An Ending

So I figured this blog needed one. And it is of course a happy one. Dermot and I are home safe and sound and stuffed after a great Christmas with the McDowell/Hayden family. We didn't think that we would make it home for Christmas. We arrived in Los Angeles on the third leg of our flight from Auckland to find all flights to Philadelphia canceled. We heard that there was a standby flight to Philly at 9 p.m. Christmas Eve, so no worries, right? After the most stressful 2 hours of my life fighting for two seats on a packed plane Dermot and I landed in Philly via Las Vegas (with our bags!) at half ten at night. At half eleven we were showered and in our pj's watching Conan O'Brien by an open fire. Thank you gods of travel.

16 countries in 4 months, that's a sense of accomplishment.

As per usual, I was getting really choked up leaving New Zealand. I kept saying to myself I didn't want to leave but that's just me being typical sappy Abby. Dermot and I did everything we wanted to do there, and we did it richly. It's a pity it's so far away. It's the kind of place you could return to year after year, to the beaches, the cities, the countryside, the people. But, probably won't. Return that is in body. I'll return there daily in my mind.

The last week or so was spent reaching the top of the south island then retracing our steps to Auckland via Wellington and Raglan. We met up with our friend Freddie again in Nelson for a few pints and a long walk through the Abel Tasman National Park (I believe it was 22 km). Nelson was a great little town and the Abel Tasman was a great challenge. People who have never hiked the Abel Tasman say that it's a walk on the beach. And true, it is, there were many golden beaches to cross, high tide abiding. But there were also many hills to climb in the that golden searing New Zealand sun. No complaints really, I'm just out of shape. I remember my first week in the country a tour guide said to me that New Zealand experience is all about birds, bush, and Maori culture. We experienced all that and more.

After saying our fond farewells to Freddie and to the south island, we boarded the Interislander ferry to Wellington. I would love to transplant Wellington onto Pennsylvania. I love it, I want to live there, I could live there if it wasn't so feckin far away, but that's what makes it Wellington. Raglan after Wellington was a nice, little break before the bustle of Auckland and the ensuing cold of Philadelphia. People go to Raglan for its breathtaking beaches and never leave. We left extremely sunburnt, or in my case lobsterfied. Yet, it was nice to have the time by the sea to reflect upon the trip and the road before us.

Back in Auckland we got to see Rhys Darby the comedian perform live. He's known better as Murray Hewitt the manager on Flight of the Conchords, i.e. my hero. Hahaha. It was nice coming full circle to Auckland. We stopped by the Auckland Base hostel for a few spirits, rounding our complete tour of the cheapest and best bars in the whole of the country.

That pretty much sums it up.

Dermot and I both agree that this trip has sufficiently scratched all our iches and planted our feet firmly on the ground and brought our heads down out of the clouds. We've said it all the time, we did everything we wanted to do. We look forward now to the road ahead as it bends towards other directions. It goes on and on, remember?

Thanks for reading!