Ten to Three Hundred Sixty-Five (Part 4)

Retracing my one year here in New Zealand would not be complete without talking about its natural terrains. My new habitat may fall short of the beautiful beaches that we have back home, but it has hills, parks, and walking tracks that are free and VERY accessible to all.

Hence, this fourth part of my blog series will be all about that concerning the wandering and the walking that has been my life here in New Zealand.

#5: WALKING SHOES


Ain't no mountain high enough?

Before leaving the Philippines, I was told by a missionary who lived in NZ that Wellington is really a hilly city. Despite of that, and probably because of the cold weather, people here love to walk nevertheless. So, I made sure to come with a good pair of walking shoes.

However, this pair only lasted for nine months. That is how I enjoyed walking here! (I once did a crazy 5-hour walk, which resulted in a swollen ankle. But the scenery and the sense of accomplishment were all worth it.) I could say that my love for walking and wandering was reignited here in NZ.

In fact, the addresses of my previous and current flats (the term they use for their housing here) have the word 'terrace' on it. And true to its name, these streets have forced me to walk uphill to uni and back for almost a year.

But what is there not to like about walking here in NZ? Fresh air, clean and green scenery, and friendly fellow walkers who will greet you as they meet you along the way. Besides, the walking tracks are very accessible and well-organized - they even have decent public toilets! Particularly in Wellington, walking has become incorporated in the city life that the city council designed a walking path which will allow you to explore the city by foot. This is called the City to Sea Walkway. It's a 12-km walk that takes around 6-7 hours but it can be done in stages. I have tried some stages but haven't finished the entire path yet.


Who wouldn't dare go crazy if only
to personally see and feel this?

Oftentimes, in my walks, I silently wish that the Philippines has the same. I think most of the problems we have within our homes and offices can be solved with people having the available option to go for walks and breathe some fresh air. It does really make a lot of difference.

If I were to have it my own way, I would go for walks every week or even during lunch breaks. But how can I do that when the nearest walking treks would be an hour (minus the traffic) away? And if there are pathways around, it would be amid smog and shopping centers, making you want to stay more in your office desk. Less expenses.

This is because to an extent, we are somehow defined by the place we are in. Here in New Zealand, I feel free and safe wherever and whatever time I walk. I don't have to think about kidnappers or pickpockets or communist rebels hiding in the bush. I find that people are more trusting of one another - even leaving their kids, as young as three, wandering around open parks or just go tramping (or what we call 'hiking') with them. Back home, kids are overly guarded and are even prevented to get out of their backyards or houses. Pushing it further, I would blame my being lethargic to growing up in this paranoid environment. Instead of being encouraged to discover and explore, you will first be warned. It should be the other way around.

And how can we reinforce the value of loving the environment if we don't get to be one with it? Again, I could say that my love for the nature and the animals was strengthened because I got to personally experience, interact and learn more about them here in NZ. In fact, today, I just stopped to pick up a very tiny hatchling (a duckling) I saw freezing on the streets on my way to the university, which I would otherwise ignore if I am walking in the streets of Quezon City.


Glittery boots: you know it's Asian! :p

I am not saying that there aren't bad people and that everything is so perfect and paradise-like in NZ(because they can really get drunk here and you wouldn't want to find yourself walking alone in town on a Friday or a Saturday night). But what I am saying is that it would do us a big help if we could prioritize our walkways, parks, natural gardens - especially within our cities.

Then, we could make use more of our well-loved tsinelas or what they call here as 'jandals.' From the words Japanese + sandals, this term was coined by one New Zealander who was impressed with the footwear of the Japanese swimming team that came to his country many decades ago.

And, if we have better walkways in the cities, that might just 'legitimize,' at least aesthetically, the wearing of boots - no matter how hot and humid it can get back home. :)