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.