The Trip

Map of New Zealand, my playground for the summer.... This is my story of how I got to where I am, by that I mean from Oxford to Tauranga.... 

                         

                That was it. The car was packed, the alarm was set, every loose end had been tied, what more could there be? I had been. Commissioned to go to Tauranga, there was nothing left but to go. I said my goodbyes which were a little harder than I thought. I went to sleep to the rain. To my surprise I woke to a knock on my door at 3:30am. It was my two Swiss brothers, they woke up to see me off. Luckily they did because my alarm didn't go off! They are ledgends and a total god send! It was pouring rain! They handed me a bar of Swiss chocolate and said "we'll be seeing you". I miss them already and I felt sooo blessed when I saw them at my door. Driving up to Picton was a breeze I love driving up the east coast. 

I arrived early to check-in at the ferry and fell asleep with the window open and a man came by and said "good morning sleeping beauty, do you have any bio-security goods that aren't allowed?" I said no. I caught the ferry at 10am its a three hour long ride through the marborough sounds, they are so gorgeous!!! I met my good friend Ange and we hung out for the day then I spent the night at her house. The weather was so crappy, rain the whole time! I thought it was summer!

After enjoying a nice strong coffee I hit the road for Gisborne to see Skyler. I had to deliver his snowboard. Over mountains, through small towns, curvy roads and rain I made it safely to Skyler's aunts house. Just in time for tea (dinner). This house was incredible!!! It was massive it felt like being in the states. I haven't seen a good well built two story house in New Zealand until this one! It was also on an orange orchard. Needless to say it was amazing!!!! I woke the next morning well rested and skyped home for two hours. It was family Christmas and I got to see everyone! It was like being there!!! It's been almost a year since I was home. My uncle asked me if I had that homesick feeling or if I was over that... I said I was way past that because driving up here with only the things in my car that belonged to me, it felt real weird. Like I really am on my own and I don't have any blood relatives here but I felt so much like a nomad more than I ever have before!!! I'm not saying I don't like it but it just felt weird. So ya, I'm over the homesick stage and I don't know if I'll ever go back to that stage. It was great seeing everyone as well as getting picked on by my brother when he's 18,000+ miles away. Silly kid - I love him though!

So when we were done I packed my lonely backpack said goodbye to my last student then away I went to Tauranga. So Gisborne is not the ideal place for traveling although it is the first place in the world to get the sun but it's so isolated that there are only two main roads there. The one I took there was fine but the one I took out was going through a national park, beautiful but real curvy roads!!! I felt like I was a race car driver going around them! It was fun! So a few hours later and I arrived in Tauranga at the Rosie's. They really are family. They had my room ready and it just feels like home. It feels like life never really stopped with them like we can just pick up where we left off, they know me and love me for me. As well they are providing a place of rest that I need. It's such a quaint place they have with a river in the back yard and construction going on because they are building a house for nana & pop next store. So it totally feels and smells like home. I didn't realize how much I missed the smell of saw dust and wood. It smells so good!!!! Anyways I will keep you all up to date and the happenings of why God has me up here. I'm stoked!!! God bless and Merry Christmas!!!!