Happiness Diaries Episode 11: Sam Brightman (Rotorua, NZ)

Happiness in my opinion isn’t a goal, a point in life, it is a way of living. I guess at first we have to see the world how it is and not how we would like it to be. Whenever something doesn’t feel right, know that almost all the time you have the possibility to change whatever is keeping you from being happy. Sometimes you have to be brave to take this step… but isn’t happiness worth that leap?

Sam is a nurse to be from Switzerland that was traveling New Zealand before heading to school in a few months. Athletic and energetic Sam the sportsmachine was always five miles ahead of me and the rest of the pack during any activity – hike, bike, or climb. While doing a sunset hike near Lake Taupo he would run ahead on the trail and come back, over and over again! Sam loves cooking, even in hostels/backpackers he made most of his own meals everyday and its easy to see he enjoys the preparation of food immensely. In the words of our friend Anne "he celebrates this part of life, all meals that he creates are a little work of art!". 

Sam and I met in Rotorua New Zealand and explored together for a while including Lake Taupo, Wellington, Napier, and Christchurch. Exploring the areas hiking, biking, walking, driving, riding, boating... we did a lot together in a short time! We split up for a bit so he could do a 3 night hike in Te Anau (which I didn't have the proper gear to do) and he had an epiphany while he was doing the hike. As much as Sam was enjoying his travel driving around New Zealand, he did something many people can’t: he pulled the plug. Realizing he wasn’t exactly sure why he was there, or what the purpose of this travel was, Simon went back home to prepare for a different adventure: Motorbiking around Europe on his Triumph Speed Triple.