New Zealand’s inevitable exit seemed to land before my feet prematurely like most good experiences do. We spent our last few days with some good friends in Wanaka, which was a beautiful little town that reminded me a little of my home in Durango, Colorado. Wanaka was a very windy place but our last night there was exceptional. This night Siri and I decided to take a walk down the deserted country road in the dark with the wind in our faces, and we talked of the wind representing transitions. I tried to comfort Siri and relieve her of her fears of the fast approaching transition we were about to face and the unknown future that lie ahead. I tried to offer comfort and solace not only to her, but to myself as well. There is a certain amount of uncertainty and anxiety that comes with the excitement and thrill of the unknown, and I will be the first to say that, although I enjoy that thrill, I am by no means immune to that anxiety. But it is in the facing of these fears you are able to fully understand what it feels like to be alive and a better understanding of yourself will inescapably result. A short while after our talk we made it back to the house with a new found comfort in the seemingly surreal transition that lay ahead.
The next morning after saying our goodbyes and our thanks to our friends, we were dropped off on the highway to Christchurch with our Malaysia flight only a day away. After about twenty minutes and only three cars we were approached by a bus, and with nothing to lose we stuck our thumbs out. We watched in amazement as the bus began to slow down and come to a stop in front of us. The door opened and friendly looking man asked, “Where to?” “Christchurch,” we responded and with our bags secured underneath we walked up the steps only to find a completely empty bus. We sat down in the seat up front and settled in for the 5 hour drive. After many good talks, and a few detours to see the sights with our private tour guide we were dropped off right out front of another good friends house in Christchurch where we would spend our last night in New Zealand.
The next day we casually explored the earthquake damaged Christchurch only to end up frantically trying to make it to the airport before our plane left without us. We managed to arrive, once again, within minutes of missing the flight. After one last deep breath of New Zealand’s clean, crisp air, I ran into the airport, checked my bag, went through security, then customs, and with one more security check, finally managed to make it to my seat. As the plane taxied I stared past Siri out the window and began to reminisce. The whine of the engines grew louder and with a sudden jerk I was pushed into the back of my seat.Then came the sensation of the earth dropping away from underneath me, and the feeling of being forced up and out. There was a subtle sense of loss as I watched Christchurch disappear under the clouds.
We flew seemingly slow over the South Island and watched out the window as Mount Cook and the rest of the Southern Alps crested New Zealand’s all too familiar cloud layer and I couldn’t help but think of all the amazing people I’ve met and the stunningly beautiful places I’ve seen. Over the past few months we managed to build so many strong, meaningful relationships with so many good people. It is truly remarkable to me, the quality of friendship you can make with someone knowing that the time you will physically share with each other may only last a short while, while the relationship itself may last a lifetime. New Zealand was filled with personal and spiritual growth, self-realizations, and the confronting and facing of both known and unforeseen fears. She has forever changed my life and my perceptions of the world around me. She has shown me that there is always more to learn, and so much of yourself to share with the people in your life.
THANK YOU NEW ZEALAND
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