Another wonderful trip to New Zealand is coming to a close. The feeling of bittersweet is becoming a familiar one to me as these journeys become a regular part of my life. As I sit here on the Air New Zealand flight, after a fitful but adequate nights’ sleep, we approach San Francisco. San Francisco’s not bad, but it’s not Paekakariki. No place really could be. There’s nothing like going to bed and waking up to the sound of waves beating against the shore. Nothing like watching the sunset over the South Island. Nothing like watching the kids play with gaggles of kids next door in Campbell Park after a Kapa Haka performance in Memorial Hall on a Friday night. It’s all so idyllic. And I suppose that’s why we’re buying a house that we have no immediate intention of living in. Because it’s beautiful and because we can. Even if it makes things tight for us over here, knowing we have an investment in a life over there is somehow comforting….
A quick report on the trip. The kids had a blast going to school, hanging out with old friends and the beloved Miss Flighty (the Year 4 teacher at the Paekakariki School), playing with Aidan, Naomi, and Ayla, sleeping late, and eating yummy fresh eggs, cheese, butter, and tasty NZ carrots (David ate a cheese omelet every morning we were there!) And as my friend, Jennifer says, it’s pretty good when you’re sad to leave the place where you are and also anticipating getting to the place you’re going because there are people in both places that you love and who love you. As we head home, we have two people waiting for us whom we missed terribly and love beyond belief. We’re coming, Jim and Abby. We’ll be home soon…..until the next trip.
A quick report on the trip. The kids had a blast going to school, hanging out with old friends and the beloved Miss Flighty (the Year 4 teacher at the Paekakariki School), playing with Aidan, Naomi, and Ayla, sleeping late, and eating yummy fresh eggs, cheese, butter, and tasty NZ carrots (David ate a cheese omelet every morning we were there!) And as my friend, Jennifer says, it’s pretty good when you’re sad to leave the place where you are and also anticipating getting to the place you’re going because there are people in both places that you love and who love you. As we head home, we have two people waiting for us whom we missed terribly and love beyond belief. We’re coming, Jim and Abby. We’ll be home soon…..until the next trip.
Pictures are of: Kapiti Island with big waves on a windy day; a late afternoon view from Paekakariki Hill; David and Aidan still in swim gear at the top of Paekakariki Hill; Becky and Ayla at our NZ Halloween make-up party; David and Becky near Memorial Hall after the Kapa Haka show
No comments:
Post a Comment