A Little Memory

New Zealand - Central Otago Rail Trail: Wednesday, January 16, 2008

The Perthians have just left Sydney this afternoon... all of a sudden, the apartment is so quiet, empty and now 'cold' as it has been raining. Oh gosh, I already miss them. I do hope they had a nice time over here at Sydney.

And I've received information about my placement last weekend and I've been rather busy looking for accommodation since my placement is NOT going to be in Sydney. I can only count myself lucky as I am going to Merewhether, which is at the Hunter region, near Newcastle. The hospital is also located near a beach... so that means I can enjoy the last days of summer!

Besides busy playing host for the past 10 days and looking and settling placement stuff, I've also been busy planning my next trip! Haha.. yes, I'm off to my next destination - Brisbane. I'll be away from 20th - 30th January. Aren't you all just envious?! Haha.. I just hope that I return to Sydney in one whole piece and that my bank account remains in good condition. Funds are kind of running low from all that travel... oh gosh!

Central Otago Rail Trail Day 1 [22.11.07] - Middlemarch to Ranfurly

So, before I head out to a new destination again, I should blog the next part of my NZ trip... before more and more pile up! ARgh! Okays... After touring Dunedin, we headed out on our three day cycling trip - The Central Otago Rail Trail.

A little information of the Rail Trail... it is a 150 kilometres track (walking, cycling and horse riding) that runs between Middlemarch and Clyde. This track follows the old railway track that used to run between Dunedin and Central Otago, which was completed in 1907. And yes, with MUCH encouragement from my dearest travel partner, I decided to seriously risk my life and embark on this VERY LONG journey. Literally. Not only is it 150km mind you, but what made the journey really long were many other precipitating factors which I shall explain along the way...

So first, we had transport to Middlemarch Station - first stop of one end of the trail.

And of course, we got our bicycles for our journey... Not that we don't want to walk but it takes about 5-7days on foot, which we cannot afford the time. So the next alternative is on bike, since neither of us knows how to ride a horse.

$40 per day hire bikes sure make A LOT of difference. The bicycles were in tip-top condition, and I dare say almost in new condition. It was also equipped with bags at the hind wheel so we didn't have to carry our load on our backs which was really good.

And so, with our bikes and helmet on, food and water in the bag, and jackets put on... we set off to our destination for our day - Ranfurly Station. Day 1 - 59km. Doesn't sound too far huh?!

And so, here we go!

I can only say that the view was spectacular. I mean, can you imagine just you and your bike, along plains, fields, farms... surrounded by hills and mountains... and to top it off with a vast blue sky. I can't describe how it felt; you really have to experience it yourself. It felt like the world was just you and you only and you are on this really long journey.... It felt amazing... it felt great... at first...

And so I rode...

I can remember this day so vividly. We got off to quite a bad start. The weather wasn't doing too well and we were riding AGAINST the wind, on a slight incline (yes, we were cycling upslope) and best of all, not properly equipped. At least for me...

I was in jeans - WRONG move! I can only describe the difficulty in trying to bring your leg up and across the bike in hipster jeans. Oh gosh... and without gloves, my palms were wet and numb from all that gripping. And worst of all was the wind.... it was BAD enough we were cycling on 'rough' terrain.. I'm not sure what it was.. it kind of looked like sand at times, gravel at some parts, soil at some areas etc... so the trail basically needed quite a bit of fitness and more muscle power. And when you factor in the fact that I last rode a bike 5 months ago, before I came to Sydney, on a SMOOTH cemented flat track in ECP...go figure.

Oh gosh... the wind just kept blowing... blowing and BLOWING. I can recall using all my strength to paddle the bike and it was bloody not moving at all. And you can't imagine how many times I was literally blown off the track. Yes. Blown off. Argh!

Can you imagine... what a beginning!

But along the way, I saw cows... which made me a little happier.... and not so miserable. But it was tough. A really tough journey for me.... first physically... and then mentally. It really didn't help cycling with a badly injured dominant foot.

Just 3 days before my flight to NZ, I had to stupidly trip over a beanbag and god-knows-what-happened-to-my-foot, it suffered quite a bit of trauma. It swelled.. it bruised (both dorsal and plantar) and even the toes bruised. It was THAT bad. And so, when I embarked on this journey, of course it hasn't healed (especially since it hasn't rested since I landed in NZ and all that walking!) and I thought cycling would be good.

