Outdoor Shots

Sometimes the most amazing moments can happen when we just let universe lead the path...

In February of 2016 I had a overwhelming feeling to sell everything I owned and travel to New Zealand... I got a working holiday visa and hopped on a plane. When I arrived in New Zealand I was immediately taken back by the beauty of the country. Staying at a hostel I met some friends and they were going trekking around New Zealand. A 21 year old German Girl and at 19 year old German boy, with countless others along the way... Jana and Jonah and I went on many hikes together.

We got in our camper vans and made our way around the South island of New Zealand. A camper van is basically a normal van that has the seats removed and a bed installed. Some can have kitchens , and water storage of course with gas stove. We did many treks in the first few months and by the time we did the Abel Tasman it was April...

The Abel Tasman is a 60 kilometer walking trek along the top of the South Island in New Zealand. The I-center in Nelson can give you all the details on the options for the trek. They have a boat that can carry your pack the first day and you can canoe in. They have two huts along the trail to stay in. And since its only one long trek, you have to organise a ride back, either by boat, bus, or your own vehicles, all for a different cost of course.

We decided to go for the most sustainable, cost efficient way and drive one van to the end of the hike, park it there, then ride the second van back to the beginning and start. It is a 3 day hike, and has beautiful beaches just like this along the way. We carried all our supplies, went with tents on our backs, food and water for the way. Since I was in the army, I always went overboard with my supplies and carried a lot of unnecessary stuff that I never needed to use. However it made for a very funny trip every time because by the end if the hike my bag would be killin me and they would laugh about why I carried too much weight, yet again.

Given the hike is only 3 days and on day 3 you have a small window to get through a bay during low tide, we woke up every morning to watch the sun rise and stay on target to finish, holy moly, we were not disappointed.

This was day 2 at the Bark Bay Campsite. These treks are along the coast of a rainforest, with no car access for many kms, the only way is by boat or from each end. The campsite in bark bay was literally at the beach head. When we saw this sun rise, we all just walked to the water and stood there staring at it in silence. It was nearly effable , to see that, to be surrounded by the beauty. The majestic nature of the sun, the crisp rainforest air of New Zealand , the remote nature of our location, the effort it took to carry our gear, it was pure, wholesome, it was sustainability in its highest expression.

We stood in silence and I could not help but to take a panoramic shot of the moment. I actually took a dozen shots, and Jonah had his go pro camera set up taking a time lapse... We watched the video and saw everyone standing in awe while I was moving and making long turns left to right taking my panoramas. It definitely ruined the time lapse video but he was cool about it cause we were traveling like family.

There is a certain bond that is created when backpackers travel and meet in foreign countries, with different backgrounds and languages . All I can say is it's something I wish everyone had the courage to do themselves. It reminds me of a Mark Twain quote "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."

Granted this didn't feel like traveling , this view, this beach, the sun rise, when I wasn't taking photos I just stood there staring in awe, speechless. Thinking about everything in my life, leading up to this point, the sacrifices I made. The courage it took to sell everything I owned. I realised in that moment, the universe always blesses you when you get out of the way and let it lead your path. If you have a feeling to do something you dreamed, the feeling is real, it's the urge of the universe calling you to fulfil your destiny. If you feel your heart calling you to do something, I want you to look at this picture, remember this story, and just do it. You will find yourself on top of the world looking down, wondering what took you so long to take action...

There is unlimited beauty in nature , it can be found in every place in the world... But you must never forget. Sometimes you have to wake up before sunrise to see the dream...