In January 2025, a six-year-old girl from Shenzhen, China, named Zi Handong accidentally left behind her diary during a family vacation to the picturesque Lake Tekapo in New Zealand. What began as a simple childhood mishap quickly transformed into a heartwarming global phenomenon.
Zi had written just a single page in her blue notebook — in both Chinese characters and pinyin — describing her day. On January 31, she recounted how her family went jet boating. In her own words, she had expected a small, shark-shaped ride, but instead found herself on a large, slow-moving boat filled with people. That evening, she unknowingly left the diary behind.
Soon after, another Chinese traveler discovered the notebook. On the next blank page, they wrote: “I hope you can come back and retrieve it.” Another visitor responded on February 3: “I don’t think she can.”
Rather than being forgotten, the diary sparked a chain of kindhearted interactions. People from around the world — and especially from China — began seeking out the notebook during their visits to the scenic lake. They treated it as an informal guestbook, leaving messages of goodwill, travel reflections, and personal notes. Some shared their love for New Zealand, others offered encouragement to the young author, and many simply spread positivity and humor. One witty comment read: “You can now tell your teacher you couldn’t do your homework because you lost it!”
One thoughtful tourist from Sichuan Province even left a pen alongside the notebook, encouraging others to “spread love and kindness.” To protect the growing collection of messages, someone later placed the notebook in a ziplock bag and carefully tucked it under a heavy rock beneath a wooden stool.
As photos and stories of the diary spread across Chinese social media, Zi’s mother, Li Meng, learned of its unexpected journey. She confirmed that the notebook was indeed part of Zi’s winter holiday homework — though it only contained that one initial entry. Li expressed deep gratitude to everyone who contributed messages and said the family would cherish the notebook if it were ever returned.
In May 2025, a Chinese woman living in Lake Tekapo decided to bring the diary back to China and personally delivered it to Zi’s family. “My daughter and the whole family were overjoyed — we almost framed it right away,” Li told The Press, a New Zealand media outlet.
The touching story didn’t end there. Inspired by the notebook’s journey, others have begun leaving their own notebooks hidden in and around Lake Tekapo. There are now eight such notebooks tucked under rocks, creating a unique, community-driven treasure hunt. Travelers enjoy discovering these hidden journals and adding their own messages to the mix.
Some observers have called for better protection or even official collection of the notebooks by local institutions, to preserve the spirit of global connection they represent. “This is such a beautiful story, like a fairy tale,” one online commenter remarked.
What started as a lost notebook has become a symbol of kindness, cross-cultural exchange, and the unexpected ways travel can connect us all.
