Welcome to New Zealand

Let’s just say that my departure from Australia and entry into New Zealand was not seamless.  It wasn’t smooth like butter, a breeze in the sails, or easy like a cheerleader.  It was a pain in the arse.  After days of pleading, weeks of researching, months of waiting, and dozens of Q & A conversations later, I finally had my student visa, which doubled as an entry visa into New Zealand.  Connor, upon arrival at check-in, found that he would not be admitted onto the plane without a flight out of New Zealand.  Our mom had booked it but he didn’t have any proof.  After an hour of scouring our email histories for details of his itinerary and with his incessant cursing ringing in my ears, we realized he would have to purchase a return ticket that he already had, somewhere.  Let’s just say that Connor was a joy to be around for someone nearly as far from home as he could get and with an overly dwindled savings account and having to buy a $400 plane ride.  No, he wasn’t.  That was sarcasm. 

And not once did he apologize for putting me through any of it. 

Not to continue the complaints, but I was already feeling tense about seeing my mom for the first time in five months.  We have never had the best relationship- mostly because she drives me crazy, though I only understand bits and pieces of why.  The rest is probably due to biological hormonal issues that ease my departure from ‘the nest.’  Anyway, the Connor fiasco did not do anything to help my nerves. 

However, after a fairly comical and entertaining plane ride, we landed in New Zealand and I was truly happy to see my mother and youngest brother.  When Connor had asked me earlier on the plane if I was nervous, I told him that no, that seeing them would probably be as if I had just seen them yesterday, unless of course my mom had quickly aged or Garrett had grown dramatically.  Well, my mom still looked about the same say for a few more stray grays, but Garrett appeared as if someone had been dousing him with Miracle Grow.  Then he spoke and it was as if that mysterious gardener had also hollowed out his chest; the voice coming out of his baby face was nearly as deep as Connor’s.  Calling myself a blubbering shocked idiot wouldn’t be a bad description of that moment.

After getting over my initial shock and finishing the exhausting formalities of greeting loved ones after a long absence, we headed out to inspect what we’d be living out of for the next three weeks.  A small campervan big enough to cook in, sleep four, but still small enough to maneuver in a parking lot.  Not bad.  After stocking our McCarty-mobile with food, and introducing my mother to a Dark and Stormy (ginger beer soda and rum, aka The Best Drink Ever) over dinner, we settled down in a campervan park for the night.  Though many people rave about Auckland, we weren’t in New Zealand to see cities.  The next day we were headed to the Bay of Islands. 

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We drove north for hours.  I laid in the back while drifting in and out of the sleep that I had lost over the last week.  We arrived in Tutukaka, just south of the Bay of the Islands.  In juxtaposition to the endless research I would do before booking anything over twenty dollars, we walked into the first dive shop we saw and booked a trip to the Poor Knight’s Island for the next morning.  It’s on Mom’s tab so she can do whatever she likes.

With a tip from a local, we drove thirty minutes north to a lonely little road-side beach and settled in.  The volcanic rock scattered along the sands like beached whales were spectacular accents to the scene from a distance.  Close up they revealed pockets and cracks cradling different species of algae, starfishes, and other tidal species.  In the light of the setting sun, Connor, Garrett and I clambered amidst the tidal pools and rock ledges of the beachfront.  I left the boys in an archway to return to the van and cook us up a dinner of sweet chili vegetable stir-fry and rice.  Don’t seem so shocked, my singles ad says I can cook too ;) .  When we all sat down to feast, I discovered why Garrett was growing so much- he was inhaling the equivalent amount of food Connor, my mom, and myself were eating combined.  After a tranquil sunset, and in our food-induced stupor, we nestled in for some well-needed rest.