I remember writing this post almost 12 years ago when returning from Australia. Australia was such a phenomenal experience for my then self to soak in such a different culture in a beautiful place. That trip led to an extended stay in the country cut far too short due to shifting business priorities. I remember kicking myself some years later for not making the effort to go see New Zealand.
So here I am, 12 years later, traveling the South Island, having even more intense feelings than I did in Australia. This trip was fantastic. People will tell me at home how much I lit up talking about the experiences and the memories. Yes, I have looked at real estate. So much of what I love about California can be found here. Gas and electricity is shit expensive as they say here – but it’s an island in the South Pacific!
I was wandering around the area killing some time before heading to the airport and found the International Antarctic Center. It hit me how far south I was on the planet. I’m as far south as I’ve ever been and within a stone’s throw of continent number seven.
As I approached the ticketing counter at the airport, I struck up a conversation with the attendant manning the line. I gleaned he was about 35 years of age, 6 feet tall, and maybe 230 pounds. Scratch that. 107 kg. Remember your units, Dan. He casually asked me about my trip to New Zealand, and he could see the light coming from my face and voice.
He asked, “Did you go to Invercargill? That’s my home town!” I sighed and replied, “No, I chose to go to Milford Sound.” I could see him equally light up sharing how it was his hometown and its rich history and motorcycling with the museum and culture. At this point, I didn’t care how many people were ahead of me in line. I wanted to hear about the Bill Richardson Transport World Museum in Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand.
We must have raised some eyebrows at the airport as two grown men laughed and giggled like children. We traded stories and experiences, and the book ended with, “Mate, that’s awesome.” I don’t think I ever had a better experience with airport security, LOL.
As we take off, it’s hard to wrap my head around how quickly and hard I fell in love with New Zealand. I hope I get the chance for a second date, maybe exploring his North Island or returning to different treasures and seeing some old friends on the South Island. With everything going on in the United States, maybe New Zealand will ask me to go steady, LOL.
With one painful blink of my eyes (and a bit of NyQuil), I found myself wrapped in a cold, foggy morning in San Francisco, finishing the journey home. As for the memories – I have tons for my mind’s eye and the Frame TV. My favorite picture of the trip is this one:
Route:
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