December 23rd, 2013 officially felt like the
longest day ever. I say this without the slightest exaggeration. Let me
tell you why...
In the afternoon I headed to the airport to catch a flight.
I was hoping all would go smoothly but as I’ve learned over the past few months
things never go as planned.
Sure enough...
My carry on was too heavy, so I spent 45 minutes repacking it.
Then my purse was too heavy so spent another 45 minutes in
the middle of the airport trying to make 3 kg’s somehow disappear into thin
air.
Unfortunately it wasn’t until I had a security guard
standing in front of me demanding what the ‘mystery liquid in my water bottle
was’ that I realized I had forgotten to empty it out.
The security guard informed me in what sounded almost like a
challenging tone that I would have to drink the water before I could go any
further. So there I was being watched like a hawk, holding up security, trying
to chug the water as fast as I could.
Turns out the only thing I did right today was get to the
airport early so luckily I didn’t need to worry about time.
After boarding the plane I knew immediately it was going to
be a rough flight.
I had the unfortunate luck of getting a seat in the last
row, right in the middle of the middle section. The people on either side of me
didn’t get up the entire flight so trying to get out to stretch or pee was a
mission and a half.
Luckily everything about my connecting flight was much
better!
Finally 26hrs after the time I first arrived at Auckland
airport I arrived in......
TORONTO!
SURPRISE!!
Just in time for the holidays.
Yes this was a bit of a change of plans but like I said if
there’s one thing I’ve learnt it is that plans never actually work out.
I’m not going to sugar coat anything and tell all of you
that everyday of these last 3 months were absolutely amazing. Travelling alone
was amazing for many reasons but it also got lonely at times. Not too mention
the bumps, both big and small, that I had along the way.
There were many reasons that impacted my decision to come
home early, one of them being just how much I missed people.
Being away made me realize just how unbelievably lucky I am
to have such AMAZING people in my life. To miss people so much and want to come
back to be able to talk, laugh or just hangout with them again is something
special that not everyone has.
 |
| just a few of my favourite people |
I met a bunch of people that had been travelling for years,
from one place to the next with no inclination of returning home, or even
having got to the point where they didn’t really have somewhere to call home.
While this is great for some, right now, in this moment I
couldn’t be happier, or more thankful that I have people that I missed and a
family and friends to come back to.
While leaving New Zealand was bittersweet (after all not
only is it an amazing country but it’s also summer there right now), being home
for Christmas just feels so right. I had been craving the snow and the cold
because to me that’s part of what Christmas is all about. Honestly I’ve never
felt more Canadian.
On a final note...
I had so much fun writing this blog so thanks to everyone
who read it at any stage during these past few months, it means a lot to me!
I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Rachel
Welcome Home!!!
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