Let's see what my memory has stored...
My last day in New Zealand made me not want to leave. Rich took us for fish and chips on the beach. It was beautiful and delicious. I truly miss the chips in NZ. Canada just can't quite figure out how to make fries. Which seems weird because all you have to do is throw them in a deep frier, but what do I know? Oh well, one more reason to return to NZ in the future.
Rich actually had a whole date night planned for us. First was 'tea' on the beach (tea is supper in NZ speak), then was cliff climbing on the beach. It was so beautiful. I am a bit scared of heights but it was still awesome. And I didn't feel so bad because I found out that Schnegg is possibly more scared of heights than me! Mwahahaaa. So we watched the sun set from atop the cliffs and had a last dip in the ocean. It was the perfect way for Rich to make us feel really bad about leaving!
And then on Thursday March 7 (the longest day in the history of my life), the taxi man came and got us and dropped us at the airport with our mountains of luggage. And Schnegg, Marit and Elisa caught their plane around lunch time. I caught mine at 11 PM. So I had a very eventful day at the airport.
First I worked on getting my bags checked. I was flying with Air New Zealand. They are sticklers for baggage weights. So good thing I was there 12 hours early. The girl made me move stuff around from bag to bag in order to make sure that they weighed 23 kgs. I had two bags to check, plus a guitar and a carry on suit case and purse. The carry on could only weigh 7 kgs. That was hard considering the suit case itself weight 5 kgs. So I essentially took everything out of it and put the stuff into my purse. I don't understand why they make people do that, but whatever. So I had an empty suit case and a purse filled with everything, including a ukulele. Fun times. But eventually it was all good and I got to go sit in the food court for about 9 hours before my plane left. Good times.
Eventually I got on the plane and I watched the Life of Pi, then I decided that it would be fun to watch all of the Lord of the Rings. I think I got 15 minutes into the first one and then I fell asleep. I got a window seat, which was awesome, and the plane was kind of fancy, and you could put up a foot rest thing, so I just curled up with that and it actually wasn't too uncomfortable. And I had my awesome eye mask so that I could sleep in darkness.
I mostly slept good, except there was a lot of turbulence, so every now and then I woke up and prayed that the plane wouldn't crash and that I wouldn't die. And I it didn't and I didn't, so that's good.
After an 11 or 12 hour flight, I made it to LAX, where I got to hang out for 5 or so more hours before the plane to Calgary left. I don't remember what I did. I think I went to the bathroom and got a Starbucks. So much fun.
The flight to Calgary was about 3 hours, and I got a whole row of seats to myself, so I curled up and slept most of the way to Calgary. And finally I got home at about 11 PM on March 7. I think that all together March 7 lasted 44 hours. It was a LONG day. But it ended well with Mom, Vicki and Gord greeting me with a welcome home sign and some Tim Hortons. Ahhhhh the taste of home.
Since I have been home I have felt really weird. I feel like everything is the same but I'm not really the same. I don't really know how to put the way I feel into words. Everyone asks "How does it feel to be home?" And I really don't know how to answer that question... Good? I guess... It is kind of like when you wake up from a dream and you find yourself in your bed and you are kind of relieved, but at the same time you wish you were still dreaming...
But I have been feeling better and better about being home as time goes on. I have been meeting up with a lot of friends which is nice, so I don't feel so alone after 6 months of constantly being surrounded by friends. And finally this past weekend I was reunited with my Jeep, Clyde.
Clyde spent the winter in my Uncle's shop up North. He was probably pretty lonely. But at least he got to be parked inside and not out on the street in the snow, which is where he would have been if he had stayed home. But, I was actually disappointed in the snow here in Calgary. There was a bit of snow when I arrived, but it was the kind of snow that is hard and sucky. The kind that has been there a while and half melted, then froze, etc. And there was a lot of grass visible. So I asked myself "where is all the snow?!?!" Well, I found it this weekend.
When I went to retrieve Clyde I found that the country up around my Grandma's house and my uncles houses has SO MUCH snow. Some of the snow drifts are as tall as me! And it is COLD up there, like -15. In Calgary it has been mostly above zero. I was glad to feel the cold on my nose and in my lungs. My favorite smell is the smell of the morning in winter. When you step outside and it is still dark out and you can see your breath and the air smells crisp and fresh. Mmmmmm. Love it. So I finally got to smell that smell and now I actually feel like I am home.
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