Nydia Bay

走在山中，前不見先行者，後不見來者，讓我與山林直面相對，真切地觀照無邊無際的草原、蓊鬱的黑森林、高聳的山巖與失足墜落即粉身碎骨的斷崖，那是我奔向山林所渴望的；但是Nydia Bay之旅，除了Nydia Lodge海岸日出的美景，或者涉水時觸目所見的河川，對沿路的山色林相我竟未曾清晰瀏覽。

Nelson Tramping Club（NTC）主辦此次登山，為免原路折返，故兵分兩路，A 組人馬從Kaiuma Bay 出發，與B組人馬相聚於Nydia Lodge，再走到 Duncan Bay。B組則反之。開車的人交換鑰匙開對方的車。風聞從Kaiuma Bay到Nydia Lodge山路平坦，在背包較重時走這一段路輕省些，所以我選擇A組。

我未曾見過A組的領隊Ian和Katherine，此後也不曾在登山時與他們重逢。

可能沉重的背包影響我的速度，可能與Katherine一見如故，進入山林之後不知不覺我居然與殿後照顧夥伴的Katherine同行。

天氣晴朗，山中翠色照眼，涼冷濕意襲人，人們都已不見身影， Katherine與我一路不停地談說，從彼此的名字，來自何方？居住尼爾森年日？有時候感覺人在山中，不僅再度面對自己走過的人生，也翻閱著眼前人遙遠的過去呢。

威靈頓是Katherine和Ian的故鄉，他們搬來尼爾森已多年，Ian 從事會計師工作。我好奇地問她怎會認識Ian？在教會認識嗎？因她說他們也是基督徒。然後Katherine漾著甜蜜的笑容回憶他們在學生時代常一起參加登山活動或騎腳踏車的情景。Katherine起初想把Ian 介紹給她的女朋友，但是Ian喜歡的卻是她呢。我腦中設想他倆青春年華的模樣，以及紐西蘭人二十幾年前男女交友狀態。Ian 中等身材，精壯結實；Katherine身材豐腴，揹著大背包，健步如飛。

感覺有趣的是，渡河時，他們總是直接衝向河流或泥濘的濕地，不管鞋子髒兮兮，衣褲濕淋淋，自在豪邁；而我脫下登山鞋，換上涼鞋，撩起褲管小心翼翼地渡過，我知道怕髒與濕就不要登山，但整天穿著濕鞋子實在不怎麼舒服。

在Nydia Lodge，這對夫妻也讓我們驚嘆不已。Nydia Lodge廚房設施完備，客廳、餐廳寬闊，可以坐臥聯誼。我們在此與B組相聚。大部分人都只是把在家烹煮好的食物加熱，更省事的是把開水倒進乾燥料理包，只求輕省方便。Katherine卻做了兩大盤義大利麵，我們好奇又垂涎地圍著他們打量盤中食物，發現其中竟然有新鮮的雞肉、碗豆和紅蘿蔔等，當然番茄醬、鹽巴、黑胡椒自是不能缺席。當我們吞嚥著口水時，他們還舉杯喝起美酒來了。Katherine 說她正在蒸紅豆，等等還有美味的甜點呢。我們忍不住說：「你的背包多重啊？揹著沉重的背包登山，你們不累嗎？」他倆異口同聲說：「不，即使登山，住在Hut，晚餐也不可隨便啊！」多麼浪漫且驍勇的一對啊，我只有甘拜下風。

到達Nydia Lodge時，我和朋友四處逛逛，晃到海岸，她捕捉了不少美景，我卻沒帶手機，只能徒呼負負。我懷著憾恨的心情入夢，次日起床的第一個念頭就是奔向Nydia Bay。當時天色仍暗，遠山、森林、海中島與大海都抹上濃濃的墨色，如潑墨山水一般，簡潔的線條中蘊藏無限想像與耐人玩味的美感。卻也隨著光的變化，轉換色調，墨色、鐵灰、 淺灰，然後轉為淡粉、粉紅、橘紅、艷紅，千萬的姿彩與顏色在轉瞬間幻化著。我心想Nydia Bay千萬年來每個日出，都如此展演她神秘浪漫的美嗎？我在她永恆的美麗中捕捉了今朝日出之美，今朝的邂逅也將在我的心中成為永恆。

