".I immediately smiled honestly, which proved that my family background is clean and upright.Sure enough, they let go of their guards and let me get in the car.Their destination is Queenstown, and I know that tonight's plan has been successfully achieved.Queenstown has an old friend of mine, Fward, a fellow inmate at Napier Prison.He taught me how to say "Feng Shui turns around" in French.Sure enough, he had good luck in Queenstown and found a job in a famous pastry shop, which lasted for two months.I decided to join him tonight.

Hana and Ivy from Finland put me on Beach Road.There is not much difference between Queenstown at 9pm and one of the busiest night streets in Shanghai, and even the signboards are in English.The air seems to still smell of cherries. My memories here are not bungee jumping or skydiving. What is unforgettable is the heartbeat brought by the first bag of cherries.

Furvard was busy in the shop, and he served me dessert.We barely had a chance to talk after that though, I went back to his flat in town and went to bed early, and when I went out the next day, he was still asleep.

Love and passion

In theory, I could hitchhike from Queenstown to Motueka in one day.This is not the case.First, I walked for a long time under the scorching sun, and came to the nearest gas station outside Queenstown. The magnificent Mount Excellence still made me never get tired of seeing it. Even though it was a sunny day, there was still a faint mist lingering in the mountains.The color of Lake Wakatipu is also very beautiful. People who don't like blue will probably like this blue.I didn't get a ride back to Wanaka until 3pm and then to Havea.This is another beautiful lake, but unfortunately I was not in the mood to appreciate it at the time, the sky was getting darker and earlier, and autumn was coming.I looked at my watch, there were 5 minutes until 7 o'clock, and I was going to go to the hotel.At this time, a colorful RV appeared at the end of the field of vision. After riding for a long time, you will have a sense of smell, knowing which cars may stop and which cars may pass by indifferently.At that time, I smelled the smell that was willing to give me a ride.There were two young Israelis in the car, a boy and a girl. All Israelis are required to serve in the military. That girl is really heroic.

"We're not going to Franz Josef (Franz Josef is the middle stop I wrote on the board), we're going to Makaroa, would you like to get on?"

"What's that place?"

"I don't know. It's a national park. We're going to climb mountains there."

"how far?"

"I don't know, probably tens of kilometers."

The driver simply didn't know what to ask. I was a little hesitant. What if there is no place to stay overnight?But when he thought of being one step closer to the one he loved, he decided to go on the road.

Half an hour later, I was sent to Makaroa. The only difference between here and Wilderness Ridge is that there is a coffee shop.I finally gave up and continued to go north, and walked a few kilometers along the road, the orange-red snow on the top of the mountain was swallowed by the night bit by bit.It was finally getting dark, but I was not alone or scared, I knew there was someone waiting for me in the distance.Soon, a large group of low-rise buildings appeared in front of my eyes, and the luminous signboard showed that this was a supporting hotel for a tourist attraction.

I walked in, and the lobby was surprisingly lively, with a football game on the TV.I asked the waiter behind the bar for a bunk, paid for it, and was so tired that I just wanted to lie down and rest.At this time, a couple who had parked outside the door also entered the store. My husband saw me and said, "I'm sorry, but I refused to pick you up just now because there is no space in our car."

I thought for a while before I understood.Maybe it was one of the countless cars that whizzed past me before.

I said, "Where are you going?"

He said, "Picton. Let's take a break here."

Picton is on the north side of the South Island, which makes me laugh out loud.

"I'm really in a hurry, my girlfriend is waiting for me in Motueca. I'm willing to pay for the gas. Let me get in the car, please!"

"I'll have to talk it over with my wife," he said.

What he brought me was good news, and the waiter kindly helped me out of the room.When I got in the car, I kept thinking why the turning point always appeared when I was about to give up?Is this just a coincidence?
In the car, the male owner told me that he once took a ride from Auckland to the South Island to visit his wife.

