A Relevant Moment.

We drive along this road all the time. But we usually stop here. This time, we’re going to keep going. For many more kilometres on end! The wind hits me hard as I wind the window down, my hair flies all over the place and I don’t even care. The rush of air into my lungs is absolutely exhilarating and I love it, we need to do this more.

We drive through the winding roads that lead us deeper into an adventure, and further away from what we know, it’s exciting. I think about the history that has been left behind and yet still present at this very moment right here on this road; the fierce Maori warriors who stood on this ground to fight for their land, the aggressor who unrightfully demanded compliance, the families torn apart by war, the revenge or “utu” that still remains unsettled. What’s in front of me though, is the most peaceful scene – the usual clichés of, rolling hills as far as the eye can see, the only other life forms are birds, and beautiful, beautiful untouched nature.

We arrive at the destination. Is the journey more important than the destination? We find out as we shuffle into the Waitomo Caves, the spaces get smaller and the tunnels get darker. Up the strung together wooden stairs, down another flight of carved out stone stairs and into the next room, each footstep affording its own echo. Turning around, a united gasp escaped. We all stopped. Imagine the clearest night sky, with the stars twinkling a million light years away. But this isn’t a million light years away. It’s the glowworms and their illuminating slime, three metres away, showing us their lights. And it is breathtakingly amazing. How did I end up here? I don’t know how long I stared for, but far too soon camera lights started to interrupt and I blended back into the masses.

The drive down doesn’t explain how I ended up here. Yes, it was a drive along a road to get to one of New Zealand’s most popular tourists attractions. It was also a journey where time is irrelevant, and a moment of you-have-to-see-it-to-believe it. I need to do this more.