Hide-and-Seek in Narnia

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

When my husband and I were new in our careers, we moved frequently as he worked his way up the corporate ladder. To date, I've lived in eight states. While moving can be tough, we loved exploring new cities with fresh eyes. We were amazed how many cool things each location offered that life-long residents took for granted or had never experienced. We vowed to keep up our sense of adventure and remain curious, no matter where we lived.

That sense of curiosity took me to the south island of New Zealand for a two-week family hiking trip. Who would have dreamed that I would spend two hours playing hide-and-seek amongst the breathtaking scenery where The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe was filmed?
Flock Hill, where filming was done for The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (shown below). The BEST place ever to play hide-and-seek!

Aslan's Rock

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” - Martin Buber

During my journey, I struck up conversations with people from all over the world and ran into one who lived just two hours away. I tried new foods (Vegemite sandwich and Pavlova Cake-pass, Ginger Beer and Lolly Cake-big thumbs up), and experienced amazing views like this one on my way to Mt. Cook.

"Room" with a view of Mt. Cook

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” – Pat Conroy

Gondola View of Queenstown on New Year's Day,2011.

"No journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within." ~Lillian Smith

Kiwi Bird Crossing

"Kiwis don't go around, they go through." This was tour guide Lauren's advice to me as I was contemplating my navigation of a stream. Apparently native New Zealanders (kiwis) are a bit tougher than Americans. It occurred to me how universally helpful her philosophy is in all life matters. Too often, I'm wasting time going around big issues rather than addressing them head on. I got my feet wet...and survived.

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller