No Plan = Best Plan

Magic square, a three by three matrix where the vertical, horizontal, and diagonal rows add up to the same value, is the story of my day supposedly. Yes, it sounds awesome for an IT enthusiast who is currently unemployed and has no plans other than to make use of his brain for brainteasers and coding challenges. However, my friend has another plan to spend the afternoon.

It’s 1 PM here in Auckland. The sun is still up and doing its best to provide some warmth against the cold winter breeze. I change to my usual 3-layered sports attire: heattech underwear, dry-fit shirt, and a hoodie. My friend lends me his fiancée’s scooter to visit our favorite place – Queen's Wharf in a nearby ferry terminal. I mean, not exactly for the terminal, but we frequent this place for the sport facilities in its vicinity where we play badminton, table tennis, basketball, and even giant chess. Unfortunately, the plan would not push through due to a public event in the same venue. Fortunately, he comes up with another one and it turns out to be a more awesome one.

My friend instructs me to set our rides on eco mode. Hell yes! It’s going to be a long drive (relatively). Braving the cold wind, we cruise the busy streets of the city up to 6 kilometers. Every now and then, we would stop for a while to appreciate the view and capture the moment.

Here's a little back story and drama. I’ve been in New Zealand for 3 weeks now and I’ve not toured around anywhere for one reason: to experience and share these moments for the first time with my partner, Tet. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, today could be a red-letter day if she’s with me. It's been our dream and plan to travel to many places and enjoy outdoor activities (with our future dog, hopefully—a pit bull preferably). I could only smile and daydream while riding the scooter and taking photographs to show her later. I couldn’t be more excited having new plans once we're together. One thing's for sure: we both will have to buy an electric scooter. When the winter is almost over, she will be here most definitely and it’s just the perfect time to explore more of this breathtaking country.

At the end of the day, that 40-minute ride happens to be one of the best unplanned activities I’ve ever done. It has helped me uplift my soul, fill my heart, and clear my mind. I’m ready to face any challenge, it seems. Now, we meet again, magic square!