"When I was young, I loved riding a car the most. It was not easy to get a ride in this area. Once, I had to wait for 4 days to get a ride! Speaking of which, I often ride a car now."

"Why do you like hitchhiking so much?" I asked him.

"Oil is so expensive, you can use someone else's instead of your own! What does the increase in European oil prices have to do with us in New Zealand? These oil companies don't have a good thing, and they are crazy about money."

At 9 o'clock this evening, I arrived in Haast (Haast), an important town on the west coast, which is more than 600 kilometers away from Motueka.

The next day, I was standing on the side of the highway in Hurst early.Johnny said it was hard to hitchhike on the West Coast. I haven't tried it, so I certainly don't believe it.Because the previous rides were pretty smooth, I thought this time would be no exception.But I waited for three hours and no car stopped, which was so frustrating.I plan to have a full meal in the next town at noon.

I was so hungry and dizzy that I didn't even know there was a car parked in front of me.Wait, why does this car look so familiar?The car door opened, and a person jumped out. It turned out to be a handsome Korean guy Nam who worked together in the cherry orchard.

We hugged each other without hesitation, like old friends who had been separated for many years.Travel really has a kind of magic power, which makes it easier for those who are in it to love and be loved involuntarily.

Saved at last, I thought.The first thing Ke Nan and I said after hugging was: "I'm sorry, we won't go in that direction. I turned around when I saw you."

"Where are you from? Could it be..."

"Motueka. We're going to play around Wanaka and come back."

"..."

We didn't have time to catch up on the side of the road, and I told him I had been waiting for 3 hours.

"So long?" He was very surprised, and then he may have noticed my embarrassment, and asked me, "Did you bring anything to eat?"

"I didn't expect to wait so long. I'm a little hungry. If possible, can you give me some bread?"

"No problem, do you need water?"

"I still have some."

Nan gave me a good half of his toast, and his friend Kate, who met me for the first time, gave me an Oreo cookie and a smile.I don't have a sweet tooth, but I decided that every time I see an Oreo, I'll be reminded of her sweet smile, and it must feel great.

Nan and Kate left in a hurry, taking my anguish with them.People's moods are easy to change, and sometimes they feel uncomfortable no matter what, but happiness often flashes in the next moment, just like a rainbow after the rain.But happiness is common, but rainbows are rare, so living is a happy thing.

As soon as I was in a good mood, luck followed. Half an hour later, a man with sunglasses picked me up, and he was going to Fox (Fox).Mercedes-Benz is on the long west coastline, the weather is excellent, and the sea view is invincible.

When I arrived at Forks, Brother Sunglasses asked me if I wanted to go to Lake Matheson. This lake can perfectly reflect Mount Cook when the weather is good, so it is also called Mirror Lake.

I thought, no matter how hard I drive today, I won't be able to reach Sophie's place, so I simply went for a stroll.How boring is it to hitchhike purely for the sake of rushing?What is depressing is that when we entered this small lake in the forest, we found that Mount Cook in the east was always surrounded by clouds and fog, and we couldn't see any reflection.

Brother Sunglasses is a man with a rough appearance and a delicate heart.The trail at Lake Matheson is circular and can be returned to the parking lot by a different route.We walked halfway back, and he suddenly said, "I want to go back the same way."

"What?"

"Didn't we just see a small blue mushroom on the side of the road? I want to go back and take a picture."

"What, just for this?" I thought to myself but didn't say it.

As a result, we walked all the way and looked all the way, but we couldn't find that strange life body.

"Forget it, forget it." He was a little helpless.

"Don't be sad, maybe next time you'll see green, purple or pink mushrooms?"

hope in the next second

The two most famous glaciers in New Zealand, Fox and Franz Josef, are only more than 20 kilometers apart. Saying goodbye to Brother Sunglasses, I soon arrived at the famous town of Franz Josef.With half the bread Nan gave me left, I sat at a bus stop and began a meal of camaraderie.When people are in trouble, they will feel the value of friendship more and more.Thinking of Nan who is always silent, even withdrawn, and his calm face, I know he has a warm heart.

