Cyrus' New Zealand Adventure Ch. 01

Thanks and Regards,

Scott

Cyrus was ecstatic to receive Scott's reply. Although it wasn't certain if anything would happen, he knew there was at least a small chance. He now just had to wait in anticipation for his next reply. He immediately called Priya,

"Pri... Scott replied."

"Wow, already, what did he say?"

"He said we could definitely meet. Also, there is a project that begins first week of January, and there may be a small chance I can be a part of it."

"That's awesome! When will you know?"

"In a couple of days hopefully. I have to send him some of my work, so I'm emailing him my website."

"Great. Wow, this is exciting ya."

"I know. I can't believe it. Anyways, movie tomorrow?"

"Ya cool, will get tickets for something decent."

"Cool, bye." He hung up and emailed Scott the link to his website.

Dear Scott,

Firstly, thank you very much for replying immediately.

As you requested, I've emailed you the link to my website, you can take a look at my work.

I do hope to hear from you soon

Best regards,

Cyrus

Although his plans weren't certain, he continued his research. If he had to be in Queenstown early January, he had planned to reach the North Island early November to be able to travel for 2 months. So he first began planning that part of his trip. He had saved up a decent chunk of cash and decided to treat himself to a luxurious holiday. He first called his travel agent and booked a business-class ticket on Singapore Airlines, leaving the dates flexible. He then started from Auckland, and worked his way through the entire North Island, making a skeletal itinerary. He researched hotels and places for a couple of days, sending emails for reservations in advance, as it was peak season. As things started getting planned, he heard from Scott on Monday, September 22.

Dear Cyrus,

First and foremost, we went through your website and we all were rather impressed. You do some excellent work, and I think your style fits ours very well. I can confidently say we could find a place for you on our project, and we could definitely use an extra talented hand.

I have attached a brief on the project, with dates and agendas. Now in terms of where you fit, there would not be a specific task. You can be a helping hand in general, assisting in whatever maybe needed, and do some photography of your own.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to pay you for this project, as the sponsors may not approve. But all expenses will be paid for by us.

Do go through the brief and let us know your thoughts. We can then go ahead with the plans accordingly.

Best regards

Scott.

Cyrus nearly jumped off his chair when he read the email. He didn't know where to turn and what to do, so of course he called Priya.

"Pri! You won't believe it." He sounded like a mad child

"What? What?" She asked impatiently

"Scott replied. They loved my work and I can be sort of an apprentice on their project!"

"What? Cyrus, that is unbelievable. See, things are working out, I'm so happy."

"I have to read the brief and reply soon, but it's basically all set."

"So when do you leave?" She asked

"Soon actually, I'm booked on the 31st of October. I had made a tentative plan already, to travel the North first. So I'll stick to that and meet them in Queenstown early Jan."

"Wow, that's really soon." She said.

"I know, but that's good. Sooner the better."

"Definitely. Listen, let's get out of town for a couple of days? Just you and me, so we can chill."

"Sounds like a plan. Mahabaleshwar?" Cyrus asked

"Always on for that."

"Cool, I'll do the necessary."

"Ok. Talk to you in a bit."

It struck him how fast things were moving, and how soon he was actually leaving. It was going to be a long time away from home, but a much required break. It also occurred to him how much he was going to miss Priya and how much she meant to him. He always cared about her, but this feeling he was getting was different.

He spent the next several days handing over responsibility of all his work to his managers. He had also planned his and Priya's trip to Mahabaleshwar, what they called a hill-station in the mountains near Mumbai. It was about 5 hours away by car, at an altitude of nearly 4500 ft and covered with dense forest. The British Raj had made this a holiday town for them to escape the Mumbai heat, and now had become a weekend spot for locals. Cyrus' family had been going there since he was a little child, and usually stayed at The Club. It was here Cyrus first developed his love for the outdoors. For the last 30 years, they knew a local guide, Shankar, who would take them for walks deep into the forest every time they went, to places no one would ever go. They would spend the day going for walks, reading, relaxing and enjoying the beautiful weather. Post-monsoon was the best time to go when the foliage was lush green and thick, and the fog still rolled through every evening. The climate was cool and the environment very serene. Cyrus had booked a room from the 8th to the 12th of October, and made sure Priya got leave from her office.

The next couple of days went by quick, with Cyrus busy at the office and spending his free time getting things together for New Zealand. Luckily, he was a British citizen and didn't have to worry about any visas. His energy and enthusiasm was somewhat back and he went to the gym regularly, played tennis and golf, and spent time with friends and family as much as possible.

On the 8th morning, they left town at 5 am to beat the traffic, and reached the club by 9:30. It was still chilly with a light fog covering the ground. After a quick breakfast, they called up Shankar and went for a nice long walk to a part of the forest they had never been to before. Cyrus was a different person in the outdoors. He seemed more at home and completely connected to where he was.

They spent the day walking, eating, resting and reading. At night, once the temperatures dipped, they had a bonfire lit and sat around with a bottle of wine.

"Isn't this life?" Cyrus asked Priya

"Ya, we just need to make a pile of cash and retire."

"My goal is to retire at 35." They both laughed

"Seems like you've already retired. Quit work, going to New Zealand for 4 months. Sounds just like retirement to me."

Cyrus laughed as he got up to fill her glass of wine.

"I'm glad we came out here. You needed the break and we got a chance to spend some time alone." He sat back in his chair. "Did you get a chance to think about yourself, work and all that? He asked

"Well, I have been thinking. But I'm still not sure." She was vague, but Cyrus didn't push her. He knew she wanted to do something different, but needed more time.

"You seem back to your usual self though." She told him.

"Definitely. I've been so energetic and positive, so much happier since I made this decision. Now I'm just going to take it step by step."

"Good. Ya, don't rush. Think about what you want to do and only then get into it."

They sat around for a couple of hours, finished their wine, and went to bed. They spent the next couple of days really enjoying their time together, trekking and relaxing, eating good food and spending nights around the bonfire. Four days passed by quickly, and they were sad to be heading back home. Priya especially, knowing that in a couple of weeks Cyrus would be gone for a long time. She too had felt a deeper feeling, something different that she couldn't exactly figure out.

Once back in Bombay, Cyrus only had about a couple of weeks to go. He was busy getting things in order and making sure all his camera equipment was in proper working order. He even shopped for a new lens and tripod, and a few different lens filters he would need.

Finally October 31st rolled around, faster than he had expected. His flight wasn't until 2:00 a.m. on the 1st, so he had the whole day free. He had lunch with his parents and Priya came over in the evening to say bye.

"Can't believe I'm finally going."

"Me neither. Listen, you disconnect from here, enjoy every minute, and clear your mind ok? Write when you get a chance, and send me some photos."

"Definitely. You take care of yourself. Going to miss all your shit."

They both laughed, gave each other a hug, and he was off for the airport, ready for his interesting adventure to begin.

- Chapter 2 to follow shortly -