Think, create and the magic will happen

by Lucas Baldissera (Brazil)

I didn't expect to find New Zealand

I live in Brazil and my dream of knowing New Zealand came true in late 2014. I was going to cross the country in a campervan. It looked perfect but the unexpected started. I was in Wanaka, in the south of the country and rented a Campervan 500 km away. It was New Year's Eve and I was camping at a music festival. I didn't think there would be any missing tickets to Christchurch on the first day of the year 2015. Then I realized that I hadn't planned this part of my trip. I had to believe that everything would work out on the other side of the world. New Zealanders are respectful people and I decided to use rides. I started two days earlier. As I was at a festival I created a poster and started to circulate among people. Some thought it was funny. A few others talked to me but I didn't get anything concrete. The new year has arrived. What was supposed to be magical turned into a pilgrimage. At the first rays of sunshine in 2015, I was on the side of a road, with my backpack, hitchhiking. The goal was to complete 500 km in a single day and reach my destination. Several cars passed me without success. I kept sure I could do it. Then a sympathetic farmer stopped his SUV and talked to me. He was with his little son. He told me he could take me to a bridge where two roads crossed. With more movement. I decided to accept. On the way, a bus bound for Christchurch crossed our path and we chased him. We called the company but to no avail. There were no seats for new passengers. We made a comeback. And the SUV's tire was flat. Another setback. I was on the other side of the world changing tires for an SUV. I had never done this before. I finally got to the bridge. The point where I could find other rides. It was theoretically a place with a greater flow of cars. But deserted on the first day of the year, without a single house around to comfort me in case of need. It was then that I bowed my head and simply made a wish to get to my destination. When I looked up, an old blue BMW got off the road, picked up a lot of dust, and stopped beside me. There were 03 Peruvians - South American neighbors. I asked where they were going and told me they were on their way to Christchurch, my final destination. The driver looked at me and said, "If your luggage fits in our car, you're welcome". At the time I thought "I will do anything to put everything in this car". It worked and we continued our journey. That was when one of them turned to me and said: I can't sleep, I can't drink, I can't eat. I'm hallucinated, I really enjoyed the night. I despaired and thought "I'm not going to die in New Zealand". Despite this, they were very generous and took several breaks during the journey. We were at the edge of Lake Pukaki - a turquoise expanse that could be confused with the sky. A magical place. That was when I realized that everything would be all right. Everyone was tired and I offered to drive. I had never driven a car in English. It took over 300 km to reach the hostel in Christchurch. Everyone was asleep. I had no idea how I was going to accomplish this. But I believed and succeeded. With the help of enlightened people who crossed my path. The memories of this journey are as vivid as if they had happened yesterday and I recount this story in every circle of friends. I met beautiful places along the way and that I would never have experienced had it not been for all these events. Lake Pukaki has become a magical place for me. Its turquoise color surrounded by mountains of snowy peaks has become a photograph, printed and in my memory, that has a very special meaning and that I never expected to feel. Thank you!