Well, it was and it wasn't. Cycling allowed me to not weightbear on the injured parts, which were predominantly on the lateral sides and at the metatarsals. Bad was that sudden movements/ maneuvers required sudden weightbear so that the bike doesn't topple and I remain intact one piece. So it hurt quite badly at times...

So... you can't imagine how terrible condition I was on this journey. All I can say I had overestimated myself. BIG TIME....

That aside, the view, atmosphere and surroundings were just spectacular.. only that I wasn't in the best mood to savour and enjoy it. But I can recall that on this whole 3 days journey, the trail really felt like I was in LOTR... in Middle Earth. Everywhere suddenly looked like LOTR. And you just expect any moment, a herd of horses charging from the hills, Legolas drawing his bow and Aragon fighting off some creature. Hahaha...

And I only wished I was on a horse instead of a bike. Oh gosh... me and my imagination. Haha... But see for yourselves... no kidding!

*I like this photograph!*

And I continued to ride on...
and among the lambs and sheeps at times...

We had our lunch break at Hyde and then continued on the rest of our journey for the day. By this time, I was seriously exhausted - physically and mentally. But I had to just swallow down everything and gather up all my remaining strength. This is a do or die journey. I can't just give up halfway because there is absolutely not other transport. So I need to, I must reach Ranfurly before sun down. By this time, I was really envious of Real. I don't know how she can keep up the energy and strength. Her physical and mental strength was really formidable...

All of the photographs for this post was taken by her. I almost didn't take any photos on this day because I really wasn't in the best mood and I was really very tired... Thankfully, I had Real....

There were many times on the trail that I wanted to give up. It was really a mixed emotion thing for me. I know I must go on yet I don't want to. I tell myself I can do it, and the very next moment, I tell myself that is it, I can't go on. Sigh.

I guess because I was really not physically and mentally prepared... and the foot injury really didn't help at all. Many a times I was falling very behind Real and she had to keep waiting for me. And this really made me feel VERY bad. I kept thinking that if she was on her own, she would have not to worry and gone on far... I was like the heavy baggage dragging her behind. I really felt so lousy...

By evening time, I was like really at my end... you know.. like blaming myself for being so useless... why can't I just have that bit more physical strength... that bit more mental strength... that bit more perseverance... that bit more determination. As we approached nearer to sun down... and still being so far from our final destination, I just simply felt more and more despaired, miserable and really hating myself for being so useless...

And yes... it was slightly past 8pm and we were still on the trail. This was bad because we should have reached hours ago. I felt really bad because it was me that dragged Real back and that I should have known better. I just didn't know my own limits.

I thought I was going to just... I don't know... but then.... to our surprise, the owner of our accommodation came looking for us!

Apparently they were expecting us many hours ago... they've called up the bus service and they confirmed that we did set off on the trail from Middlemarch at late morning. So technically we should have arrived many hours ago, but we didn't. And a couple reported to them that they did saw two girls on the rail trail. So they came looking for us...

He was really supportive.. he said we only had about 2km more to go and we're almost there. I really thank him for his support and positiveness.. and Real's too. But all I say is that I was seriously tired. As much as I would like to hurry... I didn't have that physical nor mental capacity.

And in the end, an elderly couple who were over at the accommodation came to our rescue. So the last 2km of our trail for Day 1 was on the truck.

I am just so grateful to these kind people. Not only have they taken the initiative to find out about the whereabouts of their guests, they really go to much lengths to make sure we are safe. I just can't imagine if we weren't 'rescued'... I think we would we be on the trail beyond sundown! And then we will be cycling in pitch dark.. there are NO lights.

And so, we stayed in a little 'cabin'.. which was a 4-bed dorm... but we were the only occupants for the night.. so we had a little 'cabin' to ourselves.

I can't be more grateful to the staff and people at Ranfurly Holiday Park. Thank you all so much for the 'rescue' and also taking care of us... ensuring we are safe and checking on us. The accommodation was also quite nice and cosy... with big clean towels for us to use too! Hee...

And of course... Real.. the ever so important person who never fails to cheer me on and telling me 要到了。。。 although I do know that we were still far from the destinations... I cannot imagine doing this on my own...

So, the day ended... and as I lay exhausted on the bed, I said to myself 'I can and must do better'. And I thanked Real for insisting to go on this journey because despite it being a 'miserable' experience (for day 1 at least! *bleah*), today I learned more about myself, something really important which will stay with me from this day forward...

I no longer just think I can be more than what I am.
Today, I learned that
I know I am more than what I think I am.
:)