The Journey Home: My longest Sunday
The last few days in Auckland (pronounced very much like we say "Oakland") were quiet. The ferry boat ride had heavy rain, we could not see anything most of the way. Back at L & P's apartment, I did laundry and slowly extricated myself from my godson's room. Things I picked up: dirty laundry, travel books, tree books, dirty sheets, pocket watch, gifts for lovers (I'll let you wonder about that one), and wine all neatly packed away. P had flown to Sidney on a business trip.
I spent Saturday at the mall, I actually ventured out with the car on my own. The mall was different but mostly the same. I walked into a shop called Sierra Coffee hoping there would be blends called Tahoe or Twain Harte. I had no such luck. I wanted a jersey for New Zealand's Rugby team, The All Blacks. I was warned they would be expensive, but jeez, $149.00 NZ! I settled for a New Zealand cycling shirt, I will probably get more use out of it anyway. The rest of the mall, well, was a mall. Enough said.
Sunday arrived and I managed to get up early, 6 or so. I was still going to have to adjust my internal clock 5 hours after a very long day. And I am not kidding about that. My flight was scheduled to land 6 hours before I was to take off. Do I have to say International Dateline? I knew I was not going to sleep well on the flight so I was looking at a Sunday that was about 43 hours long.
The morning passed quietly, I gave my remaining NZ currency to L. I have a feeling my friends over-extended themselves for this visit. I would have lost a good chunk of it anyway to the exchange. Finally the time came to leave, L was quiet on the drive. It was sinking in that I was leaving, it could be years before she sees me again. At the airport my credit card finally worked, to pay the fee to the airport to go home.
By coincidence, P was coming from Sidney at the same time I was leaving. He came out of customs just as I needed to go in. I hugged my good-byes, wished them well, and headed for the security check-through. My last sight of L was of her crying being hugged by her boys.
The flight was what to be expected, crying babies and little sleep. An older Italian couple sat next to me, the husband spoke very little English and they did not even respond to my Spanish.
D, my senior student picked me up at the gate. It was a comfort to have someone there to pick me up. I was in a daze from the lack of sleep. I forced myself to stay awake through the afternoon. It was my only hope of making it to work the next day. I rode my bike up Mt. Hamilton Rd. and thought of old friends far away.
This week the foreign country still lingers, I caught myself looking the wrong way as I was pulling into traffic. I caught myself in time and laughed.
I spent Saturday at the mall, I actually ventured out with the car on my own. The mall was different but mostly the same. I walked into a shop called Sierra Coffee hoping there would be blends called Tahoe or Twain Harte. I had no such luck. I wanted a jersey for New Zealand's Rugby team, The All Blacks. I was warned they would be expensive, but jeez, $149.00 NZ! I settled for a New Zealand cycling shirt, I will probably get more use out of it anyway. The rest of the mall, well, was a mall. Enough said.
Sunday arrived and I managed to get up early, 6 or so. I was still going to have to adjust my internal clock 5 hours after a very long day. And I am not kidding about that. My flight was scheduled to land 6 hours before I was to take off. Do I have to say International Dateline? I knew I was not going to sleep well on the flight so I was looking at a Sunday that was about 43 hours long.
The morning passed quietly, I gave my remaining NZ currency to L. I have a feeling my friends over-extended themselves for this visit. I would have lost a good chunk of it anyway to the exchange. Finally the time came to leave, L was quiet on the drive. It was sinking in that I was leaving, it could be years before she sees me again. At the airport my credit card finally worked, to pay the fee to the airport to go home.
By coincidence, P was coming from Sidney at the same time I was leaving. He came out of customs just as I needed to go in. I hugged my good-byes, wished them well, and headed for the security check-through. My last sight of L was of her crying being hugged by her boys.
The flight was what to be expected, crying babies and little sleep. An older Italian couple sat next to me, the husband spoke very little English and they did not even respond to my Spanish.
D, my senior student picked me up at the gate. It was a comfort to have someone there to pick me up. I was in a daze from the lack of sleep. I forced myself to stay awake through the afternoon. It was my only hope of making it to work the next day. I rode my bike up Mt. Hamilton Rd. and thought of old friends far away.
This week the foreign country still lingers, I caught myself looking the wrong way as I was pulling into traffic. I caught myself in time and laughed.