Day 1
I’ve been chosen.
Seemingly by someone looking for the slowest meaningful way around New Zealand and not just the fastest route.
He says we’re going to university together, but I have a feeling we’re going much further than that.
Day 18
Cars rush past us every morning, all chasing the next destination.
But we’re in no hurry.
He’s taught me that lectures start at the same time whether you arrive destroying the atmosphere, or with slightly tired legs.
Day 43
Today we found a bakery neither of us was looking for.
Those cars don’t usually stop for the smell of fresh bread.
Day 67
The wind in Wellington deserves its reputation.
He complained.
I squeaked in agreement.
We still got there.
Day 101
People think sustainability is about giving things up.
From where I’m sitting, it looks like we’re gaining things.
Longer conversations.
Unexpected viewpoints.
Birdsong instead of traffic.
A better appreciation of every hill once it’s behind us.
Day 154
He’s planning the holidays.
His mates have suggested renting a car.
But he’s looking at cycle routes, ferries and trains.
Apparently, journeys aren’t something to get through.
They’re something to experience.
I like that.
Day 213
Today he told me about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Humans have impressive names for simple ideas.
Climate Action.
Sustainable Cities.
Good Health.
Turns out we’ve been practising all three since the day we met.
I just call it another day out together.
Final Entry
One year has passed, in what has felt like a lifetime.
Something I imagine speeds past if we spent our hours driving.
I’ve carried muddy tyres into city streets, climbed hills I wasn’t designed to enjoy, and watched countless sunsets without needing a single drop of fuel.
People he speaks to are often boasting how many places they’ve visited.
But Conal and I always wonder how deeply they’ve really experienced them.
If a year abroad is meant to change someone, perhaps it doesn’t happen in lecture theatres or in the individual places someone has been.
I think it happens somewhere in the middle of two destinations, travelling slowly enough to notice everything in between.
References:
1. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Cycling in New Zealand: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/walking-cycling-and-public-transport/cycling/cycling-in-new-zealand/
2. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Benefits of investing in cycling: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/Walking-Cycling-and-Public-Transport/docs/benefits-of-investing-in-cycling/cyclelife-benefits-booklet.pdf
3. United Nations, The 17 Sustainable Development Goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
4. Cycling Action Network, Creating a cycle-friendly Aotearoa: https://can.org.nz/
5. Metlink, Bikes and scooters: https://www.metlink.org.nz/getting-started/apps-maps-and-guides/bikes-and-scooters
6. Interislander, Travelling with bicycles: https://www.interislander.co.nz/plan/bike-check-in
