Sunsets. They happen everyday, and most of the time we just take them for granted. However, as a photographer, I know sunsets can bring moments of awe. This one though came with a price.

I arrived in Fox Glacier after lunch, travelling from Arthur’s Pass where I spent the night prior. Fox Glacier is a small town on the west coast of New Zealand, so named due to its close proximity to the glacier named Fox.

It rained throughout the drive. I was grateful for the rain as the campervan’s windscreen needed a good soak to loosen up all the remnants of dead critters on it.

I’ve been to this lake before and I have planned my shots for sunset. Lake Matheson is renowned for its reflection of the southern alps. The best time for reflections would be early morning or sunset. I wasn’t keen on waking up at 5am. So sunset it is.

NZ summer means daylight hours are long, and rainy days make it seem longer. The sun does not set until after 9pm. I waited for the rain to clear, constantly checking the weather. It was the type of rain that goes on for hours, little droplets of water enough to soak you if you stand under it for at least 5 minutes. I decided to go for a sunset mission anyway.

The lake was a 5 minute drive from my accommodation. The parking lot was empty so picked a spot close to the start of the track to the lake. I made sure everything was secure before heading off to the spot for photos. I half-ran the 3km track.

It stopped raining as I arrived at the photo spot. The golden hour has started. No signs of gold in the sky though as the grey clouds remained. The camera gear was now set. The waiting game has commenced. While waiting; the sandflies decided to keep me company, they were out in force. I was covered up, except my face. No amount of repellant can drive them away. I was constantly flailing my arms to stop them from their smorgasbord of my blood through exposed flesh.

A few moments later, the clouds started to seemingly fold away becoming like golden sheets hung on the sky. I felt my heartbeat quicken. For a brief moment, I stood awestruck and expressed gratitude. Then got in the motions of taking photos… as the light started to fade, I stopped. Put away all my gear. Sat there and grounded myself in the moment - while also waving my arms here and there to drive away the horrible sandflies.

One moment it was grey and miserable. Next moment it was golden and awe-inspiring. The southern alps also decided to peek at the sunset show. This was one of the many unbelievable moments of my trip.

The next day, I noticed something odd about the campervan. The wheel caps or hubcaps were missing! They must have been removed and stolen at the Lake Matheson parking lot. I did report it to the police though, and paid $450 later for replacements. Insurance got it covered though, and it’s a minor inconvenience to an otherwise remarkable time outdoors.

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A sunset worth.