Days 175-176 (Wed Feb 13th – Thur Feb 14th)
Wednesday and Thursday were long travel days as I flew back to Wellington from Los Angeles. I picked up Tuatoru from airport parking and drove north to Taupo. As I got to Taupo, I heard about an Art Deco festival in Napier. Napier is a 2 hour drive east of Taupo, on the coast. I managed to find a place to stay through Grindr (some guy let me crash on his couch).
I spent the afternoon and evening exploring the beach and town. There were lots of interesting cars, people, and music to see. The beach was also beautiful.
Day 177 (Friday Feb 15th)
I left Napier Friday morning. I needed to get to Auckland to try and sell my car before I left the country. Anna, my original scuba buddy, had a possible buyer lined up for me. My last Airbnb wasn’t anything special, but it was a cheap place to stay in Auckland for my final 5 days in the country.
Day 178 (Saturday Feb 16th)
Saturday I relaxed a bit and then took a bus into the CBD to get one more Auckland experience. I just walked around, played some DDR, journaled, and soaked in the city. Here’s a couple of selfies I took on the bus.
Day 180 (Sunday Feb 17th)
My last Sunday in New Zealand I attended The Holy Trinity Cathedral! A nice way to end my churchgoing down under. It was a beautiful service.
Day 181 (Monday Feb 18th)
My last beach day down under. I visited Takapuna Beach on the North Shore of Auckland to soak up some rays and enjoy my final days of summer in NZ. On the way there, I saw another man-made rainbow.
Day 182 (Tuesday Feb 19th)
My final day in NZ. I sold Tuatoru for $700 NZD and then headed to the airport. My layover was a full day in San Francisco before returning to Billings. I hoped to see friends in San Francisco, and I was going to stay with Alvin who I met in Queenstown in October 2018.
As with all my other flights back to the states, I actually arrived in San Francisco also on February 19th, gaining back the day I lost earlier in February. Alvin worked most of the day, so I hung out in the ferry building journaling for a while. I also got a taste of Chipotle after missing it for six months abroad. I also reflected on the time I spent in SF in 2012. My google map still had favorites for USF, my apartment on Glendale, and Bi-Rite Creamery!
It was fun to see Alvin that night and we caught up on the last four months in each other’s lives.
Day 183 (Wednesday Feb 20th)
Alvin had an early morning workout that I attended, and then he went off to work at USF and I went to the airport. I got to Billings later in the day, and was suddenly back in winter again.
This has been My Adventure – 183 days of traveling between the US, New Zealand, and Australia. Six months of reflection, reading, healing, learning, traveling, and experiencing all that life has to offer. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I am so thankful for God’s provision on my journey. I now have friends across the globe. I’m an experienced scuba diver. Between my pictures, videos, journals, and this blog, I have an extensive record of everything I learned and accomplished.
And a fitting way to end my travel blog is my top ten pet peeves and best things about New Zealand.
Derek’s Top Ten Pet Peeves of New Zealand
- Jesus’ name used as a frequent expression of frustration or cursing
- Drinking is a favorite pasttime
- Smoking is also very common
- Slow or non-existent WiFi in many public places
- Separate water taps for hot and cold water
- Good water pressure is hard to find
- Most houses are cold – double glazing is a desired but uncommon trait in windows
- Garbage cans are also hard to find when you are out and about
- Public bathrooms are often hidden, small, or inconvenient
- Most churches are very conservative
The Ten Best Things about New Zealand
- It’s a small country, only 5 million people in total
- So many beautiful locations (Queenstown, Milford Sound, Tutukaka, Napier, Wellington)
- A variety of lifestyles (urban, suburban, rural) but all are close by
- The people are friendly and helpful
- All the New Zealanders that I shared life with (Jono, Ian, Anna, Gary, Jay, Ali, Sarah, Kieran…the list goes on and on)
- Adventures to be had – Hobbiton, Waitomo Caves, Rotorua, Sky-diving, Bungy Jumping
- Scuba Diving – so many awesome places to explore
- Good coffee – you should try the flat white
- Memories of a truly independent Derek
- Learning to love yourself, God, and others. Learning to be content.
A special thank you to Johnathan, my brother, as I think he is the only reader who has followed along with every My Adventure post! But thank you to everyone who read my blog, or reached out to me, or responded when I reached out to you. I truly hope you can have a year like I did in 2018…one that started in ruin and heartbreak, but transformed into a year of joy, beauty, and healing.
The most important thing I’ve learned though, is the concept of home. Home for me, is living in a way where I am constantly connected with my Creator. The final song for this month’s Fellowship playlist speaks to me about home as a relationship. Home by LVNDSCAPE –
As I hide out in your eyes
I’m safe, I’m paralyzed
There’s nowhere else that I belong
‘Cause with you
It feels like home
Feels like home
And with you
It feels like home
Feels like home
Yay, I get a call out! 😉
Yes, I think you are the only reader of my entire Adventure. Thank you for all your comments and love.