Submitted by Dervla Doherty on the 2020 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Animal and Food Sciences…
My past weekend in New Zealand introduced me to something that I never knew I had the determination and courage to commit to – camping. I know it may sound dramatic, but I have never been camping before and when my friends mentioned that I try it for the first time on the other side of the world, I was hesitant. However, I wanted to seize every opportunity presented to me while I was in the country so I decided I would go for it and I am thrilled that I did. The set up was a little more challenging than expected. However, once the tent was set up, we could just enjoy the view from every angle of mountains. The best part of the trip was laying out at night with my friends looking up into the Milky Way that is distinctly clear because Mount Cook is a national dark spot with the sounds of avalanches occurring in the distance. Looking up into the stars of endless skies made me ponder so many things and allowed every worry in the world to seem minute in comparison.
This amazing night was followed by waking up at 5:30 am to walk the famous Hooker Valley Trail with the sounds of Keas in the background. In addition, we embarked upon the Sealy Tarn Trail which consisted of 2,200 steps and ended with sore legs, but the feeling of accomplishment. This whole experience has allowed me to accomplish hikes that I never thought that I could do and provided me with a memorable weekend that I will cherish when I look back on this program. It helped me be less scared to try new things, strengthened the bonds I shared with the friends I camped with, and gave me memories of breathtaking views that I will never forget.