Rough Day

My last full day in Christchurch was a rough one. I’m feeling very exhausted. I didn’t sleep well last night (more to do with anxiety than jet lag), and the realization that I’m at least a twelve-hour flight from the closest person I know is settling in. However, I don’t think I’m handling the isolation in a healthy way. I’m cruising Instagram or watching Netflix when I can’t sleep. I need to unplug and pay more attention to what’s happening around me. The more time I spend with my face in my phone, the more I’m going to continue isolating myself from what’s happening around me. 

It’s not helping that New Zealand is also having a rough week. The day I flew in, many roads throughout the South Island had flooded due to excess rain. Roads were closed and tourists and locals alike were stranded (thankfully most of this rain missed Christchurch, so I didn’t experience any issues). Yesterday, a family on holiday driving up the coast was killed when they were struck by an oncoming truck. 

On top of all that, tragedy struck New Zealand today when the famed tourist attraction the White Island volcano suddenly erupted while workers and tourists were still on the island. This is my third trip to New Zealand, but I think it’s the first time I’ve begun to understand how little control we have over Mother Nature, especially here. Volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis—they are all connected to each other and a part of life here, but they’ve also made the landscape what it is today. 

Since I was feeling stressed, I decided to spend my last day exploring the Botanical Gardens. I wandered around the different sections and exhibits for a few hours before finding a small path tucked away on the far side of a pond. I found a stone bench shaded by a large tree rooted deep in the water. Never miss an opportunity to sit on a good bench. I watched the ducks and geese slowly float along in the water with the current. A bird chirped insistently, hopping up and down the path hastily, irritated that no one was listening to its call.

This spot was quiet and peaceful, yet there was still so much happening here. Had I just kept snapping away with my camera instead of taking the time to just explore, I would have never noticed. What else am I not seeing?