I stuffed my mouth full of Nan's friendship when a bus pulled in.The driver was an uncle. He saw me and asked, "Are you waiting for the bus? Where are you going?"

I raised the ride-hailing board beside me, and he gave a thumbs up: "It's still far away, I probably won't be there today."

After dinner, I went back to the intersection, and the pair of young Australians who hitchhiked here before had disappeared.Seems to have hitched a ride.

Franz Josef is a tourist attraction, and the town is quite lively with people coming and going.In a restaurant diagonally opposite, jazz music and drums sounded from time to time.Here I don't have to worry about accommodation, I decided to wait until 8, which was about the last minute before dark.

The greatest significance of the car ride seems to always prove the saying "hope is in the next second".Whenever I was about to give up, there was a savior in no time.An RV passed by, slammed on the brakes, the yellow lights flashed, and the horn blew twice.I took two steps in three steps, the car door opened, and there were the familiar faces of Hana and Ivy.Finnish girls, we meet again.

"No, why are you? Where are you going? Westport (Westport)?" Westport is the last big city before heading to Motueka, and it is also the last intermediate stop I wrote on the board.

"North, how about you?"

"Motueka."

I kissed them hard enough in my heart, and jumped into the car happily.

These two girls are really flying people. They set off from Wanaka early this morning and took turns driving.

"Do you think you can get there today? From the map, it will take a long time to drive."

"It's 12 o'clock, it's okay."

"I said, we are so destined, if you come to Shanghai for a trip in November, you must tell me." They mentioned this matter when they met me for the first time.

"Sure." They smiled heartily.

Ivy likes to take pictures very much. She always stops suddenly to capture the shape of a certain tree or the angle of a certain sunset. Fortunately, New Zealand is very tolerant of her temper. On the straight national roads, the second car is often not seen for several minutes car.If you were in China, you would cause a huge traffic jam, Miss Ivy!
We drove and stopped like this, until it was completely dark, and the two girls concentrated on driving.I knew I was going to see Sophie soon, and I was so excited.The night in front of him was almost endless, and time stood still.Looking at the unchanging sky, every time I look at the watch, I find that the time is spinning in place.

"We'll probably just find a place to spend the night in a while," Ivy said.

"Oops, where do I live then?" I yelled in my head.

"Don't worry, we will move you to sleep." She seemed to know what I was thinking, and she really was a fellow.For poor travelers like us, where to live the cheapest is always the biggest challenge.

Ivy and Hana switched hands again, and Hana had already slept and was in good spirits.It seemed that she was planning to go all out.The RV turned left and right on the dark mountain road. Every sharp turn made me nervous, for fear that an out-of-control truck would rush out of the opposite side.I was also afraid that Hana would fall asleep, so I kept looking for something to say.

In the end, even I was tired from the car, so I said: "I'll sleep for a while, call me if I need anything."

It was a really long day, I started to ride at 10 am, and 15 hours later, I arrived in Motueca.The quiet street was deserted, and the clock tower next to the gas station was just after one o'clock.

"Girls, thank you!" I wanted to give them both a big hug, but they had already got into their sleeping bags.

I texted Sophie and waited for her to show up on the side of the road, still feeling a little weird. Seven hours earlier, I had told her that I might be spending the night on the glacier.One car after another sporadically approached from a distance. I didn't know which direction the girl I was thinking about would appear from, so I had to keep looking around.

After another long 10 minutes, the familiar green car figure broke into my field of vision, and my lover finally came.I thought I would rush up and hug her fiercely, but strangely, I didn't.As calm as a piece of wood, I got into the car and hugged her gently in the passenger seat.

"Thank you." I said softly.

"Thank you too." She said slowly.

(End of this chapter)