Reporting from Nelson

I didn't have the chance to post this earlier, but here's something I wrote on Friday night.

Now that this long and busy day has turned into a night, I'm finally slowing down and starting to realise what's happening. It's already 2am but I can't seem to find my sleep. Today's been all about farewells and saying goodbyes, been trying to have that last talk with everybody, even if it's been a really quick one. Now when lying on my bed and everything around me has turned dark and quiet, I start to have that nasty little feeling inside me. It's the sadness, curled to a heavy little ball on my chest. I've always been bad with goodbyes and I remember this feeling well from my childhood. It was the time when me and my cousin used to visit each other really often and we would spend the weekends at each others homes. It didn't matter which one of us was catching the bus back home on Sunday evening, the goodbyes were never easy.

Yesterday evening I spent couple of hours in the kitchen, baking and decorating blueberry muffins to the people at the gym. I took them with me this morning and apparently I did a good job since an hour later they were already gone! I also surprised three of my favourite instructors with small notes, chocolate hearts and red roses. Just small things but with a lot of meaning, my way to show them my gratitude. A lot of people wished me a safe journey (no hitchhiking!) and I got more last minute travel tips. This super friendly guy called Ocean also gave me his dad's contact number in Christchurch so I will always have a cheap lift when in need. And how cool name is that, Ocean! As in, The Ocean!

Althought the feeling of sadness has been quietly shadowing me the whole day, today's focus has really been on having an amazing last day in Upper Hutt. During the day I met with a friend over some lunch and we talked and laughted almost for three hours. When we finally realised the time, Saskia was already in a rush to pick up her kids, and I also had to make my way home and start thinking about packing. Last set of dirty laundry, tidying my room and trying to figure out the way to fit everything in the back. Later in this evening Sabi came to pick me up and we met with our birthday-girl Lisa. Great talks and a lot of laughter over some delicious pizza and drinks. By the end of the night I received two beautiful bracelets and heart-warming cards, and of course there's an endless amount of memories I'll always carry with me.

But in the end the excitement and happiness are far more over-powering feelings than sadness and longing can ever be. Right from the beginning I knew that eventually I'm going to go and start my travelling around New Zealand. I've been blessed with the privilege of meeting all these wonderful people here in Upper Hutt, and I know I'm going to meet more amazing people during my travels. There's a reason why you meet certain people in life and I believe everything's connected. I am truly happy that this is the place where I stand in this part of my life, this is where I'm supposed to be. In less than 6 hours I'll be waving my goodbyes to my dear host-family, climb on the deck of the ferry and look at the sea.

"Now, bring me that horizon....na na na na...and really bad eggs! Drink up me hearties yoho!"

First stop, Picton!