Where am I now?

in the City of Churches (inthecityofchurches.blogspot.com)

Check it!

ps. NZ photos coming soon! Watch this space!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Haere rā Tana, a e noho rā Aotearoa

Kia Ora campers! This will be the last time that I post to my blog from New Zealand. So I guess I'd better make the best of it...
I am in Auckland now. After a very long bus ride (about 12 hours) from Wellington - not to mention the crazy woman singing at the top of her voice and clapping the entire way, that's of course when she wasn't interrogating the bus driver about how many slutty girlfriends he had, telling him to hurry up and get to her stop, or trying to force-feed him chips - I arrived at about 2130hr Friday night and was absolutely exhausted! I am up here now, staying with "the flatmates", Jade, Paul, Renée, etc., again, until I fly out.
Back in Welly, Sash had a surge of money spending...ness a few days after I arrived when we bought a playstation and some games to keep ourselves entertained in the nighttimes (and Sash's lunch breaks).. I absolutely slaughtered Sash in all of them (especially Need for Speed - of course he will try blame it on the NOS and all those walls getting in the way)!
I met up with Amanda and Karin (and Amanda's bro over from the States) a few times for drinks before Karin left for home on Sunday. I also was able to meet up again with Pablo and Rob, Lou and Sarah, along with Amanda and Sash for some good times on my 'fuck-off drinks' night (thanks for that term Mel), Wednesday just gone. More pizza and pool at the hellish Hell's Pizza. More partying it up at Kitty's. More playstation. More hanging out with Sash, my Sri Lankan bro - who, I might add, did a damn fine job of cooking dinner for someone who doesn't really cook. More iStation photos. More organising stuff ready for my departure, including selling Tana - which I was having a hard time of until my last day in Welly when a guy offered me $900 for her... Yes!! Yes!! I'll take it!!! Gimme, gimme!!

So that's it.. My trip is fast coming to an end (I don't even know where the last 2 weeks in Wellington - my second home - went!).. The dream is over. Back to reality very soon. I tell you now, this truly has been an experience of a life-time for me.. well, so far. I have had some of the best times of my life up to this point over here, and I am so glad that I am fortunate enough in this world to be able to have done it, seen it, lived it, and met all the wicked people that I have. Not to mention my newfound respect for, and understanding of our South Pacific cousins.

I know it's cheating but I'm going to quote something I wrote in an email to my mom and sis a few weeks back:

I have mixed feelings about coming home.. I'm really excited to start the next chapter, see everyone again and all that jazz.. But at the same time I think I'm going to really miss this country. Everything about it has been just so amazing.. And even though I have been moving around for most of it, I can't help feeling that I am sort of leaving my home in a way. I guess once you've been in a place for so long, you get a little attached to say the least. So many great places and people that I wonder how long it will be before I see them all again, if at all??
I suppose that's in the nature of travelling though. Moving on is the name of the game. It's a big thing but I know once I'm back home I'll be able to focus on everything that I've done and experienced over here and look back in awe and amazement at these past 9 months of my life...

Will life ever be the same? I sincerely hope not...

Keep in touch guys and maybe, just maybe I'll see you again in the near future! Oh and if you're ever in Adelaide, look me up!

Until next time................

Mauri tu, mauri ora, mauri noho, mauri mate... Kia Ora!

Photos:
1. On the bus from WGTN to AKLD
2. Poor guy felt the need to jump from the Sky Tower - SkyJump, Auckland
3. Sash, Sarah, Lou, me, Rob, Amanda and beer at Kitty's on my last night out in Welly
4. Sash and I got lost and had to ask this guy for directions - John Plimmer and his dog, Plimmer steps, Welly
5. $900!!! Smells good!
6. A Michael Jackson moment.. Sha'mone! - Pablo's pad
7. My shoes by the end... I had to put them down

2 comments:

Julie's back home.... but had a fantastic time... said...

... gave me a tear Paul :(

Someone asked me the other day if you'd learnt anything over there.. and I said I don't know about that, but I think it has been one of the most important things you've done in your life. Whatever your life holds from hereon out my love, you will look back on your time there and the friendships you've made as one of those seasons in your life that have changed it forever..

can't wait to have you home again though.. xx

Nana Gabe said...

hope mum got a surprise when you arrived home early. We will miss your blogs. It has really been an incredible journey, we have been very fortunate to have been able to follow some of it with you. I feel sad and yet so pleased for you that you have experienced life. Many people never get to do half of what you have done and also appreciate it. I don't think it will be long before you will be off on your next adventure.it will be great to catch up with you again.