Upside down once again
I had a tradition to keep up: leaving for a trip with a sachet of nerves and sadness, excitement and procrastinated packing. Hauling too heavy bags that make onlookers in airports ask: “How many bodies you have in there?!” The strange disorienting flights, sipping Quantas hot cocoa in my complimentary slippers while watching Kung Fu Panda. Then, HERE I AM. I arrive in Auckland airport and the immigration officer says: “Welcome back Cynthia. Cheers, Mate!” I know that I am in the right place after all and casually collect my complimentary tea while I wait for my bodybags.
Since my flight arrived at 4:45am, I had the treat of watching the sunrise, cornily symbolic, on my way in to Hamilton. A gorgeous transition—streaky dawn bits, fog crouching down through the hills, sheep tumbling down into it. I could even see the cows’ breath as we drove by and somehow that served me a bit of peace.
I was told it’s been raining here for the past 5 weeks. A cold, flooding rain. But, for my first day, I had sunshine. As I biked from potential apartment to potential apartment I marveled that this looks like no winter I’ve ever seen. Really. Flowering trees, green grass, and they say the snow in the mountains a couple hours South is FANTASTIC. Good thing I paid for that 70lb snowboard bag to come with me!
However, as I swapped cellphones today—cheap American Nokia for cheap Kiwi Nokia—I was reminded again what’s painfully missing from the Southern Hemisphere. I just hope that they all know how much I love them.
Tags: moving to Hamilton, New Zealand
bimpy_ak
Have fun Cindy!