Words & Image Liam Friary
The evening sun’s golden rays bathe the landscapes of Te Waipounamu in a warm glow as our flight descends. The rugged peaks of the Southern Alps cast sharp silhouettes against the twilight sky. Braided rivers carve intricate patterns through the tussock-coated valleys as pristine alpine lakes mirror the surrounding grandeur.
This is an iconic scene that has lured me back to the deep south time and again, to immerse myself in its untamed splendor via an ambitious three-day bikepacking journey tracing the region’s remote gravel roads and charming small towns.
If you had told me years ago that experiences like this could actually comprise my ’work’, I would have laughed in disbelief. Yet, here I am, hastily documenting thoughts and observations from 30,000 feet via the scratched screen of my notes app – a small digital window into the surreal nature of this nomadic lifestyle I’ve cautiously constructed. The path to here was anything but linear – an undulating trail of soaring highs and plunging lows requiring unwavering dedication to a pursuit imbued with genuine meaning and purpose.
Not unlike the demands of bikepacking itself, this is a constant mental tightrope walk, delicately balancing the scales between exhilarating achievement and energy-sapping hardship. Any severe tilt in either direction can rapidly result in an unsustainable position. It’s a pendulum that must be finely tuned, recognizing that maximum fulfillment can only be extracted by diligently investing one’s entire being into the journey, regardless of the cost. As with cycling, you simply get out what you put in.
With that adventure now tucked into the rearview mirror, I find myself fundamentally transformed by those few sublime days disconnecting from the monotony of ordinary existence and immersing my body and soul in the untamed world. Though wearied to the core, my mind has been thoroughly reset, its internal chaos whittled into a blissfully pure stream of consciousness. It’s a poignant reminder that our corporeal vessels were designed to be pushed to their limits, subsequently unleashing profound psychological and spiritual rewards.
If you’ve been gifted with an abundance of time on this earth, the wisest investment is to eagerly expend it on pursuits that awaken your innermost fire. And if that chronological luxury seems perpetually elusive, it’s imperative to make the time regardless, even if carved out in modest portions. A few days surrendered to the restorative powers of the wilderness can provide some of the most potent medicine – reminding us what it means to feel truly alive. It’s an elixir I’ll gratefully return to, time and again.
