Two Semi Solo One Day Southerns

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TWO SEMI SOLO ONE DAY SOUTHERNS It started prosaically-"whatcha doing no time to appreciate nature; never see N.Z. Day?" "thought I'd do a thing; dangerous; stupid"-and more a Southern" "that's a good idea; such comments. Certainly the experience what about transport?" And so it de- was not that of a normal tramping veloped into two Southern Crossings trip--running shoes and minute "packs" from opposite ends with a car key (if thats the word for a modified stuffswap half-way. bag) allowed much faster travel than Both were completed and the car keys usual; with no primuses and limited exchanged and all went according to time brews were out; and no company plan except for the fair weather sent except for a few minutes while we exinstead of the perfect weather ordered. changed car keys-the differences were considerable. Both of us enjoyed the experience The weather was mild and overcast immensely but one can hear the cynics with mist and cloud coming and going muttering about "rushing round the hills; with a light breeze-if it had been much worse the trip would not have gone forsteras and daisies, to name a fewahead. Within this scenario, then, what enriching the track across the tops-all were the rewards? undistracted by the pack, buttocks, legs First, perhaps the solitude-the feeling and boots of a tramper just in front. that the hills are yours alone in the There's the moisture from cloudsinfinite yet fleeting present. With no dampness on skin and the varying distractions from others the experience jewellery of beads of moisture as they of the bush is heightened immeasurably form and evaporate on the finest hair to almost complete submergence of self the body grows on arms and legs and into the momentary environment. There torso-the cooling drips that form and are no worries of keeping up or leaving fall from lank hair round one's eyes behind, no idle chatter, no demands and the mild wet shock of feet in for stops which break up your rhythm; puddles formed from the sky's precipian ability to concentrate on the present, tation. In contrast there's the warmth to experience the infinite and the minute, of the sun as it bursts through cloud to let the mind wander free. The soli- or the shadow of bush and beats on tude leaves you free to shout, to roar, well tanned hide warming the blood to whisper, and to talk-to behave en- with its assurance of nature's bestowal tirely as you feel-to run, to pause, to of life. And all the while, if minds are curse, to laugh. It gives the essence tuned to listen, there's the voice of of independence-a man alone, part of nature calling-the far-off splash of nature, necessarily self-reliant, self-sup- rough head-waters tumbling, of rustling porting and self-sufficient-a feeling of leaves and counter-point of deeper calls integration with all around. from moving trees and limbs, the whis- This integration comes from many fac- per of grasses in the wind; cicadas tors-the feel of the breeze whispering shrilling, kakas startling and grey warbround your body and the reminder of lers welcoming with song amongst the its power as an occasional gust ruffles call of other birds; the rattle of a rock your hair-the direct contact of plant dislodged and dead stick's breaking on skin from the caress of the toetoe, crack. the nuzzling of the soft flax seed cases, All this leads to the feeling of onethe more abrasive touch of the silver ness, an integration with nature, an beech contrasting with the softer broad- harmonious superimposition of the vileaved trees and shrubs, the startling brations of self on the vibrations of stab of gorse and occasional spaniard, nature-all impossible to achieve in their to the tearing embrace of the lawyer. purity with the mildest dissonance from All are direct contacts with other life the presence of others. from the kingdom of the plants, contact On top of all this there's the physical undiluted by clothing and leading to an pleasure of achieving an aim through the emotional and instinctive appreciation function of body and limbs, the sheer of the essence of other forms of being. joy, of movement, of muscular action, There is the air-pure air early in the of lungs breathing deep, of light-footed morning subtlely enriched throughout the leaps over logs, of straining sinews asday as the life process of an infinity of cending hills and rejuvenation at the plants adds to the atmosphere through top. the products of their transpiration-with There's the pleasure of mutual success an occasional oasis of scent from a of co-operation successfully achieved strongly aromatic shrub. There is the in a demanding challenge- perhaps feel of the ground through the lightspice by embarking on the soled running shoes, the knowledge of venture of soloing southerns slightly texture beneath one's feet Phenenise from gnarled like this (even though our meeting in old log to living root, the contrast of the middle semied the There's round smooth rock and sharp abrasive reward in the confidence solo). given and graywacke, the softness of thick forest placed, each in the other, and of mutual floor litter and occasional patches of encouragement where the success of the moss to the yielding ooze of the quag- other is just as important as that for mire and orgasmic spout of mud oneself. dribbling down a leg, And, also, there The list could took are the sights-the hills stretching far, and go on-the trips the cloud and shadow patterns dancing a while gave plenty of time for an round the landscape in unique, majestic honest appraisal of self." choreography for your eyes alone, the But enough for the mean-time. The recognition of different plant species, the impression is easy to gain of selfish, occasional welcome of specific plants self-seeking and sensuous indulgence but and features known from previous trips, it goes much further than that-though and the visual delight of the delicate these are essential ingredients. flowers and buds-gentians, eye-brights, Until we are balanced fulfilled human beings in ourselves we cannot serve content-why else should I have such others-and trips such as this, for folk a barely controllable impulse to burst such as us, are powerful components into tears on the final run down at the in gaining our personal balance through end of the trip-come to that, why obvious physical effort, a patently spiri- should I control such an impulse? tual influence, and a strangely emotional R 'n N