參加NTC年度攝影比賽， 我所捕捉的「日出Nydia Bay」專家評選入圍但未入選，理由是富有浪漫氛圍；參加WTC攝影比賽，被會員票選為佳作。使不諳也不那麼醉心攝影的我深感得意，更驚喜的是再度看見Katherine和Ian。我以小人之心推測，也許因為他們出席，我得到佳作吧（多了兩票，那張相片讓他們思想起我們的Nydia Bay之旅）。但「金風玉露一相逢後」，又未曾再看到這對佳偶。但他們讓我了解自己出遊登山，「醉翁之意不在酒」，似乎也不在山林，竟然在於邂逅可愛的人兒呢。 08.09/2020

英文版

Nadia Bay tramping trip was arranged by the Nelson Tramping Club on 8 th and 9th August 2020.We divided into two groups: A group walked from Kaiuma Bay to Nydia Lodge, and finished at Duncan Bay; B was the opposite. I chose the A group.

Ian and Katherine, who are a couple, were our leaders, but I hadn’t met them before. That was their first time to join our tramping club, and it might be the last time as well, because I haven’t seen them since. They were good guides: Ian always went ahead to make sure the track was correct and Katherine stayed behind to look after the members who found it hard to keep up.

It was a lovely sunny day and we walked through the bush which made wonderful shade for us and was also very beautiful. I liked Katherine at first sight, so I walked with her all the time. She was really lovely and friendly. She told me her life story and her family. She and Ian had grown up in Wellington. When they met each other, Katherine wanted to introduce him to her girlfriend. However, Ian loved her. Straight away I said to Katherine “You might have been shy to express your love, so you pretended to introduce your girlfriend to Ian”. She also told me her mother had passed away last year, and she had to go back to Wellington to sell the house where she and her siblings grew up. The house had lots of memories for her family. And she got along with her mother-in-law very well, so she visited her from time to time, but her mother-in-law has been sick recently.

Even though, we walked for many hours, I wasn’t tired and I didn’t notice the time pass by because I enjoyed listening. When we had to cross a stream or jump up a big rock, Katherine always held my hand and pulled me up. I thought I could do it by myself but I accepted her kindness. While we did a river crossing , I tried my best to keep my shoes dry and clean, but Ian, Katherine and the other members just walked through the river. They didn’t mind getting wet and dirty. I imitated them when we crossed a river the next time.

Nydia Lodge was luxurious with a huge kitchen and a big dining room. In spite of that fact, most of the members just reheated some food which they cooked at home or boiled water for their dry food. We were very surprised by Katherine and Ian. Katherine cooked spaghetti with carrot, beans and chicken and they drank white wine. Furthermore, they boiled red beans to make dessert. We sat around them and laughed at them with mouth- watering and jealousy. It was unusual to carry so many ingredient, wine and wine glasses when tramping. What could we say? They wanted to let us know that even though they went tramping, beautiful food was still very important. I have never forgotten that they enjoyed a luxurious dinner at the luxurious lodge.

After arriving Nydia Lodge, Mary and I walked to the beach and she took some beautiful photos. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my phone. I thought I should wake up earlier to view the sun rise and take some photos. Next morning, as I woke up, I ran to the beach and I was surprised by the amazing scenery. It was dark and there was fog covered the mountain and the ocean. It looked like a Chinese ink painting, not clear but imaginative. Later the cloud changed black to pink. The color changed every second because the sun rise little by little and it was gorgeous and romantic. I couldn’t stop taking photos trying to catch the natural beauty.

I chose some of the photos which I took in Nydia Bay to join the WTC and the NTC photo competition and I got a prize at the WTC and I was commended by the NTC. I was very happy to see Katherine and Ian again at a WTC meeting also .I thought I mightn’t see them again.