The Milky Way
“I think I can see the Milky Way.”
Jeremy opens the van door, it slides and clicks in place. He hops out and puts on his flip flops, then turns around to help me with my sandals. The wind whips through, but somehow I still feel warm.
“Woah.” We both tilt our heads back to peer up at the night sky and it’s the brightest I’ve ever seen, stars so splashed around, it’s like there are a million, glistening holes in the sky. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a night sky so alive.
It’s a beautiful ending to a chaotic few days... Hours spent driving in torrential downpour, crossing one-way bridges, squinting to see the road. We finally get to an over-crowded campsite, foreigners from every part of the world now our intimate neighbors, as the rain still hammers down with no end in sight. We warm up soup for dinner. There’s suddenly a break, clouds lift, the sun comes out like a song, and we walk into the village at the base of a glacier.
The next day, with the weather subsiding, we get out to a few, different spots to do some hiking and to soak up that delicious just-after-it-rains air. On the way back to our van, I make a stop at a cafe, hoping to use their WiFi to map out the rest of our day, as Jeremy continues to head back to our van to grab our phones.
After a few minutes, I see him making his way towards me, his face changed, his eyes concerned, and he emphatically waves to me. I grab my backpack and head out of the cafe towards him. Something’s definitely up.
“Our side window is completely smashed.”
We were lucky. Nothing was taken. We have no idea what exactly happened, but you know what? It could’ve been BAD. Thankfully, it was only a window, nothing more. We taped that baby right up and I honestly think duct tape may be the greatest invention… They even use it in space, right? Gotta roll with the punches. Gotta roll with the punches.
Now, we’re sleeping beside a glacial lake hugged by towering mountains, stars piercing through the darkness, and everything is okay. Our van is taped-up and a little bruised, our spirits taped-up and a little bruised, but hopefully it’ll all be fixed up when we hit Queenstown in a day. And…
…I could sleep under this night sky every night.
Cheers,
Tera
