Navigating Wonders and Emotions in New Zealand- Sagnik’s Thrillophilia Trip Review

Sagnik never believed that any particular picture or sight could evoke feelings inside him. He had been quite resistant to this ‘occurrence.’ Even on treks, where people would go crazy over the scenery of mountain ranges rolling into the distance, he never felt the urge to write paragraphs or make thousands of videos to post online.

His wife knew this and would always tease him that he was more of a robot than a human. Sagnik would not agree, but he understood her point. Perhaps that was why she often said that he just traveled to tick off his bucket list, not to experience the journey. It was not entirely true—he loved meeting people. But nature had never invoked any emotion inside him. Where his wife would burst into tears watching a plain sunset, he would hand her a box of tissues and think about outer space instead.

Maybe he had not witnessed ‘his kind’ of scenery until then.

New Zealand had never been on Sagnik’s list, to be honest. It was a birthday gift for his wife, planned entirely with the help of Thrillophilia. Though he was not very emotional, he loved her deeply, and his actions reflected that love.

This review highlights some selective places, showing why Sagnik’s perspective on his personality changed.

The bygone reality

All of Sagnik’s stoicism vanished when he first visited the Waitomo Glowworm Cave. It felt as if the sky had descended on Earth, or they had entered some other planet, as the cave lit up brilliantly while they glided inside on a boat. At first, it was pitch black, and then, as they moved further in, the walls of the cave began to glow in shades of blue and yellow, captivating him completely.

He gasped, and it was the first time his wife had seen him do so. Instead of him clicking pictures of her, she clicked away nonstop. No flash was allowed inside the caves, so she struggled to get even three shots. The endless clicks, Sagnik later realized, were mostly false clicks.

A new present

                             -A new gift awaited at Milford Sound.

Though Sagnik had visited many places in Europe and beyond, he had never encountered the beauty that New Zealand revealed. Milford Sound, the only fjord in New Zealand accessible by road, left a lasting impression. Despite its name, it was a fjord, not a sound something his wife had reminded him countless times.

His wake-up call came while relaxing by the banks of the fjord.

The sun was about to set. Sagnik sat on a foldable chair, sipping chamomile tea and watching birds return to their nests. Towering mountains stood before him, their reflections dancing on the whimsical waters that struggled to remain calm for more than a minute.

Out of romance, he played an old Hindi song on his phone:

“Zindagi, kaisi yeh paheli hai, kabhi yeh hasaye, kabhi yeh rulaye”

His wife ran to him, stunned at the sight of him soaking in the views while playing the song. He did not expect it, but as the sun slowly turned red, so did he. Tears swelled in his eyes, threatening to fall.

Memories of times spent with his father trekking to mountain tops flooded his mind. It had always been his father’s wish to visit this part of the world, but he had passed away before Sagnik could take him to New Zealand.

The sunset reminded him of his father.

A fresh start

This moment seemed to change something inside Sagnik. It shifted his perspective, allowing him to embrace emotions he had previously kept at bay.

The final leg of the trip was visiting Franz Josef Glacier. Anticipating snow, Sagnik was excited. When his wife noticed him humming while looking in the mirror and putting on his jacket, she realized something had changed. She took his arms, made him sit on the edge of the bed, and asked:

“Are you fine?”
“Never better,” he replied.
“No seriously…tell me.”
“I don’t know. I think I finally learned to let my emotions out. I learned to express myself, and more than that, I learned to embrace my feelings. I don’t know what happened that day at the sunset… I feel light now.”

Her eyes gleamed, and she beamed with happiness. She couldn’t wait to visit the glacier with him and walk through the ice ridges, enjoying the experience she had always dreamed of sharing.

The tour exceeded all expectations. Sagnik could not believe himself as he saw his inverted reflections on the ice and felt a tinge of joy bubble inside. New ideas and playful thoughts popped into his mind, including the subtle decision to throw a snowball at his wife. She remained silent, simply smiling, which meant more to him than anything else.

That smile held extreme importance to Sagnik, as it made him realize he had grown into a better, more mature man.

Read More: Thrillophilia New Zealand Reviews